Time Limit

A Time Limit, or Timer, is instituted in many Mario series games, especially early platformers.

Time Limit in Platformers
All the Super Mario Bros. games (not including the Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic version of Super Mario Bros. 2), Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. have time limits in most levels, that is, a certain amount of seconds to finish the level. These limits usually start large (300/400), but are no less than 200 and are used as a means to keep the player moving throughout the level, and not have a luxury of "waiting" for enemies to clear on their own by falling down a pit, for example. Faster music cuing the player to finish up the level occurs often if there are less than 100 seconds left. Also, when a level is finished successfully, the time left is multiplied by a certain number, varying by game (often 50), and added to the player's score. Sometimes when playing in Bowser's Castle in New Super Mario Bros. and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, players are given 800 seconds because of the large size.

However, levels are designed in such a way that they can be beaten well before the time limit expires. If it does expire on a tortoise-moving player, a life will automatically be lost, along with a "time up" message before being returned to the level or map screen. If the player starts at a midway point in a level after losing a life, the time resets all the way back up to the original starting time, making it easier to complete.

Some platformers' levels use the time limit to provide an additional challenge. An example is the Super Mario World level Funky.

Also, Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 uses the time limit as a challenge (a legitimate one at that), but only while Speedy Comets and some Purple Comets orbit the galaxy and some mini-game challenges.

Mario Platformers with Time Limits

 * Donkey Kong (Original version)
 * Donkey Kong Jr.
 * Super Mario Bros.
 * Super Mario Bros. 2 (Original version)
 * Super Mario Bros. 3
 * Super Mario Land
 * Super Mario World
 * Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
 * Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
 * Donkey Kong (Game Boy version)
 * ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
 * Mario vs. Donkey Kong
 * New Super Mario Bros.
 * Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
 * Mario vs. Donkey Kong 3: Minis March Again!
 * Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!
 * New Super Mario Bros. Wii
 * ''Super Mario 64x4

Mario Platformers without Time Limits

 * Mario Bros.
 * Wrecking Crew
 * Super Mario Bros. 2 (Doki Doki Panic version)
 * Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
 * Super Mario 64
 * Yoshi's Story
 * Super Mario Sunshine (includes optional Red Coin challenges)
 * Yoshi Topsy-Turvy
 * Yoshi Touch & Go
 * Super Princess Peach
 * Yoshi's Island DS (includes an optional Time Trial mode)
 * Super Mario Galaxy (includes optional Speedy Comet challenges and mini-games)
 * Super Mario Galaxy 2 (includes optional Speedy Comet challenges and mini-games)

Time Limit in Spin-Offs
Time limits appear in many Mario spin-off titles ranging from go-kart racing to sports.

Sports
In sports games such as Mario Smash Football and Mario Strikers Charged Football, the match has a certain time limit which can be manually set from two to fifteen minutes. If the scores are equal after the time has run out, sudden death will commence. Mario Hoops 3-on-3 also has a time limit for all basketball games ranging from 1:40 to 3:20 divided up into two or four periods with 2:30 as the default amount.

Mario Sports Mix
The new sports game, Mario Sports Mix, includes a time limit as well, and the only sport that doesn't have it is volleyball. The limit can be manually set in the sport's exhibition mode. Also, in the game, party games have a time limit, and the only one that doesn't have it is Harmony Hustle. The Shot Clock is also considered a time limit in this game, and the only two sports that use it are Basketball and Dodgeball. Just like the game clock, the Shot Clock can be manually set in the exhibition mode of these two sports. In Basketball, each team is given twenty-four seconds to shoot the basketball while Dodgeball has thirty seconds to attack with the ball.

Mario Kart series
The Mario Kart series also has a time limit and comes in various ways like collecting Shine Sprites, battling, and missions.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
The Shine Thief battle game from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! has a time limit for holding the Shine Sprite. If the characters hold on to it when the time limit ends, then that team wins. The limit decreases when the team gets hit with an item.

Mario Kart DS
In Mario Kart DS, the battle game Shine Runners has a sixty second time limit for collecting Shine Sprites. When time is up after the first round and when someone has the least amount, they will be out for the rest of the game and an additional thirty seconds is added for each new round. Time limits are also found in some missions in Mission Mode.

Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart Wii also has a timer for all Battle Mode games. The time limit for all Battle Mode games is three minutes with faster music coming in at the final minute of battle. When there is only ten seconds left until the whistle, the battle timer will flash red, which means that teams are given one last chance to collect coins or pop balloons.

Mario Party series
The Mario Party series also has a time limit for most of the mini-games ranging from three seconds to five minutes with thirty seconds as the default amount. When the timer runs out or when it stops, the mini-games end.

Super Smash Bros. series
In the Super Smash Bros. series, the Time mode is one of the rule setting options for VS mode. After the set time limit has run out, the KO scores of the players are tallied up and the player with the most points wins. Coin mode works the same way, but with coins as the scoreboard for each match. Even Bonus mode has the same thing as the other two modes, but they don't know the final score until the end of the match. The Home-Run Contest from Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl has a ten second time limit so players can smash Sandbag as far as possible. Break the Targets! also have a time limit as well. Players have two minutes to smash all ten targets as fast as they can. When there's only five seconds remaining until the end of the match in all three installments of the series, the announcer will count down from that corresponding number, giving the fighters one last chance to attack and when he calls "TIME!", that means that's the end of the match.

Donkey Kong Country series
In the Donkey Kong Country series, the time limit appeared in various Bonus Levels, telling them how much time the Kongs have left in the challenge. If they collect everything before time runs out, then they'll get a prize for finishing it like DK Coins, Kremkoins, and more.

Donkey Kong Country Returns
In Donkey Kong Country Returns, the Bonus Levels have a thirty second time limit. Here, Donkey and Diddy Kong must collect all of the bananas, Banana Coins and Extra Life Balloons. If they collect them all before time expires, then they are rewarded with a Puzzle Piece.

Countdown Timer
The Countdown Timer is another type of time limit that appeared in the Mario series. It tells the player when to start anything in the series like racing, mini-game challenges, battles, and more. Most timers start at three, while others have more.

Yoshi's Island series
In the Yoshi's Island series, the timer appears on the top of the screen to tell the player how much time the Yoshis have to save the baby he is currently on in the game. When the timer runs out, some Toadies will take the baby and the Yoshi will lose a life. The timer always starts at ten when the stage began and it can be increased by getting stars and passing through Middle Rings.

Pre-Race Countdown Timer
The Pre-Race Countdown Timer is a special countdown timer that Lakitu uses only in the Mario Kart series of games. It is used to signal the start of each and every race. The only three games that use this timer are Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, and Mario Kart Wii. Not only that the timer signals the start of the race for the players, it can also start battles, time trials, and missions.

Timer Sounds
When the countdown starts, a special sound is heard to tell the player when the race or battle can officially begin. Every installment of the Mario Kart series has the trademark beep for racing and battling but in Mario Kart Wii, it has two sounds. The only exclusive sound that is used for battling in Mario Kart Wii is the air horn. When the countdown ends and when that final beep is heard, then that means that the race or battle has officially begun.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem, the countdown timer tells the player when to start a battle against Donkey Kong, special levels, and mini-games.

Super Mario Galaxy series
In Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, the timer shares the same thing as the Mario Kart series but, it is used in various mini-game challenges like Crate Burning, Fluzzard racing, The Chimp's skating challenges, Manta Ray Surfing, and more.

Pre-Fight Countdown Timer
The Pre-Fight Countdown Timer is a special timer that appeared in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. In these two installments, the timer appeared on the top of the screen to signal the start of the match. When the announcer of the game counts down from three, the fighters will make an entrance to the battle arena before the "GO!" signal is given to start fighting.

WarioWare series
In the WarioWare series, the countdown timer is a Wario Bomb. It tells the player how much is left during a microgame. Players have four or eight seconds to finish the game. If they do succeed the challenge before it explodes, then the game is won.

Donkey Kong Country Returns
In Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii, the countdown is done by a Tutorial Pig to start the level that is beaten once in Time Attack mode. When the countdown ends, the pig waves the green flag so he can let Donkey and Diddy Kong start their run.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
In Donkey Kong Barrel Blast, the countdown sequence is the same as the Mario Kart series, but with a small change, it can only be used for all of the races in the game.

Trivia

 * The countdown sequence for Super Mario Galaxy 2 is exactly the same as the timer from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart DS, but the difference between these games is the color of the sequence and the design.