Wiggler

“Waaaa! You've flooded my house! Wh-Why?? Look at this mess! What am I going to do now? The ceiling's ruined, the floor is soaked...what to do, what to do? Huff...huff...it makes me so...MAD!!! Everything's been going wrong since I got this Star...It's so shiny, but it makes me feel...strange... ”

—Wiggler, Super Mario 64

Wigglers (also known as Caterpillars) are a species resembling large real-world caterpillars. They first appeared in Super Mario World, where they have a yellow coloration when calm, but turn red and run about quickly if jumped on. Wigglers in all their types are easily identifiable by the characteristic flower or other plant growing from their head.

In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, a species known as Flutters made an appearance, which confirmed that Wigglers are indeed caterpillars.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario World

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Artwork of a Wiggler from Super Mario World.

Wigglers make their first appearance in Mario games in the Forest of Illusion of Super Mario World. When jumped on, Wigglers turn red as they get angry and start moving faster, aggressively chasing Mario or Luigi. Wigglers cannot be defeated with standard Jumps. However, they can be beaten using a Star or a thrown object (such as a Shell, a Goomba or a Grab Block); they can also be eaten by Yoshis.

Wigglers are also used in a glitch that allows the player to obtain 9,999,990 points very quickly.

Super Mario 64

Wiggler as seen in Super Mario 64

In Super Mario 64, a Wiggler appears as a boss in Tiny-Huge Island. To reach Wiggler, Mario must go into Tiny Island and ground pound the pool above its house at the very top of the Island, then go into Huge Island and fit through a small gap that could not be reached in Tiny Island. Inside, the Wiggler is angry Mario has flooded its house. After two stomps on its head, the Wiggler becomes angry and storms around; after one more, the Wiggler then shrinks and leaves a Power Star.

In Super Mario 64 DS, this battle returned the same, although one effect was added; the Wiggler turns into its red "angry" form before its final hit in Super Mario 64 DS. It should also be noted that in the remake, this Wiggler's segments wont cause damage, but the head will. Super Mario 64 DS also included a minigame known as Which Wiggler? which prominently featured Wigglers.

Super Mario Sunshine

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The Giant Wiggler.

Main article: Wiggler (Super Mario Sunshine)

In Super Mario Sunshine, a large Wiggler appears as a boss in Episode 3 of Gelato Beach, having become enraged after being knocked off his resting spot on the top of the Shine Tower in Episode 2 of the same level. He attacks by stomping angrily all over the level. To defeat him, Mario must spray a small Dune Bud growing in the sand. When he sprays it enough, it explodes, flipping the Wiggler over if it is close. Mario must than Ground Pound on the designated part of his soft underbelly. When he is hit twice, he gets the ability to climb the hill. After being defeated, he turns into sand and dissolves.

It is interesting to note that, as indicated by its Japanese name, this Wiggler is actually an individual, being known as Boss Hana-chan (ボスハナチャン), Hana-chan being the Japanese name of Wiggler. He is also unique for being green instead of yellow, as well as not turning red when angry. Firing water at this Wiggler makes him fire steam from his nose.

New Super Mario Bros.

Wigglers return in the side-scroller New Super Mario Bros., where they can be found in 4-4 and World 7-3. The only way to defeat them is to use a Shell, a Mega Mushroom, or a Star, although a ground pound is able to flip them over and stun them. A sub-species known as Squigglers is also introduced in this game. Furthermore, World 7-3 is notable for taking place on a giant Wiggler with twenty-nine body segments, including its head. The Which Wiggler? minigame from Super Mario 64 DS also reappears.

Super Mario Galaxy

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Mario surrounded by two Wigglers in a beta image of Super Mario Galaxy.

Wigglers reappear in Super Mario Galaxy. If the player ground pounds near or spins one, it would be flipped over. Once it flips itself back over after a short while, or it gets jumped on, it turns red, a vein will bulge from its head and it starts chasing Mario. However, unlike the other games, the effect is temporary, and after a few seconds, the Wiggler cools back down. A stomp when flipped or a normal ground pound on it defeats it.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

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A set of Wigglers, in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Wigglers also appear in the sequel to New Super Mario Bros. just as they did in the first game. They can be defeated while Mario is under the effects of a Star or by using a Shell. They only appear in World 5-2. The game also introduces a bigger variety known as Mega Wigglers; these are very useful for crossing over the poisonous water.

Unlike in Super Mario World, Wigglers can't be eaten by Yoshi in this game.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

Wigglers appear in Super Mario Galaxy 2. They act and can be defeated in the same way as in the prequel, but some of them start out angry. Also, Mega Wigglers appear at the end of Supermassive Galaxy.

Super Mario World television series

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Three Caterpillars from the Super Mario World television series.

Wigglers, though referred to as "Caterpillars", appeared throughout several episodes of the Super Mario World animated series; oddly, in the Super Mario World cartoon, Wigglers were portrayed as being constantly angry and possessing large fangs.

A Caterpillar first appeared in "Ghosts 'R' Us" where Yoshi, while traveling with Oogtar the Caveboy through the Enchanted Forest, is attacked by a hungry Caterpillar. After running from this Caterpillar, Yoshi manages to defeat by, after gaining a pair of Magic Wings, slurping it up.

Caterpillars were featured prominently in the episode "Party Line", which had a swarm of Caterpillars attacking Dome City while all the cave people were busy gossiping away on their new telephones. Chasing Mario and Luigi up a large tree, this swarm of Caterpillars begins trying to reach them and devour them. A Caterpillar, managing to bite Mario's leg, sends him rocketing through the air, hitting a ? Block, which releases a Starman that Luigi grabs. With his new strength, Luigi tosses all the ferocious Caterpillars into the tree, which he uses as a catapult to launch the Caterpillars into space and onto a meteor, which they devour. This group of Wigglers is seen near the end of "Party Line", where they look on as the T-Rex, who had been tossed into space by a Starman powered Mario, soars by.

"Mama Luigi" sees another appearance of them. A Caterpillar goes after the Baby Yoshi, who has run away again. It walks in a more understandable pattern, sneaking up on it. When Luigi stomps it, and it gets up, it shows its fangs, and several more come. Luigi then utters the line that has become one of the most well-known out of the cartoon series: "MARIO! WHEREVER YOU ARE! HEEEEELP!!!" Yoshi quickly gets hungry, and to Luigi's surprise, devours the caterpillars.

In "Born to Ride", after Yoshi leaves the Dome Castle and just before he meets the DinoRiders, he spots a Caterpillar and swallows it.

Nintendo Adventure Books

In Unjust Desserts, Magikoopa shrinks some Wigglers, and sends them into Yoshi's body after Mario, who encounters them in a passageway. Mario jumps over the Wigglers, but reaches a dead end and is cornered when the Wigglers start backing up. If Mario has picked up a wrench, he can escape the caterpillars by using it to open a valve, closing it immediately after jumping through it. Some more Wigglers appear later in the palace garden, after all the creatures (Mario included) that Yoshi and Luigi have eaten are ejected from their bodies.

In Brain Drain, some Wigglers are spotted prowling around the WMUSH radio station after Iggy Koopa takes it over, and they will give chase to Luigi if he steals some Fungus Up cola from the Synapse Switcher. In the book's best ending, Iggy's mind ends up in the body of a Wiggler after he activates the Synapse Switcher without putting a protective helmet on first.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Template:Smrpgenemy Wigglers appear as a common enemy in the Forest Maze in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. They crawl in and out of tree stumps during this area. Jumping on them in the overworld releases Coins and causes them to move faster, often releasing a Frog Coin if stomped enough times in a row. Additionally, some Wigglers can be found sleeping in the Forest Maze's caves; jumping (outside of battle) on some of these undefeatable Wigglers angers them, making them launch Mario up out of the caves. Finally, Wigglers are notable for having six feet rather than eight in Super Mario RPG, while their artwork for that game depicts them with the traditional number of eight; even more confusingly, Dr. Topper asks a "How many feet do Wigglers have?" question in Bowser's Keep that includes answers such as "six" and "eight", and the correct one is the non-traditional six.

Super Mario Bros. film

Wigglers are referenced in the Super Mario Bros. motion picture, which features a taxi cab company known as "Wiggler".

Yoshi's Story

A Wiggler that is very different from the normal Wiggler (being a furry, green Wiggler) known as the Fuzzy Wiggler appears in Yoshi's Story. The Fuzzy Wiggler turns blue when stomped on, and once it is defeated by stomping on all of its segments it drops a Melon.

Mario Party series

Either a Wiggler or a Wiggler Fly appears in the Western Land board in Mario Party 2. Her name is Hootenanny, the same name as the event she triggers. It is unknown whether she is a Wiggler or a Wiggler Fly, as only her head appears. In Mario Party 3, in the minigame Picture Imperfect, Wiggler's face was one of the 3 main faces the players had to put together. In Mario Party 5, Mario Party 6 and Mario Party 7 a Wiggler had its own orb, the orb will take you where the Star is. In the minigame Cardiators from Mario Party 8, Wiggler appears as a card enemy and does 8 damage.

Mario Party DS

A Wiggler (named Wiggler) makes an appearance in Mario Party DS, all as a trophy, a character in Story Mode, and owns his own board, entitled Wiggler's Garden. In Story Mode, a Piranha Plant began terrorizing its garden. Wiggler then asked the tiny heroes to defeat the Piranha Plant. After defeating it, Wiggler rewards the heroes with the first Sky Crystal, and the heroes continue their quest for the rest for Bowser's Castle.

Mario Kart series

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

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Mario and Bowser approaching two Wiggler Buses (early screenshot).

A green bus that closely resembles the Wiggler from Super Mario Sunshine, known as the Wiggler Bus, appears as a moving obstacle on the Mushroom Bridge and Mushroom City racing tracks. Crashing into it will send the racer tumbling, making them lose all items that they had, along with the rear character dragging behind for a little while. In both tracks, there's sometimes more than one Wiggler Bus driving around.

Mario Kart DS

A Wiggler appears as a boss in the unlockable seventh mission set. Players must race him on Mushroom Bridge, and each lap he gets faster. The first lap he is regular, the second lap he has steam rising from his head, and the third and final lap he is angry and red. He takes the shortcut on the last lap.

Mario Kart Wii

Wario races a Wiggler at Wario's Gold Mine, in a Mario Kart Wii competition.

Two giant Wigglers appear briefly as stage hazards in Maple Treeway. They casually walk around on one of the treetops, and don't seem to go out of their way to stop racers, yet running into them brings racers to an immediate halt. However, in a competition held in September of 2010, a Wiggler appears in Wario's Gold Mine, where the racer must attempt to avoid hitting him as they race around the course. On the last lap, the Wiggler gets mad and turns red, chasing the racer around the course at twice his normal speed.

Mario Kart 7

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Wiggler's appearance in Mario Kart 7.

Wiggler makes his first playable appearance in the Mario Kart series on the Nintendo 3DS title, Mario Kart 7, where his signature symbol is his face. He is one of the four new racers to be participating in the Mario Kart series, along with Lakitu, Metal Mario, and Honey Queen. If Wiggler gets hit with an item or runs into an obstacle, he will get angry and turn red. Wiggler is a Cruiser-type racer, and as a result, his speed, weight, and off-road stats get an above average boost.

Mario & Luigi series

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

Template:MLinfobox A Wiggler appears as a boss in Chucklehuck Woods in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Players fight him during the quest for the Chuckola Fruits. At first, the Mario Bros. see the Wiggler trying to enter a small hole in the wall, and then they help him get through by jumping on it. After the Wiggler enters the hole, Mini Mario tries to enter the hole but runs away after seeing the enraged Wiggler. This Wiggler's natural form seemed to be his enraged, red one, while his typically normal yellow one was used as a weakened/sickly state. To beat him, all segments must be attacked, and then the Mario Bros. can damage him by attacking his vulnerable head. Any attacks to the head that does not defeat him simply enrages him again. After he is defeated, he runs away crying.

Unlike the other bosses in the game, the Mario Bros. aren't automatically healed after this battle. However, this may be due to the fact that Wiggler isn't a full, end of area boss like most others. On the contrary, Cackletta is the only boss that isn't at the end of an area that heals the player when he/she beats her.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

A "Swiggler" appears as the first boss, a Shroob (alien) variant of the Wiggler. The Swiggler regularly drinks glasses of green goo that contain Vim (energy) drained from the Mushroom Kingdom's Toad population. The Swiggler attacks by extending tubes from its hind-gut which plug into Shroob saucers flying overhead, which use the Swiggler's supply of Vim to shoot beams of energy at Mario, Luigi, and their baby counterparts.

Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

Template:Bisenemy A giant Wiggler appears as the boss of Dimble Woods. Bowser first meets him after he pulls up the Giga-Carrot, which was blocking the Wiggler's burrow. This infuriates the Wiggler, who demands that Bowser eat the carrot. As soon as Bowser finishes the carrot, the Wiggler yells at Bowser for destroying generations of hard work and care by eating the carrot (despite the fact that he told Bowser to do so in the first place). He then attacks the Koopa King.

In battle, Wiggler is able to use an array of different moves this time. The most noticeable attack is seen when Wiggler stands up straight and his front pair of feet morph into hands, reminiscent of his appearance in Mario Power Tennis (below). He then gets a watering can and waters the ground, making a giant Turnip grow there. Two Leaf Guys then pull up the Turnip and hover above the battle on the top screen, waiting to drop it on Bowser as an attack; Bowser is able to inhale the Leaf Guys and the Turnip will drop.

Wiggler's other attacks include ramming and a body slam, where he rises up and attempts to fall on Bowser. Bowser can block this attack by punching the Wiggler's segments, causing him to back up and lower to the point where Bowser is eventually able to punch his head. If Bowser lets the Wiggler fall, he can defend with his shell and Wiggler will rebound. Like the Wiggler in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, the Wiggler is mad and red by default; Bowser must attack all of his segments before he will be vulnerable to attacks.

Later in the game, the Wiggler appears to block the Bros. route. He tells them that after all that has happened to the wood, he is not letting anyone pass without authorisation. When he notices that the Bros. are collecting Attack Pieces, he tells them to 'take responsibility' and collect six. Once they manage to do this, he lets them pass.

The first sage and guardian of the first Star Cure, Durmite, resembles a cross between a green Birdo and a Wiggler.

Paper Mario series

Super Paper Mario

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A Wiggler.

Wigglers were originally going to appear in Super Paper Mario but were taken out for unknown reasons.

Paper Mario 3DS

Wiggler in Paper Mario (Nintendo 3DS).

A Wiggler is seen along with Mario in the upcoming game Paper Mario 3DS. This marks the first time of Wigglers appearing in the Paper Mario series.

Game & Watch Gallery Advance

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Luigi fighting a Wiggler in Game & Watch Gallery Advance

A Wiggler appeared in Game & Watch Gallery Advance as the first creature Luigi faces in the modern mode of Boxing.

Mario Power Tennis

Solo picture of Wiggler for Mario Power Tennis.

A Wiggler is an unlockable character in this game. He is a defensive type, like Waluigi. For his power shot, he turns red with anger and whacks the ball with brute strength. His defensive power shot allows him to morph into a Flutter and fly. With his temporary wings, he flies to get the ball. It is interesting to note that, unlike in other appearances, this Wiggler's body is curved upwards and has two gloved hands, as he needs to be able to hold a tennis racket. This makes him more so resemble a Flutter.

Super Princess Peach

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A Wiggler in Super Princess Peach.

In Super Princess Peach, a Wiggler serves as the boss of World 4, Fury Volcano. It attacks by becoming angry and sending rocks down, some of which contain crystals. To defeat it, Peach had to use Rage to push a spring underneath the platform down. It would flip the Wiggler over and show a weak spot, which Peach would jump on. After three hits, the Wiggler starts unleashing its own vibe, Rage (which is convenient given its brethren's tendency to get angry easily), in which it spews out poisonous gas that damages Peach gradually unless she uses the Joy Vibe to blow it away. After landing two more hits, Wiggler is finally defeated and another Toad is rescued.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Wiggler appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as a sticker and trophy, but doesn't actually appear in the game.

Mario Super Sluggers

Wiggler in Mario Super Sluggers.

Wiggler appears as a playable character in Mario Super Sluggers. In Challenge Mode, he acts as a roller coaster in Yoshi Park, but has lost his temper and speedily races on the track. Mario must change the direction of the rails in order to steer Wiggler off the track and calm him down. Afterward, he joins Mario's baseball team.

Wiggler shares good chemistry with Blooper, King Boo, and Petey Piranha, possibly because they all appear as bosses in Super Mario Sunshine. Wiggler is a team player for Yoshi's team, the Yoshi Eggs. Wiggler is shown to be pretty strong in this game, not only with an above average batting and running rating, but also with his close plays, in which he turns red if successful and smashes into the baseman. Of course, his pitching and fielding skills are rather weak.

Notable Wigglers

• Wiggler – Super Mario Sunshine
• Hootenanny – Mario Party 2
• Swiggler – Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
• Flutter – Mario Party Advance
• Wiggler Family – Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

Sub-Species

• Flutter – Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
• Fuzzy Wiggler – Yoshi's Story
• Squiggler – New Super Mario Bros.
• Mega Wiggler – New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Official Profiles and Statistics

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Trophy Information

Type	Image	Description
Wiggler		A large caterpillar characterized by a flower on its head and a huge nose. Wigglers typically just walk around minding their own business, with no hint of malice. However, they lose their flowers when jumped upon and fly into a rage, turning bright red and chasing Mario. In Yoshi's Island, certain Wigglers appear as butterflies, with grown wings and flight capabilities.

Sticker Information

Image	Game	Effect
	Mario Power Tennis	Launch Resistance +16

Mario Super Sluggers

Profile

Name	Bio	Ability	Bat	Glove	Stats
Wiggler	A player with more speed than you'd think.	Angry Attack	Left	Right	Pitch	3/10
					Bat	7/10
					Field	4/10
					Run	7/10

Chemistry

Character	Good Chemistry	Bad Chemistry
Wiggler	Blooper, King Boo, Petey Piranha, Yellow Mii	Wario, Boo

Mario Kart 7

• Class: Cruiser
• Stat Boosts
  • Speed: 3.75
  • Acceleration: 2.5
  • Weight: 3.75
  • Handling: 2.5
  • Off-Road: 3.75
• Site Bio:
  • "Big, yellow, and wiggly, this creature worms his way around the track."
  • "Hitting the road for the first time, Wiggler is a debut driver with a competitive nature. This is one caterpillar that can’t be accused of crawling along!"

Trivia

• In the first Super Mario Galaxy, if one flips a Wiggler over and stomps one of the body segments, only that body segment will flatten and it will explode into Star Bits. However, in Super Mario Galaxy 2, if one does the same thing, the whole Wiggler gets flattened rather than just one body segment.
• In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, the Wiggler boss could change his front two feet into hands to use a watering can for one of his attacks, possibly implying that Wigglers can switch their front two feet between feet and hands whenever they want.
• In Wiggler's artwork for Mario Kart 7, it has two hands, 6 feet, and 5 body sections, but in the game, when it is driving, it has four hands, 2 feet, and only 4 body sections. This is because its artwork is reused from Mario Super Sluggers.
• In all three installments in the Mario & Luigi series, a Wiggler boss is fought in a forest type area: Chucklehuck Woods in Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga, Vim Factory located in Toadwood Forest in Mario & Luigi Partners in Time and Dimble Wood in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.

References

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