Roll

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This article is about Mario's forward somersault from Super Mario 3D Land. For Mario's backflip used by crouch jumping and his side somersault in this and other 3D games, see Backward Somersault and Side Somersault. For the move referred to as a "Roll" in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, see Roll Attack.

Rolling is a move that involves the character curling into a ball-like shape and moving. It is used in different ways depending on the series and game with the ability.

History[edit]

Donkey Kong[edit]

Rolling as an action in the Super Mario franchise first appears in Donkey Kong for the Game Boy. When Mario lands from a great height, he briefly rolls as he lands on the ground. Longer falls can stun Mario or make him lose a life.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

In the Super Smash Bros. series, rolling serves as an evasive maneuver. It is performed by moving the character left or right while shielding. The user becomes temporarily invincible while moving a short distance in the chosen direction. Rolling in the Super Smash Bros. series does not necessarily involve the character curling into a ball; many characters have different animations for rolling.

The exact length of a roll and the duration of its invincibility depend on the character rolling. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, these variables are also affected by how many rolls are used during a short period of time.

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario 3D Land[edit]

The roll is used by Mario and Luigi in Super Mario 3D Land, which causes either brother to burst forward from a crouch. After a short period of time, the character stops rolling and resumes crouching. To perform it, the player has to press X Button or Y Button while crouching; thus, it replaces the Sweep Kick and Slide Kick from Super Mario 64 and its remake. When rolling, Mario and Luigi move faster than walking and can break open crates; however, the roll cannot defeat enemies, as opposed to the Roll Attack from the Donkey Kong Country series. Since the roll is performed while crouching, rolling can be used while in spaces too small to stand in. Jumping during the move makes the roll become a Rolling Leap, a longer and faster version of the Long Jump.

If Mario is in his Tanooki form or Luigi is in his Kitsune form, this move becomes the Tail Spin.[1] When this move is used, the character crouches and continuously spins his tail until X Button or Y Button is not pressed anymore. By combining this move with the Rolling Leap, the character can move while spinning his tail, defeating every enemy in his way.

In the pre-release version of Super Mario 3D Land, the roll was performed by pressing the L Button or R Button button while moving. If the player attempts to do this in the final version, Mario slides while crouching instead, as in the 2D Super Mario games.

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]

The roll returns in Super Mario 3D World, where it works in the same way as it does in Super Mario 3D Land; Peach, Toad, and Rosalina can roll as well. While a character is in Cat form, the roll becomes a sliding tackle.

In the Nintendo Switch version, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, players can also roll in midair, similar to the Super Mario Odyssey version of the Dive. They can also roll right upon landing from a Ground Pound.

Super Mario Run[edit]

Mario performing a Landing Roll and a Rolling Jump in Super Mario Run
Mario performing a Landing Roll and a Rolling Jump in Super Mario Run
Mario performing a Landing Roll and a Rolling Jump in Super Mario Run

In Super Mario Run, the Landing Roll is an action that is performed when characters land from a great height, like in Donkey Kong, but its properties are different. Characters are also capable of rolling if the player taps the screen when they are on a Pause Block pointing to the right. Unlike in Donkey Kong, the roll defeats enemies that it comes into contact with. Tapping the screen while rolling performs a Rolling Jump, a variation of the jump that can defeat enemies from below.

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

Mario rolling in Super Mario Odyssey

The roll move returns in Super Mario Odyssey. It works similarly to its appearances in Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World, but rolling also reacts to slopes such that Mario can roll faster while going down inclines but can struggle to roll up slopes without gathering speed beforehand. In this game, Mario can perform a continuous roll when the player holds ZL Button and presses Y Button or shakes Joy-Con to keep rolling instead of performing just one roll at a time. (The latter method is faster than the former.) He can also initiate a roll when the player holds ZL Button as he lands from a Long Jump, Ground Pound, or Dive. Additionally, Mario has the ability to turn while rolling. In a bonus area in the Cap Kingdom, Mario automatically rolls upon touching the first slope. After this, Mario cannot stop rolling until he reaches the end of the area.

Super Mario Maker 2[edit]

The roll can also be performed in Super Mario Maker 2, exclusively in the Super Mario 3D World style. It can be performed by pressing any of the shoulder buttons (ZL Button, ZR Button, L Button, or R Button) while crouching. As Toadette is a playable character in Super Mario Maker 2, she can also roll.

Profiles[edit]

Super Mario 3D Land[edit]

  • North American Website Bio: "This explosive move propels Mario forward with a quick roll."
  • European Website Bio: "Press the Y Button (or the X Button) while crouching to roll. A powered-up Mario can smash blocks and other objects by rolling."

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese 転がる
Korogaru
Roll

Dutch Rollen
To roll
French Rouler
To roll
German Rolle vorwärts
Roll forward
Italian Capriola[2][3]
Rotolamento[4]
Somersault
Rolling
Korean 구르기
Gureugi
Roll

Portuguese Cambalhota
Cambalhota para a Frente
Derrapada
Somersault
Forward Somersault
Skid
Russian Катиться
Katit'sya
Кувырок
Kuvyrok
To roll

Roll

Spanish Rodar
To roll

References[edit]

  1. ^ Super Mario 3D World manual, pg 20.
  2. ^ Super Mario 3D Land Italian smart guide and Italian e-manual, pag. 8
  3. ^ Super Mario 3D World Italian e-manual, pag. 17
  4. ^ Super Mario Odyssey Italian in-game guide, basic moves