Koopa Troopa

Koopa Troopas are a recurring enemy in the Mario franchise. Most Koopas are simple foot soldiers of Bowser's army. Though the Koopas started out as Mario's enemy, many of the recent games feature good Koopa Troopas. The word "koopa" is most likely a play on the word "kappa, the name of a mythical Japanese creature.

Evolution of the basic Koopa Troopa
In the koopas premier title, Mario Bros., a mere touch of these pernicious turtles would lead to the death of Mario and Luigi. "How would one go about defeating this menace?" you may ask. Simple, get them from below! Hit the ground directly underneath the enemy and then jump up to its level and give it a massive kick. Though it's not specifically stated that these turtles are Koopa Troopas (in fact in this game they're referred to as the shellcreeper) it can be surmised that they are the reason that turtles were placed in subsequent Mario games. (The Koopa Troopas in the Game Boy Advance versions of Mario Bros. have been replaced with Spinies so players will know not to try and stomp on these deadly creatures.) In Super Mario Bros., the Koopas were back with a vengeance (this is the first game to refer to them specifically as the Koopa Troopas). In fact these murderous turtles now came in a variety of colors and breeds. Some Koopas had wings and could fly, these are called Paratroopas.

Green Koopas were a bit daft. These turtles would walk in a straight path as if blind to the world around them. Upon walking into a wall or obstacle they would merely turn around and continue on their merry way. If these hideous creatures happened upon a bottomless chasm of doom they would simply fall to their death.

Red Koopas would not fall for those simple pits in the ground. Though the Koopas gained new abilities and intelligence, they somehow lost the ability to kill by touch alone. Now Mario can stomp any turtle that gets in his way and can even kick the Koopa's shell at other enemies.

A new type of Koopa Troopa makes an appearance in Super Mario Bros. 3. The Giant Koopa Troopas are located on Giant Land. These Koopas exist in the red and green variety.

Super Mario World gave the Koopas even more abilities (and two new breeds) to unleash their wrath upon our valiant hero and his new friend, Yoshi. Now the Koopa Troopas have even learned how to stand and walk on their own two feet...amazing. When Mario stomps on Koopas in Super Mario World the turtle slides out from within his protective shell. The different colored Koopas take different actions when this occurs. Red and green Koopas will climb back into their shell. Blue Koopas will mercilessly kick their shell toward Mario. The yellow Koopas get back into their shell and puts it to use as a weapon of mass destruction by spinning towards Mario which inflicts ferocious damage to allies and foes alike. Outside their shell the Koopa appears in a tank top and boxer shorts.

Yoshi gains different abilities depending on which colored shells he consumes. Yoshi will merely spit green shells back out, red shells grant Yoshi the ability to spit fire, yellow shells allow him to stomp the ground with great fury, and blue shells allow him to fly. If Yoshi devours a flashing shell of a yellow Koopa he gains the power to simultaneously fly, spit fire, and cause earthquakes by stomping.

Though Bowser and his children are closer to dragons than turtles, they are the same species as Koopa Troopas. Its kind of one of those Goofy/Pluto things that makes Darwin turn in his grave. Bowser and all of his children all have the ability to hide in their shell and use it as a weapon. There are many other types of semi-unique Koopas. Pretty much anything with a shell, in the Mario universe, is called a Koopa. But if they're not little turtle dudes, they tend to have more specific names.

Appearances
The Koopa Troopa got a playable incarnation in Super Mario Kart. However, he would lose his place among the stars of the Mario Kart series when the thief, Wario, replaced him. He returns to the Mario Kart series in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. The Koopa Troopa's partner is Paratroopa and his cart, the Koopa Dasher is made of other Koopa's shells. His special weapon in this game is the Triple Green Shell. A version of the Koopa Troopa, Dry Bones, takes their place in Mario Kart DS. Though he only appears in two of the four Kart games his shells have become a staple of the series.

Koopa Troopa returns in playable form in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and Mario Power Tennis In Super Smash Bros. the green shell (a Koopa Troopa shell) the most basic weapon in the game. Green shells are basically used for whacking people in the head with, while read shells scuttle around the ground, moving back and forth waiting for people to get in their way. In the sequel, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Koopa Troopas can be fought in Adventure mode.

A List of Named Koopa Troopas
Name - (Title(s) of the game that it appears in)
 * Koopa the Quick - (Super Mario 64)
 * Kooper - (Paper Mario)
 * Koops - (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door)
 * Kent C. Koopa - (Paper Mario)
 * Hookbill the Koopa - (Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Tetris Attack, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)
 * King K - (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door)
 * Koopinator - (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door)
 * Koopa Koot - (Paper Mario)
 * Koopie Koo - (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door)
 * Koopley - (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door)
 * Kroop - (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door)
 * Tutankoopa - (Paper Mario, Mario Pinball Land)
 * Koopa Bros. - (Paper Mario)
 * King Bowser Koopa - Way to many games to mention. Go to character's page.
 * Jr. Troopa - (Paper Mario, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door)
 * Iggy Koopa - Too many games to mention. Go to character's page.
 * Morton Koopa Jr. - Too many games to mention. Go to character's page.
 * Lemmy Koopa - Too many games to mention. Go to character's page.
 * Ludwig von Koopa - Too many games to mention. Go to character's page.
 * Roy Koopa - Too many games to mention. Go to character's page.
 * Wendy O. Koopa - Too many games to mention. Go to character's page.
 * Larry Koopa - Too many games to mention. Go to character's page.
 * Bowletta - (Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga)
 * Bowser Jr. - (Super Mario Sunshine, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!), many others.

Koopa Troopa's Playable Roles

 * Super Mario Kart (SNES) - 1992
 * Mario's Tennis (Virtual Boy) - 1995
 * Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (Nintendo GameCube) - 2003
 * Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (Nintendo GameCube) - 2003
 * Mario Power Tennis (Nintendo GameCube) - 2004

Koopa Troopa's Other Appearances

 * Mario Bros. (Arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Commodore 64, Atari 7200, NES) - 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
 * Super Mario Bros. (NES) - 1985
 * Vs. Super Mario Bros. (Arcade) - 1986
 * Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (Famicom Disk System) - 1986
 * Super Mario Land (Game Boy) - 1989
 * Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) - 1990
 * Super Mario World (Super NES) - 1991
 * Super Mario All-Stars (Super NES) - 1993
 * Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (Super NES) - 1995
 * Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (Super NES) - 1996
 * Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64) - 1996
 * Mario Party (Nintendo 64) - 1999
 * Paper Mario (Nintendo 64) - 2001
 * Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World (Game Boy Advance) - 2002
 * Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (Game Boy Advance) - 2003
 * Super Mario Bros. (Game Boy Advance) - 2004
 * Super Mario 64 DS (Nintendo DS) - 2004
 * Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GameCube) - 2004
 * Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix (GameCube) - 2005

Other Koopas

 * Paratroopa
 * Hammer Bros.
 * Boomerang Bros.
 * Fire Bros.
 * Sumo Bros.
 * Dry Bones
 * Super Koopa Troopa
 * Magikoopa
 * Lakitu
 * Terrapin