spiny adj : having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc.; "a horse with a short bristly mane"; "bristly shrubs"; "burred fruits"; "setaceous whiskers" [syn: barbed, barbellate, briary, briery, bristled, bristly, burred, burry, prickly, setose, setaceous, thorny] [also: spiniest, spinier]

English

Adjective

1. covered in spines or thorns
2. troublesome; difficult or vexing

Synonyms

• thorny (1,2)
• prickly (1,2)

Related terms

• spine

This is a list of creatures who treat Mario with malicious intent in the various games in the Mario series.

Blooper

(originally known as Bloobers) are white, squid-like creatures that first appear in Super Mario Bros.'' as underwater enemies that attack by chasing the player and trying to touch them. Later games give Bloopers a multitude of powers, including flight and the ability to expel ink and electricity. Large variations, such as Gooper Blooper and Big Blooper appear as bosses.Gooper Blooper appears in Super Mario Sunshine as a boss.Although usually depicted as antagonists, Blooper occasionally have other roles, such as an item in Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii and a playable character in Mario Party 8.

Bob-omb

are living, circular, black bombs possessing legs, fuses, and sometimes arms or wind-up keys. They first appeared as enemies in the North American and European versions Super Mario Bros. 2. The main attack method of Bob-ombs is to either wander around aimlessly, eventually exploding, or actively seeking out a target to detonate near. Inanimate Bob-ombs are commonly used as weapons in various spin-off games such as the Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. series.

Boo

are spectral beings with beady eyes, long tongues, vampiric canine teeth, and nubs for arms; they are often portrayed laughing or smiling. The first appearance of Boos was in Super Mario Bros. 3, where they appear under the name Boo Diddlies. Boos possess powers commonly associated with ghosts, such as the ability to travel through solid objects, teleport and turn invisible. Due to being intensely shy, Boos cover their faces with their arms, cower, and become translucent when directly looked at. Takashi Tezuka's wife was the inspiration for the Boos featured in Super Mario 64. Like Boos, she is often shy, but one day became very angry at him for spending too much time at work.

Boos appear as playable characters in various Mario spin-off games, such as the Mario Party series, and various sports games, where they sometimes act as items as well, doing deeds such as stealing objects from opponents. Though Boos are depicted as being malevolent in most games, some portray them as simply being mischievous and occasionally good, like in Paper Mario, where a green female Boo named Lady Bow acts as an ally of Mario.

Bowser

Bowser, the king of the Koopa's, is the main villian in nearly every Mario title. He will often take several different forms, and utilize different methods of combat in attempts to take down Mario and his counterparts. He is also known as "King Koopa" and has a son named Bowser Jr.

Bullet Bill

are large, black, missile-like enemies, commonly depicted as either having small arms or fanged frowns adorning their faces. Bullet Bills are fired by cannons known as Bill Blasters, although some games have them fired by other sources such as Snifits and generic cannons, while others simply have them coming out of nowhere. Bullet Bills commonly appear as enemies or obstacles, attacking by either flying forward after being shot or actively seeking out a target, either smashing into them and continuing on their way or exploding on contact.

Bullet Bills come in several variants. Missile Bills in Super Mario Bros. 3 flashed red and would home in on Mario. Banzai Bill is a much larger variation of the Bullet Bill, with a fanged snarl on its face. Torpedo Ted is an underwater ballistic enemy very similar to a Bullet Bill. Both Banzai Bill and Torpedo Ted appeared in Super Mario World. Banzai Bill was featured in Super Mario Galaxy, along with both Torpedo Ted and Missile Bill appearing frequently in the game as well. Starting with Mario Kart DS, a Bullet Bill item transforms the player into Bullet Bill, who shoots at high speed through the course, invincible and automatically navigating the track. The item returned in Mario Kart Wii.

Buzzy Beetle

are blue shelled, tortoise-like creatures commonly found in underground locations, such as caverns and ruins. Buzzy Beetles first appear in Super Mario Bros. as infrequently encountered enemies. Due to their powerful shells, Buzzy Beetles are largely immune to most forms of attacks, and complete invulnerability to fire is one of their most well-known attributes. Though they were originally depicted as attacking players by simply walking into them, later games would introduce other attack patterns for Buzzy Beetles, such as dropping from the ceiling and retracting into their shells and spinning into characters.

Chain Chomp

are black, spherical, dog-like creatures, often shown to be restrained by chains. Portrayed as savage, Chain Chomps constantly strain against the chain holding them, attempting to break free and bite anything that passes close by. The inspiration for Chain Chomps comes from a childhood experience of Mario creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, where a dog tried to attack him. The dog lunged at him, but was jerked back by its leash just as the canine snapped at Miyamoto inches in front of his face. The first appearance of Chain Chomps is in Super Mario Bros. 3. Some games depict Chain Chomps as being unrestrained by chains, effectively making them simply Chomps who can attack by chasing or dive-bombing players. In various spin-off games, Chain Chomps appear as obstacles or hazards. Games such as those in the Mario Party series and Mario Kart: Double Dash!! employ Chain Chomps as ally characters.

Outside Mario video games, Chain Chomps appear irregularly on The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 animated series, where they have some robotic traits, such as being able to be turned on and off by controls. Chain Chomps also appear in various installments of The Legend of Zelda series of games, where they are known as "Bow Wows".

Cheep Cheep

are red and yellow fish with white undersides, first introduced in Super Mario Bros., where they appear as common underwater enemies who will swim lazily forward or leap out of water and soar through the air. Cheep Cheeps can survive out of water, though their means of locomotion on it varies between games, either showing them flopping around uselessly or hopping from place to place. Throughout their appearances, the attack pattern of Cheep Cheeps remains consistent, slowly swimming towards the player. In spin-off games such as the Mario Kart series, Cheep Cheeps most commonly appear as background scenery or obstacles.

Dry Bones

are skeletal mummified Koopa Troopas reanimated by the Koopa Troopa's spirit inhabiting its bones. Dry Bones first appear in Super Mario Bros. 3 as inhabitants of fortresses and underground areas. Due to their undead nature, Dry Bones are exceptionally difficult to defeat, most attacks only knocking them apart temporarily or having no effect at all. In some games, Dry Bones have specific weaknesses, such as to fire, magic, hammers, and explosions, which can permanently destroy them. Along with charging into the player, Dry Bones may also attack by tossing what resemble femur bones. Starting with Mario Superstar Baseball, Dry Bones appear as playable characters in various spin-off Mario games, such as various sports titles and Mario Party 8, Mario Kart DS, and Mario Kart Wii.

Goomba

are depicted as brown mushroom-like creatures with feet, bushy eyebrows, and a pair of fangs sprouting from their lower jaw. They generally tackle, headbonk, or bite an enemy. The Goombas once lived in peace in the Mushroom Kingdom, but they betrayed their homeland to side with Bowser. Some Goombas act as friendly characters in the Paper Mario series, two even joining Mario on his journey. It is said in Super Paper Mario that Goombas have a long-standing fear of Koopa Troopas. Many variants of the Goomba have appeared throughout the years including and . Paragoombas are distinguished by their winged appearance, thus making them more versatile and mobile than typical Goombas. Microgoombas are miniature, parasitic Goombas which latch themselves onto Mario, reducing his jumping ability. Many other types of Goombas have appeared throughout the Mario series, although these largely vary from game to game.

In the 1989 television cartoon The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Goombas are loyal soldiers in King Koopa's army. They often appear in costumes related to the episode's theme such as zombies or pirates. They were included in the subsequent spin-offs The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. They also appear in the Super Mario Bros. live-action film, where they were originally inhabitants of Dinohattan who opposed King Koopa's rule, and were de-evolved into large, reptilian monsters as punishment for this disloyalty.

Hammer Bros.

are creatures from the Koopa Troopa race commonly found in pairs who wear helmets and use hammers as their main weapons. Hammer Bros. are described in various games as being the elite of Bowser's army, and often appear in games either as powerful generic enemies or as boss characters. In Super Mario Bros. 3, players can wear the Hammer Bros. Suit, an exceptionally rare power-up that allows Mario or Luigi to gain Hammer Bros. armor and ability to toss hammers. Beginning with Mario Superstar Baseball, Hammer Bros. appear infrequently as playable characters in spin-off Mario games.

In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! and The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 by DIC Entertainment, Hammer Bros. make sparse appearances as antagonists. Printed mediums such as Nintendo Comics System and Nintendo Adventure Books make more frequent use of Hammer Bros.

Koopa Troopa

The , a turtle like being, is the most common classification of Koopa. Koopa Troopas are the standard troopers of the Koopa Army who work for Bowser. As the lowest ranking members of the Koopa Army, they just patrol their assigned areas on foot. Koopa Troopas first appeared in the arcade game Mario Bros. under the name "Shellcreepers" as enemies that have to be flipped. In Super Mario Bros., they were renamed "Koopa Troopas". They can be used as projectiles after they are stomped on and retreat into their shells. Super Mario World brought drastic changes to the Koopa Troopa, altering them to walk on two legs and wear shoes. They could also be ejected from their shells, revealing them to be wearing a t-shirt.

The Paper Mario series introduces friendly Koopas that have their own towns, and are even rescued by Mario on occasions. Generic Koopa Troopas have also appeared throughout the Mario Party series as NPCs. Single Koopa Troopas have been playable in Mario Kart games and various other sport games along with Paratroopas. Koopa Troopas were the most regularly-seen minions of Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, where they were voiced by John Stocker, and made one appearance in the Super Mario World animated series.

Lakitu

is a Koopa with a green, pentagonal eel shell, yellow body, goggles with thick black frames, and is usually seen flying in a cloud bearing a smiling face. In its role as an enemy character, Lakitu typically flies about and throws Spiny Eggs at Mario(he and Mario are later allies), although variant types employ other attack patterns. The Spiny Eggs hatch into , a small, red, spike-backed Koopa creature, that is thrown indefinitely until the Lakitu is defeated. When asked what video game character would represent him the best, Shigeru Miyamoto responded that Lakitu would, as he "seems to be very free, floating in the air, going anywhere," a type of personality Miyamoto can apparently relate to.

Lakitu first appears in Super Mario Bros., and goes on to be an enemy in various platformers and RPGs. Lakitu plays a neutral role in a number of Mario series titles. This trend began with Super Mario Kart and the rest of the series. Here Lakitu flies about the Mario Grand Prix racetrack and aids the go-kart drivers who race there. The Lakitu Bros. in Super Mario 64 are another example; they hold the camera that "films" Mario's exploits, thus personifying the player's point of view of the three-dimensional game stages. In Mario sports games, Lakitu often takes on roles such as referee and umpire.

Magikoopa

are creatures from the Koopa Troopa race wearing a blue hat and robes, as well as spectacles. Magikoopas attack by firing spells that can not only injure Mario, but transform certain blocks into enemies. Magikoopas' magic spells are represented as a sequence of a red square, a blue circle and a green triangle that constantly spin. Paper Mario introduced several variants of Magikoopas, each wearing different colored robes and having different abilities. Regular Magikoopa, who are only encountered in Bowser's Castle, possess all of these abilities. These various colors make appearances in other games.

Monty Mole

are species of mole that are characterized by hiding and waiting for an enemy before attacking. Monty Moles appear in several Mario games in varying forms, having made their first appearance in Super Mario World. They appear as playable characters in Mario Superstar Baseball and Mario Strikers Charged

Paratroopa

are Koopa Troopas, but have feathery wings. Though they have wings, they cannot fly very well; some varieties of Paratroopa fly back and forth while staying at the same altitude or move up and down in a straight vertical line, while others clumsily hop. They are playable in Mario Hoops 3-on-3, Mario Kart: Double Dash!, and Mario Superstar Baseball, usually as light and tricky characters. Their wings can fall off becoming regular Koopa Troopas.

Piranha Plant

is a Venus fly trap-like enemy, almost always portrayed as a leafy green stalk topped with a white-spotted red globe, almost bisected by a white lip mouth with razor-sharp teeth. Piranha Plants typically hide within pipes, periodically emerging and ensnaring unwary passersby. Some species can also spit fireballs. Others live entirely outside pipes, being either rooted in the ground or even walking about on rootlike legs. They have otherwise changed little since their first appearance, but they have also appeared in various forms and sub-species such as the poisonous Putrid Piranha, the Ice Piranha, and the Pale Piranha.

On the television series based on Super Mario Bros., Piranha Plants made various appearances, usually acting as obstacles for the heroes, much as they do in the games. In the Super Mario Bros. 3 cartoon, Venus Fire Traps and Ptooie plants were used in a manner similar to guns.

Pokey

, is a cactus enemy that first appears in Super Mario Bros. 2. They started out with something of a cat's head but have lately adopted more of a flower look. Pokey consists of four green or yellow segments that detach when an enemy or object is thrown at him; to completely defeat Pokey, all four segments must be killed. Other types include Poison Pokeys and Skellokey. Pokey made a cameo appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, in the Yarna Desert on Koholint Island, and again in Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons.

Shy Guy

Shy Guy, known as in Japan, are small masked beings that appear in various colors. These masks can come off, causing them to live up to their name by instantly retreating. They have a wide variety of variations that range from just walking on stilts to piloting submarines. The , who flies via a propeller on his head, is a notable variant. They first appeared in Doki Doki Panic before being converted into the American release of Super Mario Bros. 2. From then on, Shyguys appear as generic enemies in various other games. While they do appear in Mario games as enemies, they are a major element in Yoshi-related games. They are playable in various sport games, such as Mario Tennis, Mario Kart DS, Mario Strikers Charged, and Mario Superstar Baseball. They act as guides in the Mario Party series and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. They have also appeared in Luigi's Mansion, available on Nintendo GameCube.

Snifit

are beings that resemble Shy Guys with a black mask with an extended nozzle that can fire bullets. While Shy Guys come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the Snifit is almost always garbed in a gray or black robe, is usually found either patrolling corridors or as a stationary guard. There are, however, a few different types of Snifits, such as the Laser Snifits, Spiny Snifits, and Ice Snifits that appeared in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. In Super Mario RPG Snifits are the minions of Booster. Mario first sees three Snifits, named Snifit #1, #2 and #3 trying to catch beetles for Booster.They originally appeared in Super Mario Bros. 2, where there is only one red snifit, and continued to play a role of a general enemy in other games

Thwomp

are cubical animated blocks of stone, depicted as having angry-looking faces and clenched teeth. The physical appearance of Thwomps has varied over the years, though they are most commonly shown to be either gray or blue in color with spikes sometimes adorning their body. The first appearance of Thwomps was in Super Mario Bros. 3, in which they are found exclusively in fortresses. Thwomps are usually depicted as guards in castle levels in games, found floating in the air and, when something ventures underneath them, slamming into the ground with extreme force, often grunting menacingly while doing so. In spin-off games, Thwomps appear most often as obstacles, which can impede players or crush them.

Thwomps appear regularly in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, but only make one appearance in the Super Mario World animated series. Two different types of Thwomps (large and small ones) appear in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. Smaller Thwomps, as shown in the end credits of Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo are referred to as "Thwimps"

Wiggler

are caterpillar-like insects with a segmented body and large nose. Wigglers are most commonly depicted as being yellow and having a cheerful expression on their faces. They also wear small flowers on their heads. When enraged, which occurs when a Wiggler is injured, the creature turns a bright red color, gains solid white eyes and fangs and its flower wilts. Wigglers first appear in Super Mario World, being found in wooded areas.

Although usually generic enemies in games, some appearances feature Wigglers, usually gigantic in size, as boss characters, such as in Super Mario 64. Wigglers with butterfly wings appeared in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. In spin-off games, the appearance of Wigglers is infrequent, although one does appear as an unlockable playable character in Mario Power Tennis and as a boss to race against in Mario Kart DS. In the Super Mario World animated series Wigglers, though referred to as Caterpillars and always drawn in their angered form, appear in various episodes.

References

External links

• Enemy List from Nintendo Land

Herculean, abstruse, acanthoid, acanthous, acicular, acuate, aculeate, aculeiform, acuminate, acute, arduous, barbed, brutal, complex, cornuted, critical, cusped, cuspidate, delicate, demanding, difficile, difficult, exacting, formidable, hairy, hard, hard-earned, hard-fought, hispid, horned, horny, intricate, jawbreaking, knotted, knotty, laborious, mean, mucronate, needle-pointed, needle-sharp, nettlesome, no picnic, not easy, operose, pointed, prickly, pronged, rigorous, rough, rugged, set with thorns, severe, sharp-pointed, spiculate, spiked, spiky, spined, spinous, steep, strenuous, tapered, tapering, thorny, ticklish, tined, toilsome, toothed, tough, tricky, unbated, uphill, wicked