Whomp

Whomps are large, stone enemies that look like stone rectangles with faces, hands and arms, and feet (without legs). They are the minions of Bowser and the Whomp King. They debuted in the game Super Mario 64. Whomps are related to Thwomps, enemies that are also made out of stone.

''Super Mario 64
Whomps first appeared in Super Mario 64. In this game, they attempt to crush Mario by falling over and trying to land on top of him when he gets near. They can be defeated by causing them to fall over and subsequently ground pounding on their bandaged backs, their sole weak spot. Whomps appear mainly in Whomp's Fortress, the residence of the Whomp King, a giant Whomp who rules over the Whomps and Thwomps, as well as the stage Bowser in the Sky.

New Super Mario Bros.
Whomps reappear in the Nintendo DS game New Super Mario Bros.. They are exclusively found in the castle of World 3. In this game, Whomps behave similarly to their Super Mario 64 counterpart, again trying to crush Mario if he attempts to pass by them. Once on the floor, Mario can Ground Pound the Whomp's back to destroy it. They can also be used as platforms to cross harmful parts of the environment, like Spikes. One particular Whomp can even be used to help Mario collect a Star Coin. There is also one particular Whomp who behaves differently from the other, being slightly lager and walking instead of staying in the background. However, the official strategy guide doesn't make any distinction between this particular Whomp and his brethens.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Whomps re-appear in Super Mario Galaxy 2, with many of their physical features changed. The Whomps' body features are more rectangular, and their once purple hands are now the same color as their body, in addition to having a thumb added to them. Their characteristic bandages are no longer present; instead, Whomps now bear the same symbol as the Ground Pound Switches on their back. Additionally, they can cause Mario to lose all of his health points in this game, unlike in their past appearances.

The Whomp King also makes a return as the boss of Throwback Galaxy.

Mario Party series
Whomps are used as blockades in the Mario Party series. In Mario Party, Mario Party 2 and Mario Party 3 and then once again in Mario Party 8 a Whomp will guard an intersection and will charge the players coins. If the player pays the money, they will be allowed to pass, and the Whomp will block off a different section. In Mario Party 4, a Whomp hosts the Extra Room, a room filled with challenging mini-games. They appear in a few mini-games in Mario Party DS and in Mario Party Advance. In Mario Party 3, Whomp appeared as Donkey Kong's initial partner. Whomp also appeared in Mario Party 8, occasionally blocking a path in King Boo's Haunted Hideaway. If the player pays it ten coins, the Whomp will let the player pass and block the path next to it. A Whomp also appeared as a CPU in the minigame "Moped Mayhem". Finally, Whomps appeared in Mario Party DS in the minigames Whomp-a-thon and Toppling Terror, and as a collectible and a badge.

Paper Mario series
Whomps make their Paper Mario debut in Paper Mario 3DS. Not much information is given at the time about their role in the game. Their appearance is similar to their appearance in Super Mario Galaxy 2, and behave the same way as in New Super Mario Bros. They have also been shown to be completely flat and have the bandages on their back once again.

Trivia

 * The Whomp was inspired by the Japanese mythological creature known as the nurikabe. The nurikabe is a sentient wall that blocks the way of travelers, which Whomps do as well in the Mario Party series, on boards such as DK's Jungle Adventure and King Boo's Haunted Hideaway.
 * In the Prima game guide of Mario Party 8, the author mistakenly referred to Whomp as a Thwomp.
 * Even though Throwback Galaxy is the base of Whomps, they are very rare in the galaxy. In fact, only two appear: a regular Whomp and the Whomp King.
 * Whomps made the same noises as Thwomps in Super Mario 64. In later games, however, their noises were slightly different.