{{Quote|Okay, you look-a right here! I baked that into a pizza ONCE and nobody can ever know. Not even the health inspector. Capeesh?|Peppino.}}
|image = Idle_demo1.gif
'''Peppino Spaghetti''' (simply referred to as '''Peppino''') is the main protagonist of [[Pizza Tower]].
|fullname = Peppino Spaghetti
|relatives =
* [[Gustavo]] (Friend)
* [[The Noise]] (Rival)
|affiliation = Peppino Pizza / Peppino's Pizza
|playable = yes}}
{{Quote|[[File:PT-Toppinbot-Peppino.png|right|100px]]Okay you look-a right here! I baked that into a pizza ONCE and nobody can ever know. Not even the health inspector. Capeesh?|Peppino (via [[Toppinbot]])}}
== Description ==
Peppino is a somewhat overweight Italian chef wearing a black t-shirt, black pants, a white apron and a chef's hat. He also has black hair and a small mustache under his long nose.
'''Peppino Spaghetti''' (simply referred to as '''Peppino''') is the main protagonist and the first playable character of ''[[Pizza Tower]]''.
He's the owner of his own restaurant, called Peppino's Pizza'' ''and always shows signs of both anger and anxiety, frequently shifting between those two emotions.
==Description==
== Main Abilities ==
Peppino is a portly, middle-aged Italian chef who wears a white toque, a white tank top over a black t-shirt, black pants and boots. He has black short, messy hair and a small mustache under his long nose. His main emotions are anger and fear, with him often switching between the two in the [[Pizza Tower (Location)|Pizza Tower]].
Peppino is the most balanced character included in the game due to the great quantity of abilities he has at his disposal.
He owns and works at a restaurant named after himself, titled ''Peppino's Pizza'' (occasionally written as ''Peppino Pizza''). The business is in debt and is in a rough state, as shown by the [[Pizza Tower (Video Game)|game's]] introduction sequence before the file select screen and promotional art. The source of the debt is unknown, though it is implied [[Mr. Stick]] may be involved, as one the game's end cards depicts him making off with a sack of money while Peppino angrily looks at him in a doorway. The location seems to be behind the restaurant.
=== Jump ===
Press the jump button while on the ground to initiate a jump. Holding the button longer results in a higher jump.
==Abilities and Skills==
Jumping on top of enemies will stun them, allowing them to be grabbed if they normally hurt Peppino when attempting to grab them.
One of Peppino's main abilities is his super speed, which acts as one of the core mechanics of Pizza Tower. He utilizes it through his Mach Run, which has four states. At Mach 1, he can destroy [[Breakable Block|Breakable Blocks]] and bump into [[List of enemies|enemies]] to stun them as long as they do not hold a weapon. Mach 2 causes Peppino to drift when turning, preserving his speed. If he jumps at this stage, he will perform a Long Jump and keep his speed. At Mach 3, he now can destroy [[Metal Block|Metal Blocks]] and defeat enemies upon contact. Most enemies panic upon seeing him approach. Mach 4 is functionally identical to 3, except with a greater speed and different animation. While in a Mach Run, if Peppino crouches, he will roll and preserve his speed until he gets back up. He can also keep his speed when diving off of ledges.
Through a Mach Run, Peppino can enter a Super Jump. This propels him up through the air until colliding with a ceiling or cancelling it. When cancelling, he preforms a Shoulder Bash, and upon landing on the ground and dashing, he keeps that momentum back into Mach 3.
As expected of a platforming Italian, Peppino can bounce higher off of an enemy by holding the jump button when landing on top of the enemy.
Peppino also exhibits superhuman strength, being able to grab and lift any enemy without much struggle and defeat them with one finishing blow. Upon launching an enemy in a direction, they will continue and defeat other enemies in their path until they hit a wall or a Metal Block. He may also defeat a held enemy by Piledriving them. In the [[Pizzaface|final boss fight]], through his rage he is able to put a crack on the top floor of the tower through an intense Piledrive. On top of being able to bust through Breakable Blocks and even Metal Blocks, he can chisel statues out of stone by hitting it as seen in the fight with [[Pepperman]].
==== Body Slam ====
Press down while in the air at low speed to belly flop, damaging enemies from above.
Peppino is unable to die in the [[Pizza Tower (Location)|Pizza Tower]], but can take damage. While in regular [[List of levels|levels]] he can take an infinite amount of damage, in [[List of bosses|boss fights]] he can only take six hits before being defeated.
He hangs in the air for a moment before dropping and can slightly shift left or right as he drops.
He can parry by taunting just before he is hurt. If he parries a projectile, this causes the projectile to go in the opposite direction instead. If he parries an enemy, he will instantly defeat them. If Peppino has a combo of ten or more, he can also preform a Super Taunt that defeats all enemies on screen.
With enough height, this can be used to break metal boxes, indicated by the meteor-like effect.
Peppino is able to wield firearms, using both [[Transformations#Shotgun|shotgun]] and pistol with ease when the opportunity arises.
Jumping after this gives Peppino a little more height than a regular jump.
=== Dash ===
One of Peppino's most important abilities for blasting his way through the towers. He builds up speed for as long as the dash button is held, allowing him to transition to several successive stages of dashing. Jumping during the dash keeps his momentum at whatever stage he is currently at.
==== Dash Stages: ====
''Mach 1:''
* Peppino starts to run at a moderate pace.
* Peppino can stun enemies by bumping into them.
''Mach 2:''
* Peppino starts dashing madly, indicated by his red and green afterimages.
* Can damage enemies, but must be wary of those protected with weapons.
* Can initiate a roll by pressing down while dashing.
* Can initiate a Dive by pressing down in the air.
* Can run up vertical walls by jumping at them while dashing, or by running up a staircase connected to a wall.
* Can break through non-metal boxes.
''Mach 3: ''
* Peppino starts dashing at an insane rate, indicated by his extremely angry sprite animation.
* Distinct in its added sounds and force-field effect.
* Has the same abilities as Mach 2, as well as the following:
** Enemies freeze in shock when Peppino reaches them, letting him bust through defenses like Forknight's fork.
** Can break metal boxes.
** Can initiate a super jump by pressing up while dashing.
* Attempting to turn around in this stage will result in Peppino "drifting", in which he takes slightly longer to change directions but preserves his dash momentum.
* Jumping off a wall results in Peppino moving back to Mach 2.
* If the player continues pressing forward whilst running, he goes supersonic which gives him a bit more speed and alters the animation and sounds.
''Mach 4:''
* Activated when the player is in Mach 3 and continues holding forward in the direction Peppino is running.
* It is almost identical, the main differences being sprite changes and him going significantly faster.
* This stage will activate instantly when Peppino interacts with the (now unused) [[Pepper Pizza]] power-up.
==== Roll ====
Press down while dashing on the ground at Mach 2 or higher to roll in a blue-hedgehog-like fashion. Damages enemies and breaks boxes to clear through crawlspaces.
==== Dive ====
Press down while dashing in the air at Mach 2 or higher to make Peppino dive downwards at a diagonal angle, can damage enemies and break non-metal boxes in the same fashion as the dash or roll.
==== Super Jump ====
Press up when the Dash reaches Mach 3 and release to super jump. The player can move side-to-side slowly before releasing, but cannot move horizontally once the super jump is initiated.
Flies straight upward quickly, busting through weaker obstacles until he hits a ceiling.
The player can cancel the super jump before hitting a ceiling with a dash, transitioning back into Mach 3. Skillful players can control Peppino's movement very quickly and precisely by alternating between a Mach 3 dashing stage and a super jump.
As of March 2020, the super jump has been reworked and now it only goes a set distance instead of endlessly going upwards. Because of the height nerf, it can now be used at any mach. The only way to extend the distance it goes is to hit an enemy or a block while super jumping. Also, it no longer has the mach effect, meaning it is impossible to cancel the super jump into a dash or another super jump. Now, it can only be cancelled into a grab.
However, these changes were reverted in Western Build V2 and instead it was given a different, more minor change, that being the inability to super jump in midair, meaning it is no longer possible to chain super jumps in midair by cancelling the move into a dash.
As of the April 2021 build, Peppino moves much slower while in the pre-super jump position.
There is also the Side Super Jump, which can only be enabled by hacking the game. As the name states, it is the super jump, but sideways. It will also break through metal boxes and kill enemies. The Noise's pogo moveset has a move similar to this, but he can steer it with little control.
==== Team Dash ====
While in Co-op mode, if bothΒ players attack each other at the same time, they will start rolling, which has most of the same effects as a Mach 3 dashing stage. The direction of the team dash depends on who attacked first and will go in the direction the first attacker was facing. Neither player can turn around, roll through one-block gaps, or end the dash until they hit a wall, but whoever attacked first can control the speed of the ball as well as jump.
=== Grab ===
Grabs a static enemy or object in his clutches. He can carry caught enemies around before smashing them away, upwards, or behind him. Pressing down whilst on the ground releases a stunned enemy.
He also has some wrestling moves he can perform while holding an enemy.
* ''Giant Swing:'' Pressing dash while holding an enemy will cause you to spin forward with them, breaking blocks, bouncing off walls and killing enemies. Spinning into a hazard causes you to parry it. In previous builds, pressing the forward and backward directions quickly would allow you to spin and press the grab button to throw.
* ''Spinning Piledriver:'' Jump with a held enemy and press down while in the air.
* ''Uppercut:'' When pressing up with a enemy in hand, Peppino performs an uppercut, sending the enemy flying upwards at a high speed. The enemy can be grabbed again if still in mid-air.
Hold the dash button after initiating a grab and he will immediately start dashing at Mach 2, letting him reach top speed faster.
In earlier builds of the game this move had a lunging form which could break through blocks and be used for precise platforming.
==== Tackle (Unused) ====
In Peppino's Xmas Break and builds afterward, holding dash while holding an enemy will cause Peppino to tackle forward while still holding the enemy. The tackle won't break anything but small blocks, and releasing the dash button will drop the enemy and slow Peppino down. Pressing the grab button again while tackling will throw the enemy forward. Peppino can jump in this form as well as turn around, but the latter will cause him to drop the enemy. Any enemy hit while Peppino is using this move will be defeated. This move was replaced by a spin move in the April 2021 Build.
The tackle was also in [[GOLF (Demo)|GOLF]] and onwards, but was scrapped in the [[SAGE 2019 Demo]].
==== Quick Roll ====
In the Cheese Dragon Boss Patreon build and builds afterward, if the grab button is pressed while Peppino is lunging forward for a grab on the ground, Peppino will do a short roll forwards, which can be used to build up speed quickly and defeat enemies.
==== Belly Slide ====
If the player crouches right after pressing grab, Peppino will slide forwards while laying down on his stomach. This attack can be used to destroy blocks in one-block spaces, but it cannot be used to defeat enemies. There is also an option to jump out of a slide to activate a slide jump, which unlike the normal slide, can damage enemies. Peppino can jump repeatedly in succession if he jumps again right when he touches the ground.
=== Shoulder Bash ===
Rushes forwards using his shoulder. It is similar to a Dash, but somewhat nerfed as it's not as fast as Mach 4, doesn't stay out permanently and cannot break stronger blocks - albeit much quicker to pull off overall due to being faster than getting from Mach 1 to 4. It is stated by PTG that this attack would be used during [[List of bosses|boss]] fights.
==== Buzzsaw (Unused) ====
Peppino charges forward with a large pizza cutter-esque buzzsaw, instantly killing enemies in his path. The buzzsaw needs ammo, represented by fuel cans, to function, and the player can only hold three at a time. Enemies will sometimes drop fuel cans to compensate.
=== Pistol ===
If the shoot button is pressed without a shotgun or Mort, Peppino will fire a bullet from his pistol, hurting enemies from afar. The pistol, however, has very limited ammo, only being able to hold three bullets at a time. Enemies will sometimes drop bullets to compensate.
=== Taunt ===
Strike a pose. If the player gets a combo counter of 3x or more, a super taunt will occur, where the taunts pop-out, with one of four unique taunts being selected (different taunts are purely cosmetic, and different ones don't affect gameplay), and all enemies on-screen are defeated. However, this also ends the combo afterwards.
His many taunt poses reference the likes of Peter Griffin, Akuma, Daffy Duck, Dr. Robotnik, Sonic the Hedgehog,Β and more.
As of the Patreon Western Build, taunting now causes any projectile-based enemies to fire their projectiles, making waiting for them to attack to get the transformation their projectile gives take less time.
As of the upcoming combat-focused overhaul recently implemented, the super taunt now only hurts and stuns every enemy on screen, taking one of their health points away instead of instantly killing them like before.
==== Parry ====
If the player makes Peppino taunt right before he gets hit by an enemy or projectile, he will parry it and attack back. This can be used to make it easier to defeat enemies that often attack the player and can also be used to reflect projectiles thrown at them.
=== Breakdance (Unused) ===
If the shoot button is pressed without a shotgun, Peppino will do a breakdance kick to attack enemies. This attack has a bigger hitbox than grabbing and can be cancelled into either a rolling attack where Peppino curls up into the fetal position, which can bounce off of walls unlike the normal rolling, or a butt-first dashing attack. The rolling attack can also be used instantly by pressing the shoot button while rolling during a dash.
=== Slap (Unused) ===
Peppino will close his eyes and nervously swing his palm. It takes a few hits to stun an enemy before grabbing them.
This move only appeared in some early demos before being cut, and some of the animations would later be used for when breaking big boxes with a grab.
== Transformations ==
Along with his basic moveset, Peppino has the abillity to transform in a varity of ways for different purposses.
==Transformations==
''See also: [[Transformations]]''
''See also: [[Transformations]]''
Along with his basic move set, Peppino has the ability to transform in a variety of ways for different purposes, mostly to get rid of [[Stupid Rat|Stupid Rats]] that block progression. Peppino cannot enter doors while transformed unless it is removed by a [[Priest]]. The only exceptions are the Pepper Pizza and Shotgun transformations, which still allow him to enter doors. If the player builds up enough speed when touching a Priest, they will retain the speed into Mach 3.
=== Ball Peppino ===
(Gained from: Getting kicked by a [[Pepperoni Goblin]] or [[Goblinbot|Goblin-Bot]] or pressing down while on stairs)
<table class="wikitable">
Peppino inflates himself just like a balloon and quickly rolls until he hits a wall. He is invincible in this form and will bowl over enemies. He can also break small blocks instantly without losing momentum.
<tr>
<th>Name</th>
<th>Method to Acquire</th>
<th>Effects</th>
<th>Controls</th>
<th>Debuting Level</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>[[File:PT-spr_player_tumble.gif]]
Ball
=== Knight Peppino ===
</th>
(Gained from: Grabbing a sword or getting hit by a [[Pizzard|Pizzard's]] projectile)
<td>Getting kicked by a [[Pepperoni Goblin]], [[Goblinbot]], [[Pepperoni Goblin Bat]] or thrown by a [[Big Cheese]]</td>
<td>Peppino inflates instantly and proceeds to roll in the direction he was thrown or kicked into until he hits a wall or is damaged. Any enemy or small destructible blocks run into will be defeated or destroyed respectively.</td>
<td>Pressing in the corresponding direction the player is rolling in will increase their speed. The player can still jump.</td>
Peppino will be heavy and slow, but he will be invulnerable and can still take out enemies by walking into them or jumping on them. He also gains fast momentum from sliding down on stairs and slopes. If he slides into a wall or touches a level hazard, the armor will break and return him to normal form.
</th>
<td>Grabbing a sword from a [[Transformation assets|Sword Stone]]</td>
<td>Any enemy will be defeated upon contact, rendering the player invincible. In a Charging state, [[Stupid Rat|Stupid Rats]] and [[Breakable Block#Metal Block|Metal Blocks]] can be defeated and destroyed respectively.</td>
<td>Moving becomes much heavier and slower, and the player loses the ability to grab in exchange for a double jump. Body Slam is replaced with a Downward Thrust. Touching any slope sends the player down the slope into a Charging state until they hit a wall.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
=== Bomb Peppino ===
<th>[[File:Spr_player_fireass.gif]]
(Gained from: Picking up a bomb or [[The Noise|The Noise's]] interference)
Fireass
The player can't get rid of a bomb, but it helps when the path is blocked by purple metal boxes marked with bomb symbols that need to be destroyed. Peppino can only run and jump frantically, and "transforms" back to normal upon exploding but is not hurt. In Demo 2 of Pizza Tower, if the grab button was pressed during this transformation, Peppino would hurl the bomb in front of him.
</th>
<td>Touching [[Boiling Sauce]] or a [[Peasanto|Peasanto's]] torch</td>
<td>The player is immediately launched upward, and slides on the ground for a brief moment upon landing. Touching any enemy or [[Stupid Rat]] in this state defeats them.</td>
<td>The player can only move left or right.</td>
<td>[[Bloodsauce Dungeon]]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
=== Firebutt Peppino ===
<th>[[File:Spr_player_firemouthidle.gif]]
(Gained from: Touching a pool of boiling sauce, burning haystack, [[Cheese Dragon]]'s fireballs, or [[Peasanto]] (setting haystack on fire))
Firemouth
Peppino will jump up high and after landing his bottom will be briefly exposed. He can actually defeat any enemies that touch him at any point in the animation. In demos after [[Peppino's Xmas Break]], the cheek-exposed recovery animation is now absent so that the player can regain control of Peppino more quickly.
<td>Running into any [[Rock Block#TNT Block-0|TNT Blocks]] will destroy them. Touching into an enemy or a [[Stupid Rat]] will defeat them. If the player is damaged, the transformation will end.</td>
<td>Grab is replaced with an Air Dash. Body Slam is replaced with descending faster.</td>
When Peppino eats a spicy wing tossed by a Kentucky Kenny, he gains the firemouth form. His mouth is caught on fire, and he can destroy TNT blocks and kill enemies by touching them. He'll also run nonstop just like his bomb transformation. Free Milk booths will set him back to normal.
</th>
<td>Touching a [[Mushroom Ghost]]</td>
<td>The player becomes incorporeal and may pass through [[Cheese Grater|Cheese Graters]]. The player is invincible. Collecting a Ghost Pepper will increase the player's base speed.</td>
<td>The player may float and fly around the air freely in any direction, however they lose the ability to Mach Run and grab.</td>
<td>[[Wasteyard]]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
=== Ghost Peppino ===
<th>[[File:Spr_player_mortidle.gif]]
(Gained from: [[Ranch Shooter]]'s bullets)
[[Mort]]
Peppino turns into a ghost, allowing him to jump as many times as he wants and pass through electrified blocks and certain walls whileΒ beingΒ invincible, but he can't dash or attack. To end the transformation, there are tombstones around levels featuring this transformationΒ that can be grabbed and tossed around to different areas by Peppino without a transformation, which can thenΒ be used toΒ turn back to normal when touched by Ghost Peppino.
</th>
<td>Grabbing [[Mort]] when he appears near a Well</td>
<td>The player may interact with [[Mort Hook|Mort Hooks]] to cross large gaps. Getting damaged ends the transformation.</td>
<td>The player may double jump and their grab is replaced with an attack where Mort swats in front of him. The player can attack in three directions: left, right or upward. Standing still and attacking will push the player forward. Attacking a Mort Hook will launch the player up and forward.</td>
<td>[[Fun Farm]]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
=== Mort ===
<th>[[File:Spr_player_weeniemount.gif]]
(Gained from: Picking up [[Mort]])
Weenie Mount
Upon touching Mort, Mort will mount on top of Peppino's head and give him several new abilties like having Mort smack his head around and ascendingΒ slowly in mid-air, as well as being able toΒ break Mort Cubes by using the previously mentioned head smacking attack.
</th>
<td>Grabbing a Weenie Mount</td>
<td>The player can build up speed quickly and move much faster. Any enemy approached will react as if being approached at Mach 3. Jumping exits the transformation.</td>
<td>The player may move left or right, but cannot grab. If they jump, the transformation ends.</td>
<td>[[Fastfood Saloon]]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
=== Barrel ===
<th>[[File:Spr_player_barrelidle_new.gif]]
(Gained from: Dashing into a barrel)
Barrel
Peppino gets stuck in a barrel and rolls around in it quickly. This can defeat enemies and break blocks. Hitting a wall while rolling in the barrel will cause the barrel to break, which ends the transformation. However, if there is a slope next to the wall, the barrel won't break and will instead change directions. The barrel itself can be grabbed and tossed around to different locations before using the transformation. This transformation is the only way to break [[Barrel Block|Barrel Blocks]].
</th>
<td>Falling into a barrel</td>
<td>Rolling allows the player to pass through small spaces and defeat [[Stupid Rat|Stupid Rats]] and any enemy. Rolling upward onto a slope will cause the player to change directions. Getting damaged will end the transformation.</td>
<td>Grabbing is disabled. Jumping produces a shorter height and the Mach Run is replaced with rolling.</td>
If Peppino touches a cheeseball tossed by a Trash Pan, he gets stuck in it and will be stuck rolling in the direction of the cheeseball until hitting a wall. The only action that can be done while in this form is jumping, but the jumps are very small. There are also specific blocks labelled with a cheeseball on them that can only be broken with this transformation.
</th>
<td>Touching [[Dangerous Water]]</td>
<td>The player is immediately launched upward. Touching any enemy or [[Stupid Rat]] in this state defeats them.</td>
<td>The player can only move left or right.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
=== Sticky Cheese Peppino ===
<th>[[File:Peppinorocket.gif]]
Rocket
(Gained from: Getting hit by a [[Peppino Robot|Cheese Peppino Robot]] or Cheese-inator)
</th>
<td>Grabbing a Rocket</td>
<td>The player becomes invincible and automatically moves forward. Colliding with enemies and [[Stupid Rat|Stupid Rats]] will defeat them, and [[Breakable Block#Metal Block|Metal Blocks]] can be destroyed. The transformation ends upon colliding with a wall or jumping.</td>
<td>Grabbing is disabled. They may move up or down to adjust their position, and pressing in the corresponding direction will increase their speed. The player may change their direction by getting on the ground and pressing the opposite direction.</td>
<td>[[Deep-Dish 9]]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
In [[Demo 2]], Peppino could get covered in sticky cheese from the causes above. He is lot slower in this form, walking similarly to a zombie, but can cling on vertical conveyor belts and jump off of them. To get out of this form, the player has to touch an outlet.
<th>[[File:Spr_player_cheeseball.gif]]
Cheeseball
=== Pizza Box Peppino ===
</th>
(Gained from: Getting crushed by a [[Box Stamper]] or the scrapped Noise boss)
<td>Touching a [[Giant Slime|Giant Slime's]] cheeseball projectile</td>
<td>The player gets stuck inside a cheeseball and moves forward until hitting a wall, ending the transformation. Colliding with a [[Super Side Spring]] will change the player's direction. Any enemy and [[Stupid Rat]] will be defeated upon collision.</td>
<td>None</td>
<td rowspan="2">[[Oh Shit!]]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
Peppino will be crushed in a pizza box, making him be able to crawl on smaller places more easily without having to do a roll. He can only get out of this form by getting hurt.
<th>[[File:PT-spr_cheesepep_idle.gif]]
Sticky Cheese
== Weapons ==
</th>
In some versions and under certain circumstances, Peppino can afford a few weapons that help him endure the enemies he has to pass through during his quest:
<td>Exiting the Cheeseball transformation</td>
<td>The player is invincible and their movement becomes slow and heavy. Enemies and [[Stupid Rat|Stupid Rats]] will be defeated upon jumping into them. The player will stick to walls upon jumping into them.</td>
<td>Grabbing is exchanged for sticking onto walls. They can move left or right and jump.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
=== Shotgun ===
<th>[[File:Spr_boxxedpep_idle_new.gif]]
Boxed
==== ''In the [[SAGE 2019 Demo]]'' ====
</th>
Shotguns can be purchased for 4 pizza coins from Pizzamart (with a maximum of two guns). The gun will break from taking damage, but the player can carry one backup shotgun. The shotgun fires three projectiles at once by pressing up and the grab button at the same time. When performing the body slam, Peppino instead fires downwards while getting a slight vertical boost first, then stomps towards the ground. Pressing the grab button without the upward direction performs a shoulder tackle.
<td>Getting stamped by a [[Box Stamper]]</td>
<td>The player is squished into a pizza box, allowing them to go through small gaps at a faster speed. Spinning into [[Stupid Rat|Stupid Rats]] and enemies will defeat them and launch the player up into the air slightly. Being damaged will end the transformation.</td>
<td>Grabbing is replaced with spinning, which launches the player forward. The player also has access to 10 jumps, each decreasing in height with each jump.</td>
<td>[[Peppibot Factory]]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
==== ''In the Western Build and onwards'' ====
<th>[[File:PT-spr_player_jetpackstart2.gif]]
The shotgun currently functions slightly differently than it did in the SAGE Demo, with shotguns now being obtained for free instead of bought from Pizzamarts and is now used more like a transformation and less as a powerup. The shotgun can now be gotten rid of by a metal detector. Since the projectiles fired by the shotgun go through walls, it is also now used in puzzles. Peppino can still perform the downward-fire & stomp combo, and the stomp can now briefly stun onscreen enemies when he hits the ground. There is also now a unique "shoot" button for firing the shotgun instead of pressing the up and grab buttons.
Pepper Pizza
=== Pizza Cutter Buzzsaw ===
</th>
<td>Eating a [[Pepper Pizza]]</td>
<td>The player's skin becomes red and they become invincible, destroying any enemy upon contact. Spinning/flying into a [[Stupid Rat]] will defeat them as well. The transformation only ends upon exiting the level or interacting with a [[Priest#Free Milk Stand-0|Free Milk Stand]].<br />Other transformations can stack and will not end this transformation.</td>
<td>The player retains their normal controls, plus a double jump that allows the player to fly upon holding jump.</td>
The Pizza Cutter Buzzsaw is a weapon that is in the files for the [[GOLF (April Fools)|GOLF demo]] and [[Demo 2]]. It is currently not added but not an unused idea. In current demos, the Cutter Buzzsaw can be seen stuck in the background of some rooms in The Wasteyard level. In footage, Peppino would have had it at his disposal. It would be used to ram into enemies. He could have carried up to three canisters of fuel for it.
<th>[[File:PT-spr_shotgun_idle-CROPPED.gif]]
Shotgun
=== Pizza Revolver ===
</th>
The Pizza Revolver is a gun Peppino wields in the [[GOLF (April Fools)|GOLF demo]] and April 2021 build. In GOLF, it shoots out toppings when the trigger is pulled, but in the April 2021 build, it fires a bullet that damages enemies. Peppino can carry up to three bullets.
<td>Grabbing a crate with the shotgun</td>
<td>The player gains a shotgun. Shooting it will stop all momentum unless shooting in midair, to which it will only decrease it drastically. [[Stupid Rat|Stupid Rats]] cannot be defeated, but other enemies can. Shooting at [[Target Block|Target Blocks]] will destroy them as well. The transformation ends upon passing a [[Priest#Metal_Detector-0|Metal Detector]].<br />Other transformations can stack and will not end this transformation.</td>
<td>Grabbing is replaced with shooting the shotgun. Body Slamming will shoot below the player instead before rapidly descending, defeating any enemy below upon contact.</td>
<td rowspan="2">[[Don't Make A Sound]]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
== In the comics ==
<th>[[File:Animatronicpep.gif]]
Peppino appears in the'' Peppino and Noise Comics''.
Animatronic / Peshino
In Peppino and Noise Comics, he is one of the titular characters of the comics and is often seen being annoyed and/or tortured by The Noise, to his dismay.
</th>
<td>Getting caught by a [[Toppin Monsters|Toppin Monster]]</td>
<td>The player is put into an Animatronic as they lose 50 [[Pizza Points]] in increments of 10. If the player had a combo, it is instantly lost. Afterward, they lose the transformation.</td>
<td>The player may jump and move left or right, but the jump height is shorter and they move slowly. They also cannot grab.</td>
</tr>
</table>
== Comics==
He is also planned to appear in a currently unfinished comic featuring him and [[Gustavo]] in the desert, where the two would be antagonized by [[List of miscellaneous characters#Mr.Incognito|Mr. Incognito]].
Peppino appears in the ''Peppino and Noise'' Comics, starring as one of the titular characters of the comics and is often seen being annoyed and/or tortured by [[The Noise]], to his dismay.
He was also planned to appear in an unfinished comic featuring him and [[Gustavo]] in the desert, where the two would be antagonized by [[Noisette|Mr. Incognito]].
== Trivia ==
* One of Pizza Tower Guy's Twitter posts jokingly described the background of Peppino as the main antagonist of a fictional 1996 video game called ''Pizza Boy Tower. ''There he would be known as "Chef Raider" as an antagonist and would be the nemesis of a character known as ''Totino the Pizza Boy'', the protagonist of the game''. ''However, Peppino's current backstory hasn't been defined yet.
** This is a reference to the predecessor of the ''Wario Land'' series, ''Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins''. As this game marked the first appearance of Peppino's ''Mario ''counterpart, Wario, also acting as the villain, this is fitting.
* While it's not confirmed by PTG, Peppino's anxiety could originate from a war he experienced before the main events of the game. The only proof for this is a sketch drawn by PTG showing Peppino with an army helmet. If this is true, Peppino might suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (This and other sketches can be seen in [[Peppino/Gallery|Peppino's Gallery]])
*Peppino's Grab move was originally inspired by the Suplex Copy Ability from the ''Kirby'' series. The inspiration is most obvious on demos or builds like GOLF.
==Pre-release==
* In the real game lore, Peppino's Pizza place wasn't doing so well, so Peppino started to read about towers and eventually, he found a page that contained information about towers with ingredients to make perfect Pizzas. He then got a call from someone that was somewhere near the towers and for now that would explain how Peppino involved in the world of Pizza Tower.
''For early move sets and scrapped ideas, see the pre-release page here: [[Peppino/Pre-release]]''
==Trivia==
* Coincidentally, Peppino shares his name with ''Peppino Turco'', the lyricist of [[Funiculi Funicula]], that's also a song included in the game's soundtrack.
{{TriviaNote}}
*One of McPig's Twitter posts jokingly described the background of Peppino as the main antagonist of a fictional 1996 video game called ''Pizza Boy Tower.'' There he would be known as "Chef Raider" as an antagonist and would be the nemesis of a character known as ''[[Pizzaboy|Totino the Pizzaboy]]'', the protagonist of the game.<ref>https://twitter.com/PizzaTowergame/status/1170557329391202304</ref>
* Modding [[Noise's Hardoween (2019 Halloween Demo)|Noise's Hardoween]] to play as Peppino makes the stage harder to complete, as the stage was initially designed around The Noise's altered moveset (The Noise with his skateboard could reach Mach 3 at much shorter distance than Peppino, and jumps higher).
**This is a reference to the predecessor of the ''[https://www.mariowiki.com/Wario_Land_(series) Wario Land]'' series, ''[https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_Land_2:_6_Golden_Coins Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]''. As this game marked the first appearance of Peppino's main inspiration as a character, [https://www.mariowiki.com/Wario Wario], also acting as the villain, this is fitting.
* Peppino's body slam is based on the same move from Virtual Boy Wario Land (without the bull power-up.)
*When first conceptualized as a character, Peppino originally had no ties or inspiration from the Wario Land series, and instead was going to be a comic about him facing various pizza-themed demons.<ref>https://twitter.com/PizzaTowergame/status/1164798136675553281</ref>
* In the game's lore, Peppino is mute but has a screaming voice when in his firebutt form, and the cheerful-sounding voice clips heard from getting a combo come from the TV counting points, not Peppino.
**Early scrapped games featuring Peppino include ''Pizza Massacre'', a side-scrolling survival horror game, and ''Pizza Horror'', an RPG maker title.
**However, he is shown speaking on the rank screens (Except the S-Rank Screen) and in some of the comics. That might mean that he is only selectively mute.(Side note: In the second Demo there are audio files of Peppino saying "Oh my goodness!" "Ohohohoho!" a grunting noise "most likely for when he got hurt" and "That's-a good!")
*Peppino's grab move was originally inspired by the [https://wikirby.com/wiki/Suplex Suplex Copy Ability] from the ''[https://wikirby.com/wiki/Kirby_(series) Kirby]'' series.<ref>https://wienerdontusedrugs.tumblr.com/post/180936633501/new-peppino-default-attack-inspired-by-kirby</ref>
*When picking up the shotgun, the quote "it's time to chew ass" will appear on screen. This is a reference to a popular Duke Nukem meme called "Dick Kickem" in which the popular catchphrase "it's time to kick ass and chew gum" is swapped by two words.
*Peppino's finishing blows on enemies were inspired by a similar mechanic from Battletoads.<ref>https://twitter.com/PizzaTowergame/status/1146613612955492354</ref>
*During one of PTG's live streams, it was revealed that Peppino was initially planned to be share the name of his creator, Pizza Tower Guy, akin to Doomguy from the ''Doom'' series. However, this didn't stick for very long.
*Peppino's Super Jump may have been inspired by the [https://www.metroidwiki.org/wiki/Shinespark Shinespark] from the ''[https://www.metroidwiki.org/wiki/Metroid_(series) Metroid]'' series. With the Speed Booster obtained, Samus can use any long stretch of land to build up to max speed, crouch to store a charge, and release the charge to launch herself in a direction until hitting a wall or ceiling.
**It also seems to share a similar animation to [https://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_Bros._2 Super Mario Bros 2]'s Charge Jump.
*If the player waits around 40 seconds on the menu screen without pressing anything, Peppino will jumpscare the player, closing the game afterwards.
*Coincidentally, Peppino shares his name with ''Peppino Turco'', the lyricist of Funiculi Funicula. This song is used as a leitmotif in the music of the game's tutorial level ([[Soundtrack|funiculi holiday]]), being royalty free.
*Peppino's body slam is based on the same move from ''[https://www.mariowiki.com/Virtual_Boy_Wario_Land Virtual Boy Wario Land]''.
*During one of McPig's live streams, it was revealed that Peppino was initially planned to share the name of his creator at the time, Pizza Tower Guy (akin to Doomguy from the ''Doom'' series). However, this didn't stick for very long.
**As the name suggests, this idea didn't come to light until the start of Pizza Tower's development, his final name sticking around before then.
**As the name suggests, this idea didn't come to light until the start of Pizza Tower's development, his final name sticking around before then.
*McPig has stated that Peppino isn't actually wearing an apron, but rather a white tank top over a black t-shirt. This is because Peppino cannot afford an actual apron.
*Peppino was originally envisioned as a war veteran. This was mentioned in his original design document, in various Discord posts by McPig<ref>https://twitter.com/PizzaTowerFact/status/1626819296620957698</ref> and in Twitter sketches.<ref>https://twitter.com/PizzaTowergame/status/1554011686910263296</ref> This was also potentially the inspiration for [[WAR]]. Peppino's status as a veteran was later made ambiguous, retconned as "probably imagined."<ref>https://twitter.com/PizzaTowerFact/status/1626813800333643776</ref>
*For some reason, the name of Peppino's Pizza is different depending on the setting; on the outside it's spelled "Peppino Pizza" (Seen in the opening and Pizzahead fight) and on the inside it's spelled "Peppino's Pizza" (seen at the end of the game)
* On a stream before [[The Noise Update]] released, it was stated that Peppino's brother was [[Maurice]]. It is unclear if this is canon.
== OtherGame Cameos ==
==Cameos in other games==
Although Peppino's main appearance is in Pizza Tower, there have been many official mods made by Pizza Tower Guy for various games that add him as a playable character, as well as officially approved cameos.
Although Peppino's main appearance is in Pizza Tower, there have been many official mods made by McPig for various games that add him as a playable character, as well as officially approved cameos.
=== Sonic Robo Blast 2 Kart ===
; Sonic Robo Blast 2 Kart
Peppino appears in the fanmade Sonic The Hedgehog racing game Sonic Robo Blast 2 kart as a [https://mb.srb2.org/threads/peppino-pizza-tower.26502/ modded character] made by McPig that released in 2019. He has default stats, and a lot of his voice lines come from the [[Early Test Build]]. Peppino rides his scooter instead of a kart. The official Pizza Tower Twitter account and Twitch account has also [https://x.com/PizzaTowergame/status/1786213659540140478/ teased a character pack] of Pizza Tower characters for Dr Robotnik's Ring Racers, the sequel to Sonic Robo Blast 2 Kart as well as doing a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GuTEqt4F44/ 9 hour live stream] to show the character pack.
Peppino appears in this Sonic racing fan-game as a downloadable character mod. Peppino has default stats, and a lot of his voice-lines came from [[Demo 0]]. Instead of driving a kart, he rides his signature scooter.
=== Rivals of Aether ===
; Rivals of Aether
Peppino is available as a custom playable characterΒ in this platform fighting game through the game's Workshop function. Whileoriginallyplanned tobe made by Pizza Tower Guy himself, problems arised with coding, as the coder thatwasgoing to codePeppinonevergot to doing so. Much later on however, userMineken713endedup completing the mod himself using the sprites Pizza Tower Guy had made for the mod, with help from him to understand which sprites were supposed to be usedforwhat. His moves include throwing a [[Cheeseslime]], smashing into smallpizza blocks, andshinesparking.
Peppino is available as a custom playable character in this platform fighting game through the game's Workshop function. The sprites were previously made by McPig, later being resized to fit with other characters, and programming done by Mr Nart. His moves include throwing a [[Cheeseslime]], slamming into the ground, superjumping, etc.
=== DOOM 2 ===
; DOOM 2
Peppino appears as class mod for thisgame,withthemodcurrentlyonlybeingavailableinthe Pizza Tower Discordserver.Β Many of his attacks and weapons reference Pizza Tower objects and moves, likeΒ the one where Peppino swingsanoutletΒ oranuclearbomb(whichisoneofthepossiblejunk objects that can appear in Dragon Lair), or using thenormal PistolΒ and/or Shotgun. Other Pizza Tower characters also cameo in certain attacks, like The Noise being usedtosmackenemies, The Vigilante throwing dynamite, a Pizzard using its magic, and Pizzaface acting as one of the most powerful weapons. Itseemsthatpizzaslices and pizzaboxescanbeusedtorefillhealth,andthatbothcanalsoΒ beusedasweaponstoo.
Peppino appears inside of a custom class mod for the Zandronum DOOM source port named "Bring Your Own Class" along with a few other characters from Pizza Tower, available on [https://revenatn.itch.io/byoc/ itch.io]. Many of his attacks and weapons reference Pizza Tower objects and moves, like where Peppino uses outlets, junk from [[Dragon Lair|Dragon's Lair]], and other items/attacks as melee weaponry, or using a Revolver/Shotgun. Other Pizza Tower characters also cameo in certain attacks, like The Noise being in a melee attack, The Vigilante throwing dynamite, a Pizzard using its magic, and Pizzaface acting as one of the most powerful weapons. The player sprites for Peppino and his weapons were done by McPig with programming by revenatn, HUD sprites by Lother and edits by Basinga.
=== Treasure Tech ===
; Treasure Tech
Peppino appears in one of the pages of the manual as an advert for Pizza Tower, and some3panelcomics,thoughsome of the screenshotsfromthegamearelikely'''Β '''fromPatreonbuilds.Theadverttellsplayerstogotoitch.iotodownloaddemosofthegame.
Peppino appears in one of the pages of the manual as an advert for Pizza Tower, and a short comic with Treasure Tech's protagonist: Armin Chesterfield. A second in-gameplay cameo is in one of the treasures (That being an action-figure) that can randomly pop-out in the Pizza Tower themed Treasure Chest. Drawings from McPig also appear as intermission screens in Treasure Tech 1.2.
=== Fraymakers ===
; Fraymakers
Peppino appears as an assist character. In game, he will run up to the opponent for a lunging grab, and follow with a giant punch if successful.
Peppino appears as an assist character. In game, he will run up to the opponent for a lunging grab, and follow with a giant punch if successful.
=== Antonball Deluxe ===
; Antonball Deluxe
Peppino appears as an unlockable guest character. He has a chance to be unlocked by spending points (50,000 to be exact) in a Lottery Machine.
Peppino appears as an unlockable guest character. He has a chance to be unlocked by spending points (50,000 to be exact) in a Lottery Machine.
; Indie Rumble
== Gallery ==
Peppino was planned to appear as a playable character prior to the game's cancellation. All that is known about his appearance in the game is the Kickstarter promotional art, the Rhythm Knight and Yolk reveal trailer, the idle as seen in the April Fools update post on the Steam page that no longer exists, and planned move set.
; Alien Xenoblaster
Peppino appears as an unlockable character. The player can unlock him by completing a challenge level from world 3. His move set is the same as everyone else's, being an attack with limited uses, recharging after collecting a topping, which is in place of a weed leaf.
; Cross Impact
Peppino appears as a cameo in the Pizzascape stage, where he appears at the door doing one of five different poses when a character is taunting.
==Gallery==
''For more images, see the gallery here: [[Peppino/Gallery]]''
''For more images, see the gallery here: [[Peppino/Gallery]]''
The best-a pizza in-a town-a.jpg|More promotional art of Peppino.
The best-a pizza in-a town-a.jpg|More promotional art of Peppino.
Grabbing cheese.jpg|Promotional art of Peppino grabbing a Cheeseslime.
Grabbing cheese.jpg|Promotional art of Peppino aggressively stretching a Cheeseslime.
Dash.jpg|Promotional art of Peppino dashing.
Dash.jpg|Promotional art of Peppino dashing.
Idle demo1.gif|Peppino's idle stance.
Idle demo1.gif|Peppino's idle stance.
VxNJ6vM.gif|Peppino's normal walk.
PT-spr_player_move.gif|Peppino's normal walk.
Peprun.gif|Peppino dashing at Mach 2.
Peppino mach 1.gif|Peppino running at Mach 1.
968C8C89-EC6A-44E0-A0CA-00175D257DD8.gif|Peppino dashing at Mach 3.
Peprun.gif|Peppino running at Mach 2.
Peppino (Mach 4).gif|Peppino dashing at Mach 4.
968C8C89-EC6A-44E0-A0CA-00175D257DD8.gif|Peppino running at Mach 3.
Peppino (Mach 4).gif|Peppino running at Mach 4.
</gallery>
</gallery>
== Comics ==
==Sub-pages==
See also these pages:
These [[comics]] got posted on Pizza Tower Guy's twitter.[[File:Peppino_&_Noise_COMICS_-4.png|right]][[File:Cowboy.png|right|g a y .]]
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Latest revision as of 18:39, 30 July 2024
"
Okay you look-a right here! I baked that into a pizza ONCE and nobody can ever know. Not even the health inspector. Capeesh?" β Peppino (via Toppinbot)
Peppino Spaghetti (simply referred to as Peppino) is the main protagonist and the first playable character of Pizza Tower.
Peppino is a portly, middle-aged Italian chef who wears a white toque, a white tank top over a black t-shirt, black pants and boots. He has black short, messy hair and a small mustache under his long nose. His main emotions are anger and fear, with him often switching between the two in the Pizza Tower.
He owns and works at a restaurant named after himself, titled Peppino's Pizza (occasionally written as Peppino Pizza). The business is in debt and is in a rough state, as shown by the game's introduction sequence before the file select screen and promotional art. The source of the debt is unknown, though it is implied Mr. Stick may be involved, as one the game's end cards depicts him making off with a sack of money while Peppino angrily looks at him in a doorway. The location seems to be behind the restaurant.
Abilities and Skills
One of Peppino's main abilities is his super speed, which acts as one of the core mechanics of Pizza Tower. He utilizes it through his Mach Run, which has four states. At Mach 1, he can destroy Breakable Blocks and bump into enemies to stun them as long as they do not hold a weapon. Mach 2 causes Peppino to drift when turning, preserving his speed. If he jumps at this stage, he will perform a Long Jump and keep his speed. At Mach 3, he now can destroy Metal Blocks and defeat enemies upon contact. Most enemies panic upon seeing him approach. Mach 4 is functionally identical to 3, except with a greater speed and different animation. While in a Mach Run, if Peppino crouches, he will roll and preserve his speed until he gets back up. He can also keep his speed when diving off of ledges.
Through a Mach Run, Peppino can enter a Super Jump. This propels him up through the air until colliding with a ceiling or cancelling it. When cancelling, he preforms a Shoulder Bash, and upon landing on the ground and dashing, he keeps that momentum back into Mach 3.
Peppino also exhibits superhuman strength, being able to grab and lift any enemy without much struggle and defeat them with one finishing blow. Upon launching an enemy in a direction, they will continue and defeat other enemies in their path until they hit a wall or a Metal Block. He may also defeat a held enemy by Piledriving them. In the final boss fight, through his rage he is able to put a crack on the top floor of the tower through an intense Piledrive. On top of being able to bust through Breakable Blocks and even Metal Blocks, he can chisel statues out of stone by hitting it as seen in the fight with Pepperman.
Peppino is unable to die in the Pizza Tower, but can take damage. While in regular levels he can take an infinite amount of damage, in boss fights he can only take six hits before being defeated.
He can parry by taunting just before he is hurt. If he parries a projectile, this causes the projectile to go in the opposite direction instead. If he parries an enemy, he will instantly defeat them. If Peppino has a combo of ten or more, he can also preform a Super Taunt that defeats all enemies on screen.
Peppino is able to wield firearms, using both shotgun and pistol with ease when the opportunity arises.
Along with his basic move set, Peppino has the ability to transform in a variety of ways for different purposes, mostly to get rid of Stupid Rats that block progression. Peppino cannot enter doors while transformed unless it is removed by a Priest. The only exceptions are the Pepper Pizza and Shotgun transformations, which still allow him to enter doors. If the player builds up enough speed when touching a Priest, they will retain the speed into Mach 3.
Peppino inflates instantly and proceeds to roll in the direction he was thrown or kicked into until he hits a wall or is damaged. Any enemy or small destructible blocks run into will be defeated or destroyed respectively.
Pressing in the corresponding direction the player is rolling in will increase their speed. The player can still jump.
Any enemy will be defeated upon contact, rendering the player invincible. In a Charging state, Stupid Rats and Metal Blocks can be defeated and destroyed respectively.
Moving becomes much heavier and slower, and the player loses the ability to grab in exchange for a double jump. Body Slam is replaced with a Downward Thrust. Touching any slope sends the player down the slope into a Charging state until they hit a wall.
The player is immediately launched upward, and slides on the ground for a brief moment upon landing. Touching any enemy or Stupid Rat in this state defeats them.
Running into any TNT Blocks will destroy them. Touching into an enemy or a Stupid Rat will defeat them. If the player is damaged, the transformation will end.
Grab is replaced with an Air Dash. Body Slam is replaced with descending faster.
The player becomes incorporeal and may pass through Cheese Graters. The player is invincible. Collecting a Ghost Pepper will increase the player's base speed.
The player may float and fly around the air freely in any direction, however they lose the ability to Mach Run and grab.
The player may interact with Mort Hooks to cross large gaps. Getting damaged ends the transformation.
The player may double jump and their grab is replaced with an attack where Mort swats in front of him. The player can attack in three directions: left, right or upward. Standing still and attacking will push the player forward. Attacking a Mort Hook will launch the player up and forward.
The player can build up speed quickly and move much faster. Any enemy approached will react as if being approached at Mach 3. Jumping exits the transformation.
The player may move left or right, but cannot grab. If they jump, the transformation ends.
Rolling allows the player to pass through small spaces and defeat Stupid Rats and any enemy. Rolling upward onto a slope will cause the player to change directions. Getting damaged will end the transformation.
Grabbing is disabled. Jumping produces a shorter height and the Mach Run is replaced with rolling.
The player is immediately launched upward. Touching any enemy or Stupid Rat in this state defeats them.
The player can only move left or right.
Rocket
Grabbing a Rocket
The player becomes invincible and automatically moves forward. Colliding with enemies and Stupid Rats will defeat them, and Metal Blocks can be destroyed. The transformation ends upon colliding with a wall or jumping.
Grabbing is disabled. They may move up or down to adjust their position, and pressing in the corresponding direction will increase their speed. The player may change their direction by getting on the ground and pressing the opposite direction.
The player gets stuck inside a cheeseball and moves forward until hitting a wall, ending the transformation. Colliding with a Super Side Spring will change the player's direction. Any enemy and Stupid Rat will be defeated upon collision.
The player is invincible and their movement becomes slow and heavy. Enemies and Stupid Rats will be defeated upon jumping into them. The player will stick to walls upon jumping into them.
Grabbing is exchanged for sticking onto walls. They can move left or right and jump.
The player is squished into a pizza box, allowing them to go through small gaps at a faster speed. Spinning into Stupid Rats and enemies will defeat them and launch the player up into the air slightly. Being damaged will end the transformation.
Grabbing is replaced with spinning, which launches the player forward. The player also has access to 10 jumps, each decreasing in height with each jump.
The player's skin becomes red and they become invincible, destroying any enemy upon contact. Spinning/flying into a Stupid Rat will defeat them as well. The transformation only ends upon exiting the level or interacting with a Free Milk Stand. Other transformations can stack and will not end this transformation.
The player retains their normal controls, plus a double jump that allows the player to fly upon holding jump.
The player gains a shotgun. Shooting it will stop all momentum unless shooting in midair, to which it will only decrease it drastically. Stupid Rats cannot be defeated, but other enemies can. Shooting at Target Blocks will destroy them as well. The transformation ends upon passing a Metal Detector. Other transformations can stack and will not end this transformation.
Grabbing is replaced with shooting the shotgun. Body Slamming will shoot below the player instead before rapidly descending, defeating any enemy below upon contact.
The player is put into an Animatronic as they lose 50 Pizza Points in increments of 10. If the player had a combo, it is instantly lost. Afterward, they lose the transformation.
The player may jump and move left or right, but the jump height is shorter and they move slowly. They also cannot grab.
Comics
Peppino appears in the Peppino and Noise Comics, starring as one of the titular characters of the comics and is often seen being annoyed and/or tortured by The Noise, to his dismay.
He was also planned to appear in an unfinished comic featuring him and Gustavo in the desert, where the two would be antagonized by Mr. Incognito.
Pre-release
For early move sets and scrapped ideas, see the pre-release page here: Peppino/Pre-release
Trivia
This section is dedicated to trivia and miscellaneous information about Peppino. Remember to read the wiki's trivia guidelines before adding trivia or making changes.
One of McPig's Twitter posts jokingly described the background of Peppino as the main antagonist of a fictional 1996 video game called Pizza Boy Tower. There he would be known as "Chef Raider" as an antagonist and would be the nemesis of a character known as Totino the Pizzaboy, the protagonist of the game.[1]
This is a reference to the predecessor of the Wario Land series, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. As this game marked the first appearance of Peppino's main inspiration as a character, Wario, also acting as the villain, this is fitting.
When first conceptualized as a character, Peppino originally had no ties or inspiration from the Wario Land series, and instead was going to be a comic about him facing various pizza-themed demons.[2]
Early scrapped games featuring Peppino include Pizza Massacre, a side-scrolling survival horror game, and Pizza Horror, an RPG maker title.
Peppino's finishing blows on enemies were inspired by a similar mechanic from Battletoads.[4]
Peppino's Super Jump may have been inspired by the Shinespark from the Metroid series. With the Speed Booster obtained, Samus can use any long stretch of land to build up to max speed, crouch to store a charge, and release the charge to launch herself in a direction until hitting a wall or ceiling.
It also seems to share a similar animation to Super Mario Bros 2's Charge Jump.
If the player waits around 40 seconds on the menu screen without pressing anything, Peppino will jumpscare the player, closing the game afterwards.
Coincidentally, Peppino shares his name with Peppino Turco, the lyricist of Funiculi Funicula. This song is used as a leitmotif in the music of the game's tutorial level (funiculi holiday), being royalty free.
During one of McPig's live streams, it was revealed that Peppino was initially planned to share the name of his creator at the time, Pizza Tower Guy (akin to Doomguy from the Doom series). However, this didn't stick for very long.
As the name suggests, this idea didn't come to light until the start of Pizza Tower's development, his final name sticking around before then.
McPig has stated that Peppino isn't actually wearing an apron, but rather a white tank top over a black t-shirt. This is because Peppino cannot afford an actual apron.
Peppino was originally envisioned as a war veteran. This was mentioned in his original design document, in various Discord posts by McPig[5] and in Twitter sketches.[6] This was also potentially the inspiration for WAR. Peppino's status as a veteran was later made ambiguous, retconned as "probably imagined."[7]
For some reason, the name of Peppino's Pizza is different depending on the setting; on the outside it's spelled "Peppino Pizza" (Seen in the opening and Pizzahead fight) and on the inside it's spelled "Peppino's Pizza" (seen at the end of the game)
On a stream before The Noise Update released, it was stated that Peppino's brother was Maurice. It is unclear if this is canon.
Cameos in other games
Although Peppino's main appearance is in Pizza Tower, there have been many official mods made by McPig for various games that add him as a playable character, as well as officially approved cameos.
Sonic Robo Blast 2 Kart
Peppino appears in the fanmade Sonic The Hedgehog racing game Sonic Robo Blast 2 kart as a modded character made by McPig that released in 2019. He has default stats, and a lot of his voice lines come from the Early Test Build. Peppino rides his scooter instead of a kart. The official Pizza Tower Twitter account and Twitch account has also teased a character pack of Pizza Tower characters for Dr Robotnik's Ring Racers, the sequel to Sonic Robo Blast 2 Kart as well as doing a 9 hour live stream to show the character pack.
Rivals of Aether
Peppino is available as a custom playable character in this platform fighting game through the game's Workshop function. The sprites were previously made by McPig, later being resized to fit with other characters, and programming done by Mr Nart. His moves include throwing a Cheeseslime, slamming into the ground, superjumping, etc.
DOOM 2
Peppino appears inside of a custom class mod for the Zandronum DOOM source port named "Bring Your Own Class" along with a few other characters from Pizza Tower, available on itch.io. Many of his attacks and weapons reference Pizza Tower objects and moves, like where Peppino uses outlets, junk from Dragon's Lair, and other items/attacks as melee weaponry, or using a Revolver/Shotgun. Other Pizza Tower characters also cameo in certain attacks, like The Noise being in a melee attack, The Vigilante throwing dynamite, a Pizzard using its magic, and Pizzaface acting as one of the most powerful weapons. The player sprites for Peppino and his weapons were done by McPig with programming by revenatn, HUD sprites by Lother and edits by Basinga.
Treasure Tech
Peppino appears in one of the pages of the manual as an advert for Pizza Tower, and a short comic with Treasure Tech's protagonist: Armin Chesterfield. A second in-gameplay cameo is in one of the treasures (That being an action-figure) that can randomly pop-out in the Pizza Tower themed Treasure Chest. Drawings from McPig also appear as intermission screens in Treasure Tech 1.2.
Fraymakers
Peppino appears as an assist character. In game, he will run up to the opponent for a lunging grab, and follow with a giant punch if successful.
Antonball Deluxe
Peppino appears as an unlockable guest character. He has a chance to be unlocked by spending points (50,000 to be exact) in a Lottery Machine.
Indie Rumble
Peppino was planned to appear as a playable character prior to the game's cancellation. All that is known about his appearance in the game is the Kickstarter promotional art, the Rhythm Knight and Yolk reveal trailer, the idle as seen in the April Fools update post on the Steam page that no longer exists, and planned move set.
Alien Xenoblaster
Peppino appears as an unlockable character. The player can unlock him by completing a challenge level from world 3. His move set is the same as everyone else's, being an attack with limited uses, recharging after collecting a topping, which is in place of a weed leaf.
Cross Impact
Peppino appears as a cameo in the Pizzascape stage, where he appears at the door doing one of five different poses when a character is taunting.