Shadowed by these persistent characters, though, are all of the enemies who never went on to become superstars in the latest, greatest Mario titles. All of the foes Mario dashed by without breaking stride, arms out and cape rippling in the wind. The unappreciated foes quickly tail-flicked and never thought of again. Let's give a little limelight to these underrated and overlooked enemies in our newest gallery. Do you remember them? Of course you do...
It's-a Mario World is a weekly feature in which the ubiquity of Nintendo's flagship character is celebrated. We'll incessantly ruminate about mustache wax, debate the curious whereabouts of the princess and covet the luminous power stars strewn about the galaxy. Check back here every week to find out what strange and wonderful thing has got us tipping our caps. If you're looking for more on Mario, then check out the latest edition of Virtually Overlooked.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-08-2008 @ 11:24AM
LuigiHann said...
That's the thing from the second snow world in Mario 64. From afar, he looks like a coin, but when you go to get the coin, it hops around like a frog (and hurts you).
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8-08-2008 @ 11:38AM
Roto13 said...
I used to know what that green purse thing was called. xP
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8-08-2008 @ 11:48AM
TrueNRPeace said...
That evil coin purse is some programmer's idea of a sick joke, especially when you're trying to collect 100 coins for a star! ...98...99...What the heck?! O.o Part shape-shifter, part stealth attack, it probably inspired Snake's current sneaking suit. Super Mario 64 -> Snowman's Land -> In the coins near the freezing lake, small snowman, and ? block. Consider yourself warned.
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8-08-2008 @ 12:07PM
Mr Khan said...
But each one yielded like 4 or 6 coins if you could kill it, so it worked out
8-08-2008 @ 11:50AM
David Hinkle said...
Look's like Ken is totally winning! Nobody can *name* it so far.
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8-08-2008 @ 11:56AM
TrueNRPeace said...
...and they called it "Moneybags". *Shudders*
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8-08-2008 @ 9:52PM
Kenneth Caldwell said...
Ding ding ding! First appearing in Super Mario 64 and more recently hopping through the levels of New Super Mario Bros., it's an understatement to say Moneybags is a wily one. He boasts the astounding ability to camouflage himself as an exact replica of a common gold coin, plus speed, agility and wicked platforming skills to boot.
I have a sneaking suspicion that Moneybags is actually MIPS the rabbit (http://www.mariowiki.com/MIPS) hiding behind a high-tech cloaking coin purse, possibly engineered by Dr. E. Gadd (http://www.mariowiki.com/Professor_Elvin_Gadd). Just a theory.
8-08-2008 @ 12:13PM
Matt said...
It's actually called "Coin Purse." That's its name.
And I think there are a LOT of other interesting baddies in Super Mario 64... There are some crazy things in there... like the Hurler... the Killer Books... and that stupid Koopa Toy, that would come up to you in Wet-Dry World and toss you up to a higher ledge (or to a lower ledge.... or wherever) whether you wanted to or not. And oh how difficult it was to control where those things flung you too even when you intended to be "flung."
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8-08-2008 @ 9:31PM
Kenneth Caldwell said...
Yeah! Those "killer books" (a.k.a. Book Ends) made my first draft of this list. But I thought they were too obscure. There are definitely some weird enemies in Super Mario 64.
8-08-2008 @ 12:15PM
Carl said...
I knew Boss Bass when (she) was called Big Bertha.
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8-08-2008 @ 12:33PM
Shiningmonk_e said...
Believe it or not, Boss Fish is a girl! At least, according to the comic books. She fell in love with Mario in his frog suit. I love those comics.
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8-08-2008 @ 1:00PM
jaredgood1 said...
I just want more Shyguys. Those fellas are awesome.
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8-08-2008 @ 1:25PM
Maxx the Slash said...
The most underrated badguy in the Mario franchise is clearly Wart. Though he was from a game that wasn't officially a Mario game, the fact that Doki Doki Panic didn't last after one game officially makes him a Mario character. After Mario 2 (USA), he made a cameo in Link's Awakening on the Gameboy, and then he disappeared. He needs to return. Rivals: Mario has Wario. Luigi has Waluigi. Bowser can have Wart.
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8-08-2008 @ 9:36PM
Kenneth Caldwell said...
All I can say is that if you start an online petition to bring back Wart, I will wholeheartedly sign it. He should get his own freaking series. Super Wart World, or something. I'll be paying tribute to he and the other bosses in a future issue!
8-08-2008 @ 1:42PM
Robert Dorrian said...
It's called "Money Bags"!
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8-08-2008 @ 3:19PM
Adam Dolph said...
What about Tatanga? From the Super Mario Land series? He kicks ass!
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8-08-2008 @ 5:17PM
Mr Khan said...
Tatanga and that Fire-breathing Sphinx from that game
Since it was Yokoi's game, and not Miyamoto's, Super Mario Land presented a lot that deviated from what, at the time, was Mario canon
8-09-2008 @ 11:59AM
Ultima said...
I think moneybags is in Galaxy, too. You can see its footprints in the sand and when you smack it it drops a bunch of star bits.
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8-12-2008 @ 9:29AM
Luigi Mario said...
Oh yeah, Wart. He's-a telemarketer now. Somebody tell-a him we don't need the Geritol!
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