Helmasaur

:Not to be confused with .
, also known as , and , are recurring in .
==Characteristics==
 differ in their appearances across the series, varying from n, insectoid, porcine or avian-like creatures. They wear a protective mask or helmet over their faces or front bodies, and typically charge at when they see him, often attempting to knock him over or off platforms. Their iron masks protect them from most direct attacks to the face; however, in many games their masks can be removed, often with the or similar items. As their backsides are often left exposed, they can also be attacked normally from behind. Alternately, some items, such as the or , are powerful enough to penetrate their masks' defenses.
Several have also appeared in the series that take on a similar form and wear masks that must also be destroyed to defeat them, the most notable being the , which is named after these creatures. Similar that have also appeared include the and .
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 appear as orange -like creatures wearing green masks that obscure their entire face in . They inhabit of the , specifically the , , , and . They also appear in the in . When enters their space, they immediately rush after him and will constantly pursue him around the entire area. They often appear in narrow spaces or in areas overhead pits, where they will try to knock down as they ram into him. ' masks protect them from being attacked directly with the , which will simply knock them back. Their exposed backsides, however, can be struck to defeat them, although doing so is difficult due to the enemy's constant pursuit.
 can be killed with a few other items, including throwing at them, using , shooting with the , or three strikes from the . All three are also effective against them, with the turning into . They can also be stunned using the . The masks of cannot be removed or destroyed in .
 also features a much bigger , known as the , as the of the . It also appears again in the .
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 are creatures whose faces are fully protected by steel masks in . They do not charge at , but instead slowly move at random. Their masks protects them from nearly all attacks to the face, including the ; however, their backsides are vulnerable to attack. Different from previous appearances of , these enemies can now have their masks removed by using the on them when they are facing . When their mask is removed, they become surprised and start walking much more quickly, but become completely vulnerable to all attacks from any direction. They can also be attacked with and even when they are still masked. They appear in the , and .
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 take on a much different appearance as insect-like creatures in . They come in two forms: an unmasked red version, and a green version wearing a blue mask. are hotheaded creatures that will immediately charge at when they see him, attempting to knock him off the platform they are on. Unmasked appear at the swamp crater, where they crawl along the boardwalks and attempt to shove off. Since they are unguarded, they can be freely attacked with the from any direction. 's will stun them, though only briefly. Their attacks can be blocked with a to knock them back, providing an opportunity to strike back. Masked appear in the , where their faces are protected by the masks they wear. They can either be attacked from behind or have their masks pulled off using the .
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 make no effort at charging at in , instead wandering at their own leisure with their faces covered by steel masks. can be defeated by striking their exposed backsides when they turn around, although a few other items are also effective against them. can be used to defeat them instantly even with their masks still intact. Their masks can be removed by using the on any polarity. They appear in and .
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 make no effort at charging at in , instead wandering at their own leisure with their faces covered by steel masks. As before, can be defeated by striking their exposed backsides when they turn around, although a few other items are also effective against them. can be used to defeat them instantly even with their masks still intact. Their masks can be removed by using the on them, although only when they are facing , otherwise the item will merely switch places with the enemy. They appear in the and .
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 take on the appearance of bird-like creatures wearing masks in . These blindly charge around the area and at the in a straight line. Their backsides cannot be attacked despite being exposed. They can only be defeated by using the on them, which will rip off their masks on any polarity. Once their masks are removed, the are revealed to have parrot-like faces. In this state they will no longer charge at the , but instead scamper about in alarm. They appear in the , , and , as well as the and the .
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 have an identical appearance to the bird-like of in . As before, they constantly charge around the area whenever is in close proximity. They appear in the and in other around . Unlike the of , these enemies' backsides are vulnerable and can be attacked with the when they are turned around. Their masks can be pulled off using the . can also be used to defeat them instantly.
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 appear as animals that share traits with saurians and rhinoceroses, as well as pigs, in . Instead of wearing a mask on their faces, wear a plate of spiked armor over their heads and part of their backsides. keep to themselves in small groups, but when they spot , they squeal and charge at him directly until they slam into a wall. Like previous incarnations, can be attacked from behind by striking their partially exposed behind. Once obtains the , he can use it to pull off the armor plates from and freely attack them from any angle. Their plates are notably heavy, and can be used in certain instances to hold down . Unlike past appearances, are useless in penetrating their armor. can be found in the , the , and the .
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 are closely based on those from in , appearing as orange sauropods wearing green masks. Like their previous appearance, they will charge after whenever they see him, although this time they do not make a constant effort at pursuing him and will stop attacking when moves too far away or becomes out of reach. Their masks protect them from frontal attacks, leaving only their backsides vulnerable; however, since they are frequently encountered in narrow pathways above pits, they can simply be shoved off the ledge by striking their guarded face to push them away. They appear in the .
A giant wearing a mask adorned with jewels, known as the , also appears as the of the .
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 in are based on those from . They will charge after any of the who come near them, and will usually make an active effort in pursuing them until they move too far away. As before, they can be attacked from behind. These enemies can also have their masks pulled off their faces by using the , which will expose their entire body to attack. They appear in the as well as the of the .
==Nomenclature==
The name Helmasaur is a portmanteau of "helmet", referring to its mask, and "saurian", in reference to its reptile-like shape.
 are known as in Japanese, connecting them to both (known as in Japanese) and (known as in Japanese). They share their armored head and weak backside with . Both enemies appear in the .
==Gallery==
File:MM HiploopRegular.png|An unmasked from 
File:OoS Magnetic Glove Helmasaur.png| removing the mask of a with the in 
File:ALBW Helmasaur Unmasked Model.png|An unmasked from 
File:LANS Iron Mask Model 2.png|An unmasked from 
File:HelmasaurInS.png|A from 
==See Also==
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