Handaconda
| The Origami King enemy | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handaconda | ||||||
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| Streamers | ||||||
| Description | A set of soulless minions created by Scissors. They have no faces, no feelings, and no fear. | |||||
| HP | 200 | |||||
| Type | Normal | |||||
| Role | Boss | |||||
| Item drops | None | |||||
| Moves | Asp Grasp (12), Bopperhead (35), Cobra Throw (16) | |||||
| Location(s) | Bowser's Castle | |||||
- “Mario! Help me! I've been captured by...something! It's like a shadowy, slithering hand! This is VERY unsettling! What IS this thing?! I'm scared, Mario! Please! Help meee!”
- —Olivia, Paper Mario: The Origami King
Handaconda is a giant black papery arm created by Scissors that appears as a boss in Paper Mario: The Origami King, fought in Bowser's Castle. Its name is a play on words on "hand" and "anaconda," a snake species that typically resides in South America. Its moves are similarly named after various snake species as well.
After Mario retrieves the Key to Bowser's Castle, Handaconda snatches Olivia from him. Later, Handaconda ambushes Mario while in a hallway.
Collectible Treasure No. 111: Cutout Soldiers shows Handaconda alongside Li'l Cutout Soldiers and Big Cutout Soldiers.
Battle
During the first phase of the battle, Mario must use hammer attacks from the second-closest ring until Olivia is freed. If the Attack panel to be used is placed in the closest ring, Handaconda will simply push it away. If it is too far, Handaconda will bat away what is coming towards it; if the attack is a physical attack, it will use Asp Grasp to deal 10 damage to Mario. However, if two or more attack panels are placed on the route on the center ring, Handaconda can only flick away one panel, thus allowing Mario to attack from the closest ring.
When Handaconda attacks, if Mario is on the closest panel, it will use Bopperhead, dealing 32 damage. If not, it will instead use Cobra Throw, dealing 7-9 damage.
This is also the only battle in the game that can have two ×2 attack panels on the board at once; however, the second one has no effect if Mario passes both of them.
Additionally, due to the fact that Olivia is trapped, no Magic Circles can be used at this point in the battle. However, with each successful hit, Handaconda's grip is loosened. Once it is loose enough, Olivia is released, initiating the second phase of the battle.
Handaconda transforms the Magic Circles into Rock, Paper and Scissors icons, and all attack spaces disappear. When Mario stands on one of these spaces, he will activate the 1,000-Fold Arms and challenge Handaconda to a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, using the symbol he is standing on. If both tie, Handaconda's hand will get bigger for the next turn only. If Handaconda wins, it will attack for 24 damage (36 if hand is large) and Mario must block. If Mario wins, he initiates a rush attack with the 1,000-Fold Arms. In addition, the closer Mario is to Handaconda during Rock Paper Scissors, the more damage the rush attack will deal per hit, but the less reaction time Mario gets to block. If Mario does not end up on an icon, Handaconda will use its phase one attack pattern.
While Mario is making his path, Handaconda will show by subtle hand movements whether it will choose Rock, Paper, or Scissors, before the path is set. However, the hand sign will switch after a few moments.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 黒い手[?] Kuroi Te |
Black Hand | |
| Chinese | 黑色之手[?] Hēisè zhī shǒu |
Black Hand | |
| Dutch | Handaconda[?] | - | |
| French | Grand Cobras[?] | "Grand" (big) + pun on "cobra" and "bras" (arm) | |
| German | Handakonda[?] | Handaconda | |
| Italian | Manaconda[?] | Handaconda | |
| Korean | 검은 손[?] Geom-eun son |
Black Hand | |
| Spanish | Manaconda[?] | Handaconda |
