Lakitu ( or ), known in Japan as is a fictional flying
Koopa
Koopa Troopas, known in Japan as , are fictional footsoldiers of the turtle-like Koopa race from the Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' media franchise. They are commonly referred to generically as Koopas, a race that includes Bowser, Bowser, King of ...
in the
''Mario'' franchise. Created by
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
, he first appeared in the
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
''
Super Mario Bros.
is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The successor to the 1983 arcade game ''Mario Bros.'' and the first game in the ''Super Mario'' series, it was first released in 1985 for th ...
'', where he dropped enemies called on the stage. He has a striped green shell, wears aviator goggles, and rides around in a smiling cloud. He has since appeared in several main Mario titles since, as well as Mario spin-off titles, notably the ''
Mario Kart
is a series of racing games developed and published by Nintendo. Players compete in go-kart races while using various power-up items. It features characters and courses from the ''Mario'' series as well as other gaming franchises such as ''T ...
'' series where he acts as the referee and a playable character in ''
Mario Kart 7
''Mario Kart 7'' is a kart racing video game developed by Nintendo EAD in cooperation with Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011.
As with the previous games in the ''Mario Kart'' series, players participate ...
'', ''
Mario Kart 8
is a 2014 kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. It features the '' Mario Kart'' series' game mechanics, in which players drive go-karts using ''Mario'' franchise characters in various race formats. Items placed ...
'' and ''
Mario Kart Tour
is a 2019 kart racing mobile game, the fourteenth in the franchise in the '' Mario Kart'' series, developed by Nintendo EPD and published by Nintendo for iOS and Android devices. The game was announced in January 2018 and was released on S ...
''. He has appeared in non-''Mario'' titles, including the ''
Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' series as an assist trophy.
Since appearing in ''Super Mario Bros.'', Lakitu has received somewhat positive reception. It has appeared in the form of several kinds of merchandise, including on
t-shirt
A T-shirt (also spelled tee shirt), or tee, is a style of fabric shirt named after the T shape of its body and sleeves. Traditionally, it has short sleeves and a round neckline, known as a ''crew neck'', which lacks a collar. T-shirts are general ...
s,
sticker
A sticker is a type of label: a piece of printed paper, plastic, vinyl, or other material with temporary or permanent pressure sensitive adhesive on one side. It can be used for decoration or for functional purposes, depending on the situation. ...
s, and a
dry erase board. While he has been regarded as one of the best ''Mario'' villains by
GameDaily
GameDaily (GD) was a video game journalism website based in the United States.
It was launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads. The site changed its business model from a flat fee ...
, he has been decried by several editors for being a troublesome enemy, including
1UP.com
''1Up.com'' was an American entertainment website that focused on video games. Launched in 2003, ''1Up.com'' provided its own original features, news stories, game reviews, and video interviews, and also featured comprehensive PC-focused conten ...
editor Jeremy Parish and
G4TV
G4 (also known as G4TV) was an American pay television and digital network owned by Comcast Spectacor that primarily focused on video games.
The network was originally owned by G4 Media, a joint venture between the NBCUniversal Cable division ...
editor Andrew Pfister.
Concept and description
Lakitu is a
Koopa
Koopa Troopas, known in Japan as , are fictional footsoldiers of the turtle-like Koopa race from the Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' media franchise. They are commonly referred to generically as Koopas, a race that includes Bowser, Bowser, King of ...
who rides in a cloud and drops creatures called Spinies on the ground. It has a green
turtle shell and yellow skin like most Koopas, but is differentiated by a thick pair of glasses (or goggles) and a different shell design. Its
cloud
In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may co ...
"vehicle" has a smiling face on it. Lakitus come in several varieties as well. Some Lakitus can be seen coming out of pipes, while others use a
fishing pole
A fishing rod is a long, thin rod used by anglers to catch fish by manipulating a line ending in a hook (formerly known as an ''angle'', hence the term "angling"). At its most basic form, a fishing rod is a straight rigid stick/pole with a ...
for a variety of things, such as holding a
1-Up Mushroom or a
traffic light
Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traf ...
(in ''
Mario Kart
is a series of racing games developed and published by Nintendo. Players compete in go-kart races while using various power-up items. It features characters and courses from the ''Mario'' series as well as other gaming franchises such as ''T ...
'' games). An early variation of the Lakitu features Lakitu riding a plane. Lakitus frequently also utilize the ability to produce electricity. A variation of the Lakitu is the a ghost that rides a cloud. ''Mario'' series creator
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
commented that Lakitu was the game character who represented him best. He described Lakitu as "very free, floating in the air, going anywhere. And that's me, that is." The Spinies that it drops are typically red turtles with spikes on their backs that hatch from "
Appearances
Lakitu first appeared in ''
Super Mario Bros.
is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The successor to the 1983 arcade game ''Mario Bros.'' and the first game in the ''Super Mario'' series, it was first released in 1985 for th ...
'' for the
NES
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in American ...
, where it appears as an enemy that drops Spiny Eggs, which hatch into Spinies when they hit the ground or players. While Lakitu did not make an appearance in the western ''
Super Mario Bros. 2
''Super Mario Bros. 2'' is a platform game, platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was first released in North America in October 1988, and in the PAL region in 1989.
After the smash hi ...
'', he did appear in the third game ''
Super Mario Bros. 3
''Super Mario Bros. 3'' is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was released for home consoles in Japan on October 23, 1988, in North America on February 12, 1990 and in Europe on ...
''; besides being an enemy, its
cloud
In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may co ...
appears as an item called "Lakitu's Cloud" that the player-character can use to skip levels. An enemy bearing a resemblance to Lakitu called Roketon appears in ''
Super Mario Land
''Super Mario Land'' is a 1989 side-scrolling platform video game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch game for its Game Boy handheld game console. It is the first ''Mario'' platform game to have been released for a handheld cons ...
'' for the
Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
, where it uses a plane. In ''
Super Mario World
''Super Mario World,'' known in Japan as is a platform game, platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released in Japan in 1990, North America in 1991 and Europe and A ...
'' for the
Super NES
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in E ...
, its cloud can be stolen by the player-character and used as a flying vehicle for a period of time. Lakitu made an appearance in ''
Yoshi's Island
''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island'' is a 1995 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The player controls Yoshi, a friendly dinosaur, on a quest to reunite baby Mario with his ...
'', where it had several variations, including the first occurrence of an electricity-producing Lakitu. ''
Super Mario 64
is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan and North America in 1996 and PAL regions in 1997. It is the first ''Super Mario'' game to feature 3D gameplay, combining traditional ''Su ...
'' and its
DS remake features two characters called the "Lakitu Bros." in a friendly capacity, where they act as the
cameramen
A camera operator, or depending on the context cameraman or camerawoman, is a professional operator of a film camera or video camera as part of a film crew. The term "cameraman" does not imply that a male is performing the task.
In filmmaking ...
for the player to control during Mario's adventure. However, Lakitus appear as enemies as well. It would not appear in a primary ''Mario'' title afterward until ''
New Super Mario Bros.
is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It was first released in May 2006 in North America and Japan, and in PAL regions on June 2006. It is the first installment in the '' New Super Mario Bros.'' sub ...
'', which featured a
boss
Boss may refer to:
Occupations
* Supervisor, often referred to as boss
* Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier
* Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization
* Fire boss, a ...
encounter with a Lakitu called "Lakithunder". Lakitu also appeared in his very own minigame called "Lakitu Launch", where players throw Spiny Shells at the baskets Lakitu is holding within thirty seconds. It appeared in ''
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a platform game, platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. A follow-up to ''New Super Mario Bros.'', it was first released in Australia, North America, and Europe in November 2009, followed by Japan a month later. ...
'' in roughly the same capacity as in ''New Super Mario Bros.'' Most recently, it appeared in ''
Super Mario Galaxy 2
is a 2010 platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was first announced at E3 2009 and is the sequel to 2007's ''Super Mario Galaxy''. It was released worldwide in 2010. Much like the first game, the story follow ...
'', with a boss encounter called "King Lakitu." He also appeared in ''
New Super Mario Bros. U
is a 2D computer graphics, 2D side-scrolling video game, side-scrolling platform video game developed and published in 2012 by Nintendo as a launch game for the Wii U. It is the fourth entry in the New Super Mario Bros. (series), ''New Super Mar ...
'' and its
DLC ''
New Super Luigi U
is a 2013 platform game developed by Nintendo for the Wii U. It is an expansion pack for ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' (2012), part of the ''Super Mario'' series. The plot and game mechanics remain identical to ''New Super Mario Bros. U'', but L ...
'' as well as ''
Yoshi's New Island
''Yoshi's New Island'' is a 2014 platform game developed by Arzest and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS handheld game console. First released in Europe and North America in March 2014, ''Yoshi's New Island'' is a retcon of the events ...
''. In ''
Super Mario Odyssey
is a 2017 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. An entry in the ''Super Mario'' series, it follows Mario and his new ally Cappy—a sentient hat that allows Mario to control other characters and objects—a ...
'', Lakitus with fishing rods can be found in various kingdoms, and can be captured by Mario in order to fish in ponds.
Lakitu has a prominent role in the ''
Mario Kart
is a series of racing games developed and published by Nintendo. Players compete in go-kart races while using various power-up items. It features characters and courses from the ''Mario'' series as well as other gaming franchises such as ''T ...
'' series since its debut in 1992 with ''
Super Mario Kart
''Super Mario Kart'' is a Kart racing game, kart racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The first game in the Mario Kart, ''Mario Kart'' series, it was released in Japan and North Ameri ...
''. In addition to his appearance in ''
Mario Kart 7
''Mario Kart 7'' is a kart racing video game developed by Nintendo EAD in cooperation with Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011.
As with the previous games in the ''Mario Kart'' series, players participate ...
'', ''
Mario Kart 8
is a 2014 kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. It features the '' Mario Kart'' series' game mechanics, in which players drive go-karts using ''Mario'' franchise characters in various race formats. Items placed ...
'' and ''
Mario Kart Tour
is a 2019 kart racing mobile game, the fourteenth in the franchise in the '' Mario Kart'' series, developed by Nintendo EPD and published by Nintendo for iOS and Android devices. The game was announced in January 2018 and was released on S ...
'' as a
playable driver, he is a prominent
non-playable character
A non-player character (NPC), or non-playable character, is any character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster ...
as the referee, where he is holding a
traffic light
Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traf ...
hanging on a fishing pole to signal when to start the race (except for ''
Mario Kart DS
''Mario Kart DS'' is a 2005 kart racing video game developed by Nintendo EAD Group No. 1 and published by Nintendo. It was released for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in November 2005 in North America, Europe, and Australia, and on Dece ...
'' and ''Mario Kart Tour''), tells them which lap or section they're on, alerting players to go the wrong way, and waving the
checkered flag
Racing flags are traditionally used in auto racing and similar motorsports to indicate track condition and to communicate important messages to drivers. Typically, the starter, sometimes the grand marshal of a race, waves the flags atop a flag s ...
to finish the race. This is also true for other games, where it acts in various assistant roles, such as an
umpire
An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection.
The term derives from the Old French nonper, ''non'', "not" and ''per'', ...
in the ''
Mario Baseball'' games and an
official
An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority, (either their own or that of their ...
in the ''
Mario Tennis
''Mario Tennis'' is a 2000 sports video game developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. Following ''Mario's Tennis'', it is the second game in the List of Mario sports games#Mario Tennis series, ''Mari ...
'' games. He also starts every match in ''
Mario Hoops 3-on-3
''Mario Hoops 3-on-3'', known in Europe as ''Mario Slam Basketball'' and in Japan as , is a sports game developed by Square Enix and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS in 2006. The game is the first in which ''Mario'' and ''Final Fantasy'' ...
'' and ''
Mario Sports Mix''. He also acts as the cameraman in ''
Super Mario 64
is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan and North America in 1996 and PAL regions in 1997. It is the first ''Super Mario'' game to feature 3D gameplay, combining traditional ''Su ...
'' and
its DS remake. Each game in the
''Mario'' role-playing games has featured a Lakitu, starting with ''
Super Mario RPG
''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars'' is a role-playing video game developed by Square (video game company), Square and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1996. It was the final ''Mario (franchise), Ma ...
''. A playable Paper Lakitu appears in the first ''
Paper Mario
''Paper Mario'' is a video game series and part of the Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise, developed by Intelligent Systems and produced by Nintendo. It combines elements from the role-playing video game, role-playing, action-adventure, a ...
'' game called Lakilester. While he acts antagonistically towards Paper Mario, it eventually joins him after his girlfriend, Lakilulu, convinces him. The playable Lakitu in ''Mario Kart 7'', ''Mario Kart 8'', and ''Mario Kart Tour'' has a red shell, though the differences between red and green shelled Lakitus are unknown. Lakitu has also made appearances in the ''
Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' series starting with the
original ''Super Smash Bros.'' as a cameo where he can be seen in the background of the stage ''Peach's Castle'', his design is taken from ''
Super Mario 64
is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan and North America in 1996 and PAL regions in 1997. It is the first ''Super Mario'' game to feature 3D gameplay, combining traditional ''Su ...
''. Lakitu returns in ''
Super Smash Bros. Melee
''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' is a 2001 Fictional crossover, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the second installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. I ...
'' once again appearing in the background of a stage. this time being ''Yoshi's Island'' where his design is taken directly from ''
Super Mario World
''Super Mario World,'' known in Japan as is a platform game, platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released in Japan in 1990, North America in 1991 and Europe and A ...
'', and is featured as one of the 293 obtainable trophies in the game. Lakitu also appeared in ''
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 List of crossovers in video games, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the Super Smash Bros., ''Super Smash ...
'' and ''
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
and (colloquially and collectively referred to as ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' or ''Smash 4'') is a group of two 2014 crossover fighting video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS a ...
'' as an assist trophy in the form of his 8-bit ''
Super Mario Bros.
is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The successor to the 1983 arcade game ''Mario Bros.'' and the first game in the ''Super Mario'' series, it was first released in 1985 for th ...
'' design, while appearing as a common enemy in the ''Smash Run'' mode in the
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
version. He appears again in ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeeding ...
'', where he is a spirit that can be fought, along with his Spinies. It also appeared in ''
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap'' as an enemy. In the ''
Mario Party
is a party video game series featuring characters from the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise in which up to four local players or computer-controlled characters (called "CPU (gaming), CPUs") compete in a board game interspersed with mi ...
'' series, he appears in various minigames and in ''
Mario Party Advance
is a party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. Released in 2005, it is the first handheld game in the Mario Party, ''Mario Party'' series, and differs from other titles in that the game is most ...
'', he is the referee with his
whistle
A whistle is an instrument which produces sound from a stream of gas, most commonly air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means. Whistles vary in size from a small slide whistle or nose flute type to a larg ...
-blowing cloud. In ''
Super Mario Maker
is a 2015 side-scrolling platform game and game creation system developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U, released worldwide in September 2015. Players can create, play, and share courses online, free of charge, based on the styles o ...
'' with its
3DS remake and ''
Super Mario Maker 2
is a 2019 side-scrolling platform game and level creation system developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the sequel to ''Super Mario Maker'' and was released worldwide on June 28, 2019. The gameplay is largely ret ...
'', Lakitu can be customized to throw other objects, such as coins, power-ups and even other enemies; his cloud can be ridden on by the player after he has been defeated and by shaking the Lakitu in the level editor it will be tossed away leaving the cloud empty, that can be ridden or used to carry power-ups, cannons or certain enemies.
In other media
Lakitu has appeared several times in other media. The
Nintendo DSi
The is a dual-screen handheld game console released by Nintendo. The console launched in Japan on November 1, 2008, and worldwide beginning in April 2009. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS, and its primary market rival is Sony In ...
app "DSi Sound" featured a ''Mario'' theme that had Lakitu producing coins in it while playing a song. It originally appeared in the anime movie ''
Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach!'' as an enemy. It again appeared in the episode of ''
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
''The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!'' is an American live-action/animated television series airing from September 4 to November 30, 1989, on syndication. The series is based on the video games ''Super Mario Bros.'' and '' Super Mario Bros. 2'' by ...
'' called "Mario and the Red Baron Koopa", where its appearance differs from its traditional appearance, featuring green skin and red sunglasses. It also appears in ''
The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3'' is an animated television series. It premiered on September 8, 1990, on NBC. It is the second animated series to be based on Nintendo's ''Mario'' video game series and is loosely based on the video game ' ...
'' in the episode "Life's Ruff". It has appeared in several comics, such as the
Nintendo Comics System
The ''Nintendo Comics System'' was a series of comic books published by Valiant Comics in 1990 and 1991. It was part of a licensing deal with Nintendo, featuring characters from their video games and the cartoons based on them.
The comics
V ...
issue "Cloud Burst", the
Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo was a customer loyalty program provided by Nintendo. The loyalty program was free to join and provided rewards in exchange for consumer feedback and loyalty to purchasing official Nintendo products. Members of Club Nintendo earned c ...
issue "Mario will hoch hinaus", and in the ''
Super Mario Adventures
''Super Mario Adventures'' is an anthology of comics that ran in ''Nintendo Power'' throughout 1992, featuring the characters from Nintendo's ''Mario'' series and based loosely on ''Super Mario World''. In 1993, the series was also serialized in ...
'' comic. Lakitu also appeared in ''
Puzzle & Dragons Z + Super Mario Bros. Edition''.
Reception
Since appearing in ''
Super Mario Bros.
is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The successor to the 1983 arcade game ''Mario Bros.'' and the first game in the ''Super Mario'' series, it was first released in 1985 for th ...
'', Lakitu has received positive reception. It has appeared in the form of several kinds of merchandise, including on
t-shirt
A T-shirt (also spelled tee shirt), or tee, is a style of fabric shirt named after the T shape of its body and sleeves. Traditionally, it has short sleeves and a round neckline, known as a ''crew neck'', which lacks a collar. T-shirts are general ...
s,
sticker
A sticker is a type of label: a piece of printed paper, plastic, vinyl, or other material with temporary or permanent pressure sensitive adhesive on one side. It can be used for decoration or for functional purposes, depending on the situation. ...
s,
dry erase board and a figurine.
1UP.com
''1Up.com'' was an American entertainment website that focused on video games. Launched in 2003, ''1Up.com'' provided its own original features, news stories, game reviews, and video interviews, and also featured comprehensive PC-focused conten ...
described Lakitu as a "series mainstay."
Official Nintendo Magazine
''Official Nintendo Magazine'', or ''ONM'', was a British video game magazine that ran from 2006 to 2014 that covered the Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, and Wii U video game consoles released by Nintendo.
Originally published by EMAP as ''N ...
editor Chris Scullion listed Lakitu as one of the unsung Nintendo heroes, commenting that while it, like
Birdo
Birdo, known in Japanese as , is a fictional character in the ''Mario'' franchise. Her first appearance was as an enemy in '' Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic'', which was localized for English-language audiences as ''Super Mario Bros. 2''. Since th ...
, does get some recognition, it is less so than other enemies such as the
Goomba
Goombas , known in Japan as , are a fictional mushroom-like species from Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise. They first appeared in the NES video game ''Super Mario Bros.'' as the first enemy players encounter. They have appeared outside video ga ...
and the
Koopa Troopa
Koopa Troopas, known in Japan as , are fictional footsoldiers of the turtle-like Koopa race from the ''Mario'' media franchise. They are commonly referred to generically as Koopas, a race that includes Bowser, King of the Koopas, the Koopaling ...
.
GameDaily
GameDaily (GD) was a video game journalism website based in the United States.
It was launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads. The site changed its business model from a flat fee ...
listed Lakitu as the sixth best ''Mario'' enemy, describing him as "cute" and "friendly," yet also "a pain" for players to beat. In discussing an independent video game called ''
Explodemon
''Explodemon!'' is a 2D platform video game developed by Curve Studios for the PlayStation 3. It was released on the PlayStation Network in 2011. The game is also available on Microsoft Windows via GamersGate.
Overview
Players control the titula ...
'', video game developer Jonathan Biddle called the "Bomber" enemy from ''Explodemon'' a rip-off of Lakitu.
GameSpy
GameSpy was an American provider of online multiplayer and matchmaking middleware for video games founded in 1996 by Mark Surfas. After the release of a multiplayer server browser for the game, QSpy, Surfas licensed the software under the GameS ...
editor Jonti Davies made a comparison between Telly Vision from ''
Chibi-Robo!
is a series of adventure video games developed by Skip Ltd. and published by Nintendo. The franchise follows a series of tiny Robotic units known as Chibi-Robo, whose purpose is to spread Happiness. Recurring game elements of the franchise inc ...
'', who acts as a flying companion to the protagonist. In his review of the
Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Unix ...
re-release of ''Super Mario Bros.'',
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
editor Jeff Gerstmann stated that Lakitus "are still awesome."
G4TV
G4 (also known as G4TV) was an American pay television and digital network owned by Comcast Spectacor that primarily focused on video games.
The network was originally owned by G4 Media, a joint venture between the NBCUniversal Cable division ...
editor Yodapollo listed Lakitu's first appearance as one of the "Epic Fail Videogame Levels," commenting that he "cannot come up with a single other videogame character who comes close to being half as annoying as Lakitu." G4TV editor Andrew Pfister called Lakitu's first appearance as one of the memorable moments of ''Super Mario Bros.'' He also referenced its appearance in one of the later levels as being a difficult encounter. In his retrospective of ''
Super Mario Bros. 2
''Super Mario Bros. 2'' is a platform game, platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was first released in North America in October 1988, and in the PAL region in 1989.
After the smash hi ...
'', 1UP.com editor Jeremy Parish commented that after "being harassed endlessly by that jackass Lakitu, it was a relief to be able to hop onto Pidgit's magic carpet and swipe it right out from under his feet."
In discussing the challenges of ''Super Mario Bros.'', 1UP.com stated that the Spinies were never a "welcome sight", due to appearing in "infinite numbers courtesy of that rat bastard Lakitu, a cowardly bespectacled turtle who hovered on a cloud overhead tossing Spiny eggs at Mario." It was also described by
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
's Audrey Drake as one of the best Mario enemies, stating that "Are they evil, spiny-tossing fiends out to destroy the Mushroom Kingdom? Are they RTVF dropouts whose day job is following Mario around with a camera? Or are they racing fans, always around to lend a hand to a fallen kart racer? Whatever they are, they've certainly contributed a lot to the Mushroom Kingdom through their various jobs." In criticizing some of the game design choices in ''
Yoshi's Island DS
''Yoshi's Island DS'', later released in Japan as , is a platforming video game developed by Artoon for the Nintendo DS. Published by Nintendo, it was released in North America and Australasia in November 2006, in Europe in December 2006, and in ...
'',
NGamer
''Nintendo Gamer'' was a magazine published in the United Kingdom which mainly covered Nintendo video game consoles and software. It was the successor publication to ''N64 Magazine'', later renamed NGC Magazine (1997–2006), and ''Super Play'' ( ...
criticized an appearance by Lakitu, where when it knocks Baby Mario off of
Yoshi
Yoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in ''Super Mario World'' (1990) on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Yoshi is the title character of the List of Y ...
, players have to jump into Lakitu to get him back, thereby losing Baby Mario again.
UGO Networks
UGO Entertainment, Inc. was a website that provided coverage of online media in entertainment, targeting males aged 18–34. The company was based in New York, New York, United States.
History
The company started in 1997 as Unified Gamers Online ...
editor Chris Littler listed having to be rescued by Lakitu after falling off the track in ''
Super Mario Kart
''Super Mario Kart'' is a Kart racing game, kart racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The first game in the Mario Kart, ''Mario Kart'' series, it was released in Japan and North Ameri ...
'' as one of the top 50 worst ways to die in a video game.
Shacknews
''Shacknews'' (originally Quakeholio, then ShugaShack) is a website that hosts news, features, editorial content and forums relating to computer games and Video game console, console games. It is currently owned by a company called Gamerhub Cont ...
praised the pixel art used in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' for Lakitu. In discussing the quality of the
Hammer Bros.
The Hammer Bro (plural: ''Hammer Bros.'' or ) is a recurring enemy in the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' video game series. Created by Japanese video game designer Kazuaki Morita, it is a Koopa that walks upright and attacks by throwing hammer proj ...
,
CNET
''CNET'' (short for "Computer Network") is an American media website that publishes reviews, news, articles, blogs, podcasts, and videos on technology and consumer electronics globally. ''CNET'' originally produced content for radio and televi ...
editor Nate Lanxon commented that "when preparing defenses for your forts of the future, you can take your grumpy little mushroom things and Lakitu's lame cloud," showing preference to Hammer Bros. Editor Scott Jones listed Lakitu and its cloud as an uncomfortable pairing, joking that "if that cloud ever gets free of Lakitu, it will need many years of therapy just to feel like a normal cloud again." The parody film ''There Will Be Brawl'' features an "
Ira Glass
Ira Jeffrey Glass (; born March 3, 1959) is an American public radio personality. He is the host and producer of the radio and television series ''This American Life'' and has participated in other NPR programs, including ''Morning Edition'', ...
-esque" Lakitu, resembling a human more than a turtle.
Notes
References
External links
{{Mario franchise
Anthropomorphic video game characters
Animal characters in video games
Fictional male sportspeople
Fictional turtles
Fictional henchmen in video games
Mario (franchise) enemies
Video game characters introduced in 1985
Video game species and races
Fictional fishers