Bob-omb

Walking, talking bombs. Some of these enemies have wind-up keys and some don't. Their appearance, intellegence, and ally/enemy status differs wildly from game-to-game (for example, in Super Mario Bros. 3 they were mindless explosives, in Paper Mario and Paper Mario 2 they were sentient and civilized).A Bob-omb is a living bomb character or item, featured in Nintendo's Mario series of video games. In some games they will follow the player until they explode, while in others games they stand still while exploding. Bob-omb are mostly black, though in some games they flash red when about to explode.

Appearances The Bob-omb was first introduced in Super Mario Bros. 2, where its general habits (walk around for a while, then explode) were made clear. Some were also hidden in the ground and would explode roughly 2 seconds after pulled up by the player. However, SMB2 was the only game where Bob-ombs had arms. Bob-omb was the only enemy from Super Mario Bros. 2 to be featured in Super Mario Bros. 3, which, upon its late 1980s release, largely adopted the look, feel, and enemies of the original Super Mario Bros..In Super Mario Bros. 3, the Bob-ombs had the addition of small wind-up keys on their backs — if the key was attacked, they would explode after a few seconds; otherwise, they would peacefully wander back and forth. Like Koopa Troopas, they could also be carried and tossed when knocked out. In later worlds, cannons on tanks and ships continuously spawned them in great quantities. Bob-ombs later were the subject of many minigames in the Mario Party series. Also, Bob-ombs and their more powerful counterparts, Rob-ombs, appeared in Super Mario RPG. In Super Mario 64, the pink Bob-omb Buddies were introduced. They were friendly with Mario, and at war with the normal black Bob-ombs and the pink bob-ombs are allies to mario. The black Bob-ombs either tried to chase Mario down and explode if they saw him, or they manned cannons and shot water blasts at him. In the game Bob-ombs can be picked up and thrown, but they'll explode if Mario holds them for too long. One of the game's boss characters was the Big Bob-omb, sporting a golden crown and an enormous mustache. He only appeared once in Super Mario 64, but twice in Super Mario 64 for the DS.

A Bob-omb from Super Mario 64.In Paper Mario, a pink Bob-omb named Bombette joined Mario and assisted him by blowing up cracks in walls. The sequel, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, also featured a Bob-omb partner, named Admiral Bobbery. The other Bob-ombs helped Mario reach the X-Nauts' moon base by launching him out of a giant cannon. The game also introduced a large enemy Bob-omb known as Bulky Bob-omb (and the more powerful counterpart, Bob-ulk). If not defeated quickly, they would explode and deal a lot of damage (obviously at the expense of their own HP).

In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Bob-omb reappears along with Lethal Bob-omb, a more powerful version. On Star Hill, in the boss battle against Commander Shroob, his fellow Support Shroobs tote around a big giant purple Bob-omb with Shroob eyes called Shroob-omb. If the Mario Bros. get struck by it when the Shroobs toss it at them, or if it rolls at them if the middle or back Support Shroob is left, another one is brought in.

In Super Mario World, some Bob-Ombs parachuted from the sky, or floated around inside bubbles.

Bob-ombs have also appeared in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, where golf balls impacting on a Bob-omb causes it to explode, sending the ball out in the opposite direction. They also have appeared in Super Smash Bros., Super Smash Bros. Melee, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Super Mario Strikers, and the Mario Party series as items.

In Super Mario Sunshine, the Bob-omb returns for a few episodes as a weapon of Monty Mole, receiving a tune-up with a more mechanical look, including the wind-up key, and simplistic feet. Their traditional face, is replaced by a digital display, which will do a countdown from three when it is about to explode.

Bob-ombs have even appeared in various Legend of Zelda games, such as The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. If you strike them with your sword once, they will run frantically around the room in a diagonal pattern, ricocheting off of walls and objects until they explode. If you manage to strike them again, they stop moving and explode.

The Bob-omb also appeared in the Super Mario Bros. film. Unlike its gaming counterpart, it was not sentient and would only move if wound up. It could also walk up walls and was immensely more powerful than in the games (so much so that the mere sight of a Bob-omb caused mass panic and even made King Koopa duck and cover). In an obvious display of product placement, Bob-omb's feet were festooned with Reebok shoes, visible for a split second before he explodes

The standard Bob-Omb.

Sub-Species

• Bulky Bob-Omb: A much stronger Bob-Omb. After 4 turns it will explode. That attack power is 8.
• Bob-Ulk: The strongest Bob-Omb. After 4 turns it will explode. That attack power is 16, so watch it!

Notable Bob-Ombs

• Admiral Bobbery - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
• King Bob-omb - Super Mario 64
• Bombette - Paper Mario
• General White - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
• Goldbob - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
• Pa-Patch - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Paper Mario Stats

HP: 3. Attack: 1, Defense: 0

Tattle: Bob-ombs are pretty temperamental, and they get steaming mad when you attack 'em. You'd better not jump on 'em when they're angry or they'll blow up in your face. In fact, stay away entirely. Attack 'em from a distance with items like Hammers. Or you could send in other things, like shells. If they attack when angry, they'll charge in and explode. So you'd better take care of them before they blow!

Paper Mario 2 Stats

Regular Bob-Omb: HP: 4, Attack: 2, Defense: 1

Bulky Bob-Omb: HP: 6, Attack: 2, Defense: 1

Bob-Ulk: HP: 10, Attack: 4, Defense: 2