Name: Gu Goomba
Debut: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
The Goomba franchise has been a massive success for Nintendo! It’s spawned numerous spinoffs, like Paragoombas, Micro Goombas, and Galoombas, but some fans still weren’t satisfied. They wanted something that didn’t add or change the basic Goomba formula much, but enhanced it nonetheless. A direct sequel! And here it is!
Gu Goomba is a Goomba... but more. Higher stats in every way. A competitively viable Goomba. It’s also green. Is that what the “Gu” means? Nope! I have no idea what that means. The Japanese name is “Miracle Goomba”. A simply miraculous Goomba. A divine Goomba. One blessed by an angel, perhaps? Probably.
But none of this explains what “Gu” means! Does it mean “Goo”? That would be nice. Is the green hue due to goo, too? We will never know because I don’t think Nintendo cares about Gu Goomba’s existence in the slightest.
Name: Hyper Goomba
Debut: Paper Mario
But wait, there’s more! Now you get TWO green, enhanced Goombas for the price of one! Hyper Goombas are even more dangerous, able to charge up their raw power to make their next attack devastating. Bet you never expected that from a Goomba, huh? Stop judging!
Both green... both powerful... both with names indicating that they are somehow enhanced versions of a normal Goomba... I think what we’re seeing here are the missing links to the Hypothetical Ancestral Goomba. The HAG, if you will.