Phantos are haunted face mask enemies which first appear in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic and its Western conversion Super Mario Bros. 2.
Profile
Physical description
Phantos have an evil grin, or a bored look in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic. In the original Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic and Super Mario Bros. 2, half of Phanto is colored white while the other half is red. In the Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario Advance remakes, their entire body was made golden.
Etymology
Phantos earned their name from the term "Phantom".
In Super Mario Bros. 2
A Phanto appears in a room, guarding the Key. It is harmless to Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, or Toad until they pick the key, at which point the Phanto leaves its initial spot and begins to go after them. The Phanto flies around the screen, attempting to hit the player's character. It can follow them into other rooms, including Subspace, and only stops chasing once the character either drops the key or unlocks a Door with it.
Phantos cannot be defeated entirely, although they can be temporarily defeated by activating the Stop Watch, which freezes the Phanto along with the other enemies and features within the level, and then touching it while under the effects of a Starman. The Phanto then returns once the playable character continues on to the next room with the Key.
In the Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario Advance remakes, a larger Phanto is displayed in the backgrounds of particular rooms where the Key is located, and when the player's character picks up the key, the large Phanto's eyes glow red repeatedly, although it does not affect the character.
In Super Mario Advance, touching a Phanto while under the effects of a Starman causes to become permanently defeated. Another difference exclusive to this version is if the player's character either drops the key, uses it, or loses a life, the Phanto appears to fly toward the camera as it leaves, being depicted with a sprite twice as large than its regular size.
In Super Mario Maker 2
Phantos were introduced in the version 3.0.0 update. They appear in the Super Mario Bros.-style levels, where Phantos attack Mario whenever he picks up a Cursed Key, similar to Super Mario Bros. 2.
In other media
In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Phantos make their first appearance in "The Ten Koopmandments," with one of them chasing the Mario brothers and Princess Toadstool and Toad. This Phanto takes is more closely designed after the species' appearance in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic. Phantos make their next appearance in "Escape from Koopatraz," where they form part of the jury alongside Shy Guys, Pokeys, and Birdos.
Names in other languages
[Edit] Language |
Name | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese (Simplified) | 面具 面具怪 |
Mask Mask Monster |
面具 is used in-game whereas 面具怪 is used in iQue's promotional gameplay video |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 卡面 Kǎmiàn |
- | Transliteration of the Japanese Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic name, while「面」is also derived from「面具」(miànjù, mask) |
| Italian | Spettrino Spiritello* Fantasma* |
Lo Spettríno (From Lo Spettro (spectre). Second declension (Genitive Lóis Spettrínis)) The name Fantasma translates to "ghost." | |
| Japanese | カメーン Kamēn |
Mask | Name for Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic |
| Japanese (alt.) | ファント Fanto |
Phanto | Transliteration of "Phanto," used for Super Mario USA |
| Korean | 카면 Kamyeom |
Mask | Transliteration of the Japanese Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic name |
| Portuguese | Phanto | O Phanto (Second declension, from the English name. Genitive: Lois Phantis. Latin pronunciation.) | |
| Spanish | Fantasma* Fantasmáscara* |
El Fantasma (From the English name. First declension masculine (Genitive: Lois Fantasmes.) Latin pronunciation.) |
Trivia
- Two Face from Kirby's Dream Land bear a strong resemblance to Phanto in both design and behavior. Both enemies resemble masks and chase their _target. However, Phantos chase anyone who steals the key, while Two Faces need to be approached in order to incite their rage. Two Faces also show bored looks for their "calm" state and evil grins for their "angry" state.
Gallery
•