Gordo (Kirby) Cameos in Mario Land 2 and Zelda 4?

[Grandy02]

Something I'm confused about since many years: When I play the Game Boy game Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, I notice a certain type of enemy that looks very much like Gordo, a spikey enemy from the Kirby series. SML2 was realeased in the same year (1992) in Japan as Kirby's Dream Land, but several months later. Though the enemy from SML2 higly resembles Gordo, it lacks typical features of it, like moving its spikes and floating around (the SML2 only floats in a highly limited room). Also, the Gordo-like being from SML2 looks sleepy until Mario reaches it, and can be easily defeated by throwing a Koopa Shell at it or when Mario is invisible thanks to a Star. But in Kirby games, the Gordos are usually invisible (there are exceptions).

In The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (1993), Gordo-like enemies appear, too. But again, the can be easily defeated by the hero (Link in this case), this time with a sword.

I was always unsure if these are cameos or if it is just coincidence. I mean, it could be that different people had the same idea, making a black spikey ball thing with eyes. Could anyone clear it up?

[TV Eye]

Any pictures? I've never played any of those games (besides Kirby's Dream Land).

[Kohta]

I wouldn't say the Sea Urchin from LA was a cameo, there are plenty of games that use the Spiked ball type enemy like Unira(sp) or Gordo.

As for SML haven't played it for many a year

[The Qu]

They look very similar to me. I think they used the same sprites for both KDL and SML2. They even move up an down the same way.

[Fryguy64]

I agree, although I've never known what to do with this one. Do you guys think I should include it as a cameo? The SML2 one definitely, but I think even the Link's Awakening one is close enough.

[TV Eye]

Link's Awakening? No
Mario Land? Yes

[Kohta]

Oh wow, that is Gordo in SML! I think that should definetly be in seems as they are basically the same sprite. Still don't really think Sea Urchin could be though ;D

[The Qu]

When I first got Link's Awakening way back in '96, I thought the Sea Urchin was supposed to be a Gordo. So, at the very least, it's very close to a cameo. It should noted other cameos such as Shy Guys, Boos, Cheep Cheeps, Thwomps and Kirby himself appear in the game so it's not without precedence. I also think the sprite looked closer to Gordo in the original GB version, rather than the GBC version shown above.

[Deleted]

They are very similar indeed. I didn't even think of them having relations. As for Link's Awakening... It's possible.

[wanderingshadow]

May 4, 2008 14:08:03 GMT -5 TV Eye said:

Link's Awakening? No
Mario Land? Yes

This. I think the ones in Link's Awakening are just sea urchins.

[Grandy02]

Here's a comparison between KDL, SML2 and LoZ4:

The similarity between KDL and SML2 Gordo is really extreme. At least this one can't be just coincidence, huh?

[Deleted]

Now that I see them up close... They may be different species of the same family meaning they are both cameos.

[TV Eye]

May 5, 2008 16:54:04 GMT -5 @nensondubois said:

Now that I see them up close... They may be different species of the same family meaning they are both cameos.

Different...species? Perhaps you mean different sprite sets?

[missingno.is back?]

They all look like the same character to me. Definitely the first two.

[Johans Nidorino]

The ones from Link's Awakening are similar enough. Don't forget that there are many cameo appearances of characters from other Nintendo games in Link's Awakening, including Kirby himself.