Goomba

"The Goombas have lost...Again?! Is this our destiny?! To be trampled by oppressive feet for all eternity? No, we will definitely triumph next time! Yes, next time! The Goombas' fate is not defeat, but perseverance!"

- Goomboss

Goombas (also known as Little Goombas) are one of the major species of Mushroom World and are among Mario and Luigi's most persistent foes. Since their first game appearance in Super Mario Bros. they have appeared as a common foe. Goombas resemble small, brown mushrooms and are a fungus-based species like Toads, Amanitas, Spooks, and Shroobs. Goombas are physically weak and are not much of a threat to Mario, since a single stomp usually defeats them, although a number of different Goomba sub-species have emerged throughout the years. The Goombas, as a collective race, used to be allied with the Mushroom Kingdom. However, many of the Goombas have turned traitorous and joined the Koopa Troop, an organization led by Bowser. While a vast majority of Goombas allied themselves with him, others became independent thieves or even formed peaceful Goomba communities.

''Super Mario Bros.
The original homeland of the Goombas is in the Mushroom Kingdom, which they share with the Toads. The two races lived in peace. However, at an unknown point in time, the Goombas betray their neighbors and join the Koopa Troop. In Super Mario Bros., Goombas are the most common soldier in the ranks of Bowser's army. In the game, they occupy almost every level (except underwater levels).

If Mario or Luigi defeats the False Bowser of World 1's castle with fireballs, it turns into its true form, a Goomba, before falling into the lava. The same event happens in remakes of Super Mario Bros..

If the player completes the game and plays it again, Buzzy Beetles replace all the Goombas.

''Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Goombas reappear in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Although Buzzy Beetles are more prominent in the the game, large numbers of Goombas are deployed in strategic enclosed locations with little jumping room.

Super Mario Bros. 3
In Super Mario Bros. 3, Goombas appear in the seven kingdoms of Mushroom World. These Goombas act similar to the ones in Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. This game introduces the concept of Goomba sub-species such as Paragoombas, Micro-Goombas, and Grand Goombas.

The Goombas of World 5-3 use a device known as the Goomba's Shoe (previously known as the Kuribo's Shoe) to mimic the jumping abilities of Mario and Luigi. When in the green shoe, a Goomba can jump towards Mario and Luigi instead of walking into them. If Mario or Luigi defeats the Goomba by hitting the blocks underneath it, the boot is left behind. Mario or Luigi can ride in this boot, allowing him to jump on spiked enemies and cross Muncher patches.

''Super Mario World
The Goombas that appear in in Super Mario World are slightly different from the ones that appear in the previous games. These Goombas, called Kuribon in the Japanese version, appear Dinosaur Land, as seen in Super Mario World. In the English version of the title, this sub-species is called the same as the main species. The Goombas in this game are rounder and are able to be picked up when knocked upside-down.

''Super Mario 64
Goombas also appear in Super Mario 64 (and Super Mario 64 DS). Notably, on the DS remake, Goomboss, the ruler of the Goombas, manages to capture Mario. Goomboss is eventually defeated by Yoshi, and Mario is rescued.

In this game, Goombas act slightly differently than the previous game. Instead of walking back and forth in a straight path, Goombas patrol a small area in a circular motion. When they spot Mario (or Luigi, Wario or Yoshi), they charge at him. When destroyed, Goombas leave behind Yellow Coin or, in several levels, a Silver Star, bringing Mario closer to completing his goal. In Super Mario 64 DS, Goombas sometimes wear a Mario, Luigi, or Wario cap. Upon defeating the Goomba, the cap can transform into the respective character. In this game, Goombas often appear in groups of two or three.

''New Super Mario Bros.
Goombas appear in New Super Mario Bros.. They act very similar to the ones in Super Mario Bros. Paragoombas also reappear in this game, along with another Goomba sub-species, the Mini Goomba. The Mega Goomba, a Goomba mega-sized by Bowser Jr.'s Mega Mushroom, is one of the bosses Mario can fight in World 4. Goombas also make a short hop to the chorus riff in the background music. They can hop high enough for them to avoid incoming Koopa Shells.

''Super Mario Galaxy
Goombas appear in Super Mario Galaxy. There are several types of Goombas in Super Mario Galaxy. In addition to the regular kind of Goomba, a flatter, grayer version exists, similar to the Goombas of Super Mario World. The flatter Goombas are instantly defeated by a spin, rather than being flipped, and they always leave behind a coin when defeated, instead of only when stomped. In Super Mario Galaxy 2 when defeated by a spin, they leave behind a Star Bit rather than a coin. A Grand Goomba also appears in the Gateway Galaxy.

There is also an alien sub-species of Goombas called Octoomba. They are weaker than the Goombas since one spin can defeat them. They blue variant attacks by hitting with its crest-like over its head while the pink variant attacks by shooting stones out of its mouth.

Another sub-species of Goombas is the Metallic Goomba. They often wear large helmets, which protect them from being stomped unless they are flipped upside down with a spin.

A subspecies called Jack O' Goomba appears in haunted galaxies. They wear Pumpkins on their heads as protection and can cause blue fire.

''New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Goombas reappear in the game New Super Mario Bros. Wii, acting as their New Super Mario Bros. counterparts. Mega Goombas and Grand Goombas also reappear, although much smaller than depicted in Super Mario Galaxy. The Goomba, Grand Goomba, and Mega Goomba can be encountered in the Enemy Course of World 1. In this Enemy Course it can be either 8 Goombas, 4 Grand Goombas, or 2 Mega Goombas.

In addition, in the seventh course of World 9, Goombas inside chestnuts can be encountered. The Goombas are released by a fireball from Mario or a Venus Fire Trap.

''Super Mario Galaxy 2
Goombas re-appear in Super Mario Galaxy 2, having the same roles as they had in the prequel. Grand Goombas, Octoombas, Astro Goombas and Jack O' Goombas re-appear as well, and Paragoombas and Grand Paragoombas, which did not appear in the first game, appear in the game too. Also, in the mission "C'Mere, Goomba" in Boulder Bowl Galaxy, a Gold Gearmo asks Mario to find the robot a Goomba.

''Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!
In the Japanese-exclusive anime movie Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!, two Goombas, who work for King Koopa, appear throughout the film, attempting to halt Mario, Luigi, and Kibidango in their search for Princess Peach.

These two Goombas first appear shortly after Mario and Luigi start their quest and follow the Mario Bros. to a camp they have set up for a night's rest. Luigi, however, has grown hungry and is unable to sleep. The Goombas then trick Luigi by saying they are mushrooms, and Luigi, desperate for food, follow them into a small clearing filled with strange, emotion-inducing mushrooms. Luigi (and Mario, who eventually finds his brother in the mushroom field) is eventually kidnapped by a large Paratroopa.

The Goombas next appear right after Mario and Luigi have collected the Super Mushroom and have come to a fork in the road. Here the Goombas decide to give Mario and Luigi false directions and lead the brothers to a Piranha Plant-filled area.

The Goombas are seen next in a cave-like area where they leave a trail of Coins for the Mario Bros. Mario and Luigi follow this trail and end up in a larger cave, although the Goombas roll a rock up against the entrance of this cave, locking the Mario Bros. within it.

One of the Goombas' last efforts in the film comes when Mario and Luigi have reached Bowser's Castle. They activate a complex platform system over lava (with the inclusion of Podoboos), explaining that Mario has to jump over it to escape. Their plans are foiled, though, when Luigi (who is at the time mining for Coins) accidentally cause a huge flood through Bowser's Castle, putting out the lava and safely carrying the Mario Brothers on.

The Goombas of the movie are last seen being reprimanded by King Bowser for not stopping Mario and Luigi. They run away to parts unknown.

''Super Mario Land
While the common Goombas did not appear in the game Super Mario Land, a Goomba species known as the Chibibo did. They act very similar to Goombas in the Super Mario Bros. games.

''Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Goombas (not Chibibos) reappear in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. They are not as common as Chibibos. However, the Terekuribos, the Japanese name for Goomba ghosts, appear in Pumpkin Zone. Another variety of Goombas, the conjecturally titled Goomdivers (named after similar creatures encountered in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga), are also prominently featured in the Turtle Zone.

Wario Land series
Another species similar to Goombas known as Gooms appear in Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3. These creatures highly resemble Goombas, except that most Gooms are round and have arms. Many types of Gooms have appeared throughout the Wario Land series. These include Pirate Gooms and Wanderin' Gooms. One notable Goom, known as the Giant Spear Man, is Syrup's high-ranking Goom in Wario Land II. Other types of Gooms include Para-Gooms, Wizard Gooms, Yarikuri Obake, and Spearheads. These three varieties appear in Wario Land 3.

WarioWare series
Goombas make cameos in the WarioWare series. In WarioWare, Inc.: Minigame Mania, they appear in the microgame Super Mario Bros., in which the player has to defeat the Goombas to win the microgame. In WarioWare: Twisted! in the boss game Super Mario Bros., they appear as enemies that try to defeat Mario, just as in Super Mario Bros.. In WarioWare: Touched! in the Super Mario Bros. Defeat the Enemies microgame, they appear as one of the enemies that have to be defeated. They can defeated by tapping them with the stylus. Finally, in WarioWare: Smooth Moves in the third level of the microgame Super Mario Bros., a Goomba appears as an obstacle that Mario has to avoid, although sometimes it is replaced with a bottomless pit.

Mario cartoons
In the The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Goombas are depicted as being weak soldiers in King Koopa's army. They accurately resemble the physical depiction of Goombas from the video games. Goombas change aliases depending on the plot, appearing as bikers, pirates, and ninjas. The continuation of the original cartoon series, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, retain Goombas and their status as weak yet loyal soldiers. The second continuation, the Super Mario World cartoon, feature Goombas in only three episodes, with a small reference to them in A Little Learning. A Goomba can be found in the Tunnel of Doom in the episode "On Her Majesty's Sewer Service".

Goombas also appeared in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Mario comics
Goombas appear in both issues of Nintendo Comics System and various Nintendo Adventure Books, though in the former, they are scarcely seen, having seemingly been pushed aside by Shy Guys as the shock troops of Bowser's army.

In Super Mario Adventures, Goombas, resembling the ones seen in Super Mario World, appeared among the creatures sent to attack Princess Toadstool's Castle and were also among the attendees to Bowser's marriage to Princess Toadstool.

"Super Mario: Erholung? Nein, danke!"
Goombas make a minor appearance in the German Club Nintendo comics. Two of them are seen in the story "Super Mario: Erholung? Nein, danke!", on the island of Koopabiza. They, along with many other people and creatures, try to get to the beach. One of them is wearing a swimming ring. Also, the Gumba Royal Hotel on Koopabiza is named after the German spelling of the Goomba species.

''Hotel Mario
Four varieties of Goomba appear in the game Hotel Mario. They aide Bowser in his attempt to transform the Mushroom Kingdom into his personal resort. Goombas guard the seven hotels set up by Bowser's Koopalings. In the game, Goombas attempt to prevent Mario from shutting down the seven Koopa Hotels. To do this, Mario has to shut all the doors in each hotel. Regular Goombas oppose his efforts by slowly walking to closed doors and opening them (as well as generally just getting in the Mario's way). Paragoombas (called Flying Goombas in this game) also appear. Two new types of Goomba, the Bellhop Goomba and the Rhinestone Goomba, make their only appearance in this game.

''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
In this game, Goombas appear, but they are not as common as Shy Guys and Koopa Troopas. Goombas only appear in one level: World 4-1 GO! GO! MARIO!! In this level, Goombas attempt to walk into Yoshi, knocking off Baby Mario and possibly having him kidnapped by a Toady. When Yoshi stomps on them, the Goomba flattens, but it is not defeated; they can even walk into and damage Yoshi even in this state. After some time, the Goomba "pops" and assumes its standard mushroom shape. These Goombas can be defeated with an egg toss, a Ground Pound attack, or Yoshi's tongue. Strangely, before Goombas jump off a ledge, they wiggle their eyebrows.

''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Goombas are among the weakest members of the Koopa Troop in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. However, they are more powerful than the Terrapin. In the game, many Goombas are seen at Mushroom Way, the area between Bowser's Keep and the Mushroom Kingdom. Goombas, under the command of two Hammer Bros., patrol the paths of Mushroom Way. In fact, Toad himself is captured by a group of Goombas while the he is on his way to the Mushroom Kingdom. Other Goombas not loyal to the Koopa Troop reside in Bandit's Way, working as independent thieves. Wild Goombas live in the Pipe Vault, a secret area near Rose Town. Although as strong as the Goombas from Mushroom Way and Bandit's Way, these Goombas are encountered much later in the game. Other independent Goombas live in the caves of the Midas River. These Goombas are more concerned with catching the river's fish to eat than battling outsiders. In battle, Goombas attack enemies by biting. They can also shoot sharp thorns to cause 50% more damage than usual. . Goombas are fairly weak, they and can often be destroyed by a simple Timed Hit. A Goomba's bite attack can be blocked by defending right after the mushroom performed a somersault. The damage of a Goomba's thorn can be blunted by defending right before the projectile hits the party member. Additionally, Goombas typically fight in groups of two to three (either with other Goombas or stronger monsters). When defeated, Goombas often yield HP MAX! Flowers to Mario and his party.

Besides the small outpost at Mushroom Way, the Koopa Troop, as a whole, is actually on the verge of collapse. In the game, the Koopa Troop is devastated by the invasion of the extraterrestrial Smithy Gang. The gang chooses Bowser's Keep as their base-of-operations in Mushroom World. As a result, many enemies in the Koopa Troop switch sides to join the invaders while others simply ran away. One of the enemies that leaves the Koopa Troop is theGu Goombas, who later become guards for the Smithy Gang. One Goomba deserter finds its way to Monstro Town, a community of reformed enemies. This lone Goomba sets up shop here, selling powerful Koopa-based armor and weapons. The Goomba is also aided by its three Goombette nephews, the Triplets (other Goombettes, not related to this Goomba, appeared in the Sunken Ship).

After the Koopa Troop is expelled from Bowser's Keep, Bowser himself attempts to reassemble the remains of his troop in Rose Way. Many Goombas remain loyal to Bowser and join him in his quest to retake the castle, but by the time the army reaches Moleville, many Goombas have abandoned Bowser. By the time Bowser reaches Booster Tower, all of Bowser's army (including all his Goombas) has deserted him. However, at the tower, Bowser decides to join forces with Mario, knowing that with the Mario's strength, he can get his keep back. Eventually, Bowser, Mario, Princess Peach, Mallow, and Geno find their way to Monstro Town. While in the town for reformed enemies, the Bowser runs into the Goomba deserter who has set up shop in the village. The Goomba apologizes for deserting the Koopa Troop, but offers to sell Bowser powerful weapons and armor in return. Eventually, Bowser, with the help of Mario and his friends, manages to expel the Smithy Gang and defeat their leader, Smithy. With his keep returned, many former soldiers (including many Goombas) return to King Bowser and the Koopa Troop. In fact, many Goombas help rebuild Bowser's Keep to its former glory.

Mario Party series
Goombas are a common sight in the various Mario Party titles. Often, they appear in the background of minigames or they host minigames themselves. Goomba gets the biggest role in Mario Party 4, where it is one of the hosts.

Mario Party
In Mario Party, A Goomba hosts the Flower Lottery in Peach's Birthday Cake. In Crazy Cutter a Goomba is one of the few shapes that players have to drill.

Mario Party 2
In Mario Party 2, a Goomba appears to host the all the duel minigames. Other than that, Goombas do not play a very major role in this game.

Mario Party 3


Mario Party 3 also features Goombas. Luigi's partner is, in fact, a Goomba. The Goomba has an attack stat of 2 and an HP stat of 1. Goombas make an appearance in Curtain Call, where the player has to memorize the order of them and other enemies on a stage. Paragoombas appear in Ridiculous Relay as obstacles. In Slot Synch, if players get a Goomba icon, they get one point. In Three Door Monty, a Goomba is one of characters that players have to memorize which character went through a door. In Game Guy's Roulette a Goomba icon is one of the 6 icons the player can guess where the ball can go.

Mario Party 4
In Mario Party 4, Goomba appears as one of the hosts of the Party Cube, along with Toad, Boo, Shy Guy and Koopa Troopa. He wears a glittery pink top hat and a glittery pink vest and hosted both Goomba's Greedy Gala and the mini-game room. In the minigames, Goombas appear in Long Claw of the Law as an outlaw, GOOOOOOOAL!! as a crowd member and Goomba's Chip Flip in Story Mode, as the character being fought against. A Goomba is also the referee in the Beach Volley Folley minigame.

Mario Party 5


The Goomba Engine and the Goomba-Trio Engine are two of the many engines the player can purchase for a machine in Super Duel Mode. Typically, the engine offers acceleration and speed in exchange for control. The Goomba Tires are fairly fast and they boast good acceleration, but other abilities are average. The Goomba Capsule, if landed on, makes the player swap coins with another randomly chosen opponent. They can be used on a player for five coins. Goombas feature prominently in a minigame called Hotel Goomba, where they serve as obstacles that the player must punch to get through. A Goomba is a 30-feet marker in Triple Jump. Goombas appear as part of the background in Will Flower, Fight Cards and Random Ride. Goombas also feature prominently in Mathletes as the crowd and the host of the minigame. Players direct the movement of a Goomba or Paragoomba robot using slots in Quilt for Speed. In Clock Stoppers a Goomba is one of the three characters that appear when a team gets the clock hands matching the center one. Goombas appear as one of the contents of a can in Mario Can-Can. In Panic Pinball, Goombas appear on the top of the slot. When they are flattened by a pinball, they start the slots. Also, in Beach Volley Folley, the Goomba remains a referee.

Mario Party 6
The Goomba Orb makes a reappearance in Mario Party 6, but its function is different. If an opponent lands on the player's Goomba Orb space, the opponent must determine how much coins he or she has to give to the player by rolling a dice block. Goombas appear in the background in Thirsty Gulch. Goombas are one of the enemies featured in Odd Card Out, where players must guess which card is different from the other two. They also appear as part of the crowd in that minigame. Players have to take pictures with the most Goombas in Freeze Frame. In Trap Ease Artist, players capture Goombas or Gold Goombas to earn points. Goombas appear in the background in Sunday Drivers, Stage Fright, and Dunk Bros.. In Word Herd the lone player must direct Goombas away from the other three attacking players. Goombas appear in clean windows during the day in Clean Team. Goomas host Control Schtick. Goomba-shaped asteroids appear in Mass Meteor. The player has to rescue a Goomba in Lab Brats.

Mario Party Advance


In Mario Party Advance, one task the player must do is to obtain a train ticket and give it to a Goomba in the Goomba House. Goombob is a Goomba that looks similar to the Goombas in Super Mario World. He lives in the Goombob Manor. The player must find a seashell on a beach and give it to Goombob and his girlfriend, Goombetty. Goombas appear in the minigame Floor It!, where the player must direct them to the correct floor. A Goomba hosts the minigame Volleybomb.

Mario Party 7
The Goomba Orb does not appear in this game. Goomba figures can be bought from the Duty-free Shop. A Goomba appears in the background in Big Dripper, where it is being chased by bees. Goombas appear in the background in Kart Wheeled, Dart Attack, Weight for It, and Light Speed. They host the minigame Clock Watchers. Goombas appear as one type of card in Cardinal Rule. Players have to ground-pound Goombas and a Gold Goomba in Royal Rumpus, but the Gold Goomba is worth more points, but is more difficult to stomp. Goombas are one of the pictures players have to match in Spin Off.

Mario Party 8


Goomba has a board of its own in Goomba's Booty Boardwalk. Captain Goomba is the goal in this board. Other Goombas either hinder the player or help the player. Goombas appear in the background in Chump Rope, Swing Kings, Blazing Lassos, Fruit Picker,. Players have to shoot Goombas with paint in Paint Misbehavin' to win. In Lob to Rob, players hit Mushroom icons to gain points. Goomba pictures subtract points. Goombas chase the loser at the end of the minigame. Goombas help the player make a basket in Settle it in Court. Goombas appear as one of the nine rescue-able enemies in Specter Inspector. A Goomba is one of the racers in Moped Mayhem.

Mario Party DS
In the Nintendo DS game Mario Party DS, the Goombas take large role in various mini-games that occurred during the event. One of the mini-games they appear is Goomba Wrangler where they are used as points. The players must capture them by circling them using the stylus to gain points. Goombas (referred to as Brown Goombas in the instructions) are worth one point and move slowly when the mini-game starts. Golden Goombas are worth three points and move faster; they appear later during the mini-game. More Goombas arrive in this very spot from the staircases as the time goes by. However, they can be deducted by circling a Bob-omb. Depending on the points the player receives, the player may lose the ordinary Goombas or the rare Golden Goombas at that time resulting it to be knocked out from the player's container.

A Goomba also appears in a mini game called Soccer Survival. A large Goomba is the goalie and shoots soccer balls at the players. The object of the game is to avoid the soccer balls that the Goomba kicks to the players.

Goombas also appear in another mini-game Call of the Goomba where they are lured by one of the players; they are also used as points. They appear in the middle of the field, and there are players away from them. The Goombas can be lured by players by using the music box to make the closest speed of the music as possible. They are lured if they listened to the colorful notes from one of the players. The lured creatures cannot return back into the field once they are caught by a player. If one of the Goombas hears a closest music than the weak music tune, the Goombas rather go towards the player who makes a closest speed of the music. The player who has the most Goombas wins.

In the mini-game Plush Crush, the Goomba appears as a plush that uses one space during in the mini-game. The plush can be carried by a player's mechanical grabber. It can be used to try to block the solo player's paths or to defeat the player by dropping this plush.

In another mini-game Double Vision, Goombas occasionally appear as one of the three trace drawings for the two players to complete. The two players have to work together to trace the creature, the players all have a different color for them to trace in certain parts of this drawing.

In the last mini-game in appearance Shorty Scorers, wooden Goombas appear as a goalkeeper at both of the goals. They automatically move at the left and the right side. The goalkeeper's job is to try to block the ball the players try to get a goal.

''Super Smash Bros.
Goombas appear in the first Super Smash Bros.. They are seen in the background of the secret Mushroom Kingdom stage. These Goombas are rendered as 2-D NES-style sprites.

''Super Smash Bros. Melee
Goombas has a minor, but practical role in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Very rarely, a Goomba emerges from a Party Ball or a Crate, instead of an item. The Goomba then walks around the stage, damaging fighters until being defeated. Goombas are also featured prominently in the first level of Adventure Mode, the Mushroom Kingdom. As in the traditional Mario games, Goombas in this game can be defeated by any stomp or simple attack. A Goomba trophy can also be collected in the game by completing Event Match #14: Trophy Tussle 1. In fact, the battle in this match takes place on a giant Goomba trophy.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Goombas appear in the next game of the series, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. They play another small role as in the last time. They try to get in the players' way by bumping into them. Most of these Goombas work for Bowser, and they help him steal the Banana Horde, but some aided Tabuu in defense of The Great Maze. Giant Goombas, who are bigger, stronger versions of Goombas also make an appearance in the Subspace Emissary.

''Paper Mario
Goombas are a part of Bowser's army during his attempt to take the Mushroom Kingdom with the power of the Star Rod in the game Paper Mario. In fact, many varieties of Goombas aid Bowser. Goomboss (this time named the Goomba King) returns, commanding a large group of Goombas that reside in Goomba Road, the pathway between Goomba Village and Toad Town. Besides regular Goombas, the he controls a large number of Paragoombas and Spiky Goombas, Goombas that wear spiked helmets to counter Mario's jumping ability. The his two loyal henchmen, Red Goomba and Blue Goomba, appear in the game as well. A new sub-species of Goomba, known as the Gloomba, is also introduced. These dark Goombas live underground. The underground also includes Paragloombas and Spiky Gloombas. Hyper Goombas, green-colored Goombas similar to the Gu Goombas, are first seen in this game. These powerful Goombas can charge their attack power. Again, Hyper Goombas have a Hyper Paragoomba and a Hyper Spiky Goomba variant.

The regular brown Goombas of Paper Mario behave similarly to their counterparts in Super Mario 64. They patrol a small area, and upon seeing Mario, they can charge at him. In battle, Goombas attack by using the "Headbonk" technique. They jump in the air, then dive into Mario, bonking their head against him. This attack can be blocked by defending just as the Goomba's head touches Mario. If he is struck by the attack, Mario takes one HP of damage. At the beginning of the game, it requires two stomps or two Hammer strikes to defeat a Goomba (as Goombas only have two HP). However, after Mario learns how to use Action Commands, he only needs one timed attack to defeat one of them.

Although Goombas are normally fought at the beginning of the game, one Goomba can be fought much later than expected. At one point, Bowser asks Princess Peach what Mario fears most. One of Peach's choices is "A Goomba", and if she picks this, Kammy Koopa warps a Goomba to Shy Guy's Toy Box. Although Kammy expresses doubt that the Goomba will scare Mario away, she leaves the Goomba in charge of defending a Treasure Box. When Mario eventually arrived, the Goomba is quickly defeated by him.

Despite the large number of Goombas loyal to the Koopa Troop, Paper Mario notably features the first community of peaceful Goombas. This Goomba community is vital in defeating Bowser and freeing the Mushroom Kingdom. It is the family of Goombas (composed of Goompa, Gooma, Goompapa, Goomama, Goombaria, and Goombario) living in peaceful Goomba Village that first discovered Mario unconscious after the his initial defeat from Bowser. These Goombas nurse Mario back to full strength and provides him with a Hammer to fight the Koopa Troop. The family also allows Mario to take Goomnuts from their village; these nuts can be used by Mario to recover his FP. Goombario, a young Goomba and personal admirer of Mario, even joins the hero on his adventure. His Tattle ability is valuable, as he provides hints on how to defeat certain enemies. With Goombario's (among others) help, Mario is able to defeat Bowser and save the Mushroom Kingdom.

''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Mario runs into a number of Goombas in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. These Goombas lives in a town known as Rogueport. Many of these Goombas are independent thieves, bandits, crooks, cheats, and "cleaners." These they wear green hats, similar to the hat Link wears. Although not the best of company, these Goombas from Rogueport do not attack Mario. However, the Goombas that live in the Rogueport Sewers or in Petal Meadows are very aggressive. Goombas behave just as their Paper Mario counterparts and are not much of a threat, since Mario can perform Action Commands from the beginning of the game. All the Goomba sub-species featured previously in Paper Mario also return in this game.

Although a large number of either aggressive or simply seedy Goombas appear in the game, The Thousand-Year Door features two Goombas that aid Mario in his adventure. The first is Goombella, a female college student from Goomba University. She actually joins Mario on his quest to find the legendary treasure hidden beneath the town of Rogueport (as well as rescue Princess Peach, who has been captured by the Secret Society of the X-Nauts). Her Goomba teacher, Professor Frankly, also helps Mario by interpreting the Magical Map, allowing the him to find the next Crystal Star and continue his journey.

''Super Paper Mario
Goombas appear in the game Super Paper Mario. In this adventure, Goombas are the first enemies to be battled. They are generally replaced by Squiglets as the weakest enemy ingame, but they do appear in a few places. They also appear in the Flipside Pit of 100 Trials in rooms 2 and 5. Their HP is lowered to 1 in this game, but attack and defense stay the same from previous Paper Mario titles. This game also introduces Headbonk Goombas, which are throwbacks to the previous two Paper Mario games, as the Goombas' main attack is the Headbonk.

Paper Mario (Nintendo 3DS)
Goombas will re-appear in the upcoming game Paper Mario for the Nintendo 3DS, and is confirmed that they will appear with 5 HP. Also, they look more like Goombas in other Mario games. Their feet are now brown instead of red and their eyebrows are not as big as they are in the previous Paper Mario games.

Mario Kart series
Goombas have appeared in four Mario Kart games, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, and Mario Kart Wii. They act as obstacles to racers and cause a kart to spin-out if hit. If destroyed by an item, a Goomba drops a Mushroom on the track, giving a kart a speed boost when picked up. Goomboss from Super Mario 64 DS appears in Mario Kart DS as a boss in Mission Mode. In Mario Kart Super Circuit, Goombas only appears in the audience when the player gets on the podium in a cup.

''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
A group of Goombas join Bowser as he attempts to track down Cackletta in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. These Goombas hold tutorial battles with Mario and Luigi in the Koopa Cruiser, who happens to join the Bowser in his search for Cackletta (as the she has stolen Princess Peach's voice). These Goombas are patrolling the halls of the cruiser or simply hiding in barrels. The Goombas engage in battles with the Mario Bros., to get some training before the Mario Bros.'s battle Cackletta. In battle, a Goomba approaches either Mario or Luigi, somersaults towards him, then bite. This attack can be dodged by jumping after the Goomba opened its mouth. To counter the attack, Mario or Luigi would have to jump right when the Goomba's mouth opened. They each have 4 HP. The Goombas did not see much action after that, since the Koopa Cruiser is shot down by Fawful before Cackletta is engaged in combat.

Although traditional, Koopa Troop-loyal Goombas did not appear throughout the rest of the game, a number of wild sub-species are located in Beanbean Kingdom. The Tanoombas resided just north of Beanbean Castle Town. Another sub-species, known as the Gritty Goomba, lives in the Teehee Valley and Gwarhar Lagoon regions of the Beanbean Kingdom. These Goombas are covered in bandages and has the ability to conjure sandstorms to distort opponents. The last Beanbean Kingdom sub-species is the Goomdiver. Unlike most Goombas, these creatures can reside underwater since they wear special scuba diving gear. Mario and Luigi encounters Goomdivers in Oho Ocean.

''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Goombas act as castle guards during the Shroob invasion, as depicted in the game Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. In this adventure, Goombas are considered the weakest member of the Koopa Troop. They patrol the halls of Baby Bowser's Castle, attacking any intruder who enters Prince Bowser's castle. To attack, a Goomba runs into the Mario Bros. They can be countered with a Jump attack. Goombas are sometimes aided in battle by Boos. Other Goomba sub-species are featured in the game. The Tanoomba returns from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga appears in Thwomp Mountain. The invading Shroobs also create their own version of the Tanoomba known as the Tashrooba. This dark sub-species serve as guards inside Shroob Castle, the conquered (and Shroobified) version of Princess Peach's Castle.

Additionally, in the present-time events of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Goombas appear in Princess Peach's Castle Dungeon. Although weak, these Goombas are slightly stronger, and they attack faster than their counterparts from Baby Bowser's Castle.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Goombas return in this game as one of Bowser's special attacks, where the player has to touch Goombas to light them on fire and send them upward. The enemy takes damage for each Goomba it is hit with. Fawful captures some Goombas and brainwashes them, while other ones are put in a cage in Dimble Wood. Bowser also encounters two new subspecies, the Chuboombas, fat Goombas that carry lollipops, and Choombas, Goombas that resemble steam engine trains and gain speed in their charge, even after Bowser punches them. Also, another, similar species, called Goombules, are found inside Bowser.

Mario Baseball series
Goombas are playable characters in Mario Superstar Baseball. Strangely, Goombas can make use of a baseball bat and a glove despite having no arms. Paragoombas are also playable characters in the game. Goomba has the Ball Dash ability, where it can run very fast and possibly tag any runners out when carrying the ball. Goomba is a balanced character with above-average running, but has generally weak stats.

They both return in the sequel. Oddly enough, they both have slightly above average pitching abilities in that game, despite having no arms. Goomba's Ball Dash ability returns in this game.

Goomba's only appearance as a playable character is in the Mario Baseball series.

''Super Princess Peach
In Super Princess Peach, Princess Peach has to fight the Koopa Troop while attempting to rescue Mario, Luigi and Toads. In the game, Bowser has acquired the Vibe Scepter from Vibe Island, and he uses its power to attack Princess Peach's Castle. A lone Goomba leads an army of Hammer Bros. in an assault on the castle, using the power of the Vibe Scepter to debilitate the castle guards. The attack is successful, and Mario, Luigi, and multiple castle Toads are captured by the Hammer Bros. Fortunately, Princess Peach and her attendant Toadsworth escapes the assault. Princess Peach decides to rescue her friends, and she is given a magical umbrella named Perry to help her in her quest. Once again, Goombas, among other enemies, attempt to stop her in her travels around Vibe Island. She can throw the Goomba at another enemy, hit the Goomba with Perry, or have the umbrella eat the Goomba. Paragoombas, as well as a new variety the Red Paragoomba, appear in the game as well. Princess Peach also battles with a number of emotional varieties of Goomba, all affected by the power of the Vibe Scepter (which is accidentally released across the island by the Goomba who leads the attack on Mushroom Castle). These emotional Goombas include the Mad Goomba, the Sad Goomba, the Sad Paragoomba, and the Mad Red Paragoomba.

The Legend of Zelda series
Goombas have also appeared outside of Mushroom World. In The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Goombas reside in various underground passages and dungeons on Koholint Island alongside Piranha Plants. Link can either jump on a Goomba to defeat it or slash it with his sword. When Link uses the Roc's Feather to jump on a Goomba, he receives a Recovery Heart.

Traits and Abilities
"'Marching straight ahead into the enemy's feet!' Didn't you all learn that in Goomba boot camp?"

- Bowser

Goombas are a fungus-based species capable of speech. They resemble brown mushrooms (or chestnuts, hence their Japanese name) with two feet but no arms and are specifically based on the shiitake mushroom. Goombas have large faces that occupy most of their mushroom caps, while their stems attach their heads to their feet. Goombas have black bushy eyebrows that form a scowl. They also have two upward-pointing fangs. Both Goombas and Toads are fungus-based, and both originated from the Mushroom Kingdom (although, as mentioned, the Goomba race betrayed their homeland many years ago).

Goombas are among the most basic enemies. Goombas can typically be defeated with a single punch, stomp, or fireball attack; although in some games Goombas are a bit more resilient. When jumped on, Goombas usually flatten before being defeated. Goombas are particularly weak against fire magic, as seen in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Although Goombas are physically weak, they are very adaptable. Regular Goombas have been encountered in almost all types of terrain, while many sub-species have emerged perfectly suited for certain environments.

Goombas' main form of attack is walking into their opponents. Rarely, a Goomba walks off a ledge and fall on top of its enemy. Some Goombas also have the ability to shoot thorns from their mouths, although this attack is only encountered in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. A Goomba's only real strength is that it works in large groups to attack an enemy. This forces the opponent to be much more cautious as he or she fights the group. In Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Goombas gain the ability to headbonk enemies.

Unlike Shy Guys, Goombas do not use machinery as much to aid them. One part of technology the Goombas use is the parachute. The parachute allows a large number of Goombas to swarm enemy territory from the sky. Otherwise, Goombas tend to use their abilities in battle. However, Goombas have developed a number of tools to counter the jumping ability of the Mario Bros. The Goomba's Shoe allows them to imitate Mario and Luigi, while the spiked hat seen in the Paper Mario series counters any jump attack (unless Mario wears a Spike Shield badge). Gritty Goombas have attached spears to their heads to counter stomp attacks as well.

Name Origins
The name "Goomba" is the same as the Italian slang word "goombah". This term was used by Italian-Americans to describe themselves (although the term has also emerged as a derogatory word used against Italian-Americans). The term "goombah" originated from the Italian word "compare" (abbreviated as "compa") which literally means "friend". Coincidentally, the Hungarian word for mushroom is "gomba".

Related Items

 * Goomba's Shoe (previously known as Kuribo's Shoe) - ''Super Mario Bros. 3
 * Goomnut - ''Paper Mario

Mario Superstar Baseball Information

 * Type: Balanced
 * Starting Team Captain: Donkey Kong
 * Status: Player
 * Stats:
 * Batting: 4/10
 * Pitching: 3/10
 * Fielding: 4/10
 * Running: 5/10
 * Player Profile:
 * Strong Point: Nothing Particular
 * Special Talents: Ball Dash
 * Trajectory:
 * Field: Center
 * Height: Normal
 * Star Pitch: Fastball
 * Star Swing: Center
 * Default Batting Position: Right
 * Default Throwing Arm: Right
 * Sweet Spot: The center of the bat
 * Compatiable Relationships: Diddy Kong, Paragoomba, Monty Mole
 * Stats Mission


 * 1) Smack a hit!
 * 2) Drop a sacrifice bunt!
 * 3) Beat Toad in Wall Ball!
 * 4) Steal a base more than twice in a game!


 * Bio: "Though Goombas once lived in peace in the Mushroom Kingdom, they betrayed their homeland to side with Bowser. Exactly how Goomba uses his baseball gear is a bit of a mystery. Maybe you can spot the secret technique if you watch closely as he makes plays in the field..."

Trivia

 * Blue and gray Goombas appear in the underground levels and castles (respectively) of the original Super Mario Bros. However, these palette-swaps are not different varieties of Goomba; the change in color is meant to represent the lack of light in darker areas.
 * Gloombas, literal blue Goombas from the Paper Mario series that live in dark underground areas, are probably created to be a nostalgic reference to the underground Goombas of the original Super Mario Bros. In fact, a level meant to represent World 1-2 in Super Paper Mario replaced all the Goombas with Gloombas.
 * A Sockop in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is named Kuribo, named after Goomba's Japanese name (although, it is most likely a reference to Kuribo's Shoe).