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Wendy O. Koopa is not happy. She has spotted broken links on this article. You can help her by creating some of the articles! |
- "Mind turning around for a minute?"
Boos, also known as Boo Diddlys (a play on the name of American R&B singer Bo Diddley) or Boo Buddies, are a recurring ghost species in the Mario franchise. They first appear in Super Mario Bros. 3. Since then, Boos have been an iconic recurring enemy, and most of them are encountered in Ghost Houses.
Profile[]
Physical description[]
Boos are spherical ghosts typically colored white. They are spherical in shape with a hint of a tail, bright little eyes, and two small arms. They usually keep their mouth open, revealing sharp teeth on their upper jaw while dangling out their long, red or pink tongue.
It is unknown if Boos are the ghosts of formerly living beings or if they are an actual species, though it is more likely that they are a species. Goombario's tattle for the Boo Igor in Paper Mario does state: "He probably was a merchant before he became a Boo," implying that some current Boos may have once been living beings.
Personality[]
The most distinctive characteristic of the Boos is their shyness. In mainly the Super Mario series, if Mario or another character turns their back toward a Boo, it follows behind them slowly, attempting to damage the character on contact. If the character turns to look at the Boo, it stops moving and blushes with shyness, using its arms to cover its face. When the character faces away, Boo continues following behind them.
Here, the Boos immediately demonstrate their shyness, which is their weak point: if Mario or Luigi have their backs turned to them, these ghosts become mean and begin to chase them in a threatening manner. If one of the two plumbers turns towards them, however, they freeze and blush with shyness, covering their faces with their arms. If Mario and Luigi look away, however, the Boos will begin to chase them again. The only way to complete the level without getting hit by these ghosts is to look at them and immediately turn away, and so on. They can only be defeated by a Hammer Mario or Invincible Mario.
It is revealed in Super Mario Galaxy that they speak in a language called "Booish."
While they have been enemies for most of their history, some spinoff games feature a Boo as a playable character, and some are even allied to Mario.
Statistics[]
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For Boo's in-game statistics, click here.
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Timeline[]
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For information on Boo's appearances, click here.
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[Edit] Game
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Role | Year | Console | Notes |
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Super Mario Bros. 3 | Enemy | 1988 | Family Computer / Nintendo Entertainment System | |
Super Mario World | Enemy | 1990 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | |
Yoshi | Object | 1991 | Game Boy, Nintendo Entertainment System | Featured as one of six falling objects |
Super Mario Kart | Item | 1992 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | |
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins | Enemy | 1992 | Game Boy | |
Yoshi's Cookie | Enemy | 1992 | Game Boy, Nintendo Entertainment System | |
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening | Enemy | 1993 | Game Boy | |
Super Mario All-Stars | Enemy | 1993 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Appears in the remake for Super Mario Bros. 3 |
Hotel Mario | Enemy | 1994 | Philips CD-i | |
Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World | Enemy | 1994 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Appears in the remake for Super Mario Bros. 3 and in Super Mario World |
Mario's Picross | Cameo | 1995 | Game Boy | Appears in one of the pictures in the "Early Picross" stage in level 6C |
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island | Enemy | 1995 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | |
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars | Enemy | 1996 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Encountered in Kero Sewers and The Trial Course |
Super Mario 64 | Enemy | 1996 | Nintendo 64 | |
Mario Kart 64 | Item | 1996 | Nintendo 64 | |
Super Mario 64: Shindō Pak Taiō | Enemy | 1997 | Nintendo 64 | Same as in Super Mario 64 |
Game & Watch Gallery 2 | Non-playable character | 1997 | Game Boy | Featured in the Modern version of Vermin |
Yoshi's Story | Enemy | 1997 | Nintendo 64 | |
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX | Enemy | 1998 | Game Boy Color | Same as in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening |
Game & Watch Gallery 2 | Non-playable character | 1998 | Game Boy Color | Same as in Game Boy version |
Mario Party | Non-playable character | 1998 | Nintendo 64 | |
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe | Opponent | 1999 | Game Boy Color | Only raced against in the You vs. Boo mode |
Picross NP Vol. 2 | Cameo | 1999 | Super Famicom | Featured as character puzzle K |
Mario Golf | Non-playable character | 1999 | Nintendo 64 | |
Mario Party 2 | Non-playable character | 1999 | Nintendo 64 | |
Mario Tennis | Playable character | 2000 | Nintendo 64 | |
Paper Mario | Non-playable character | 2000 | Nintendo 64 | |
Mario Tennis | Non-playable character | 2000 | Game Boy Color | |
Mario Party 3 | Non-playable character | 2000 | Nintendo 64 | |
Mario Kart: Super Circuit | Item, course hazard | 2001 | Game Boy Advance | Aside from being an item, Boos are featured in Boo Lake and Broken Pier |
Luigi's Mansion | Enemy | 2001 | Nintendo GameCube | |
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 | Enemy | 2001 | Game Boy Advance | Same as in Super Mario World |
Super Mario Sunshine | Enemy | 2002 | Nintendo GameCube | |
Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 | Enemy | 2002 | Game Boy Advance | Same as in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island |
Mario Party 4 | Non-playable character | 2002 | Nintendo GameCube | |
Game & Watch Gallery 4 | Non-playable character | 2002 | Game Boy Advance | Appears in the Modern versions of Donkey Kong 3, Mario's Cement Factory, and Boxing |
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 | Enemy | 2003 | Game Boy Advance | Same as in Super Mario Bros. 3 |
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour | Unlockable playable character | 2003 | Nintendo GameCube | Unlocked by obtaining 50 Best Badges in Tournament Mode |
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! | Cameo | 2003 | Nintendo GameCube | Featured within various portraits in the Luigi's Mansion battle course |
Mario Party 5 | Playable character | 2003 | Nintendo GameCube | |
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga | Enemy | 2003 | Game Boy Advance | |
Mario vs. Donkey Kong | Enemy | 2004 | Game Boy Advance | |
Mario Pinball Land | Enemy | 2004 | Game Boy Advance | |
Mario Power Tennis | Playable character | 2004 | Nintendo GameCube | |
Mario Party 6 | Playable character | 2004 | Nintendo GameCube | |
Super Mario 64 DS | Enemy | 2004 | Nintendo DS | |
Mario Party Advance | Enemy | 2005 | Game Boy Advance | Four appear at Boo Cemetery in Shroom City; also featured in the minigames Boo-Bye, Spooky Spike, Floor It! as well as the Gaddget Porta-Gust. |
Yakuman DS | Opponent | 2005 | Nintendo DS | |
Mario Superstar Baseball | Playable character | 2005 | Nintendo GameCube | |
Mario Party 7 | Playable character | 2005 | Nintendo GameCube | |
Mario Kart DS | Item | 2005 | Nintendo DS | |
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time | Enemy | 2005 | Nintendo DS | |
New Super Mario Bros. | Enemy | 2006 | Nintendo DS | |
Mario Hoops 3-on-3 | Unlockable playable character | 2006 | Nintendo DS | Unlocked by clearing the Flower Tourney on Hard difficulty |
Mario Strikers Charged | Playable character | 2007 | Wii | Featured as a sidekick |
Mario Party 8 | Playable character | 2007 | Wii | |
Super Mario Galaxy | Enemy | 2007 | Wii | |
Mario Party DS | Non-playable character | 2007 | Nintendo DS | Featured in the Boo Tag, and Peek-a-Boo minigames as well as a figure. |
Mario Super Sluggers | Playable character | 2008 | Wii | |
New Super Mario Bros. Wii | Enemy | 2009 | Wii | |
Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Enemy | 2010 | Wii | |
Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition | Enemy | 2010 | Wii | Same as in Super Mario All-Stars |
Super Mario 3D Land | Enemy | 2011 | Nintendo 3DS | |
Mario Tennis Open | Playable character | 2012 | Nintendo 3DS | |
New Super Mario Bros. 2 | Enemy | 2012 | Nintendo 3DS | |
New Super Mario Bros. U | Enemy | 2012 | Wii U | |
Super Mario 3D World | Enemy | 2013 | Wii U | |
Mario Party: Island Tour | Playable character | 2013 | Nintendo 3DS | |
Mario Golf: World Tour | Playable character | 2014 | Nintendo 3DS | |
Super Mario Maker | Enemy | 2015 | Wii U | |
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash | Playable character | 2015 | Wii U | |
Super Mario Run | Enemy | 2016 | iOS, Android | |
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions | Enemy and Ally | 2017 | Nintendo 3DS | |
Super Mario Odyssey | Cameo | 2017 | Nintendo Switch | Peach wears a Boo mask on the side of her head while visiting Bowser's Kingdom |
Mario Tennis Aces | Playable character | 2018 | Nintendo Switch | |
Super Mario Party | Playable character | 2018 | Nintendo Switch | |
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe | Enemy | 2019 | Nintendo Switch | |
Dr. Mario World | Assistant | 2019 | iOS, Android | |
Super Mario 3D All-Stars | Enemy | 2020 | Nintendo Switch | Appears in the remasters for Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy |
Mario Golf: Super Rush | Playable character | 2021 | Nintendo Switch | |
Mario Party Superstars | Non-playable character | 2021 | Nintendo Switch | Also featured within two minigames, Roll Call and Crazy Cutters |
Behind the scenes[]
Etymology[]
The word "boo" is often used as an unexpected surprise. It might also be derived from peek-a-boo, being behind someone and shout the phrase behind their backs. Another way it is used is to express dislike, often at a comedic or musical act.
Trivia[]
- There is an enemy called a Mumbies in the Kirby franchise that behaves similarly. They are dormant when Kirby has his eyes pointed in their direction (45 degrees of error maximum). However, they enter their active form and chase him when the pink puff has his back turned.
- The BOO Unit from Star Fox Guard bears a slight resemblance to a Boo.
Gallery[]
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To view Boo's image gallery, click here.
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