9 Classic Mario Enemies That Made You Want To Throw Your Controller

When considering Mario’s most formidable adversary, it’s likely that Bowser, the ruthless turtle with dreams of marrying Princess Peach, comes to mind. However, for seasoned Nintendo gamers, defeating Bowser isn’t much of a challenge once they’ve grasped the mechanics of a new Mario game. In fact, overcoming Bowser is more like a leisurely stroll in a digital playground after mastering the game.

Instead of them, some adversaries can turn gameplay into an endlessly exasperating experience. You recognize them – those who prompt you to exclaim “Mama Mia!” and consider abandoning your mission to save the Mushroom Kingdom. What are the most aggravating opponents? Take a look at these timeless Mario enemies that drove us all to the brink of tossing our controllers in frustration.

1) Donkey Kong

A long time before Bowser became well-known, Donkey Kong was Mario’s arch nemesis. Although Donkey Kong was the main character in the popular arcade game Donkey Kong, he wasn’t the hero. Instead, he was modeled after King Kong and played the villain role by kidnapping Pauline (then known only as Lady), the girlfriend of Mario (previously referred to as Jumpman). It fell upon Mario to overcome one challenging platforming level after another to bring this ape under control.

In this classic arcade game, Donkey Kong can be quite passive in some levels, but on the very first stage, he becomes an aggressive barrel-thrower! He’s surprisingly skilled at it too – the barrels appear in various patterns and types, and you can never predict when one might tumble down the ladder you’re ascending. A single touch with a barrel equals instant doom, making Donkey Kong the earliest Mario adversary that left players ready to shout with fear!

Fans can only hope he seems just as deadly when his new solo movie hits theaters.

2) Hammer Bros

In the classic game Super Mario Bros., novice players quickly learn how to conquer Koopa Troopas and Goombas due to their relatively predictable movements. For seasoned gamers, these enemies hardly pose significant challenges. However, there’s one adversary that even veteran players find intimidating – the Hammer Bros. As their name suggests, these fearsome turtles hurl hammers in random and unpredictable trajectories. Unless you have a power-up, being struck by just one hammer results in instant defeat.

In other words, without the Fire Flower, these characters pose immediate trouble. They tend to show up where you can’t simply jump over them. If you attempt to go under after they leap, it’s uncertain when they might rebound or even hurl a few more projectiles at you. And here’s the catch: they usually appear in pairs, so if you manage to defeat one, its partner waits ready for revenge.

Brothers who use violent means to intimidate helpful outsiders with brutal hammer attacks? These individuals would be more suited to a career in organized crime. (Bowser is a character from Super Mario video games.)

3) Lakitu

Today’s younger Nintendo gamers often don’t find Lakitu intimidating due to his more helpful roles in games like Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart series, where he helps manage the camera or acts as a referee respectively. However, in the original Super Mario Bros., Lakitu was not so benevolent. In fact, he was a formidable obstacle for many players, often spelling certain doom for those who lacked the speed and agility to escape quickly.

In the initial game, Lakitu would appear and toss eggs around as if they were Molotov cocktails. These eggs can be quite irritating to avoid, and when they land, they hatch into Spinies that cause pain when you try to jump on them. To summarize, whenever this character riding on a cloud makes an appearance, the level becomes a tense battle for survival due to his presence.

4) Blooper

Less well-known Nintendo enthusiasts might not recognize the Bloopers by name, as they are among the underappreciated Super Mario characters. However, their obscurity doesn’t diminish their potential danger! Bloopers are the cephalopod enemies found in any underwater level within the game Super Mario Bros. What makes these adversaries particularly frustrating is that they can’t be defeated by jumping on them; instead, any contact with a Blooper causes harm or even death. A single Blooper can prove fatal unless you happen to possess the power of a Fire Flower, and even if you’re firing fireballs, remember that these creatures often travel in groups!

In essence, what makes The Blooper particularly formidable is its unpredictable behavior. To put it another way, guessing its next move can be quite challenging, unlike with Goombas for example. Additionally, Mario isn’t much of a swimmer, making it tricky to maneuver from one point to another. This combination of poor controls and an unforeseeable enemy makes the underwater levels in this cherished game the most difficult and frightening parts to navigate.

5) Phanto

In terms of famous Mario antagonists, Phanto isn’t commonly recognized. He is one of several peculiar villains introduced in the game “Super Mario Bros. 2“. While hardcore Nintendo enthusiasts might correct you, this game was not initially designed as a Mario game, explaining why popular adversaries like Goombas and Koopa Troopas are absent. However, among the new additions, Phanto is widely considered to be the most frustrating.

Initially, he appears as a faceless entity posing no immediate danger. However, once you swipe the key under his watch, this seemingly harmless figure transforms into an indefatigable pursuer. To give you an idea of its persistence, it chases you from one screen to another, penetrates different rooms, and even ventures through Subspace. Phanto is exceptionally hard to eliminate, and even if you do, he reappears on the next screen. Spend enough time with this retro sequel, and it might just become a fixture in your nightmares.

But what else can you expect of a game that’s secretly just a bad dream?

6) Angry Sun

Super Mario Bros. 3 is almost flawlessly crafted as a sequel. It brings back fan favorites like Goombas, but also introduces wildly eccentric new adversaries. Among these are Bowser’s offspring (who were later rewritten to be minions), acting as mini-bosses. Yet, none can rival the most incandescent and furious antagonist: the scorching sun!

In the second stage of “Super Mario Bros. 3”, players encounter a menacing sun. Initially, it merely observes you; however, it later dives towards you like a fierce solar predator, aiming to eliminate players who fail to evade its assaults. The difficulty in dodging these attacks contributes significantly to this adversary’s irritation factor. It can be defeated, but the question then arises: Who is the true antagonist of the game? For instance, how can Bowser measure up against the determined plumber who chooses to plunge the entire world into eternal darkness?

7) Monty Mole

Currently, Monty Mole is quite relaxed in his appearance. Contrasting this, when you encounter him driving in the captivating game, Mario Kart World, he appears far from a sinister villain. However, when Monty Mole first appeared in Super Mario World, he was quite troublesome. This was mainly due to his sudden appearance from the ground at unpredictable locations; upon emerging onto the surface, they would either dart back and forth or charge directly towards the player, creating a makeshift obstacle course of sorts.

Trying to escape from Monty might seem like an option, but he’s relentless and will eventually catch up to you. Also, it’s important to know that your speed alone may not be enough to evade him. When this pesky mole gets tired of the chase, it won’t hesitate to hurl rocks at you instead. After a few of those rocks hit you while you’re leaping, you’ll realize why so many of us dislike Monty so intensely.

8) Lava Bubble

In the classic game Super Mario Bros., there’s an enemy often overlooked in discussions. Towards the end of the game’s eight worlds, Mario inevitably invades Bowser’s castle and eventually faces off against the giant antagonist. However, reaching this showdown with Bowser requires navigating through various challenges, including avoiding a pool of molten lava. And it’s Lava Bubbles that have caused players to plummet into the fiery abyss more times than anyone else.

As a gamer, I’d put it this way: In those classic Super Mario levels, there are these pesky critters that lurk in the lava pits, just waiting to ambush me while I leap from Point A to Point B. They might not have as many tricks up their sleeves in later games, but let me tell you, they were downright infuriating in the original Super Mario Bros.! To add insult to injury, I couldn’t even get rid of them – making them one of my most frustrating adversaries in the Mario universe.

9) Dry Bones

Discussing bothersome enemies that can’t be permanently defeated, the game Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced Dry Bones. At a glance, they might not seem intimidating; essentially, they are the re-animated skeletons of Koopa Troopas. Your initial jump on one may lead you to believe that you’ve defeated this enemy for good.

Unfortunately, defeating this foe won’t do the trick. Although it may turn him into a heap of bones, he swiftly regroups and comes back to life. Unless you possess stardust or the Hammer outfit, there’s no method to eliminate these bony adversaries. To add fuel to the fire, they are frequently positioned as unbeatable barriers in locations where you may attempt to glide with the Raccoon suit.

2025-07-18 23:42