Gotchawrench
| Gotchawrench | |
|---|---|
 Artwork of the three types of Gotchawrench in VS. Wrecking Crew, from the game's instruction card | |
| First appearance | VS. Wrecking Crew (1984) |
| Latest appearance | Arcade Archives: VS. Wrecking Crew (2020) |
A Gotchawrench,[1][2] also written as Gotcha Wrench[3] and referred generically to as a monster,[4] is a living metal wrench found in the Wrecking Crew series. It has huge teeth to attack, and legs to help it walk around.
History[edit]
Wrecking Crew series[edit]
VS. Wrecking Crew[edit]
Gotchawrenches first appear in VS. Wrecking Crew as nameless enemies, where they are among the only major enemy obstacles. They appear much as they do in the subsequent console game but do not actively hunt Mario. Red ones move slowly while purple ones, introduced in Phase 3 in the Japanese version and Phase 5 in the US version, are quick. In Japan, the two types are found together only in Phases 7 to 10. They will almost always use the nearest ladder they come across. Gotchawrenches will transit between the foreground and background screens through opened doors in their path. A Gotchawrench on the opposite screen appears as a harmless silhouette.
Starting in Phase 11 of the Japanese version, red ones are replaced by a hatchet-like variant that behaves the same. This variation is entirely exclusive to VS. Wrecking Crew and is not present in any later-released Wrecking Crew titles. In the US version, the hatchet type debuts in Phase 13 as the slowest enemy. In Phase 15, all three types appear on the stage.
Wrecking Crew[edit]
Gotchawrenches reappear in the NES game Wrecking Crew, starting from Phase 1. They actively chase Mario around the construction site. They come in two colors, purple (Gotchawrench) and red (Gotchawrench Jr.[5], which moves more slowly). They can be permanently trapped with drums.
Wrecking Crew '98[edit]
Gotchawrench is the third challenger in Wrecking Crew '98. Gotchawrench is purple and unlike the previous game, it has arms. It also appears in the port of the NES version.
WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase[edit]
Two red Gotchawrenches must be defeated as they climb down a wall ladder in the WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase microgame Wreck. Crew.
Other appearances[edit]
In the NES Remix series, Gotchawrenches appear in several Wrecking Crew challenges in NES Remix and its compilation NES Remix Pack.
Profiles and statistics[edit]
Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten[edit]
| スパナゴン (JP) / Gotchawrench (EN) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Original text (Japanese) | Translation | ||
| メカ |
Tribe | Mecha clan | |
| しつこい | Disposition | Persistent | |
| クルー | Game appearances | Crew | |
| しつこいスパナの レッキングクルーで、マリオをしつこくつけまわすスパナの |
A persistent spanner in the works In Wrecking Crew, these spanner monsters pester Mario. There are two types, red and purple, and they are used to mess with Mario's demolition work. They are unique characters typical of a construction site. | ||
Gallery[edit]
VS. Wrecking Crew, Japanese flyer
VS. Wrecking Crew hatchet version, from Japanese flyer
VS. Wrecking Crew hatchet version, from Japanese flyer
In-game screenshot of hatchet version, VS. Wrecking Crew
Wrecking Crew
Wrecking Crew
Wrecking Crew
Wrecking Crew
Names in other languages[edit]
Gotchawrench[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | スパナゴン[6] Supanagon |
A portmanteau of「スパナ」(supana, "spanner") and「ドラゴン」(doragon, "dragon") | |
| スパナゴン２[7] Supanagon 2 |
Gotchawrench 2 | ||
| French | Pince-Monseigneur[8] | Crowbar | |
| Italian | Mostro[9][10] | Monster |
Gotchawrench Jr.[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | スパナゴン１[7] Supanagon 1 |
Gotchawrench 1 | |
| French | Pince-Monseigneur Jr[8] | Crowbar Jr. |
References[edit]
- ^ Wrecking Crew back of NES box. "You’ll have hours of fun demolishing monsters like Gotchawrench and Eggplant Man, and blowing up a building you built yourself, in this off-the-wall demolition game!"
- ^ Wrecking Crew NES instruction booklet. Pages 5 and 8.
- ^ Wrecking Crew NES instruction booklet. Page 2.
- ^ Arcade Archives VS. Wrecking Crew in-game manual. Pages 4 and 7.
- ^ Wrecking Crew NES instruction booklet. Page 5.
- ^ a b Shogakukan. 1994.「パーフェクト版 マリオキャラクター大事典」 (Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten). Page 98.
- ^ a b Wrecking Crew Famicom instruction booklet. Page 4.
- ^ a b Wrecking Crew French instruction booklet. Page 23.
- ^ Wrecking Crew, Italian e-manual
- ^ Arcade Archives VS: Wrecking Crew, in-game manual
| VS. Wrecking Crew / Wrecking Crew | |
|---|---|
| Characters | Mario • Luigi |
| Items and objects | Coin • Door • Druma • Dynamite • Floor • Golden Hammera • Ladder (Ladder wall) • Lettera • Pillara • Wall |
| Enemies | Eggplant Mana • Fireball • Foreman Spikea • Gotchawrench |
| Phases | VS. Wrecking Crew • Wrecking Crewa |
| Wrecking Crew '98 | |
|---|---|
| Characters | Mario • Eggplant Man • Koopa Troopa • Gotchawrench • Foreman Spike • Bowser • Princess Peach • Luigi • Onigiri • Onnanoko • Oyazi • Dogu |
| Enemies | Forkun • Blonya • Buruccho • Burnya • Dumpty • Jenya • Kanbank • Guruccho • Gata Gata • Poles • U Dokun |
| Objects | Floor • Handle • Panels (Block • Bomb) • Warp Pipe |
| Miscellaneous | Staff |
