Fire (phenomenon)
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- Add information about Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, and many other appearances.
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Fire plays a significant role in the Super Mario franchise, serving as the basis for many objects and enemies. It is highly recurrent in the form of fireballs, which exist either as projectiles used by various characters or as stand-alone obstacles. Some creatures, such as Fire Snakes, Fryguy, leaping flames, or the fireballs in Donkey Kong, are made entirely or almost entirely out of fire. Platform games in the franchise often feature Fire Bars and Burners, non-sentient obstacles that have fire as a foundation. In role-playing games, including the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series, fire is used in elemental attacks.
Less frequently, fire also appears in the Super Mario franchise in a basic, amorphous form, closer to its real life counterpart. This article focuses on such instances of fire in the franchise that fulfill a gameplay role.
History[edit]
Mario Kart series[edit]
In Grumble Volcano, a race course in Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 8, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the Volcanic bombs launched from the surrounding volcanos cause fire to appear sporadically on the part of the track following the tunnel. Drivers who run into the fire spin out.
Super Mario Land 2 - 6 Golden Coins[edit]
In Super Mario Land 2 - 6 Golden Coins, fire appears in two levels as a static hazard, much like spikes. It is found in the Macro Zone's Fireplace Course in and around the namesake fireplace, where it burns in small pits at the end of the level. It is later found in the Witch's Mansion Course of the Pumpkin Zone, under hanging cauldrons. The Witch herself shoots fire to boil her cauldrons.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii[edit]
In World 8-
Airship of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the fireballs that Bowser Jr. spits at the player characters ultimately reach the floor, causing patches of it to burn. The resulting fire can damage the player characters on contact. After burning for a while, the fire goes out on its own. However, it is unaffected by the floor wiggling as the characters perform a Ground Pound. Ice Mario's ice balls can put out the flames.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[edit]
In Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (and its port), the stage Scorch 'n' Torch takes place amidst a wildfire. Fire is not only an aesthetic feature, but also a key gameplay element in this stage, appearing in various contexts. While harmful to touch, this fire can typically be extinguished by throwing a Water Sack at it.
Fire engulfs patches of tall grass throughout the stage. Extinguishing it allows the Kongs to roll into the grass to clear it, revealing bananas and other items. One burning patch found between the first two checkpoints covers a Spinning Platform. The platform can be spun only after putting out the fire on it, leading the Kongs into a bonus room. Many swinging vines feature small burning segments that prevent the Kongs from safely hanging onto the vines, but can likewise be put out. Much of the stage also consists of fireballs that fall from tree canopies, as well as Fire Floor, a type of ground that combusts shortly after stepping on it. The stage's pits are entirely covered in fire, which cannot be extinguished; this serves as a contextual reason for certain charred trees to rapidly lower into these pits, carrying platform-like branches which the Kongs must use to cross.
Mario Tennis Fever[edit]
In Mario Tennis Fever, the Flame Racket is capable of creating flames with its Fever Shot. After activating it, the shot creates a flaming spot where the ball lands, which then creates four more smaller flames around it. Players who touch the flames run around uncontrollably on fire, but can still swing their racket.
Flames can also appear when a red meteor is knocked down during a Galaxy Court Match.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book[edit]
In Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, campfires appear in several stages. If Yoshi touches one directly, he will emit a small cry of pain. However, campfires can be used to have different effects on creatures:
- Ouchins lose their spines and can be directly touched or eaten by Yoshi.
- Billeaus will explode if a gas trail is connected to a campfire (this is required to destroy nearby boulders).
- Wash Squashes covered in mud will be turned into jugs.
In an alternative version of the Plumebrella Habitat, fire rains down from the sky before touching the ground. To complete this version of the stage, Yoshi must douse all flames by using water from a Wash Squash. If a Plumebrella touches fire, it will be instantly defeated.
Gallery[edit]
Flaming vines and Fire Floor in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Flames on the court in Mario Tennis Fever
