Goomba's Shoe

Pixel from Super Mario Bros. 3.

A Goomba's Shoe, also known as the Kuribo's Shoe or Shoe, is a large, green-colored boot with a wind-up key sticking out of the back of it. It is worn by a Shoe Goomba. It is one of the most uncommon of all the power-ups in all of the Mario series, and made its first game appearance in Super Mario Bros. 3, with the latest appearance in Super Mario Maker 2. The Goomba's Shoe was originally known in the PRG0 English NES release as Kuribo's Shoe, with "Kuribo" being the Japanese name of Goomba left unchanged. The name was correctly translated as Goomba's shoe in the PRG1 English NES localization. The name is localized in the re-releases of Super Mario Bros. 3 and the Game Boy Advance remake, but the item has been called Kuribo's Shoe again in Super Mario All-Stars, due to it being derived from the PRG0 localization.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros. 3

The first appearance of the Goomba's Shoe was in Super Mario Bros. 3, where they appeared solely in World 5-3. The Goombas of this level would hop around aimlessly in Goomba's Shoes and if jumped on by Mario, would be defeated; however, if Mario was to attack one of these Goombas from below, the Goomba will be knocked from the shoe and Mario could take it and ride in it. In Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, there is an e-Reader level called "It's a Shoe-in" that uses the Goomba's Shoe and adds it coming out of blocks in that level, like a normal power-up.

Once wearing a Goomba's Shoe, Mario will be able to easily hop across spikes and sharp-toothed or spiky enemies, such as Munchers and Spinies. Once the end of the level is reached, though, Mario will lose the Goomba's Shoe. In the original Japanese version, a hit will also cause Mario to shrink to Small Mario in addition to losing the shoe. However, if the player was already small, Mario will only lose the shoe, as in the international versions of the games.

In several of the unused levels of Super Mario Bros. 3, Goomba's Shoes can be found and used.

The Nintendo Power Strategy Guide for Super Mario Bros. 3 refers to the Goomba in the shoe as "Kuribo's Goomba", essentially meaning "Goomba's Goomba".

The Goomba's Shoe is one of the few power-ups not mentioned in the instruction booklet - not in the original, remakes, or the Virtual Console Operations Guide.

Super Mario 3D World

While the Goomba's Shoe itself is not seen in Super Mario 3D World, a similar power-up called the Ice Skate that can be used to skate on frozen lakes is present. Both playable characters and Goombas can ride them. These shoes have different colors, which are based on the rider.

Super Mario Maker series

After being absent from the series for 22 years, the Shoe re-appears in Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Mario Maker 2, along with a Stiletto variant (which can be black or red depending on the style) and giant versions of both. Big Shoes can Ground Pound by pressing down on Paddown while midair. This attack can defeat enemies including Munche]s, Bill Blasters, and Boos which are normally indestructible. It can be used only in the Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 styles, with the Yoshi Egg replacing it in the Super Mario World and New Super Mario Bros. U styles. Unlike in Super Mario Bros. 3, the Shoe can be dismounted, but an empty Shoe will disappear after a short while. The Shoe also has the ability shared by Yoshi to run across Spike Traps and jump up and down on Grinders.

Adding wings to a Shoe allows Mario to flutter into the air while wearing one by holding the jump button, gaining extra distance akin to Yoshi's flutter-jump. The winged Stiletto makes a noise reminiscent to a high-pitched feminine laugh when hovering.

While the default sized Stiletto variant functions identically to the normal Shoe, if giant, the Stiletto can destroy blocks and take out more resilient enemies with its ground pound, such as Thwomps and other normally indestructible enemies, such as Cannons and Bill Blasters.

Super Mario-Kun

In volume 3 of Super Mario-Kun, Mario steals a shoe from a powered-up Rex and wears it as a Goomba's Shoe. The bad smell from the Rex's feet sickens Mario, however, and the enraged Rex pummels him.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3

Goomba's Shoes only appeared in the episode Super Koopa of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (although they were shown in the show's opening sequence). During the episode, they were referred to as Karoobis, a mispronunciation of Kuribo.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star

Goomba's Shoes return as uncommon stickers in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. Here, they are named Super Boots and lack the wind-up key on the back. They can be bought at Outlook Point. By pressing the A button, Mario can dodge most attacks with the boot. The boot also allows Mario to stomp spiked enemies, and also increases the power of other Jump attacks used when the boot is in effect. Shiny versions of this sticker appear as well, also for sale at Outlook Point.

Also, Clone Jump stickers retain the Goomba's Shoe's wind-up key on the back.

Trivia

• Probably by coincidence, in Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!, the two recurring Goombas are briefly seen hiding in a giant shoe of somewhat similar design.
• In Super Paper Mario, one Sammer Guy is called Shoe of Kuribo, a reference to the Goomba's Shoe.
• In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, the enemy Sockop is very similar to a Goomba's Shoe, especially when Luigi is walking around in it. One Sockop is even named Kuribo.
• Goomba's Shoe was set to re-appear in Super Mario Galaxy and later Super Mario 3D Land, but this idea was scrapped for unknown reasons.
• In December of 2018, the eShop advertisement on the Nintendo Switch startup screen featured a Goomba in a stocking, invoking a Goomba's Shoe.