Gravity

Gravity is a theoretical force that draws two or more objects together. While gravity points in a consistent direction in most Super Mario games, some games have mechanics that revolve around altered and planetary gravity.

Gravity itself informs other game mechanics, such as the presence of pits as an obstacle. In 3D platforming games, shadows are usually cast along the direction of gravity, to help show how objects are aligned in space.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
The only level in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island that has altered gravity is Raphael The Raven's Castle during the boss fight. Yoshi must run around the moon and Ground Pound the Stumps to attack Raphael the Raven on the other side. Yoshi is always shown upright; the arena rotates under him.

Yoshi Topsy-Turvy
Gravity is a main mechanic in Yoshi Topsy-Turvy. If the player tilts the Game Boy Advance left or right, the world tilts accordingly. This causes items and enemies such as Boulders to roll in the corresponding direction, and causes items such as apples to tilt in that direction as well.

Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2
In Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, the direction of gravity depends on the shape and appearance of a planetoid. This is controlled by invisible game objects that direct gravity toward the surface of basic shapes:
 * Parallel: Gravity vectors point in a consistent direction, toward a plane. This can work like gravity in other games, or point in other directions like upside down or sideways. In 2D sections, areas with different planar gravities may be indicated with gravity fields.
 * Sphere
 * Cube
 * Wire: Gravity vectors point toward a line-based path.
 * Cone: Examples include the Ocean Pudding Planet in Sea Slide Galaxy, and the giant ice cream cone in Toy Time Galaxy.
 * Torus
 * Disc
 * Wedge
 * Barrel: Only found in Super Mario Galaxy 2. The gravity vector field curves around the center of a disc. An example is the Wood Circle Cut Planet in Tall Trunk Galaxy.

In practice, this leads to four main conceptual models of gravity:
 * Planetary gravity, which draws Mario in on all sides of the planet. This allows Mario to traverse the underside of a planet. An example of this is the mini-planets in the Gusty Garden Galaxy.
 * Absolute gravity, which pulls Mario down, regardless of the planet. This causes slopes that Mario cannot climb. Falling off of the planet acts as a bottomless pit, causing Mario to lose a life even if he is not pulled into a black hole. An example is Honeyhive Galaxy's starting planet.
 * Outward gravity, which pulls Mario to the sides of a planet when he is inside one. Examples include the Tower Planet in Bowser's Galaxy Reactor, and the Warp Pipe area on the inside of the Asteroid Planet in Good Egg Galaxy.
 * Toroidal gravity, also referred to as "orbital" or "fall forever" gravity, which pulls Mario around the curved surface of a cylindrical planetoid. Examples are the Log Planet in Tall Trunk Galaxy and the Abandoned Rocketship Planet in Space Storm Galaxy.

Gravity is also manipulated in several levels, using Arrow Switches, which change the direction of gravity of the surrounding area; gravity spotlights, which push Mario toward a surface or another place like a tractor beam; and the grates and dirt patches in Flipsville Galaxy, which flip Mario's gravity when crossed. Pull Stars, Sling Stars, and Launch Stars allow Mario to ignore gravity while they are used.

Black holes use gravity to draw Mario or Luigi into them if they get too close, causing them to lose a life.

While shadows are still usually cast along the direction of gravity, there are exceptions when other spatial information is more important. For example, coins cast their shadows toward honey walls to show their position in space, even though it is not because of gravity that Bee Mario sticks to these walls. These exceptions are handled with invisible game objects similar to the ones that control gravity.

Super Mario Odyssey
In Super Mario Odyssey, altered gravity appears in certain 2D sections accessed by 8-Bit Pipes. Some use gravity fields. Others, such as ones seen in the Moon Kingdom, have Mario hopping to circular 2D planets with different gravity.

The Moon Kingdom, Dark Side, and Darker Side also have lower gravity, which allows Mario to perform much higher jumps than usual.

Super Paper Mario


Chapter 4 of Super Paper Mario takes place in Outer Space. As such, gravity is different than in the rest of the game. In Chapters 4-1 and 4-3, gravity is nonexistent, allowing Mario and co. to navigate freely. Pressing any direction on the Wii Remote's D-Pad will automatically propel the player in the given direction. When flipped into 3D, Mario can only move laterally due to the lack of other controls for vertical movement. The player cannot stomp enemies in zero gravity and must instead use Squirps' Squirt Beam.

Chapter 4-2 takes place on Planet Blobule, which has low gravity, allowing the characters to jump much higher than normal and to fall much slower.

Chapter 4-4 takes place in the Whoa Zone, which has normal gravity. However, entering certain doors and pipes may place the characters on the walls or ceiling of a room. Later in the level, gravity switches are found, which change the direction of the player's personal gravity.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Anti-gravity is a feature in the Mario Kart series, introduced in Mario Kart 8 and reappearing in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It allows vehicles to drive on upside-down and vertical sections of courses, and to perform Spin Boosts. An Antigravity Panel marks the start of an anti-gravity section.