Hoot the Owl made his debut in Super Mario 64, a groundbreaking 3D platformer released for the Nintendo 64 in 1996. In the game, Mario encounters Hoot in the Tall, Tall Mountain level. Hoot is not an enemy; rather, he's a helpful character who assists Mario on his quest to collect Power Stars. Hoot's appearance is classic owl: he has large, expressive eyes and fluffy feathers. He's primarily brown with some darker brown markings and a pair of sturdy wings. His most distinctive feature is his ability to carry Mario through the skies. When Mario grabs onto Hoot, he can soar high above the level, reaching otherwise inaccessible areas. A fanart Super Mario progress bar for YouTube with Hoot Pixel.