Lakitu : le Koopa nuageux qui filme Mario

Lakitu: the cloudy Koopa who films Mario

1436 words | Reading time : 7 minute(s)

EnemyLakituMario Kart

He has been bombing you since 1985 — and yet he is the one holding the camera. Jugem in Japan, Lakitu is the bespectacled Koopa perched on a cloud who has been pelting Mario with Spiny Eggs since Super Mario Bros. This profile covers his inseparable duo with the Spinies, his career change into a cameraman in Super Mario 64 and into Mario Kart's official referee.

Perched on his little cloud, a pair of round glasses clamped on his nose, Lakitu is one of the most recognisable enemies in the whole Mario saga. Ever since Super Mario Bros. in 1985, this flying Koopa has hounded the plumber by lobbing eggs at him that hatch into small spiky creatures, the Spinies. Reaching him is no easy task: he floats out of range and never stops shelling the ground below.

But Lakitu leads a surprising double life. From aerial bombardier, he became Mario's official cameraman in Super Mario 64, then the essential referee of the Mario Kart series. Few supporting characters have crossed forty years of games while changing role so radically. Here is a look back at this troublemaker of the clouds, inseparable from his duo with the Spinies.

Contents

Origins in Super Mario Bros.

Lakitu makes his debut in Super Mario Bros., released in 1985. You meet him for the first time in level 4-1: he drifts back and forth at the top of the screen, hides inside his cloud and drops Spiny Eggs that hatch into Spinies the moment they touch the ground. Ignoring him is out of the question: he follows Mario relentlessly and turns every step forward into a gamble.

In Japan, the character goes by the name Jugem (ジュゲム). The name comes from a famous tale of rakugo, the traditional Japanese art of comic storytelling, in which a couple saddle their child with an endless name. Part of that name even evokes the place clouds come from, a wink perfectly suited to a creature that lives on one.

A bespectacled Koopa on his cloud

Physically, Lakitu is a Koopa like no other. He sports thick round glasses, a small nose and a few strands of hair. His shell stands apart from that of the Koopa Troopa thanks to a ring pattern rather than hexagons. His design has barely changed since 1985, proof of a silhouette you spot instantly.

His inseparable companion is of course his cloud, a little smiling white cloud he rides around on. That cloud lets him hover above the action, out of reach of ordinary jumps. Some variants ride dark storm clouds instead. And in several games, grabbing the cloud of a defeated Lakitu lets Mario fly in his place.

Lakitu, the Koopa with round glasses, leaning out of his smiling white cloud
The silhouette has not budged since 1985: a bespectacled Koopa and his cloud with a face.

The inseparable duo with the Spinies

You cannot talk about Lakitu without mentioning the Spinies. These little creatures, their shells bristling with spikes, are his favourite ammunition: Lakitu hurls Spiny Eggs that turn into Spinies the instant they land, ready to charge at Mario. Their spike-covered backs make them impossible to squash with a plain jump, which forces the player to get clever.

This tandem forms one of the best-oiled threat patterns in the saga: Lakitu as air support, the Spinies on the ground. Clearing out the Spinies means nothing as long as the Koopa keeps dropping more from his cloud. To get any breathing room, you have to take out the thrower first.

The cameraman of Super Mario 64

The big turning point comes with Super Mario 64, in 1996. The game introduces the Lakitu Bros., presented as camera reporters working for the Kingdom News Network. Armed with a fishing rod with a camera fixed to its tip, they film Mario's adventure live the moment he steps out of the Warp Pipe, in front of Peach's Castle.

This role is anything but incidental: Super Mario 64 is a pioneer of the 3D platformer, and the camera the Lakitu carries elegantly justifies the viewpoint the player adjusts with the C buttons. The character returns in the remake Super Mario 64 DS, where a Lakitu wakes Yoshi up and tells him that Mario, Luigi and Wario have disappeared.

Mario Kart's official referee

In the Mario Kart series, Lakitu slips into a very different costume: that of referee. Ever since the very first Super Mario Kart in 1992, he is the one who gives the starting signal, waves the flag, announces the lap number and, above all, fishes drivers back up when they fall off the track to put them back in the race.

Confined to that stage-manager role for years, Lakitu finally crosses to the other side of the starting line with Mario Kart 7 (2011), the first game in which he becomes a playable character. He has kept that driver status in several instalments since, while still wearing his referee cap for everyone else on the grid.

Variants and notable appearances

Over the years, Lakitu has spawned plenty of variants. There is the Fishin' Lakitu (the one who casts a line with his rod), the Lakithunder , a boss who flies on a storm cloud, and even royal or brightly coloured versions. Every variant plays on the same idea: a Koopa on his cloud, but with one extra gadget or power.

Beyond platformers and racing games, Lakitu also shows up in Super Smash Bros., where he pops up with his Spinies in tow to pester the fighters, faithful to his historic role of flying troublemaker. From 2D to 3D, from bomber to cameraman, he remains one of the most versatile faces in the Mario universe.

Fishin' Lakitu casting his line over the dunes of the Sand Kingdom in Super Mario Odyssey
Fishin' Lakitu, one of the character's best-known variants.

Quick facts

First appearance Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Japanese name Jugem (ジュゲム)
Type Koopa flying on a cloud
Ammunition Spiny Eggs
Role in Super Mario 64 Cameraman (Lakitu Bros.)
Role in Mario Kart Referee and starter
First game as a playable character Mario Kart 7 (2011)

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FAQ

  • Why does Lakitu throw eggs?
    Ever since Super Mario Bros., Lakitu has bombarded Mario with Spiny Eggs that hatch into Spinies as soon as they touch the ground. It is his main attack, launched from his cloud, out of reach of ordinary jumps.
  • What is Lakitu's real role in Super Mario 64?
    In Super Mario 64 (1996), the Lakitu Bros. are camera reporters who film Mario's adventure with a camera fixed to the end of a fishing rod. They embody the in-game camera, a major innovation of the 3D platformer.
  • How long has Lakitu been the referee in Mario Kart?
    Ever since the very first Super Mario Kart, released in 1992. He gives the start, announces the laps and fishes drivers back up when they fall off the track. He becomes a playable character from Mario Kart 7 in 2011.
  • What is Lakitu called in Japan?
    In Japan, Lakitu is called Jugem (ジュゲム). The name refers to a traditional rakugo tale in which a child is given an absurdly long name.
  • What is the difference between Lakitu and a Spiny?
    Lakitu is the bespectacled Koopa who flies on a cloud; the Spinies are the small spiky creatures he drops. The Koopa is the thrower, the Spinies are the projectiles on the ground.
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