History Main / TheGoomba

** The lowly Zombieman is incredibly weak. Aside from having only 20 HP, they're solely armed with a rifle that behaves like the player's pistol- but is horrifically inaccurate, meaning that Zombiemen can only really hit the player by blind luck.
** Shotgun Guys are more dangerous- their shotguns are still much weaker than the player's, but they're essentially making three Zombieman attacks at once with the same accuracy, tripling their chance to hit. They also have slightly more health.

** Octoroks in the original ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaI'' and many of the handheld games have no defense, are generally slow moving, and occasionally spit rocks so that the player can learn what Link's shield is for. In most 3D Zelda games they're a somewhat stronger enemy that spits projectiles and hides when Link approaches, forcing players to learn how to use the shield and targeting to reflect their attacks back at them. This makes them closer to the role zora enemies tend to play in the 2D games.
** ''Videogame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'' has Bits (red jelly monsters that inch towards Link) and Bots (blue jelly monsters that inch towards Link and occasionally jump a bit). Despite being stronger, Bots are far more common and are found constantly throughout the game.

* The first enemies encountered in ''Videogame/BattleAxe'' are low-ranked goblins who literally ''bursts'' into a geyser of bloodied chunks with a single scratch from your weapon.

* The basic Primids from the Subspace Emissary in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Brawl''.

* ''Videogame/{{Borderlands}}'' has Psychos, who are screaming lunatics with low health who run at you while brandishing axes. They are typically no threat to the player and are very easy to take down, though they also come in different varieties, such as the [[ActionBomb Suicide Psycho]] or the [[EliteMooks Badass Psychos]].

* ''CircleMUD'' had the 'beastly fido', which almost all of it's inheritors kept.

* In ''Videogame/{{EverQuest}}'', your choice of home city decides whether your Goomba is going to be gnoll pups, orc pawns, kobold runts, goblin whelps, or lizardman hatchlings - but they're all the same as far as combat goes - more aggressive than the local wildlife, but weak enough to be soloed even by an unskilled player.

* ''VideoGame/{{Claw}}'' has, quite amusingly, Officers for those. (Soldiers are not very powerful either, but they have a ranged attack and can even qualify as {{Goddamned Bats}}) They can't block, take only one normal hit to die(one and a crouch in second level) and have a reaction time before they attack you ([[CallingYourAttacks they really need to yell that "En Garde!" at you]]) which gives a player enough time to clock their face with a [[CriticalHit satisfying uppercut]] with impunity.

* Runaway Dogs, Coil Snakes and Spiteful Crows in ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}''.

* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' has the Hollow Warriors in the Undead Burg. Easy to fight with their predictable movesets and large openings, they are nonetheless dangerous in groups.

** The fourth game, ''[[Videogame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam Dream Team]]'', features Grombas as the weakest enemy in the overworld, while Drombas are the weakest enemy in the Dream World. Actual Goombas appear as (somewhat late) midgame enemies where they usually work together with Fly Guys or each other to try to overwhelm Mario and Luigi, either through ZergRush (with other Goombas) or through DeathFromAbove (with the help of the Fly Guys). They are even used as cavalry, being carried into battle by the Fly Guys to increase their numbers. Both Goombas and Fly Guys also have stronger versions of themselves that appear as mid-to-lategame enemies. Finally, Goombas remain one of the only enemies that are faced in both the real world, and the dream world (the latter as assisting enemies in a boss battle with the Elite Trio, one of which is a Goomba), [[spoiler:and Dreamy Goombas can be summoned by the FinalBoss, Dreamy Bowser]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'':

** Fairies appear in later PC-98 and windows games, originally as a Koopa Troopa or Sniper Joe-type versatile enemy with many variants, but steadily began to eclipse other foes until they became the most common enemy in the series. In ''Great Fairy Wars'', every enemy is a fairy including roles that would normally be taken by the above two.

* Present in the ''Videogame/QuestForGlory'' adventure game series by Sierra.
** ''Videogame/QuestForGloryI'':

** Desert Brigands in ''Videogame/QuestForGloryII'' are by far that game's easiest and most commonly-encountered enemy.
** ''Videogame/QuestForGloryIII'' has the Giant Ant. They're everywhere, and quite easy to take down.
** ''Videogame/QuestForGloryIV'' brings two: The badder (bats of a not [[GoddamnBats goddammed]] variety) and [[KillerRabbit vorpal bunny]]. Badders are a scripted first encounter, and there's a good chance of running into a vorpal bunny on your way to town after the opening. Badders only appear at night or indoors, but the bunny is probably the most common enemy during daylight hours.

* ''TableTopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' has its goblins, who have become so iconic that they're the unofficial mascot for the Paizo company, the Pathfinder and Starfinder games, and have been made playable PC's because the players just love them so. They're available as plushies, giant standing replicas 3 feet tall, and endless miniatures. One glance will sell most people: [[https://starfinderwiki.com/w/images/8/8d/Space_goblin.jpg Starfinder Goblin]].

* Zaku and its clones in the Franchise/{{Gundam}} multi-verse. In fact, they are named after the Japanese equivalent term "zako" (usually translated as "small-fry"). Ramba Rai's [[MemeticMutation infamous]] "This is No Zaku" line is showing that the story's has moved pass the basic level for Amuro.

* ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'' takes place in a world resembling an RPG. The weakest monsters that the heroes start out fighting before moving on to tougher enemies are living balloons that like to bite people. Their cartoony design which contrasts with the other monsters in the world evokes this trope and will likely remind viewers of the slimes from ''Dragon Quest''.

* ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionSeries'':
** ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'' has Golden Ghosts, which have low hp and attack very slowly.

** ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'' establishes the Draugr, roaming undead that are the first and most common kind of enemy throughout the game, especially in Midgard. As the narrative progresses, sub-types of Draugr with varied abilities are introduced. This is mostly downplayed in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarRagnarok'', in which they are fought relatively later and human raiders are the first enemies in Midgard.

Their ubiquitous status can lead to them becoming [[MascotMook mascots]] for the work in question and they are likely to come in [[UndergroundMonkey multiple (often stronger) versions]]. Sometimes their lowly cannon-fodder status is even subverted by making one of these stronger versions found later in the game be one of the [[BonusBoss toughest enemies]] in the game. Other times, they can become dangerous depending on how many of them there are. Even if an enemy is weak, if being attacked by one [[ScratchDamage takes one hitpoint]], [[ZergRush then being met by 100]] [[DeathOfAThousandCuts poses a problem]].

** ''VideoGame/WonderBoyInMonsterLand'' has the red snakes. They are stationary, deal little to no CollisionDamage and die in one hit. Even their blue variant takes two hits from the weakest sword of the game... out of five. The second weakest still oneshots them.

** Zoomers and Geemers in most of games. Once you get the ice beam, they register more as potential stepping stones than as credible threats to your life.

** The [[VideoGame/GodOfWarI first]] and [[VideoGame/GodOfWarIII third]] game has the Undead Warriors and Harpies, which are easily defeated and grabbing them results in their instant death.

* From the StylishAction game ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'', the [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Affinity angels]] are first encountered in the Prologue chapter, and offer little threat. They are basically there to allow the player to practice building combos and evading in preparation to stronger enemies in the near future. That being said, Affinities [[TookALevelInBadass get much stronger varieties later on in the game]].
* ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2'': The [[OurCentaursAreDifferent Acceptance angels]] are also encountered as the first enemy in the prologue chapter, being pretty large, slow, and with easily telegraphed moves, being perfect for players to get a handle of the combo system and how to evade to activate [[BulletTime Witch Time]].

* In most video games in the ''Franchise/SpongeBobSquarePants'' franchise, the jellyfish usually serve as the most common and basic enemy the player will encounter and are rather easy to defeat. Sometimes, they're passive unless provoked, while at other times, they're aggressive and will swarm the player in droves. ''VideoGame/SpongeBobsTruthOrSquare'' and ''VideoGame/SpongeBobSquarePantsPlanktonsRoboticRevenge'' are exceptions to this, where they are HelpfulMooks instead.

* In most video games in the''Franchise/SpongeBobSquarePants'' franchise, the jellyfish usually serve as the most common and basic enemy the player will encounter and are rather easy to defeat. Sometimes, they're passive unless provoked, while at other times, they're aggressive and will swarm the player in droves. ''VideoGame/SpongeBobsTruthOrSquare'' and ''VideoGame/SpongeBobSquarePantsPlanktonsRoboticRevenge'' are exceptions to this, where they are HelpfulMooks instead.

* In most video games in the''Franchise/SpongeBobSquarePants'' franchise, the jellyfish usually serve as the most common and basic enemy the player will encounter and are rather easy to defeat. Sometimes, they're passive unless provoked, while at other times, they're aggressive and will swarm the player in droves. ''VideoGame/SpongeBobTruthOrSquare'' and ''VideoGame/PlanktonsRoboticRevenge'' are exceptions to this, where they are HelpfulMooks instead.

* ''VideoGame/GodOfWar''

* From the StylishAction ''{{VideoGame/Bayonetta}}'' the [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Affinity angels]] are first encountered in the Prologue chapter, and offer little threat. They are basically there to allow the player to practice building combos and evading in preparation to stronger enemies in the near future. That being said, Affinities [[TookALevelInBadass get much stronger varieties later on in the game]].

** The third game, ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Bowser's Inside Story]]'', is a FantasticVoyagePlot through Bowser's body. The weakest enemies inside Bowser are single-celled Goombas called Goombules. The weakest enemies outside Bowser are Chuboombas, chubby Goombas who love candy. Actual Goombas also appear as the first instance of Boswer's SummonMagic. [[IncendiaryExponent Flaming Goombas]] that [[RussianReversal stomp enemies]], no less.

* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'':
** Bandits are an unusual case in that they have plenty of HP and are able to inflict quite a bit of damage with each blow; they may even become GoddamnBats if they're fought on "peak" terrain. However, the axes they use are heavy and inaccurate, and most of your starting army can wield light and accurate swords. Most games give swords the advantage in the weapon triangle, favoring the player even more.
** Soldiers also serve this role in some games--they originally served simply to replace cavaliers in indoor chapters, but as this involved creating an enemy type with stats on par with a dismounted cavalier, this turned the soldier into a pathetically ineffectual unit to be tossed at the player in squads early on. Half their standard bases are 0, and their class stat growths are terrible, meaning they'll never be any real threat and even a sword-user should have no problem chewing through them. Games where soldiers are playable tend to make them somewhat less of a joke, though.

* In all ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' games except the first and sixth ones, your very first battle is against a group of Prinnies. And even in the first game, Prinnies are the only generic units included in your initial party. How Goomba-esque are they? Throw them (something you can do at will) and they ''blow up''. And it only costs one GlobalCurrency to bring them back from the dead. And in the case of the aforementioned first game, the first few maps are filled mostly with Ghosts. While they ''do'' become a fairly respectable threat later on, they're incredibly weak for the first few levels because they're a SquishyWizard breed of monster enemies, and they won't have any actual spells until their later appearances.

* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' has Whimsun and Moldsmal, the only monsters in the game that can be spared immediately without having to do anything.

* Hominov Prop Planes in ''VideoGame/HeavyWeapon'' are one of the earliest enemies faced, take one hit from even the weakest shots to explode, and ''have no weaponry at all''. The Bravski Jet Fighter is another early-game enemy that explodes in one hit, but unlike the Hominov it's capable of occasionally attacking with easily-destroyed bombs.

* ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' has the Undead Warriors and Harpies.

* Similar to the above, in the sequel ''{{VideoGame/Bayonetta 2}}'' the [[OurCentaursAreDifferent Acceptance angels]] are also encountered as the first enemy in the prologue chapter, being pretty large, slow, and with easily telegraphed moves, being perfect for players to get a handle of the combo system and how to evade to activate [[BulletTime Witch Time]].

[[caption-width-right:350:Over 30 years and counting, and they ''still'' get [[CurbStompBattle beaten easily]].\\

* ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'' has the standard Octotroopers in its main single-player campaigns, who shoot bullets that move so slowly and do so little damage, that it's nearly impossible to get killed by one unless they're with other enemies.