MAGIKOOPA
WHO IS MAGIKOOPA?
Magikoopas are a fairly common enemy in the Mario series. In earlier games, they tended to show up in the Boss Castles of the area, as they were tricky foes; between their teleportation and their ranged magical attacks, they were difficult to best.
They have also had quite the role in the Paper Mario franchise, appearing in a variety of colours with different specialties and attacking you from the air and from the ground. Here, they specialized as supporters, souping each other up to make them that much more difficult to defeat.
Magikoopas are undoubtedly the most dastardly, cunning variety of Koopa. They often serve as Bowser's personal advisors, from Kamek to Kamikoopa, and can be seen as the brains to his brawn.
More information than I could ever type out here can be found here.
OVERVIEW
Height --- Short, bit bigger than Pikachu, though not quite as big as Mario. A bit wider than either of those characters, though, making him a bigger target than you'd think.
Walk --- A sort of shuffling gait that doesn't really get him anywhere quickly.
Run --- Magikoopa leans forward into a dash, his robes whipping around behind him. Not the fastest run, about the speed of the Ice Climbers.
First Jump --- A weird sort of leap - Magikoopa extends his arms up as he jumps. Sparkles appear beneath him, just as with Ness's jump. Decent range, somewhat like Ness's jump again.
Second Jump --- A short, twirly spin of a jump. A pretty small second jump, just a bit longer than Zelda's.
Power --- Magikoopa definitely packs a punch, especially in certain forms (more on that coming up). Not quite a powerhouse, but on the higher side of the spectrum.
Traction --- Good, good traction. As Magikoopa actually runs, and doesn't glide over the ground, his short, stubby feet can plant themselves and pivot and a moment's notice. No skidding.
Fall Speed --- Magikoopa is extremely floaty, what with his billowing robe and all. He falls slowly, slowly, spending a lot of time in the air.
Weight - Magikoopa is more or less of average weight; not the heaviest or the lightest. You could equate his weight with Luigi's and wouldn't be far off.
So overall, Magikoopa is a floaty, slow character who packs a punch and good aerial prowess but doesn't have much in the way of speed or weight. He's not the bulkiest of characters, but he IS wide, which, combined with the lag on some of his attacks and his long float time, makes him pretty easy to tear apart with an aerial string of attacks.
B ATTACKS
Special --- Switch Style --- A puff of smoke engulfs Magikoopa, appearing to come from nowhere! In a split second, the smoke lifts, and Magikoopa is still there, in the same pose as before, wherever he may have been - but the colour of his robes has changed. Colours shift in a set order,
Blue (the default) -> Red -> Yellow -> White -> Grey -> Green -> Blue
Given the speed of the transformation, it's easy to cycle through as many colours as you need to after knocking the foe away. There are no limitations; there's no such thing as fatigue, or anything of the sort. You can spend the whole battle in one colour, or you can change constantly. Use it in the air, on the ground, even just before being hit for a split-second dodge, though there is a bit of lag, so they will have time to hit you again. No limitations, except for the one considering his Down Special, which we'll get to shortly.
Forward Special --- Shape Bolt
Magikoopa pulls his wand back - it flashes a bit - and a strange "shape bolt" shoots forward, accompanied by a rising sound effect. It takes a second to fire, but moves quickly and goes a long distance straight forward. Upon contact, there is considerable knockback - about as much as Samus's homing missle - and about 9% damage. This makes it a very powerful, useful attack, only hampered by its slow start time.
Up Special --- Broomstick
Another puff of smoke - a broomstick has appeared out of nowhere! Little puffs of smoke shoot out the back of it with an irritating tapping sound effect. Magikoopa has total mobility and control for about 5 seconds, and can turn on a dime. This recovery can be used for horizontal, for vertical, or for anything in between.
What is its flaw, then? You'd be hard-pressed to find a more easily gimped recovery. Not only does Magikoopa have no defense as he flies around, along with no hitbox, but he can't grab the edge while on the broomstick. He has to wait for it to disappear in a puff of smoke in order to grab it, giving opponents plenty of time to spike him or smash him away. This recovery takes time to master, to be sure, but it has plenty of useful application - on small stages, it can be used quite easily to go under the stage, and recover that way.
Down Special --- Magikoopa's Spell
Now we get to the tricky part. Magikoopa raises his wand for a second or two as it glows and flashes, then, poof! Something happens. What exactly happens depends on the colour of his robes.
Blue Magikoopa --- Blue Magikoopa, which is the default Magikoopa you always start with, vanishes in a large cloud of smoke and emerges as a giant. His size goes from shorter than Mario to a bit larger than Bowser. This souped-up giant Magikoopa has slightly increased power and dameg output, all those things that usually come with increased size. This transformation is among the shortest, lasting about fifteen seconds. Use those seconds wisely to take advantage of generally improved Magikoopa - just beware! If you use it at higher percentages against a speedier foe, it's very likely that they just take advantage of you being a giant target and combo you to death.
Red Magikoopa --- The second Magikoopa has the shortest but potentially most devastating transformation - increased power. After the wand flashes and the puff of smoke shoots up, Red Magikoopa is glowing all the colours of the rainbow, just like in a Mario Kart game after you get a Star, to compare. Unlike the small boost granted by the Blue Magikoopa's transformation, this is a specialized boost. Every attack dishes out 2-3% more, and knockback is increased depending on the attack. To put it in perspective, a Forward Smash can KO Mario from the middle of Final Destination at 65% instead of 80%. This is obviously best used when you need a quick KO.
Yellow Magikoopa --- Yellow Magikoopa has a strange sort of transformation. Puff of smoke, yadda yadda, little lightning bolts are snaking their way across his robe. For about 20 seconds, whenever a foe comes into contact with him, they take damage. They hit you - they take 1%. You hit them - they take 1%. They walk into you, jump into you, or fall on you - they take 1%. All this damage can stack pretty easily, making this a potent transformation when the foe is at low damage.
White Magikoopa --- White Magikoopa has the most unique transformation, in that it isn't a transformation at all. He raises his wand, as the others do, and then it's your job to tap the B button as quickly as possible. After a five second period - no more or less - Magikoopa raises both arms and a small heart appears beside him with a number in it. That number tells you the amount of % just healed. Obviously, the more you tapped, the more you healed. The minimum is 0% and the maximum is 12%. Using this attack properly is a matter of finding the right opportunity when you won't be disturbed; if interrupted, you heal nothing.
Grey Magikoopa --- A puff of smoke, and Grey Magikoopa appears to be transparent! This high-reward transformation makes your opponent's attack miss about once in every five attacks. This can be a jab, or this can be a charged Ike Forward Smash. Any attack can potentially hit nothing but air. This has the potential to totally gimp the foe in the moment when it's most crucial, or to have no significant effect on anything. It lasts for about 15 seconds before wearing off.
Green Magikoopa --- Green Magikoopa is the flip of Red. The puff of smoke leads to the rainbow flashes again, though these don't effect your power; they effect your defense. Essentially, Green Magikoopa becomes extremely weighed down and resistant to knockback. He doesn't fall any faster - it doesn't actually effect weight - but it makes all but the strongest attacks have small knockback. Damage dealt, though, remains the same. This is great to use when you just need to survive that much longer in order to win. It lasts about twenty seconds.
Now, general things about this move. Obviously, you can't use it constantly. After the usage of such an attack wears off, Magikoopa's wand is visibly dull. After 45 seconds, the allotted time between usages, the wand is shiny and flashes occassionally. This signals that a Down Special can be used again.
This is also the aforementioned exception to switching Magikoopas. You cannot switch (use your Neutral Special) while you're under the effects of a transformation.
MOVESET
A --- Wand Jab --- Magikoopa simply pokes his wand forward. Minimal knockback, 1% damage. Very weak. This can really only be used as a set-up for tapping A.
Tap A --- Mental Shock --- Sparks start floating around the wand, trapping the foe within and racking up the damage. It's a fairly easy move to DI out of, but, trapped against a wall, for instance, the lightning can really do some damage. A tricky attack that's hard to see coming, weird hitbox, as all lightning attacks, and high priority, if nothing else.
Dash Attack --- Tangled Robe --- Magikoopa comes out of his menacing run with a not-so-menacing trip, face-planting on the ground and sliding into the foe. It's like a quicker, weaker version of Dedede's; not the most useful of attacks. Short horizontal knockback and about 6%.
Forward Tilt --- Magnetic Personality --- Magikoopa extends his wand, which glows and sparks. Opponents directly in front of you get dragged towards you during the duration of this attack. Anyone getting near him gets zapped. Another damage-racking attack that can do about 11% if every strike lands, but with almost no knockback.
Up Tilt --- Flame Geyser --- Magikoopa raises a hand, palm upwards, and a small geyser of fire shoots out of it. Range is decent, somewhat like that of Snake's Up Smash (uncharged), and the fire hits multiple times. After about two seconds, the flame vanishes into his hand. Long duration and hard to DI out of make it a good anti-air precaution, though you should be careful using it; Magikoopa is vulnerable from the sides. Variable damage.
Down Tilt --- Bolt Trip --- Magikoopa points his wand at a downwards angle and fires a shape bolt (see above). This can really only hit foes directly in front of him, and takes a bit of time to start up (not too much though). Unlike his other tilts, it has good knockback, launching the foe upwards and away, but only does about 7%.
Forward Smash --- Blazing Palm --- Magikoopa thrusts both palms, held side by side, forward, and a flame protrudes out of them. Quick to be executed, with powerful knockback, this attack can be compared to Game and Watch's Forward Smash. Rather like Game and Watch, Magikoopa holds his hands out for a second or so, and so this attack is useful against hasty foes who are liable to rush in, thinking the attack to be finished. This attack does about 20% and can KO earlier than most of Magikoopa's attacks.
Up Smash --- Overhead Swipe --- Magikoopa swings his wand from the front to the back as it trails sparkles. This attack sweetspots on the tip of the wand and the beginning of the swing, launching foes upwards with crackling lightning damage. Not the most powerful attack, doing only about 15% even sweetspotted, and otherwise causing hardly any knockback.
Down Smash --- Dark Eruption --- Magikoopa raises his arms, and a wave of dark energy (think Ganondorf's attacks) shoots out from the ground under and around him, going up almost to the tips of his arms. A powerful KO move that does about 18% and can launch foes away. Good priority, good hitbox covering most of his body. A handy attack, and useful when hyphen smashed.
Neutral Aerial --- Corkscrew Zap --- Magikoopa does a twirl in mid-air, sparks flying all around him. This attack somewhat resembles Mewtwo's Neutral Aerial from Melee. If all the sparks land, a potentially devastating attack that can do up to 22%. The final hit pushes them slightly behind Magikoopa, which can string into a Back Aerial at lower %s.
Forward Aerial --- Diving Bolt --- Magikoopa swings his wand downwards, flashing, and a Shape Bolt shoots out. This one only travels a short distance, but is more powerful, doing about 11% at full power and can actually spike if it hits an opponent from above. Hitting the opponent with the wand, however, makes it a surprisingly weak attack, so it's important to use this attack with the opponent seemingly out of range.
Back Aerial --- Koopa Kick --- In one of Magikoopa's few physical attacks, it sticks a three-clawed foot out of its robes and kicks backwards in an attack resembling DK's Back Air. It only does about 8% but has decent knockback and can have similar applications to DK's; edgeguarding without risk. An attack with fairly long duration.
Up Aerial --- Goomba Guard --- With a poof! a Goomba pops out of Magikoopa's wand, going straight up before disappearing again. If it comes into contact with someone, it bounces off of them and disappears as well. It does about 8% but has average knockback. This attack is most useful for mindgames as Goomba rises realistically, slowing to a complete aerial stop before vanishing.
Down Aerial --- Lightning Strike --- Magikoopa points his wand directly beneath him and it flashes. Suddenly, a great bolt of lightning shoots down out of it. This bolt goes at a bit of an angle rather than straight down. It differs from Pikachu's in that it only hits once before disappearing. It does about 11% but doesn't have the greatest knockback, which is horizontal; if you're looking for a spike, you'll have to stick to Diving Bolt.
Grab --- Magikoopa waves his wand, and a small shape bolt shoots out, grabbing onto foes. Range is shorter than a true tether grab, but still pretty long.
Forward Throw --- Bolt Toss --- Magikoopa fires a small shape bolt directly into the foe, shooting him horizontally. Damage 9%.
Back Throw --- Chuck --- Magikoopa grabs the foe with both hands and tosses them over his shoulders. This has the power to KO at higher percentages. Damage 8%.
Up Throw --- Jawbreaker --- Magikoopa smashes his wand into the chin of the captured foe, shooting them up and slightly away. However, that's not all. For you see, Magikoopa's wand was charged with magic, and that causes the foe in question to pretty much explode after a short distance in a ball of lightning, knocking them horizontally. Perfect set-up to follow and start a combo of some sort.
Down Throw --- Bury in Bolts --- Magikoopa drops them under him, then shoots a barrage of shape bolts into them. Resembles the down throws of Ness or Falco. Does about 11%, but has very little knockback.
Final Smash --- Big Block --- What horrors is this evil, magical Koopa going to wreak on you? You have no time to ponder such questions - Magikoopa has just grabbed a Smash Ball! Couldn't resist. Anyway, for this attack to work, the foe has to be in front of. Magikoopa raises his wand, and a big, glowing circle appears in the air. A second later, a huge block materializes, and as he drops his wand, the block drops as well. It crumbles upon hitting the ground, but foes who were hit by it go flying. This can KO anyone at 30% or more, but only does about 35% and, of course, you have to catch them first.
Fear the block!
TAUNTS AND POSES
Up Taunt --- Magikoopa raises his wand and cackles. The wand flashes twice.
Forward Taunt --- POOF! Suddenly, this old lady is standing there:
She looks around a bit, scratches her nose, then POOF! Vanishes, and Magikoopa's standing there again. Nice random taunt.
Down Taunt --- Magikoopa raises his wand to make a smaller version of the "Big Block" appear above him, and lowers his wand only to have it drop directly on his head.
Victory Pose 1 --- Magikoopa is standing next to a Goomba, raises a glowing wand, and the Goomba disappears in a cloud of smoke. When it reappears, it's giant, glowing, and has wings. Magikoopa looks startled.
Victory Pose 2 --- Magikoopa flies in on his broomstick, cackles, and then flies into the background.
Victory Pose 3 --- Magikoopa disappears in a puff, and reappears in a rainbow-coloured robe. He looks confused and exasperated.
MISC
Entrance --- Magikoopa speedily swoops in on his broomstick, then hops off of it.
Sleeping Animation --- Magikoopa sleeps on his feet, his head bowed and his shoulders slumped.
Kirby Hat --- Kirby gains the classical witch hat that Magikoopa wears and also the small glasses, looking quite evil. He also carries around a tiny little wand. NOTE ON KIRBY: Obviously, Kirby can't steal Magikoopa's Switch Style. I kept it at B for the sake of feeling right. Instead, Kirby steals the ability to use the Shape Bolt, though it's a bit smaller and not as powerful.
Symbol --- I'm tempted to give Magikoopa the Yoshi symbol, but that's really more for Kamek. Still, we already have too many Mario characters... yeah, Magikoopa gets the Egg of the Yoshi franchise.
Victory Theme --- Magikoopa gets an excerpt from Kamella's Theme (see here) as his victory theme.
ALTERNATE COSTUMES
Now obviously, alternate colours are an issue with a character like this, who's so utterly based around changing colours. However, I think that, though it sounds confusing now, anyone who played with him for any period of time would have no trouble getting used to this colour scheme:
Magma Magikoopa --- Magikoopa's yellow skin is hot red, as is the jewel on his wand and the cuffs on his robe.
Aqua Magikoopa --- Magikoopa now has turquoise skin, a blue jewel, and blue cuffs. Functional change for the blue team.
Grassy Magikoopa --- Obvious. Green skin, looks kind of like a dinosaur, green jewel, green cuffs.
Witch Magikoopa --- This is the "dark" costume. The biggest change is the hat - it switches from the slumped wizard hat to the broad-rimmed witch hat that you can see on Kammy Koopa above. The underside of the hat and the cuffs also become pink, as on Kammy.
Yep.
SNAKE'S CODEC
Snake - Colonel, I think I'm seeing things - this guy's colour keeps changing!
Colonel - That's a Magikoopa, Snake. He can change the colour of his robe to gain different abilities. Watch out.
Snake - So why is he here?
Colonel - He serves the Koopa King, Bowser. He has many Magikoopas under his command.
Snake - Than why am I fighting him? He's just a foot soldier.
Colonel - A foot soldier? You mean he's fighting while his boss sits from somewhere comfortable and watches him?
Snake - ...Uh... yeah.
Colonel - Just making sure.
