Whomp : la dalle de pierre qui écrase Mario

Whomp: the Stone Slab that Crushes Mario

1414 words | Reading time : 7 minute(s)

EnemyWhompSuper Mario 64

A wall that grew arms — and throws itself flat on top of you. Battan in Japan, Ba-Boum in Quebec, the Whomp appears in Super Mario 64 in 1996. This profile explains how to tell it apart from the Thwomp, its folkloric inspiration — the nurikabe, that living-wall yōkai — the method for defeating it, the Whomp King who serves as a boss, and the variants of the species.

It looks like a wall that grew arms: the Whomp is a big grey stone slab with a scowling face, one of the most recognisable enemies to appear in Super Mario 64 in 1996 (Japan). Its tactic is as simple as it is brutal: the moment Mario comes close, it drops its full weight forward to flatten him.

Mips, the rabbit Mario catches at 15 and then at 50 stars, was one of the very first 3D models created for Super Mario 64.

It is often confused with the Thwomp, but these are two very distinct creatures. The Whomp tips forward to crush its target, then exposes a cracked weak spot on its back. Here is its full profile: folkloric origin, the difference with the Thwomp, the fearsome Whomp King and its variants.

Contents

What is a Whomp?

The Whomp (called Ba-Boum in Quebec, バッタン Battan in Japanese) is a stone creature shaped like a rectangular slab, fitted with two little arms, feet without legs and a face full of crooked teeth. Its glowing red eyes and permanently furious expression make its silhouette instantly recognisable.

The Mechakoopa, those wind-up mechanical replicas of Bowser with a key in their back, have been neutralised with a single spin jump ever since Super Mario World.

Another motionless guardian, the Amp is an electric sphere that spins endlessly around its perch, and has done since Super Mario 64.

First seen in Super Mario 64 (1996 in Japan), the Whomp belongs to the same family as the Thwomp and most often serves as a minion of Bowser. Its only goal is to stop Mario from advancing by blocking his path, then slamming down on him.

A Whomp, a stone slab with a scowling face, standing on its feet
A slab on feet that drops its whole weight on you: the whole idea fits into a single image.

Whomp or Thwomp: never mix them up again

Despite their resemblance and their cousin names, the Whomp and the Thwomp are clearly different:

  • The Thwomp usually hangs high above and drops straight down to crush whatever passes underneath, before rising back up. It is an almost motionless trap.
  • The Whomp, on the other hand, is upright and active: it waits for Mario to walk past, then tips forward, face down, to flatten him. Then it has to get back up again.

Another major difference: the Thwomp is often invulnerable and mostly acts as an obstacle, whereas the Whomp deliberately exposes a weak spot on its back, which makes it an enemy you can genuinely defeat.

The Banzai Bill, meanwhile, goes for the smashing entrance: this giant Bullet Bill crashes into Super Mario World in 1990.

A folkloric origin: the nurikabe

The Whomp draws straight from Japanese folklore. It is inspired by the nurikabe (塗り壁), a traditional yōkai described as an invisible, living wall that rises up in front of night travellers to bar their way, with no way around it.

This lineage explains the Whomp's behaviour in the Mario games perfectly: in the series Mario Party, it plays exactly that part, the obstacle blocking the players' way on the board, just as the nurikabe hinders the travellers of folklore.

How to defeat a Whomp

Attacking a Whomp head-on is pointless: its stone surface is indestructible. The whole method rests on its weak spot on its back.

  • The Whomp eventually drops forward to try and crush Mario. Dodge the fall at the last moment.
  • Once face down, it exposes its back, marked with cracks and a cross-shaped bandage (replaced by a ground pound symbol from Super Mario Galaxy 2).
  • Perform a Ground Pound on that area to deal damage to it.

That same logic, only tougher, is what awaits you against their monarch.

The Whomp King, boss of Super Mario 64

The Whomp King (Roi Ba-Boum in Quebec) is a giant Whomp wearing a crown. He rules over Whomp's Fortress, the second level of Super Mario 64, and stands there as one of the adventure's first bosses.

The fight follows the classic principle: dodge his falls, then strike his back with a Ground Pound, three times, to defeat him and release a star. The Whomp King makes a grand comeback in Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010), at the end of the Throwback Galaxy, a reworked cosmic version of his original fortress, where he looks even more imposing.

The Whomp King's arena, a giant stone slab facing Mario
The Whomp King follows the same principle as an ordinary Whomp, only far wider.

The Whomp's variants

Over the games, the Whomp has given rise to several variations:

  • Whimp: a mini-Whomp introduced in Super Mario Galaxy 2. Smaller, with a single tooth and a less rectangular body, it backs up the Whomp King during the "Return of the Whomp King" mission. It is to the Whomp what the Thwimp is to the Thwomp.
  • Big Whomp: simply an enlarged version of the classic Whomp.
  • Whamp: a wedge-shaped creature that appeared in Mario Kart World (2025), which crushes drivers out on the tracks; its flattened back can then be used as a ramp for pulling off tricks.

Whomp ID card

Japanese name バッタン (Battan)
Name in Quebec Ba-Boum
Type Stone enemy (Thwomp family)
First appearance Super Mario 64 (1996, Japan)
Inspiration The nurikabe, the Japanese living-wall yōkai
Weak spot The cracked back (Ground Pound)
Leader The Whomp King, boss of Whomp's Fortress

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FAQ

  • What is the difference between a Whomp and a Thwomp?
    The Thwomp drops straight down from the ceiling and then rises back up, acting mainly as a trap. The Whomp, for its part, stands upright and tips forward to flatten Mario, then exposes a weak spot on its back that you can strike.
  • How do you beat a Whomp in Mario 64?
    You have to dodge its fall, wait until it is lying face down, then perform a Ground Pound on the cracked, bandaged area of its back. Hitting it head-on does nothing at all.
  • Where does the idea for the Whomp come from?
    The Whomp is inspired by the nurikabe, a spirit from Japanese folklore pictured as an invisible living wall that rises up to block travellers' road, exactly as the Whomp bars Mario's way.
  • Who is the Whomp King?
    He is a giant crowned Whomp, the boss of Whomp's Fortress in Super Mario 64. You beat him by striking his back three times with a Ground Pound. He returns in Super Mario Galaxy 2, in the Throwback Galaxy.
  • Does the Whomp appear in other games?
    Yes. It shows up in New Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Galaxy 2, the Mario Party series, Mario Kart and Paper Mario, where it often plays the impassable obstacle.

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