Mega Mole

“いいなあ…あっしと同じ 種族なのに でっかくて 迫力あって… (How lucky... It's the same species as me, but it's bigger and more powerful...)”

—Monty Mole, Super Mario 4koma Manga Theater

Mega Moles are overgrown Monty Moles that are impervious to many attacks. They act in charge of the other Monty Moles, and are depicted to have poor eyesight.

History

Super Mario World / Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2

In Super Mario World and its remake, Mega Moles are exclusively found underground, appearing in Chocolate Island 4, Valley of Bowser 1 and Valley of Bowser 2. They are invulnerable to Mario and Luigi's jump or Spin Jump moves as well as Fire Mario or Luigi's fireballs, but can be defeated by using Caped Mario or Luigi's spinning attack, a Super Star, a Grab Block, or a Shell. Like other enemies, they are also immune to hazards such as Munchers and spikes. Standing on a Mega Mole's head is not a danger by itself, and will allow Mario or Luigi to ride it. Unlike regular Monty Moles, they do not pop out of holes in the ground. Despite their size, they can be eaten and swallowed by Yoshi. While most enemies merely result in the loss of Yoshi when getting hit by them, a few others, including Mega Moles, both hurt Mario and force Yoshi to run away. In the remake, if Yoshi eats a Mega Mole and spits it out while Luigi is riding him, a unique sprite of it facing the screen (thus resembling Monty Mole's jumping sprite) can be seen as it rolls along the ground.

Super Mario Kodansha manga

Several Mega Moles in Valley of Bowser 1 seen in the third Super Mario World volume

Mega Moles appear in several volumes in the Super Mario Kodansha manga.

Mega Moles first appear in the third Super Mario World volume, when Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi fall onto an enlarged Mega Mole trapped in a cage made out of ! Blocks. They proceed to travel through Valley of Bowser 1 shortly after Yoshi eats it. Yoshi is soon left behind, where he discovers three Mega Moles and tries to warn Mario, Luigi, and Peach about them. Mario and Luigi attempt to attack the Mega Moles, but they are immune to their attacks. They try jumping over them, but land onto the Mega Moles' heads and eventually defeat them.

The Mega Mole seen in the sixth Super Mario World volume

In the fourth Super Mario World volume, Larry Koopa commands two Mega Moles to attack Mario and his friends. However, Luigi quickly digs a hole that the Mega Moles fall into due to their poor eyesight.

In the sixth Super Mario World volume, a Mega Mole appears as the main antagonist of the first chapter. Mario and Yoshi investigate a Mega Mole who stole a Golden Mushroom to fund their mining tunnel. The Mega Mole and their Monty Mole minions use a Bowser-shaped chariot and a Wiggler-shaped cargo vehicle to drill through the interrogation cell to attack everyone, but are defeated by Mario and Yoshi. The Golden Mushroom is then returned to the museum where it came from.

Although no normal Mega Moles appear in the seventh Super Mario World volume, a Bowser-created kaiju Mega Mole known as Chitei Kaijū Indy appears.

The Mega Mole temple in the Pū Tairiku from the third Super Mario Kart volume

In the Yoshi volume, a Mega Mole with a Monty Mole on top of it can be seen collecting flyers for Yossy's Pizza.

In the first Super Mario Kart volume, a Mega Mole holding a wrench can be seen among the Monty Moles in the crowd which stole Mario's engine.

In the second Super Mario Kart volume, a Mega Mole can be seen among a crowd of enemies that attempt to get on a ship.

Artwork of a Mega Mole family in the second 4koma volume

In the third Super Mario Kart volume, the inner temple that is located in the Pū Tairiku is shaped like a Mega Mole.

In the Super Mario Bros. 2 volume, a Mega Mole makes a background cameo attending Wart's party.

In the first 4koma volume, a Mega Mole appears in the beginning of the "GO! GO! Mario Paint ~Part 3~" (GO! GO! マリオペイント ~その③~) story, in which they sing karaoke alongside a Monty Mole and Donkey Kong Jr., as well as watching an anime with everyone.

A Mega Mole family appear in the second 4koma volume, having different sizes and different color shades. The family also appears throughout a few of the pages. In the "Videos Now on Sale" (ビデオ発売中) strip, Mario can be seen holding a small Mega Mole with him saying,「モグラはダメ?」("Moles aren't good?"). In the "Lala~lalalalala~la~" (ララ~ラララララ~ラ~) strip, Mario wins several small Mega Moles from a crane game. Yoshi then becomes jealous that Mario likes the moles better then him, proceeding to put on a Mega Mole disguise and begins crying for not being as loved anymore. In the "Let's Give Flowers ♡" (花をめしませ♡) strip, a Mega Mole receives a large bouquet from Mario. In the "Mole" (もぐら) strip, Mario tells Yoshi that he has become great friends with the Mega Mole, stating that he will be now riding the Mega Mole from now on before the Mega Mole digs underground with Mario on it.

Super Mario 4koma Manga Theater

The "Big Heads Have Little Wit" strip, in the second volume

Mega Moles appear frequently in Super Mario 4koma Manga Theater.

Although Mega Moles do not physically appear in volume 1, Mega Moles are briefly mentioned in Monty Mole's description like other Monty Mole descriptions.

Mega Moles make their first physical appearance in volume 2, in the "Big Heads Have Little Wit" (大男総身に知恵が回りかね) strip, where a Mega Mole asks what a Monty Mole is doing. The Monty Mole claims that it is waiting for Mario in order to ambush him. As the Mega Mole leaves, the Monty Mole comments on how the Mega Mole is a more powerful and bigger species than it, who fails to notice Mario riding it.

Super Mario-kun

The friendly Mega Mole in volume 1 of Super Mario-kun

Mega Moles appear throughout the first nine volumes of Super Mario-kun.

A friendly Mega Mole has a major role in the ninth chapter of volume 1. Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi land on top of the Mega Mole after Yoshi eats the underground map. The Mega Mole tells them that he was left behind by his co-workers. The Mega Mole then falls into a pond, but Mario is able to use his Frog Suit and a Power Balloon to help carry the Mega Mole out of the water. The Mega Mole then leads Mario and his friends through a cave to find the exit, stumbling across a Skull Raft. They use it cross the lava until a Blargg comes, explaining that they were sent to kill the Mega Mole for betraying the Koopa Troop. After the Blarrg attacks Mario and his friends, the Mega Mole jumps into the Blargg's mouth, clogging it. As the Blargg retreats into the lava, the Mega Mole re-emerges shortly after with the Blargg attached to its head.

In a Mario Paint-themed chapter from volume 5, Lemmy Koopa is able to make a crudely drawn version of Mega Mole as well as other Mario enemies using the SNES Mouse before they are quickly defeated by Mario and Yoshi.

A Mega Mole being thrown by Mario in volume 7

In volume 6, a Sphinx fusion of various enemies named Sphinx Zō has Mega Mole paws.

A Mega Mole driving a kart working for Bowser has a major role in a later chapter in volume 6. When Mario and his friends go through an ice area, they come across The Mega Mole accidentally breaking the ice underneath them before Lakitu picks up the Mega Mole out of the ice before driving towards Mario. After a brief scuffle with Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi, the Mega Mole is buried in a snow sculpture of itself by the trio.

A Mega Mole appears in volume 7, in which it blocks Mario and Yoshi's path telling them to give up their oseibo (a year-end gift). Mario then picks up the Mega Mole (referencing Super Mario Bros. 2) and throws it at Yoshi.

Although normal Mega Moles do not appear in volume 9, a Venus Fire Trap-Mega Mole fusion known as Pakkun Mogura is seen as the main antagonist of the second chapter.

Nintendo Adventure Books

In the Nintendo Adventure Book Dinosaur Dilemma, if Mario offers a basket of apples to Yoshi and some dinosaurs he finds near Lake Trilobite, a Mega Mole will burst out of the dinosaur costume seizing Mario's sleeve. The other dinosaurs (including Yoshi) will turn out to be Mega Moles in disguise, and will surround Mario after removing their costumes, they proceed to eat Mario offscreen which leads to a Game Over. Some more Mega Moles can be encountered the basement of a decrepit mansion, where two furry objects can be seen in the distance blocking the exit sign. If Mario goes deeper in the cellar, he meets three more Mega Moles that sniff him before biting him and chasing Mario, attempting to eat him. If Mario chose the right path, he remembers that Mega Moles have poor eyesight and steps out the way making the Mega Moles go by as he escapes. Choosing the wrong path will lead to a Game Over, when Mario blindly falls into a watery pit inhabited by a Blargg.

Some Mega Moles appear among the crowds at the International Dino-Flying Derby in Flown the Koopa, and eye Mario and his friends hungrily when the show ends. Later in the swamp, if Mario and Luigi don some Mega Mole costumes (which are covered with matted gray fur), six real ones will approach the two with gifts. After "befriending" the Mega Moles by singing old plumbing songs and exchanging cookie recipes, Mario and Luigi have a plan to go in their cave and load up on supplies, before bursting through the castle with the help of the Mega Moles. Once they arrive at the Mega Moles' cave lair, the Mega Moles continue stuffing the plumbers with food, before weighing them down with "gifts". Mario then looks at the books before grabbing a book called Mega Moles In The Mist by Diane Flossy. As the Mario Bros. realize that the Mega Moles brought other people to their lair, trapping them, Mario realizes his fate before finishing the book, leading to a Game Over. Finally, another group of Mega Moles will attack Mario and Luigi, causing a Game Over, if they decide to explore a dark portion of Magikoopa's Fortress with a flashlight, which quickly dies on them since the Mega Moles can see very well in the dark.

In Unjust Desserts, some Mega Moles are shrunk by Magikoopa, and sent into Yoshi's body after Mario, though the hero never encounters any inside the dinosaur, just in the palace garden when he and all the creatures Yoshi and Luigi had eaten are spat up by them.

Super Mario Adventures

In Super Mario Adventures, multiple Mega Moles seen wearing blue tuxedos can be seen attending Bowser's wedding in the penultimate issue.

Mario Family

Artwork

Sprite

A Mega Mole in Mario Family

A Mega Mole appears in Mario Family, as one of the sewing designs.

Mario Strikers Charged

Mega Mole hieroglyphics seen in Mario Strikers Charged

In Mario Strikers Charged, the sprites for Mega Moles seen in Super Mario World can be seen on the pillars in The Sand Tomb.

Other appearances

Mega Moles appeared in a Mario-themed Kirin Lemon commercial, being much smaller then they are normally. When Yoshi eats one of the Mega Moles, he spits fire, which does not happen in Super Mario World.

Profiles and statistics

Super Mario series

Super Mario World

• Mario Mania: "Mega Mole may have bad eyesight, but his Mario-seeking radar is keen. Mario can actually put him to good use: hop right on and hitch a ride."

Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2

• Prima Games: "Large versions of Monty Moles, these guys are fast for their size, but they don’t jump out of the ground at you."

Gallery

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  Super Mario World

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  Japanese commercial for the Nintendo Entertainment System version of Wario's Woods

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  Artwork from Super Mario Zen Hyakka

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  Super Mario Story Quiz Picture Book 2: Mario's Sports Day

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  Artwork used for a Mario puzzle.

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  Artwork used for a Mario puzzle.

• 1993 NCM sizechartC.png

  Size chart for a 1993 Nintendo Character Manual

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  Super Mario-kun (volume 7)

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  A Mario Quiz Card that uses Mega Mole artwork

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  Several Super Mario World enemies in a Japanese tweet celebrating the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	インディー Indī	Indy
Chinese	大鼹鼠[?] Dà Yǎnshǔ	Big Mole
German	Riesen-Monty Mega Monty[?]	Giant Monty (Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2) Mega Monty (Super Mario World, Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia)
Italian	Mega Tantatalpa	Mega Monty Mole
Spanish	Megatopo[?]	Mega Mole

Trivia

• In Super Mario 64 source assets, Monty Mole's model is internally labeled "indy" and has its size set to 25% of the base model when implemented in-game, indicating the original intent for them was to be Mega Moles.
• Mega Moles are confirmed to be eight feet tall in Flown The Koopa, though they are around the same height as Mario in Super Mario World and on the size chart for the 1993 Nintendo Character Manual.
• The Presenters in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga look similar to Mega Moles.