Classic Mario Enemies Trivia Quiz

Answer: Goomba

The Goomba is the epitome of a Mario's foe. A small creature which can easily be stomped on, Goombas really only pose a threat if you happen to not pay attention or you're moving way to fast. They appear in nearly every Mario-themed game and are recognizable for their short stature, lack of arms, and disgruntled look. Later incarnations of Goombas have gotten a bit sneakier. Sometimes, Goombas will wear spikes on their heads (to prevent jumping) or they'll have wings to become Paragoombas. Micro-Goombas are also notorious for slowing Mario down at the worst times.

The Goomba's appearance is based on the shiitake mushroom, though it's one mushroom Mario won't eat. Goombas have also spilled into "Zelda" games like "Link's Awakening" (jumping on them usually produces hearts) and have been faithful allies in the "Paper Mario" series.

Answer: Turtle

The common Koopa is noticeable due to its hard shell which gives it somewhat of a one-up over the more-common Goomba. Instead of one simple jump, Mario needs to perform a jump to flip the Koopa and either toss the shell or jump on it once more to send it the opposite direction. If the shell hits another enemy it will destroy both, but if it hits a wall or pipe it'll come might back at Mario. Like Goombas, Koopas also have a Spiked and winged (Paratroopa) form.

The Koopa shell is synonymous with the series though it's mostly used in the "Mario Kart" series.

A Green Shell can be shot at enemies and will bounce off walls until a desired target is hit. A Red Shell on the other hand will home in on enemy karts. If Yoshi eats specific shells, he may be able to shoot fire or grow wings in the SNES game "Super Mario World".

Answer: In a cloud

Lakitus are sneaky. They float above the ground in a cloud dropping Spinies carelessly (why should they care- they aren't on the ground). They have a weakness though; once you knock them off their moving perch, you can dispose of them fairly quickly.

Not only that, but you can hop into their cloud and take it for a quick joy ride before it disappears! Lakitus have also been a fairly important character in certain games. In "Super Mario 64", a Lakitu with a camera controls your camera movement and in the "Mario Kart" games they start the races.

Answer: When you face it

Boos are orb-shaped specters that always have smirks on their faces. When you turn your back to a Boo, it'll follow you until it strikes. Facing a Boo will stop it in its tracks, turning it invisible. Boos have appeared in the series since the castles of "Super Mario Bros. 3".

In "Luigi's Mansion", Boos were placed front and center and they have appeared as playable characters in the "Mario Kart", "Mario Tennis", and "Mario Party" games for years. Boos also have characteristic laughs.

Answer: Yes

Piranha Plants are creatures that typically appear (at least in earlier games) in pipes that appear in levels. Later games in the series have shown these enemies out of pipes (walking), in gardens, or elsewhere. In some cases, the plants shoot fire! Piranha Plants are rarely (if ever) friendly creatures and often make appearances in larger forms as bosses of console games (ie. "Super Mario Sunshine", "Super Mario Galaxy", and "Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars"). "Zelda" fans can see these (and Goombas) in the Game Boy title "Link's Awakening (DX)".

Answer: Super Mario Bros.

While this enemy, shaped like a large bullet, has appeared in several games since the very beginning of the "Mario" series, he hasn't always been an enemy. Certainly, Bullet Bill has never acted as a friend, but occasionally (particularly in the "Mario Kart" games) he's been used as an item. Bullet Bills are almost always shot out of cannons (though not always) and can be defeated by a jump to their top, basically hitting them out of the air.

They are impervious to fire.

Answer: Bark

First appearing in "Super Mario Bros. 3", Chain Chomps are unique enemies that will always attack as far as their chain will allow, often springing into action in order to make a move. Some Chomps have been seen off of their chains as well and tend to roll after their opponent.

While some Chomps are friendly (like the one in "Link's Awakening"), some have appeared as nuisances in the "Mario" series (ie. the Rainbow Road level of "Mario Kart 64"). For some reason, Chomps tend to bark; we are to assume that their chain likens them to dogs in Mushroom Kingdom.

Answer: Dry Bones

Cheep-Cheep is the normal, everyday fish seen in the deep (or shallow) waters of "Mario" games. They do come in many different varieties from Jumping Cheep-Cheep to Spiky Cheep-Cheep but are rarely, if ever, seen out of water. Blooper is, on the other hand, in both water and air.

This squid-like creature has been an enemy, a boss, and even a playable character in "Mario Party 8". He's also a usable item in the "Mario Kart" series. Fishbones are the skeletons of fish commonly seen in castles, fortresses, and underwater ghost house levels. Dry Bones are skeletons of Koopas and in some games near-impossible to kill (they are already dead, after all).

Answer: False

Bob-Ombs have been in the "Mario" universe since "Super Mario Bros. 2" (NES) and do not need to be held to explode. In some games, you can trigger a Bob-Omb by walking near one, or by lifting one off the ground, or by accidentally sparking its fuse. Regardless, you can use Bob-Ombs to blow up obstacles or opponents, to play fun party games ('Hot Bob-Omb', 'Bombsketball', anyone?), or to complete certain tasks in the "Paper Mario" series as a member of your party. Usually, Bob-Ombs only have eyes; they're usually black but can be other colours, and in some cases, they will explode into smithereens.

Answer: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)

Enemies since nearly the beginning of the "Mario" series, Bowser first appeared in "Super Mario Bros." (NES). Although others have been final bosses over the decades, Bowser always hold a malevolent place at the end of a game. While "Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars" seems to start as though it follows this trend, your first boss battle of this Square-Enix game is Bowser- not the last.

At one point in the game, he joins your party as one of the four interchangeable members. In the other three selections, Bowser is the final boss. Bowser is also an ally in "Super Paper Mario" (Wii) and some of the "Kart" and "Party" games. You can make Bowser an enemy or ally in the "Super Smash Bros." games as well.