Ice Mario

Ice Mario is a form that Mario can take upon touching an Ice Flower in New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario Galaxy. Between the two games, both the appearance and abilities of Ice Mario vary greatly.

Super Mario Galaxy
When Mario grabs an Ice Flower in Super Mario Galaxy, his body turns into solid ice. While granted this form, any water or lava he touches freezes solid in the form of a hexagonal platform (which melts after a period of time if left unoccupied). This allows Mario to walk or skate across vast distances of water or lava with ease and safety. Ice Mario can also freeze water spouts and waterfalls, which usually grant him passage to higher areas. Like Fire Mario, this power-up has a time limit.

A downside of this power-up is that Ice Mario's midair spin is diminished. Ice Mario's midair spin gains almost no height, unlike Mario's regular form. Therefore, Ice Mario cannot jump as high.

This power-up is introduced in the Freezeflame Galaxy, but can also be found in the Beach Bowl Galaxy and the Deep Dark Galaxy. Ice Mario is one of two power-ups in the game that was not carried over to its sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2, the other being Flying Mario.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Ice Mario returns in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but Ice Mario's appearance and powers have been changed. The Ice Flower here gives Mario, Luigi, and the Blue and Yellow Toads the power to shoot Ice Balls, just like in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. Rather than turning into a living being of ice, Ice Mario's overalls turn red, while his cap and shirt turn light blue, similar to Fire Mario (likewise, Luigi and the Toads have their own take on this appearance). Unlike in Super Mario Galaxy, Ice Mario's power does not have a time-limit.

Ice Mario is not to be confused with Penguin Mario, an improved version of the former power-up. Ice Mario can only shoot ice balls while Penguin Mario has more abilities. Penguin Mario can slide on his belly, destroying breakable blocks in his way. He also has better swimming abilities and the ability to walk on ice without sliding. The Penguin Suit itself is rarer than the Ice Flower.

The ice balls can be used to neutralize the magical projectiles fired by Larry, Iggy, Morton, Roy, Ludwig, and Kamek. They can also be used to douse the fireballs spat by Bowser and Bowser Jr.. However, they are unable to inflict damage to, or freeze, any of the bosses. Normal enemies will be trapped in ice blocks when hit by an ice ball. They will eventually try to free themselves, but the effect of this varies from enemy to enemy. Some will die after breaking free, releasing coins, but others can free themselves without taking damage.

The frozen enemies can be ground-pounded to kill them. Many frozen enemies can also be killed by throwing them, which will make them slide in the direction they were thrown, killing any other enemies in their path until they shatter on a wall or fall of a cliff. Even undefeatable enemies like Dry Bones can be destroyed after being frozen and will not revive. However, some enemies and obstacles like Thwomps are so solid that ice balls shatter on them, making them useless. Other large enemies, such as Porcu-Puffers and Super Piranha Plants, can be frozen, but will break out immediately and ultimately cannot be harmed by ice. Flying enemies can be frozen in mid-air, allowing the player to jump off them, but after a while they will try to get free, and their block will fall and break on the ground, defeating them.

Super Mario Galaxy Trading Card Description
''A CHILLY kind of flower power, Ice Mario is a form that Mario can take when he grabs an Ice Flower. When he powers up to this transformation, he can walk on any body of water or lava by freezing the liquid in hexagonal platforms and simply walking across. look in the Freezeflame Galaxy and others to.''

Trivia

 * The music played during the duration of this power up in Super Mario Galaxy closely resembles the music played for Fire Mario, but is played in a higher key.
 * In Super Smash Bros Brawl, one of Mario's alternate color outfits slightly resembles that of Ice Mario in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
 * Ice Mario in Super Mario Galaxy resembles Cosmic Mario and Shadow Mario.
 * Ice Mario is also the only power up to debut in a 3D Mario game to later appear in a 2D one as well.