Chain Chomp

"Ruff! Ruff! (I'm gonna steal coins or stars just for you!)"

- Chain Chomp

Chain Chomps (occasionally called simply Chomps, alternatively formatted as Chain-Chomps, also called Chain Chompers ) are common enemies in the Mario franchise. They first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3. Chain Chomps bear a resemblance to a ball and chain and are typified by their large, tooth-filled maws and incessant biting. Shigeru Miyamoto's inspiration for the Chain Chomps was from a childhood experience: a dog once ran up to him and tried to bite him, but the dog's chain held it back. As a result, Chain Chomps also possess canine qualities, such as barking, and are commonly used as guard dogs throughout the Mario series. Chain Chomps were originally created as an enemy for The Legend of Zelda series, but ended up being used for the Mario franchise first. Many Chomps have been part of the Koopa Troop, though a couple of them have been shown to be independent. Despite their English name, not all Chain Chomps have chains, or even chomp; many later depictions of chainless Chain Chomps have them rolling around like boulders.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Chain Chomps first appear in World 2-5 of Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System/Family Computer. A related enemy, the flying Fire Chomps, also first appear in this game. The Chain Chomps are attached to Wooden Blocks and try to lunge at Mario. If they tug on their chain 50 times or if the timer hits 160 seconds, all Chain Chomps come loose. They return in the remakes, Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3. For some reason, in the remakes, the ones in World 5-1 have blue mouths instead of red.

There are four ways to defeat Chain Chomps in this game: using a Starman, throwing a Koopa Shell, throwing a hammer at it as Hammer Mario, and stomping on it as a statue with Tanooki Mario.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS
In Super Mario 64 and its remake, Super Mario 64 DS, a giant Chain Chomp (hyphenated in the latter; also known as the Big Chomp or "Bomb" ) is found in Bob-omb Battlefield, guarding a jail cell containing the Power Star involved in the mission Behind Chain Chomp's Gate. It is attached to a wooden peg, and lunges at the player if they get too close. It will cause Mario (or Yoshi, Luigi and Wario in the DS remake) to lose three health points if it runs into them. It is temporarily immobilized if it is hit with a Bob-omb or a box (or Yoshi's eggs in the DS version). In order to obtain the Star that Chain Chomp guards, the Chain Chomp's post must be Ground Pounded three times, breaking the chain. Once the Chain Chomp is free, it jumps around, smashing the jail cell open in the process, and leaps away, allowing Mario to reach the Star. In addition to its role in this Star, one of the level's Red Coins is located above the Chain Chomp's post.

In Super Mario 64 DS, it is also possible for Luigi to use a Power Flower to pass through the jail cell to reach the Power Star, and Wario only needs to ground-pound the peg once due to his weight. During the mission 5 Silver Stars!, the Chain-Chomp is moved to the open area near its normal location. It is no longer chained to a peg, allowing it to roam in the area. One of the Silver Stars is located on the end of its chain. Super Mario 64 DS also features a Chain-Chomp in multiplayer mode, on the Castle Grounds stage. It serves a similar purpose as in the 5 Silver Stars! mission above: one of the Stars the players must collect it again on the end of its chain. This is the game that finalized the design for the Chain-Chomp's head, most noticeably in the eye position. Chain Chomps were first given their iconic dog bark in Super Mario 64. This has since been used throughout the Mario series. In the Wii Virtual Console version of the original, the Chain Chomp's mouth is miscolored a dull purplish color rather than bright pink. They also sounded like "wan wan" in the Japanese version due to their Japanese name being "Wanwan." In the American and PAL versions, it was changed to sound more like a dog barking.

Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine is the first game to feature the Chain Chomp with a realistic linking chain rather than loosely connected orbs or rings as seen in the older games. It is also the first game to feature the species' current design, albeit with a large X-shaped scar on its forehead and yellow rings around the eyes.

Small, puppy-like Chain Chomps called Chain Chomplets as well as a larger (possibly parent) Chain Chomp, appear in Pianta Village. However, this Chain Chomp differs from others of its species, because it has a deep, X-shaped scar on the top left side of its head. Both the Chain Chomp and the Chain Chomplets are hot, and will burn Mario if he touches them. The only way to cool them off is with water, but this only provides a temporary remedy. The Chain Chomplets appear on the first Pianta Village mission, where Mario must launch them into the spring to cool them after calming them down with water from F.L.U.D.D.. After doing so, the player will be rewarded with a Shine Sprite.

The larger Chain Chomp (also called a Chomp ) appears in the fourth episode. It is sitting out in the sun, chained to a stake in the ground and red hot from rage. It is refusing to take a bath. In order to cool its temper, Mario must first release the chain, which causes it to go on a "rampage" throughout the village. Also, like the Chomplets, this Chain Chomp is orange when angry, black when temporarily calmed, and the color of a shiny metal when it is placed in a body of water. In the Chain Chomp's case, it is golden, as its smaller counterparts are silver. When Mario grabs the chain, he must pull the Chain Chomp (from behind) into its hemispherical tub filled with water. Since this Chain Chomp is massive and heavy, Mario has trouble pulling it and thus moves slowly. While pulling the Chain Chomp, it will eventually heat back up with rage and overpower Mario, after which he must cool it off with a Water Barrel, or by spraying it with water, although if the player attempts the latter, F.L.U.D.D. will warn Mario that the Chain Chomp is avoiding him, and if Mario continues to spray him, F.L.U.D.D. will suggest that Mario toss a Water Barrel at it. When the Chain Chomp is placed in the tub, it will calm down and turn a golden color. Then, a Shine Sprite appears above it.

Compared to most others, this Chain Chomp appears more docile and evasive. If Mario stands in its way, and there is another path between it and Mario, it will usually elect to take the alternate path.

New Super Mario Bros.
Chain Chomps appear as extremely rare enemies in New Super Mario Bros. In fact, there is only a single level they appear in, which is World 6-6, and there are only three of them. In this game, the Chain Chomps have their usual bark and lunging attack, and weaknesses: Koopa Shells and Starmen. They have a new weakness: the Mega Mushroom. They are also defeated by pounding the post three times, which releases three coins. The last post in the level can also be used to reach six coins and a 1-Up, and the second one has a Star Coin. The post still stays if the Chain Chomp is defeated with a shell, Starman, or Mega Mushroom, allowing Mario or Luigi to still Ground Pound it three times and get three coins.

Super Mario Galaxy
Chainless Chomps appear in Super Mario Galaxy, where they roll around like boulders, but without the boulders' weak spot. They can roll in circles, around planets, or even in paths off the sides of planets (in which case they typically are infinitely spawned from a cannon). If Mario or Luigi step in front of the Chomp, he will be knocked over and hurt. In the Single Player Mode, Chomps can only be defeated with the use of a Rainbow Star, a rubbery bulb, or a Bob-omb. In the Cooperation mode, one player can hold one Chomp's back still while the other player spins it in the front, or one player makes one Chomp stunned while another collides with it. In any case, defeating one will make it explode into many Star Bits. A small new variety of Chomp, known as Mini Wanwan, come out of doghouses and are found only in the Dreadnought Galaxy. Medium-sized Chomps also appear on the Chomp Saucer planet in the Good Egg Galaxy, though are not officially distinguished. A Gold Chomp also appears in the Gusty Garden Galaxy; defeating it with a nearby Rainbow Star gives Mario a Power Star.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
The Chain Chomp makes its return in the game New Super Mario Bros. Wii. One larger Chain Chomp is seen pulling a make-shift chariot for Iggy Koopa, one of the Koopalings. Every time Iggy is hit by Mario, the Chain Chomp turns red similar to the one in Super Mario Sunshine and goes on a short rampage.

Chain Chomps also appear in World 7-2. In this stage, they are attached to a wooden stake, and Mario can free them by Ground Pounding the stake three times. Chain Chomps can also be defeated by running toward them with a Star. This time, pounding the stake enough times makes it bounce in the direction it was facing, and then fall off the stage after hitting a solid wall. This can destroy Brick Blocks and hurt nearby players.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Chomps reappear, first in the Flip-Swap Galaxy as the common obstacle there. They later reappear in the Chompworks Galaxy, where they make their most prominent appearance, the galaxy being focused on them. Chomps behave the same way as they did in Super Mario Galaxy. In one part of the Flipsville Galaxy, two paths of Chomps intersect so they automatically collide, making a large amount of Star Bits. Gold Chomps and Mini Wanwan reappear, while a homing version called the Silver Chomp is introduced as well.

Super Mario 3D Land
Chain Chomps later appear in Super Mario 3D Land. In this game, they have dark blue heads, as in recent appearances, but as in Super Mario Bros. 3, their chains are not-linked rings; their heads are also smaller, similar to that game. The Chain Chomps in this game possess a short wooden stake, compared to the long, yellow, polka-dotted stake in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. In this game, they repeat their tactic of charging in the player's direction, like in their 2D platforming appearances. The player can defeat a Chain Chomp by ground-pounding the stake the Chain Chomp is connected to. Their heads can be jumped on by Mario, but it does not damage them. When Mario throws a Fireball at the Chain Chomp, it stuns it for a short while.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Once again, Chain Chomps appear in New Super Mario Bros. 2. They behave as they did in the previous titles, but rather than the standard link chains in the previous New Super Mario Bros. titles, they have unlinked chains. They can be knocked out with a Ground Pound, Star, or a Gold Flower. One pulls Iggy Koopa's chariot during the boss battle as it did in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Like in the previous game, it is defeated along with Iggy. They appear in World 2-5 and.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U
Chain Chomps reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U in the level Waddlewing's Nest in Rock-Candy Mines. In this game, their stake is triangular rather than rectangular. The stake must be ground-pounded only once to release the Chomp. Upon defeat, a Chain Chomp yields eight coins. Their chains are linked once again.

In New Super Luigi U, Chain Chomps are found in Wiggler Rodeo.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS / Super Mario Maker 2
Chain Chomps reappear in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, acting like they usually would. The player places them with the stake they are tied to, thus can be hanged from suspended blocks or travel along rails. Shaking them causes the stake to disappear, allowing them to hop across the ground; these Chain Chomps are also referred to as Unchained Chomps, although the vocal cue does not change except in Super Mario Maker 2. A Chain Chomp can turn into an Unchained Chomp if the stake is taken out via ground-pounding it in the New Super Mario Bros. U game style or by having a heavy enemy such as a Thwomp land on it in any style, or by allowing the Chain Chomp to lunge fifty times in the Super Mario Bros. 3 game style.

Big Chain Chomps can be created by dragging a Super Mushroom onto the Chain Chomp. These Chain Chomps act similarly, except much larger. Chain Chomps can also be given wings, allowing them to fly when chained and lunging, and when unchained, the wings let them jump higher as they move across the screen. If placed inside a block, pipe, or Bill Blaster, they automatically become unchained. When attached to rails unchained, it will face downwards, swinging around. Additionally, Chain Chomps can be placed in the Koopa Clown Car, and enemies can be placed on top of them and vice versa; while it is chained, the enemy is on top of the stake, but when unchained, the enemy is on top of the Chain Chomp itself. When inside a Koopa Clown Car with the stake attached, it will stay still, lunging at the player like it normally does. Finally, while on top of an enemy, the Chain Chomp is completely stationary when not on a stake, but with it the stake is attached to the enemy.

Super Mario Odyssey
Chain Chomps reappear in Super Mario Odyssey, where they are found in the Cascade Kingdom. Their chains are connected by magnetic rings that seem to act as elastics, and they have scratches on their heads and teeth. When they see Mario, they jump in the air facing his direction surprised with a bark, then attack by pulling back on their chain using it like an elastic to fling themselves in Mario's direction.

They can be captured by Mario and Cappy. When Mario controls a Chain Chomp, he is able to extend the chain and release to launch himself into walls and other objects similar to how they do it themselves. This enables Mario to access secret areas previously blocked by the walls. If Mario captures a Chain Chomp then gets hit by another, he will be thrown out of the vessel.

There are two different kinds of Chain Chomps found throughout: normal sized ones with a blueish hue, and Big Chain Chomps with smaller eyes and are jet black which can be used to break open very large rocks and even mountainsides. In addition, Madame Broode, a boss in this game, owns a golden Chain Chomp who fights as her pet. She refers to it as Chain Chompikins, though the in-game Capture List refers to it simply as Broode's Chain Chomp. Her Chain Chomp can be captured in the same manner as ordinary one (after its hat is removed), and must be slammed into Madame Broode's face to defeat her. They are both fought twice in the game (in the Cascade and Moon Kingdoms).

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
Chain Chomps make several appearances in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, appearing in such episodes as "Reptiles in the Rose Garden" and "The Venice Menace". They are guard dogs of the Koopa King, and they attack Mario and Luigi. They seem to be in a lot of episodes that Kootie Pie is in, and they seem to listen to her. They are also shown to be able to swim in The Venice Menace where they bite holes in Mario and Luigi's boat.

Nintendo Adventure Books
If Mario chooses to use a shortcut to Fort Koopa while traveling through the Koopahari Desert in Double Trouble, he can encounter a Chain Chomp guarding the fortress. Depending on how the accompanying puzzle is solved by the reader, Mario will partially evade the Chomp (it manages to bite off a chunk of his shoe) and reach and scale the fortress wall, or will be bitten on the foot and be forced to flee.

In the best ending of Koopa Capers, Luigi encounters a gold Chain Chomp guarding a stash of coins. When the fumes from Wendy O. Koopa's botched wand combination potion reach the Chomp, it is knocked out and Luigi is able to claim the coins it was guarding.

The Legend of Zelda series
Chain Chomps have additionally made various recurring appearances in the The Legend of Zelda games, and are the first overall appearance of large-sized Chain Chomps, even before Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Chain Chomps appear as enemies in Turtle Rock. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening features three domesticated Chain Chomps, one specific one named BowWow, stemming from the Japanese name for Chain Chomp, Wanwan, which is also an onomatopoeia for a dog's bark. The other two are small and lack chains, being the first depiction of chainless Chain Chomps. Chain Chomps reappear in Link's Awakening's port for the Game Boy Color, and in the 2019 Nintendo Switch remake, which gives the smaller two names, being ChowChow and CiaoCiao. In The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords and The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition, a Chain Chomp can be used as an item to eat enemies, though it may attack other Links as well. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures features a single Chain Chomp as an enemy. In Hyrule Warriors, a Chain Chomp is Link's level three Ball and Chain weapon upgrade when using his Gauntlets moveset. The Chain Chomp in said game uses the design from games prior to the in-game redesign in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (and as such resembles its artwork for said game).

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
A single Chain Chomp appears in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, in a room near the beginning of Sluggy The Unshaven's Fort. It attacks similarly to its other appearances, though it can also lash out at the screen. This Chain Chomp can be defeated by using a POW Block, or a Winged Cloud Maker. Doing so grants the player access to a room with a Message Block in it. This block will give the player a code that, when inputted in the level selection screen, will allow the player to freely access any of the Mini Battles.

Apart from this enemy, two other varieties of "Chomp" are introduced in this game: Shark Chomps and Incoming Chomps. These enemies lack chains and are massive in size, a trait retained by Chain Chomps in many future games. Chomp Rocks also make an appearance as objects or obstacles; they resemble Chomp heads made of rock.

Yoshi's Story
In Yoshi's Story, chainless Chomps (also called Chomp Chomps ) only appear in Jungle Hut, World 4-1, where the Baby Yoshis must avoid three of these enemies to collect certain fruit within one of the huts. They are enormous, being one of the largest enemies in the game, and constantly move side-to-side, chomping as they move. Each appear on a different vertical level of the hut. If one manages to hurt a Yoshi, it will turn to the screen and make a growling laugh-like sound. Despite their in-game size, their in-engine sprite size is only 42x42 pixels.

Yoshi's New Island
A lone Chain Chomp appears in Yoshi's New Island in a hidden room in Chomp Shark Chase. It can be defeated by performing a Ground Pound on the pole that the Chain Chomp is attached to.

Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World
While Chain Chomps themselves do not show up in Yoshi's Woolly World and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World, a new type of Chain Chomp, under the name Frame Chomp, is introduced as an enemy. Throwing a yarn ball at a Frame Chomp causes it to turn into a Chomp Rock. It is also possible to remove the yarn from a Chomp Rock, turning it back into a Frame Chomp.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Chomps first appear as guards in Booster Tower. In battle, Chomps can use skills like Iron Maiden and Carni-Kiss. They possess no strengths and a weakness to thunder attacks. Chomps have good defense; in fact, their defense exceeds their attack power. Since they are bound to a stake, the party can easily flee from the battle. The game also introduces golden, much more powerful versions of Chomps known as Chomp Chomps, as well as Kinklinks, which are Chomps used to hold chandeliers in Bowser's Keep.

In addition to Chomps being encountered as enemies, Bowser is able to equip and use a lighter-colored female Chomp as a weapon, after meeting it and befriending it inside of a secret room in Booster's Tower where it was captured by Booster. Other related weapons he can use are a Chomp Shell (indicated to be the husk or "shedding" of one) as well as a spiky type called a Spiked Link.

A pair of Chomps are also seen pulling the Bowser's Keep float in the parade ending sequence.

Mario Kart 64
Mario Kart 64 features chainless Chomps, being the first game in the extended Mario franchise to do so outside of specific variations. They appear only in Rainbow Road, serving as obstacles as they roam up and down the track. If a racer hits a Chomp, they will be launched into the air as if they hit a Fake Item Box. Visually, they are nearly identical to the Chain Chomp in Super Mario 64 other than the lack of chain, though they are given a shinier texture.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, a Chain Chomp is a Special item exclusively for Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, as well as Petey Piranha and King Boo, who have the ability to receive any other character's special item. It pulls the racers forward for a few seconds and bowls over other racers in its path, while a special tune plays. After a certain amount of time, it abandons the vehicle and goes on its own until it runs off the course. If at any time a Chain Chomp pulls the racers forward, and the kart gets hit with another item, it also abandons the vehicle and goes on its own until it runs off the course. If a kart gets hit by a Chain Chomp, the drivers will lose their items. The Chain Chomp may also go wild and accidentally cause the driver to go off the track. Bigger Chain Chomps also appear as obstacles on the Mario Circuit and Luigi Circuit tracks. This game also introduces its modern design. Additionally, the Chain Chomp's artwork for this game is recycled from the box art for Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour.

Mario Kart DS
In Mario Kart DS, the Chain Chomp appears in the original Luigi Circuit racetrack from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! It no longer moves its mouth, instead holding it open constantly. In mission 3-3, Luigi has to get 15 coins at Luigi Circuit, avoiding the Chain Chomp that is now on the middle of the track. The player will lose their item if the Chain Chomp hits them. The new course Peach Gardens has several chainless ones in it as well, bouncing forward constantly while trailing Item Boxes behind them. In mission 5-1, the player must race a Chain Chomp around this track. The Chain Chomp was going to be an item, but was replaced by the Bullet Bill—however, they work very similar to one another. A Chain Chomp also has a cameo appearance on an ad in several tracks, next to the word "Dangerous".

Mario Kart Wii
In Mario Kart Wii, a chained Chain Chomp appears in Mario Circuit. They also appear in GCN Mario Circuit, while stray ones, now trailing chains in addition to their Item Boxes, reappear in DS Peach Gardens. Unlike the chainless ones in Mario Kart DS, they do not bounce on the ground. If any player or nearby CPU gets driven into the Chain Chomp, the player will get knocked back as if they ran and were hit with a Bullet Bill. An unchained Chain Chomp also appears as a stage hazard in Chain Chomp Wheel. After being shot out of a cannon at the beginning of the battle, it rolls around in the mid section of the roulette wheel, and squishes any racers who it runs into it. It looks exactly the same as the Chomps in Super Mario Galaxy. They also appeared in the May 2nd 2009 tournament.

Mario Kart 7
Chomps also appear on Mario Kart 7's Rainbow Road. They appear on the moon portion of the track, rolling around the area. Players who run into a Chomp are knocked back and, like with every other hazard in the game, lose coins.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
As N64 Rainbow Road returns in Mario Kart 8, so do the unchained Chain Chomps. This time, they bounce in place on the road, creating waves that are an advantage for racers to perform tricks, instead of roaming on it. In the building on the course Water Park a sign that says 'CAUTION! No Pets' has a picture of a Chain Chomp with a red line across it. Additionally, two Chain Chomps appear in GBA Cheese Land from the Animal Crossing × Mario Kart 8 DLC pack, acting the same as they did in previous appearances, only now they may also hang above the ground momentarily as they lunge in attempt to hit any airborne racers while making it possible for other racers to pass directly under them. Also, Chain Chomps appear in adverts within the courses of the game for Chain Chomp Racing Chains. All these Chain Chomps return in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Mario Kart Tour
In Mario Kart Tour, one Chain Chomp each appears in SNES Mario Circuit 2T and London Loop, and two appear in London Loop 2. They behave like the Chain Chomps found in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's rendition of Cheese Land. The rolling type reappears in 3DS Rainbow Road. This game is the first time uncaptured Chain Chomps are portrayed as having light blue-colored irises in-game. A Chain Chomp also appears on a badge, as well as in paintings inside the main dojo at Ninja Hideaway.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
In Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, the Chain Chomp returns as an item, having the same ability as in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Also, gates can have billboards with a Chain Chomp sign on it, giving karts a Chain Chomp when they drive through it.

Paper Mario
In Paper Mario, Chomps are the theme of Dry Dry Ruins, which is decorated with statues in their likeness as well as Stone Chomps. Tutankoopa, the boss of Chapter 2, calls forth an infinite supply of Chomps one at a time to fight alongside him. They attack by lunging at the player. Afterward, a remaining Chomp, after Tutankoopa beckons it to come over while trying to soothe it by calling it "Chompy," proceeds to chase him, apparently wanting to bite him. In the ending parade, it is shown to be still chasing him, with two others joining after a bit.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door features two types of Chain-Chomps: Red Chomps, which appear in Glitzville, and traditional Chain-Chomps, appearing in the Palace of Shadow. Both types are found in the Pit of 100 Trials.

Chain-Chomps have very high attack and defense; they have the highest defense power in the game alongside Moon Clefts and Elite Wizzerds. When Mario first-strikes by jumping on them in the overworld, the camera bounces along them before Mario stomps them, making it slightly harder to perfectly attack them.

Super Paper Mario
In Super Paper Mario, Francis has a pet Chain Chomp in his basement. They appear mainly in the Flipside Pit of 100 Trials where they attack the same as the one Francis has. Also, the guardian of The Underwhere is a "three-headed" Chain Chomp called Underchomp (it is actually three Chain Chomps, each of a different color). It is battled in an RPG manner similar to Mother, as opposed to normal boss fights. Dark Chomps are introduced in this game and are stronger versions of Chain Chomps, but they are only found in the Flopside Pit of 100 Trials.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star
In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Big Chain Chomps appear in World 5, while the only regular Chain Chomp in the game appears in the final battle against Bowser. To defeat it, Mario needs a bat-type thing sticker or any Tail sticker to send the Chain Chomp and Bowser into a pit. This Chain Chomp has more health than Big Chain Chomps. Unlike most enemies, the Chain Chomp's appearance has not changed much from the previous Paper Mario games, though they have less teeth, their mouths are smaller, and they feature trapezoid-shaped segments between their bodies and chains.

In a pre-release screenshot, a nameless Chain Chomp appeared as a partner in a location that resembles World 3 in the final version.

Paper Mario: Color Splash
A Big Chain Chomp made out of cardboard named Princess appears in Paper Mario: Color Splash right after the Bone Thing is obtained in Marmalade Valley, and also in the Bone Thing card animation when used during a battle. She is Prof. Kinopio's pet.

Later in the game, during the battle with Iggy Koopa at The Golden Coliseum, Iggy himself, a Hammer Bro and a Snifit ride on chariots attached to Chain Chomps. The Chain Chomps are not attackable.

A Chain Chomp appears as the second-round opponent in Roshambo Temple #5.

Paper Mario: The Origami King
In Paper Mario: The Origami King, a Chain Chomp named Princess appears in Shogun Studios. While she does not harm Mario, she blocks the path to the Ninja Attraction by threatening to bite him. To get past Princess, Mario must trade the Baseball with the Dry Bones duo in exchange for a bone. When Princess is given the bone, she takes a liking to Olivia as hearts appear above her head. Princess will show affection every time Mario walks by her from then on.

A Paper Macho Chain Chomp appears in the Spring of Jungle Mist. If Mario chooses to follow Bowser Jr.'s or Olivia's directions at one point, they will reach a dead end and the Chomp will suddenly appear from the bushes and lunge at them, causing a Game Over. This means that the right path is Kamek's, so that the group can see the Chomp and avoid it, although they must escape and reach a tree root to trap it, and like before, if Mario does not keep up with the others, he receives a Game Over. While climbing the large tree, the Chomp will be chasing Mario and co., and a Game Over will result if the Chomp catches them. Once the group grabs onto the vine to swing away, the Chomp will attempt to leap after them, only to plummet. The Chomp does not appear again during revisits to the level.

Mario Party series
Chain Chomps have also made plenty of appearances in the Mario Party series. Most of the time, they serve either as obstacles that players must avoid or as helpful items that steal stars or coins for players.

Mario Party 2
Chain Chomps first appear in Mario Party 2 in the minigame Sneak 'n' Snore, where the player has to sneak through a dungeon while avoiding being caught by a sleeping Chain Chomp in a barrel. If the Chain Chomp finds any players when it wakes, it eliminates them by grabbing them and throwing them into a Warp Pipe. Also, in the minigame Crazy Cutters, an image of a fossilized Chain Chomp sometimes appears. In the minigame Toad in the Box, it is one of the possible results a player may get when hitting a rotating block. If this happens, the player is crushed temporarily. In Pirate Land, a Chain Chomp can be seen on the lower-left island, guarding two Chain Chomp-shaped jail cells. In Bowser Land, a Chain Chomp appears near the center of the board, towing a wagon.

Mario Party 3
Chain Chomps appear in Mario Party 3 in a battle minigame called Merry-Go-Chomp. A Chain Chomp in this minigame eliminates any unlucky player who is closest to the Chain Chomp after the roulette has stopped spinning. In Game Guy's Sweet Surprise, Big Chomp and Little Chomp, two Chain Chomps of different sizes, are eating a cake; the player wins by correctly guessing which one will finish first. Also, on the Spiny Desert board, a chainless Chain Chomp can be seen near the start of the board, chewing on a bone.

Chainless Chain Chomps additionally appear as a partner in Duel Mode. They are not a default partner and must be earned in the lottery. They attack both the player and their partners. Their salary is six coins, they have 2 health, and they have 1 attack. Their special attack is to grow to a large size (resembling a Shark Chomp) to squash their opponent.

Mario Party 4
In Mario Party 4, an item called a Chomp Call is introduced in which four Chain Chomps are called to move the location of the Star. Another appearance is in the battle minigame Chain Chomp Fever, where a Chain Chomp is the primary obstacle the player must avoid. Also, in the background of this minigame, four Chain Chomp statues can be seen pouring lava into the lava lake. Chainless ones also appear in the 4-player minigame Long Claw of the Law as one of the possible characters the player must catch.

Mario Party 5
Chain Chomps also appear in Mario Party 5 as Chain Chomp Capsules. They can steal coins for free or steal a star for 30 coins, replacing Boo, which has become a playable character. They also appear in the 4-player minigame Chomp Romp, where players must lead a Chain Chomp through a park. In the 4-player minigame Night Light Fright, players have to stun Chain Chomps with a light as close as they can before the Chain Chomp tackles them. In the 4-player minigame, Rumble Fumble, Chain Chomps hide in any bucket and attack players that chose the wrong bucket.

Mario Party 6
In Mario Party 6, Chain Chomps are vital in Snowflake Lake to steal other players' stars. Players must pay them a fee at a Chain Chomp house depending on how much dice blocks they roll. They can pay 20 coins for 1 dice block during the daytime. In the nighttime, they can pay 10 coins for a dice block, 20 coins for 2, and 30 coins for 3. Defending players can counterattack Chain Chomps by possessing a Snack Orb.

Chain Chomps also appear on the Solo Mode board Infernal Tower. If the player lands on a Happening Space, a Chain Chomp will burst through a door and send the player back to the start.

Chain Chomps also appear in various minigames. In the 4-player minigame Throw Me a Bone, players ride a Chain Chomp and throw bones to lead the Chain Chomp to the finish line, while avoiding the obstructions. There are breakable stone pillars that stun the Chain Chomp if the Chain Chomp hits them. Chain Chomps can be a result in the Rare minigame Seer Terror. Chain Chomps occasionally appear in the background in the rare minigame Dunk Bros.

Mario Party Advance
An individual Chain Chomp appears in Mario Party Advance, who asks to challenge the player to the Chain Saw duel minigame.

The minigame Chomp Walker features the player attempting to guide a Chain Chomp to the finish line. Meat and bones are scattered across the course; while eating a bone simply wastes time, eating meat causes the Chain Chomp to momentarily dash forward. There are also Chain Chomps in the minigame Barrel Peril, which involves attempting to advance toward the finish line in a barrel while avoiding the sleeping Chain Chomps. If the player walks by a Chain Chomp, it awakens and charges at the player, resulting in being momentarily stunned if they didn't hide in the barrel.

Mario Party 7
Chain Chomps in Pyramid Park in Mario Party 7 serve the same purpose as the ones in Snowflake Lake. They steal stars for players for a fee. The player must pay coins to roll the dice blocks as usual. Black Chain Chomps pays the player ten coins for one, and twenty for two. If a Red Chain Chomp is used, then it's ten coins for three. Chain Chomps appear in the 1-vs-3 mic game Wheel of Woe. They are one command that the player can give to attempt to eliminate the other three players.

Mario Party 8
In Mario Party 8, Chain Chomps appear in a special minigame Chomping Frenzy, where the player has to feed Chain Chomps a certain fruit. Failing to do so results in a Chain Chomp becoming red and launching itself at the player. They are also in the 4-player minigame At the Chomp Wash, where the players needing to clean paint off of Chain Chomps. The duel minigame Cardiators also features Chain Chomps as one of the cards. They attack by charging at the opponent and deal 12 damage, being the most powerful of the 9 cards available. They utilize their in-game Mario Kart: Double Dash design from this game onwards.

Mario Party 9
A Chain Chomp is one of the bosses in Mario Party 9. The Chain Chomp is the stage boss of Magma Mine. In order to defeat it in the minigame Chain Chomp Romp, the players must choose a mine cart that travels down a path with a cannon at the end. Once they reach the cannon, the Chain Chomp takes damage, giving the player points(iron is one point, while a golden one is three points). If the player chooses an incorrect path, the Chomp attacks them with one point lost.

The same Chain Chomp can also appear in the minigame Bowser's Block Battle. If Bowser rolls it on his own metal die, then the Chain Chomp falls onto the arena and charges around, battering any players that are in its path and causing them to lose points. If it hits a wall, it turns around and charges a different direction.

A Chain Chomp also appears on one of the puzzles in the minigame Jigsaw Jumble.

Mario Party: Island Tour
Chain Chomps appear in Mario Party: Island Tour. One appears as the second boss of the Bowser's Tower mode (being faced off against on the tenth floor). Its minigame is Chain Chomp's Lava Lunge. This is its second appearance as a Boss Minigame opponent (the first being Chain Chomp Romp in Mario Party 9). One also appears in the board Perilous Palace Path, under the only Unlucky Space in the game.

Mario Party 10
Two Chain Chomps appear in Mario Party 10, only in amiibo Party in the Bowser Board, attempting to eat a bone.

Mario Party: Star Rush
Chain Chomps appear in the minigame Fruit or Foe in Mario Party: Star Rush. Here, they can be one of random potential characters that come out of a chosen house. When a Chain Chomp comes out of the house, the selected player gets attacked by the Chain Chomp and does not receive any fruit at all, in which the goal of the minigame is to amass the most fruits.

Mario Party: The Top 100
In Mario Party: The Top 100, Chain Chomps appear in the returning Night Light Fright and At the Chomp Wash minigames. They can also appear via the Chomp Call item.

Super Mario Party
A Chain Chomp appears in Super Mario Party as a non-playable character. In the minigame Off the Chain, a player rides a Chain Chomp, and must use it to eliminate the other players. The Chain Chomp pauses before charging, and can be aimed during the time in which it pauses. Another Chain Chomp appears in the Kamek's Tantalizing Tower board and its Partner Party counterpart Tantalizing Tower Toys. Whenever a player lands on an Event Space next to it, the Chain Chomp will attack said player and cause them to lose coins.

Mario Golf series
In Mario Golf for Nintendo 64, Chain Chomp appears as the layout of Mario's Star Hole 14.

A sleeping Chain Chomp appears briefly in the opening sequence in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. Yoshi during his round wakes up the Chain Chomp. The Chain Chomp barks at Yoshi and scares him. Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour features several holes in Peach's Castle Grounds and Bowser Badlands where a Chain Chomp devours any ball that enters its area, wasting two strokes.

Chain Chomps reappear in Mario Golf: World Tour on the Bowser's Castle golf course. They can be seen sleeping as in the previous installment and reside in O.B. areas once again.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga / Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, two Chain Chomp-related enemies appear. In Woohoo Hooniversity, Mecha-Chomps, dog-like mechanical Chomps, appear. The Chomp Bro, a variation of the Hammer Bro that swings and throws small Chomps as weapons, appear in Bowser's Castle. In the 3DS remake, however, Mecha-Chomps are replaced by Mechakoopas, though regular Chain Chomps appear as troops in the new Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser mode. Chain Chomps are melee troopers, and they attack by running into enemies. Their special skill, Charging Champ, allows them to charge through enemies in their path.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, the Pocket Chomp is a Bros. Item. At first it appears to be a small Chomp in a Mario Party-like orb, but when released, it more than triples in size and chases the brothers across the screen, forcing them to jump on any enemy in their way. Occasionally, a Chomp with a ribbon on its head and white eyelashes appears, and it is slower than a normal one. This is likely implying it is female. The Pocket Chomps bark, but it sounds more of the bark in Super Mario 64 and its remake than later games like Mario Party 7. The Elder Princess Shroob in battle uses Shroob versions of regular Chain Chomps.

A chainless Chomp also appears while Mario, Luigi, Baby Mario, and Baby Luigi are heading through the Warp Pipe to get to the top of the Princess Shroob statue in Shroob Castle. It leaps out of the basement's sewer water and bashes the pipe, redirecting its destination to the basement. Later, as the brothers are about to hit an Exclamation Mark Block to cross a pit of spikes and leave the basement, the Chomp leaps out of the water, eats the block, and heads into one of the five Warp Pipes visible on the map. The player must use the Star blocks that appear to damage the Chomp four times with lasers. However, on the final attempt, Chomps fill up all the pipes. The player can tell the correct Chomp apart from the others by looking at which one is barking the fastest. When it is defeated, the Chomp is destroyed and the block heads back to its original position. Unlike most chainless depictions of Chomps, this one has the chain holder in back rather than the back being smooth and round.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
Chain Chomps appear in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story as minions of Fawful, being called Chain Chawfuls. A Fawful-like Sworm is found inside them, forcing them to fight for Fawful. If Bowser can swallow the Sworm, then the Chain Chomp turns back to normal and run away. They also appear in the fight with Junker and Junker X when Mario or Luigi defeats a Junker Can. The Chain Chomp attempts to ram the brother that defeated the can, but it can be deflected by striking it with the hammer. Chain Chomps are also present among the smaller Piranha Plants Bowser must plow through to reach the two massive Piranha Plants at Peach's Castle, and lunge at Bowser in a straight horizontal line unlike the Piranha Plants that are implanted. One Chain Chomp is also present outside the final station in the Fawful Express battle.

Chain Chomps reappear in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, where they are in the Bowser Jr.'s Journey mode as enemies and recruitable allies.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Chain Chomps appear as enemies in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. They appear in the final area, Neo Bowser Castle. In the field, they drag their respective Walker Guy towards the Bros. when spotted. At the start of battle, they always appear with a Walker Guy. If defeated, the Walker Guy will attempt to bring another into battle by running into the background and looking for one (which on occasion, fails), and thus the Walker Guy should be defeated first. The Chain Chomp is the force of the pair that enables them to attack, whether it be with the Walker Guy or not.

Chain Chomps may look at a Bro, and start to swing its chain with the Walker Guy holding on for dear life, where the Walker Guy will get flung off towards the Bro who wasn't looked at. The Bro the Walker Guy was flung towards must hammer them to the ground before them to avoid taking damage. The Chain Chomp will then charge at a Bro, who must be stopped by having the targeted Bro hammer it. If the Walker Guy is countered and the Chain Chomp attacks the same Bro, the Walker Guy will end up get mowed over and take damage.

A Chain Chomp may also drag its Walker Guy through the Bros., who must jump over or on either the Walker Guy or the Chain Chomp to avoid them. The Walker Guy takes more damage the longer it gets dragged about, and may attempt to pull the Chain Chomp back just before it hits a Bro, which may throw off the Bros.' timing. After either a Bro gets hit by this attack, or the attack fails to hit a Bro for long enough, it ends.

A lone Chain Chomp will head into the middle of the battlefield, and look about frantically, eventually deciding who to attack, and lunging at them, whether it be friend or foe. Mario and Luigi must hammer the Chain Chomp away if they are targeted, this can make the bros dizzy, and if successful, the Chain Chomp may attempt to charge at something else or end the attack.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Chain Chomps appear in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam as enemies in both their normal and paper forms. Once again, they appear in Neo Bowser Castle. Chain Chomps do not appear on the field, and are only encountered in battle with a Shy Guy that holds both a regular Chain Chomp and a Paper Chain Chomp. The Chain Chomps attack by lunging at which bro they are parallel with, which must be jumped over, and then they both drag the Shy Guy at Paper Mario who must then jump. They can also attack a single bro, which before hand they will both jump a certain number of times, and the one that jumped the most will attack, which must be countered with the hammer. The regular Chain Chomp will go straight for the bro, while the Paper Chain Chomp will attack from behind. It is possible to defeat either Chain Chomp if it was targeted other than the Shy Guy holding them both. If one of the Chain Chomps were defeated, the Shy Guy (which is the main target) and the other Chain Chomp will run away with no EXP given. If there are any remaining enemies in the battle, the surviving Chain Chomps occasionally appear chasing a Paper Fuzzy, and the targeted bro must jump over the Chain Chomp. Any enemies aligned with the Chain Chomp's attack will also take damage.

During the final battle against Shiny RoboBowser, one of his attacks involve transforming his arms and legs into wheels and chasing them in the left direction. At the end of this attack, a Chain Chomp will appear which the Bros. must jump over and if no one takes damage from it, the Chain Chomp will damage Bowser which ends the attack.

Mario Power Tennis / New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis
In Mario Power Tennis there is a minigame that takes place in the Wario Factory Court featuring Chain Chomps. If fed, normal Chain Chomps reward the player one point. If shot with a Bob-omb, normal Chain Chomps become mad, and if shot with water, normal Chain Chomps fall asleep. Angry Chain Chomps reward players two points per ball, but if struck by a Bob-omb, they chase the player, and the player must hit a switch to avoid losing points. Striking angry Chain Chomps with water reverts them to normal. Sleeping Chain Chomps reward no points and must be woken with a Bob-omb.

Mario Tennis Aces
A Chain Chomp appears as a playable character in Mario Tennis Aces: using its mouth to swing its racket. Excluding capturing in Super Mario Odyssey, this marks the first time in any Mario game where a Chain Chomp is playable. It appears in the adventure mode in the mission found on the Castle Bridge, Sure Shot Challenge (Advanced), where the player must hit 30 balls past the Chain Chomp without letting it hit three. Chain Chomp is classified as a Powerful character in the game, and its Special Shot is Unleash. Chain Chomp's Trick Shots are "Side Whirl" and "Vertical Whirl". Chain Chomp also appeared in the game's online tournament demo as an unlockable playable character, unlocked after 1500 participation points were accumulated.

In the March 2019 online tournament, three different caps for Chain Chomp could be unlocked by accumulating participation points; a white and yellow cap could be unlocked at 300 points, a white and red cap could be unlocked at 1000 points, and a white and green cap could be unlocked at 2000 points.

Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
A single Chain-Chomp appears in Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix. It chases Mario (or Luigi) and Toad while they pursue Wario, who is carrying a Music Key. Shortly after this Chain-Chomp appears, Mario (or Luigi) plays the minigame, Chain-Chomp Chase in which he must outrun the Chain-Chomp and lose it.

Mario Superstar Baseball
Two Chain Chomps appear in Mario Superstar Baseball as an obstacle in the foul line in the Wario Palace field. There are two of these chain chomps placed on the course one being on the left and the other being on the right near the edge of the field. If a ball is hit at them when they are asleep they will wake up. After that any ball that comes in range they hit back into the field by head butting it. These balls are still catch able and do not count as fouls. There is also one that appears in the "Chain Chomp Sprint" minigame. It sleeps in the center of the bases, and if players are still running the bases it while it is awake, it rams into them, causing them to be out for a few seconds and they will lose half of their jewels. The Chain Chomp in Wario Palace also appears in the intro where it tries to attack Donkey Kong after he uses his climbing abilities to catch the ball.

Mario Super Sluggers
In Mario Super Sluggers, a Chain Chomp appears as a gimmick on the Bowser Jr. Playroom field. If the ball lands on a Chain Chomp image on the field, one appears and attacks the fielders.

Chain Chomps also appear in a minigame called Graffiti Runner. A character activates them by opening a treasure chest. Once activated, the Chain Chomp rampages through the field, removing any paint and hitting any player in the way, even if the player has a star.

Super Princess Peach
In Super Princess Peach, normal Chain Chomps, along with a variation of Chain Chomp, known as Calm Chain Chomp, can be found. These Chain Chomps sleep unless Princess Peach wakes them up. They then act like normal Chain Chomps. Shark Chomps from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island reappear, now called Big Chain Chomps. Chain Chomps do not bark in this game, but they did gain a chomping noise. Also, their chains are unlinked.

Mario Strikers series
Super Mario Strikers features a Chain Chomp as an item with which the player can attack. If used, the Chomp attacks all opposing players on the field, leaving them on the ground for a few seconds. However it is very rare, and it only appears if the team is losing badly. It is the strongest offensive item in the game, however sometimes it backfires on the user. It may attack the user's team along with the opponent's team.

It reappears in the sequel, Mario Strikers Charged acting very similarly as they did in Super Mario Strikers. Like in the first game, it rampages around the whole field, attacking anyone who has the ball and stunning them for a certain amount of time. They appear only when the team is losing badly. They appear more often than in the previous game, however. On a side note, it is possible for the Playmaker and Defensive players to avoid the Chain Chomp. Balanced players can also avoid the Chain Chomp, but it is more difficult. Slower player types cannot avoid the Chain Chomp.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Chain Chomps appear as obstacles in both the Wii version and Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, where it appears in both the individual and team versions of Dream Ski Cross in the Wii version and Extreme Snowboarding in the Nintendo DS version. In both versions, being hit by the Chain Chomp will knock characters over and cause them to lose speed.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
A Chain Chomp appears as an obstacle in Dream Equestrian in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where it chases the characters for part of the course and tears up a bridge behind them, causing the cart to overbalance. One also appears as a ? mark effect in London party mode, where it will remove a number of stickers from an opponent's current sticker sheet.

In the Nintendo 3DS version, a Chain Chomp only appears in the Story Mode episode The Life of a Minion, where Magikoopa makes one appear to stun Knuckles.

Fortune Street
A Chain Chomp makes an appearance in Fortune Street. Once the player beats the Mario Circuit board, the shop will expand and have a Chain Chomp in the Mascots section. It is mistakenly named Chain Chomps, despite only one acting as a mascot.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
Chain Chomps appear as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. They attack by lunging at opponents from their posts and chomping them for multiple hits. If the Chain Chomp falls off the stage, then it leaps back up onto it.

Chain Chomps also appear as enemies in Smash Run in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, attacking in the same manner as the Assist Trophy. Their bodies are invulnerable to any attack; the only way to defeat them is by attacking the post until it is free.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
A Chain Chomp returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an Assist Trophy. Additionally, a Chain Chomp appears as an Advanced-class Attack-type primary spirit. It allows no support slots and, when equipped, makes the user slower but more difficult to launch. The corresponding spirit battle involves a metallic Pac-Man and a hostile Chain Chomp Assist Trophy on the Yoshi's Island stage. In addition to the Spirit Board, the Chain Chomp spirit can be obtained from Beedle's Tent for 1,000 Spirit Points.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Chain Chomps reappear as obstacles in certain stages in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. During the turn transition between the heroes and the enemies, the Chain Chomp will lunge at the closest character from its position, deducting 75 HP from the character it attacks. Aside from their trademark barks, Chain Chomps have realistic growls in this game.

The Chomper Stopper and Clobber Chomper weapons are based on Chain Chomps.

WarioWare series
In WarioWare: Touched!, there is a souvenir called "Reel-to-Reel", which is a projector that features a red Chain Chomp.

Bayonetta 2
In Bayonetta 2, a Chain Chomp is used as a weapon by Bayonetta and Jeanne. Upon completing the game on 3rd Climax (Hard Mode) or (in the Nintendo Switch version) scanning an amiibo relating to Bowser and his minions, a special Golden LP is unlocked. When the player returns to Rodin's Shop, Rodin will immediately mention the LP's importance. The LP contains the Bob-omb Battlefield theme from Super Mario 64, and when Rodin returns from Inferno, he brings the Chain Chomp, which can be equipped by both Bayonetta and Jeanne as a foot weapon, with them using the chain and the creature itself as a flail. Certain attacks will also have the Chain Chomp shoot out lighter versions of itself that latch onto enemies and explode after a few seconds. As a reference to Bow Wow from Link's Awakening, the Chain Chomp will also automatically lunge at nearby enemies and chests, lightly damaging them as well as wandering cats in certain stages.

Other appearances
In a 2017 interview, it was revealed that Chain Chomps were originally going to be in Super Mario World, as evidenced by a prototype sprite sheet. Its chain still exists unused in the final game, with the enemy graphics overwritten by Fishin' Lakitu.

Characteristics and traits
Chomps resemble a ball with chains and come in various sizes, often bigger than Mario. They have big circular eyes, large gaping mouths, and razor-sharp teeth. Most also have a restraining tail-like chain, which are commonly tied to some sort of post to restrict their movement. These creatures are coloured black or dark blue with bright white eyes and teeth (though they have appeared in other colors, such as red, blue, and yellow). Unlike most enemies from the Mario games, Chomps are usually not sapient compared to other enemies such as Goombas and Shy Guys; they can communicate, however, through dog-like barks (hence their Japanese name). Behavior-wise, they act similar to guard dogs. Some items, such as the Chomp Whistle and Pocket Chomp, can be used to summon Chomps, displaying their traits of loyalty and obedience, similar to a dog. Chain Chomps have a tendency to sleep, as shown in some games such as Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Superstar Baseball, Mario Power Tennis, and various Mario Party minigames including Sneak 'n' Snore.

Chain Chomps have changed little since their debut appearance. The most notable changes throughout their appearances, though, are the size proportion, and amount of their teeth. Chain Chomps in their earlier appearances have smaller teeth that are more equal size of each other, notably in Mario Party 4, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Party 5, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Party 6, Mario Party 7, and Super Mario Strikers. These appearances depict them with black chains, eight teeth on the upper jaw, and nine teeth on the lower jaw (this teeth order is reversed in some games). In some appearances beginning in Yoshi Story, Paper Mario, and Super Mario Sunshine, their teeth are generally larger in proportion to their bodies to compensate for having less teeth, and the teeth near the center are more noticeably bigger compared to those at the corners of the mouth. While subsequent games did not immediately use the different design, this design has eventually replaced the older designs in newer games.

Chomps are some of the tougher enemies in the Mario franchise. In a couple of games, they are invincible, and they usually have an above-average defense in RPGs. Many games seem to even hint that they are made of a hard, metallic substance. If they are not invincible in a game, they are shown to be quite resilient instead. For example, in Bowser's Inside Story, they have a hole cut in their head and an enemy living inside them, yet are shown to be fine should Bowser inhale the enemy inside them. Their main method of attack is lunging at the enemy and biting them, though they are usually pulled back by their chains. Chainless Chomps, therefore, make for more difficult enemies, especially due to them generally being larger than their other brethren. With a few exceptions (such as in Paper Mario), most Chomps that are not tied charges at their enemy instead of lunging.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

 * Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser  / Bowser Jr.'s Journey profile: Unstoppable when they're off their chains. Difficult to control and highly destructive.