| Koopley | |
|---|---|
 Artwork from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door | |
| Species | Koopa Troopa |
| First appearance | Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004) |
| Latest appearance | Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch) (2024) |
- “Well, I came here a while back to deal with Hooktail, and all was well and good... But just before my finishing blow, she used the smell from her feet to stun me, then gobbled me down whole!”
- —Koopley, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch)
Koopley is Koops' father and a resident of Petalburg in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. His disappearance is the catalyst for Koops joining Mario's party.
History
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Ten years before the events of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Koopley went to Hooktail Castle to slay the dragon, only to end up with Hooktail swallowing him whole. Believing his father to be dead, Koops joins Mario's team to avenge him. After Mario, Goombella and Koops defeat Hooktail, Koopley emerges from her stomach with the first Crystal Star, the Diamond Star, which he gives to Mario after learning that he is Koops's friend. Koopley had survived in Hooktail's belly for ten years by hiding in his shell.
After returning to Petalburg, Koopley, alongside his son's girlfriend Koopie Koo, wishes Koops a successful quest. Koopley later sends an email to Mario, checking in on Koops while being surprised by the existence of the Mailbox SP, as it is new technology he has missed out on. He also discusses his newfound appreciation of Petalburg. He is additionally mentioned in Koopie Koo's email, in which she is grossed out by Koopley's odor, presumably from him being stuck in Hooktail's belly.
During the final battle against the Shadow Queen, Koopley cheers on Mario and Koops alongside Koopie Koo and other Petalburg residents.
In the original game, it is simply stated that Koopley fell for one of Hooktail's tricks for why he was devoured by the dragon. The Switch remake elaborates that he specifically fell for the feet-smelling trick.
Super Mario-kun
Koopley appears in volume 32 of Super Mario-kun during the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door arc. He plays much the same role as in the game, having been eaten by Hooktail 10 years ago and getting spat out upon the dragon's defeat. However, in the manga, Hooktail explicitly remembers fighting him and keeps his pants as a trophy of sorts. Koopley also makes a brief appearance in volume 35 where he is shown as one of the characters cheering on Mario and co. as they battle the Shadow Queen.
General information
Physical appearance
Compared to his son, Koopley's skin is a darker, more orange yellow. He wears a blue shell and blue shoes, which seem to be the reason why Koops confuses him with Kolorado's father. He has thick brown eyebrows and a goatee, and his eyes are always closed. His arms are much thicker than other Koopas seen in the game, possibly indicating muscle.
Personality
Koopley's most defining trait is his strength. He nearly defeated Hooktail singlehandedly, and presumedly did so without taking advantage of her weakness, considering the badge can still be found in her castle. Even though he ultimately lost to the dragon, he was able to live in her stomach for an entire decade, with no implication made in-game of the Diamond Star playing a role in his survival (compared to the Gold Star with Prince Mush). This strength could apply to him mentally as well, as he seems to have remained sane throughout the ordeal.
Koopley has an upbeat attitude and can often be seen laughing. When reuniting with Koops, he brushes off the concerns people had for his wellbeing and instead focuses on the fact that he is okay and with his son now, and views the Diamond Star as a "souvenir". Koopley is also quite oblivious, or, as Goombella puts it, "kind of out of it". He only lost to Hooktail because he got tricked by her, and he carelessly left his young son behind to fight her in the first place.
Despite this, Koopley does care about Koops, with Toce T. mentioning him being "worried sick" over his son. Unlike Koopie Koo, though, he shows no hesitation in allowing Koops to travel with Mario, recognizing that it will be good for him. Understandably, Koopley does not know much about his son. His advice to Koops before he leaves Petalburg is simply repeating their familial relationship, and he is later shown to be surprised by Koops already knowing how to fight. Still, he wants to become closer with his son, stating that he dreams of going on an adventure with Koops if spoken to towards the end of the game. This line, alongside him offering to take Koops's place in Mario's party if it ever becomes too much for him, demonstrates that despite everything, he still has an adventurous spirit in him.
Profiles
- Email
- How's life?
Mario! Koops! How are you boys doing?
I'm just amazed...I had no idea a machine like this could be used to send messages! Technology! Wow!
I'm doing great, drinking fresh springwater, picking wildflowers, polishing my shell...this town seemed so boring ten years ago, but I see the world differently now. I bet you'll like Petalburg more than you used to once you get back from YOUR adventure, Koops! (GCN)
I'm doing great, drinking fresh spring water, picking wildflowers, polishing my shell... This town seemed so boring 10 years ago, but I see the world differently now. I bet you'll like Petalburg more than you used to once you get back from YOUR adventure, Koops! (Switch)
So, where are you headed next? I want you to see the wide world, son; it'll be good for you! But don't go TOO far past that front door! Aah ha ha ha! (GCN)
So, where are you headed next? I want you to see the wide world, Son—it’ll be good for you! You’ll grow! But don’t grow too much, else you might be too tall to fit through the front door! Aah ha ha ha! (Switch)
From, Koopley
- Tattle: "That's Koops's dad, Koopley. He seems kind of out of it. Are all Koopas space cadets? Then again, Koops is really with it... Maybe that's 'cause his dad is like this... Anyway, Koopley does worry about Koops a lot, so I guess he's a good dad after all."
Gallery
Koopley being coughed up by Hooktail
Koopley is free
Koopley presenting the Diamond Star
Koopley getting spat out in the remake
Koopley is free in the remake
Koopley explaining how he got eaten in the remake
Koops telling Koopley that he is leaving in the remake
Koopley with the Diamond Star in Petalburg during the final battle in the remake
Old photo of Koopley in Koops's house during Chapter 1 of the remake
New photo of Koopley with Koops taken after he is saved from Hooktail
Koopley on the Nintendo Magazine for summer 2024, showing a relationship chart featuring many characters from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Koopley and other characters against the Shadow Queen in Super Mario-kun
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ノコキチ[1] Nokokichi |
Portmanteau of「ノコノコ」(Nokonoko, "Koopa Troopa") and「吉」(kichi, meaning "good luck" and also a Japanese masculine name suffix), likely alluding to all the time he was trapped inside Hooktail and came out alive | |
| Chinese | 慢慢吉[2][3] Mànmànjí |
Portmanteau of「慢慢龟/慢慢龜」(Mànmàn Gūi, "Koopa Troopa") and「吉」(jí, "lucky") | |
| Dutch | Koopetrus[4] | Portmanteau of "Koopa" and the Dutch name "Petrus" | |
| French | Koopak[5][6] | ? | |
| German | Koopador[7] | Portmanteau of "Koopa" and German male name "Theodor" | |
| Italian | Koopericle[8] | Portmanteau of "Koopa" and "Pericle" (Greek male name "Pericles") | |
| Korean | 엉길동[9] Eong-gildong |
? | |
| Spanish | Koopol[10][11] | Portmanteau of "Koopa" and "-pol" (a Spanish male name derived from English male name "Paul") |
Trivia
- In concept art, Koopley appears to have visible abs under his shell.
- Koopley claims that Power Shell (Shell Toss in the remake) is his "patented fighting technique."
- In the remake, there is an old photo of Koopley in Koops’s house. After defeating Hooktail, it is replaced with a new photo of him and Koops.
References
- ^ 「ノコタロウの おとうさん ノコキチよ」– Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo Co. (Japanese).
- ^ "这是慢慢太郎的爸爸慢慢吉哦。" – Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo (Hong Kong) (Simplified Chinese).
- ^ 「他是慢慢太郎的父親，叫做慢慢吉喔。」– Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo (Hong Kong) (Traditional Chinese).
- ^ "Dat is de vader van Koops, Koopetrus." – Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo of Europe (Dutch).
- ^ "C'est Koopak, le papa de Koopek." – Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo of America (Canadian French).
- ^ "Koopak, le père de Koopek." – Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo of Europe (French).
- ^ "Das ist Koopios Vater Koopador." – Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo of Europe (German).
- ^ "Lui è Koopericle, il padre di Koopaldo." – Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo of Europe (Italian).
- ^ "엉금돌이의 아빠 엉길동이야" – Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo of Korea (Korean).
- ^ "Es Koopol, el padre de Koops." – Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo of America (Latin American Spanish).
- ^ "Es Koopol, el padre de Koops." – Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo of Europe (European Spanish).