For many people of my generation, Super Mario 64 was our first encounter with 3D platforming. For people who've played, like, any 3D game before, King Bob-omb is a trivial challenge, but that wasn't the case for everyone in the '90s. As it turns out, those of us still figuring out the whole "analog stick" thing had a secret defense against King Bob-omb's attacks this whole time.
"In Super Mario 64, it is actually possible to escape from the grasp of King Bob-omb or a Chuckya after they grab Mario, by whipping the Control Stick back and forth and mashing the A button a combined total of 11 times before they throw him," Mario trivia hound Supper Mario Broth reports on Bluesky. Attached is a video demonstrating the technique, and yeah, it sure seems to work!
