Goombella

"Omigosh! Is... Isn't that a treasure map?! You HAVE to tell me where you got that!"

- Goombella

Goombella is a very smart and sassy female Goomba from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. A second-year co-ed student studying archaeology at the University of Goom, she is the first companion to join Mario on his quest. She provides tattle information to Mario about his location or the character who stands in front of him all throughout the game. She wears a helmet with a light with a matching shirt with a red scarf.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
When Mario arrives at Rogueport at the beginning of the game, he sees a Goomba girl being attacked by Lord Crump. Mario helps her and defeats Lord Crump. Goombella, a second-year student at the University of Goom, thanks Mario, kisses him, and joins his party. She possesses very similar abilities to Goombario from the original Paper Mario, as they have almost identical moves in battle and on the field.

Her Tattle ability gives the player mostly helpful information on places, people, enemies, etc. Like Goombario's summaries, Goombella inserts her own little opinions in her descriptions, some of which are humorous. For example, she shows signs of resentment upon reading the "underlings of underlings" comment her book says regarding Goombas, comments about being jealous of a Paragoomba's wings, and points out that it's nice to have access to a bathroom now and then (that's a field-only one, stated in the Glitz Pit's major league locker room, where the bathroom is always occupied). Also in the final chapter near the last two rooms, she stops helping because she can't think of anything else to say.

Goombella also has a tendency to break the fourth wall. For example, in Glitzville, she mentions how far Cheep-Cheeps have come since Super Mario Bros., and in Twilight Town she says that if there weren't people like the gatekeeper in every town, games would be beaten too easily. At both times, she stops abruptly after she says the comment, seeming to point out that game characters know about the fourth wall, but aren't supposed to talk about it.

At the end of the game, Goombella writes an e-mail to Mario, explaining what happened with herself and her friends. She starts to tell Mario something else, but then changes her mind and keeps her secret. Goombella becomes Professor Frankly's assistant at the end.

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

Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Despite not appearing in this game, Goombella is mentioned in Paper Mario: Sticker Star when Mario searches the junk yard in Shy Guy Jungle before clearing it with a vacuum or goat thing. He can find a paper written by her. She has been researching the Chomp Ruins during the events of the game, but isn't seen in the ruins nor anywhere else in the game, presuming she had finished the research or left the paper behind. The paper says: ''"Observations on the Ancient Civilization of the Chomp Ruins"

''University of Goom

''Goombella

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Goombella appears as a Sticker and trophy.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Goombella returns as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Catch Card
Card Type: Rare Card Description: It's Goombella from the last Paper Mario adventure. This extra-spunky university student knew it all. 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

 * Her name might be a portmanteau between "Goomba" and the female name "Bella", short for "Isabella". It may also be a reference to portobella mushrooms. Also, "bella" is an existing adjective in Spanish and Italian, meaning "beautiful" and "good appealing", respectfully.
 * Goombella is the only partner character in the entire Paper Mario series to get her own trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
 * Goombella makes a cameo in the Nintendo Monopoly board game in screenshots only.
 * Even if she is Normal Rank when Mario fights Doopliss, Goombella can still use Multibonk, despite not learning it until she is at Super Rank.
 * Goombella's Japanese name, クリスチーヌ, is used as one of the wrong answers in Chuck Quizmo's first question in the Japanese version of Paper Mario. Its English equivalent is "Goombette".
 * Goombella's shoes in her trophy for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U have a different appearance than they do in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario.