An apology to a character that have grown up with his longtime fans
Well, hello to all VGC members visiting my brand new thread. I decided days ago to dedicate a very special thread to the richest environment in video gaming. I'll present you every foe that appeared in each single mainline Mario game since Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The thread will be updated really often, so I recommand you to visit whenever you want to. Feel free to post your impressions, thoughts or personnal comments. Remember, this is only for pure fun and is actually a great timekiller ;)
Let's start with something that probably should be called the most common enemy in Mario games. It is also the funniest one, especially when he rushes into Mario in Super Mario Galaxy. People, let me present:
GOOMBA
“The Goombas have lost...Again?! Is this our destiny?! To be trampled by oppressive feet for all eternity? No, we will definitely triumph next time! Yes, next time! The Goombas' fate is not defeat, but perseverance!”
- Goomboss, Super Mario 64 DS
Goombas are called in Japan Kuribo (Kuribo's shoe, anyone?), which can be translated as "chestnut people". They are the most widespread species and the most persistent among the Mushroom Kingdom. Goombas are fungus-based species that ressemble to small brown shiitake. Goombas have black bushy eyebrows that form a scowl. These mushroom creatures also have two upward-pointing fangs. Goombas are a collective race, but unlike their physical cousins Toads, they have turned traitorous and joined Bowser's troops. They are physically very weak and not much of a threat for Mario and Luigi, although certain sub-species have emerged throughout the years (we could believe in Darwin's evolutionnism theory in that case). A single stomp usually defeats them.
Their king:
GOOMBOSS
The original homeland of Goombas was the Mushroom Kingdom, which they shared with another fungus species, the Toads. The two races were living in peace before the Goombas betrayed their mushrooms brothers. However, some Goombas continued to live in peace in the Mushroom Kingdom (such as the inhabitants of the Goomba Village), while others became independant thieves and bandits. Goombas appeared for the first time in Super Mario Bros. as simple soldiers who could only damage Mario or Luigi by walking into them. They were deployed in mass during Bowser's first invasion of the Mushroom Kingdom.
During the events of Super Mario Bros. 3, Goombas were deployed across the 7 kingdoms of the Mushroom World. This attack also saw the introduction of a vast array of Goomba sub-species (trained especially for special types of warfare, such as Modern Warfare 
). The winged Paragoomba provided air support, launching their babies Micro-Goombas to limit the jumping ability of the Mario Bros. These Micro-Goombas would also hide in bricks, especially in World 2, and would use the element of surprise to catch the two heroics plumbers off-guard. Gigantic Grand Goombas helped invade the fourth kingdom Giant Land. Goombas could be also found in strange shoes in World 5-3 to mimic the ability to jump of the Mario Bros.
Goombas were a stappling force during Bowser's attack on Princess Peach's Castle during the events of Super Mario 64. Goombas were not deployed in high numbers as seen in Bowser's early invasions. Notably, on the DS remake, the Goombas managed to capture and imprison Mario under the command of Goomboss.
Goombas appear in Super Mario Galaxy, leaving the confines of Mushroom Kingdom to set up camp on other planets. In addition of the regular Goomba, a flatter, grayer version exists, much like Goombas found in Super Mario World. Those were instantly defeated by a spin, rather than being stunned like regular Goombas. Grand Goombas also appear in Galaxy, along with a new alien specie called Electrogoomba, ressembling more of an octopus-like creature. Another sub-species of Goombas is the Astro Goomba. They wear large helmets, which protect them from being stomped unless they are flipped upside down with a spin. In haunted areas such as Ghostly Glaxy, yet another type of Goomba appears that wears a pumpkin as a helmet, called Pumpkinhead Goombas.
BOO!... H-huh? I can't see... Stupid helmet.
“'Marching straight ahead into the enemy's feet!' Didn't you all learn that in Goomba boot camp?”
—Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Pixel Art can be fun.
