Statue Mario

Statue Mario is a form of Mario or Luigi first appearing in Super Mario Bros. 3. While in this form, the Mario Bros. are invulnerable to all enemies, though they are immobile.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Statue Mario debuted as a form of Tanooki Mario (which also provided flight and transformation on the ground), accessed by pressing Down on the and  at the same time. As a statue, Tanooki Mario cannot move, but he cannot be hurt either, and if he uses this ability in the air, he can defeat many enemies, instantly destroying all Goombas and enemies with throwable shells (like Koopas, Buzzy Beetles, and Spinies). The statue can also stomp previously unstompable enemies like Piranha Plants, Big Piranha Plants, Fire Piranha Plants, Spiny Eggs, Thwomps, Lava Bubbles, Fire Snakes, and Chain Chomps.

The Statue form is also the only way to destroy Roto-Discs and Rocket Engine flames. Statue Mario will sink rapidly underwater, and can even oppose some pipes' upward currents. This allows Mario to stomp Lava Lotuses, Bloopers and fish enemies underwater. Boss Bass is the only fish that Mario can't stomp on, and the only enemy that can defeat him in that form by eating him. In Super Mario All-Stars, Tweester can turn Statue Mario back into Tanooki Mario on contact. He can still turn into the statue while in the Tweester, but it will not free him or have any desirable effect. Statue Mario will also automatically revert to Tanooki form in five seconds.

In the ending, a Koopa Troopa can be seen comically praying before Statue Mario as if he was a religious idol.

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 adds new utilities to this form: it can reveal Vanishing Blocks and break Grey Brick Blocks, but only for the statue's duration.

Super Mario 3D Land
In this game, due to the absence of Raccoon Mario and the Tanooki Suit, Statue Mario or Luigi can only be used with a Statue Leaf, which replaces the Super Leaf in the Special Worlds' levels. The statue now depicts Tanooki Mario raising his right hand with an extra red scarf, or Kitsune Luigi raising his left hand with a green scarf.

The statue transformation replaces the Ground Pound in this game. The longer or  is held, the longer the brothers will stay in statue form. When Statue Mario shakes in about twelve seconds, he reverts to Tanooki form. The statue form will protect the brothers from most hazards within levels, except for lava or the time running out. Almost all enemies (which ignore the Mario Bros. in statue form) can be taken out with a statue stomp.

Super Mario 3D World
In Super Mario 3D World, despite Tanooki Mario's reappearance, neither Statue Mario nor the Statue Leaf return. But, if Mario obtains a Lucky Bell and turns into Lucky Cat Mario, he can transform into Golden Statue Mario, which functions similarly to Statue Mario, but Mario is invincible (rather than ignored and invulnerable) and earns coins while falling in that form.

Mario Kart 8
Tanooki Mario's anti-gravity-specific trick is briefly transforming into this form before turning back.

Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition
This form returns in Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition as an unlockable form. Statue Mario, who is Light/Fire-attributed, is gained after ★World 1 is cleared; his skill "Statue Shine" changes all orbs into Light Orbs and Heart Orbs, and his leader skill, aptly named "Mario's Luck", raises the team's attack power by 3x, as long as their HP is 50% or more of the total. Statue Luigi, who is a Light/Wood character, is unlocked after beating ★World 2; his "Statue Flash" skill turns Heart Orbs into Light Orbs, and his leader skill "Luigi's Luck" increases the team's attack power by 3.5x after attacking with 4 or more attributes at once.

Super Mario-Kun
Statue Mario appears in Super Mario-Kun. Instead of using a Tanooki Suit, Mario and Luigi are turned into stone by a sphinx-like creature with a Thwomp for a face. However, only Mario resembles the Super Mario Bros. 3 statue, and unlike in the games, Mario can move and even fight his enemies as a statue.

Trivia

 * According to the comic book story "Tanooki Suits Me", the statue transformation is triggered by pressing a button on the front of the Tanooki Suit, and to change back, one has to simply wish he or she were human again.
 * The effect of the Stone Cap in Paper Mario is similar to Statue Mario, as it also transforms Mario into an invincible, yet immobile stone statue.
 * While the form itself doesn't appear in the game, in the final levels of New Super Mario Bros. 2, the Koopalings show up and try to turn Mario/Luigi into stone with a blinding light from the Koopa Clown Car. Unlike the proper statue form, this state is involuntary and serves as a hindrance, which Mario/Luigi must avoid by hiding behind walls in the background. If they are turned to stone, the player must mash the buttons to revert to normal.