User:Salmancer/List of methods of flight
As the franchise that defined the platforming genre, many Super Mario franchise games allow the character to fly as a powerful ability. Flying is powerful because normally the player's ability to move vertically is restricted by if there are platforms available to jump from. Some games instead use flight as a way to vary the gameplay in certain segments, instead of offering it as an option for the player at potentially all times. There are many different ways games implement flying, for purposes even more varied than the listed ones. This list compares and contrasts all methods that the player can use to fly in different games. Many varieties of floating are included due to similarities to items and abilities declared to be flight. Note that this list concerns player characters flying in games where it is possible for the player character to not be flying. Microgames, being as short and self-contained as they are, usually do not meet this criteria.
There are a number of abilities and items this list excludes for sanity reasons:
- Flying vehicles whose controls are not synonymous with the player.
- Abilities and items that only slow down the player's falling speed.
- Jumping in the air, including moves such as Double Jumps and Flutter Jumps
- Items that launch the player into the air, unless that item has effects in addition to launching the player into the air. Characters throwing or launching other characters is similarly excluded. Abilities that launch the player into the air and are not tied to using an item or performed by a second character are included as a major exception. (In more casual terms, shooting oneself into the air under one's own power is flying.)
- Abilities and items allowing the player to move underwater like they are flying.
- Abilities and items used exclusively in turn based combat scenarios that do not involve moving to other platforms.
- Abilities and items used exclusively in cutscenes, including a flying vehicle being the means of accessing a separate map and "fast travel" systems.
Flying abilities are organized by the presence or absence of these five attributes:
- "Can gain height": Does the user's altitude increase by using this ability? Is there no limit on how high the user's altitude can be through use of this ability?
- "Can gain distance": Can the player move on the horizontal plane while using this ability? Is there no limit on how far the user can move on the horizontal plane through use of this ability?
- "Is a jump": Is this method of flight a form of a jump?
If a item or ability appears in multiple games, it shares the same row if the mechanics are similar but has a different row if the mechanics are so far apart it falls into a different category. Certain items or abilities with similar mechanics and similar flavor share a row.
| Item/Form/Move | Image | Debut year | Games | Can gain height | Can gain distance | Is a jump | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wing | 1986 | Uses the swimming controls in the air | |||||
| Propeller Mario/Propeller Block | 2009 | Activate with Spin Jump or Midair Spin. Burst upward movement. Any number of characters can hold another character in Propeller form or holding a Propeller Block, and this ability or item carries all characters into the air. | |||||
| Propeller Box | 2011 | Burst upward movement. Slowly descend by holding the jump button. Can ascend three times in Super Mario Maker 2 | |||||
| Raccoon Mario/White Raccoon Mario/Tanooki Mario | 1988 | Requires a full P-Meter. The P-Meter fills as Mario dashes. Performed by holding the jump button Flying drains the P-Meter. Once the P-Meter is empty Mario can no longer fly. White Raccoon Mario fills the P-Meter faster. The P-Meter stays full permanently with a P-Wing. | |||||
| Tanooki Mario | 2011 | Can only fly during the credits | |||||
| Cape Mario | 1990 | ∞ | Requires a running start. Initial flight is a extremely high jump performed by holding the jump button and stopping when that button is released. Afterward, transitions into a holding pattern where Mario naturally falls slowly but can remain in the air indefinetely by accelerating downward and curving back upward. Taking damage during the second state of fliyiing cancels the flying state without Mario losing this power. Landing on the ground damages enemies. Landing on the ground with a fast dive defeats all enemies on screen. | ||||
| Power Squirrel Mario | 2012 | ∞ | ∞ | Can Flying Squirrel Jump an infinite number of times in place of the Midair Spin. Can glide before, in-between, or after Flying Squirrel Jumps as per Flying Squirrel Mario. | |||
| Wing Mario/Winged Yoshi | 1996 | Requires a cannon or a Triple Jump. | |||||
| Lakitu's Cloud | 1990 |
|
Only lasts a limited time, disappears afterward | ||||
| Koopa Clown Car/Junior Clown Car/Fire Koopa Clown Car/Fire Junior Clown Car | 2015 | ∞ | ∞ | ||||
| Bullet Bill Mask | 2019 | Is temporary. Lost upon crashing into walls. | |||||
| Bullet Bill/Banzai Bill (via Capture) | 2017 | Is temporary. Explodes when that timer runs out or on contact with walls or enemies, returning Mario to normal. | |||||
| Paragoomba/Parabones (via Capture) | 2017 | ∞ | Maximum height is a little above highest platform that has ever been landed on. | ||||
| Winged Yoshi | 1990 | Is temporary when accessed with Koopa Shells, is permanent when accessed with Yoshi's Wings. | |||||
| Winged Yoshi | 2014 | ∞ | Moves in a sine wave, like a repeating Flutter Jump pattern. Is called "Flutter Flying". After performing, uses wings to slow down falling. | ||||
| Umbrella Yoshi | 2015 | ∞ | ∞ | Heavily affected by wind | |||
| Sky Pop Yoshi | 2015 | ∞ | ∞ | Used in autoscrolling areas | |||
| Launch Star | 2007 | Activate with spin. | |||||
| Piranhacopter | 2018 | Can be adjusted left and right | |||||
| Pidgit’s carpets | 1988 | Is temporary. | |||||
| Propellerpack | 2018 | Can be adjusted left and right | |||||
| Super Dragon | 2008 | Is temporary | |||||
| Wario-Man | 2008 | Rises when using aerial attacks. | |||||
| Spinning Kong | 1999 | Only rises when used in the air. Does not rise very high | |||||
| Whirling Fortress | 2001 | Only rises when used in the air. | |||||
| Rocketbarrel Boost | 2008 | Can be aimed mid-dash, defaults to upward. Can be charged to dash farther | |||||
| Rocketbarrel Barrage | 2008 | Moves upward, but can be turned such that upward to Diddy is any direction. Is temporary. | |||||
| Hyper Rocketbarrel | 2018 | Attacks from various directions all around the screen with no control granted to the player. Returns to where the attack started when it concludes. | |||||
| Jetpack[conjectural] | 2003 | In one segment Left and right movement is automatic but Wario can dash upward. In the other segment left and right movement is free. Collecting fuel in the second segment makes it go faster, and it can break through an otherwise deadly ceiling at max speed. | |||||
| Flying Mario | 2007 | Starts flying with a Spin. Automatically moves forward, can stop in place by holding a button. Is temporary. | |||||
| Balloon Mario | 2004 | ||||||
| Rocket Barrel | 2010 | One of two kinds of Rocket Barrel gameplay in Donkey Kong Country Returns and its ports. Automatically moves to the right. Must counteract falling momentum to rise. | |||||
| Rocket Barrel | 2010 | One of two kinds of Rocket Barrel gameplay in Donkey Kong Country Returns and its ports. Automatically flies with upward scrolling screen. Can boost higher upward. | |||||
| Green Balloon | 2013 | Rescues player from pits. Can pass through some solid objects. Ends with button press or after too long. | |||||
| Helicopter Spin | 2014 | Button has to be held briefly, moves upward | |||||
| Squawks | 1995 | ∞ | ∞ | Can be carried by Squawks by freeing him from his corresponding Animal crate, or transform into Squawks by using a Squawks Barrel. The latter case allows Squawks to move faster. | |||
| Quawks | 1996 | Can only transform into Quawks by using his corresponding Animal Barrel. | |||||
| Rocket | 1996 | Normally falls, starts rising after hitting an Ignition Barrel | |||||
| Blimp Yoshi | 2010 | Is temporary. Once the meter is empty, returns to normal. Can stop rising by holding the jump button, which also makes the power last longer. | |||||
| Spin Jump | 1996 | Most games tie full slow descent functionality to an object like a tornado, with Spin Jumps done without the object not reducing falling speed as much. Some games lack the option to Spin Jump without an object. | |||||
| Spin Jump | 2003 | Trajectory can be affected by numerous objects, such as wind, whirlwinds, Waterspouts and rising air. | |||||
| Baby Spin | 2005 | ||||||
| Baboon Balloon | 1999 | Is temporary. Can be ended early. Bounces off walls. | |||||
| Remote-Controlled Clown Car | 2009 | ∞ | ∞ | ||||
| Rocketbarrel Boost | 1999 | ||||||
| Bee Mario | 2007 | ||||||
| Boo Mario | 2007 | ||||||
| Joy | 2005 | ||||||
| Wicked Wario | 2007 | ||||||
| Jet Wario | 1994 | begins descending slowly after a short time. | |||||
| Bat Wario | 2000 | press jump button | |||||
| Puffy Wario | 1998 | ||||||
| Eagle Wario | 1995 | ||||||
| King Dragon Wario | 1995 | ||||||
| Helicopter Yoshi | 1995 | ||||||
| Helicopter Yoshi | 2014 | ||||||
| Hot-Air Balloon Yoshi | 2014 | Can slow down when a button is held. | |||||
| Bubble | 2007 | Moves away from the freely placeable Star Pointer | |||||
| Bubble | 2009 | ∞ | Only available in multiplayer mode. Defeated players return to the game this way, or any player can choose to enter one. Bubbles place players in an inactive state, and the level is failed if all players are inactive. Floats across the screen in a sine wave pattern, going through terrain, but without player control. The player can nudge the bubble to move closer to active players. Exit upon contact with an active player. | ||||
| Bubble | 2016 | ∞ | Floats backward in course, either on demand or after dying. Exiting is done freely while not inside terrain, otherwise the player is nudged out of the terrain while continuing to float. | ||||
| Bubble | 1992 | Uses the swimming controls in the air. Ends upon touching water or taking damage, the latter of which does not cause Mario to lose his current form. | |||||
| Balloon Mario | 2019 | ∞ | ∞ | Moves in specified direction when button is held, defaults to up. In Super Mario Maker 2, accelerates as the jump button is held for longer. | |||
| Balloon Mario | 1990 | Steadily rises if no directional input is given | |||||
| Rocket Bucket | 2008 | ||||||
| Fluzzard | 2010 | ||||||
| Hover Spin | 2013 | Does not go very high, can jump in the air again to extend distance traveled but not get higher than the height of the initial ascent. Is pushed by wind | |||||
| Luiginary Tornado | 2013 | Mario has "Free movement in all directions", but the screen does not scroll and Mario cannot move past the edges. Luiginoids have "fixed path", looping around the screen. When ending, returns all characters to the starting point | |||||
| Luiginary Antigravity | 2013 | ∞ | ∞ | Press button to move. Has heavy interia. Can brace against and jump off walls to move faster and break blocks but lose directional control. | |||
| Parakarry | 2000 | ||||||
| Lakilester | 2000 | ||||||
| Balloon Baby Yoshi | 2012 | Use Spin Jump/Midair Spin input to inflate a held Balloon Baby Yoshi and rise. This can be done a total of seven times between landings; after the seventh time the Yoshi deflates. An inflated Yoshi makes the player fall slower. Any number of characters can hold another character holding a Balloon Baby Yoshi, and it carries all characters into the air. | |||||
| Pull Star | 2007 | Must be close enough to select with the Star Pointer | |||||
| Wings | 2007 | ||||||
| Peach Parasol/Daisy Parasol | 2001 | Parasol can be closed while falling to fall normally, then reopened to fall slowly again. After floating with an open parasol for too long, it permanently closes until landing. | |||||
| Floating Jump | 1988 | Is temporary. In Super Smash Bros. games, attacks can be performed while floating. In Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge, used automatically at ledges and drops straight down afterward. | |||||
| Mario Tornado/Luigi Cyclone/Dr. Tornado | 1999 | Press attack button during attack to rise. From Melee onward, Mario Tornado does not cause Mario to rise. | |||||
| Green Missile | 2001 | Low arc by default, can have a higher arc randomly. Can be charged for extra distance. | |||||
| UFO Spin | 2024 | ||||||
| Tail Mario | 2014 | Is temporary, can attack while floating. | |||||
| Hover Nozzle | 2002 | Spends water, rises slightly. | |||||
| Rocket Nozzle | 2002 | Is an extreme dash. Spends water. | |||||
| Jump out | 2007 | Only available in multiplayer mode. Can fly infinitely, is pulled toward Mario if the horizontal distance between Cappy and Mario is too long. Can jump or ground-pound to change elevation, though jumping makes gravity act on Cappy until he lands. Ends when returning to Mario, can use a button to automatically return. | |||||
| Float[conjectural] | 2007 | Only after entering an 8-bit pipe. Only available in multiplayer mode. Is performed by Cappy but affects Mario. | |||||
| Lunar Launch | 2016 | Automatically used at walls, is an extreme dash can only fall straight down. | |||||
| Gravity Well | 2016 | If selected when character is close enough, pulls them to Gravity Well. Can pull characters through terrain. Can be ended to release character, dropping them straight down. | |||||
| Balloon | 2016 | ∞ | ∞ | Moves forward automatically as well. The balloon can be popped by the player or by spikes to drop the character straight down. | |||
| DK Barrel & Red Balloon | 2010 | Only available in multiplayer mode. Defeated players can return to the game this way, spending a Red Balloon to do so. This is an inactive state, and the level is failed if there are no active players. They start from the top of the screen and drift down to the bottom of the screen, going through terrain. The player can nudge the barrel to move closer to the active player. Ends if it falls off the screen. Exit upon contact with the active player. | |||||
| Ghost | 2023 | Only available in multiplayer mode. Defeated players become ghosts instead of losing a life, or any player can choose to become a ghost. This is an inactive state, and the level is failed if all players are inactive. Goes through terrain and can dash. Is temporary, and the player is defeated and loses a life proper if time runs out. Return to normal upon contact with an active player or Standee. | |||||
| Glide | 2022 | Used after Team Jumping, is temporary. Duration can be extended with Skill Tree upgrades. Rayman can additionally glide after using swinging from a Ring. | |||||
| Hang glider (via Dashing Thief Peach) | 2024 | ||||||
| Mighty Peach | 2024 | ||||||
| Trio Glider | 2015 | ||||||
| Plane Mode | 2004 | ||||||
| Side Drill | 2013 | Is temporary, cannot turn while moving, can enter and be launched out of tubes. | |||||
| Peach Bomber/Daisy Bomber | 2001 | Bounces upward if it hits an opponent. | |||||
| Wario Waft | 2008 | Has to charge up a substantial amount before it launches. Charges automatically. Is an extreme dash | |||||
| Bullet Bill | 2014 | Dash in any direction | |||||
| Jet-Pack Dash | 2021 | Moves in a jumping arc, ending at peak. | |||||
| Bullet Bill Dash | 2021 | ||||||
| Glide Dash | 2021 | ||||||
| Fly Guy Dash | 2021 | ||||||
| Luma Dash | 2021 | ||||||
| Carousel Dash | 2021 | ||||||
| Sky Pop | 1989 | ||||||
| Spike Guard | 2016 | Immunity to spikes. | |||||
| Launch Star | 2014 | Is an extreme dash. Defaults to aim slightly forward but can be aimed straight up or farther forward. | |||||
| Koopa Meteor | 2014 | Is an extreme dash. After rising, the Junior Clown Car explodes to propel Bowser Jr. downward. | |||||
| Balloon & Poltergust 5000 | 2013 | ||||||
| Gyrocopter | 1996 | ∞ | ∞ | Traverses world map, ignoring all obstacles. | |||
| Gyrocopter | 2004 | ||||||
| Luma Shot | 2014 | Recalls Luma to Rosalina after having launched them with a prior Luma Shot. | |||||
| Gravitational Pull | 2014 | Recalls Luma to Rosalina if they are separated without having used Luma Shot. | |||||
| Bubble | 2013 | Only available in multiplayer mode. Defeated players return to the game this way, or any player can choose to enter one. Bubbles place players in an inactive state, and the level is failed if there are no active players. They float over to other active players, going through terrain, but without player control. Exit with a button or upon contact with an active player. | |||||
| Bubble | 2024 | In Casual Mode, if the player would be defeated they return to the last Checkpoint Flag by spending a bubble, ignoring walls. In multiplayer mode. Defeated players return to the game this way. Bubbles place one player in an inactive state, and the level is failed if there are no active players. They float over to other active player, going through terrain, but without player control over direction. Buttons can be mashed to move faster. | |||||
| Air Fan | 2016 | When active, blows the player in a single direction. They cannot move unless they either reach the end of the fan's air or a wall. Can be turned off to drop instantly | |||||
| Flower Fan | 2024 | When active, blows the player in a single direction. They cannot move unless they either reach the end of the fan's air or a wall. Can be blown in a different direction by another Flower Fan Can be turned off to drop instantly | |||||
| Bubble | 2017 | Rescues the player from certain pits, placing them in a safe area they previously passed. In Assist Mode, activates in most pits and most pools of lava or poison, at the cost of one point of health. | |||||
| Gushen (via Capture) | 2017 | Spends water, shooting it in the direction opposite of movement as an attack. Has two different moves, one for moving forward that ignores gravity and one for moving upward. Both are performed by holding a button, and the moves can be combined. |