Bowser’s Koopalings Explained: Who Mario’s Recurring Enemies Really Are

For over three decades, fans of Nintendo’s Super Mario series have been spoon-fed the endless rivalry between Mario and Bowser, but far less has been recorded of Bowser’s minions, the Koopalings. Since their debut on the NES, however, King Koopa’s loyal servants have integrated so well into the cast of Super Mario that they have surely earned some recognition.

The Koopalings are Bowser’s seven underlings, often scattered throughout the Mushroom Kingdom as commanders of the Koopa Troop to prevent Mario from reaching Bowser. Their first appearances in Super Mario Bros. 3 paints them in broad strokes with little individuality. As the franchise evolved, however, so evolved the Koopalings’ designs, and that effectively differentiated them into seven unique siblings.

Initially believed to be Bowser’s biological children, a 2012 Game Informer interview with Shigeru Miyamoto has specified the Koopalings’ lineage to the contrary. Now known to be Bowser’s adopted children, the Koopalings’ history is a bit blurry thanks to their many appearances. Their roles in the team have been modified so many times to fit various games that their ages and skills are a topic of debate among players. So, what is known of seven leaders of the Koopa Troop?

Super Mario’s Larry Koopa

In the Koopalings’ NES debut, Mario encounters Larry Koopa first, implying that he is the youngest of the Koopalings. Identifiable by his high blue hair and star on the side of his head, Larry is often at the forefront of the Koopalings’ assaults. Larry is named after Larry Mullins Jr. of the rock band U2.

Super Mario’s Morton Koopa Jr.

Morton is the largest Koopaling, and he uses that to his advantage to stomp Mario from above in games like fan-favorite Super Mario World. His gray skin tone makes him unique among his siblings, along with the giant star over his eye. Morton gets his name and his suffix after the 1980’s talk show host Morton Downey Jr.

Super Mario’s Wendy O. Koopa

The only female Koopaling, Wendy is easily distinguishable. Dressed all in pink and clad in jewelry, Wendy has a flirtatious way about her, but she is just as capable as her brothers, if not more so.

Wendy gets her name from The Plasmatics’ punk singer Wendy O. Williams, and is the first female character to join Super Mario villains.

Super Mario’s Iggy Koopa

Hyperactive Iggy Koopa is depicted with a green shell and green, palm tree-like hair. His eyes are jarringly different from those of the other Koopalings (perhaps magnified by his glasses), and while originally designed as the intelligent Koopaling, his personality has more recently focused on eccentricity, as demonstrated by his hyper driving in Mario Kart 8. His name (and also maybe his demeanor) comes from controversial punk rock singer Iggy Pop.

Super Mario’s Roy Koopa

Roy is the second largest Koopaling behind Morton, and is never seen without his signature sunglasses. Favoring brawn over brains, Roy has been known to use his weight in a similar fashion to Morton and even goes so far as to use a Bullet Bill cannon over his shoulder in New Super Mario Bros. U. Roy is the only Koopaling with a pink head, and is named after rock and roll artist Roy Orbison.

Super Mario’s Lemmy Koopa

The smallest Koopa, Lemmy is often depicted with crossed eyes and a rainbow mohawk. He’s the “least evil” of his siblings, choosing child-like wonder over pure evil.

In recent years, Lemmy is given dominion over bouncing balls to combat Mario. His name derives from Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmeister

Super Mario’s Ludwig Von Koopa

Ludwig Von Koopa is the oldest and the smartest of the Koopalings. After Wendy, Ludwig is the easiest Koopaling to identify, with his unique middle part of deep blue hair and singular fang in the center of his overbite. Ludwig calls himself the leader of the Koopalings in Mario & Luigi Paper Jam, and bears the name (and resemblance) of composer Ludwig von Beethoven.

The Koopalings have permanently burrowed into the fabric of the Super Mario franchise, becoming villains that players love to hate alongside their sibling Bowser Jr. Their footprints extend even beyond their Toadstool domain into games like Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, marking them as near equals alongside the likes of Bowser. Without a doubt, the Koopalings are here to stay, and fans can’t wait to see where Super Mario takes them next.

Source: Game Informer

About The Author