- This article is about the generic species. For other uses, see Clam (disambiguation).
Clams appear in the Super Mario franchise as rare enemies and obstacles with an appearance differing slightly between appearances while retaining a common behavior of opening and closing their valves. A number of fictional species, including Clampys from Super Mario Galaxy and Clambos from Donkey Kong Country, are derived from clams.
History
Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen!
A giant clam in Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen! appears underwater in one scene after Mario and Kibidango encounter the first mega-sized Cheep-cheep. It holds the star that they are looking for, but it shuts its shell tight. Mario and Kibidango try distracting the clam to open with music and dancing, but it closes down on Mario. Kibidango reads up on a solution and manages to get Mario and the star out of it by tickling the clam.
Super Mario series
Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS
Clam shells,[1][2] also called simply clams[2][3] or shells,[4] are present in Super Mario 64 and its Nintendo DS version. They appear in Jolly Roger Bay and Dire, Dire Docks. Most clam shells in Jolly Roger Bay contain Red Coins, while another clam shell in the same area, as well as a clam shell in Dire, Dire Docks, contains a Koopa Shell. If a clam shell is touched when it is opening or closing, Mario, Yoshi, Luigi, or Wario gets knocked away and loses two wedges of health. Clam shells open up for a small period of time when the player character approaches them.
Super Mario Sunshine
Clams in Super Mario Sunshine do not appear as interactive gameplay elements, but plastic representations of them make up the Clam Cups ride in Pinna Park, which is advertised by some Nokis in a few missions. Six fake clams of different colors are featured in the attraction, spinning around on a playground merry-go-round-like plate. They are normally closed, but spraying one enough causes it to open, sometimes revealing either a coin, a Blue Coin, or a 1-Up Mushroom.
Donkey Kong franchise
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
Clams in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat are huge and appear as item containers in underwater stages, starting with Pristine Sea. Clapping near them releases beats.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Donkey Kong near a Giant Clam in
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Giant Clams[5] in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze appear as underwater item containers that can be attacked nearby for them to open and release treasure, like with other containers.
Paper Mario: Color Splash
In Paper Mario: Color Splash, Wendy O. Koopa, the fourth boss, waits for Mario inside a clam before the battle with her. In battle, she attacks by summoning coins from the clams and dunking them on Mario. She also summons Gold Shy Guys, Silver Shy Guys, and Ice Bros. from them to aid her in battle if Mario fails to block the attack.
Princess Peach: Showtime!
Clams in Princess Peach: Showtime! appear in all three Mermaid Peach stages. By guiding schools of fish with her voice, Peach can command them to open normal and big clams in the background (the latter require the strength of more fishes), releasing captured Theets, coins or Sparkle Gems.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book
Clams appear in Yoshi and the Mysterious Book where they can contain objects like Smiley Flowers or other creatures. Some discoveries involve obtaining the contents of a clam.
Gallery
Naming
Internal names
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|
| Japanese | 貝
Kai | Shellfish | | [6] |
| French | Palourde | Clam | | [?] |
| Huître | Oyster | | [7] |
| German | Muschel | Clam | | [?] |
| Italian | Conchiglia | Seashell | | [8][9][10][11] |
| Vongola | Clam | | [12] |
| Spanish (Latin America) | Almeja | Shellfish | | [?] |
| Spanish (Europe) | Conchas | Shells | | [13] |
References
- ^ Pelland, Scott, and Dan Owsen (1996). Super Mario 64 Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 31, 34, 46.
- ^ a b Official UK Nintendo Magazine. Super Mario 64 The Essential Player's Guide. Page 6.
- ^ Knight, Michael (March 16, 2010). Nintendo DS Pocket Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-307-46760-7. Page 244.
- ^ Pelland, Scott, and Dan Owsen (1996). Super Mario 64 Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 34.
- ^ von Esmarch, Nick, and Cory van Grier (February 21, 2024). Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze PRIMA Official Game Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-804-16252-4. Page 22.
- ^ 2015. Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook, Super Mario 64 section. Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 91.
- ^ Nintendo official French magazine N1. Page 86.
- ^ «Questa conchiglia è chiusa, hai visto?» – Plucky on Episode 1. Super Mario Sunshine (Italian).
- ^ Sakai, Kazuya (ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), and Marco Figini, editors (2018). Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Translated by Marco Amerighi. Milan: Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 91, 105.
- ^ "Gira la piattaforma e trova il blocco chiave nella conchiglia." – LEGO Super Mario, Il veliero sommerso di Dorrie. Lego.it.
- ^ Sakai, Kazuya (ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), and Marco Figini, editors (2025). Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia (2nd ed.). Translated by Alessandro Apreda. Milan: Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 979-1259575760. Page 91, 105.
- ^ Super Mario Sunshine PRIMA Guide. Page 109.
- ^ 2017. "Super Mario 64" in Enciclopedia Super Mario Bros 30ª Aniversario. Madrid: Planeta Cómic (Spanish). ISBN 978-84-9146-223-1. Page 91.
