Bugaboom

Bugaboom
Bugaboom
Chronological information
First game	Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Latest game	Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020)
Game appearances	Super Mario Galaxy (2007) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010) Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020)
Personal information
Gender	Male
Homeland	Honeyhive Galaxy Puzzle Plank Galaxy
Species	Mandibug
Character traits
Alignment	Lawful Evil

Bugaboom is a minor antagonist who first appeared in Super Mario Galaxy. He is the leader of the Mandibug clan, and makes his lair on a small planet that has a tree and is surrounded by two smaller asteroids that serve as a pre-battle resting spot in the Honeyhive Galaxy; Mario travels here to settle the Mandibug invasion in the mission Big Bad Bugaboom. Mario later encounters him on a similar planet in the Puzzle Plank Galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy 2, where the Bugaboom comes back for his revenge in the secret mission Bugaboom's Back.

Profile

Physical description

Bugaboom is a giant green Mandibug with six legs and wings behind both eyes. On his back, there is an explosion-like mark, which is his weak spot. His mouth is jagged. He has a hole in his bottom that he uses to 'poop out' bombs and shoot them at the ground. In his angered state, Bugaboom turns red.

In Super Mario Galaxy

When Bugaboom makes his entrance, he is shown dropping into his "starting position" from high up. He opens his mouth, which contains mandibles that stick out like a tongue and snap together akin to a crocodile's snapping jaw. The animation is the same regardless the game.

To defeat this giant boss in the first game, Mario must use a Bee Mushroom to fly above Bugaboom then Ground Pound on him three times. Bugaboom simply walks around his arena during his first phase, and is thus practically a sitting duck, although he can change direction and suddenly break into a run. On the second and third times, Bugaboom is more difficult to attack because he will fly around the planet upon which he and Mario are dueling, and he can also drop bombs. Additionally, Bugaboom will often flip his body on his last leg, making him harder to hit (only the explosion symbol on his back can be struck safely). In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Bugaboom is fought at the Puzzle Plank Galaxy. However, there is no Bee Mushroom. Instead, there is a Cloud Flower, and Mario must use that power-up in a similar way. After Mario defeats Bugaboom, a Power Star will appear.

Upon defeat, Bugaboom struggles to stand, but his strength fades after a final roar and he collapses.

Behind the scenes

Etymology

The name Bugaboom is a pun on "bug-a-boo," a term for monsters, generally minor children's book monsters.

Nomenclature

In the Japanese, German, Spanish, and Korean dubs, the Bugaboom is called the "Mandibug King." (Kuwakabuto Kingu (This is written クワカブト キング in the Katakana dialect and くわかぶと きんぐ in the Hiragana dialect; kuwakabuto means "Mandibug."), Stinkkäferkönig (Stinkkäfer means "Mandibug."), Escarabajo Rey (Mandibugs are called "Escarabajo."), and Saseumpungdeng-iking (This is written written 사슴풍뎅이킹; saseumpungdeng-i means "Mandibug.") His Chinese name is Biǎnpíng Chóng Wáng, which literally translates as "flat bug king" and is written 扁平蟲王. His Italian name is Scaraboóm, from the English word "boom" and "Scarafetor," the latter meaning "mandibug." The French dub calls him "Skaraboss," forming a pun on Skarabée ("Mandibug") and "boss" (referring to his role as a boss).

Trivia

• Bugaboom ares his boss music with King Kaliente and Topmaniac. However, Bugaboom's boss music speeds up after he takes damage, which never happens with the King Kaliente and Topmaniac fights even though they have rage-mode phases.
  • Bugaboom's boss music from Super Mario Galaxy returns in Super Mario Galaxy 2, where it plays the same way when Bugaboom is fought. It will also speed up again, like in the first game, after Bugaboom loses his first hit point from Mario smashing him. Additionally, it also appears as King Kaliente's theme.
• Bugaboom is the only boss from Super Mario Galaxy to appear again in Super Mario Galaxy 2, but not to be fought in Boss Blitz Galaxy.
• This boss and Fiery Gobblegut are the only bosses in Super Mario Galaxy 2 that can only be accessed by a secret star mission.
• Bugaboom can be hit when he is flying without a Bee Mushroom or a Cloud Flower by triple jumping towards him and then performing a ground pound on his back or by using the Springy Flowers (Springboards in Super Mario Galaxy 2). However, this technique is harder to perform.
• Glamdozer's boss battle music seems to be a remix of Bugaboom's boss battle music.
• In the Prima guide to Super Mario Galaxy 2, one of the pictures for Bugaboom's boss strategy is a picture from King Lakitu's boss strategy info instead. This seems to be an error.
• He has some obscure similarities to the Wiggler in Super Mario Sunshine in that they are both insects and their music is used for other bosses but speeds up with each hit. However, the Wiggler boss in Super Mario Sunshine shares his music for a majority of the bosses, while the Super Mario Galaxy games have no "standard" boss theme, with different themes for many bosses.
• The Bugaboom is theorised to be male due to his Japanese name being "Mandibug King."

Gallery

Bugaboom in action

Bugaboom attempts to crush Bee Mario with its mandibles