Goomba facts for kids

Goombas are well-known enemies from the popular Mario games. They are small, brown, mushroom-shaped creatures. You can easily defeat them by jumping on their heads! Goombas appear in almost every Mario game, making them one of the most famous characters in the series.

How Goombas Were Created

Goombas first showed up in the video game Super Mario Bros.. They were actually the very last enemy added to the game. The game designers realized that the Koopa Troopa was too hard for new players. So, they decided to create a simpler enemy for players to learn with.

At that time, there wasn't much space left in the game's memory. To make Goombas look like they were walking, the designers used a clever trick. They used just one picture of a Goomba and rotated it back and forth. This made the Goomba look a bit lopsided as it moved, giving it a funny trotting motion.

The Goomba's design also looked a lot like the helpful Super Mushroom. Because of this, the designers had to change how the Super Mushroom looked and what it did. Goombas were important for teaching players how to defeat enemies. They also helped players learn not to be scared of the Super Mushroom, which actually helps Mario! Goombas are based on a real type of mushroom called a shiitake.

Early drawings for the Super Mario Bros. movie showed that the Goomba design was first meant for Koopa Troopas. In the movie, a different company helped create the Goombas.

Images for kids

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  A shiitake mushroom, which inspired the Goomba. Its cap and stem colors are similar to a Goomba's.

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  A Goomba as it appeared in Super Mario Bros.. Its simple animation was due to being added late to the game.

See also

In Spanish: Goomba para niños