Topi



Topis are enemies in the Ice Climber series. They are hardworking creatures which repair cracks in Mountains after the Popo and Nana destroy them. If a Topi finds a crack in the ground, it will immediately turn around and back off past the edge of the screen before returning with icicles to fix the gap. If Popo or Nana collide with a Topi, or the icicle which it was carrying they will freeze up and lose one life.

In the Japanese version of Ice Climber released for the Famicom (1985), Topis are represented as blue seals that slide across the ice. When Ice Climber was localized into other countries like North America and Europe, they were changed to be based upon a more fictional character; a small white furry creature with a mouth resembling a beak. Presumably, this was to prevent possible concerns from consumers related to hitting seals with mallets, which could be seen to be bad taste. In Vs. Ice Climber (1984) and Vs. Ice Climber Dual, it is notable that the 'Yeti' design was used immediately, possibly indicating that the seal creature was developed and finalized later. Ice Climber (Famicom Disk System) (1988), also used the Yeti Topi.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the Trophy for 'Topi' in the Japanese localizations depicts Topi as a seal, as in Ice Climber for the Famicom. This was changed to the Yeti trophy in other localizations of the game when they were released, however in early trailers of the North American version, the Seal Topi model could be seen, indicating that the change from 'Seal' to 'Yeti' was a relatively late change in the game's developmental stages.