Bullet Bill



Bullet Bills Have been enemies of Mario since the very beginning. These annoying missiles can be found throughout many of the classic Mario games and in newer games, where they have increasingly been items. They are shot out of Bill Blasters, and are usually under Bowser's control.

Super Mario Bros.
When the Mushroom Kingdom was overrun by Bowser in Super Mario Bros., Bullet Bills were Bowser's prime ammunition. Bullet Bills first appeared in World 5-1. They were usually shot from a large cannon, the Bill Blaster. Sometimes, Bullet Bills would be shot from random locations somewhere off-screen. The Bill Blasters were placed very strategically in almost all levels, being wherever Mario was. One of the most frustrating places was on the ground, so even a normal-sized Mario would have to jump over them. To defeat the Bill, the player had to either jump on them, kick a Koopa Shell at them or use a Starman. They were immune to Fire Flowers.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Bullet Bills reappeared in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels when, once again, Bowser kidnapped Princess Peach. As most of the original enemies from Super Mario Bros. reappeared, Bullet Bills did too. They could be defeated like their Super Mario Bros. cousins, with a jump, Koopa Shell, or Starman, and were also immune to flames. The Blasters in The Lost Levels were even more well-placed than in the other game; on levels with Bill Blasters, a player had to watch where they jumped very well.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Bullet Bills did not appear as much in Super Mario Bros. 3 as they did in previous games, mainly appearing in later worlds and on the bosses' Airships. A new type of Bullet Bill appeared in this games, the Missile Bill, which turned around and went towards Mario if it missed him the first time it went by him. These ones could be defeated with a Koopa Shell, a Jump, a Starman, a Hammer or a Bob-Omb on certain levels. They were immune to Fire Flowers and Racoon Mario. They also appeared in the remakes of this game: Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario Advance 4.

Super Mario World
Bullet Bills once again made an appearance when Yoshi's Island was under the tyrrany of Bowser. This time, they were very uncommon enemies, appearing in only a few levels. Super Mario World also featured the first appearance of a couple other subspecies of Bullet Bills that were used in later games. One of these is the Torpedo Ted, which was a Bullet Bill that was launched from a cannon underwater. Banzai Bills also made their first appearance, which are larger, more menacing version of Bullet Bills, but could be defeated with a single stomp. Also, when the player finished the Special World, all of the Bullet Bills turned into Pidgit Bills, which were just Pidgets launced out of a Bill Blaster.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island introduced Bouncing Bullet Bills, which bounce and ricochet off walls after being fired. In the Game Boy Advance version there were red Bullet Bills with gnashing fangs that homed in on Yoshi. Also there was Green Bullet Bills, which their cannon would home in on Yoshi and turn with him.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Bullet Bills were commonly found in the Mario Zone in Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins. Bullet Bills acted much like the previous Bullet Bills in other games. They flew in a straight direction and were shot by Bill Blasters. Mario could get rid of them simply by jumping on them or just dodging them, letting them fly off-screen. Torpedo Teds also made an appearance in this game.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Bullet Bills were used in attacks from Snifits and Big Berthas. There were also gold colored ones called Magnums that could defeat Mario or one of his partners in one hit.

Super Mario 64
Bullet Bills were only found in one location in Super Mario 64, in the level Whomp's Fortress. In the levels after Mario had defeat the Whomp King, a Bill Blaster would appear at the top of the fortress. The Bullet Bills shot out would home in on Mario. Bullet Bills could not be defeated in this game. They took away 3 pieces of Mario's Life Meter.

Yoshi's Story


In Yoshi's Story, Bullet Bills followed the same pattern as in other games. However, this game introduced tongues for the mechanical irritants.

Paper Mario
Gold Bullet Bills known as Bombshell Bills were introduced in Paper Mario and shot from Bombshell Bill Blasters. They were found in Bowser's Castle.

Super Mario Sunshine


In Super Mario Sunshine, a Monty Mole appeared that manned a cannon, firing Bullet Bills at Mario. Here were also Missile Bills which were purple, with a glowing red nosecone. They homed in on Mario and exploded after a short time. Bullet Bills could be destroyed with a burst of water from FLUDD. Rarely, Monty Mole would fire a golden Bullet Bill, which when destroyed, would yield extra coins. Bullet Bills were also fired by Mecha Bowser, one of the bosses at Pinna Park. Finally, in the final battle against Bowser and Bowser Jr., Bowser Jr. would fire regular black Bullet Bills and the occasional blue Bullet Bills, which when jumped on, gave Mario a 1-Up Mushroom or a water bottle.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Bullet Bills and Bill Blasters returned as enemies at Stardust Fields. The game also featured Sniper Bill, a large Bullet Bill that used a Super Scope as a weapon that fire a smaller Bullet Bill. It was found in Bowser's Castle.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Bullet Bills appeared as enemies in the Pirate's Grotto, where they were once again shot by Bill Blasters. Bombshell Bills and their Blasters also appeared in the Palace of Shadow. Bullet Bills would home in on Mario to damage him, destroying themselves by doing so.

Super Princess Peach
In Super Princess Peach, there was a more dangerous type of Bullet Bills, known as Mad Bullet Bills.

New Super Mario Bros.
In New Super Mario Bros., Bullet Bills appeared in various levels, and would be shot out of Bill Blasters. If Mario or Luigi jumped them, they would be defeated.

Super Mario Galaxy
In Super Mario Galaxy, Bullet Bills follow Mario except when he uses the Star Cursor, until it hits an obstacle or enemy.

Super Smash Bros. Melee
A Banzai Bill is also found in Super Smash Bros. Melee. The missile falls from the sky and crashes into Princess Peach's Castle, causing an explosion which damages the characters. Another Banzai Bill can be seen in the background of the Yoshi's Island stage.

Mario Superstar Baseball
Bullet Bills are a special item in the Challenge Mode of Mario Superstar Baseball. When bought, it will allow Bowser to use his Power Shot, the Killer Ball, in a Challenge Mode game. The Bullet Bill is also Bowser and Bowser Jr.'s Power Shot. While pitching, when fired, a Bullet Bill will be launched at the batter. It will go slow at first, but when it gets close to the batter, it will fly in a loop. then zoom pass the batter. It can still be hit, however. While batting, when Bowser or Bowser Jr. hit the ball, they will launch a Bullet Bill across the field which, if caught, will push the catcher really far back. It does not work for when it hits the ground. Bowser Jr.'s Bullet Bill wears a Bandanna.

Mario Kart DS
In the game Mario Kart DS, the player can collect Bullet Bills as items. After activating the Bullet Bill, it will guide the player's kart, and rocket automatically down the track, knocking over any enemies or projectiles in the player's way, similarly to the Chain Chomp from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. The Bullet Bill can only be received by the drivers on 6th-8th place. However, this item can sometimes also be a curse. When on the trickier, narrower courses these can some time drive right up to the edge of the track and then drop the kart, causing the kart to fall off the track, and lose all the spots gained using that item.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Bullet Bills appear in a stage of The Subspace Emissary, the adventure mode. They are seen flying straight from right to left, as they did in Mario platformers. Their size has been increased. Bullet Bills may or may not be affiliated with the Subspace Army.

Cameo Appearances
Bullet Bills have appeared occasionally as enemies in a Mario Party mini-game. In the mini-game Cardiators from Mario Party 8, three Bullet Bills appear as a card enemy and do 9 damage.

They also appeared in Mario Power Tennis in a mini-game, fired by a Mecha Bowser 2.0. Bowser Jr.'s kart in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! takes the form of a Bullet Bill and is called the Bullet Blaster. Bullet Bills are also an obstacle in the Airship Fortress track in Mario Kart DS. In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, a Bullet Bill can be seen on the shirt of Fyer, a clown that operates the cannon.

Appearances in Other Media
Other minor appearances were an appearance on the last episode of 'The Super Mario Brothers Super Show! and a Banzai Bill appearing in the background of a Wii tech demo. A sign for a "Bullet Bill's" organization (presumably a restaurant) was also given a brief appearance in the Super Mario Bros. film. More recently, a Bullet Bill appeared in a Wii commercial, on the side of the PR's car.

Sub-Species

 * Banzai Bill: A giant Bullet Bill.
 * Bombshell Bill: A golden, upgraded version of the Bullet Bill
 * Missile Bill: A red, heat-seeking version of the Bullet Bill; may come also in purple
 * Bouncing Bullet Bill: An orange, rubber version of the Bullet Bill
 * Torpedo Ted: Although not a sub-species per-se, Torpedo Teds are relatives of the Bullet Bill that live underwater
 * Sniper Bill: A Bullet Bill with a sniper gun
 * Cosmic Bullet Bill: A heat-seeking Bullet Bill with red glowing eyes from Super Mario Galaxy.

Paper Mario Stats and Tattle Information

 * HP: 2
 * Attack: 2
 * Defense: 0
 * Location: Koopa Bros. Fortress
 * Tattle: This is a Bullet Bill, a kamikaze attacker. If you don't beat Bullet Bills quickly, they'll slam into you and explode. I'm serious, Mario. These guys will really make us pay if they manage to hit us! We have to beat 'em before they get the chance to strike us.