Bramble

From the Super Mario Wiki, the Mario encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search

It has been requested that more images be uploaded for this article. Remove this notice only after the additional images have been added. Specifics: Images for the Donkey Kong games, and the Mario & Luigi series

This article is about the vine-like plants. For the Brother Bear with the same name, see Bramble (character).
Not to be confused with Bramball.
Bramble
Bramble
Brambles, as seen in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
First appearance Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995)
Latest appearance Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2025)

Brambles or thorns[1]:15:06 appear as obstacles in the Super Mario franchise, particularly in platform games. Additionally, bramble-like vines appear as the stalks for many Piranha Plants, such as Naval Piranha, Spiny Piranha Plants, Prickly Piranha Plants, and Piranha Creepers.

History[edit]

Donkey Kong Country series[edit]

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest[edit]

Brambles in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest are obstacles featured prominently in several levels and several bonus stages. The theme for bramble-based levels is referred to as "Stickerbush Symphony" by the official soundtrack and "Stickerbrush Symphony" by the Game Boy Advance remake. An arranged version called "Bramble Blast" is available as a CD in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Donkey Kong Country Returns (3D / HD)[edit]

Crazy Cart
Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong traverse an area with Brambles in Donkey Kong Country Returns.

In Donkey Kong Country Returns and its enhanced ports Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, Brambles appear in only one level, Crazy Cart.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[edit]

Brambles in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and its enhanced Nintendo Switch port of the same name appear in the Lost Mangroves level Canopy Chaos, where they are small, purple, and function like pits of spikes. Just like normal spikes, Cranky Kong can use his Cane Bounce to safely cross them. They later have a bigger prominence in the Bright Savannah level Bramble Scramble.

Donkey Kong Land 2[edit]

Brambles in Donkey Kong Land 2 have an identical role to their first appearance in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest.

Donkey Kong 64[edit]

In Donkey Kong 64, brambles appear exclusively in Fungi Forest, but only at night. It can only be crossed by Donkey Kong while in his Strong Kong form. A Kong Switch is concealed under a large bramble patch, which must be pressed to open a nearby locked barn door.

Paper Mario series[edit]

Paper Mario[edit]

Mario and Goombario hovering over brambles with the help of a Bubble Plant's bubble, as seen in Flower Fields in Paper Mario.
Mario and Goombario hovering over brambles in Flower Fields in Paper Mario

Brambles serve as an obstacle in Paper Mario, appearing exclusively in Flower Fields. Mario will receive 1 HP of damage upon touching them and return to where he was before contact, so the only ways to cross them are by riding a Bubble Plant's bubble, or Lakilester's cloud through his out-of-battle ability.

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario Sunshine[edit]

Mario going up on a Windmill in Down with Petey Piranha!
Brambles growing from the Big Windmill in Super Mario Sunshine.

Brambles in Super Mario Sunshine appear in the form of a few large red vines with green spots that twitch slightly. They only surround the Big Windmill in Bianco Hills whenever Petey Piranha is on top of it, but disappear after defeating him the first time.

Super Mario Galaxy[edit]

A planet from Gusty Garden Galaxy
Brambles in Gusty Garden Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy.

In Super Mario Galaxy, a few giant brambles appear exclusively in the Gusty Garden Galaxy. Several of them grow on a ring-like planet with Pull Stars in the middle. Going to this planet is only optional, as a Launch Star is meant to shoot Mario through the ring, and only a well-timed catch from a Pull Star can get Mario into the planet. This type of bramble also appear in the same galaxy on the last planet before the battle with Major Burrows in the third mission.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii[edit]

Bramble in New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Some Brambles in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, brambles grow over various paths on the map of World 5, before defeating Iggy in World 5-Castle, and the player characters cannot move through any path covered in brambles. Each time the player clears a level in World 5, the layout of the brambles changes, with some brambles disappearing while others relocate themselves. The same world introduces an enemy with bramble-like limbs, Bramball.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat[edit]

Pits of brambles appear in Desert Oasis in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. If Donkey Kong lands in one, he is damaged and launched back out.

Mario & Luigi series[edit]

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time[edit]

In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, a pit of brambles appears in the southwestern section of Gritzy Desert. They can be crossed from the left with a nearby cannon.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey[edit]

In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and its remake, brambles appear in only one section of Dimble Woods. Luigi must travel in a withered Giant Sockop across a patch of them to reach a group of normal Sockops, one of which has Mario, and the other an Attack Piece Block. After the Sockops are defeated, the brambles must be crossed via narrow twisting platforms.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team[edit]

Brambles in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team appear in Somnom Woods, and can be Side Drilled through. If Mario or Luigi touch them, they act like a wall, and the brambles slightly expand when passed through.

DK: Jungle Climber[edit]

Brambles appear in DK: Jungle Climber, where they no longer make giant mazes like in previous Donkey Kong games, but still wildly grow in levels. Some also would constantly grow shorter and longer.

Mario Party series[edit]

Brambles make a minor appearance in Mario Party 9 in Toad Road. Multiple brambles appear in Mario Party 10 in Mushroom Park, where they can be seen behind the Tower and Fortress.

Donkey Kong Bananza[edit]

In Donkey Kong Bananza, certain areas such as the Forest Layer are overgrown with thorns, which are harmful to Donkey Kong (and other enemies as well), damaging him when he touches, punches or walks on top of them. Being a soft material,[1]:15:06 they can be easily cleared by swinging or throwing a chunk at them.[1]:14:54, 15:06 Donkey Kong can also safely Turf Surf on top of a thorn-covered surface,[1]:14:50 but chunks will dissolve at a much faster rate unless an indestructible material is used. Thorns can also be inhaled with the Elephant Bananza, which will store wood in its place.

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Chinese 荊棘[?]
Jīngjí
Thorns
French Tige épineuse[2] Thorny stem Super Mario Galaxy
Italian Rovi[?] Bramble
Spine[3] Thorns/Spikes; a more informal way to say "bramble" Donkey Kong Bananza

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Nintendo of America (April 4, 2025). Donkey Kong Bananza – Gameplay Video – Nintendo Treehouse: Live | Nintendo Switch 2. YouTube (American English). Retrieved May 30, 2025.
    Referenced timestamps:
    • 14:50
    • 14:54
    • 15:06 (The name "Thorns" and corresponding "Soft" designation are shown very briefly on-screen just as Donkey Kong throws a chunk.)
  2. ^ Super Mario Galaxy, Le Guide Officiel. Prima Games. Page 171.
  3. ^ Mariuigi Khed (July 17, 2025). Donkey Kong Bananza ITA [Live #1]. Italian. Retrieved from YouTube.