Darkness

Darkness is a recurring obstacle in the Super Mario franchise, representing player characters' reduced range of vision in low light.

Player characters and other important entities, such as enemies, coins, and power-ups, often appear lit to remain visible to the player. In this case, darkness mainly obscures the terrain, leaving pits unmarked and making projectiles' trajectories harder to predict. The exact lighting effect used for this has depended on hardware limitations and stylistic considerations. Many games use a spotlight effect.

Emissive objects increase the range of vision in the dark. Some, such as Light Boxes, can also defeat light-sensitive enemies. After touching a Super Star, Invincible Mario illuminates the entire screen, clearing the darkness until the invincibility expires.

Darkness has a more aesthetic than mechanical effect in some games. For example, in some games in the Mario Kart series, karts' headlights will turn on in dark areas, but the visibility is relatively good regardless.

Super Mario Bros. 3
In Super Mario Bros. 3, the third overworld screen of Dark Land is shrouded in darkness, with only the player's vicinity lit in a circle. Unlike later games, the levels themselves are not darker than expected.

Super Mario World
In Super Mario World, the final room of Bowser's Castle before the battle with Bowser is dimly lit. A spotlight below the Item Stock casts a beam of light down across the center of the screen, rocking back and forth. The dark room is accessed directly though the Back Door, with slight alterations from the Front Door layout.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Darkness occurs in multiple courses in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. It is first present in the main underground area of World 2-3, which demonstrates that it is warded off by the fireballs of Fire Mario, Fire Piranha Plants, Fire Snakes, and Fire Bros, as well as torches in the ground.

Glow Blocks increase the holder's range of vision. They appear in World 2-5,, World 6-6, and World 8-4.

World 8-4 introduces bioluminescent enemies: Bulbers and Jellybeams.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Flash Black Galaxy is pitch-black; a flash of light illuminates the course every eight beats of the background music. Entities that are not part of the terrain proper, such as player characters, items, enemies, and Empty Blocks, are always shown at full brightness. Parts of the background are also dimly lit, which can provide contrast with the pitch-black terrain. However, the back wall of the tower makes this less effective.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Darkness returns in New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, serving as the same visual hazard as in New Super Mario Bros. Wii in all three games. The player(s) are able to temporarily push back the darkness with Glowing Baby Yoshis.

Super Mario Maker 2
In Super Mario Maker 2, darkness occurs in sub-areas with the Underwater (night) and Ghost House (night) course themes. A small radius around player characters and certain objects is lit up; this radius changes based on the state of the ON/OFF Switch.

Super Mario 3D World
In Super Mario 3D World, darkness occurs in Switchblack Ruins, illuminated by Torches, lava, and Fire Piranha Plants. It returns in later levels, A Beam in the Dark and Deep-Black Jungle Drift, where players can use the Light Box to cast a beam of light.

Hotel Mario
"You bring a light?"

- Luigi

In Hotel Mario, Roy's HardBrick Hotel has flickering lights due to a room full of toasters using too much electricity. In hallways with windows, the visibility is unaffected by the power going out.

Some stages of Larry's Chillton Hotel also feature darkness. Floors other than the one that Mario is currently on are dimly lit.

Super Paper Mario
In Chapter 7-2 of Super Paper Mario, the Underwhere Road, darkness obscures certain rooms. The darkness is stylized as an animated scribble around the player character.

Mario Party 10
In Mario Party 10, darkness occurs in the minigame Murky Maze, wherein the players use Glow Blocks to navigate a dark maze.