Monty Mole: Difference between revisions

Monty Moles (referred to as '''Gophers''' in the instruction booklet)<ref>''Super Mario Kart'' English instruction booklet, page 27.</ref> are obstacles in ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'', in [[SNES Donut Plains 2|Donut Plains 2]] and [[SNES Donut Plains 3|Donut Plains 3]]. If a racer runs into a Monty Mole, it will attach itself to the player, which causes them to slow down and drop coins. The player must hop repeatedly in order to knock the Monty Mole away. Uniquely, in Donut Plains 3, some Monty Moles can be seen jumping out of the lake.

Monty Moles (referred to under the name '''Chubby''' in the instruction booklet)<ref name="mk64manual">"''Watch out for the mole Chubby who will occasionally pop his head out!''" - ''Mario Kart 64'' English instruction booklet, page 26.</ref> appear in [[N64 Moo Moo Farm|Moo Moo Farm]] of ''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' as obstacles, hopping in and out of holes in the ground, causing both them and the racers who hit them to spin out. They appear with triangular sunglasses and tan snouts. In the Japanese version of the game, Chubbies can be hit using the [[Boo]] item like a [[Starman]], while other versions make the player go through them.

The North American and Australian instruction booklet appears to refer to Chubby in the singular form, as if it were a character,<ref name="mk64manual"/> although the Moo Moo Farm graphic shows a few red X's representing "Watch out for Chubby!", as Monty Moles are encountered in a few different parts of the course.

In ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', Monty Moles return as obstacles in both N64 Moo Moo Farm and [[DS Peach Gardens|Peach Gardens]]. This game features Monty Moles with their modern design, but their behaviors are the same as they were in ''Mario Kart 64''. In [[Mission 3-6]], the player's task is to hit five Monty Moles with [[Green Shell]]s. In this game, Rocky Wrenches look somewhat similar to Monty Moles, though their designs are not as similar as in games that came after ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''.

In ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', they appear as obstacles in [[Wii Moo Moo Meadows|Moo Moo Meadows]] as well as {{classic|DS|Peach Gardens}} and also appear as audience members in other courses. They now appear much bigger, as well as digging under the ground before jumping out. However, they are stationary obstacles in {{classic|DS|Peach Gardens}} like in previous games.

Monty Moles originally used their model from ''Super Mario 64 DS'' and ''New Super Mario Bros.'', as well as a different jumping animation for a placeholder before being completely reworked in the final game.<ref>https://tcrf.net/Mario_Kart_Wii/Unused_Course_Objects</ref>

Monty Moles only cameo in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'', where they are among the many species seen cheering in crowds in bleachers.

{{classic-link|SNES|Donut Plains 3}} and {{classic-link|Wii|Moo Moo Meadows}} return in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'', bringing along the Monty Moles with them. They now dig around for some time before popping up, leaving trails like in ''Mario Kart Wii''. The trails that the Monty Moles leave can now also be used to perform [[trick]]s. This changes the gameplay of <small>SNES</small> Donut Plains 3 from the original version in ''Super Mario Kart'' where they would attach themselves to drivers who drove into them. In said track, the Monty Moles in the lake are replaced by [[Cheep Cheep]]s, with there also being a sign with a picture of a Monty Mole on it placed by the Monty Mole area. In [[Animal Crossing]] from the [[Animal Crossing x Mario Kart 8|''Animal Crossing'' x ''Mario Kart 8'']] DLC Pack, [[Mr. Resetti]] replaces Monty Moles to fit with the theme of the course. In the third wave for the [[Booster Course Pass]] in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'', Monty Moles reappear in {{classic-link|DS|Peach Gardens}}. Unlike in the ''Mario Kart Wii'' version of the track, the Monty Moles are not stationary and rather dig around like in the other two tracks they appear in this game.

Monty Mole makes his official playable debut in the ''Mario Kart'' series in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' since the [[Flower Tour]], released on May 6, 2020. He is classified as a tour-exclusive Super character (the first Super character with this distinction) and his [[Special Item (Mario Kart series)|special item]] is the [[Mushroom Cannon]]. Starting with the [[Wild West Tour]], Monty Mole became a regular Super character while also gaining a [[Monty Mole Cup|self-named cup]] (though ironically a lot of the courses in said cup do not usually have any correlation to Monty Mole). Monty Moles also appear as obstacles in {{classic-link|GBA|Sunset Wilds|Sunset Wilds R/T}}, {{classic-link|SNES|Donut Plains 2}}, {{classic-link|SNES|Donut Plains 3}}, and [[Amsterdam Drift]] (barring the T variant), where they behave the same as in ''Mario Kart 8'' and ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'', allowing racers to perform a Jump Boost off their trails and holes.