Super Mario Galaxy/Enemies

This is a list of some of the enemies in Super Mario Galaxy:

Short Goomba
These Goombas are shorter and rounder than normal ones. These enemies can be simply defeated by a spin or jump on the head. Defeat of a Short Goomba will produce a coin.

Goomba
Weak enemies that can be jumped on the head for a coin. If you spin a Goomba, it will become stunned for a few seconds and if you run into it while it's stunned, it will disappear and give you 3 star bits.

Astro Goomba
A Goomba wearing a round helmet. These ones can not be jumped on the head but if they are stunned via spin move, they can be jumped on to produce a coin.

Giant Goomba
Remarkably larger than normal Goombas, Giant Goombas walk very slowly and can not be jumped on the head (you will take damage.) The only way to defeat them is to do a spin move and then run into them or jump on them when stunned. There is only one in the game and it gives you a key when defeated.

Thwomp
Square, stone enemies that are usually quite large (although some are larger than others.) They hover in the air for some time and drop down every couple of seconds, crushing anything beneath them. Thwomps can serve as a wall-like structure whether they're hovering or on the ground (this meas that you can do wall jumps off of them, stand on top of their heads, etc.)

Piranha Flower
Piranha Flowers are red, plantlike enemies that stick out of the ground and try to bite you when you are close. They hesitate for a moment after they fail to bite you and this is when you should defeat them. Simply jump on the Pirahna Flower's head (it will give you a coin) or spin it (it will give you 3 star bits.) Piranha Flowers sometimes leave a vine that grows out of it's ground position and that you can climb.

Purple Piranha Flower
These larger than normal Piranha plants are similar in defeat to normal ones. However, stay away from it's spiky stem, otherwise you will take damage. It will throw it's head to the ground when it sees you so stay a good distance away when it does. This is your chance to attack. While the purple piranha flower's head is down, jump on top of it or spin it. Special things such as vines and launch stars usually appear after a purple piranha plant's defeat.

Dino Piranha
The first boss in the game. Dino Piranha resembles a Piranha Flower, but it can move and yell and has a tail. To defeat it, get behind it and spin it's tail. It will come back and strike Dino Piranha on the head. This is done 3 times and when it is defeated, it will give you a power star. You can use stars to distract him. His only attack is a charge that gets faster and faster with each hit.

Fiery Dino Piranha
Fought in the Melty Molten Galaxy, the Fiery Dino Piranha can leave trails of fire from its tail while chasing Mario. It can also spit fireballs from it's mouth. Mario has a chance to spin attack the tail when it's not on fire. On top of that, it has the charge that gets faster and faster plus it can abruptly stop and charge in your direction like a surprise attack.

Bullet Bill
A bullet-shaped enemy that's shot out of a cannon (the cannon's look varies with the level) and will move in a straight line. However, if it sees you, it will start to move in your direction and follow you until something gets in its way. They can be used to break glass domes and defeat enemies.

Torpedo Ted
Much like Bullet Bill, Torpedo Ted is longer in size and is shot underwater. It will make an alarm-like sound when it sees you and the sound gets louder, faster, and higher-pitched as it draws nearer. They, too can break glass domes and defeat enemies.

Dry Bones
Dry Bones is an enemy that is made up of many bones and resembles a Koopa-Troopa. They will pursue you if they notice you and they can be knocked down and temporarily defeated by a jump or spin. However, after a short time they will stand back up and continue to pursue. They can only be permanently defeated with a fire attack, leading them off of a ledge where they'd fall, or by Rainbow Mario.

Bowser Jr.
The son of the might King Bowser Koopa. He shows as the occasional boss, but doesn't fight you directly. He will often show up in an airship to taunt you and call upon other enemies for you to defeat. He appears at the end of every other dome. Bowser Jr. also shows up at the end fight with Bowser, but only as a character and nothing more.

Bowser
King Koopa himself. Bowser is the final boss in the game, but he shows as a boss at a few points during the game as well. He has many tactics to defeat you. One of them is performing ground pounds that create thin blue waves. Simply jump over these to avoid them. Another tactic is spitting fireballs. The only way to avoid these is to get out of the way. One of his major moves is curling into a boulder. You have to spin by his head to send him spinning lopsided on the back of his shell. You then have to spin him while he's near you. Repeat this again with an added shell spin to beat him. If it's the end battle, you'll fly to another planet to face him a second time. This time, he will curl into a spiky ball. You have to use the nearby bulb-like plants to strike him. Once he's spinning on his shell again, spin him. Repeat with an added spin for the last part of the battle. Here, he will try to ground pound you. You need to make sure he lands on a light-blue circle. He will then shout and run with his tail burning. Get close enough and spin his tail. He will spin on his shell again so spin him. Same thing, repeat and spin again to win. Then Bowser will be defeated.

King Kaliente
A large octopus that lives in lava. He is found on Good Egg Galaxy and Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor. He attacks by shooting fire balls and coconuts.

Spiky Plant
An easily avoided obstacle in the game. Coconuts can destroy these as well as you in the rainbow form. If you touch these directly in your normal form, however, you will take damage. Coins often appear when they disappear.

Large Spiky Plant
Like a spiky plant but bigger.

Pokey
A tall spiky cactus that attacks by slamming its head towards the player.

Boo
A round, white ghost that can only be defeated when it touches light.

Bomb Boo
A round, black ghost that is explosive. Shake the Wii Remote when near a Bomb Boo. Mario will get hold of its tongue and swing it around.

Bouldergeist
Fought in the Ghoslty Galaxy, Boulder is an evil spirit that wears boulders as his armor. He attacks by levitating and then thrashing rocks at Mario and by summoning stalactites. The gold rocks explode into coins. The black rocks explode into Bomb Boos, which are the only things that damage Bouldergeist. Three Bomb Boos will completely destroy his boulder armor. Then he will spawn Bomb Boos with his tongue. Hit Bouldergeist with another Bomb Boo. He will go up in the air while screaming then regenerate his armor. This time, he has hands, which can be destroyed with two Bomb Boos each, but will regenerate within a short time. Redestroy his armor with three Bomb Boos. Then Bouldergeist will again start tongue-spawning Bomb Boos. This time, when he is hit with a Bomb Boo he will be defeated for good, revealing a Power star.

Rocky Wrench
A mole that throws spanners. If near him he will hide in his hole. If you are hit by a spanner you will lose a life. To stun him fire a star bit at him.

Yellow Topman
These enemies charge Mario, but do not do any damage. They can be defeated by a single spin.

Red Topman
These are more powerful versions of Yellow Topmen, as they can push you farther back and are tougher. The only way to defeat them is to spin them into something like an electric fence.