Koopa tropa

**Koopa Troopas** (often shortened to plain **Koopas** and occasionally to **Troopas**, Japanese ノコノコ *Nokonoko*) are common enemies in the *Mario* series. While some are peaceful, Koopa Troopas are usually displayed as foot soldiers of the Koopa Troop under the direct leadership of Bowser. They typically have no special offensive abilities like Hammer Bros. or Lakitus. Throughout the *Mario* series, Koopa Troopas have appeared as both quadrupedal creatures (four legged) and bipedal (walking on two legs). Since their debut in *Super Mario Bros.*, Koopa Troopas have appeared in almost every game, usually as enemies, but also as playable characters in numerous spin-offs. They are also partners for Mario in the first two *Paper Mario* games.

## Physical appearance and traits

Koopa Troopas are tortoise-like creatures with removable shells. In general, they have basic appearances compared to other Koopa species. They have elliptical beady eyes, large beak-like noses, short limbs and large heads. Their hands have four pointed/triangular shaped digits (excluding the Paper Mario series where in-game their fingers are not) and have three pointed toes on their flat-soled feet, which unlike other Koopa species, have no pads at all. In earlier games, Koopa Troopas were quadrupedal (walking on four legs), had flatter noses and detailed leg joints. Starting from Super Mario World onwards, they now stand on two legs, have more rounded noses and wear shoes with beige soles that often match the color of the shells they wear (in the Super Mario Galaxy series, however, they revert back to walking on four legs and have four toes on their back legs). Having beaks, Koopa Troopas have no teeth compared to other species, but may be drawn with them for expression purposes (although their conceptual ancestor, Shellcreepers, have them).

Although most Koopa Troopas are affiliated with Bowser, they seem to be cheerful and friendly creatures intent on doing their job.

Koopa Troopas generally have yellow scales, but in earlier games had orange. Some Koopa Troopas can have olive green, peach and even cyan scales. In Super Mario Strikers, the color of their scales would change depending on with team they were on: salmon for Mario's, chalky yellow for Luigi's, peach for Waluigi's, and orange for Daisy's. In Super Mario Party, Red Koopa Troopas' scales have an orange tint from the playable Koopa Troopa.

A Koopa Troopa's shell consists of a carapace with colored, hexagon-shaped scutes in a pattern on the top, with smaller, triangular ones at the edges, with dark flesh underneath that appear as "grooves"; a beige colored plaston with several "ribs" on its surface and six holes on it where the Koopa Troopa's head, arms, legs and tail emerge from; all joined by a white bridge that follows along the perimeter of the shell and rises at the spots where the Koopa Troopa's head and tail are. Despite having large heads, Koopa Troopas can pull them into their shells with little effort. In Puzzles and Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, Mario Kart 8, and Mario Kart Tour, a Koopa Troopa can withdraw into its shell and pop back out in mid-air. Underneath their shells, they wear white undershirts (in Super Mario 64 and its remake Super Mario 64 DS also wear pink or blue shorts, respectively) and have round bodies.

From Super Mario 64 onwards, Koopa Troopas have been given voices created electronically, starting with whooping sounds (which were also shared with Goombas, Big Goombas and King Bob-omb, with varying speeds, until the sounds were exclusive to Koopa Troopas in later games), then other noises such as wheezing, clucking, and gurgling. In Mario Kart 8, they were also given high-pitched whistling sounds whenever performing an antigravity trick or placing first.

Green Koopa Troopas are specifically given an association with water in games such as Mario Power Tennis and Puzzles and Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, since their Offensive and Defensive Power Shots in the former game involve water, and in the latter game their attribute is Water. In Puzzles and Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, Red Koopa Troopas have fire as their attribute, while Yellow Koopa Troopas have light.