Lava Bubble

Podoboos (Japanese バブル Baburu "Bubble") are living fireballs that emerge from lava. Most depictions shows them with two black eyes. They mainly appear in the Mario platformers but occasionally appear in the Mario Party sub-series. They first appeared in Super Mario Bros., as simple fire balls, that would jump out of the magma in simple patterns when Mario was in a castle. Like most enemies, they appeared again in Super Mario Bros. 3, and can now move in more directions then just up and down. They again appear in the Castle levels of Super Mario World, where they act the same as in their previous appearances. However, some will now be found outside the Lava at all times, bouncing around the Boss rooms. They again appeared in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga as obstacles in a pseudo-sidescrolling area in Bowser's Castle. They have since appeared in Super Princess Peach, New Super Mario Bros., and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Most games, they were invincible only being destroyed by Starmen (most games), Hammer Suit (Super Mario Bros. 3), and/or Ice Suit (New Super Mario Bros. Wii).

Like other Mario enemies, Podoboos have had many names due to translation squabbles. Lava Bubble and Sparky are also Podoboos.

Mario Party series
In most Mario Party titles, Podoboos appear as Orbs.

Mario Party
In this game, one of the mini-games requires contestants to Jump over a rope made up of many Podoboos. Contestants must jump over the flaming rope twenty times. If one fails to do so, he or she loses fifteen coins, and five coins go to everyone else. However, if all complete it successfully, everyone gets ten coins.

Mario Party 2
The Podoboo-rope jumping mini-game returns in Mario Party 2. This time, contestants start by jumping over slow, blue Podoboos five times. After five jumps, the Podoboos turn orange and go swifter. The rope keeps twirling until only one contestant remains. The winning contestant gains ten coins.

Mario Party 3
In this game, Podoboos appear in the battle mini-game, All Fired Up. Here the Player must avoid them and try to be the last one remaining to win the mini-game.

Mario Party 8
In this game, the minigame Lava or Leave 'Em requires contestants to dodge a podoboo that splits into many other podoboos. Contestants start by avoiding one podoboo but that podoboo splits into two other podoboos that soon split into four which split into eight and so on. The contestants must also not fall into the lava on the outside of the platform. The contestants must avoid these obstacles until there is one left standing; the winner will get ten coins. Also, when the player land on a Bowser Space, they have to jump 3 Podoboos for 10 seconds. If the player miss one, they'll lose 10 Coins.

Mario Kart series
Mario Kart DS has some Podoboos. Most of them are located in Desert Hills, being shot down by Angry Sun. Podoboos appear as enemies in the Grumble Volcano course of Mario Kart Wii, and on various Bowser's Castle courses throughout the entire series. While in most courses, they jump out of lava, and then fall back down, at Grumble Volcano, the large pieces of rock from the volcano hit the ground to become very large Podoboos. In the Mario Kart Wii remake of Desert Hills, the Podoboos return.

Related Fire-Like Creatures

 * Trouble Bug - Donkey Kong
 * Hot Foot - Super Mario Bros. 3
 * Fire Snake - Super Mario Bros. 3
 * Fireball - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
 * Pyrosphere - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
 * Lava Ghost - Yoshi's Story
 * Ember - Paper Mario
 * Lava Bubble - Paper Mario
 * Phantom Ember - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
 * Fire Elemental Ghost - Luigi's Mansion
 * Burn Bit - Super Mario Galaxy