Snailicorn
Snailicorns[1] are large snail-like creatures that appear exclusively in New Super Mario Bros.. They only appear in two ice levels, being World 5-3 and World 5-B. They have two small, green feet and a single horn on their heads, as indicated by the species' name (a portmanteau of "snail" and "unicorn").
Snailicorns walk from side to side on the platform they are found on, turning around to avoid edges if necessary, similarly to Red Koopa Troopas. If a Snailicorn sees Mario, it will charge in a straight line and attempt to damage him with its horn. They are resistant enemies, as they cannot be defeated with jumps or fireballs. However, as jumping on them pushes them back, this tactic can be used to send them falling into bottomless pits, though they will reappear if Mario leaves the area and returns. Additionally, Shell Mario running at full speed, or any other moving shell, will defeat a Snailicorn directly on contact.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | Donketu[2] (internal) トゲツムリ[3] Togetsumuri |
Same as Bully Portmanteau of 「棘」 (toge, spike) and 「カタツムリ」 (katatsumuri, snail) |
| Italian | TartaSpunzo[4] |
Turtle Spike |
Trivia
- The game's internal filename for Snailicorn is a romanization of the Japanese name for Bully, suggesting that it was originally designed as one before being changed to a horned snail.[2] This explains why the two species act in a similar manner.
References
- ^ Loe, Casey. New Super Mario Bros. Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Page 12.
- ^ a b New Super Mario Bros. internal filename (donketu)
- ^ New Super Mario Bros. Shogakukan book
- ^ Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia, pag. 115
