Wiggler (Super Mario Sunshine)

“That caterpillar sure woke up on the wrong side of the bed!”

—Pianta, Super Mario Sunshine

Wiggler is a giant Wiggler who appears in Super Mario Sunshine as the boss of Gelato Beach. It is the cause of the Sand Bird's delayed hatching.

The Wiggler Buses in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! found in Mushroom Bridge and Mushroom City bear resemblance to Wiggler.

History

Super Mario Sunshine

Wiggler asleep on top of the Shine Tower.

In Super Mario Sunshine, Wiggler appears in two missions in Gelato Beach: Mirror Madness! Tilt, Slam, Bam! and Wiggler Ahoy! Full Steam Ahead!. In the first mission where Wiggler appears, Mario has to correctly angle three mirrors, to hasten the hatching of the Sand Bird, by removing the Cataquacks found on the mirrors. Once all three mirrors are correctly angled, Wiggler falls apart, revealing a Shine Sprite. In the second mission, Mario has to fight Wiggler by spraying Dune Buds with water when Wiggler approaches them, flipping it on the other side, revealing a weakpoint which Mario should Ground Pound. After Wiggler has been hit three times, it turns into sand, revealing another Shine Sprite.

Character description

Physical appearance

Unlike most Wigglers, the Wiggler appearing in Super Mario Sunshine has a different color scheme, having yellow eyes instead of black, green skin instead of yellow, a red nose instead of a brown one and wearing blue shoes instead of violet ones. It is also very large, possessing more than eight body segments, making him even larger than a Big Wiggler and the second largest Wiggler in the Mario series, surpassed only by the massive Wiggler appearing in World 7-3 of New Super Mario Bros.. Wiggler also has the distinction of being one of the few Wigglers who does not change color when enraged.

Personality

Wiggler, like most Wigglers, has a very short temper and will thrash about when enraged.

Abilities

Like all Wigglers, Wiggler can become invincible when enraged and charges wildly at its opponent. It is also very fast, capable of running up hills and in water with no change in its velocity. These abilities are further enhanced by its immense size. It can also release steam from its nose when enraged or being sprayed with water.

Trivia

• Although other games, including Super Mario 64, its remake, Super Princess Peach, and Mario Kart DS possess bosses based on Wigglers, Super Mario Sunshine's Wiggler boss is the only one whose appearance greatly differs from that of a regular Wiggler.
• When the player ground pounds Wiggler's body in Super Mario Sunshine, the boss music speeds up once per hit. This does not happen with any other boss in the game.
• In Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Petey Piranha made Wiggler's flipping sound slightly before the battle begins.