Reznor, tricératops gris crachant une boule de feu au-dessus d'un bloc à point d'interrogation

Reznor: Mario's forgotten fire-breathing triceratops

1179 words | Reading time : 5 minute(s)

BossReznorSuper Mario World

Their name is a tribute to Trent Reznor, of Nine Inch Nails. Known as Buibui in Japan, the four Reznor are the fortress mini-bosses of Super Mario World, perched on a spinning wheel above the lava. This portrait breaks down the fight where the bridge collapses, their return in New Super Mario Bros. 2 and the musical nod signed Dayvv Brooks.

Reznor is the most low-key mini-boss in Super Mario World: four fire-breathing dinosaurs lurking deep inside the fortresses. Their name doesn't change from one language to the next — "Reznor" in French just as in English.

Behind these Triceratops perched on a spinning wheel hides one of Nintendo's most unexpected musical nods, a quiet tribute to an industrial rock legend.

Contents

Who are the Reznor?

The Reznor make their debut in Super Mario World, released in 1990 in Japan on Super Nintendo. They are four grey dinosaurs built like Triceratops, complete with a wide frill and a pair of horns.

Unlike the Koopalings, who guard the castles, the Reznor play the role of fortress mini-bosses — those in-between dungeons Mario crosses on his way from one world to the next. So you take them on once per fortress, four times in all over the course of the adventure.

Their weapon is simple but relentless: they spit fireballs in a steady rhythm, forcing the player to dodge without a break. Their Japanese name, ブイブイ (Buibui), is a world away from the Western "Reznor".

The fight: a wheel of fire above the lava

The four Reznor sit on platforms bolted to a rotating wooden structure, hanging above a lake of lava. The wheel turns slowly, raising and lowering each dinosaur in turn.

To beat them, Mario has to hit the platform from below with a head-butt, which knocks off the Reznor standing on it. There is no way to hit them directly from above: it really is the floor you have to hit.

The tension ratchets up, because as the Reznor fall, the bridge under Mario's feet collapses. You then have to jump onto the rotating platforms to avoid plunging into the lava before finishing off the last enemy.

One trick rewards the clever: armed with the Cape Mario can send the fireballs flying back with a simple cape swipe, neutralizing their projectiles during the climb.

Their return in New Super Mario Bros. 2

After years away, the Reznor come back in New Super Mario Bros. 2, released in 2012 on Nintendo 3DS. There they get a graphical overhaul that makes them look even more like real Triceratops.

This time they serve as tower bosses rather than fortress guardians. Depending on the level, they show up in twos or in fours, set on wheels of varying sizes and shapes.

The principle stays faithful to the original: hit the structure from below to unseat each dinosaur, all while handling the rotation of the wheel and the rain of fireballs. An unabashed tribute to the 1990 battle.

The Reznor on their spinning wheel in New Super Mario Bros. 2
Their comeback reuses the original idea: a wheel spinning above the void.

A name borrowed from industrial rock

The tastiest piece of trivia lies in their name. "Reznor" is a direct tribute to Trent Reznor, singer and founder of the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails.

We owe this nod to Dayvv Brooks, at the time an employee of Nintendo of America and a devoted music fan. He is also the one who named most of the Koopalings after musicians — a little in-house tradition that stayed in the shadows for a long time.

The manual for Super Mario World gives them a backstory: they are dinosaurs placed under a curse cast by Bowser. The instruction booklet states that they lie in wait for the player in the four fortresses, bewitched by the king of the Koopas.

Why have the Reznor been forgotten?

Despite their memorable fight, the Reznor suffer from a lack of fame. They have no outward personality, no dialogue, and none of the recurring presence of the Koopalings or Boom Boom.

Their name being identical in every language hasn't helped: where other enemies wear striking localized names, "Reznor" goes almost unnoticed among French players.

And yet, between their rotating lava arena, their mechanic of a bridge that collapses and their hidden musical tribute, these fire-breathing Triceratops remain one of the most endearing secrets of Mario's 16-bit era.

Reznor at a glance

Name (FR / EN) Reznor (identical)
Japanese name ブイブイ (Buibui)
First appearance Super Mario World (1990, Japan)
Type Fire-breathing dinosaurs (Triceratops-style)
Role Fortress mini-bosses
Notable return New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012)
Weak point Hit the platform from below
Origin of the name Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails)

🍄 Want to keep the adventure going? Check out our Mario plushies in the shop.

FAQ

  • Which game do the Reznor first appear in?
    They debut in Super Mario World, released in 1990 in Japan on Super Nintendo, where they act as the fortress mini-bosses.
  • How do you beat the Reznor?
    You have to hit the platform each dinosaur is perched on from below to knock it off, while avoiding a fall when the bridge collapses.
  • Why are they called Reznor?
    Their name pays tribute to Trent Reznor, singer of Nine Inch Nails. It was chosen by Dayvv Brooks, an employee of Nintendo of America.
  • Do the Reznor have a different name in French?
    No, Nintendo never translated their name: they are called Reznor in French just as in English.
  • Where do the Reznor turn up again after Super Mario World?
    They come back as tower bosses in New Super Mario Bros. 2, released in 2012, in groups of two or four on assorted wheels.

The complete bestiary

Eleven families, 111 profiles : what an enemy's silhouette tells you, the tool that finishes it off, and who is really waiting at the end of each game.

👹 The complete enemy bestiary →
↑ Back to top
Back to blog