User:Walkazo/Essays
Here's where I shall rant about my views on the Mario series or the Super Mario Wiki itself and/or draft stuff to actually use on the wiki. Old stuff includes:
- MarioWiki:Courtesy
- MarioWiki:Redirect (formerly)
- Template:Wikipolicy
- MarioWiki:Categories
- Proposal Archiving
- MarioWiki:Version Differences
- Main article: MarioWiki:Navigation Templates
- Templates to fix
- white overall backgrounds; solid grey borders; footnotes darker than headers, lighter than banners
- alternating bg stripes; darker bg stripes first; if only two lines, both bg stripes dark
- headers centered and subheaders right, or both centered? simply right when no subheaders
- ({{CancelledGames}} - unique colours: add to chart below G&W)
- {{MK}} series items
- {{MK Players}} (series)
- {{MKAGP2}} - items
- ({{Galaxy}}, {{Galaxy2}} - unique colours: classify as species)
- ({{3DS}} - only two lines, both bg stripes dark)
- {{MG}} - golf series characters
- DK templates - levels
- {{{NSMBW}} - "further info" is good way to include subpages/galleries/etc.)
- {{Morphs}} - could be merged with YI and YIDS
- {{Music}} - do something with it
- {{RPG Attacks}} - misc rpgs with SMRPG colours
BS Super Mario USA
From my forum post here, from Feb. 21, 2012. (For admin eyes only.)
A translation of the ending dialogue is here, but it's not overly useful for plot stuff. The first episode's opening is on Nico Nico Douga (but I viewed it through page), and the entire fourth episode is on youtube: it's got the ending with narration and also the same opening as the first episode except for different closing enemy banter and one missing line from the Commander.
When I transcribed the text, I had only been studying Japanese for six months and listening comprehension was my weak point. Still is, but when I get a chance I'll give the videos a re-listen to try and figure out the stuff I missed before. Even in this crappy, unfinished transcription (italics and question marks are stuff I'm not sure about at all) and translation, however, some key plot points are quite clear.
Crappy transcription:
Narration: Yume no kuni Subcon. Kono kuni wa sono munokashi yasai ga daiki na Mamu to sono uchi ni otte kurushii me wa rarette imashita. Soko ni owarette ano wa onajimi Mario, Luigi, Kinopio, soshite Peach-hime. Kono yo-nin no daikatsuyaku no sei, Mamu wa sono uchi ni yasai yo ippai nitsu me komare, Subcon kara oidasareta no desu. Tokoro ga kurushii me rarette de Subcon wa hitotsu dake de wa arimasen deshita. Hito-bito no miru yume to onaji kase dake Subcon wa attano desu. Nigesata Mamu to sono uchi ni wa soto betsu na yume no naka ni moguri komi. Nandomo nandomo akuji o kurikashite tanō deshita.
Commander: Ōsama, hoshi no chikara o tsukatte, Subcon o mamorimasho.
King: Yoshi, Mario-kun-tachi onegai sho.
Narration: Kōshite mata-mata ano yo-nin ga katsuyakusuru koto temota no desu. Shikashi, hoshi no chikara o tsukau, dōshite no e wa Ōsama-dachi dake dewa imasen deshita. Ano Mamu to sono uchi ni mo chika wa kui o shio[ to takuramu de imasu. Sono de hajime ni donchuru de ga me wa no akashii ano o gondo Mario. Sō doko ga me kakushite mata yo desu.
Crappy translation:
Narrator: Dream land Subcon. In the land, in a chest, are important vegetables - the painful sprouts that can drive away Wart and his group. There at the end are the familiar Mario, Luigi, Toad and Princess Peach. because of the foursome's great efforts, Wart and his group were packed full of vegetables and expelled from Subcon. Only one place of the painful, capable sprouts of Subcon was not there. The people [thought] Subcon had only been a dream. Wart and his group escaped outside and dived into a separate dream. Many times they repeatedly [did] various crimes.
Commander: King, let's use the power of the star and protect Subcon.
King: All right, [get] Mario and friends, please.
Narration: Thus, those four [were] made active again (which they were not intending to be). But the star power is used ??why?? there, is not only the King's group missing. Wart and his group were also underground ??? plotting. That beginning ??? sprout ??? Mario. So, where have the sprouts been hidden again.
Basically, the narration confirms that Mario & Co. initially bested Wart with veggies and kicked him out of Subcon, but they thought it was a dream, but then Wart & Co., who had been hiding in another dream, come back and run amok, so the King summons Mario & Co. and they spring back into action again, only to find the King and his people gone (I'm not sure if he's kidnapped, however).
Table coding
Nested table, gradients, borders.
Series | Banner (and text) | Header | Background | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Super Princess Peach | #FF3EAF | #FF90D0 | pink | mistyrose | ||
spinoffs | Mario Party | #DF00DF | rain | bow | #F8BFF8 | #F8DFF8 |
Mario Kart | darkorchid |
| ||||
Dr. Mario | #901090 | orchid | ||||
Game & Watch | #333333 | #666666 | #AACC77 |
And to make it float...
Series | Banner | Header | Background | |
---|---|---|---|---|
SPP | #FF3EAF | #FF90D0 | pink | mistyrose |
(Also, note that the width of the background columns has to be of the overall template width - i.e. 17% gives you (approx.) half of 35%, whereas 50% just makes the column in question grow huge and the other one turn as skinny as the longest word will allow it.)
Kana charts
-a | -i | -u | -e | -o | -ya, -a | -yu, -u | -yo, -o | -ye, -yi | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
_- | あ ア a | い イ i | う ウ u | え エ e | お オ o | や ヤ ya | ゆ ユ yu | よ ヨ yo | イェ ye |
K- G- Kw- Gw- |
か カ ka が ガ ga クァ クヮ kwa グァ グヮ gwa |
き キ ki ぎ ギ gi クィ kwi グィ gwi |
く ク ku ぐ グ gu |
け ケ ke げ ゲ ge クェ kwe グェ gwe |
こ コ ko ご ゴ go クォ kwo グォ gwo |
きゃ キャ kya ぎゃ ギャ gya |
きゅ キュ kyu ぎゅ ギュ gyu |
きょ キョ kyo ぎょ ギョ gyo |
キェ kye ギェ gye |
S- Sh- Z- J- |
さ サ sa | スィ si し シ shi |
す ス su | せ セ se シェ she |
そ ソ so | しゃ シャ sha |
しゅ シュ shu |
しょ ショ sho |
|
ざ ザ za | ズィ zi じ ジ ji |
ず ズ zu | ぜ ゼ ze ジェ je |
ぞ ゾ zo | じゃ ジャ ja |
じゅ ジュ ju |
じょ ジョ jo |
||
T- Ch- Ts- |
た タ ta ツァ tsa |
ティ ti ち チ chi ツィ tsi |
トゥ tu つ ツ tsu |
て テ te チェ che ツェ tse |
と ト to ツォ tso |
ちゃ チャ cha |
テュ tyu ちゅ チュ chu ツュ tsyu |
ちょ チョ cho |
|
D- J- |
だ ダ da | ディ di ぢ ヂ ji |
ドゥ du づ ヅ zu |
で デ de | ど ド do | ぢゃ ヂャ ja |
デュ dyu ぢゅ ヂュ ju |
ぢょ ヂョ jo |
|
N- | な ナ na | に ニ ni | ぬ ヌ nu | ね ネ ne | の ノ no | にゃ ニャ nya | にゅ ニュ nyu | にょ ニョ nyo | ニェ nye |
H- F- B- P- |
は ハ ha,wa ファ fa |
ひ ヒ hi フィ fi |
ホゥ hu ふ フ fu |
へ ヘ he,e フェ fe |
ほ ホ ho フォ fo |
ひゃ ヒャ hya フャ fya |
ひゅ ヒュ hyu フュ fyu |
ひょ ヒョ hyo フョ fyo |
ヒェ hye フィェ fye |
ば バ ba | び ビ bi | ぶ ブ bu | べ ベ be | ぼ ボ bo | びゃ ビャ bya | びゅ ビュ byu | びょ ビョ byo | ビェ bye | |
ぱ パ pa | ぴ ピ pi | ぷ プ pu | ぺ ペ pe | ぽ ポ po | ぴゃ ピャ pya | ぴゅ ピュ pyu | ぴょ ピョ pyo | ピェ pye | |
M- | ま マ ma | み ミ mi | む ム mu | め メ me | も モ mo | みゃ ミャ mya | みゅ ミュ myu | みょ ミョ myo | ミェ mye |
R- L- |
ら ラ ra | り リ ri | る ル ru | れ レ re | ろ ロ ro | りゃ リャ rya | りゅ リュ ryu | りょ リョ ryo | リェ rye |
ラ゜ la | リ゜ li | ル゜ lu | レ゜ le | ロ゜ lo | |||||
W- V- |
わ ワ wa ウァ wa |
ゐ ヰ wi,i ウィ wi |
ウゥ wu |
ゑ ヱ we,e ウェ we |
を ヲ wo,o ウォ wo |
ウュ wyu |
|||
ヷ va ヴァ va |
ヸ vi ヴィ vi |
ゔ vu ヴ vu |
ヹ ve ヴェ ve |
ヺ vo ヴォ vo |
ヴャ vya |
ヴュ vyu |
ヴョ vyo |
ヴィェ vye | |
ん ン n | イィ yi |
Sorting Table
"Title" = abc order; "Date" = default = release date order (reverse puts series at top); "Series" = abc order; right "#" = date-by-series order
# | Title | Date | Serialized end date? Reissue? |
Series | # |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Donkey Kong | Jul 1, 1981 | DK arcade | 1.1 | |
2 | Donkey Kong Jr. | Jan 1, 1982 | DK arcade | 1.2 | |
3 | Donkey Kong (G&W game) | Jun 3, 1982 | reissue | DK arcade | 1.1.1 |
4 | Mario Bros. | Jan 1, 1983 | 2 | ||
5 | Mario Bros. (G&W game) | Mar 14, 1983 | reissue | 2.1 | |
6 | The Saturday Supercade | Sep 17, 1983 | (ends Sep 8, 1984) | 3 | |
7 | Super Mario Bros. | Sep 13, 1985 | SM | 4.1 | |
8 | Super Mario Bros. Special | Jan 1, 1986 | reissue | SM | 4.1.1 |
9 | Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels | June 3, 1986 | SM | 4.2 | |
10 | Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen! (The Great Mission to Save Princess Peach!) |
Jul 20, 1986 | 5 | ||
11 | Super Mario Bros. 2 | Sep 1, 1988 | SM | 4.3 | |
12 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Oct 23, 1988 | SM | 4.4 | |
Donkey Kong arcade series | DK arcade | 1.0 | |||
Super Mario series | SM | 4.0 |
Image Check
Check to see if the transparency is good, or crappy:
BOWSER
Family
The game Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced Bowser's seven children, the Koopalings, who, after their first appearance in Super Mario Bros. 3, would go on to appear in several other games with their father, as well as in various other Mario-related medias, such as cartoons and publications. Many years later, Super Mario Sunshine introduced Bowser Jr., Bowser's youngest child who, unlike the Koopalings, resembles Bowser greatly. Bowser Jr. is featured in many games such as New Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Galaxy and is often Bowser's default partner in sports games. The Mario Party series also introduces Koopa Kids (aka Baby/Mini Bowsers), but despite their similar appearance and Bowser's sometimes fatherly demeanour towards them (such as banning them from playing with toys as punishment for failure), they appear to be unrelated, and treat him as their boss. In a September 2012 interview, Shigeru Miyamoto stated that Nintendo's "current story" is that Bowser Jr. is Bowser's only child [1].
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island introduces Kamek, a Magikoopa caretaker and possible adoptive father of Baby Bowser. Kamek is shown to take great care of Baby Bowser and worries about him often. Bowser mentions his actual father in few issues of the Nintendo Comics System, with the implications being that he is a wanted criminal on the run. Similarly, Bowser's mother does not appear in any games, but was introduced in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode "Do You Princess Toadstool Take This Koopa...?", which showed her to be a bossy and bullying woman who resented her son for remaining a bachelor.
In the same Super Show episode that featured his mother, Bowser tried and failed to marry Peach, and his unrequited crush on the princess recurs in various games, including Super Mario Sunshine, where Bowser Jr. claimed that she was his mother, although this was later proven false. In Super Paper Mario, the two were by Count Bleck and Nastasia as part of the former's plan to unleash the Chaos Heart, and while Bowser regarded the marriage as official and happily referred to Peach as his wife throughout the game, she refuted his claims and called the wedding a sham. Bowser was shown to have his own admirer in high school, as seen in the comic "Koopa's High School Yearbook": after he asked for her sandwich, the unnamed Koopa developed a crush on Bowser, formed the one-member "Koopa Fan Club" and joined the "Future Wives of Tyrants Club", although it is unknown if her ambitions to marry the Koopa King ever panned out. Additionally, an issue of the UK Nintendo Power once said that Bowser had a wife named Clawdia Koopa, however this is largely believed to be a joke, as she was never mentioned again. In a recent interview, Miyamoto simply stated that Bowser Jr.'s mother was "unknown"[1].
The cartoons and various comics refer to many other relatives of Bowser. He mentions a grandfather named Poopa La Koopa in the Super Show episode "Butch Mario & the Luigi Kid", saying his motto was "Cheat, beat, and be merry!" Bowser also mentions a paternal "great-great grandkoop" in the Super Show episode, "Raiders of the Lost Mushroom," claiming that he built the Temple of Koopa to hide the Lost Mushroom, which he then left to Bowser. In an episode of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser's son Morton brings up one of the Koopalings' great grandmothers, and the family was shown to have a pet rabbit named Pookie in the Nintendo Comics System; he was often abused, until his eventual escape from Bowser's Castle in the comic "Bowser Knows Best". In the Nintendo Adventure Book Flown the Koopa, an unnamed Magikoopa stated to be Bowser's third cousin twice removed is featured as the main antagonist; this character also appears in the later books Unjust Desserts and Brain Drain, though has only a minor role in both. Finally, in both an episode of the Super Show and the song "Ignorance is Bliss", Bowser mentions a younger sister who is, according to him, a bookworm.
Relationships with other characters
Mario
- Main article: Mario
Mario is Bowser's arch-nemesis and as such, is almost always the one who stops the Koopa King's evil plans. Bowser despises Mario for this and constantly tries to stop him as part of his schemes to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond. Despite this, Mario always succeeds in the end. Despite the open hostility between the two, Bowser has occasionally been seen to hold a grudging respect for Mario, such as his statement in Super Mario Galaxy that he "chose the right guy to be his archenemy". Bowser's drive to be the one to destroy his nemesis has also led him to intervene when other villains threaten Mario, such as in Mario Super Sluggers, where Bowser stopped an attack launched by Wario and Waluigi. Many RPGs involve Bowser teaming up with Mario to stop an emergent foe that poses a threat to both of them, such as Smithy, who took over Bowser's castle in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, or Count Bleck in Super Paper Mario, whose plot to destroy all worlds ran counter to Bowser's dreams of global domination. While Bowser makes a show of his reluctance to team up, Mario seems more complacent with working with Bowser despite their history, and occasionally shows him some leniency, such as letting him go after his actions in Mario Party DS merely gave Mario and the others a fun experience. Overall, however, the animosity of mutual, and Bowser's run-ins with Mario usually end in the Koopa King's defeat.
Princess Peach
- Main article: Princess Peach
One of the most complex aspects of Bowser's character is his relationship with Peach. As explained in the manual of Super Mario Bros., Bowser initially started abducting Peach to prevent her from restoring the transformed Toads back to normal. In later games, Bowser was also motivated by an unrequited crush he had developed on the princess, with Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story going so far as to show that his most carefully preserved memory was of Peach. Despite his affections for her, Bowser usually shows little regard for Peach as he constantly kidnaps her, attacks her kingdom, and fights the people she cares about. He has also put Peach herself in danger numerous times, ether inadvertently or on purpose, most notably in Super Princess Peach and Super Mario 3D World, where the eponymous princess herself faced Bowser in combat. Peach does not return Bowser's feelings at all, and is always overjoyed when she is rescued from her Koopa kidnapper by Mario, however she is willing to work with Bowser when the situation calls for it, and will even sweet-talk, flatter or show him genuine goodwill or concern when they are acting as allies.
Bowser Jr.
- Main article: Bowser Jr.
Bowser cares very deeply for his son and is proud of his loyalty to both him and the Koopa Troop. However, Bowser is not above using his son as a pawn in his schemes, even going so far as to falsely claiming that Peach was the child's "Mama" to give him extra incentive to destroy Mario for taking her away from their "family". In a rare moment of humility, Bowser eventually tells his son the truth about Peach, but Bowser Jr. had known all along, and simply wanted to fight Mario to be like his father.
Luigi
- Main article: Luigi
Luigi often fights Bowser alongside Mario, and as such, is one of the Koopa King's greatest enemies. Like many other characters in the Mario series, Bowser is often depicted as holding Luigi in lower esteem than his brother, however he usually doesn't go so far as to discount Luigi as a threat.
Yoshi
- Main article: Yoshi
- Main article: Yoshi (species)
Bowser first encountered Yoshi as an infant, when Kamek used him to try and stop the Yoshis from reuniting Baby Mario with Baby Luigi, whom Kamek had kidnapped and held in Bowser's castle. As a child, Bowser enjoyed stealing cookies from the Yoshis, and his antagonism continued on into adulthood, such as in Super Mario World, where he imprisoned them in Yoshi Eggs during his attack on their homeland. Since then, the character Yoshi continues to aid Mario and Luigi in their altercations with Bowser, making him one of the Koopa King's noteworthy enemies.
Wario
- Main article: Wario
Bowser and Wario are usually pitted against each other. In Mario Superstar Baseball, the two mercilessly exchange taunts, and they even squabbled as babies in Yoshi's Island DS. In Mario Super Sluggers, Bowser blocks Wario and Waluigi's attack on Mario, as he himself wants to defeat the plumber, although the reverse situation occurs in Mario Power Tennis, where all three of them team up to try and take own Mario. Other times, Wario allies with Mario against Bowser, most notably in Super Mario 64 DS and the Mario Party series.
Koopa Troop
- Main article: Koopa Troop
Bowser's minions all hold Bowser in high regards and loyally serve him out of respect, rather than fear, although most are mindful of his fiery temper. Bowser does not take betrayal well and will not hesitate to attack deserters as enemies.
Kamek
- Main article: Kamek
Kamek raised Bowser from infancy and Super Mario RPG implies that at least part of him thinks of Bowser as his child, although Bowser has not been shown to think of him as a parental figure. Kamek is extremely loyal and will do whatever he can to aid Bowser in his nefarious schemes, although in Mario Party Advance, he briefly takes his leave of the Koopa Troop when Bowser disappoints him by taking the title of "Game Master", rather than earning it. Aside from this, the two get along well, and Kamek interacts with Bowser the most out of any characters. Bowser does sometimes attack him accidentally, a notable instance of this being in New Super Mario Bros Wii, where Bowser, after being made huge by Kamek, accidentally knocked Kamek off his broom when about to pursue Mario.
Kammy Koopa
- Main article: Kammy Koopa
Kammy is completely devoted to Bowser despite the constant stream of insults he sends her way. In her tattle from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Goombella wonders whether it is harder for Bowser to put up with Kammy or vice-versa, however Kammy herself has never been shown to tire of Bowser's disrespectful behaviour, and despite his verbal abuse, Bowser often takes Kammy's advice to heart.
Koopalings
- Main article: Koopalings
The Koopalings were originally introduced as Bowser's seven children in both the English and Japanese versions of Super Mario Bros. 3[2][3]. They were also depicted as his children in the DIC cartoons and various comics released shortly after Super Mario Bros. 3, and the English box of Yoshi's Safari called the Koopalings Bowser's children. However, subsequent games did not draw attention to their kinship, and in 2012, Shigeru Miyamoto stated that in Nintendo's current story they are no longer considered to be his children[1], although the outdated information was still retained in rereleased manuals for the 3DS versions of the games.
Before the introduction of Bowser Jr., the Koopalings acted as heirs to Bowser's kingdom, and their presumed leader, Ludwig von Koopa, was said to be Bowser's second-in-command at the time. Bowser has always been very proud of the Koopalings' service and devout loyalty to him, yet even when they were his children, like Bowser Jr., he still treated them as minions to an extent, and used them to battle Mario in the games. In a similar manner to what he did to Kamek, Bowser has accidentally attacked the Koopalings in New Super Mario Bros. 2, after he became giant from the Koopalings' magic. The dynamic between Bowser and the Koopalings was more familial in the cartoons and comics.
Baby Bowser
- Main article: Baby Bowser
Although technically a younger version of himself, Bowser has interacted with his past self during two occasions of time travel. In Yoshi's Island DS, Baby Bowser insults his future self, who then rashly blasts him out of the castle; later, however, Bowser becomes outraged when he discovers his younger self being bested by the Yoshis. In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, the to Bowsers do not recognize each other and argue about the ownership of Thwomp Volcano, eventually putting their differences aside to work together to try and defeat Mario, Luigi and their own baby selves. After their defeat, Bowser's parting advice to Baby Bowser is to "Get stronger and more evil".
Fawful
- Main article: Fawful
Bowser first encountered Fawful in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, but their more notable interactions came in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, when Fawful used Bowser as part of his scheme to take over the world. He also kidnapped Peach, took over Bowser's castle and imprisoned or brainwashed the Koopa Troop, all of which earned him Bowser's utter contempt. In one of his few moments of victory, Bowser defeats Fawful, boastfully claiming afterwards that he was far too weak to even call his enemy anyway.
Starlow
- Main article: Starlow
After he accidentally inhales her, the Mario Bros. Peach and various Toads, Starlow helps Bowser fight against Fawful in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. using the alias "Chippy", Starlow speaks to Bowser from inside his body, telling him what to do and getting him out of various predicaments with help from the Mario Bros. Despite their common goal, Bowser and Starlow do not get along well, constantly trading barbs and occasionally refusing to listen to each other, although Starlow occasionally expresses concern or sympathy for the Koopa. Despite her attitude, Bowser comes to think of "Chippy" as an honorary member of his Koopa Troop, and is enraged to learn that she was really an ally of Mario and Luigi.
Koopa Taxonomy
There are many kinds of Koopa: some are like Koopa Troopas, some are like Bowser, some are like Lakitu, some are like Hammer Bros., and if I had my way, Buzzy Beetles and Clubbas would be Koopas too. Are these different species? Are Red Magikoopas and Yellow Magikoopas different species, or do they just wear different clothes? And what are sub-species? Koopatrols? KP Koopas? What's the relationship between Dark Koopas in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Dark Koopas in Super Paper Mario? What is Bowser? And what the heck is a Koopa anyway? Since Nintendo didn't give us any sort of Koopa taxonomy, evolutionary chart, fossil record or family tree, it's totally up to us to answer those questions.
This is not impossible: mother nature didn't share her blueprints either, and yet we still know that spiders and crabs are cousins, and that tapeworms and earthworms aren't. We can't tell if Koopas evolved from turtles or dinosaurs, but we can tell that Bowser is not a Koopa Troopa based on the fact that they look nothing alike, besides their shells and overall skin colour. It's just like how tapeworms and earthworms look nothing alike beyond the fact that they're long and limbless and don't make for pleasant dinner conversations. By analyzing the facts, we can make reasonable deductions, enabling us to organize these enemy pages logically with minimal speculation involved, if we do it right. For example, we can associate Fire Bros. and Boomerang Bros. in {{Hammer Bros.}} because they are nearly identical except for colouration and some physical capabilities (fire or boomerang), just as we can say Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Golden-crowned Kinglets are closely related based on the fact that their body makeup is virtually the same, but their facial feathers and songs are different. But unlike the cute little birdies, we can't speculate on how the Fire and Boomerang Bros. are related: we can't assign them genera or place them in phylogenetic trees, but I think we can say they're different species. True, Nintendo never said they are, but, I mean, one breathes fire and one doesn't: any biologist will tell you that's enough to separate them.
Unfortunately, the "species" vs. "sub-species" debate is where things get really sticky; if you bring race into it too, all the stickier. It's easier just to say they're different "types" of a larger "group" of Koopas which are "related" to one-another, but our nature is to stick "species" in there as well - since it sounds more professional, and more importantly, way more posh. We can justify "species" when there's no doubt to the biology (if it quacks like a duck, it's a duck; if it's pitch black and throws hammers, it's a Dark Hammer Bro.), but when you have really similar enemies, the arguments start to waver. A no-brainer example: KP Koopas are basic Koopa Troopas who merely dyed their shells a different colour; they're "different", but not different species or even a different race or sub-species, just like how punk rockers who dyed their hair blue are still humans - very cool humans. A more difficult example: Dark Koopas in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Paper Mario are more Koopa Troopas of a different colour, but they also have unique skills and live in a specific habitat, so are they a sub-species, or a race, or what? In cases like these, to label them is to make an assumption out of uncertainty, which we have to avoid as much we can: no more of this "sub-species" nonsense - therein lies the face of speculation.
Now, the reason for this spiel (aside from my love of taxonomy) is the confusion over "Koopa" vs. "Koopa Troopa", and what to do with their respective articles. As I said before, to the best of my understanding, the "Koopa Troopa" is a specific species (with many similar species and races attached to it, though the actual relationships between the organisms are ambiguous), and "Koopa" is a general term for all the vaguely turtle/dragonish creatures (I'd call it an Order, but that would be speculation to the max). Therefore, I believe it is a very good thing to have separate Koopa and Koopa Troopa pages: one for the species, one for all the shelled enemies. Currently, Koopa is just a partial list of all the major species and some of the minor species, and that should be changed: it should be an annotated list of all the species. Note the "annotated" part: that's what will set the page apart from a mere category or a list in Koopa (disambiguation): it will give context to the Koopas, allowing us to present them in an organized and logical manner, and as long as we watch ourselves, it can be one that is virtually free of speculation. An example of what the Lakitu section could look like is at the end of this essay.
Of course, some level of speculation is unavoidable. Like tapeworms and earthworms, things like Sumo Bro. and Hammer 'Bro. may not be related at all, but if names are good enough reasons to cram everything else on the Wiki together (A Pirate Goomba is a Goomba? Who knew!), why not here too? No matter what we do, we will have to make some assumptions, but none wil be as large and misguided as saying "Koopa" = "Koopa Troopa" = all Koopas and merging the pages. Bowser is not a Koopa Troopa: any biologist could tell you that even if they never played a videogame in their life (like my Animal Diversity teacher: instead, he spends all his free time studying tapeworms). Therefore, we can't write about Bowser's species in Koopa Troopa, and if we merge Koopa, we lose the only logical place to put it - we'd have to make a nameless stub about them, which would be against various Super Mario Wiki policies. For this specific reason, and for the organizational benefits I stated above, in the name of taxonomy and in the spirit of organization, I say we leave the pages separate.
Lakitu
- Main article: Lakitu
Lakitus are bespectacled Koopas who ride clouds through the skies, and which can occasionally be found snorkeling in water and hiding in walls or pipes. Unlike most Koopa species, they do not have snouts or beaks, but flat faces; their shells are also unique in their circular patterning. To attack, Lakitus typically throw unlimited numbers of Spiny Eggs at their opponents, and some will also dangle 1-Up Mushrooms from fishing poles to lure their targets closer.
- Lakitus
- Aqua Lakitu - A race of Lakitu that lives underwater with the aid of scuba gear, coming to the surface to breathe and throw Spiny Eggs.
- Calm Lakitu - Lakitus that inhabit Vibe Island, where they are associated with the Calm Vibe, incarnating the power by sleeping most of the time.
- Dark Lakitu - Lakitus that are darker in colour with red shells and that throw Sky-Blue Spinies.
- Fishin' Lakitu - Lakitus that use Fishing Rods baited with a 1-Up Mushroom to lure enemies near their clouds. Once the bait is taken the rod is withdrawn and Spinies are thrown. The Fishing Rod can also be used to hook enemies, support various objects, or to simply fish.
- Lakipea - The Beanish Lakitus. Lakipea have a leaf-like appendage growing from their head, inhabit vine-covered clouds, and throw the Beanish variation of Spiny, Sharpea.
- Lakitufo - Red-shelled Lakitus bioengineered by the Shroobs to possess strange extraterrestrial features, including antennae in place of hair. They ride UFOs instead of clouds and beam down Spiny Shroopas in lieu of Spinies. They can also jump off their UFOs and assault their enemies themselves with a screw attack.
- Pipe Lakitu - Lakitus that hide in Warp Pipes to ambush enemies (still attacking with Spiny Eggs).
- Roketon - A species of Lakitu that flies in airplanes through the skies of Sarasaland. Instead of throwing Spinies, Roketons fire large amounts of Giras from their aircraft to attack their enemies.
- Thunder Lakitu - This species of Lakitu has a red shell (like Dark Lakitus) and tanned skin. Instead of throwing Spinies it shoots fire generated by a device in its cloud that harnesses the energy from the sun.
- Wall Lakitu - Lakitus that hide behind hills and other objects in order to throw Spiny Eggs in surprise-attacks.
Timeline
Every Mario game, show, movie and publication in chronological order (right), and in chronological order sub-divided by series (left). Things without specific dates go before everything else released in that month/year. Non-game titles are bold. Issues in serialized publications and the set-of-three anime are marked with dashes on the right column; usually not included in left column. Remakes and notable ports are in brackets, although most ports/re-releases aren't listed. All that is to help with organization/comprehension. Non-English names often have translations (just for fun), and I also have the NA names in parentheses for the things we use the PAL titles for (because my memory is bad).
For the left column, games (or books, special comic issues (most not included), TV series, movies, etc.) in a series are numbered in most cases. Ports/remakes are in brackets and bulleted under the game they are a remake/port of; compilations are also bracketed, but are numbered like original game (All-Stars within the Super Mario series; Nintendo Puzzle Collection is on its own, as it includes games from multiple series). Similarly, the Super Mario Advance series of games is broken apart, with each game being filed under the original it is porting. In some cases, sequels are merely bulleted under the original (without brackets), rather than a new series being made for the two games. All other important notes are more case-specific, and are included as references (listed at the bottom); the entries with references are denoted with goldenrod text.
- ^ a b c Screw Attack reports that "The koopalings are NOT related to Bowser!!!" and provide a scan of a Game Informer interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, in which he states that the Koopalings are not "currently" considered to be Bowser's children, unlike Bowser Jr., whose mother is "unknown". Posted September 12, 2012. (Retrieved September 15, 2012)
- ^ 「ワッハハ。これから俺様の息子達がこのゲームの説明をするぜ。息子達の言うことをよーく聞いてせいぜいガンバルことだな。ワッハハ。」 - Super Mario Bros. 3 Famicom manual. Note Bowser's use of 「俺様の息子達」 ("ore-sama no musuko-tachi"), which equates to "my children" (literally, "my sons"), while at the same time referring to himself in a comically arrogant manner.
- ^ VC スーパーマリオブラザーズ3 Nintendo of Japan website. Note that Larry refers to Bowser as 「オヤジ」 ("Oyaji") in katakana, which both is a Japanese term for "Father" as well as a Japanese term of endearment.
- ^ a b Random Game & Warch and DSiWare games were grouped together for convenience.
- ^ a b c Golf and Yoshi's Safari not included in Mario Golf and Yoshi series, respectively, since they do not seem to fit (i.e. Golf is just a random GB game with Mario stuck in; YS stars Mario, not Yoshi). Donkey Kong '94 not included in either the original DK games or MvDK, since it's more of an intermediate between them.
- ^ DKC and DKL combined because they're closely related.