This article is about the enemy debuting in Super Mario Bros. 2. For the enemy in Wario World, see Cobra.

Template:Species-infobox

Cobrats are large desert-dwelling snakes that were first seen in Super Mario Bros. 2, where they would unexpectedly spring from sand or vases. Their name is a portmanteau of "brat" and "cobra", which is a kind of snake famous for being charmed out of vases or baskets through the use of flute-like musical instruments. Perhaps in reference to this, they are said to be under the command of Wart.[1] The Super Mario Bros. 2 boss Tryclyde resembles a three-headed Cobrat.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros. 2

In Super Mario Bros. 2, Cobrats jump out of the sand or vases to attack, and most of them can spit out black projectiles similar to Snifits. They appear in the desert levels and are easy to defeat if in a line; the player can throw one and cause a domino effect. They can be avoided easily and only pose a threat when in large numbers.

Super Mario Bros. 3 ports

In the version of Super Mario Bros. 3 included in Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, the king who rules Grass Land is changed into a Cobrat by Larry Koopa.

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

 
A typical Cobrat from The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!.

Cobrats appeared several times on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, where their size varied from minuscule to exceptionally large. The role of Cobrats in the show varied, as they would occasionally appear as enemy monsters and on other occasions would be used as handheld weaponry, capable of firing small, exploding black orbs. They have even been used as transportation in the episode Star Koopa. A Cobrat also appeared in Butch Mario & the Luigi Kid where Sheriff Mouser used it as a weapon.

Nintendo Comics System

In the Nintendo Comics System story Just Deserts, two Cobrats, which are capable of speech, appear as inhabitants of Bowser's desert fortress; the story itself makes it ambiguous as to whether or not these two Cobrats are actually affiliated with Bowser or simply live in his pyramid fortress.

Nintendo Adventure Books

In Leaping Lizards, an unnamed Cobrat competes in the International Mushroom Games as a member of a team called the Sneaks. It participates in the Beetlebowl (an all-team event) and the Super Triple Jump, where it leaps by coiling its body up like a spring.

Super Mario-Kun

In volume 8 of Super Mario-Kun, a Cobrat breaks out of a fake drink vending machine located in a desert. Yoshi shortly eats it. More Cobrats appear out of vases. Birdo tries shooting eggs at one, but the Cobrat eats them. Mario then dives into a vase to obtain a POW Block. He then uses it to defeat the Cobrats.

File:Cobrats MK7.jpg
Cobrats springing out of a vase as it breaks in Mario Kart 7.

Mario Pinball Land

After a very long absence, Cobrats, known simply as Snakes[2], reappear in Mario Pinball Land. They are a common enemy in the Shifting Sands Stage. In this game, they do not spit bullets and are green instead of red. Their vases are also absent.

Mario Kart 7

Cobrats appear on the stage Shy Guy Bazaar in Mario Kart 7. They hide in vases which move around in attempt to delay the racers. When crashed into, several Cobrats spring out. The vase immediately reappears after the shattered vase vanishes. As in Mario Pinball Land, the Cobrats are colored green rather than red, and, they make squawking noises when they leave their vases. Within the same stage, red Cobrat sprites from Super Mario Bros. 2 make up some of the motifs decorating the red-colored carpets found throughout the course - specifically, those covering the market stalls.

Gallery

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese ガラゲーロ[3][4]
Garagēro
コブラ[5][6]
Kobura
No specific meaning.

Literally Cobra.
Chinese 咔啦蛇[7]
Kǎlā Shé
Gerasnake

Trivia

File:NewNESCobratFake.gif
The boss in question.

References

  1. ^ a b "Usually asleep in a jar, it moves on Wart's command, often appearing in the dreams of Toad." - Super Mario Bros. 2 instruction booklet, page 25 (Cobrat description).
  2. ^ Nintendo Power issue 185 (November 2004), p. 116
  3. ^ Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic instruction booklet, page 34.
  4. ^ Sawada. Super Mario-Kun, volume 8, p. 28. (Accessed on 9-24-14)
  5. ^ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n08/bmvj/time_s3.html
  6. ^ Super Mario Ball Shogakukan book
  7. ^ From the ending scenes of Super Mario Advance as localized by iQue. Reference: 无敌阿尔宙斯 (August 28, 2013). 神游 超级马力欧2敌人官译. Baidu Tieba. Retrieved February 2, 2017.

Template:The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Animated