Boo, fantôme blanc aux yeux fermés et à la grande bouche ouverte, en rendu 3D

Boo: the shy ghost who became a Mario icon

1179 words | Reading time : 5 minute(s)

CharacterSuper Mario Bros. 3Ghosts

He only moves when your back is turned, and freezes the moment you look at him. Born in Super Mario Bros. 3 in 1988, Boo owes his Japanese name, Teresa, to the verb "tereru": to be embarrassed. This portrait covers the in-house legend that he was inspired by Takashi Tezuka's wife, his gaze mechanic borrowed from red light, green light, his move into the spotlight in Luigi's Mansion, and his double life as an item thief in Mario Kart.

Round, white and sporting a fang-filled grin, Boo is the most famous ghost in video games. His big idea fits into a single playground rule: he only moves when your back is turned and freezes the moment you look at him, shyly hiding his face.

Born in Super Mario Bros. 3, this bashful specter has built a colossal career: haunted houses, Mario Kart, and even the starring enemy role in Luigi's Mansion. A portrait of an icon that never dares to meet your gaze.

Contents

A ghost born in the fortresses of 1988

Boo makes his debut in Super Mario Bros. 3, released in 1988 in Japan on NES. There he haunts the fortresses alongside the Dry Bones and the other traps scattered through the level, and he immediately imposes his one-of-a-kind mechanic: you cannot hurt him by facing him, you can only deal with his presence.

His Japanese name, Teresa, comes from the verb "tereru", which means to be embarrassed, intimidated: the whole character fits inside that etymology. Tasty detail: the original American manual christened him "Boo Diddley", a nod to bluesman Bo Diddley — the same musical tradition that gave their names to the Koopalings.

Sketch of three Boos, tongues out and hands over their faces
First seen in the fortresses of 1988, they rarely travel alone.

The gaze mechanic: creeping up behind your back

Boo's stroke of genius was turning a playground rule — red light, green light — into a game mechanic. His behavior has not changed since the NES days:

  • When Mario turns his back on him, Boo wakes up, flashes his toothy grin and slowly closes in on him.
  • When Mario looks at him, he stops dead, turns pale and covers his face with his little arms, ashamed at having been caught.
  • He is immune to jumps and to most standard attacks: you manage him, you never get rid of him.

That crippling shyness makes him an enemy that is more psychological than physical: he only hurts players who panic and forget to turn and face him.

A very personal inspiration

The in-house legend, told in Nintendo's official guide Mario Mania , has it that Boo was inspired by Takashi Tezuka's wife, the great architect of the 2D Mario games. Usually gentle and reserved, she is said to have exploded with anger one day at her husband, kept late at the office once too often.

Out of that domestic anecdote came a ghost that is shy on the surface, fearsome the second your back is turned — the character's exact profile. True or embellished, the story fits Boo so well that it has become inseparable from who he is.

From Super Mario World to Luigi's Mansion

After the NES, Boos multiply. Super Mario World gives him his haunted houses, whole maze-like levels designed around him, and introduces the Big Boo, a colossal version that doubles as a secret boss. Super Mario 64 pushes the idea further with an entire mansion devoted to ghosts.

The crowning moment comes in 2001: in Luigi's Mansion, the Boos take center stage. Fifty mischievous Boos hide inside the mansion, and their monarch, King Boo, establishes himself as Luigi's great rival. The shy ghost has become a headliner.

Item thief, kart racer and merchandising star

Boo also leads a double life as a useful prankster. In Mario Kart, he is an item in his own right: once summoned, he makes his driver invisible and untouchable for a few seconds and steals an item from an opponent. Missing for a while, this cult item made its grand return in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

You also run into Boo as a playable character in the Mario Party games (from 5 to Jamboree), the sports titles and the series' RPGs. Add plushies, lamps and goodies by the hundred: few rank-and-file enemies have reinvented themselves so well as a full-fledged mascot.

Luigi at the wheel with a translucent white Boo, the ghost item from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
As an item, Boo turns his driver invisible and steals an item from an opponent.

Boo at a glance

French name Boo
Japanese name Teresa (from "tereru", to be embarrassed)
First appearance Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, Japan)
Type Ghost
Behavior Creeps up behind your back, freezes under your gaze
Famous variants Big Boo, King Boo
Showcase game Luigi's Mansion (50 Boos to capture)
Mario Kart role Item: invisibility + item theft

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FAQ

  • Which game does Boo first appear in?
    Boo debuts in Super Mario Bros. 3, released in 1988 in Japan on NES, where he haunts the fortresses of the Mushroom Kingdom.
  • Why does Boo hide his face?
    He is a shy ghost: as soon as a hero looks at him, he freezes and covers his face. He only moves forward when your back is turned.
  • What does his Japanese name, Teresa, mean?
    Teresa comes from the Japanese verb "tereru", which means to be embarrassed or intimidated. The character's entire personality springs from that pun.
  • Who leads the Boos?
    King Boo, introduced in Luigi's Mansion, rules over the ghosts. Across the series he has become Luigi's sworn enemy.
  • What does the Boo item do in Mario Kart?
    It makes the driver invisible and untouchable for a few seconds and swipes an item from an opponent. It came back in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

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