Draft:Koopalings

Since their introduction in Super Mario Bros. 3, the Koopalings have been recurring antagonists in the Mario franchise. They serve as high-ranking members of Bowser's army and frequently act as bosses throughout the series. They typically appear as commanders of the Koopa Troop, stationed in different regions of the Mushroom Kingdom to oppose Mario. In their earliest appearances, the Koopalings had little individual characterization and were mainly distinguished by color schemes and minor design differences. Later games made them more unique.^[8]

Earlier promotional material sometimes classified them as Bowser's children; however, in a 2012 interview with Game Informer magazine, series creator Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that the Koopalings are not Bowser's biological children, and they have since been described in official sources as his minions instead of his children. Although the Koopalings generally appear together, their roles and personalities vary between games, leading to inconsistencies in their ages, roles, and abilities.^[8]

Koopalings have appeared multiple times throughout the Mario franchise, consisting of its video games and related media, since their debut in Super Mario Bros. 3. In their first appearance, the seven characters were introduced as bosses encountered at the end of each castle, serving under Bowser. They returned in Super Mario World, where each Koopaling again appeared as a castle boss guarding a different area of the game.

After these early appearances, the Koopalings were absent from the main Super Mario games for an extended period. They did not appear in later titles such as Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy titles, before returning in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Subsequent games, including New Super Mario Bros. 2, New Super Mario Bros. U, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder also featured the group as boss characters, usually with each member assigned to a different world or fortress.

The characters have also appeared in various spin-off titles in the franchise, including the Mario & Luigi series, where the Koopalings are typically portrayed as individual characters with distinct designs and abilities rather than as identical boss enemies. All seven Koopalings were included as playable racers in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. They were also featured in the Super Smash Bros. fighting game series as selectable characters in the form of Bowser Jr.'s alternate skins.

Outside of video games, the Koopalings were featured in animated television adaptations, including The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. In these series, they were depicted as Bowser's children, a portrayal that differs from later statements by Nintendo that the Koopalings are not his offspring.

In a 2012 retrospective feature for IGN, journalist Lucas M. Thomas discussed the return of the Koopalings in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, in addition to their history. He wrote that the original Super Mario Bros. had little boss variety, as most boss encounters involved Bowser or enemies disguised as him, and that Super Mario Bros. 3 addressed this issue by introducing the Koopalings, with each member having distinct designs, personalities, and attack styles. Thomas said that the characters were popular during the NES and SNES eras but were used less often afterward. Thomas described each Koopaling's characterization in earlier games, referring to Iggy as the eccentric "brains" of the group, Morton as a physically imposing but not the strongest member, Lemmy as a clownish and unpredictable fighter, Ludwig as the oldest and most powerful, Roy as a brute-like enforcer, Wendy as a vain and temperamental character distinguished as the only female member, and Larry as the youngest and least threatening. Thomas wrote that their reintroduction in New Super Mario Bros. Wii brought back the series' earlier use of unique bosses and served as both a nostalgic reference for longtime players and an introduction for newer audiences.^[10]

In the 2016 study titled "A Radical Feminist Critique of the Video Game Industry" by Bryce Dumas of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the nature of female portrayals in video games was discussed. The study mentioned the Koopalings on page 44, with Dumas noticing that the group consisted of seven siblings, with six of the characters being male, while Wendy is the only female. He implied that the male Koopalings display varied physical designs, personalities, and abilities, whereas Wendy's design primarily emphasizes traditionally feminine traits, leading some critics to argue that her characterization is less individualized in comparison. This observation has been discussed in relation to what columnist Katha Pollitt described as the "Smurfette principle", a term used to refer to the presence of a single female character within an otherwise male group. Pollitt says that this pattern can imply that male characters are treated as the default, while female characters are portrayed as exceptions or defined in relation to male counterparts. Scholars and media critics have applied this concept to video games and other forms of popular media, arguing that character design and group composition can reflect broader cultural assumptions about gender roles.^[11] This idea is also shared in the 2019 Portuguese study "O Design Gráfico como Ferramenta na Divulgação do Movimento Feminista" by Júlia Toribio Leão of the University of Porto, which, on page 61, examines how Wendy lacks personality and is less interesting compared to other male members.^[12]

Jenni Lada of Siliconera discussed the portrayal of the Koopalings in Bowser Jr.'s Journey, noting that the characters are introduced early in the narrative and play an important role throughout the story. Unlike in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, where the Koopalings appear later in the story, the game features them near the beginning as important members of Bowser Jr.'s army. Lada observed that their individual personalities are shown through dialogue and interactions, with Ludwig acting in an advisory role, Morton as more straightforward, and the other Koopalings showing unique reactions to Bowser Jr.'s leadership. She noted that these exchanges helped show the group's character dynamics. Lada also examined the Koopalings' gameplay role in the game, stating that they function as stronger units within the strategy-based battle system, giving the player access to more abilities earlier than in the previous side story. However, she noticed that some members temporarily leave the party during certain parts of the narrative, which limits reliance on them and encourages the use of other units. According to Lada, their continued presence throughout the story enhances their status as senior members of Bowser's forces and reinforces their relationship with Bowser Jr. during events that happen alongside the main plot of Bowser's Inside Story.^[13]

In a 2024 Retronauts podcast, the Koopalings in relation to Bowser were discussed between three authors: Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Drew Mackie. They noted the retcon happened back in 2012 by Shigeru Miyamoto, where he confirmed that the Koopalings are no longer Bowser's children, for which the authors questioned how Bowser accessed them or even connected to them, like there was a contact involved, and criticized Miyamoto for letting the retcon happen. Conversely, the authors praised the Koopalings for adding variety from a gameplay perspective and emphasized their decade-long sudden disappearance until Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and, six years later, their main entry appearance. They noticed that the Koopalings did not speak that much in many of their early appearances, which affected their personalities until the later appearances. While the authors again criticized Miyamoto for not giving the Koopalings enough appeal, they praised game director Masahiro Sakurai for the inclusion of the Koopalings in the Super Smash Bros. universe as Bowser Jr.'s alternative costumes, allowing players to play as them instead of Bowser Jr.^[14]

Stephen Wilds of ComingSoon.net discussed the Koopalings' portrayal in the animated television series The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, praising them as one of the most memorable elements of the show. Wilds wrote that the series stood out among video game adaptations for closely following the premise of Super Mario Bros. 3, while expanding the personalities of the Koopalings through their frequent appearances as recurring antagonists alongside King Koopa (Bowser). He noted that the cartoon gave each member a distinct role and characterization, with episodes often focusing on their individual schemes or smaller group efforts rather than always featuring Bowser as the sole villain, which allowed for more varied stories. The series also used alternate names for the characters, such as Bully Koopa for Roy, Bigmouth Koopa Jr. for Morton, Kooky von Koopa for Ludwig, Cheatsy Koopa for Larry, Kootie Pie Koopa for Wendy, and Hip and Hop for Lemmy and Iggy, reflecting naming choices made during the show's production before the English game localizations were finalized. According to Wilds, the animated portrayal showed exaggerated personalities, sibling rivalry, and attempts to gain Bowser's approval, which he considered to be a major reason the Koopalings remained memorable to viewers. He said that the cartoon gave the characters more defined personalities than many of their early video game appearances, helping maintain their recognition within the franchise.^[15]