Airship

An Airship is a large, propeller and Rocket Engine-driven ship that can soar through the sky. Airships are most commonly equipped with cannons, Bullet Bills and Bob-ombs.

''Super Mario Bros. 3
In Super Mario Bros. 3, several Airships are used by Bowser and his Koopalings in their invasion of the Mushroom World. Mario or Luigi would need to avoid the various obstacles and the Rocky Wrench crew of an Airship to reach its main cabin, where the Airship's captain could be fought. If Mario or Luigi failed to conquer an Airship, it would fly away to another location on the world map. However, if the Airship was weighed down by an Anchor, it would be unable to do so. After the Magic Wand is secured, the airship vanishes, and Mario falls down into the castle and gives the scepter back to the King. It may indicate the airship is a creation of magic.

''Super Mario World
In Super Mario World, a crashed, ruined Airship, named the Sunken Ghost Ship, can be explored in Soda Lake. It is haunted by Boos and filled with water. Completion of this sunken Airship is necessary to unlock the Valley of Bowser's entrance.

''Super Mario 64
In Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS, what may be an Airship appears in Rainbow Ride. Wind blows there, and a Lakitu, Bob-omb, and Goomba appear aboard it. In one mission, Wario needs to use his metal ability to grab a Star on this Airship (in the original the metal form wasn't necessary). This same ship was featured in the Super Smash Bros. series within the stage Mushroom Kingdom: Rainbow Cruise a stage based on Raindow Ride. This Airship would also later be seen in Mario Party (housing the Luigi's Engine Room board). Interestingly, its rather aberrant winged design appears to be based on a Japanese advertisement for Super Mario Bros. 3.

''Super Mario Galaxy
In Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser and his Koopa Troop attack Princess Peach's Castle with Airships. Later in the game, Mario will have to fight enemies on Airships. There are three Airship stages. In the Good Egg Galaxy, two Airships are commanded by King Kaliente. In the Space Junk Galaxy, a larger group of Airships are led by Kamella. Finally, an entire fleet of Airships are commanded by Bowser Jr., who also rides one throughout the game.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
An airship also appears at the beginning of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, where Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings carry off Princess Peach in it. This resembles the airships seen in Super Mario Galaxy. Mario and his friends end up chasing it throughout the game, with the airship dropping one of the Koopalings off at the world's tower. Upon defeating the Koopaling at the castle at the end of each world, Mario and company walk outside to see Bowser Jr. boarding the airship and taking off, with Peach crying for help from the deck. In Worlds 4 and 6, however, Bowser Jr. gets left behind by the airship, and he gets chased back into it by Mario and the gang, who board it as well. Each time a battle ensued between Mario and Bowser Jr., after which Bowser Jr. destroys the floor and dumps Mario and his friends back outside to continue the pursuit.

Finally, at World 8, Kamek is sent out to the tower to stop the heroes while the airship flies to the end of the world by itself with no castle in sight. Upon his defeat, Kamek returns to the airship, which Mario and his friends subsequently board by themselves. After one last battle with Bowser Jr., Mario and friends finally find Peach on the deck, but Kamek intervenes and steals her away. Their goal now relocated to Bowser's Castle, Mario and company abandon the airship for the remainder of the game.

''Super Mario Galaxy 2
Airships make a minor appearance in Super Mario Galaxy 2. In Bowser Jr's Fearsome Fleet, two Airships come out of portals (the second of which has a Hammer Bro. and a Comet Medal). At the end of Fleet Glide Galaxy, Airships appear and shoot Bullet Bills at the player.

Mario & Luigi series
While airships are largely absent from the Mario & Luigi series, the Koopa Cruiser seems to be Bowser's personal airship in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. It is quite different from the other airships in the Mario games.

Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
In DDR: Mario Mix the S.S. Brass is an airship. Toad and Mario (or Luigi) travel around the Mushroom Kingdom searching for the Music Keys in it. It also doubles as a normal (sea going) ship in the second world.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
A single Airship, owned by Bowser and only ever referred to as the Doomship, appeared regularly throughout The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3; like its game counterparts, the Doomship was equipped with a large amount of artillery and also possessed a trait not seen in any game's featuring Airships, the ability to teleport to other locations. The Doomship was built by Kooky von Koopa.

"Mutiny on the Fungi"
In Nintendo Comics System, an Airship only ever made one appearance, in the issue "Mutiny on the Fungi", which had Bowser and his crew of Koopa Troopas and Mushroom People using an Airship to steal various treasures.

''Nintendo Adventure Books
Airships also appeared in several Nintendo Adventure Books, where they were used by Bowser and the Koopalings; like in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, the Airships of Nintendo Adventure Books were only ever referred to by the moniker of Doomship.

Super Smash Bros. series
The Rainbow Cruise stage featured in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl included the Super Mario 64 airship; it is the beginning platform in these stages, and carries players left until it hits a platform-filled area and sinks, only to be generated again later as the automatically-scrolling stage loops back to its beginning. Of note is that this interpretation of the Rainbow Ride airship is actually more airship-like than the original one, while Super Mario 64 showed it to only have wings keeping it afloat. The Super Smash Bros. series also gives it the propellers common on traditional Airships. Additionally, a remix of the Super Mario Bros. 3 airship music can be selectable for the Luigi's Mansion stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

''Mario Kart DS
In Mario Kart DS, the race course Airship Fortress appears in the Star Cup and partially takes place on an Airship, which is in the midst of attacking a collapsing fortress. Like the Airships of Super Mario Bros. 3, the Airship portion of Mario Kart DS 's Airship Fortress track is filled with Rocky Wrenches, Bullet Bills and Rocket Engines. Also of note is that more of the inner workings of Airships are seen in this game; the Airship explored features, in addition to the deck, a storage room, boiler room, and a very large cannon.

''Mario Hoops 3-on-3
In Mario Hoops 3-on-3, Black Mage, White Mage and Ninja's court, the Rainbow Ship, is a large Airship adorned with various statues and a large basketball court on it. It is based off the airships of Final Fantasy rather than the airships of Mario's World, making its mention here questionable.

Trivia

 * The Airships in Super Mario Galaxy and New Super Mario Bros. Wii share music with those of Super Mario Bros. 3. The tune appears to be based on "Mars, the Bringer of War" from Gustav Holst's "The Planets" suite, which is very appropriate for a warship.
 * While Airships are absent from Paper Mario, their music is remixed for the Koopa Bros.' Bill Blaster attack on Mario and his partners.
 * Bowser's Clown Car could be seen as a small personal airship for one, or two, being that Peach came out of it when Mario (or Luigi) beat Bowser at the end of Super Mario World.
 * In Super Mario Galaxy and subsequent games, airships have been redesigned to resemble naval galleons, similar to how they appeared in the Super Mario Bros. 3 artwork. These galleons have few decks for Mario to explore, unlike the original sprawling, side-scrolling Super Mario Bros. 3 airship levels.