Chain Chomp
Chain Chomps are recurring, powerful enemies in the Mario franchise and, to a lesser extent, The Legend of Zelda franchise. They are large, black, metal balls with wide eyes, large mouths, and sharp teeth. They are most often seen tethered to a wooden post or block by a large chain, which they aggressively pull at to lunge at Mario and other protagonists.
Chain Chomps behave as the in-universe equivalent of dogs. Their Japanese name, "Wanwan," is an onomatopoeia for a dog's bark. In most appearances since Super Mario 64, Chain Chomps make barking sounds.
History
[edit | edit source]Super Mario series
[edit | edit source]Super Mario Bros. 3
[edit | edit source]In Super Mario Bros. 3, Chain Chomps are uncommon enemies. They are tethered to Wood Blocks and attempt to lunge at Mario or Luigi, making them a challenge to avoid. When the Chain Chomp lunges 47 times, its chain turns red, and after doing so three more times, it breaks free. In Nintendo Power Volume 13, it is said to take 160 seconds before the Chain Chomp lunges.
Chain Chomps are first seen in World 2-5. There are also five Chain Chomps in World 5-1, and one of them is in the goal area, not attached to any Wood Block.
The game also marks the first appearance of Fire Chomps, which have a trail of flames behind them and move around in the sky.
Super Mario 64
[edit | edit source]In Super Mario 64, there is a large Chain Chomp found in Bob-omb Battlefield, where it is chained to a post. The Chain Chomp tries to lunge at Mario, taking away three wedges of his health if it hits him.
The Chain Chomp is next to a Power Star located behind a set of bars. Mario can free the Chain Chomp by ground-pounding its post a few times. Afterward, the Chain Chomp hops around a few times then crashes into the bars before hopping out of the level, allowing Mario to collect the Power Star.
Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker 2
[edit | edit source]In Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker 2, Chain Chomps are among the enemies that can be placed within levels.
Super Mario Odyssey
[edit | edit source]In Super Mario Odyssey, Chain Chomps are one of several enemies that Mario can capture by using Cappy. The player can then pull back on the chain of the captured Chain Chomp and lunge it to defeat enemies and destroy objects like stone walls.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
[edit | edit source]In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Chain Chomps appear as both a standard enemy and as a usable weapon for Bowser in battle.
Mario Party series
[edit | edit source]Mario Party 2
[edit | edit source]In Mario Party 2, a Chain Chomp is featured in the minigame Sneak 'n' Snore. It is usually asleep but wakes up intermittently. Whenever the Chain Chomp is awake, characters have be hiding in the barrels that they are moving in, otherwise the Chain Chomp picks them up and drops them down a Warp Pipe.
Mario Party 4
[edit | edit source]In Mario Party 4, Chain Chomps are featured as part of the Chomp Call item, which involves them moving the location of the Star on the board.
Paper Mario series
[edit | edit source]Paper Mario
[edit | edit source]In Paper Mario, Chain Chomps assist Tutankoopa in battle.
Paper Mario: The Origami King
[edit | edit source]Paper Mario: The Origami King highlights the Chain Chomp's dog-like nature, as Mario is able to pet one of them. Nintendo even highlighted this feature on Twitter.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
[edit | edit source]In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Chain Chomp is the special item of Baby Mario and Baby Luigi. It is one of the strongest items besides the Star. When either character uses the Chain Chomp, it becomes temporarily attached to the front of the kart, lunging them forward at high speed and knocking over any opponent in the way. A Chain Chomp is also an obstacle in the courses Luigi Circuit and Mario Circuit, lunging at any racers who approach it and similarly knocking them over if it manages to hit them.
Mario Tennis series
[edit | edit source]Mario Power Tennis
[edit | edit source]In Mario Power Tennis, Chain Chomps appear in the Chain-Chomp Challenge minigame, set in Wario Factory Court, where the characters have to try and hit tennis balls into their corresponding Chain Chomp's mouth.
Mario Tennis Aces
[edit | edit source]In Mario Tennis Aces, a Chain Chomp is an actual playable character. Because Chain Chomps do not have any hands, it carries the tennis racket with its mouth.
A Chain Chomp is included as a playable character, holding its tennis racket in its mouth.
Mario Strikers series
[edit | edit source]In Super Mario Strikers and Mario Strikers Charged, a Chain Chomp is featured as one of the items. It can move around the field, attacking other characters on the opposing team. Because of its considerable advantage, the Chain Chomp rarely appears for a team unless they are losing considerably.
Non-Mario appearances
[edit | edit source]The Legend of Zelda franchise
[edit | edit source]The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
[edit | edit source]In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Chain Chomps are enemies found exclusively within the Turtle Rock dungeon.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
[edit | edit source]In The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, they are named BowWows and are featured as a friendly species. It is also the name of a character owned as a pet by Madame MeowMeow. It is first found tethered to a post outside of her house in Mabe Village. At one point, the BowWow is kidnapped by the Moblin Chief, and Link has to rescue it. After rescuing the BowWow, Link can take it on a walk. BowWow is required to eat the Goponga Flowers that block the entrance to the Bottle Grotto dungeon.
The other two BowWows are CiaoCiao and ChowChow, both of whom are also pets of Madame MeowMeow.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
[edit | edit source]In The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, Chain Chomps serve a similar role to the BowWow in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, being used to attack enemies. However, it can also attack the other Links.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
[edit | edit source]In The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, there is one Chain Chomp that appears as an enemy in Kakariko Village.
Hyrule Warriors
[edit | edit source]In Hyrule Warriors, Chain Chomp appears as a usable weapon for the player.
Super Smash Bros. series
[edit | edit source]Chain Chomp appears as a summonable Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It lunges at opponents while remained in place, attempting to attack them. There is also a Spirit of a Chain Chomp in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Bayonetta
[edit | edit source]In the Wii U port of Bayonetta, the titular character can equip a Princess Peach costume, which allows her to use a Chain Chomp as a weapon.
Scrapped appearances
[edit | edit source]There are a few appearances from which Chain Chomps were scrapped.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
[edit | edit source]In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a Chain Chomp was planned to appear in the Gerudo Fortress. It would have trapped Link in its chains, forcing him to use his Hammer to free himself.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
[edit | edit source]Paper Mario: Sticker Star lacks partners, but an E3 2010 trailer shows a Chain Chomp joining Mario as a partner.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
[edit | edit source]A Chain Chomp was planned for the Rainbow Road scene of The Super Mario Bros. Movie before being removed.
Merchandise
[edit | edit source]Chain Chomp has been featured in multiple pieces of merchandise, including:
- A "Chain Chomp Jungle Encounter" Lego set
- An appearance in the Lego Super Mario 64 ? Block set
- A sound-activated toy
- A fan-made cat bed designed with the mouth as the opening