Editing Unwinnable state
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An '''unwinnable state''' (also called a '''softlock''') is when a level or a whole game is still technically playable but is impossible to complete because a technique or an object needed to progress has become inaccessible to the player, the player character is trapped with no means of escape, or a script fails to trigger. Unwinnable situations | An '''unwinnable state''' (also called a '''softlock''') is when a level or a whole game is still technically playable but is impossible to complete because either a technique or an object needed to progress has become inaccessible to the player, the player character is trapped with no means of escape, or a script fails to trigger. Unwinnable situations can be the result of a [[glitch]], the result of players going out of their way to trap themselves, or intentional on the part of the game designers, although due to the ''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' franchise's accessible, player-friendly design, instances of intentionally unwinnable scenarios are non-existent. | ||
This list does not include scripted boss battles | This list does not include scripted boss battles the player has to lose in ''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' RPGs, such as the first battles with [[Bowser]] in ''[[Paper Mario]]'' and the [[Shroob]]s in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]'' as the plot still advances despite the player losing. | ||
==Examples of unwinnable situations== | ==Examples of unwinnable situations== | ||
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Attempting to jump over the Goal Pole, although only possible in certain levels such as World 3-3, will only result in the player being trapped in a neverending void should they succeed in doing so, and landing so far that the Goal Pole disappears offscreen that they are unable to touch it from the other side, as the game cannot backtrack, meaning that once this happens they are doomed to die by letting the time run out. Because of this, ''Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels'' sometimes adds hidden Warp Zones behind certain Goal Poles in some levels in order to prevent this from happening, and in the ''Super Mario All-Stars'' version, attempting to jump over the Goal Pole, while still possible, will only result in the player being unable to venture beyond the fortress/castle on the other side and being stopped by an invisible barrier on the right side of the screen, likely to also prevent such from happening again. | Attempting to jump over the Goal Pole, although only possible in certain levels such as World 3-3, will only result in the player being trapped in a neverending void should they succeed in doing so, and landing so far that the Goal Pole disappears offscreen that they are unable to touch it from the other side, as the game cannot backtrack, meaning that once this happens they are doomed to die by letting the time run out. Because of this, ''Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels'' sometimes adds hidden Warp Zones behind certain Goal Poles in some levels in order to prevent this from happening, and in the ''Super Mario All-Stars'' version, attempting to jump over the Goal Pole, while still possible, will only result in the player being unable to venture beyond the fortress/castle on the other side and being stopped by an invisible barrier on the right side of the screen, likely to also prevent such from happening again. | ||
====''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]''==== | ====''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]''==== | ||
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====''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''==== | ====''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''==== | ||
The game has a softlock where, should an [[Enemy Course]] land on top of an [[N-Mark Spade Panel]], the two combine and move across the overworld map indefinitely, preventing the player from going any further after clearing a course when the panel appears. | The game has a softlock where, should an [[Enemy Course]] land on top of an [[N-Mark Spade Panel]], the two combine and move across the overworld map indefinitely, preventing the player from going any further after clearing a course when the panel appears. | ||
====''[[Super Mario 64]]''==== | ====''[[Super Mario 64]]''==== | ||
To defeat [[Bowser]] in [[Bowser in the Dark World]], [[Bowser in the Fire Sea]], and [[Bowser in the Sky]], Mario must throw him into the | To defeat [[Bowser]] in [[Bowser in the Dark World]], [[Bowser in the Fire Sea]], and [[Bowser in the Sky]], Mario must throw him into the bombs around the arena. If Mario [[Long Jump]]s into all the bombs to detonate them, he will be left with no way to defeat Bowser unless he leaves the level. To fix this in the [[Super Mario 64 DS|remake]], one bomb always reappears in the arena if the player tries to detonate all of them, making it still possible to beat Bowser nonetheless. Additionally, it is also possible to trick Bowser into lunging after Mario and jumping directly into the pit. Normally, Mario would need to throw Bowser in the pit for him to land there, but if Bowser does so as part of his own attack, the game will not respawn him to jump back onto the stage. | ||
If one of the [[Bully|Bullies]] in [[Lethal Lava Land]] is pushed into the lava at a specific angle, it | If one of the [[Bully|Bullies]] in [[Lethal Lava Land]] is pushed into the lava at a specific angle, it will be stuck there. Doing this will not count as defeating it, resulting in not spawning the [[Big Bully]] that must also be defeated to complete the mission.<ref>''Supper Mario Broth''. (November 2, 2020). [https://web.archive.org/web/20201105231849/https://www.suppermariobroth.com/post/633632317749985280/ddd-main-blog-twitter-patreon-small-findings "In Super Mario 64, if one of the Bullies ... is pushed into the lava at a specific angle ... the Bully will oscillate inside the lava ..."]. Retrieved May 25, 2022. Archived from [https://www.suppermariobroth.com/post/633632317749985280/ddd-main-blog-twitter-patreon-small-findings the original] on November 5, 2020.</ref> | ||
====''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''==== | ====''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''==== | ||
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====''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''==== | ====''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''==== | ||
[[File:NSMBU-Unwinnable State Bramball.png|thumb|220px|Getting stuck under an immovable [[Bramball]], in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]''.]] | [[File:NSMBU-Unwinnable State Bramball.png|thumb|220px|Getting stuck under an immovable [[Bramball]], in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]''.]] | ||
In the ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'' level [[Bramball Woods]], it is possible to get stuck underneath the third Bramball in the level. Normally, [[Brick Block]]s move into position when the player is nearby, allowing the Bramballs to move. However, returning to this Bramball after dying and respawning from the [[Checkpoint Flag]] without going too far left | In the ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'' level [[Bramball Woods]], it is possible to get stuck underneath the third Bramball in the level. Normally, [[Brick Block]]s move into position when the player is nearby, allowing the Bramballs to move. However, returning to this Bramball after dying and respawning from the [[Checkpoint Flag]] without going too far left will not have the blocks appear. This allows the player to take a hit and stand on the [[Mega Block|Big Block]], trapping them. Jumping against the Bramball has no effect, and if the player is in [[Small Mario|small form]] or [[Mini Mario (form)|mini form]], they cannot escape without losing a life. | ||
====''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''==== | ====''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''==== | ||
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Due to oversights or glitches, there are two examples of unwinnable situations, both in World 4. In World 4-2, a certain pipe lacks an assigned destination, meaning that if it is entered, Mario will never exit, and thus be trapped until the timer runs out. Similarly, in World 4-3, a [[Coin Heaven]] area's pipe cannot be entered, trapping Mario in that area until the timer runs out. | Due to oversights or glitches, there are two examples of unwinnable situations, both in World 4. In World 4-2, a certain pipe lacks an assigned destination, meaning that if it is entered, Mario will never exit, and thus be trapped until the timer runs out. Similarly, in World 4-3, a [[Coin Heaven]] area's pipe cannot be entered, trapping Mario in that area until the timer runs out. | ||
===''Yoshi'' series=== | |||
===''Yoshi'' | |||
====''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]''==== | ====''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]''==== | ||
[[File:GO! GO! MARIO!! unwinnable.png|right|frame|Yoshi gets trapped in [[GO! GO! MARIO!!]]]] | [[File:GO! GO! MARIO!! unwinnable.png|right|frame|Yoshi gets trapped in [[GO! GO! MARIO!!]]]] | ||
[[GO! GO! MARIO!!]] has a [[Super Star]] that [[Yoshi]] can reach by jumping off a [[Shy Guy|Shy-Guy]]. However, unless he has any [[Yoshi | [[GO! GO! MARIO!!]] has a [[Super Star]] that [[Yoshi]] can reach by jumping off a [[Shy Guy|Shy-Guy]]. However, unless he has any [[Yoshi Egg]]s or [[Watermelon (Yoshi's Island series)|watermelon]]s, he will be unable to get out of the area and must quit out of the level. This is fixed in ''[[Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3]]''. | ||
===''Paper Mario'' series=== | ===''Paper Mario'' series=== | ||
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In Treacherous Mansion, it is possible to open a door leading to the pirate ship on the side of the mansion by holding a nearby switch down with an object. If the player enters this area while a ghost knocks away the object, the door will become blocked again after they enter the room, leaving them stuck on a tiny platform and forced to restart the level. | In Treacherous Mansion, it is possible to open a door leading to the pirate ship on the side of the mansion by holding a nearby switch down with an object. If the player enters this area while a ghost knocks away the object, the door will become blocked again after they enter the room, leaving them stuck on a tiny platform and forced to restart the level. | ||
If the player quits in the [[King Boo]] battle after the first Tough Possessor is defeated, it is possible that the game will count the earlier mission as complete without opening up the final mission, and will not send the player to the final boss upon replaying the level, making the game incompletable.<ref>LeBic. (2013). [ | If the player quits in the [[King Boo]] battle after the first Tough Possessor is defeated, it is possible that the game will count the earlier mission as complete without opening up the final mission, and will not send the player to the final boss upon replaying the level, making the game incompletable.<ref>LeBic. (2013). [https://gamingreinvented.com/feature/should-nintendo-release-a-patch-for-luigis-mansion-dark-moon/#comment-17122 "I am unable to finish the game due to an incredible glitch on the final level! ..." (comment on Gaming Reinvented article "Should Nintendo release a patch for Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon?" by CM30 (April 7, 2013))]. Retrieved May 25, 2022.</ref> | ||
It is also possible to be unable to win a multiplayer ScareScraper round from a common glitch that stops a necessary key from appearing in the level. If this happens, the players are forced to lose the game. | It is also possible to be unable to win a multiplayer ScareScraper round from a common glitch that stops a necessary key from appearing in the level. If this happens, the players are forced to lose the game. | ||
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===''[[WarioWare (series)|WarioWare]]'' series=== | ===''[[WarioWare (series)|WarioWare]]'' series=== | ||
====''[[WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!]]''==== | ====''[[WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!]]''==== | ||
At the level 3 difficulty of the [[microgame]] [[Right in the Eye]], the eye of the needle may sometimes be positioned outside the playing area, making the game | At the level 3 difficulty of the [[microgame]] [[Right in the Eye]], the eye of the needle may sometimes be positioned outside the playing area, making the game unbeatable. This issue was fixed in the microgame's ''[[WarioWare Gold]]'' remake. | ||
====''[[WarioWare: Touched!]]''==== | ====''[[WarioWare: Touched!]]''==== | ||
Three microgames in [[Kat & Ana]]'s set are impossible to complete on early Japanese copies. The lines in [[Bright Idea (WarioWare: Touched!)|Bright Idea]] and [[The Proud, the Fuse]] cannot be drawn while the flashlight in [[Midnight Weirdo]] blinks on and off. This glitch was fixed in later Japanese copies. | Three microgames in [[Kat & Ana]]'s set are impossible to complete on early Japanese copies. The lines in [[Bright Idea (WarioWare: Touched!)|Bright Idea]] and [[The Proud, the Fuse]] cannot be drawn while the flashlight in [[Midnight Weirdo]] blinks on and off. This glitch was fixed in later Japanese copies. | ||
In [[Spario]], if the player presses the pause button multiple times before the microgame begins, Wario may lack his arms and mustache, making it | In [[Spario]], if the player presses the pause button multiple times before the microgame begins, Wario may lack his arms and mustache, making it unbeatable.<ref>dkspivey71 (April 22, 2015). [https://web.archive.org/web/20171023121137/http://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAAADVHjuiKAT6g "''Uh, Wario? Where are your arms?!''"]. ''Miiverse''. Retrieved November 4, 2020.</ref> | ||
====''[[WarioWare: Get It Together!]]''==== | ====''[[WarioWare: Get It Together!]]''==== | ||
In [[Super Mario World (WarioWare: Get It Together!)|Super Mario World]], 18-Volt can get stuck in Level 2 since he cannot move, despite being a neutral fit, which makes it | In [[Super Mario World (WarioWare: Get It Together!)|Super Mario World]], 18-Volt can get stuck in Level 2 since he cannot move, despite being a neutral fit, which makes it unbeatable for him. | ||
In [[Pop Goes the Party]], | In [[Pop Goes the Party]] and [[Balance the Scales]], [[Penny]] (who is classified as a poor fit for both microgames) may destroy all of the pins in Level 3 and too many cracked rocks, respectively, making the microgames unbeatable for her. | ||
===''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]''=== | |||
In [[Ninja Hideaway]], if the player lands on top of the sign after the final moving spike platform, their kart will be unable to move. When this happens, they will be forced to either lose the current race or quit the game.<ref>Gaming Reinvented (April 6, 2022). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHgsA5jDt5M You Can Softlock Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in Ninja Hideaway (Glitch)!] ''YouTube''. Retrieved May 15, 2022.</ref> | |||
In [[Ninja Hideaway]], if the player lands on top of the sign after the final moving spike platform, | |||
==Impossible 100% completion== | ==Impossible 100% completion== | ||
{{see also|Missable content}} | {{see also|Missable content}} | ||
A less severe variation is when a game can still be finished, but denies the player [[Completion|100% completion]] of their save file in some way. Unlike true unwinnable scenarios, examples of intentional impossible 100% completion are more common in the '' | A less severe variation is when a game can still be finished, but denies the player [[Completion|100% completion]] of their save file in some way. Unlike true unwinnable scenarios, examples of intentional impossible 100% completion are more common in the ''Mario'' franchise. | ||
===''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''=== | ===''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''=== | ||
The five [[Banana Medal]]s that appear in [[Hideout Helm]] do not respawn if the player leaves the area without collecting them, making 101% [[completion]] impossible. | The five [[Banana Medal]]s that appear in [[Hideout Helm]] do not respawn if the player leaves the area without collecting them, making 101% [[completion]] impossible. | ||
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===''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''=== | ===''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''=== | ||
Similar to ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', if the player loses five lives when attempting a course from one of the first eight worlds, an [[Assist Block]] will appear on re-entry, permanently preventing the player from ever having shiny stars on their save file | Similar to ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', if the player loses five lives when attempting a course from one of the first eight worlds, an [[Assist Block]] will appear on re-entry, permanently preventing the player from ever having shiny stars on their save file. | ||
In all subsequent '' | In all subsequent ''Mario'' platformers, making the Super Guide Block or Assist Block appear will not void the player's chance to get shiny stars on their save file; any player who uses the Super Guide or Invincibility Leaf can get shiny stars by completing the same level without using it. | ||
===''[[Paper Mario: The Origami King]]''=== | ===''[[Paper Mario: The Origami King]]''=== | ||
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If the player defeated the [[Black Shy Guy]] with [[Professor Toad]], it was impossible to achieve 100% completion in the [[Musée Champignon]]. This was fixed in version 1.0.1 by having a Black Shy Guy appear in [[Scorching Sandpaper West]] which can be fought as many times as the player wants. | If the player defeated the [[Black Shy Guy]] with [[Professor Toad]], it was impossible to achieve 100% completion in the [[Musée Champignon]]. This was fixed in version 1.0.1 by having a Black Shy Guy appear in [[Scorching Sandpaper West]] which can be fought as many times as the player wants. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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[[Category:Terms]] | [[Category:Terms]] | ||
[[Category:Lists|Unwinnable]] | [[Category:Lists|Unwinnable]] | ||