Monty Mole
- "Monty" redirects here. For the moles from Super Mario Galaxy, see Monty (Super Mario Galaxy).
- Not to be confused with Morty Mole.
| Monty Mole | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork of Monty Mole from New Super Mario Bros. U | |||
| First appearance | Super Mario World (1990) | ||
| Latest appearance | Tetris 99 (27th Maximus Cup, cameo) (2021) Mario Party Superstars (2021, Mario franchise) | ||
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- “You never know what you're gonna find when you start diggin'. That's what I love about it!”
- —Monty Mole, Paper Mario: The Origami King
Monty Moles are fossorial[1] enemies who appear in several Mario games, their first being Super Mario World. They are moles who dart out of holes in the ground to either quickly pursue Mario or another character or to throw rocks at them. In several games, Monty Moles appear in Whac-A-Mole-themed minigames. Monty Moles seem to have initially been based on Rocky Wrenches from Super Mario Bros. 3 (itself described as a mole-like turtle at the time), but Rocky Wrenches have since been redesigned to resemble Monty Moles.
History
Super Mario series
Super Mario World
In Super Mario World, Monty Moles are first encountered in the level Yoshi's Island 2. They pop out of random spots in the ground to surprise Mario or Luigi and will then chase after him persistently or walk and hop occasionally. The game also features Mega Moles, giant Monty Moles that Mario can actually ride on to get across obstacles, but can still be hit by one. Monty Moles can be defeated by any attack method. In one artwork, they appear to be wearing sunglasses as well as having a short, gopher-like nose. However, in another artwork, they have visible, squinting eyes and long, mole-like noses. This game's graphics seem to depict the latter, though the jumping sprite depicts a slight split in the lip; further games typically used either one of these artworks as a design up until the redesign in Super Mario 64 DS. In development builds of the game, Monty Moles had slightly different digging sprites from those in the final game.[2]
Super Mario Bros. 3 / Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
Although Monty Moles are not present in the original version of Super Mario Bros. 3, in Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, the king of Iced Land is turned into a Monty Mole by Lemmy Koopa. Monty Moles also appear as enemies in a World-e level called Ground Work, with some of them hiding beneath grass patches and being released upon the player plucking them.
Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS
Monty Moles appear in the Hazy Maze Cave and on Tall, Tall Mountain in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. In the cave, Monty Moles specifically reside in the toxic maze, though they remain outside the toxic cloud. Monty Moles in this game act similarly to Rocky Wrenches, albeit throwing rocks instead of wrenches before disappearing underground. If Mario, Yoshi, Luigi, or Wario can defeat a certain number of Monty Moles in the game, a 1-Up Mushroom appears for him to collect.
The Nintendo Power guidebook also says that the Monty Moles in the Hazy Maze Cave are a Monty Mole family and the ones on Tall, Tall Mountain are considered their friends.[3]
In the original game, Monty Moles use their squinting design from Super Mario World but with an added pair of pronounced teeth, a black nose, and somewhat larger limbs. In the remake, they receive a redesign that consolidates the two designs from the Super Mario World artworks, with a small amount of influence from the Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine designs. From the "sunglasses" artwork, they get the smooth, cheek-less head sides, white upper lip, and small nose; from the other Super Mario World artwork, they get the distinct squint; from the Super Mario 64 design, they get the visible teeth, though the number is reduced to one; and from the Super Mario Sunshine design, they get the wideness of the upper lip. This design would become the standard design for later games, though there has been variation on the color of the lower lip, with brown appearing most consistently.
Super Mario Sunshine
A Monty Mole, also called Chorobe[4], appears in Super Mario Sunshine. He appears in Pinna Park and Noki Bay at the helm of large, red, dome-shaped cannons, firing Bullet Bills at Mario in the former, and Glorpedo down the cliffside in the latter. When Mario approaches the mole, he stops firing and tosses Bob-ombs at him. They can be disabled using F.L.U.D.D., and tossing a Bob-omb at the mole three times defeats him. In this game, the Monty Mole has much lankier arms than usual, a more bright orange color, a smaller white patch, and a green hat. The contours of the eyes behind the squint are also visible if examined closely enough.
At Pinna Park, the Monty Mole is found in the episode The Beach Cannon's Secret at the far end of the beach past the Great Sunflower. After Mario defeats him, he is able to jump into the cannon and access a secret course to get the Shine Sprite. A Pianta repairman replaces the Monty Mole from Episode 3 onward. In Noki Bay, the Monty Mole can be fought and defeated which rewards Mario with a Shine Sprite.
The manning of war machinery may be a throwback to Rocky Wrenches, who manned many of the machines in Super Mario Bros 3. Parts of its design also resemble that of classic Rocky Wrenches, such as the long arms and color placement. This is also the first game to feature a Monty Mole boss.
New Super Mario Bros.
Although Monty Moles are absent as regular enemies, Monty Tank, depicted as a Monty Mole operating a tank, is the boss of the World 6-
Castle World 6-Castle in New Super Mario Bros.. The tank fires Bullet Bills and Bob-ombs. Mario or Luigi can defeat it by either stomping the Monty Mole's head three times when he comes out to throw a Bob-omb or by hitting him with fireballs. When jumped on, the tank will spin around and shoot many Bullet Bills and gain another turret.
Monty Moles also appear in a minigame titled "Whack-a-Monty" where the player has to tap as many Monty Moles as they can in a certain amount of time. The player will gain one point for each mole whacked and will lose three if they tap on Luigi.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Monty Moles only appear in World 6-4. Here, they retain their attack method from Super Mario World. Once Mario and crew get near a Monty Mole's hiding spot, it will jump out of the wall and will try to charge into them. Magikoopa can also turn platforms into Monty Moles during his fight with Mario in World 8-
Tower World 8-Fortress.
The Monty Mole's trading card states that Monty Moles will "burrow back underground in the blink of an eye," though they do not do this in-game.
From this game forward, Rocky Wrenches use a variation of the Monty Mole model with added goggles.
Super Mario 3D Land
Monty Moles reappear in Super Mario 3D Land. The only level they appear in is 5-4, a cave level. This is their first appearance in a 3D game where they are found outside the ground and can run. They patrol the area and attack Mario if he gets in their way. They can be defeated with a single stomp. A new larger variant known as Morty Moles appear, appearing in World 5-4 and 7-4, and must be stomped twice to be defeated. A few of the cutscenes depicting Mario obtaining one of Peach's letters feature one or two Monty Moles in the background as Mario runs to quickly save her. The Monty Moles in the background of these cutscenes are partially underground like their Super Mario 64 appearance. A Monty Mole also makes a cameo in the photo seen from the World 7 Peach letter.
New Super Mario Bros. U
After an absence in New Super Mario Bros. 2, Monty Moles once again appear in New Super Mario Bros. U. They act the same as in previous games. They only appear in the levels Yoshi Hill and Magma-River Cruise. They also appear during Magikoopa's boss battle in Slide Lift Tower. Monty Moles are also featured in the Challenge Mode levels Mole to Goal and Mole to Goal Returns, where the goal is to transport a Monty Mole to the Goal Pole.
New Super Luigi U
Monty Moles retain their role from New Super Mario Bros. U in New Super Luigi U and appear in the levels Rolling Yoshi Hills, Magmaw River Cruise, and Stonecrush Tower as a part of Magikoopa's boss battle.
Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
Monty Moles reappear in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS as enemies. They function the same as previous games. In the Course Maker, they are made by shaking a Rocky Wrench. They can be placed on or inside the ground (the latter of which will make them climb up and pop out if the player gets close). They can be enlarged by a Super Mushroom or given wings (the former will simply enlarge them and the latter will make them jump around while running, similar to a Paragoomba). They can be blocked from coming out of the ground by placing an object like a P Switch on top of where they will emerge. They can be placed in Blocks, Pipes, Bill Blasters, and on tracks. They are also prominent in the event level Shaun's Mossy Mole Mischief and at the end of the level there is also a Monty Mole "mech" made out of blocks and cannons that must be defeated.
Super Mario Maker 2
Monty Moles reappear in Super Mario Maker 2 as enemies, sharing the same behavior as in Super Mario Maker. Unlike in Super Mario Maker, Monty Moles are now completely separate from Rocky Wrenches. The course creator Mischievous Mole could possibly be a Monty Mole, as one of his courses has Monty Moles in it.
Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.
Although Monty Moles never appeared in the original Super Mario Bros., they do appear in Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. in the clock on the hour of 7:00 a.m. or 7:00 p.m. where they repeatedly pop out of the ground and walk around before burrowing back into the ground. Mario occasionally jumps on the Monty Moles to defeat them. Their Super Mario World sprite is reused for this appearance.
Super Mario Kodansha manga
Monty Moles appear in various roles in the Super Mario Kodansha manga, appearing in supporting roles throughout adaptations of games they appear in.
In the Super Mario World volumes, Monty Moles notably facing off against Mario and Yoshi over a Golden Mushroom in the sixth volume based on the game, using vehicles shaped after Bowser and a Wiggler. They additionally appear in various roles in volumes based on Super Mario Kart, Yoshi's Safari, and Super Mario 64
Unlike in other manga appearances, they are primarily antagonistic towards Mario and his friends, with unique Monty Moles appearing such as a Choropū-dan (チョロプー 弾, Monty Mole bullet) seen during a Mario Kart Race, as well as a group of Monty Moles summoned by Bowser named the Choropū Chika Butai, the Choropū Shinrin-tai, and Choropū-san.
Uniquely, the Monty Moles are revealed to be living in a underground city known as the Pū Tairiku, as depicted in the third Super Mario Kart volume.
Super Mario 4koma Manga Theater
Monty Moles appear throughout Super Mario 4koma Manga Theater, interacting with Mario and his friends as well as multiple enemies that appear in Super Mario World such as Eeries, Dino Rhinos, Banzai Bills, and Mega Moles. A notable interaction happens in a strip involving a Magikoopa practicing their magic , using a spell to transform a Monty Mole into a Rotating Block
Like in KC Mario, Monty Moles are typically antagonistic towards Mario, emulating their behavior of jumping out of holes from Super Mario World
Uniquely, Monty Moles are shown to be embarrassed when they are indecent around others, as depicted in a strip where a Monty Mole unintentionally flashes Princess Peach.
Super Mario-kun
Monty Moles have appeared in many volumes of Super Mario-kun, appearing in many different roles throughout. While they are occasionally antagonistic towards Mario and his friends, such as in volume 1, where Monty Moles attack Mario and Yoshi for trying to steal their coins, and in volume 5, where a group of Monty Mole farmers Mario and his friends. They fuse with Swoops to gain an upper hand, but are defeated when they fall into lava.
However, Monty Moles are also portrayed as friendly towards Mario, where as in volume 17 where Mario encounters a Monty Mole shopkeeper, and in volume 46, Mario, Luigi, and Toad stumble upon the「もぐらまつり」(Mogura Matsuri, Mole Festival), a festival filled with Monty Moles. They meet a female Monty Mole named Pūko who gives them a tour of the festival.
Monty Moles also appear in various volumes based on games such as Super Mario 64 in volume 19, Mario Party 3 in volume 27, and Super Mario Sunshine in volume 31.
Unique forms of Monty Moles are also depicted in the manga such as a Ghost Monty Mole in volume 4, and the Pakkun Mogura in volume 9, which is a fusion of some Monty Moles, Venus Fire Trap, and several Nipper Plants and Munchers.
Nintendo Adventure Books
Although Mega Moles appear frequently in the Nintendo Adventure Books, Monty Moles only appear once as a cameo in one of the puzzles from Dinosaur Dilemma when Mario is being chased by the Mega Moles in the cellar of the haunted mansion. The two Monty Moles seen in the puzzle have no effect to the story. They also reuse their Super Mario World artwork.
Mario Golf series
NES Open Tournament Golf
While Monty Moles do not appear within the actual gameplay of NES Open Tournament Golf, what seems to be one appears on the cover. It has round sunglasses, three hairs, and a square tooth similar to modern appearances. It is also atypically small in comparison to Mario.
Mario Golf
In Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64, if the player successfully putts the ball into the hole from a long distance and scores under par, a Monty Mole may pop out of the hole. The name "Monty Mole" may also appear on the scoreboard. They use their Super Mario 64 design in this game.
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Monty Mole's name can sometimes be seen on the tournament board.
Mario Golf: Advance Tour
In Mario Golf: Advance Tour, a Monty Mole appears in Links Club Practice Center. The player must shoot three shots at it, to earn a Super Drink. They also use their Super Mario 64 design in this game.
Mario Golf: World Tour
Monty Moles appear in Mario Golf: World Tour. Many Monty Moles appear in the Castle Club mode as NPC characters. Their name can also appear on the tournament scoreboard. Two Mega Monty Moles appear in Hole 7 of Wiggler Park.
Mario Golf: Super Rush
- “Piece of advice. If you're always goin' for full power, your accuracy might drop.”
- —Monty Mole, Mario Golf: Super Rush
Monty Moles appear in Mario Golf: Super Rush where they appear as NPCs, mostly appearing in Bonny Greens, though a singular Monty Mole also appears in Ridgerock Lake. Monty Mole's name also appears on the Bonny Greens Open scoreboard.
Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land
In the interactive OVA Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land, after Iggy's horde of Koopa Troopas, Rexes, and Chargin' Chucks is defeated by Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi, he summons a group of Monty Moles and Koopa Paratroopas. They are quickly disposed of when Yoshi swallows a Green Shell and breathes fire on them. The puzzle shortly before this also had Mario stomping on four Monty Moles.
Super Mario World TV series
Template:Quote2 Monty Moles, though never called as such and always referred to as Gophers, appeared in the episode "Gopher Bash" of the Super Mario World animated series.
In the episode, several Gophers acted as minions of Cheatsy Koopa, aiding him in his plot to steal all the crops grown by the cave-people of Dome City. These Gophers are eventually defeated by Mario, Luigi and Yoshi, who, after tracking Cheatsy down, sneak up on the moles, tie them up, and suspend them from the ceiling. The Gophers are then dropped on top of Cheatsy Koopa, pinning him to the ground. They also sing backup during Cheatsy's Life, a self-praising song; at no other point in the episode do they vocalize at all. This is also one of the few times Monty Moles are fully voice-acted.
Super Mario Adventures comic
In the Super Mario Adventures comic, a Monty Mole alongside a smaller Monty Mole can be seen coming out of the pipes and surrounding Mario and Luigi alongside other enemies. However, they are quickly defeated by Mario when he spits a Goomba out of a pipe, hitting all of the enemies including the Monty Moles.
Later in the comic, a Monty Mole seen wearing a red tuxedo can be seen alongside a Mega Mole wearing a blue tuxedo attending Bowser's wedding.
Monty Moles use both the Super Mario World design and their sunglasses design throughout Super Mario Adventures.
Mario Kart series
Super Mario Kart
Monty Moles (referred to as Gophers in the instruction booklet)[5] are obstacles in Super Mario Kart, in Donut Plains 2 and Donut Plains 3. If a racer runs into one, it will attach itself to the player, which causes them to slow down and drop coins. The player must hop repeatedly in order to knock them away. Uniquely, in Donut Plains 3, some Gophers can be seen jumping out of the lake.
Mario Kart 64
Monty Moles (referred to under the name Chubby in the instruction booklet)[6] appear in Moo Moo Farm of Mario Kart 64 as obstacles, hopping in and out of holes in the ground, causing both them and the racers who hit them to spin out. They appear with triangular sunglasses and tan snouts. In the Japanese version of the game, Chubbies can be hit using the Boo item like a Super Star, while other versions make the player go through them.[7]
Mario Kart DS
In Mario Kart DS, they are referred to by their usual name, and mainly appear in N64 Moo Moo Farm and Peach Gardens with the same behavior as previous games.
In Mission 3-6, the player's task is to hit five Monty Moles.
This game has an early depiction of Monty Moles and Rocky Wrenches with similar graphics, though their designs are not as similar as in later games.
Mario Kart Wii
In Mario Kart Wii, they appear as obstacles in Moo Moo Meadows as well as DS Peach Gardens and also appear as audience members in other courses. They now appear much bigger, as well as digging under the ground before jumping out. However, they are stationary obstacles in DS Peach Gardens like in previous games. They originally had their model from Super Mario 64 DS and New Super Mario Bros., as well as a different jumping animation for a placeholder before being completely reworked in the final game.[8]
Mario Kart 7
Monty Moles only cameo in Mario Kart 7, where they are among the many species seen cheering in crowds in bleachers.
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
SNES Donut Plains 3 and Wii Moo Moo Meadows return in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, bringing along the Monty Moles with them. They now dig around for some time before popping up, leaving trails like in Mario Kart Wii. The trails that the Monty Moles leave can now also be used to perform tricks. This changes the gameplay of SNES Donut Plains 3 from the original version in Super Mario Kart where they would attach themselves to drivers who drove into them. In said track, the Monty Moles in the lake are replaced by Cheep Cheeps, and there are signs with a picture of a Monty Mole on them placed by the Monty Mole area. In Animal Crossing from the Animal Crossing x Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack, Mr. Resetti replaces Monty Moles to fit with the theme of the course.
Mario Kart Tour
Monty Mole makes his official playable debut in the Mario Kart series in Mario Kart Tour available from May 6, 2020 in the Flower Tour. He is classified as a tour-exclusive Super character (the first Super character with this distinction) and his special item is the Mushroom Cannon. Starting with the Wild West Tour, Monty Mole became a regular Super character while also gaining a self-named cup. Monty Moles also appear as obstacles in GBA Sunset Wilds R/T, SNES Donut Plains 2, and Amsterdam Drift (barring the T variant), where they behave the same as in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, allowing racers to perform a Jump Boost off their trails and holes.
Mario is Missing!
Monty Moles appear in the CD-ROM Deluxe version of Mario is Missing! They can be called on occasion and can be asked questions about the country Luigi is in. Upon answering all of the questions correctly, he gives money from the mayor as a token of appreciation and encourages Luigi to find Mario. This is one of the few times a Monty Mole is fully voice-acted.
Yoshi franchise
Yoshi's Safari
In Yoshi's Safari, Monty Moles appear exclusively in the level Cornice Cave. They attack by popping out of pipes and moving towards the player; they can be defeated by shooting them with the Super Scope.
Yoshi Touch & Go
In Yoshi Touch & Go, Monty Moles appear as somewhat uncommon enemies, attacking Yoshi in a manner similar to their attack pattern from Super Mario World; leaping from the ground or by charging at Yoshi. Here, Monty Moles could be defeated by either jumping on them, throwing an egg at them or by encasing them in a circle with the Nintendo DS's stylus.
Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World
Monty Moles appear as an enemy in Yoshi's Woolly World and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World. They either burrow around underground (usually under carpets) or they can pop out of the wall, Yoshi can defeat them with a Yarn Ball, stomping on them, or eating them. If eaten, they turn into orange yarn balls. There is also a boss called Big Montgomery, which is a bigger Monty Mole that appears as the mid-boss of Worlds 1, 3, and 5. Monty Mole Patches are also found and are crocheted Monty Moles that, when unraveled, will start chasing the player like a normal mole. In the Scrapbook Theater, a normal Monty Mole pops out of a scarf roll and runs around the stage.
Yoshi's Crafted World
Monty Moles reappear in Yoshi's Crafted World as enemies. They act the same as in previous games, and even appear in a level where Yoshi must defeat a lot of them for the highest amount of Smiley Flowers: Monty-Mole-B-Gone. Their larger counterparts also make their debut in the Yoshi series.
Hotel Mario
In Hotel Mario, Monty Moles appear mostly in Larry's Chillton Hotel, though they also appear in Bowser's Seizures Palace Hotel. They dig out of the thin floors and then start sliding towards Mario. They will hit the wall, get dizzy for a moment, and then proceed with their antics again.
Game & Watch Gallery series
Game & Watch Gallery
Monty Moles (referred to as Chubbies in the cast credits) appear in Game & Watch Gallery, in which they appear in the Modern version of Manhole, popping up on occasion to throw a heart at Yoshi.
Game & Watch Gallery 2
Monty Moles reappear in Game & Watch Gallery 2, in which they appear in the Modern version of Vermin. They appear when the player earns 200, 500, and 700 points. When they appear, they throw a heart at Yoshi just like in the previous game.
Paper Mario series
Paper Mario
During the events of Paper Mario, Monty Moles appear at Mt. Rugged, where they either pop halfway out of the ground and throw rocks at Mario, or pop all the way out and chase him. In battle, they are always found halfway underground and attack Mario by throwing rocks at him. In one of the walls of the mountain, there is a Monty Mole-shaped hole, through which an endless stream of moles can pop out. Stronger, green Monty Moles can also be found in Flower Fields. They are also known as "Monty Moles"; however, the Japanese version of the game gave them a different name from the regular Monty Moles.
Paper Mario: The Origami King
Monty Moles reappear in Paper Mario: The Origami King. Unlike in Paper Mario, they act as NPCs rather than enemies, and their modern design is used. One Monty Mole appears on Overlook Mountain running an auction for a Shell Stone, starting with 10,000 coins and can be lowered to 300 coins before the Koopa Troopas attending the auction buy it. Lots of other Monty Moles appear in Breezy Tunnel.
Origami Monty Moles appear in concept art, implying that they would have appeared as enemies, though none appear in the final game.
Mario Party series
Mario Party 3
Monty Moles (confirmed to be multiple in Mario Party Superstars)[9] appear in Woody Woods in Mario Party 3. They switch the direction players can move on certain pathways every turn. These Monty Moles wear sunglasses and can be found in Army hut-like structures with a flag depicting their face. For 5 coins, the Monty Mole will switch the signs from one direction to another. They can appear out of any of three holes scattered across the board, depending on where it is summoned via speaking to it in its hut or landing on a Happening Space. They also appear in Storm Chasers as obstacles the player must avoid.
Mario Party 5
In Mario Party 5, Monty Moles appear in the minigame Flatiator. They appear out of the ground to obstruct the team players while avoiding the single player. The one player on the ball can simply roll over them. One also appears in Pirate Dream hosting a board event where the player can mine for coins. Most games around this era starting from this game use the Super Mario World design, though with more saturated colors and orange fur.
Mario Party 6
In Mario Party 6, Monty Moles are in the minigame Mole-it!, where the players earn points by hitting them when they pop out of the pipes. During the day, the pipes are on the ceiling, and at night, they are on the ground. Hitting a normal Monty Mole earns a team one point, and a Golden Monty Mole gives the team three. They also appear in the Star Sprint level Meadow Road as obstacles the player can avoid but can also be defeated by dashing into them. Monty Moles also appear in the Miracle Book in the "Poppin' Out of the Pipe" and "Bountiful Harvest" sections, despite never appearing in Garden Grab.
Mario Party 7
In Mario Party 7, a Monty Mole appears on the board Pyramid Park. It appears when the player lands on the Green Space on the far right of the board, next to three pots. He offers to play a game of Whack-the-snake-and-not-the-mole. In the minigame Sphere Factor, three or four of them pop out of the ground towards the end (before the bridge) and try to prevent the player from rolling the huge ball to the finish line. Three Monty Moles also appear in the minigame Monty's Revenge, where they are the ones whacking the players with hammers. This is the first game in the series where they use their modern design, although a unused model suggests that they were going to originally use the design from the previous games. However, it has no textures and was likely replaced with the modern design.[10]
Mario Party 8
Monty Moles make another party appearance in Mario Party 8. This time they appear in the minigame Crops 'n' Robbers where one player has to whack Monty Moles that are in the holes, so the players can gain way. The other player has to collect the carrots to win the game. A Monty Mole also appears in the bonus minigame Moped Mayhem as one of the characters competing in the race. They can also occasionally be seen in the lobby. Monty Moles also appear in the Sugar Rush Surprise figure in the Carnival Wagon.
Mario Party Advance
A Monty Mole appears as a character in the Town Area of Shroom City in Mario Party Advance.
Mario Party DS
Monty Moles appear again in Mario Party DS as owners of the shops. Once players enter the Warp Pipe, they can buy items from it. Monty Moles also appear in the minigame Mole Thrill. In this minigame, players have to dig with their partner through the dirt, while staying ahead of the mole. They also have a trophy and rival badge that can be unlocked.
Mario Party 9
In Mario Party 9, Monty Moles appear in the minigame Plunder Ground. They hold and shuffle the treasure chests the players try to earn points from. They also appear out of the holes in the minigame Hole Hogs. In addition, Monty Moles also have a constellation, named "Hello Mole". Monty Moles appear in Magma Mine as props.
Mario Party: Island Tour
Monty Moles reappear in Mario Party: Island Tour for the Nintendo 3DS. They appear as options to choose from in the minigames Match Faker and Tap Dash. They cameo in the background of Drive for Show and Bumper Thumper. A Monty Mole constellation (similar to Hello Mole from Mario Party 9) can be seen in the minigame Starring Artist.
Mario Party 10
Although normal Monty Moles do not appear in Mario Party 10, an enlarged Monty Mole known as Mega Monty Mole appears as the mid-boss of Airship Central. He appears in the minigame Mega Monty Mole's Maze Mischief.
Mario Party: Star Rush
Mega Monty Mole retains their role as a boss in Mario Party: Star Rush appearing in the minigame Mega Monty Mole's in the Hole. Normal Monty Moles appear in the minigame Rolls for Moles in which the player must hit as many Monty Moles as they can.
Mario Party: The Top 100
Monty Moles reappear in Mario Party: The Top 100, reprising their roles in the minigames Storm Chasers (now using their modern design), Monty's Revenge, and Sphere Factor. In Mini-Game Island, a cardboard Monty Mole holding a hammer can be seen by Monty's Revenge.
Super Mario Party
- “This could be fun. Sure, I'm in!”
- —Monty Mole, Super Mario Party
Monty Mole appears as a playable character in Super Mario Party for the first time in the Mario Party series, though it is Monty Mole's fourth time being playable in any Mario game. As shown in the introductory scene, Bowser calls upon Monty Mole, Bowser Jr., Goomba, Boo, Shy Guy, Koopa Troopa, Dry Bones, Hammer Bro, and Pom Pom to participate in the party to be crowned "Super Star." Monty Mole's Dice Block has a +1 coin side instead of a 1; otherwise, it is functionally identical to the normal Dice Block.
Fake Monty Moles also appear in the minigame Rhythm and Bruise, where the player's objective is to whack them with hammers to the beat of the music. If the player uses Monty Mole for that minigame, he will start sweating and display a nervous expression.
They can also cameo in Absent Minded as one of the characters that can be chosen, though they only appear if no-one is playing as Monty Mole.
Monty Mole also appears as one of the puzzles in Puzzle Hustle in their Super Mario World sprite form.
Monty Moles can also occasionally be seen walking or running around in the background of Party Plaza.
Mario Party Superstars
Monty Moles appear in Mario Party Superstars as part of Woody Woods, retaining their role from Mario Party 3, although the Monty Mole huts have been replaced with burrows that serve the same function. Additionally, a Monty Mole decides which player they think would win during the last five turns of Woody Woods. Monty Moles also reprise their roles in Storm Chasers and Monty's Revenge. A Monty Mole sticker that has a caption saying "Nice!" can be used as a taunt. The encyclopedia entry for Monty Mole states that they appeared in every Mario Party after Mario Party 3, despite not appearing in Mario Party 4. Mario Party 10 is also listed, despite only having Mega Monty Mole.
Mario Family
Monty Mole appears as one of the sewing designs in Mario Family.
Mario Pinball Land
Monty Moles (sometimes referred to as 1-up Moles)[11] appear in Mario Pinball Land. They can be found in every level except The Fun Fair peeking out from one of their holes. If Mario hits them, he gains 500 points and the Monty Mole is stunned briefly before moving to another hole. The Monty Mole eventually goes back to their previous hole if they are not hit after a while. If Mario hits the Monty Mole enough times, it drops a 1-Up Mushroom and be at a point where it no longer can be hurt. Due to their behavior, they can only be defeated with a Super Star. Each level also has a unique costume that Monty Moles can be seen wearing. The Grassy Greens Stage has normal Monty Moles; in the Frosty Frontier Stage, they wear a snow hoodie; in the Shifting Sands Stage, they wear fezzes; and in the Fiery Stage, they wear helmets.
Mario Tennis series
Mario Power Tennis
In Mario Power Tennis, a few Monty Moles can be seen among the crowd in the opening watching Wario and Waluigi be chased by the police, and also in the crowd when Wario, Waluigi and Bowser attempt to destroy the stadium. Monty Moles also appear in the Chain-Chomp Challenge minigame, where they man cannons identical to the ones in Super Mario Sunshine. The moles themselves, however, use the revamped Super Mario World design seen in previous GameCube games. They shoot tennis balls and bombs at the players to hit back at the Chain Chomps.
Mario Tennis Aces
Monty Moles make a minor appearance in Mario Tennis Aces in the background of Bask Ruins. They can be seen jumping out of their holes.
Mario Baseball series
Mario Superstar Baseball
Monty Mole also appears in Mario Superstar Baseball as an unlockable character for the first time. Monty Mole is unlocked by completing challenge mode with Mario's team. It is a member of Mario's team. It has the ball dash ability, which allows it to run extremely fast while in possession of the baseball. It is a Speedy character with fast running, weak batting and pitching and average fielding. While the playable Monty Mole uses the design from Super Mario 64 DS, in the crowd there are Monty Moles with their model from Mario Power Tennis and Mario Party 6. Monty Mole's description in this game reveals that the holes they jump out of are their dens.
Mario Super Sluggers
- “Great granite gumdrops! I was in the middle of a spectacular nap! Why'd you have to wake me?”
- —Monty Mole, Mario Super Sluggers
In the sequel Mario Super Sluggers, Monty Mole maintains its position as a member of Mario's team. While its best stat continues to be speed, its other stats are slightly below average. Monty Mole has good chemistry with Shy Guy, Goomba, and Paragoomba, and doesn't have any bad chemistry with any other character. In the story mode of the game, Monty Mole can be found buried in the sand. If any of the team captains wakes it up, it asks why they did it, claiming that they are no match for Bowser Jr. and his minions, and challenges them to a baseball match. If defeated, Monty Mole will happily join the team. Monty Moles also appear in many of the cutscenes either being in the crowd or cheering Mario.
Mario & Luigi series
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Monty Moles appear in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. One is encountered in the Gritzy Desert, and will prevent the four Mario Bros. of past and present from progressing unless they can complete his challenge. Two more are seen in the beginning of Gritzy Caves and they both run an Item Shop called the Monty Mart. Additionally, two more Monty Moles in Gritzy Caves run two more challenges that must be completed as well.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
A group of five Monty Moles, called the Monty Bros., appear in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and its remake, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, where they utilize a giant drilling machine to fulfill Bowser's orders and dig a tunnel below Toad Town. They do not make much progress however, so Bowser has to finish their duties.
The Monty Bros. later reappear in the Treasure Chamber in Bowser's Castle, betraying Bowser and claim that Fawful bribed them and ordered them to get rid of Bowser. They attack Bowser in a giant train called the Fawful Express, in which Bowser must defeat them in his giant form. If he succeeds, the falling chunks of the debris from the train will defeat the Monty Bros. However, they escape in the remake, alongside other unseen Monty Moles.
Fawful-themed Monty Mole enemies called Mawful Moles and Metal Mawful Moles can be also be found in this game.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Monty Moles also make an enemy appearance in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. Here, they act as support enemies for Bowser Jr. during his battle at the end of the Battle Ring's Battle Medley, repairing the Junior Clown Car after it explodes. If they get hit by a Taunt Ball, they take longer to repair his Clown Car.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Monty Moles reappear in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam as an enemy. They battle in holes that were dug out of the ground, while also having a similar attack pattern as Mawful Moles in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. Unlike Mawful Moles, they can sometimes throw Golden Eggs instead of rocks. They are encountered normally in Sunbeam Plains and later the haunted area of Gloomy Woods. They additionally appear in a few missions, such as Fly Guy Flyby as enemies to avoid, as well as in a few questions of some of the quiz missions like Toad Trivia and Toad Brain. They can also appear in one of the attacks from the Wiggler boss fight, in which Paper Mario has to hit several Monty Moles and Paper Spear Guys on his way while being chased by Wiggler.
Dr. Mario-kun
A Monty Mole appears as a recurring character in Dr. Mario-kun.
In episode 39, the Monty Mole shovels through the ground to tell Dr. Mario that Luigi and Yoshi caught a drill virus. After capturing the drill viruses, they help Mario and his friends escape the volcano. At one point in the episode, Wario, Bowser Jr. and a Koopa Troopa all wear Monty Mole costumes.
In episode 52, they can be seen eating the floor after eating the food that Waluigi made.
In episode 59, they can be seen on the final page waving in the distance.
Mario Strikers Charged
Monty Moles are a sidekick in Mario Strikers Charged. They are Power Players, which means they are good at shooting and tackling, but cannot pass very well. Their Skillshot is Dirt Drill, where they go underground with the ball, dig towards the goal, and pop up near the goalie, and shove him aside, shoving the ball into the goal. However, if the move is too close, Kritter will shove his hand into the ground and pull Monty Mole out, thereby blocking the shot. If the move is too far away, Kritter will simply catch the ball. This happens to be their second playable appearance in a sports title. In this game, they have headlights, something that is never seen in any other game they appear in. The prominent tooth also atypically appears as a pair of teeth. Monty Moles are also shown to have black dot eyes when shocked. Monty Moles also appear in the crowds in the opening, using their design from early GameCube games.
Mario Sports Mix
In Mario Sports Mix, a single Monty Mole can be seen as a spectator, cheering on the players when they play at Western Junction.
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
Monty Moles appear in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games as obstacles in Dream Equestrian popping in and out of their holes (like in Mario Kart Wii, even reusing sound clips from that game). If the wagon accidentally hits one of the holes, a Yoshi Egg will drop.
Nintendo Badge Arcade
Monty Moles appear in Nintendo Badge Arcade as part of the Super Mario Maker arcade using their Super Mario World style sprites, as well as in the Super Mario Bros. arcade using their sprites in that game style from Super Mario Maker.
Dr. Mario World
Monty Moles appear in Dr. Mario World as assistants. Their Stage Mode skill grants a chance five coins are rewarded upon clearing a stage regardless of whether the stage is cleared or uncleared, in which the chance of earning them is greater at higher levels. This effect does not activate upon clearing special stages or the Daily Booster. Their versus mode effect is to grant a chance that the attack meter will fill extra if a virus is eliminated. Contrary to the game's description which indicated that it can occur repeatedly, it only activates at the start of the match and the effect will last throughout the match if it does, and has a higher chance to do so at higher levels. When this effect activates, any elimination made either through a capsule match, elimination through skill, or elimination through other objects like shells will fill the attack meter by an extra point for each elimination made. Contrary to the game's description, viruses are not required to be eliminated to gain extra attack points. This effect stacks with Sledge Bro's effect, meaning that if both activate, two points will be filled in the attack meter for every elimination made.
Monty Moles also appear in the background of World 6 when the area is cleared.
LEGO Super Mario
Monty Moles appear in LEGO Super Mario as part of the Monty Mole & Super Mushroom and Desert Pokey sets.
Unused appearances
Dr. Mario 64
Monty Moles may have been planned to be playable in Dr. Mario 64 since their name can be seen in the game files. However, they are not seen in the final game at all or have any known graphics.[12]
Paper Mario series
Super Paper Mario
Monty Moles were going to appear in Super Paper Mario, but were taken out. Similar to their behavior in the overworld of the first Paper Mario, they would have attacked Mario by popping out of holes in the wall (like in Super Mario World) and throwing rocks (like in Super Mario 64). The graphics use a higher-resolution version of their Paper Mario design. Despite being unused, a Sammer Guy named Monty Who Waits is named after Monty Moles.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Monty Moles were going to appear as enemies in Paper Mario: Sticker Star but were cut from the game.[13] Additionally, a crowned purple Monty Mole boss named King Choropu (キングチョロプー)[14] was intended to appear.
Other appearances
In early builds of Wii Fit Plus, Monty Mole's model from Mario Kart Wii was used as a placeholder for the moles in that game before eventually being removed.[15]
Profiles and statistics
- Main article: List of Monty Mole profiles and statistics
Gallery
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Monty Mole.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | チョロプー Choropū Tyorobe[16] (internal) |
From「チョロチョロ」(chorochoro, a Japanese term for "darting around") and「プー」(Pū, Rocky Wrench), officially romanized as "Choropoo" From Choropu (Super Mario Sunshine) |
|
| Chinese (simplified) | 胖鼹鼠[18] Pàng Yǎnshǔ 黄鼹鼠[19] Huáng Yǎnshǔ |
Fat Mole Yellow Mole |
|
| Chinese (traditional) | 黃鼴鼠[?] Huáng Yǎnshǔ |
Yellow Mole | |
| Dutch | Monty Mole[?] | - | |
| German | Monty Maulwurf[?] | Monty Mole | |
| Italian | Tantatalpa[?] | From tana (burrow), tanta (a lot of) and talpa (mole) | |
| Korean | 쪼르뚜[?] Jjoreuttu |
쪼르르 (a mimetic word for small creatures running fast), and the Korean name for Rocky Wrench (뚜) | |
| Portuguese (NOA) | Monty Toupeira Toupeira Monty[17] |
Monty Mole | |
| Portuguese (NOE) | Toupeira Monty[?] | Monty Mole | |
| Romanian | Gofăr (Super Mario World animated series)[?] | Transliteration of "gopher" | |
| Russian | Крот Монти[?] Krot Monti |
Monty Mole | |
| Spanish (NOA) | Topo monty[?] | Monty Mole | |
| Spanish (NOE) | Topo Monty[?] | Monty Mole |
Trivia
- Incidentally, Monty Moles share a name with a British video game protagonist.
- In the 54th issue of the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine, Monty Moles were called "gophers."[20]
- In the official Nintendo Power guidebook for Super Mario Sunshine, the section for the Monty Mole in Noki Bay is called "The Full Monty", a reference to the 1997 comedy of the same name.[21]
References
- ^ Template:Media link of 「スーパーマリオ大図鑑」 (Super Mario Bros. Daizukan, or "Super Mario Great Picture Book") states of Choropoo: 「土の中でくらしている, 元気なモグラ。」 (A peppy mole that lives under the ground.)
- ^ Development:Super Mario World (SNES)/Sprites. The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Super Mario 64 Official Player's Guide page 61 and page 101
- ^ Bogenn, Tim, and Doug Walsh. Super Mario Sunshine BradyGames Official Strategy Guide. Page 77.
- ^ Super Mario Kart English instruction booklet, page 27.
- ^ Mario Kart 64 English instruction booklet, page 26.
- ^ https://tcrf.net/Mario_Kart_64
- ^ https://tcrf.net/Mario_Kart_Wii/Unused_Course_Objects
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fce7YwdwIS8
- ^ https://tcrf.net/Mario_Party_7
- ^ Nintendo Power issue 185 (November 2004), p. 116
- ^ https://tcrf.net/Dr._Mario_64
- ^ TCRF
- ^ https://www.mariocastle.it/paper-mario-sticker-star-scoperte-elementi-scartati/2/
- ^ https://wiifactsplus.tumblr.com/post/637159989999452160/one-of-the-documents-found-in-the-september-2020
- ^ Super Mario Sunshine, internal filename root/data/scene/pinnaBeach1.szs/scene/cannon/tyorobe_model1.bmd
- ^ Super Mario World Brazilian instruction booklet, page 24.
- ^ Mario Kart 64 Chinese intruction booklet, page 26.
- ^ 无敌阿尔宙斯 (August 28, 2013). 神游 超级马力欧世界 敌人官译. Baidu Tieba. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
- ^ Nintendo Official Magazine (UK) issue 54, page 23.
- ^ Super Mario Sunshine Nintendo Player's Guide page 92
- Monty Moles
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