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"Can everyone please stop telling jokes and start actually helping?!"
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Boo, Paper Mario: Color Splash

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[]

For Boo's in-game
statistics, click here.

Timeline[]

For information on Boo's
appearances, click here.
Game Role Year Console Notes
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[]

To view Boo's
image gallery, click here.

Navigation[]

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