Invincible Mario

Invincible Mario is a form Mario assumes after using a Star. In this state, which only lasts for a few seconds, he is resistant to any enemy. Additionally, he is able to defeat them by simply touching them. However, he is not protected from falling into a pit, lava, losing a life when the time runs out, etc. Invincible Mario, just like the Star, made his first appearance in Super Mario Bros.. Invincibility is depicted by a flashing, and, in later games, also color-changing character. Since this is not really a transformation, Mario can become invincible and maintain the form he had before, for example, if he is Fire Mario and gets a Star, he becomes invincible, but he is still in Fire form. Wario can also become invincible in Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 using a Starman as well. In most games, when Mario, upon being touched by an enemy for example, changes his form to a less powerful one (usually Small Mario), he will be invulnerable for a few seconds as well.

In the Mario Kart series, every driver could become invincible by collecting and using a Star, allowing them to make other drivers slide or tumble by touching them. In Super Mario Galaxy, there is a similar form, named Rainbow Mario.

In Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros., and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, there are some ? Blocks that normally contain coins but will contain Starmans if Mario or Luigi is invincible when they strike the block. This allows the player to string together a long period of invincibility.

Starting in Super Mario World, Invincible Mario could get extra lives by defeating eight or more enemies while invincible.

Trivia

 * In the original Super Mario Bros. and its derivatives, Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels and Super Mario Bros. Deluxe Invincible Mario was not immune to castle based objects such as Bowser and Firebars, though in normal gameplay no castle based levels have blocks with stars.