Monty Mole: the mole that pops up under Mario's feet

CharacterSuper Mario WorldEnemies

The ground shakes for a split second — then the mole bursts out. First seen in Super Mario World in 1990 under the Japanese name Choropū, the Monty Mole attacks from ambush: it chases Mario or pelts him with rocks from its hole. This article follows its career from the plains of Dinosaur Land to the molehills of Moo Moo Farm in Mario Kart 64, right up to its promotion to playable character in Super Mario Party.

It attacks neither from the sky nor head-on: the Monty Mole (Topi Taupe in French) bursts up from beneath the ground. A tremor, a clod of earth leaping up, and this ball of fur with its squinting goggles bursts out of its hole to charge straight at Mario or shower him with rocks.

In the head-on charge department, Charging Chuck has been crossing the screen head down in full American football gear ever since Super Mario World.

The four Reznor guard the fortresses of Super Mario World, perched on a spinning wheel above the lava.

First appearing in Super Mario World, Nintendo's crankiest mole has dug its tunnel all the way into Mario Kart and Mario Party, where it went from pest to star guest. Portrait of an ambush expert.

Contents

• An ambush born on the Super Nintendo
• The thrill of the trembling ground
• From the plains of Dinosaur Land to New Super Mario Bros.
• Moo Moo Farm, Mario Party: the mole you whack
• From pest to official guest
• Quick recap
• FAQ

---

An ambush born on the Super Nintendo

The Monty Mole makes its debut in Super Mario World (1990 in Japan, on the Super Nintendo). Its Japanese name, Choropū, suggests the quickness of a critter darting away — and that is exactly its game plan: stay invisible under the ground, then leap to the surface at the worst possible moment for the player.

Another ground specialist, the Sumo Bro neither jumps nor throws anything: it stomps from a raised platform to send lightning shooting down.

In Super Mario World, a single behaviour defines it: the chase, where it sprints after Mario at full speed once it is out of the ground. The bombardment, where it stays posted in its hole to lob rocks in high arcs, comes later, as early as Super Mario 64. Either way, one good jump is enough to be rid of it — provided you see it coming.

---

The thrill of the trembling ground

The Monty Mole's great invention is the warning it gives before it arrives. Before it bursts out, the ground shakes and cracks at the exact spot where it will emerge: an attentive player gets a split second to step aside.

• This brief warning sign turns every plain into a minefield: you learn to read the ground like a map of dangers.
• Once it is out, the mole is fast and stubborn: it chases the hero without caring about obstacles.
• Some variants stay burrowed forever and simply fire away from their hole.

This little ambush theatre makes the Monty Mole an enemy more stressful than powerful: it only wins against the inattentive.

In the hills of Dinosaur Land, Rex works in two stages: a first jump flattens it, a second finishes it off.

---

From the plains of Dinosaur Land to New Super Mario Bros.

After its debut in the plains of Dinosaur Land, the Monty Mole settles into the series for good. It turns up above all in New Super Mario Bros., whose ground levels are paced by its sudden appearances, and in the handheld 3D entries.

The family grows along the way: there is a Big Monty Mole, a massive and far tougher version of the standard mole, which turns a simple ambush into a genuine wall of muscle. The recipe, though, never changes: no ground is ever safe.

---

Moo Moo Farm, Mario Party: the mole you whack

The Monty Mole's second career played out away from the platformers. In Mario Kart 64, the moles of Moo Moo Farm (Ferme Meuh Meuh) burst out of their holes right in the middle of the race and send karts spinning when they hit them — a stinging memory for a whole generation of drivers. The track and its moles were later brought back as a retro course in later entries of Mario Kart.

In Mario Party, it became the favourite target of the minigames known as whack-a-mole: it pokes its head out, you swing, it dives back down. A slightly thankless kind of fame, but fame all the same.

---

From pest to official guest

After taking so many hits, the Monty Mole finally earned its stripes: Super Mario Party (2018) welcomes it into the roster of playable characters, dice in hand, on the same level as the stars of the Mushroom Kingdom.

The mole family has its crowned heads too: in Super Mario Galaxy, a royal helmeted mole, the mighty Major Burrows, serves outright as the boss of Gusty Garden. Not bad for a critter that started out throwing pebbles from a hole.

---

Monty Mole ID card

French name	Topi Taupe
English name	Monty Mole
Japanese name	Choropū
First appearance	Super Mario World (1990, Japan)
Signature attack	Bursts out of the ground, chases you or throws rocks
Warning sign	Ground shaking just before it emerges
Variant	Big Monty Mole
Crowning moment	Playable in Super Mario Party (2018)

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

---

FAQ

• Where does the Monty Mole first appear?
  In Super Mario World, released in 1990 in Japan on the Super Nintendo. There it bursts out of the ground to chase Mario; the rock-throwing only shows up in Super Mario 64.
• How do you avoid a Monty Mole?
  Keep an eye on the ground: the earth shakes and cracks just before it comes out. Once it is out, a simple jump on its head is enough to defeat it.
• What do the Moo Moo Farm moles do in Mario Kart 64?
  They pop out of their holes in the middle of the track and send any kart that touches them spinning, which makes them a dreaded obstacle on the course.
• Is the Monty Mole playable anywhere?
  Yes, it is part of the playable roster of Super Mario Party, released in 2018 on Nintendo Switch.
• Is there a boss from the mole family?
  Yes: Major Burrows, a giant helmeted mole, is the boss of Gusty Garden in Super Mario Galaxy.

↑ Back to top