It has been requested that this article be rewritten and expanded to add missing information in all sections, along with every instance of the Springboard's appearance, if possible. (tagged on August 2, 2018).
- This article is about the item also referred to as Trampolines. For information about the Event from the Mario & Sonic series, see Trampoline.
- “I found a springboard for you! Ground-pound it to bounce high!”
- —Luma, Super Mario Galaxy 2
Springboards[1][2][3], also known as Springs, Trampolines, or Jacks, are items that appear in the Donkey Kong series and the Mario franchise.
History[edit]
Donkey Kong series[edit]
Donkey Kong[edit]
In the Donkey Kong arcade game, jacks[4] (also called mad springs[5], springs[6][7] or pistons[8]) are constantly bouncing and dropping near Donkey Kong on 75m. If Mario gets hit by a jack, he loses a life.
Donkey Kong Jr.[edit]
In Donkey Kong Jr., an actual springboard (called the Jump Board[9]) is prominently featured in the game's second level. Junior can use it to jump over a gap but can also use it as a shortcut to reach the hovering platform above it.
Donkey Kong (Game Boy)[edit]
In Donkey Kong for the Game Boy, springs (known here as Jump Stands[10]) appear alongside the harmful jacks. Jacks are now actually thrown by Donkey Kong instead of just bouncing past him, and negating them with a handstand causes them to fall off-screen like most enemies and obstacles, instead of becoming usable like barrels. The stationary Jump Stands are found throughout levels, and occasionally use varying designs. If Mario jumps on one, he can jump higher than usual. In addition, some Jump Stands can be placed through the use of square icons. When Mario jumps at a Jump Stand item, the game freezes and the player has to place the Jump Stand to any free point in the level. The Jump Stand is timed and disappears after the time has passed. This timer indicated with a music that starts playing as soon as the road is placed and gets faster gradually. The timer can be reset to 0 if Mario places another Jump Stand within the first Jump Stand's time limit, or any other placeable objects such as Roads, Ladders, and blocks. After disappearing, the Jump Stand can then be reactivated.
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario Bros. / Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels[edit]
A Super Spring in
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.
Jumping boards[11] (also referred to as Jumpers[12] or Spring Blocks[13]) first appear in the Super Mario series in Super Mario Bros. Upon pressing the 
button at the right time, Mario will jump with increased height.
In Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, a green variety known as the Super Spring is introduced, which further increases Mario's jump height with a well-timed press of the button.
Super Mario World[edit]
Springboards appear in Super Mario World, where they are known as Jumping Boards[14]. This game marks the first time the player is able to carry a Springboard, an ability which would later be carried on to future games, including the New Super Mario Bros. series.
Super Mario Sunshine[edit]
In Super Mario Sunshine, Trampolines appear in Noki Bay. When water touches them, they shrink and Mario is able to carry them around, allowing him to reach various high places.
Super Mario Galaxy games[edit]
In Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, there are two types of Springboards: blue Springboards can be used by simply jumping on them, and orange Springboards can bounce Mario extra high if he Ground Pounds on them.
Super Mario 3D World[edit]
Mario carrying a springboard away from a Hop-Chop.
Super Mario 3D World features enemy springboards known as Hop-Chops. Hop-Chops often appear in groups where the player must find which is the 'correct' Hop-Chop that, rather than simply falling apart, will turn into a functional springboard upon defeat. When turned into a springboard, they function almost identically to their appearances in other Mario games: They can be carried with the run button, thrown, jumped on, and hitting them with a ground pound will cause the player to jump extra high. Springboards will turn back into Hop-Chops after a short period of time if they are not attacked again.
Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS[edit]
Springboards return in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS as items placed throughout the course. They are referred to as Trampolines. Mario and various objects such as Bill Blasters can bounce on them. Shaking a Trampoline will create a sideways Trampoline that is able to bounce back objects that run into it. The springboard also appears in this game as a costume.
Super Mario Run[edit]
Mario bouncing off of a springboard in
Super Mario Run.
Super Mario Run uses a new variation of springboard. This object is triggered when a player taps while their character runs across its surface. It launches the player upwards and, if held, the character will slowly spin downwards at a 45-degree angle. Players can use it to reach areas too high to be reached via normal jumps or take advantage of its slow descent to collect coins.
Club Nintendo[edit]
A Trampoline plays an important role in the German Club Nintendo comic "Mario will hoch hinaus." Trying to impress Princess Peach, Mario uses one which launches him extremely high into the air. Mario does not return to the ground for a long period of time.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars[edit]
In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, two types of trampolines appear: warp trampolines make the player escape to the world map, and smile trampolines make the player exit the immediate area and enter a neighboring location.[15] In the Coal Mines, one smile trampoline is a trap with an unseen ceiling. When Mario uses it, he hits his head and falls unconscious, which is required to reveal Croco.
Paper Mario[edit]
In Paper Mario, two types of Springboards appear. Red ones launch Mario straight up towards a set location, while blue ones retain the player's control over Mario's jump.
Wario World[edit]
In Wario World, a small ghostly pair of springs appear in Captain Skull's Showdown.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series[edit]
In the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, springs are common objects and appear to have a simpler design than in previous games. In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, springs do not have enough force to launch Mario in the air, requiring the player to press the jump button while Mario is on a spring to make it effective, bouncing him higher than a normal jump.
Springs continue to appear in subsequent Mario vs. Donkey Kong games, where they can be picked up and placed in special slots throughout a stage to guide the Minis, much like other resource items, like Girders or Pink Blocks, are used. Minis automatically jump on the springs when they encounter them and are launched in the direction they are headed. Starting with Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!, springs are either purple and bounce the Minis straight into the air, or yellow and bounce them on a wider arc. In this respect, they are named Vertical Springs (or High Springs[16]) and Horizontal Springs (or Long Springs[17]). In Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, there is a spiked springboard found in the Basement which bounces around the room and minis will break upon contact with it.
Super Princess Peach[edit]
Springboards appear in two colors in Super Princess Peach: green springboards are fixed in place, and orange springboards can be picked up with Perry, moved via Poundbrella, or bounced off of Princess Peach's body by touching the side. Additionally, green springboards come in two sizes: normal or giant, which has a slightly longer charge time and allows the player to reach greater heights.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time[edit]
The Trampoline in
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.
In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Springboards (called Trampolines in-game) are powerful Bros. Items that require the availability of all four Bros. Each Bro. jumps onto the Trampoline and stomp on the foe in a random order. If timed correctly, they jump back onto the Trampoline. If timed poorly, they will knock the Trampoline away, until all four Bros. fall. It functions similarly to the Cannonballer, except attacks can be landed indefinitely.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, the Spring from Donkey Kong Jr. appears in the game as a regular item. If jumped on, a player will be launched in the air much higher than with a normal jump. If the Spring is knocked on its side, however, the player will be launched sideways. A different kind of springboard also appears as a stage element throughout the Super Smash Bros. series, including the Subspace Emissary and Smash Run.
Mario Party: Island Tour[edit]
Yoshi jumping on a Springboard in Star-Crossed Skyway
In Mario Party: Island Tour, a Springboard briefly appears on the Star-Crossed Skyway board, where the player jumps onto the Spring to launch themselves to the fourth area of the board after the third Star Stage.
Trophy information[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
| Type
|
Image
|
Description
|
| Spring
|
|
An item used to assist jumping. Jump on it, and it will send you bounding sky-high. You can also toss enemies onto it. It originally appeared in the second stage of Donkey Kong Jr., where it was used as a shortcut to leap to a distant platform. It resembles the bouncing projectiles that appeared in Donkey Kong, but those are said to be actually jacks, not springs.
|
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U[edit]
| Name
|
Image
|
Appears in
(Wii U version only)
|
Description
|
| Spring
|
|
NES Donkey Kong Jr. (06/1986)
|
A strong spring that can send you flying higher than you ever have before. If you throw this down while you're in midair, you'll get a boost and sail even farther into the air! Try to be careful, though, since this spring may fall on its side and end up launching you sideways instead of up.
|
Gallery[edit]
Donkey Kong (Amstrad CPC)
Super Mario Maker (costume pose)
Super Mario Maker (Super Mario Bros. 3 style)
Names in other languages[edit]
Springboard[edit]
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
| Japanese |
ジャンプ台[18]
Janpudai
トランポリン
Toranporin |
Jump Stand
Trampoline
|
| Spanish |
Trampolín
Muelle[19] |
Trampoline
Spring
|
| French |
Tremplin
Trampoline
Ressort (Game Boy Donkey Kong) |
Springboard
Trampoline
Spring
|
| Italian |
Trampolino |
Trampoline
|
| Portuguese |
Plataforma de Salto |
Jump Platform
|
| Korean |
스프링
Seupeuring |
Spring
|
Warp Trampoline[edit]
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
| Japanese |
ワープトランポリン[20]
Wāpu Toranporin |
Warp Trampoline
|
Smile Trampoline[edit]
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
| Japanese |
ニコニコトランポリン[20]
Nikoniko Toranporin |
Smile Trampoline
|
References[edit]
- ^ Hiroo Tochikubo, How to Win at Super Mario Bros., Tokuma Shoten, 1987, ISBN 4-19-720003-XC. Page 32.
- ^ Hodgson, David S J, Bryan Stratton, and Stephen Stratton. Super Mario Sunshine Prima Official Strategy Guide. Page 15.
- ^ Super Mario 3D World Prima Official Game Guide page 19.
- ^ Instruction manual for NES home port.
- ^ Instruction manual for Atari 8-bit home version.
- ^ Instruction manual for Commodore 64 home version.
- ^ The Donkey Kong 64 Player's Guide, page 127.
- ^ Donkey Kong 64 Prima's Official Strategy Guide, page 67.
- ^ Donkey Kong Junior instruction card
- ^ Game Boy Donkey Kong English instruction booklet, page 16.
- ^ Super Mario Bros. English instruction booklet, page 14.
- ^ Hiroo Tochikubo, How to Win at Super Mario Bros., Tokuma Shoten, 1987, ISBN 4-19-720003-XC. Page 7.
- ^ Super Mario Bros. Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console digital instruction manual, page 10 / 13
- ^ Super Mario World English instruction booklet, page 22.
- ^ Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars English instruction booklet, page 16.
- ^ "With all the High Springs in this level, this party is hopping!" — Stephen Mortimer, the director of Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars, on a Miiverse post about the 51st official level in the game's online community
- ^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars digital manual Section 11
- ^ Super Mario World Japanese instruction booklet (fold-out)
- ^ Official Mario vs. Donkey Kong website (Guías Nintendo)
- ^ a b Super Mario RPG Japanese instruction booklet, page 16.
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