Sarisa's Koopa Klassification

[kingkoopa]

Well, I'm starting to wonder if Fire Bros, Ice Bros, Boomerang Bros, and maybe even Hammer Bros are just one species of Koopa that have had powerups used on them.

[Sarisa]

That's why I didn't add anything with a tail; it's clearly an ordinary creature with a power-up applied. (However, without the story, I would have thought the tailed creatures were new species.) If there's any sort of proof that Hammer Bros. must be powered-up into their alternate versions, I'd consider that good enough to collapse them all into one versatile species. It is suggestive that Ice Bros. only appear in a game that offers an Ice Flower. However, there is no power-up that gives the ability to throw boomerangs.

I'm sure Hammer Bros. in general are a distinct stock. Hamma descends from a line of Hammer Bros. (even if his father decided to be a Business Bro. instead, making some of that money Koopalmier concluded the Koopa Troop puts into the MK economy) and, furthermore, Hammer Bros. don't look like Koopa Troopas in most art. Hammer Bros. are taller and have smaller heads and less prominent beaks.

If you have some purpose that requires a heavily condensed species list, like playable RPG races, I'd suggest starting with limits on what you'll allow a player character to do and merging anything iconic but too powerful into the closest available race. It's pretty common to merge Koopa Troopas, Magikoopas, Hammer Bros., and sometimes Lakitus together into "Koopas" because most GMs don't want a beginning character with infinite ammo, innate magic, or flight. However, if I were designing monsters, I'd split them into five monsters or more.

[kingkoopa]

There is an item that give the ability to throw Boomerangs. The new Boomerang Flower. And no I am not making this up go play level 5-1 of Super Mario 3-D Land and you will see one right as you start the level.

[Sarisa]

Ugh, missed that. (I do most of my research from secondary sources; I can buy a 3DS and this game, or I can see my family once a year. I'd rather see my family and have a bit of money in the bank in case something breaks.)

So now every Hammer Bro. variant has a corresponding power-up? That is very suspicious. On the other hand, PM2 presented a Fire Bro. and a Boomerang Bro. separately, following the long tradition. I've rejected RPG-only palette swaps -- the "dark" creatures are the ones in the Flopside Pit of 100 Trials -- but Fire and Boomerang Bros. are more than a palette swap. I'm hesitant to write off long-established creatures as combinations of a base creature and a power-up because, with more and more power-ups, there are more and more creatures that once had distinct powers and now share their powers with a power-up. Furthermore, a fair number of the possibly powered-up creatures are distinct in the RPGs, especially in PM2 which does allow enemies to use items. I think I'll keep them separate for now, pending a bit better evidence (maybe the upcoming PM3).

tl;dr: I decided to keep the Hammer Bro. types distinct because in PM2 a Fire Bro. does not equal a Hammer Bro. with a Fire Flower.

[koopaul]

Off-topic but somewhat related, besides Koopas I'm pretty sure almost all Shy Guys are the same species but some hold spears and stuff.