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Characters / Super Mario Bros.: The Koopalings

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Super Mario Bros. Main Character Index
Main characters: The Mario Brothers | Allies (The Princesses) | The Koopa Kingdom (Bowser — Bowser Jr. — The Koopalings — Other High-Ranking Subordinates — Bosses) | Assorted Nasties
RPG characters: Super Mario RPG | Paper Mario (64 — The Thousand-Year Door — Super — Sticker Star — Color Splash — The Origami King) | Mario & Luigi (Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser)
Spinoff series: Yoshi's Island | Luigi's Mansion | Mario Golf | Mario Tennis | Super Mario Maker | Donkey Kong series (Kongs) | Wario series (Wario and Waluigi)
Crossovers: Punch-Out!! | Super Smash Bros. | Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games | Skylanders | Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle | Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Other media: The Great Mission to Save Princess Peach! | Super Mario Bros. (DiC) | Super Mario Bros. (1993) | The Super Mario Bros. Movie

The Koopalings

Debut: Super Mario Bros. 3

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/koopalings_nsmbu.png
From left to right: Lemmy, Wendy, Morton, Larry, Iggy, Ludwig and Roy.
"We just love being mean!"

A name given to seven siblings who appeared as bosses in Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, Mario Is Missing!, Yoshi's Safari, Hotel Mario, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, New Super Mario Bros. 2, New Super Mario Bros. U, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, Paper Mario: Color Splash, and Super Mario Maker 2 (as free DLC); and are playable in Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. They have been considered Bowser's own children as late as Super Smash Bros. Melee, but they are currently only referred to as his higher ranked minions outside of re-releases of older material.

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    General Tropes 
  • Adaptation Name Change: All have different names in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.
  • Ambiguously Related: Bowser was originally the Koopalings' father. After Bowser Jr.'s introduction in Super Mario Sunshine in 2002, this was up in the air until Shigeru Miyamoto declared this is currently not the case in 2012. Nintendo doesn't bother changing existing references and sometimes still allows even more references to slip by, however.
  • The Artifact: In their first appearance in Super Mario Bros. 3, their magic wands were stolen from the Kings and Mario took them back to their owners as he defeated the Koopalings. In later appearances though, the Koopalings still have their wands. The Magikoopas give precedence to the Koopas just having magic wands of their own, and the Koopalings' wands fire geometrical spells like the Magikoopas, so they may not be the same wands as in Mario Bros. 3. A Choose Your Own Adventure book where they have the wands has Luigi give a Hand Wave that they re-stole the wands after their defeats, which is also plausible.
  • Ascended Extra:
  • Big, Screwed-Up Family: For the first time in years, their Palutena's Guidance description in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U acknowledges the ambiguous relationship to Bowser and Bowser Jr., suggesting they may actually be more like estranged relatives.
  • Bootstrapped Leitmotif:
    • The boss music from Super Mario Bros. 3 used to be heavily associated with them. Nowadays the heavy remix from the castle boss battles from New Super Mario Bros. Wii is used while the much closer tower boss mix is used for whoever the tower boss is in any particular game (barring the Reznors).
    • Since the Koopalings fill the same role as the Royal Sticker bosses in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, the tension theme from that game became this for them in Paper Mario: Color Splash.
  • Brainwashed and Crazy: Fawful brainwashes them into working for him in Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser.
  • Breath Weapon: Some games such as Super Mario World and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga show that they're just as capable of using this ability as Bowser and Bowser Jr., though they all prefer to use their magic wands in most of the later games they appear in.
  • The Bus Came Back: Infamously Put on a Bus for nine years after their appearance in 1994's Hotel Mario. Even then, appearance in 2003's Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga was a brief cameo appearance with no dialogue from any of them. It wasn't until 2009's New Super Mario Bros. Wii that the Koopalings made their return to being series mainstays.
  • Card-Carrying Villain: They once stated that they adore being mean.
  • Characterization Marches On: The Koopalings in 3, World, and Superstar Saga didn't have much personality beyond their loyalty to Bowser and loving being mean, while what little they did have in the JP manual for 3 didn't make it over to the west. It wouldn't be until New Super Mario Bros. Wii that many of their quirks and traits became more set in stone, like Iggy's fondness for Chain Chomps and Roy's brutishness.
  • Child Soldiers: Even back when they were Bowser's kids, they were still given key roles in their father's invasions, making them akin to commanders. Nowadays, they're simply members of the Koopa Troop, though implied to hold a high rank compared to most of the other members.
  • Combination Attack:
    • In Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam both Koopalings pairs have at least one attack that allows them to work together (usually triggering a chase sequence).
    • In Bowser Jr.'s Journey, most of them have a combination technique with Bowser Jr. that can be done if they're the First Officer.
  • Color-Coded for Your Convenience:
    • The first appearances of the Koopalings had different colors in each game, until their revival in New Super Mario Bros. Wii where they got their definitive color schemes in-game for the first time (though they had always had them in artwork).
      • Larry - Azure (Yellow in Mario Kart 8)
      • Roy - Purple
      • Lemmy - Orange, although he appears to be more associated with Yellow (Teal in Mario Kart 8)
      • Wendy - Pink (White in Mario Kart 8)
      • Iggy - Lime Green
      • Morton - Black. Also commonly associated with Grey, his previous shell color.
      • Ludwig - Dark Blue
    • In Paper Mario: Color Splash, the color of the Big Paint Star they guard corresponds to the color of their wand. In Roy's case, he does not guard a Big Paint Star, but instead appears in Black Bowser's Castle
      • Morton - Red
      • Ludwig - Blue
      • Iggy - Yellow
      • Wendy - Purple
      • Larry - Orange
      • Lemmy - Green
      • Roy - Black
  • Cool Airship: In their debut, the Koopalings each had airships which the Mario Bros. had to invade to confront them. New Super Mario Bros. U and Puzzle and Dragons: Super Mario Bros. edition give them new airships modeled after Bowser's Flagship.
  • A Day in the Limelight:
    • They were the stars of the comic story Bowser Knows Best (incidentally the only full story in the Nintendo Comics System to feature all the Koopalings), where they kidnap the Princess as a Father's Day gift for Bowser. Wendy and Lemmy both made additional appearances in the comics and got their own Day In The Limelight, Wendy in the story Fins and Roses (which could also count as Villain Episode), and Lemmy (sort of) in the story The Revenge of Pipe Ooze!
    • They're essentially The Heavy in New Super Mario Bros. 2, what with Kamek and Bowser Jr. being absent.
    • The DIC cartoon often rotated them as antagonists for particular episodes, either as The Dragon to King Koopa for that particular scheme or working on their own accord.
    • Minion Quest in Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions features them as major characters.
  • Death or Glory Attack: In Paper Jam, if their partner is knocked out, Roy, Wendy, Larry and Ludwig will pull out a wand and create a heavily damaging energy ball which, if countered, is usually enough to defeat them. Subverted with Lemmy, Morton and Iggy however: The attacks themselves don't kill them, but leaves them dazed for the Bros. to finish them off.
  • Defeat Means Friendship: In Paper Mario: Color Splash, their Enemy Cards can be won from the Rock Paper Wizard in Super Roshambo after their defeat, which summon them to scare off foes for a turn. However, they refuse to attack bosses like their fellow Koopalings or Bowser.
  • Defeat Means Playable:
    • In Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, each Koopaling you defeat in a Special World will join your team.
    • Each Koopaling freed of Fawful's brainwashing joins the party in Minion Quest.
  • The Dragon:
    • Until Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, it was thought that Ludwig was the "leader" of the Koopalings, despite being fought around the middle of the game in Super Mario World (4th Koopaling) and Paper Mario: Color Splash (3rd Koopaling). This was because he is the eldest of the siblings as well as the fact that in almost all of the non-RPG games he was fought in (sans World), he was always the last one fought.
    • Larry takes up The Dragon role in Super Mario World, taking Ludwig's place as the last Koopaling fought.
    • Iggy and Roy Koopa share a role of being fought in the final dungeon (Hotel Mario and Paper Mario: Color Splash respectively).
  • Faceship: Each of the Koopalings get their own airship with their face on it in New Super Mario Bros. U.
  • Go-Karting with Bowser: In Mario Kart 8 the Koopalings go karting with the other characters. Two (four in the 3DS version) of them also appear in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series.
  • Humongous Mecha: They all utilize one in their boss fights in Yoshi's Safari (although Wendy's was more of a giant shield).
  • Interpretative Character: All of them got hit with this in their earliest appearances and spinoff material where they would have wildly different personalities between adaptations or even languages. They got more stablized general personalities following their reintroduction, but the finer points still vary and some such as Larry or Morton are still heavy cases of Depending on the Writer.
  • Jumping Out of a Cake: Along with Bowser Jr. in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
  • Leitmotif: In addition to the above, a short guitar riff plays during their introductions in Paper Mario: Color Splash which is also part of Morton, Wendy and Larry's battle themes.
  • Magic Wand: In Super Mario Bros. 3, the Koopalings obtained the enchanted scepters of various kings and wielded them in battle, but lost them upon defeat. After spending Super Mario World without, the re-designed Koopalings appear to have obtained wands of their own and are almost never seen without them.
  • Malevolent Mugshot: Like their boss, they use their faces as logos.
  • Massive Numbered Siblings: Earlier games, cartoon series, and comics depict them as Bowser's children. Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka no longer consider them his children, so they're no longer referred to as such and appear to be just particularly high ranking underlings of his. The Koopalings are still related to each other, though.
  • Mook Lieutenant: Whether they're scattered throughout separate regions or together under Bowser's or Junior's service, they're at worst MiniBosses and are very rarely common encounters.
  • Musical Theme Naming: As detailed under Shout-Out Theme Naming, (almost) all of the Koopalings are named after musicians.
  • My Master, Right or Wrong: They tend to serve Bowser even if he's Brainwashed and Crazy.
  • Nice Mean And In Between:
  • No One Could Survive That!: In Super Mario World, all of the Koopalings were either dunked into hot lava or (in the case of Morton, Ludwig, and Roy) smashed to smithereens, and then had their castle blown up for good measure. It's especially notable in that the narration in (the English version of) Super Mario World could be interpreted to imply that they had died in the battle, yet they managed to reappear in future titles (then again, this is basically common for the Koopa Troop).
  • Non-Mammalian Hair: Only Roy and Wendy are entirely devoid of hair.
  • No Name Given: In the Japanese release of Super Mario Bros. 3 they originally went unnamed in the manual. The end credits for Super Mario World ended up using the localized names for them (while dropping the surname).
  • Palette Swap:
    • In their early appearances, most of the latter Koopalings have a similar attack style to a prior Koopaling but add stage hazards.
    • In the Super Smash Bros. series, they are all playable as alternate costumes for Bowser Jr.
  • Pre-Final Boss: Applies to whatever one Mario fights last, but their varying orders ensure it’s never the same, though it’s usually Ludwig. Notably, Wendy has never been the final one to be fought.
  • Playful Cat Smile: Roy, Larry, and Ludwig invoke this, due to the feline shape of their mouths and their default expressions.
  • Power Glows: The spells fired from their wands in New Super Mario Bros. Wii have their own colors, depending on who's using it.
  • Promoted to Playable: Mario Kart 8 marks the first time in the franchise's history where they are playable characters.
  • Quirky Miniboss Squad: One of gaming's earliest and memorable examples
  • Red Baron: During their showcase in the Mario Kart 8 Direct, they each have a cool title.
    • Larry is the "Super Trooper of Bowser's Army" and "Authority of Acceleration".
    • Roy is the "Runaway Heavyweight Koopa" and "Bespectacled Brute".
    • Iggy is the "Trickster with the Sweet Specs" and "Wild Child".
    • Lemmy is "Mr. Agility Supreme" and the "Ace of Speed"
    • Morton is the "Invincible Tough Guy" and "Mass of Muscle".
    • Wendy is the "Princess of Destruction" and "Speed Queen".
    • Ludwig is the "Showy Anti-Villain" and "Conductor of Chaos".
  • Retcon: They were originally stated to be Bowser's seven children; however, Bowser Jr. was later treated as Bowser's only child, which Shigeru Miyamoto eventually stated was the case. In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, their relationship to Bowser was vaguely described as "a real mystery," leaving the connection ambiguous. Despite that, Nintendo has also left their original story in Super Mario Bros. 3 as-is, with few exceptions such as the reprinting in Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros. subtly omitting the explicit connection to Bowser as their father but still referring to them as young siblings.
    • Notably, it appears that Nintendo of Europe has taken a "Depending on the Writer" stance as of late (despite them formerly being a proponent of the "Bowser's Minions" term), as the Italian and German localizations of Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam respectively allude to and state that Bowser is their father, and the Italian localization of Paper Mario: Color Splash rubbed out all their references to "Master Bowser" present in the other translations.
    • On the other hand, the German version of the encyclopedia not only completely changed the story of Super Mario Bros. 3 to remove any implications by saying Bowser made the Koopalings into his subjects, but it also brings the implication of them not being siblings or the only Koopalings for that matter.
  • Rotten Rock & Roll: Their Theme Naming is largely based on rock and punk musicians.
  • Run the Gauntlet: They’ve done this twice in the Mario and Luigi games, first taking the Mario Brothers on one at a time in the order they were fought during Super Mario World in Superstar Saga, then fighting the Mario Brothers and Paper Mario in groups just before the final battle in Paper Jam. Their normal appearances don’t qualify given that they’re usually put in charge of a single world and that there are plenty of levels between each one.
  • Shout-Out Theme Naming: The Koopalings are named after musicians (mostly rock and punk). Larry is the apparent exception.
    • Morton is named after Morton Downey Jr. (presumably due to his big mouth since his appearance is otherwise closer to Paul Stanley)note .
    • Wendy is named after Wendy O. Williams, of The Plasmatics.
    • Iggy is named after Iggy Pop, of The Stooges.
    • Roy is named after Roy Orbison. His glasses are also popularly known as Roy Orbison glasses.
    • Lemmy is named after Lemmy Kilmister, of Motörhead.
    • Ludwig is, of course, named after Ludwig van Beethoven.
    • Finally, Larry is the Odd Name Out as Dayvv Brooks confirmed that he "just looked like a Larry"note .
  • Sibling Team: Though their parentage is currently unclear, they're all siblings.
  • Sixth Ranger: Bowser Jr. was actually briefly considered one of the Koopalings in certain official materials of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which evidently predated the newer mandate to separate their siblinghood. That said, materials such as marketing for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe still portray them as a full group.
  • Spin Attack: Their usual response to being stomped on in Super Mario Bros. 3 and the New Super Mario Bros. series.
  • Starter Villain: By this point, all of them have taken a turn being the first one fought. Larry has a habit of being this, though it depends on the game. In Super Mario World and Superstar Saga, he was actually the LAST Koopaling to be fought.
  • Suddenly Voiced: Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is the first time they've been given dialogue. Prior, they typically made noises like Mario and Luigi did in that game series.
  • Systematic Villain Takedown: Whenever they appear, you can guarantee that Mario will have to fight all seven of them- though the order tends to vary depending on the game.
  • Timed Mission: The later Koopalings (Roy, Wendy, and Larry) in Superstar Saga are accompanied by the Time Bob-omb, which counts down as the battle wears on. If it reaches zero, it explodes and instantly beats Mario and Luigi.
  • Undying Loyalty:
    • The Koopalings are shown to be extremely devoted to Bowser. For example, in The Stinger for New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the Koopalings attempted to help Bowser up (although they ended up squished by Bowser's castle in the process), and in New Super Mario Bros. 2, they even directly aided him in a manner similar to Kamek in the former game (ie, by causing Bowser to grow bigger) during the final battle.
    • Even if Bowser is Brainwashed and Crazy, the Koopalings will still be loyal to him and serve him without question, as shown in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (Bowletta)note  and Paper Mario: Color Splash (Black Bowser).
  • Unwitting Pawn: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions explains this as being why they are working for Bowletta. They (and the rest of the Koopa Troop sans the Captains) are tricked by Bowletta, disguised as Bowser, which is why they still fight the Mario Bros. in this version.
  • The Voiceless: Until Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, the only time they've spoken in the games is in the original PC version of Mario Is Missing! (not counting the original Super Mario Bros. 3 manual).
  • You Don't Look Like You: Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World had some rather odd in-game sprites for the Koopalings, with their color schemes in particular not staying consistent between the games. However, the appearances the Koopalings have today have always been codified in artwork since their debut, with the exception of two Koopalings who were redesigned for their appearance in New Super Mario Bros. Wii:
    • Lemmy grew a blonde ponytail.
    • Iggy developed a taller, lankier body and swapped out his rainbow-colored mohawk (likely deemed too similar to Lemmy's) for an odd, green, palm tree-shaped hairstyle.

    Larry Koopa 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/larry_koopa_u.png
"You should know, I don't intend to try very hard"
Voiced by: Masaharu Satō (original video animations), Lani Minella (2009-2020), Michelle Hippe (2014-present)

Larry Koopa is the runt of the litter, with a penchant for sports. Named "Cheatsy" in the DiC adaptations.

Tropes associated with Larry:

  • Ambidextrous Sprite: A notable and most likely accidental example: in Paper Mario: Color Splash, Larry holds his wand in his right hand, but when he is casting a spell his wand is suddenly in his left.
  • Berserk Button: Doesn't take kindly to being called a shrimp by Starlow.
  • Big Eater: In Paper Mario: Color Splash, Larry gobbles down a fully 3D hunk of steak that's bigger, thicker, and wider than his entire body. In a matter of seconds. After the boss fight with him (which happens in the following stage), he says that he could go for some lambchops, suggesting that he's still hungry after the steak. In his bio on the back of his World of Nintendo figure's box, Larry is described as "often finding himself distracted by his hungry belly".
  • Blow You Away: His special attack in Puzzle & Dragons is "Larry's Tornado".
  • Brilliant, but Lazy: After recruiting him in Minion Quest, he relinquishes the chance to take over as captain, saying it sounds like a lot of work. He also outright states he doesn't plan to try very hard a little later.
  • Butt-Monkey: Larry seems to be characterized as this in New Super Mario Bros. Wii — he gets trapped under the cake in the opening cutscene, is the first boss to be fought, and has the hardest time reaching Bowser's castle in The Stinger.
  • Combination Attack: He has an attack with Bowser Jr. in Bowser Jr.'s Journey known as Larry Rally, a variant of the recurring Shell moves that the Mario Bros. use in the Mario & Luigi series.
  • Depending on the Writer: Beyond being used as comic-relief Larry doesn't seem to have many sticking characteristics. Even his short temper which defines him in the New Super Mario Bros. series is only used for his appearance in Paper Jam whereas his appearance in Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games goes in the exact opposite direction to the point of making him a Punch-Clock Villain. Color Splash depicts him as food-obsessed and perpetually hungry.
  • Dual Boss: Fought alongside Ludwig in Paper Jam.
  • Dude, Where's My Respect?: Inverted in Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games: If talked to after the Equestrian event during a tournament he may mention that, while he likes the respect, he feels his horse should have gotten a treat as well.
  • Fragile Speedster: In Mario Kart 8, Larry is in the second subcategory of lightweight (a bit heavier but still small and fragile). While Deluxe amplifies the differences between characters, he is on the dead end of lightweights, being of the heaviest subcategory alongside Toad and Shy Guys.
  • From Bad to Worse: After Mario and company rescue Peach and go home in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Larry drags himself back home to see his siblings helping Bowser up from his shell and get crushed by their castle.
  • The Generic Guy: Larry tends to be treated as the most generic Koopaling. His design is rather plain compared to the others, and he doesn't have a noticeable theme like each of his siblings. Notably, the localizer who gave the Koopalings their English names couldn't think of a musician who Larry reminded him of, and just decided that Larry "looked like a Larry." This is perhaps the reason why he's the Starter Villain in many of the games the Koopalings appear in. He has been given some personality traits throughout the series, such as making him The Klutz or a Big Eater, but these traits seem to be tacked on rather than naturally coming from his design, and he still largely remains an Interpretative Character.
  • Hair-Trigger Temper: As a boss, he'll blow a fuse when seeing Mario in the New Super Mario Bros. series and will lose it when he gets defeated in his game of tennis in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. This fact is included in one of his attacks in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam.
  • Hidden Depths: Mario Kart 8 reveals that Larry has a side job as a disc jockey.
  • Jerk Jock: Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga shows that Larry has an interest in tennis and he takes up horse racing in Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (though he's not much of a jerk in that game).
  • The Klutz: Larry's primary characterization after the redesign as shown in New Super Mario Bros. Wii and hinted at in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam and Mario & Sonic at The Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
  • The Leader: In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and the PAL version of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, he is described as the leader of the Koopalings. As this was an Informed Attribute, the line "The leader of the Koopalings, with aggressive tendencies to match." was replaced with "The youngest of the Koopalings, with a serious case of little-brother syndrome to match." in the NTSC version of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. However, his Boxing Ring title in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate still goes with the former in several languages. The fact that he was paired up with Ludwig in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, who in that game is their self-proclaimed leader, may be a reference to this.
  • Leitmotif: In addition to his battle theme from Paper Mario: Color Splash, he has a jazzy rendition of the Koopalings' theme song in Rio 2016.
  • Master of None: He's usually characterized as this, especially in the New Super Mario Bros. series. While the other Koopalings have at least one defining trait (Iggy with his craziness, Lemmy with his circus acrobatics, Wendy with her bouncy rings, and Roy and Morton being tough guys), Larry's attack pattern boils down to the basic "jump around and shoot magic". His bouncy magic ability in New Super Mario Bros. 2 was just borrowed from Wendy, and in New Super Mario Bros. U, the difficulty only comes from the water fountains that appear throughout the fight. That said, some games do give him some sort of unique ability, like his fireball tennis attack from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.
  • Outside Ride: In New Super Mario Bros. 2, Larry and Lemmy have to hang off the Koopa Clown Car's edge due to the lack of room. This is also the case in in the final boss fight of Puzzle and Dragons.
  • Punch-Clock Villain:
    • In the Japanese manual for Super Mario Bros. 3, Larry states that the only reason the Koopalings are bothering with the seven kings of the Mushroom World is because Bowser would yell at them otherwise. This is similarly true in Paper Mario: Color Splash, though in that case, it was to avoid disappointing Bowser since his disappointed face is, apparently, heartbreaking.
    • He's also very nice, respectful and all-around relaxed in Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
  • Skewed Priorities: You may notice in Minion Quest that he seems more worried about his hair than whatever situation's at hand, as the first bit of his Idle Animation consists of taking a brief moment to adjust his mohawk, which he will do every time he stops moving, regardless of how little movement he made.
  • Strange Minds Think Alike: Talking to him in Rio 2016 will have him occasionally mention how the "Bowser League" would have been a better name for the "Mario League", a sentiment shared by Bowser and Bowser Jr. if talked to after they lose a match.
  • Tennis Boss: Larry's unique attack in Superstar Saga (and retained for Minion Quest and Bowser Jr.'s Journey) involves batting a fireball with a literal Tennis racquet.
  • Took a Level in Badass:
    • Otherwise the runt of the litter, he was the last fought and toughest of all the Koopalings in Super Mario World. That also goes for Superstar Saga, as the Koopalings are fought in the same order. He also single-handedly handed Mario his ass in the obscure choose-your-adventure book Dinosaur Dilemma Note
    • If not defeated after a certain point in Paper Mario: Color Splash, Larry will continuously stomp on Mario, guaranteeing a Game Over.
  • The Unintelligible: In Nintendo Comics System. Instead of words, his dialogue balloons were filled with pictures, and only Lemmy could understand him.
  • Youngest Child Wins: The Super Mario World player's guide states that Larry, who was earlier stated to be the youngest in the Super Mario Bros. 3 player's guide, is Bowser's favorite.

    Morton Koopa Jr. 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/morton_u.png
"MORTON STRONG! MORTON MORE TONS!"
Voiced by: Miyako Endō (original video animations), Lani Minella (2009-2020), David Cooke (2014-present)

Morton Koopa Jr. is a cantankerous little (or rather huge size-wise) grouch who takes after Roy. Named "Big Mouth" in the DiC adaptations.

Tropes associated with Morton:

    Wendy O. Koopa 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wendy_u.png
"You could have just sat quietly in your cell like good little prisoners… But noooo, you had to escape and make us chase after you. So inconsiderate."
Voiced by: Miyako Endō (original video animations), Lani Minella (2009-2020), Ashley Flannegan (2014-present)

Wendy O. Koopa is the only girl and a spoiled, greedy little brat. Named "Kootie Pie" in the DiC adaptations.

Tropes associated with Wendy:

  • Attention Whore: Rio 2016 reveals that Wendy gets worked up if she so much as sees a single empty seat during her event. Said seat was actually reserved for her by Larry.
  • Bald of Evil: Roy and Wendy are the only Koopalings without hair.
  • Bling-Bling-BANG!: Wendy's fighting style in Paper Mario: Color Splash has her pelting Mario with gold coins. He can even add them to his coin counter if he doesn't block.
  • Dark Action Girl: As a female member of Bowser’s army, being this is a requirement.
  • Dual Boss: Fought alongside Roy in Paper Jam.
  • Fragile Speedster: In Mario Kart 8, she is in the second subcategory of lightweights. In Deluxe, she is a bit lighter, on par with Toadette and Isabelle.
  • Hair-Trigger Temper: She is a generally no-nonsense girl with a very short temper. If Roy accidentally hits her in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, she'll occasionally manhandle him in a Big Ball of Violence.
  • Healing Factor: She is capable of healing herself in Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition.
  • Improbable Weapon User: Wendy attacks with razor sharp "candy rings".
  • Leitmotif: Like Larry, she got a personal remix of the Koopalings' theme song in Rio 2016, this time a more industrial and ominous theme.
  • Making a Splash:
    • Downplayed. She doesn't have any water-based powers, but is almost always found in water environments and seems to have a love of water in general. She utilizes underwater combat in New Super Mario Bros. Wii and New Super Mario Bros. 2, and the worlds she inhabits are almost always the beach-themed ones (Even the three instances where she isn't the boss of a beach world still has her in worlds that are indirectly related to water: Super Mario World has her in charge of an island version of Death Mountain; New Super Mario Bros. 2 puts her in a mixture of Palmtree Panic and The Lost Woods; and New Super Mario Bros. U has her in charge of Slippy-Slidey Ice World). She is also the one who participates in the 100m Freestyle Swimming in the Wii U version of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
    • Her primary element in Puzzle & Dragons is Water and her special attack is called "Wendy's Splash".
  • Moveset Clone: Being the sixth boss in Super Mario World, Wendy copies Lemmy's tactic (with him being the third boss) on using dummies to fool Mario or Luigi as she moves from pipe to pipe. Wendy's battle differs in that the pipes are leveled with each other and there are two Lava Bubbles instead of one.
  • The One Who Wears Shoes: She wears a pair of pink heels (or ice skates in NSMBU), while all her siblings go barefoot - except in Super Mario World, where she's barefoot too.
  • Pink Means Feminine: Wendy, the girl, is naturally the one with the pink shell along with a giant pink bow.
  • Rings of Death: She uses these in combat frequently, and they mirror her large bracelets. Special mention goes to the giant ring she uses in Paper Mario: Color Splash, which can trap Mario and immobilize him completely.
  • The Rival: Her trophy description in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U states that she has a rivalry with Peach and Daisy, which is further supported by her dialogue in Mario and Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in which she calls them posers. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe confirms this by having Peach and Daisy as her rivals in Grand Prix mode when the other Koopalings have each other as rivals.
  • Self-Duplication: She can create imposters of herself in the Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga remakenote , possibly as an allusion to her boss fight in Super Mario World. She retains this ability in Bowser Jr.'s Journey.
  • Signature Move: Creating rings. While they were created by her wand in Super Mario Bros. 3 and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, it is shown that she can also create them naturally, such as in New Super Mario Bros. U and the Mario & Luigi games.
  • The Smurfette Principle: Wendy is the only female of the Koopalings. Also depending on the game, Kammy Koopa, Kamella, and Pom Pom are one of the only females in the Koopa Troop.
  • Tertiary Sexual Characteristics: One can tell she's female by her large pink bow, pink high heels and pink shell.
  • Tomboy with a Girly Streak: She's often described as a tomboy, although she's not against wearing feminine accessories or acting in a feminine manner in general. In fact, it almost comes off as a case of Informed Attribute.
  • Underwater Boss Battle: Wendy's boss arena fills up with water in New Super Mario Bros. Wii and New Super Mario Bros. 2.
  • Villainous Crush: Following her boss battle in Paper Mario: Color Splash, Wendy admits that she finds Mario cute.

    Iggy Koopa 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/iggy_u.png
"Bahahaha! Prepare to be royally clobbered!"
Voiced by: Masaharu Satō (original video animations), Mike Vaughn (2009-2020), Ryan Higgins (2014-present)

Iggy Koopa is a technological genius who is more than a little nutty. Named "Hop" in the DiC adaptations.

Tropes associated with Iggy:

  • Ax-Crazy: He was implied to be this in the text box after beating him in Super Mario World, and confirmed in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. He also shows signs of this in Paper Mario: Color Splash
    Iggy: Tear him apart! Fifty coins to whoever brings me Mario's hat!
  • The Beast Master: He usually fights alongside some sort of creature in recent games, particularly Chain Chomps.
  • Blow You Away: His special attack in Puzzle & Dragons is "Iggy's Hurricane"
  • Chariot Race: He and his minions utilize chariots to fight Mario in Paper Mario: Color Splash. It also sort of applies to New Super Mario Bros. Wii, where Iggy spends his second fight in a cart being dragged along by a Chain Chomp.
  • Divergent Character Evolution: Iggy and Lemmy were originally close enough in looks to be made twins in the spin-off cartoons, the main differences being the eyes (Iggy wears glasses and Lemmy has a lazy eye) and size (Lemmy is small and Iggy is tall and thin, the latter more apparent in their redesign). As of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Lemmy's grown a ponytail and gotten smaller, and Iggy instead got green palmtree hair and a leaner physique.
  • Evil Genius: Iggy (and Ludwig) fill this role, but it's only apparent in spin-off material (adventure books in Iggy's case); however, this is still implied in the games (due to his recurring Chain Chomp contraption).
  • Evil Sounds Deep: His spoken appearances in the DOS version of Mario Is Missing! and the educational video "Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land" give him a deep voice.
  • Four Eyes, Zero Soul: He is the only one who wears glasses (not counting Roy's sunglasses), and the most maniacal.
  • Gadgeteer Genius: Iggy is considered to be perhaps the brainiest Koopaling in the Nintendo Adventure Books, suggesting he may be responsible for several contraptions used by the Koopa Troop. He also believes he's The Smart Guy in Super Mario Kun, though Ludwig seems to have this ego in the games.
  • Giggling Villain: Iggy's style of laughter. He makes up for this by never stopping.
  • Identity Amnesia: In Bowser Jr.'s Journey, after getting shoved off a cliff by the Brute Force Federation, he ends up with this. By the time Junior and Kamek find him, he's been taken in by Kuzzle, believed to be the old man's grandson Charlie.
  • Jack of All Stats: In Mario Kart 8. While amplifying the differences between characters, Deluxe also makes him the same subcategory as Luigi (less traction than Mario, but more handling).
  • Jive Turkey: As "Charlie" in Bowser Jr.'s Journey, complete with translation subtitles.
  • Keet: Lemmy and Iggy. Lemmy in a cute, childish way, and Iggy in a manic, disturbing way.
  • Laughing Mad: Iggy's been shown to have this trait in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Mad Scientist indeed. Note that in the hallway up to his boss battle, you can hear him giggling with no abandon, while the other six would quietly wait for you to enter their arena. It gets even worse once the battle actually starts.
  • Lean and Mean: The other most notable change in Iggy's redesign. Although it was never previously clear how tall he was in comparison to the others, he eventually became the indisputably tallest of the Koopalings, and gained a lanky body shape to go with it.
  • Let's Fight Like Gentlemen: In 3, his airship has a second powerupnote  located just outside of his cabin. Granted, it's a Racoon Leaf, so if you're already fully powerednote  it isn't worth it, but if you're not, it gives you an extra Hit Point for the Boss Battle.
  • Mad Scientist: In the adventure books, Iggy created several different inventions such as a cloning machine. The games hint that he still is one, considering the inside of his airship in New Super Mario Bros. U.
  • Moveset Clone: In the majority of games where he appears, Iggy shares the same attacks as Larry. This is even reflected in Super Mario World (where all Koopalings depart from their usual tactics from other Mario games — Iggy and Larry are both Ring Out Bosses here) and Super Mario Maker 2 (where both attack solely with cylindrical magic projectiles from the wands, thus their differences aren't based on how they attack but on how they move).
  • Nerd Glasses: His most notable feature, especially before his redesign. The lenses themselves tend to alternate between giving him demented-looking irises as seen in the picture, or the standard nerdy spirals.
  • Rhymes on a Dime: He speaks entirely in rhymes in the DOS version of Mario Is Missing
  • Vocal Dissonance: In Mario Is Missing! Deluxe, he has the deepest voice of the Koopalings, including Morton.

    Roy Koopa 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/roy_u.png
"I got you jerks a one-way ticket to Painsville! HA! Sorry, no refunds! Bahaha! The flight will…have turbulence…uhhh… Whatever! I’m gonna hurt you now!"
Voiced by: Naoki Tatsuta (original video animations), Dan Falcone (2009-present)

Roy Koopa, a big bad guy with cool shades. Named "Bully" in the DiC adaptations.

Tropes associated with Roy:

  • Art Attacker: Paper Mario: Color Splash has him using Mario's own paint against him through his Bill Blaster.
  • Badass Bookworm: Downplayed, he might still be a brute, but in Color Splash he takes the expression "knowledge is power" to heart and claims to attend night classes for this reason.
  • Bald of Evil: Roy and Wendy are the only Koopalings without hair.
  • BFG: His signature weapon is a Bill Blaster that he uses as a bazooka to shoot Bullet Bills, as well as Bull's-Eye Bills on occasion.
  • Brilliant, but Lazy: Implied by Roy's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, which states that he can go from slacker to soldier very quickly.
  • Bring It: Makes this gesture as one of his idle animations in the Superstar Saga remake and Bowser Jr's Journey.
  • The Brute: He is quite big and muscular, only losing to Morton.
  • The Bully: Minion Quest also has him bullying the Goombas who would eventually become Captain Goomba and Private Goomp after they lose to Mario and Luigi during Superstar Saga's tutorial fight.
  • Casting a Shadow: Eventually uses black paint against Mario in Paper Mario: Color Splash.
  • Combat Pragmatist: Loves to fight dirty, utilizing methods such as ambushing Mario and Luigi despite fleeing from the room he was going to be fought in earlier, his Paper Counterpart stealing Paper Mario's paint, etc.
  • Cool Shades: As a reference to musician Roy Orbison, who he's named after.
  • Dual Boss: Fought alongside Wendy in Paper Jam.
  • Duel Boss: Bowser Jr. has to fight him solo in Bowser Jr.'s Journey.
  • Dumb Muscle:
    • Roy has shades of this in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam.
      Roy: What is this? A book? Guess those losers must've dropped it. I wonder if it's important. Nah, books are dumb. Into the trash it goes!
    • Somewhat defied in Color Splash, where he claims that "knowledge is power" and thus has decided to go to night school. He is still fairly brutish though.
  • Even Evil Has Standards: Despite his love of fighting dirty, he calls Fawful and the Trio's plan of blowing up the recently repaired Koopa Cruiser cowardly.
  • Gasshole: In the New Super Mario Bros. U arc of the Super Mario-kun manga, one of the very first things Roy does upon his first appearance is to bend over and fart directly on Iggy and Ludwig◊.
  • Good Old Fisticuffs: During his battle in Paper Mario: Color Splash, he starts off wielding a cannon similar to the one he used in New Super Mario Bros. U. However, late in the battle, he loses the cannon, and instead opts to pummel Mario with his fists. What makes him this trope despite the fact that all the Koopalings' third phase boiled down to them going at Mario bare handed is that, unlike the other Koopalings (besides Larry) who barely put up a fight by that point, Roy can still put up a good fight.
  • Greaser Delinquents: Minus the leather jacket and D.A. hair. He even attends night school, à la The Fonz.
  • Mighty Glacier: In Mario Kart 8, he is a Cruiser character (heavyweight, but still balanced). He embraces this trope a bit more in Deluxe, alongside Waluigi and Donkey Kong.
  • Moveset Clone: In Super Mario World, Roy copies Morton's boss tactic (both walk along the walls and ceiling and then fall onto Mario or Luigi to cause damage). The only difference is that the walls reduce the battlefield's area every time Roy is hit.
  • One-Steve Limit: Averted in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U where Roy from Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade is also a playable character. The promotional material likes to◊ picture them as rivals.
  • Real Men Wear Pink: Roy is literally pink all over: pink skin/scales, pink shell, pink shades... Although as of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, his shell has been made purple to avoid conflict with Wendy's shell color in their newly established color coordination. Still the same principle, though.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: He gives one to Bowser Jr. in Bowser Jr.'s Journey right before leaving. It ends up being one of the moments Junior remembers that triggers his Jerkass Realization.
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here: He's the second Koopaling to leave the group in Bowser Jr.'s Journey. What sets him apart from the others though, is that while they all had excuses for leaving and simply had no reluctance to do so, Roy is the only one to leave directly because of Junior's actions and attitude.
  • Shock and Awe: While his elemental status in Puzzle & Dragons is Light, Roy's special attack is called "Roy's Lightning".
  • Villainous Rescue: He kidnaps Peach in Hotel Mario, but he also saves her from falling to her death, or at least breaking a bone or two.

    Lemmy Koopa 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lemmy_u.png
"This is it! The moment you’ve all been waiting for. The FINAL performance of Mario’s career!"
Voiced by: Naoki Tatsuta (original video animations), Lani Minella (2009-2020), Carlee McManus (2014-present)

Lemmy Koopa, a lackadaisical, cross-eyed (and very tiny) clown who is more than a lot nutty. Named "Hip" in the DiC adaptations.

Tropes associated with Lemmy:

  • Adaptational Intelligence: Some comics portrayed him as a complete moron, while the games vary between making him a childish goofball or a clever trickster.
  • Air Guitar: One of his idle animations in Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam and every game that reuses these sprites. Presumably a Shout-Out to his namesake, Lemmy Kilmister who played bass in Motörhead.
  • Casting a Shadow: Strangely enough, Lemmy is the only Dark element user among the Koopalings in Puzzle & Dragons and his special attack is known as "Lemmy's Nightmare".
  • Cloudcuckoolander: In Nintendo Comics System, though he didn't actually appear to be as stupid as everyone made him out to be... it was more that he had his own unique way of viewing the world, which didn't always gel with everyone else's. He could be quite cunning in the right circumstances, like when he managed to get his siblings out of trouble with Bowser by writing on the calendar that it was "Be Kind to Koopalings Day."
  • Combination Attack: He has one with Bowser Jr. in Bowser Jr.'s Journey, where he leaps onto his ball and Junior kicks him at the enemies, blowing through their defenses.
  • Comically Cross-Eyed: His crossed eyes emphasize his goofy, clownish personality.
  • Depending on the Writer:
    • Paper Mario: Color Splash portrays Lemmy as grandiose and having a desire to perform and entertain while lacking most of his childish aspects.
    • More bizarrely, unused dialogue in the CD-ROM Deluxe edition of Mario is Missing! showed him as smug and snarky.
  • Divergent Character Evolution: Iggy and Lemmy were originally close enough in looks to be made twins in the spinoff cartoons, the main differences being the eyes (Iggy wears glasses and Lemmy has a lazy eye) and size (Lemmy is small and Iggy is tall and thin, the latter more apparent in their redesign). As of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Lemmy's grown a ponytail and gotten smaller, and Iggy instead got green palmtree hair and a leaner physique.
  • Fragile Speedster: In Mario Kart 8, he is one of the lightest characters in the game, making him one of the quickest to start. In Deluxe, he still remains in the lightest subcategory with the baby princesses.
  • Graceful Loser: In Paper Mario: Color Splash, he does not appear to be bummed by Mario beating him and in fact even calls his own defeat "spectacular".
  • Improbable Weapon User: Lemmy's spell of choice? Giant rubber balls that don't even hurt you (except in Super Mario Bros. 3, where they do hurt).
  • Keet: Lemmy and Iggy. Lemmy in a cute, childish way, and Iggy in a manic, disturbing way.
  • Magical Clown: Whenever he gets his hand on a magic wand. It's worth noting that while his siblings' wands shoot magic fireballs, his shoots circus balls. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Kamek adds in even more magic by causing Lemmy's bouncy ball to grow huge. He also plays this theme even more in Color Splash, where he is portrayed as a skilled illusionist.
  • Minion with an F in Evil: Especially in the Nintendo Comics System incarnation. It went so far that in the story Bowser Knows Best, when all the Koopalings royally screw up, Bowser gets mad at them all — "except you, Lemmy. I know you're a blithering idiot!"
  • Monster Clown: Lemmy has a bit of a circus motif, with his colorful hair and use of bouncy balls. His airship in New Super Mario Bros. U is even decorated like a circus tent. This is taken to its logical conclusion in Color Splash, where he shows up in a circus level.
  • Older Than They Look: He is the smallest of the Koopalings, is the most childish and playful, and doesn't seem to really care about Bowser's world domination conquest. Naturally, he was implied in an early player's guide to be the second oldest after Ludwig.
  • Outside Ride:
  • The Pollyanna: A lot of depictions give him this character trait; he remains cheerful and optimistic no matter how badly things go.
  • Pint-Sized Powerhouse Sort of. Despite his size, in the third phase of his battle in New Super Mario Bros. U, he is able to lift bouncing bombs who are three times as big as he is. It's also worth mentioning that since New Super Mario Bros. Wii he is seen weilding a longer magic wand than the rest's easily.
  • Punch-Clock Villain: According to the Super Mario Bros. 3 Nintendo Power strategy guide, Lemmy doesn't really care about Bowser's plans, and would rather join the circus.
  • Put on a Bus: invoked Lemmy did not appear in any version of Mario Is Missing (though he was supposed to be in the DOS version at least). The manual explains that he was too busy playing in the snow to help Bowser with his plan.
  • Self-Duplication: Much like Wendy, he can clone himself in Superstar Saga. Given the similarities, it's most likely that this is a reference to them having the same boss fight in Super Mario World.
  • Shout-Out: His characterization as a deceptively tricky illusionist with a value for the dramatic in Color Splash is a surprisingly in-depth one to Dimentio from Super Paper Mario. His boss theme "Grand Finale" shares bits and pieces of both Dimentio's battle themes ("It's Showtime!" and "The Ultimate Show") and return trips to his circus speculate he might have gone to another dimension entirely to justify his absence.
  • Throw Down the Bomblet: New Super Mario Bros. U and Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam give him an affinity for bombs.
  • Token Good Teammate: Unlike the other Koopalings, he's typically not interested in Bowser's plans, though it doesn't stop him from fighting the Mario Bros..
  • Weaponized Ball: Lemmy rides around on a rubber ball and tries to run you over with it. He also throws around other balls that bounce you around.

    Ludwig von Koopa 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ludwig_u.png
"Whatever. I’m not impressed! Time for a real leader to step to the plate!"
Voiced by: Naoki Tatsuta (original video animations), Mike Vaughn (2009-2020), David J. Goldfarb (2014-present)

Ludwig von Koopa, a crazed composer with a sadistic streak. Named "Kooky" in the DiC adaptations.

Tropes associated with Ludwig:

  • All Your Powers Combined: His gimmick in Super Mario Bros. 3. Excluding Wendy and Lemmy, he had the powers of all the other Koopalings - Larry's high jump, Iggy's multiple wand blasts, and Morton and Roy's earthshaking jump.
  • Berserk Button: A subtle example, but in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Ludwig noticeably gets annoyed when the Mario Bros. dodge Larry's attacks and fumes if they actually counter attack him. His Paper Mario: Color Splash counterpart gets mad when the Ludsub is destroyed in his boss battle.
  • Breath Weapon: He was the first of the Koopalings to show this ability, as he used it in his battle in Super Mario World. Later, they all used fire breath in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.
  • Cards of Power: He's the only boss in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam who uses Battle Cards. Failing to dodge his and Larry's attacks during their boss battles results in them getting "Dark Star Points", much like the regular Star Points that the Mario Bros. and Paper Mario get for successful Action Commands. After getting enough Dark Star Points, Ludwig will use a Battle Card.
  • Deaf Composer: Occasionally mentioned to be deaf as another parallel to Beethoven, though this has never had any bearing on how he fights or is fought.
  • Death or Glory Attack: This is his gimmick in the Superstar Saga remake: He creates a massive ball of magic that will instantly defeat the Bros. unless they counter (in which case it KOs him).
  • Defrosting Ice King: His main character development in the Mario & Luigi series. He starts off in Paper Jam as a pompous self proclaimed leader of the Koopalings, and thinks little of lesser minions like goombas in Minion Quest. By Bowser Jr.'s Journey he has come to respect the rest of Bowser's minions, and is one of the only Koopalings who is patient with Junior.
  • Divergent Character Evolution: In Super Mario Bros. 3 he was one of the "big Koopalings" along with Morton Jr. and Roy - and actually the biggest of the three. Then in Super Mario World, instead of sharing Morton and Roy's fighting style he had his own style focused on being completely unhinged rather than big.
  • Double Jump: In New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario Maker 2, Ludwig is capable of doing quadruple jumps. Or more accurately, he's learned Yoshi's Flutter Jump.
  • The Dragon: Before Bowser Jr. was introduced, Ludwig was thought to be Bowser's second-in-command. He doesn't seem to have forgotten this in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, despite the other Koopalings thinking of themselves more as equals. In Bowser Jr.'s Journey, however, it's shown Ludwig can directly receive orders from and give reports to Bowser, hinting he may actually be of a higher rank than his siblings.
  • Dual Boss: Fought alongside Larry in Paper Jam.
  • Einstein Hair: Ludwig is an Evil Genius with a big, Einstein-esque hairdo to match. His hair was very frizzy in the cartoons, but following the redesign, his hair is now done up in a way that almost resembles the Bram Stoker's Dracula version of Dracula.
  • Evil Cripple: The book Pipe Down! revealed Ludwig became partially deafnote , though in the best ending his hearing is restored by an explosion.
  • Evil Genius: Ludwig (and Iggy) fill this role, but it's only apparent in spinoff material (cartoons in Ludwig's case); however, this is still implied in the games (Ludwig being described as among the smartest of his peers).
  • Gadgeteer Genius: Kooky is the inventor of the Koopa family in the cartoon series, a role which went to Iggy in the Nintendo Adventure Books. While Ludwig is not portrayed as an inventor to this extent in the games, he seems to overall fancy himself The Strategist.
  • Genius Bruiser: He was implied to be smart enough to develop and design his own battleship and submarine, classy enough to like opera and the like, and is also powerful enough in combat.note  A tip from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U indicates "You could call him the brains of the Koopalings". Taken up a notch in his cartoon "Kooky" counterpart who is a Mad Scientist.
  • Informed Attribute: A Mario Kart 8 Direct described Ludwig as a "showy Anti-Hero".
  • Jack of All Stats: In Mario Kart 8. While amplifying the differences between characters, Deluxe also makes him the same subcategory as Mario and the middleweight Miis.
  • Leader Wannabe: In Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, it's revealed that Ludwig isn't the leader of the Koopalings, or at least that the other Koopalings don't consider him as such. He just likes to think he is.
  • Mad Artist: In the games, coupled with Evil Genius (considering that he seemed adept enough in technology to utilize a mech that looked very sophisticated in Yoshi's Safari). In Bowser Jr.'s Journey he sculpts a decoy of himself and even disguises himself as one of the antagonists.
  • Manipulative Bastard: His entry on Bowser Jr.'s Journey reveals that he is quite good at lying and negotiating. In fact, one of his commands is called "Negotiating" where he tries to convince an enemy to defect and rejoin Bowser Jr.'s army.
  • Moveset Clone: In a manner of Early-Installment Weirdness, Ludwig fights similarly to Roy in Super Mario Bros. 3 (he shoots projectiles while causing the battlefield to shake whenever he leaps, potentially stunning Mario or Luigi). In all subsequent games, he employs unique tactics not shared with anyone else.
  • Musical Assassin: In the book Pipe Down!, Ludwig uses an organ to activate traps and apparently warp time.
  • Overlord Jr.: When the Koopalings were considered Bowser's children, Ludwig was considered Bowser's heir due to being the oldest. The support for this was that he was the Boss of World 7 in 3, and had a unique pattern in World.
  • Palette Swap: Averted in World: At the time, he was the only Koopaling with fire breath and that used the flashing shell spin when hitnote .
  • Playing with Fire:
    • He can spit fireballs in Super Mario World.
    • His element in Puzzle & Dragons is fire and his special move is called "Ludwig's Volcano".
  • Small Name, Big Ego: At times he leans into this, best shown in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, where he views himself as the leader of the Koopalings despite the others not acknowledging that.
  • Smug Snake: He chuckles confidently to himself in his battle intro in the New Super Mario Bros. games, and Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U explicitly describe him as a pompous show-off.
  • Spread Shot: His main specialty in the platformer games starting from New Super Mario Bros. Wii is firing spreads of magic shots from his wand, the number of which usually depends on the situation.
  • Stealth Mentor: He plays this role in a way in the opening chapter of Bowser Jr.'s Journey: knowing full well the possibility of Bowser Jr. running off on his own, he deploys the four Captains from Minion Quest and their squads in the hope of teaching Junior real combat.
  • The Von Trope Family: His full name is Ludwig von Koopa. As said on his namesake's page, "von" is indicative of nobility (which is why Beethoven's name uses the non-nobility "van", though the composer was known to exploit the confusion of the two words for his benefit). He was originally conceived as a child of the Koopa King, and thus a "nobleman" of sorts.
  • Worthy Opponent:
    • Following his defeat in Paper Mario: Color Splash, he commends Mario and shows respect to his fighting ability.
    • There are also shades of this in 3: His airship and and Iggy's are the only 2 with two power-ups, (the others had 1 apiece) though Ludwig at least has the good sense of making his airship a Death Course and placing the power-ups early. Said power-ups are Fire Flowers, which restrict the brothers as they try to traverse the ship... though if they reach Ludwig with Fire powers intact, they can fight his magic with fire.
  • Wrong Genre Savvy: His Death or Glory Attack in the Superstar Saga remake would have panned out quite well against almost anyone else... not so much with Mario and Luigi, who've spent the entire game employing decisive Deadly Dodging against their opponents.

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