Soccer Ball

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It has been requested that this article be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: There's some Mario is Missing! information that also needs to be added.

This article is about the object appearing in several Super Mario games. For the ghost from Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, see Creeper Launcher § Soccer Ball.
Soccer Ball
Soccer Ball from Mario Strikers Charged
A Soccer Ball from Mario Strikers Charged
First appearance Super Mario Strikers (2005)
Latest appearance Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Booster Course Pass, Wave 6) (2023)

Soccer Balls, also called Footballs, appear in several games of the Super Mario franchise as interactive objects. They are used in the Mario Strikers series in much the same way as in association football, or soccer, as players are tasked with dribbling a ball across a playing field and bringing it into the opposing team's goal. In other Super Mario games, Soccer Balls appear as items or even obstacles.

History[edit]

Mario Strikers series[edit]

Widescreen
Mario kicking a Soccer Ball into the goal in Super Mario Strikers

The Soccer Ball is an object in the games Super Mario Strikers, Mario Strikers Charged, and Mario Strikers: Battle League. In these games, players have to gain control of the Soccer Ball and kick it into the goal, something done with either normal kicks, charge shots, Super Strikes (Super Mario Strikers), Mega Strikes and Skillshots (Mario Strikers Charged), or Hyper Strikes (Mario Strikers: Battle League). A normal kick, a charged shot, and a Skillshot result in one point; a Super Strike and a Hyper Strike will score a player two, while a Mega Strike can offer up to six for a team.

In Mario Strikers Charged, the Soccer Ball is made out of metal, which emits a light that indicates the power of the ball. The ball tends to emit a purple light when unused. In this case, shooting the ball is often blocked by the goalie. However, charging the ball by passing or charging the shot, players can turn the light into red, yellow and white, the last indicating the ball is charged enough to make an accurate goal. Apparently, if pressed hard enough, the ball may explode, as seen in one of Wario's losing cutscenes.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

SmashWiki article: Soccer Ball
Soccer Ball in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Soccer Ball artwork from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Since Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Soccer Ball has been a recurring item in the Super Smash Bros. series, also returning in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Though it appears as a regular soccer ball, its association to the Super Mario franchise is corroborated by the fact that both Super Smash Bros. Brawl's and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U's trophy lists Super Mario Strikers and Mario Strikers Charged as one of the games alongside the Nintendo Entertainment System game Soccer, respectively.

To use a Soccer Ball, a player must attack it, sending it flying across the stage while caught on fire. The Soccer Ball does not follow an arc when it is attacked. Rather, it shoots in a straight line before suddenly losing all momentum and dropping to the ground, or off the stage. If it hits opponents mid-air, they are flung away. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a Soccer Ball always returns to the stage after being knocked off of it until finally disappearing.

Super Mario 3D World[edit]

While normal Soccer Balls do not appear in Super Mario 3D World, bombs designed after them are introduced.

Mario Kart series[edit]

Mario Kart Tour[edit]

In the Mario Kart series, Soccer Balls first appear in Mario Kart Tour, where they are found inside the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on the Madrid Drive course and its variants. They are passed around by Goombas in shoes. The Goombas always kick Soccer Balls straight ahead of them. After a kick, a Soccer Ball bounces several times, then rolls on the ground slowly; if the ball does not encounter another shoe Goomba a while afterwards, it shrinks down and disappears, respawning in front of the Goomba that originally kicked it into motion. Drivers can take out Soccer Balls by running into them or hitting them with an item, getting bonus points in the process.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]

Madrid Drive in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Soccer Balls in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Soccer Balls return in Tour Madrid Drive in the Mario Kart 8 DeluxeBooster Course Pass DLC, once again being passed between shoe Goombas. Unlike in Mario Kart Tour, they now cause drivers to crash on contact, unless said drivers are under the effects of an object that grants them invincibility or a large speed boost, such as a Mushroom, Bullet Bill, or Dash Panel. Soccer Balls can be taken out by driving into them or by hitting them with almost any offensive item (except for a Banana and Piranha Plant).

Unused appearances[edit]

Super Mario Sunshine[edit]

Soccer Balls, although unused in the final product, exist in Super Mario Sunshine within the game's data, with an instance appearing in the test level. Behaviorally, they are identical to Durians.[1][2]

Mario Kart 7[edit]

An unused Soccer Ball model exists in Mario Kart 7's data.[3]

Profiles[edit]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]

Trophy
Soccer Ball
BrawlTrophy527.png
Appears in:
NES Soccer
GCN Super Mario Strikers
How to unlock: Random
An attack item that flies when struck and explodes as it bounces, causing damage to whomever it hits. As it's a soccer ball, you'd think hitting it with your hands would be against the rules, but that's not the case. Unleash your fiercest attacks on it. Really, it's OK. The ball's design seems old fashioned, but it sure does bring back lots of soccer memories, doesn't it?

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[edit]

Trophy
Soccer Ball (American English) / Football (British English)
3DS:
Trophy thumbnail image for Soccer Ball.
Wii U:
Soccer Ball's trophy render from Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Category: Item
(Applies only to the Wii U version) Appears in:
NES Soccer (03/1987)
Wii Mario Strikers Charged (07/2007)
(Applies only to the Wii U version) Trophy Box: 1: Brawler
How to unlock:
Random
A strong attack on a soccer ball will set it on fire, and any enemies hit will go flying from the impact. Depending on how you hit it, the ball will fly in different directions. Luckily, no one has to retrieve it if you sent it off the stage–this ball will return to the battlefield for some time. (American English)
Attack a football to ignite it and send it blazing through the air into any hapless foe in its path. The direction it goes in depends on how you attack the ball, so put some thought into it to cause some devastating effects. The ball comes back if you miss, so try as many times as you need to! (British English)

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese サッカーボール
Sakkā bōru
Soccer Ball

Chinese 足球
Zúqiú
Soccer Ball

Dutch Voetbal
Soccer Ball
French (NOA) Ballon de soccer
Soccer Ball
French (NOE) Ballon de foot
Soccer Ball
German Fußball
Football
Italian Pallone da calcio
Pallone[4]
Soccer Ball
Ball
Korean 축구공[4]
Chuggu Gong
Soccer Ball

Portuguese (NOA) Bola de futebol[4]
Soccer Ball
Portuguese (NOE) Bola de Futebol
Soccer Ball
Russian Футбольный мяч
Futbol'nyi myach
Soccer Ball

Spanish (NOA) Balón
Pelota de fútbol[4]
Ball
Soccer Ball
Spanish (NOE) Balón
Balón de fútbol[4]
Ball
Soccer Ball

References[edit]

  1. ^ okwardguy96 (August 2, 2007). super mario sunshine hidden test level. YouTube. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  2. ^ Unseen64: an Archive for Beta & Cancelled Games (July 14, 2006). Mario Sunshine Beta (Space World 2001 Trailer). YouTube. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  3. ^ Mario Kart 7/Unused Graphics § Soccer Ball. The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e Mario Kart Tour in-game name