Cannonball

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It has been requested that this article be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: Add information on missing games, including the Mario Party series, Yoshi's Island, and Mario vs. Donkey Kong, as well as The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 episodes (tagged on March 19, 2021)

This article is about the projectile weapon found in multiple platformers, typically as an obstacle. For other uses, see Cannonball (disambiguation).
Cannonball
A cannonball being shot out of a cannon in Super Mario Run.
Artwork of a Cannonball from Super Mario Run
First appearance Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
Latest appearance Mario Party Superstars (2021)
Variants
Relatives
Comparable

Cannonballs are heavy metal spheres that are launched from cannons. Mario and Luigi are able to stop the lethal shots by stomping on them in midair; they can also be dodged relatively easily.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]

Cannons, in World 1-Airship
Two cannons on the ground from Super Mario Bros. 3 and its Super Mario All-Stars remake

Cannonballs appear most prominently in Super Mario Bros. 3, where they are fired from cannons mounted on Bowser's tanks, boats, and airships.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins[edit]

In Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, cannonballs are fired by Bomubomu and appear in gray or black, depending on the location.

Super Mario Galaxy[edit]

Cannon firing a Cannonball in the Dreadnought Galaxy
Cannonball being fired in Dreadnought Galaxy

Cannonballs reappear in Super Mario Galaxy with a renewed appearance. They sport a white line around their center and two yellow circles on opposite sides. In this game, cannonballs are fired by cannons located in Battlerock Galaxy and Dreadnought Galaxy, as well as from airships in Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada. One notable difference with these cannonballs is that rather than simply colliding with the hero, they explode upon impact. This will knock Mario down and may also result in him being thrown off a platform or into a black hole. To attack a cannonball, the player must jump on it or shoot it with a Star Bit. The first three cannonballs originating from the same cannon to be destroyed this way produce a coin each.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii[edit]

Cannonballs appear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, in which are found only in World 8-Airship. The giant cannonballs also return from Super Mario Bros. 3. Since the cannons are always found in a group, there is a high chance for the player to earn endless 1-Ups by jumping on each cannonball consecutively without touching the ground.

Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]

Cannonballs make a reappearance in Super Mario Galaxy 2, retaining their function from the predecessor, though they only appear in Fleet Glide Galaxy.

New Super Mario Bros. U[edit]

Cannonballs also appear in the Wii U title, New Super Mario Bros. U, where they act just like the ones in the predecessors. They can only be found in The Mighty Cannonship, from Soda Jungle. There is also a Challenge called Airship 1-Up Rally, which consists of jumping on many Cannonballs without falling to receive many 1-Ups. Cannonballs do not reappear in New Super Luigi U.

Super Mario 3D World[edit]

Artwork of Mario with a Cannon Box from Super Mario 3D World.
Mario shooting a cannonball out of a Cannon Box

Cannonballs appear again in Super Mario 3D World, in which they are fired out of cannons and Cannon Boxes.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS / Super Mario Maker 2[edit]

A Cannonball, in Super Mario Maker.
A Cannonball, in Super Mario Maker.

Cannonballs reappear in Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Mario Maker 2, where they come from cannons. Shaking a cannon will make it produce red cannonballs, which are much faster than normal ones. When a Mushroom is dragged onto a cannon, it will shoot giant cannonballs.

In the version 3.0.0 update for Super Mario Maker 2 the Cannon Box was added as a power-up.

Super Mario Run[edit]

Cannonballs appear in Super Mario Run, behaving similarly to Super Mario Bros. 3. They are found in the levels Airship Cannons...Fire!, Airship Armada, and Secret Course 10.

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

Cannonballs cameo in Super Mario Odyssey. During the cutscene that plays after Mario's first boss battle against Bowser in Nimbus Arena, he launches cannonballs from his airship at the Odyssey. This causes the ship to crash, and leaves Mario stranded with Cappy in the Lost Kingdom.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]

Cannonballs occasionally appear in several episodes of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Mario is Missing![edit]

In the game Mario is Missing!, Luigi has to return the cannonball of the Emperor's Cannon to the Kremlin. It had been stolen by Koopa Troopas.

Donkey Kong Country series[edit]

Donkey Kong Country[edit]

In Donkey Kong Country, cannonballs are summoned by King K. Rool during his battle, falling across the length of Gang-Plank Galleon from one end to the other, returning the other way for each further time he is hit.

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

Artwork of Diddy Kong throwing a Kannonball.
Diddy Kong throwing a kannonball

In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, kannonballs[1] or Kannon Balls[2] appear as means of activating a kannon to blast the Kongs up to a Bonus Area. It also has a side use for defeating enemies, including stronger ones such as Zingers, Krunchas, and Klingers. The kannonballs have a varying distance from their corresponding kannon, and some appear in a treasure chest. Upon finding a kannonball, the Kongs must pick it up and travel a distance until reaching the kannon itself. To activate the kannon, the Kongs must either throw or carry the kannonball into it. When a kannonball is used to defeat an enemy, the Kongs usually lose grip, and the kannonball falls onto the ground. If a kannonball falls into a pit, the Kongs cannot get it back unless they restart the level.

Kannonballs also act as a stage hazard, because the Kannon enemies fire an indefinite number of them. Unlike barrels, the fired kannonballs cannot be jumped on, as these objects injure the Kongs upon direct contact. Kannonballs, including spiked ones, are also shot out from Kaptain K. Rool's blunderbuss during both fights in K. Rool Duel and Krocodile Kore. As K. Rool is vacuuming them, the Kongs attack him by throwing the kannonball back into his vacuum. By doing so, Kaptain K. Rool's blunderbuss backfires and he blasts out the kannonball.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island[edit]

In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, large cannonballs are fired by Kaboombas. These ones are so heavy that they fall to the ground almost immediately after being fired.

Donkey Kong Land 2[edit]

In Donkey Kong Land 2, cannonballs[3][4] make a reappearance, functioning identically as in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest.

Donkey Kong 64[edit]

In Donkey Kong 64, a single, very large cannonball appears in Gloomy Galleon near the entrance/exit. The player must have Chunky Kong lift this cannonball and bring it to a nearby cannon; once the cannonball is brought to this cannon, it will activate it. These cannonballs explode if they hit into something. Using the cannon, the player must use it to shoot several moving targets in the room they are in, with a limited amount of time and cannonballs for ammunition. If player hits all the targets with cannonballs, they will gain a Golden Banana.

Wario World[edit]

One of Captain Skull's cannonballs.
One of Captain Skull's cannonballs

In Wario World, Captain Skull shoots gigantic, white cannonballs with human-like faces on them, which explode upon impact.

Mario & Luigi series[edit]

Cannonballs appear again in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, where they are fired at the Mario Bros. by Gunner Guys in battle. They reappear in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team as one of the methods of attack for Shy Guy Airtubs, and their stronger relative, the Shy Guy Airtub DX.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat[edit]

In Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, cannonballs are shot from Mini Elephant Cannons and other Tusks, exploding when they hit any surface. They also rain from the sky during the first segment of Battle for Storm Hill. The ones shot by Torch Tusk in its second phase can create shockwaves of fire that cover the platforms where they land.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

Cannonballs are shot by Bowser Jr. in his standard special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Clown Cannon. King K. Rool also uses Donkey Kong Country 2-style kannonballs (here simply called "iron balls") as part of his Blunderbuss move.

Paper Mario: Color Splash[edit]

Cannonballs appear in Paper Mario: Color Splash, where they are fired from the Violet Passage captain's ship. When Shy Guys take over the ship, they fire the cannonballs randomly, narrowly missing Huey. Mario can use the cannonballs to hit targets and collect coins in the Violet Passage.

Dr. Mario World[edit]

Cannonballs appear in Dr. Mario World, which are fired from pop cannons and rotating cannons after they are eliminated. The former fires two cannonballs above and below it, while the latter fires one cannonball in the direction the cannon is facing.

Profiles[edit]

Donkey Kong Land 2[edit]

  • Virtual Console manual bio: "Stuff a cannonball into a cannon and you may be able to open up a path to a bonus level. You can also throw cannonballs at enemies to defeat them."

Super Mario Run[edit]

  • Notebook bio: A projectile fired from a cannon, it travels slowly in the air. Its smooth surface can easily be stepped on.

Gallery[edit]

Concept art[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese 砲弾
Hōdan
タマ[5]
Tama
Cannonball

Ball

Dutch Kanonskogel
Cannonball
French Boulet de canon
Cannonball
German Kanonenkugel
Cannonball
Italian Palla di cannone
Palla di kannone (DKC2 and DKL2)
Proiettile[6]
Cannonball
Kannon ball
Projectile
Portuguese Bola de canhão
Cannonball
Russian Ядро
Yadro
Cannonball

Spanish (NOA) Bola de cañón
Cannonball
Spanish (NOE) Bala de cañón
Cannonball

Trivia[edit]

  • In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Mario will not get struck by a cannonball if he makes contact with one during certain frames of the backflip animation.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest instruction booklet, page 17Media:DKC2 Manual 16-17.jpg.
  2. ^ Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest instruction booklet, page 3.
  3. ^ Donkey Kong Land 2 Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console electronic manual, tab 9: "Progressing Through Stages"
  4. ^ Nintendo Magazine System issue 47, page 46.
  5. ^ Super Donkey Kong 2: Dixie & Diddy instruction booklet, page 20.
  6. ^ Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia, pag. 41