Mario Kart 64 There are few things more annoying in Mario Kart 64 more than coming to a complete stop because a giant Thwomp blocks your way. To make it worse, when they do so they let loose a low, evil laugh as you bump ineffectually against them trying to get them to hurry up and freakin' lift already!
The sound of the laughter is a slowed down version of Wario's cackle. Since the game used two different voice casts for the Japanese and American games, that's the reason that the Twomps sound different in the two versions.
Mario 64 There's just something about Mario games that just makes the people who make them not want to record new laughter. You can see this in the flagship title of the N64, Mario's first 3D adventure.
Bowser the dragon has an appropriately deep, throaty laugh that more than does the King of the Koopas justice. Apparently the sound team was so impressed with their accomplishment that they decided it would do for the Boo enemies as well. Their poltergeisty chuckle is Bowser's laugh sped up several times. It actually makes me wonder if the Boos aren't actually the souls of Bowser's kids that we never really see anymore.
Crash Bandicoot Finally, Crash Bandicoot actually went the extra mile and didn't just use some sound file that they had laying around. No, they went out and found the perfect laugh to sample for Ripper Roo, the insane kangaroo that went over the deep end after one too many shots with Dr. Neo Cortex's Evolvo-Ray and who tries to blow Crash up with explosive TNT.
If you thought his laugh was familiar, that because they lifted it from Disney's Lady and the Tramp. It's the exact same laugh that Dal McKennon used for the hyena in the zoo has, just shortened some. It's become Ripper Roo's trademark manner of communication, though he is occasionally capable of spoken English. The game helpfully provides subtitles so you know what he's saying. It's a shame that the talented McKennon, who was still alive and working in the '90s, couldn't add a little more of his vocal magic to the character, but as it stands that one sample continues to live on in the gaming world.
Jef has a new story, a tale of headless strippers and The Rolling Stones, available now in Broken Mirrors, Fractured Minds. You can also connect with him on Facebook.