Boo Buddies

Boo Buddies, also known as Circling Boo Buddies, are a spinning circular formation of Boos with different facial expressions, first found in Super Mario World. The circle has a single large gap and several small gaps between the individual Boo Buddies, allowing Mario to jump through. Unlike normal Boos, Boo Buddies do not stop moving when Mario faces them.

In games such as Super Mario 3D Land, New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario 3D World, Peepas fulfill the role of Boo Buddies. Similarly, in Super Mario Galaxy 2, there are groups of Octoboos which behave just like Boo Buddies. A similar Boo formation is the Boo Buddy Snake.

Super Mario World
In Super Mario World, Circling Boo Buddies appear in small rooms in Ghost Houses and other haunted areas, including swamps and shipwrecks. They first appear in the Donut Secret House. Touching any one of the buddies can damage the Mario Bros. Unlike regular Boos, they do not cover their face when Mario looks at them.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Circling Boo Buddies also make an appearance in of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, where they can be found with different numbers of Boos and form larger or smaller circles. They can be defeated by drilling them as Propeller Mario, unlike regular Boos.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
This species returns in various haunted areas of New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, acting the same as in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. They appear in the levels Haunted Shipwreck, Swaying Ghost House, Painted Swampland, Spinning Spirit House, Deepsea Ruins, and Spinning Platforms of Doom.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
Boo Buddies reappear under their current name — which itself was previously used for regular Boos in Super Mario World — in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS. This variant of Boos can be made in the Course Maker by shaking a Boo. Like many objects, they can be enlarged with a Super Mushroom and given wings, the latter of which will make them move in and out when they are circling. They can be placed in Warp Pipes, Bill Blasters, Blocks, Lakitu's Clouds and tracks. Because of the fact that these Boo Buddies did not appear before Super Mario World, new sprites have been made for the Super Mario Bros. game style. Also, Boo Buddies do not make facial expressions unlike in other games.

Super Mario Maker 2
Boo Buddies act and can be used in Super Mario Maker 2 the same way as in Super Mario Maker. In addition, they behave like regular Boos in the nighttime ground theme, following the player if their back is turned.

Yoshi's Safari
In Yoshi's Safari, a trio of Circling Boo Buddies appear as the second phase of the Big Boo fight. Here, the player must shoot at the one with an open mouth to defeat them.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
A single group of Boo Buddies appears in the Gloomy Woods in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, when the player is controlling Luigi after Mario and Paper Mario disappear. They are invisible, hence their movements can only be tracked by their shadows. If Luigi touches one of the Boos, they will appear and scare him, causing him to run away. Additionally, one of the Paper Boos' attacks is to separate their copies and move in a motion similar to that of Boo Buddies.

Mario Tennis Aces
Boo Buddies appear in the Boo Hunt co-op challenge of Mario Tennis Aces. They circle high and/or low, and can be hit for coins. However, they will take coins if players take too long.

WarioWare Gold
Boo Buddies make a cameo in WarioWare Gold, where a Boo must be shaken in Level 3 of the Super Mario Maker microgame to make it become a group of Boo Buddies.

Mario Kart Tour
In Mario Kart Tour, a round of faint Boo Buddies can be seen circling around the shortcut behind the wooden cutout in SNES Ghost Valley 1. They only appear if the player is near the shortcut and they do not affect gameplay.

Mario Golf: Super Rush
Boo Buddies appear in Mario Golf: Super Rush as part of Boo's Special Dash, Carousel Dash.

Super Mario World

 * Super Mario World instruction booklet: You may remember the Boo Buddies from Super Mario Bros. 3. This time there's a whole horde of them! And amongst them there's a huge spook called The Big Boo. But don't worry, if you look at them, they act shy and turn away. Cute, aren't they? But watch it ... they're dangerous!