Koops

"OH, PLEASE TAKE ME WITH YOU TO FIGHT HOOKTAIL! PLEASE! I'M BEGGING YOU!"

- Koops

Koops is a Koopa Troopa from Petalburg who is the second Mario's partner in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. His left eyelid is half-closed, and he wears a bandage on his nose, a light-blue, short-sleeve jacket with a hoodie, blue pants, and white shoes. Very much like Kooper from the original Paper Mario, Koops can retreat into his shell and use it as a weapon against foes, and Mario can also launch him at switches or distant objects to hit them or retrieve them. However, he differs from Kooper in that Mario can hold Koops's shell in place. He has a girlfriend named Koopie Koo and a father named Koopley. His name is a portmanteau of "Koopa" and "oops", an exclamation of clumsiness (Koops being clumsy); it is also a real surname. Koops is the only party member to have a defense point without any adjustments as badges or items, but, like other Koopas, he will fall on his back if hit with a jump attack.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Koops first meets Mario in Petalburg. He doesn't say much, but before Mario leaves to another part of town, he stops the latter, however Koops' shyness overcomes him and he goes back. When Mario goes off to Hooktail Castle, Koops stops him again and cries that he wants to join Mario's party in order to avenge his 'dead' father, but not before Koopie Koo finds out. She begs him not to go, but he says that his goal is to be a strong Koopa for her, which makes Koops' girlfriend mad, and results her to withdrawing into her shell and firing herself at Mario and Koops. Inside the castle, Koops finds a skeleton that he believes is his father's. Reading the note the corpse was grasping reveals it was actually Kolorado's father, and Koops blushes while being slightly embarrassed, but then wonders if any of the other skeletons is his father.

When Mario and Koops first meet up with Hooktail, the dragon remarks that they look similar to one that passed by here recently, then the battle then starts. Once the fight is finished, a near-dead Hooktail spits up Koopley, who was living in Hooktail's stomach for ten years. After a reunion with his son, Koopley reveals he found the Diamond Star in Hooktail's stomach, and allows Mario to take it.

After assisting Mario in his quest to collect the rest of the Crystal Stars and save Princess Peach, Koops returns to Petalburg where he makes plans to marry Koopie Koo and run for mayor.

Koops is the only partner with a defense of 1. However, he has the lowest health of all partners at Super Rank and regains this status at the Ultra Rank with Ms. Mowz (Koops has 15 and 25 Health Points, respectively). Furthermore, if an enemy jumps on Koops and the player isn't able to defend him by using an Action Command, this partner gets flipped over and cannot move while also losing a defense point, much like the other Koopa Troopa enemies as well.

Super Paper Mario
In Super Paper Mario, Koops appears as a Catch Card won by winning the Duel of 100 in the Sammer's Kingdom. Koops could also be seen very briefly during the intro, where he and all the other partners from the previous Paper Mario titles could be seen in a photograph at the Mario Bros.' House.

Tattle
Goombella can use Tattle on Koops when Mario visits his house in Petalburg before leaving the village for Shhwonk Fortress and again in Petal Meadows when Mario denies Koops' request to join him.
 * Petalburg
 * "That's Koops, from Petalburg. He's got confidence issues... He's a... cringer, y'know? But he's definitely got a serious interest in Hooktail... I wonder why?"
 * Petal Meadows
 * "That's Koops, from Petalburg. He's been waiting here, hoping to join you. He's a bit green, but braver than I thought... I'll have to rethink my first impression. I mean, he seems totally earnest, know what I mean? We should take him along."

Attacks and stats

 * HP
 * Initial: 10 HP
 * Super Rank: 15 HP
 * Ultra Rank: 25 HP
 * Attacks

In-game description

 * Koops is a timid Koopa who wants to be tougher for his girlfriend, Koopie Koo. Press to shoot out his shell and retrieve distant items. After shooting out his shell, you can also hold  to hold the shell in place.

Instruction Booklet description

 * Hides in his shell and sails out in front of you to recover distant items, attack enemies, or activate switches.

Player's Guide description

 * Koops is a timid Koopa who wants to be tougher for his girlfriend, Koopie Koo. In the field, you can press X to launch and retrieve distant items. After hurling him, you can hold your companion in place by keeping your thumb on the X Button.

Super Paper Mario Catch Card

 * Card Type: Rare
 * Card Description: It's Koops from the last Paper Mario adventure. Kicking some shell never felt so good.
 * How to Obtain the Card: The Duel of 100 in Sammer's Kingdom needs to be completed in order to obtain all Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door partner cards from King Sammer.

Trivia

 * Koops is inconsistently depicted with either three or four fingers on each hand.
 * Koops's Japanese name, ノコタロウ Nokotarō, is used as one of the wrong answers in one of Chuck Quizmo's questions in the Japanese version of Paper Mario.
 * Despite having a girlfriend, Koops' dialogue in the English version (particularly when running into her once again in the Glitz Pit) indicates he is attracted to Ms. Mowz to some degree. Koops even shows a hint of jealousy when she kisses Mario.
 * Like Kooper, players are given the option to agree or disagree about letting Koops to join their party. Coincidentally, they practically beg Mario in a similar manner about taking them along.
 * A small glitch can occur with Koops in the overworld when swapping him out with another partner and then back to him, which would cause him to be slightly smaller than his original size.