Monty Mole: Difference between revisions

Monty Moles make their debut ''Super Mario World'', being encountered in both [[Yoshi's Island 2]] and [[Cookie Mountain]]. Monty Moles pop out of random spots in the ground to surprise [[Mario]] or [[Luigi]] and will either chase after them persistently or just walk around and hop occasionally (though the latter behavior was not seen in future titles). Monty Moles can easily be defeated by any attack method. ''Super Mario World'' also introduced a larger variant of Monty Mole named [[Mega Mole]], which Mario or Luigi can ride on to get across obstacles. Despite this, Mega Moles can still damage Mario or Luigi. In some [[List of Super Mario World beta elements|earlier builds]] of the game, Monty Moles had slightly different digging sprites from those in the final game.

Although Monty Moles are not present in the original version of ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' (though their relative [[Rocky Wrench]] made their debut in said game), in ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', the [[Kings|king]] of [[Ice Land|Iced Land]] is turned into a Monty Mole by [[Lemmy Koopa]]. In ''Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3'', Monty Moles also appeared as enemies in the [[World-e]] level [[Ground Work]]. In this level, Monty Moles look and act like how they did in ''Super Mario World''. Additionally, some Monty Moles hide beneath [[grass|grass patches]] and are released upon the player plucking them. Like in ''Super Mario World'', Monty Moles can easily be defeated using any method of attack.

Monty Moles appear in the [[Hazy Maze Cave]] and on [[Tall, Tall Mountain]] in ''[[Super Mario 64]]'' and ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]''. In Hazy Maze Cave, Monty Moles specifically reside in the toxic maze (though they remain outside the [[toxic cloud]]), and in Tall, Tall Mountain, Monty Moles reside at the cliff area near most of the [[Red Coin]]s. Uniquely, Monty Moles now have a unique attack pattern in this game, attacking by throwing rocks at one of the characters before burrowing back down into another hole (which would later become a consistently used attack pattern seen in other games). If Mario, [[Yoshi]], Luigi, or [[Wario]] can defeat a certain number of Monty Moles, a [[1-Up Mushroom]] will appear for them to collect. Although Monty Moles retain their same behaviors in ''Super Mario 64 DS'', they would be redesigned to what would become their current design used in the franchise. Additionally, Yoshi cannot eat Monty Moles in ''Super Mario 64 DS'' (unlike in most games).

Interestingly enough, the ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' guidebook states that the Monty Moles in the Hazy Maze Cave are a family and the ones in Tall, Tall Mountain are considered their friends.<ref>''[[Super Mario 64 Official Player's Guide]]'', pages 61 and 101.</ref>

A Monty Mole, also called '''Chorobe'''<ref>Bogenn, Tim, and Doug Walsh. ''Super Mario Sunshine'' BradyGames Official Strategy Guide. Page 77.</ref> or '''cannoneer''',<ref>Versus Books ''Super Mario Sunshine'' Perfect Guide pages 66, 67, and 90</ref> appears as a boss in ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''. He appears in [[Pinna Park]] and [[Noki Bay]] at the helm of large, red, dome-shaped [[cannon (Super Mario Sunshine)|cannon]]s, which the Monty Mole uses to either fire [[Bullet Bill]]s at Mario or [[Glorpedo]]s down the cliffside of Noki Bay. When Mario approaches the Monty Mole, he stops firing and tosses [[Bob-omb]]s at him. They can be disabled using [[F.L.U.D.D.|FLUDD]], and tossing a Bob-omb at the Monty Mole three times defeats him. Both battles with the Monty Mole are almost exactly the same.

At [[Pinna Park]], the Monty Mole is found in the episode [[The Beach Cannon's Secret]] at the far end of the beach past the [[Great Sunflower]]. After Mario defeats him, he is able to jump into the cannon and access a secret course to get the [[Shine Sprite]]. A [[Pianta]] repairman replaces the Monty Mole from Episode 3 onward. In Noki Bay, the Monty Mole reappears in the [[Uncork the Waterfall]] mission, corking up the waterfall and causing the water to be polluted. After defeating the Monty Mole again, the waterfall is uncorked, flinging both the cork and the Monty Mole far away, after which Mario can collect the Shine Sprite (though the water still remains polluted in later missions).

Although Monty Moles are absent as regular enemies, the game does feature a Monty Mole operating a [[tank]] named [[Monty Tank]], who appears as the boss of the {{world-link|6|castlen|World 6-Castle (New Super Mario Bros.)|World 6-Castle}} in ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'' Monty Tank can fire [[Bullet Bill]]s and out of his tank and throw [[Bob-omb]]s as his method of attack. Mario or Luigi can defeat Monty Tank by either [[stomp]]ing the Monty Mole's head three times when he comes out to throw a Bob-omb, or by hitting him with [[fireball]]s. When jumped on, the tank will spin around and shoot many Bullet Bills and gain another turret. Interestingly enough, the model for Monty Mole used in this game (which is only used for Monty Tank) is the same model used in ''Super Mario 64 DS'', albeit with much lower quality textures.

Normal Monty Moles appear in the minigame "[[Whack-a-Monty]]," where the player has to tap as many Monty Moles as they can in a certain amount of time. The player will gain one point for each Monty Mole whacked and will lose three if they tap on Luigi. The bodies of the Monty Moles that the played has whacked will also pile up on the top screen (although if the player gets too many points, the Monty Moles on the top screen will stop piling up).

Monty Moles reappear in ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'', with the only level they appear in being [[World 5-4 (Super Mario 3D Land)|5-4]], a cave level. This is their first appearance in a 3D game where they are found outside the ground and can run. Monty Moles can be seen patrolling a small area and will damage Mario or Luigi if he gets in their way. Unlike most games however, Monty Moles do not actively chase the player and will only hurt Mario or Luigi if they are in the way of their path. Monty Moles can be defeated with either a single [[stomp]] (having a unique squished animation never seen in other games) or a [[fireball]]. A new larger Monty Mole variant known as [[Morty Mole]] also appears, appearing in [[World 5-4 (Super Mario 3D Land)|World 5-4]] and [[World 7-4 (Super Mario 3D Land)|7-4]], with them needing to be stomped twice to be defeated. A few of the cutscenes depicting Mario obtaining one of [[Princess Peach|Peach]]'s [[letter]]s feature one or two Monty Moles in the background as Mario runs to quickly save her. Unlike the Monty Moles in-game, these ones are depicted partially underground, which could possibly be a reference to their appearance in ''[[Super Mario 64]]''. A Monty Mole also makes a very brief background cameo in the photo seen from the [[World 7 (Super Mario 3D Land)|World 7]] letter.

After an absence in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'', Monty Moles once again appear in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'' and it's [[Nintendo Switch]] remake, [[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]. In this game, Monty Moles act the same as they did back in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''. Despite this, Monty Moles only appear in the levels [[Yoshi Hill]] and [[Magma-River Cruise]], though Monty Moles also appear as one of the enemies that can be summoned during [[Kamek]]'s boss battle in [[Slide Lift Tower]]. Notably, a singular Monty Mole is promonitly featured in the [[Challenge Mode (New Super Mario Bros. U)|Challenge Mode]] level [[Mole to Goal]], and its sequel, [[Mole to Goal Returns]], where the goal is to transport the Monty Mole to the [[Goal Pole]] without them getting killed. If the Monty Mole gets defeated at any point in either of these two missions, the player loses and must try again. Uniquely, the Monty Mole has a unique victory animation when the player successfully does either of the two missions, making them the only enemy in the game to have a victory animation.

Monty Moles reappear in ''[[Super Mario Maker]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS]]'' as enemies, where they function the same as previous games. In the Course Maker, they are made by shaking a [[Rocky Wrench]]. They can be placed on or inside the ground (the latter of which will make them climb up and pop out if the player gets close). They can be enlarged by a [[Super Mushroom]] or given wings (the former will make them [[big Monty Mole]]s and the latter will make them [[winged Monty Mole]]s). They can be blocked from coming out of the ground by placing an object like a [[P Switch]] on top of where they will emerge. They can be placed in [[Block]]s, [[Pipe]]s, [[Bill Blaster]]s, and on tracks. If an enemy is placed on top of a Monty Mole underground, the enemy will remain stationary until the player triggers the Monty Mole underneath. Monty Moles are also prominent in the event level [[Shaun's Mossy Mole Mischief]] and at the end of the level there is also a Monty Mole "mech" in the shape of their ''Super Mario Bros.'' style sprite made out of blocks and cannons that must be defeated.

Monty Moles reappear in ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'' as enemies, sharing the same behavior as in ''Super Mario Maker''. Monty Moles appear only in the orignal four styles and are absent from the ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'' style (likely due to them being absent from that game). Unlike in ''[[Super Mario Maker]]'', Monty Moles are now completely separate from Rocky Wrenches. The course creator [[Mischievous Mole]] could possibly be a Monty Mole, as one of his courses has Monty Moles in it. The Googoo Onesie [[Mii]] outfit also depicts the ''Super Mario World'' Monty Mole sprite on the bib.

Although Monty Moles never appeared in the original ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', they do make a small appearance in ''[[Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.]]''  Monty Moles only appear in the clock mode around the hour of either 7:00 AM or 7:00 PM, where they reuse their ''[[Super Mario World]]'' sprite. The Monty Moles behave somewhat differently compared to other ''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' titles, as they repeatedly pop out of the ground and walk around before burrowing back into the ground, repeating the cycle indefinitely unless defeated. [[Mario]] can also be able to occasionally jump on the Monty Moles to defeat them just like in past titles.

Monty Moles (referred to as '''Gophers''' in the instruction booklet)<ref>''Super Mario Kart'' English instruction booklet, page 27</ref> reappear in ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'' as hazards found in [[SNES Donut Plains 2|Donut Plains 2]] and [[SNES Donut Plains 3|Donut Plains 3]]. If a racer drives into a Monty Mole, the Monty Mole will attach itself to the racer, which causes the racer to slow down and drop coins. The racer 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> though other sources generically refer to them as just '''Moles''' or '''Gophers''') reappear in ''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' as obstacles in [[N64 Moo Moo Farm|Moo Moo Farm]]. They are designed with triangular sunglasses and tan snouts in this game (somewhat similar to the Monty Mole design seen in the ''Super Mario World'' artwork). The moles act like how they did in ''Super Mario Kart'', where they hop in and out of holes in the ground. However, instead of the moles latching onto the racer, they will instead cause the racer who to spin out (alongside themselves). In the Japanese version of the game, the moles can be hit using the [[Boo]] item like a [[Starman]]. However, this does not apply in the other versions of ''Mario Kart 64'', since using the boo item in other versions of the game makes the racer phase through the moles.

In ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', Monty Moles return as obstacles in [[Peach Gardens]], as well as the returning {{classic|N64|Moo Moo Farm}}. 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]], [[Luigi]] is task to hit five Monty Moles with [[Green Shell]]s in {{classic|N64|Moo Moo Farm}}. In this game, Rocky Wrenches look somewhat similar to Monty Moles, though their designs are not as similar as in the later games that came after ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''.

In ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', Monty Moles appear as obstacles in [[Moo Moo Meadows]], as well as returning in {{classic|DS|Peach Gardens}}. Monty Moles also appear as audience members in other courses as well. Monty Moles are now depicted much bigger than in previous games, as well as now being able to dig under the ground before jumping out. However, Monty Moles are still 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 having a different jumping animation as a placeholder. This unused model and animation for Monty Mole was likely used as just placeholder before making the final model and animations.<ref>https://tcrf.net/Mario_Kart_Wii/Unused_Course_Objects</ref>

Monty Moles only make a cameo in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'', where they are among the many species seen cheering in crowds in various courses, similar to what Monty Moles did in some courses from ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''. Additionally, Monty Mole's voice clips from ''Mario Kart Wii'' are reused for their relative, Rocky Wrench.

In ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and its [[Nintendo Switch]] remake, ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'', Monty Moles return as obstacles in both {{classic-link|SNES|Donut Plains 3}} and {{classic-link|Wii|Moo Moo Meadows}}. Monty Moles now dig around for some time before popping up like in ''Mario Kart Wii''. However, the trails that the Monty Moles leave can now also be used to perform [[trick]]s. In {{classic|SNES|Donut Plains 3}}, the Monty Moles in the lake are now replaced by [[Cheep Cheep]]s. {{classic|SNES|Donut Plains 3}} now also has a sign with a picture of a Monty Mole on it being 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|DS|Peach Gardens}}. Unlike in the ''Mario Kart Wii'' version of Peach Gardens, the Monty Moles are not stationary and rather dig around to match the other tracks that Monty Moles appeared in ''Mario Kart 8''. Monty Moles would also reappear as obstacles in {{classic-link|Tour|Amsterdam Drift}}, from the fourth wave of the Booster Course Pass.

Monty Mole would make his official playable debut in the ''Mario Kart'' series (and fifth overall playable appearance) in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' since the [[Flower Tour]], released on May 6, [[2020]]. Monty Mole 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 reappear 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. Interestingly enough, the Monty Moles that appear as obstacles in this game are much bigger than the playable Monty Mole. Additionally, a [[Mii Racing Suit]] based on Monty Mole would be released during the [[Mario vs. Luigi Tour (2023)|third Mario vs. Luigi Tour]].

Monty Moles appear in the ''CD-ROM Deluxe'' version of ''[[Mario is Missing!]]'' They can be called on occasion and can be asked questions about the country Luigi is in. Upon answering all of the questions correctly, he gives money from the mayor as a token of appreciation and encourages Luigi to find Mario. This is one of the few times Monty Moles are fully voice-acted.

In ''[[Hotel Mario]]'', Monty Moles appear mostly in [[Larry's Chillton Hotel]], though they also appear in [[Bowser's Seizures Palace Hotel]]. They dig out of the thin floors and then start sliding towards Mario. They will hit the wall, get dizzy for a moment, and then proceed with their antics again.

Monty Moles (referred to as '''Chubbies''' in the cast credits) appear in ''[[Game & Watch Gallery]]'', in which they appear in the Modern version of ''[[Manhole (Game & Watch)|Manhole]]''. They usually pop up on occasion to throw a [[1-UP Heart|heart]] at Yoshi. Monty Mole being named Chubby in this game could possibly be a reference to the American and Australian ''Mario Kart 64'' instruction booklet referring to a Monty Mole as Chubby.

Monty Moles reappear in ''[[Game & Watch Gallery 2]]'', in which they appear in the Modern version of ''[[Vermin]]''. They appear when the player earns 200, 500, and 700 [[point]]s. When the Monty Moles appear, they throw a heart which Yoshi can smash to restore a third of the damage done to the [[Yoshi Egg]]s. Monty Mole's behavior is similar to what they did in the previous game.

In ''[[Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)|Mario Golf]]'' for the [[Nintendo 64]], if the player successfully putts the ball into the [[hole]] from a long distance and scores under par, a Monty Mole may pop out of the hole (using their ''[[Super Mario 64]]'' design in this game). The name "Monty Mole" may also appear on the scoreboard.

In ''[[Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour]]'', Monty Mole's name can sometimes be seen on the tournament board. Despite this, Monty Moles themselves do not physically appear in this game.

In ''[[Mario Golf: Advance Tour]]'', a Monty Mole appears in [[Links Course|Links Club Practice Center]]. The player must shoot three shots at the Monty Mole in order to defeat them. Each time the Monty Mole gets hit, they will move to another spot in the map. If the player misses hitting the Monty Mole even once, the Monty Mole will return back to the place it came from and the player must hit them three times again. Once the Monty Mole is defeated after getting hit three times, they will drop a [[Super Drink]].

Monty Moles reappear once again in ''[[Mario Golf: World Tour]]'', with most of the Monty Moles appearing in the [[Castle Club]] mode as NPC characters. Two Monty Moles also appear in Hole 7 of [[Wiggler Park]], with the Monty Moles digging underground if they get hit by the ball. Due to the player being much smaller in Wiggler Park, the Monty Moles appear much bigger than they actually are. Monty Mole's name can also appear on the tournament scoreboard.