Star Thwomp

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Not to be confused with Big Thwomp, also referred to as Super Thwomp.
Star Thwomp
A Super Thwomp in Mario Kart 8
Screenshot from Mario Kart 8
First appearance Super Mario Kart (1992)
Latest appearance Mario Kart Tour (2019)
Variant of Thwomp

Star Thwomps, originally known as Super Thwomps,[1][2] and previously known simply as Thwomps,[3] are shiny counterparts of Thwomps appearing in the Mario Kart series only, specifically SNES Rainbow Road.

History

Super Mario Kart

Rainbow Road
Donkey Kong Jr. approaching some Super Thwomps on Rainbow Road in Super Mario Kart

Super Thwomps first appear in Super Mario Kart on Rainbow Road where they act like regular Thwomps, though these Thwomps glow and spin racers out if they run into them, unlike normal Thwomps. There are sixteen of them, divided in four groups of four each, located after the first two ramps (two on each side), on the narrow straight after the next three ramps (two on the left side, then two on the right side), within the forked road (two per side), and before the finish line (in the center).

Mario Kart 7

SNES Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 7
Mario performing a trick between some Super Thwomps on SNES Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 7

Super Thwomps reappear in Mario Kart 7, with the return of SNES Rainbow Road as a retro track. Like before, they behave like normal Thwomps, but using their modern spiked appearance from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, albeit with a more intense rainbow design, rather than the blunt one used by the Thwomps on Bowser's Castle. Once again, racers flip if they run into them. Due to their bigger size, they appear in lesser numbers, from sixteen to seven (one Thwomp stands in for every two originally present, though the second quartet is replaced with just one); they also cause the track to wave when they slam the ground, allowing racers to use them for tricks.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

SNES Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 8 - The Legend of Zelda × Mario Kart 8.
Link near a couple of Star Thwomps on SNES Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 8

In Mario Kart 8, Star Thwomps once again appear on SNES Rainbow Road included in the first downloadable content pack. Unlike Mario Kart 7, they are based upon their Super Mario Galaxy design, much like the Thwomps in Thwomp Ruins, though they still flip racers on contact. Along with the SNES Rainbow Road course, these Thwomps reappear in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as part of the game's base content.

Mario Kart Tour

SNES Rainbow Road
Star Thwomps in SNES Rainbow Road from Mario Kart Tour

Star Thwomps return in Mario Kart Tour with their Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe appearance. They are found on SNES Rainbow Road, RMX Rainbow Road 1, RMX Rainbow Road 2, and Wii Rainbow Road R/T, functioning in the same manner as in previous installments. They are also featured as obstacles in the Glider Challenge of SNES Rainbow Road and are the main obstacles in the Steer Clear of Obstacles bonus challenge of 3DS Rainbow Road, where they stay still or move horizontally as well. Star Thwomps have also appeared in bonus challenges outside of Rainbow Road courses, namely the Steer Clear of Obstacles bonus challenge set in GBA Bowser's Castle 1 and the Glider Challenge set at SNES Mario Circuit 3.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese スーパードッスン[4]
Sūpā Dossun
Super Thwomp Super Mario Kart
スタードッスン[5][6]
Sutā Dossun
Star Thwomp Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Kart Tour
Chinese 星星咚咚[6]
Xīngxīng Dōngdōng
Star Thwomp
French (NOE) Thwomp étoile[6] Star Thwomp
German Stern-Steinblock[7] Star Thwomp Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Sternensteinblock[6] Mario Kart Tour
Italian Twomp stella[8][6] Star Thwomp
Korean 스타쿵쿵[6]
Seuta Kungkung
Star Thwomp
Portuguese (NOA) Tumbo estrela[6] Star Thwomp
Spanish (NOA) Don Pisotón Estelar[6] Stellar Thwomp
Spanish (NOE) Roca Picuda Estelar[6] Stellar Thwomp

References

  1. ^ "SUPER THWOMPS: You don’t want to get caught beneath a Super Thwomp when it comes crashing down. Plan your approach early to avoid swerving." – von Esmarch, Nick (December 4, 2011). Mario Kart 7 PRIMA Official Game Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-307-89384-0. Page 162.
  2. ^ Playing With Super Power: Nintendo Super NES Classics eGuide, Super Mario Kart Notable Foes Tab.
  3. ^ "Thwomps: Aside from a completely borderless track, Thwomps are the only hazard you’ll have to look out for, but what a hazard they are! Doing what Thwomps do, these stony behemoths will smash down onto the track at regular intervals. When they do, a large portion of the track near them ripples, causing your kart to bounce and potentially lose control. Not only that, but if these things come down on top of you, you’ll be little more than Nintendo-themed paper." – Epstein, Joe, Garitt Rocha, and Alexander Musa (April 28, 2017). Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Official Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 9780744018400. Page 203.
  4. ^ Nintendo Official Guidebook of Super Mario Kart. Page 107.
  5. ^ Nintendo. 【マリオカート8 デラックス】更新データの内容を教えてください。. Nintendo (Japanese). Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Displayed as an action in Mario Kart Tour
  7. ^ "Ein Problem wurde behoben, durch das der Spieler nach der Kollision mit einem Stern-Steinblock nicht mehr weiterfahren konnte." – June 26, 2018. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Update-Verlauf. Nintendo.com (German). Retrieved July 7. 2024.
  8. ^ "Risolto un problema per cui il giocatore non poteva più procedere dopo una collisione con un Twomp stella." – June 26, 2018. Cronologia degli aggiornamenti di Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Nintendo.com (Italian). Retrieved Octobe 11, 2024.