King Kaliente


 * Not to be confused with King Kalamari from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.

"Give 'em some heat, King Kaliente!"

- Bowser Jr.

King Kaliente is a boss in Super Mario Galaxy. Although his Japanese name suggests he is a Blooper, he more closely resembles an octopus than a squid. He seems to be in league with Bowser as he was leading a portion of his fleet, was called upon by Bowser Jr. to fight Mario, and guarded a grand star. He is fought twice: once in the Good Egg Galaxy and again in Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor. The first battle is for a Power Star and the second battle is for a Grand Star.

Appearance
King Kaliente is best described as a Blooper with an Octoomba for a head. He has a crown on his head and a white mustache. When he is battled a second time, his whole body has a much darker, blacker hue and his eyes are red. His attacks include shooting fireballs and coconuts at Mario and summoning lesser enemies.

First Battle
This battle practices shooting coconuts. Once Mario comes up to the top of Magma Planet, first a yellow Luma will warn him about the king. When Mario reaches the volcanic side, the king will emerge from the lava pool and shake his head, angered that Mario has awakened him, beginning the battle. He will first spit out three fireballs, followed by a coconut. Mario must perform a Spin or a Spin Jump to whack it back at him, then the king will throw it back at Mario. If Mario whacks it at him three times without the coconut flying past him, he will knock the king's crown off. If it is missed, the attack pattern will repeat until Mario is successful.

King Kaliente will get very angered after his crown falls and sinks into the lava, then unleash a big roar of wind, blowing the lava around and sprouting little bouncing Lava Bouncers, that will bounce on the lava or on the ground toward Mario for the rest of the battle. If they touch Mario, they will burn him and cause him to lose up to two HP.

Again, the King must be hit three more times in a row with a coconut. If this is pulled off, King Kaliente will be knocked out and will collapse back into his lava hot tub-home. A Power Star will sprout out of the lava and appear next to Mario, and every Lava Bouncer will vanish.

Grand Star Battle
King Kaliente is fought for a second time in Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor. His tactic is the same as in the Good Egg Galaxy, but the fight itself is much harder. The fight takes place on a ring of small platforms that will sink into the lava if Mario stands on them for too long. King Kaliente's attacks are also much more frequent, and include sending in dozens of Lava Bouncers, taking an additional shot in the first hit, and, after having his crown knocked off, summoning fiery meteors from the sky or spitting them out. After Mario defeats him for the second time, he will give up a Grand Star. He also looks scorched, possibly from the last fight.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
King Kaliente makes a return appearance in Super Mario Galaxy 2 along with many of the bosses from the first game in the Boss Blitz Galaxy. He's the second boss Mario fights. His appearance doesn't change, and how he attacks don't change either. This fight is identical in every way to the first time Mario fights him.

Trivia

 * His name comes from the Spanish word "caliente" which means hot, or spicy.
 * King Kaliente shares his boss music with Bugaboom and Topmaniac.
 * Kaliente appears to have a tuft of some sort after his crown is knocked off.
 * King Kaliente closely resembles King Kalamari, and to an extent, Gooper Blooper.
 * He may have a son, as suggested by the name and appearance of the boss Prince Pikante in Super Mario Galaxy 2.