Ladder

Ladders are objects in the original Donkey Kong game. They are found throughout the stage and serve as a connection between two ramps. Mario has to use them in order to get to the top and to avoid Barrels and Trouble Bugs. Some of the Ladders are broken; Mario cannot climb these. He also cannot climb any Ladders if he is carrying a Hammer.

Ladders reappear in Donkey Kong for the Game Boy in several varieties. The static ladders from the original arcade game make a return in many levels of the game. Mario can only climb a ladder if he stands on solid ground, which is an important element in some levels, where he first has to place a Road or jump on an icicle to have a platform to stand on from which he can climb the ladder. Some ladders in the game are also opening and closing in specific patterns. Mario can only climb those up completely if they are fully open. Another important element in the game's puzzles are ladders than can be placed by Mario himself. If Mario jumps against a Ladder block in the game, the game freezes and the player has to place the ladder in any free point of the level. The ladder will then extend itself upwards and downwards as far as it can. The ladder is timed, and disappears after the time has passed. This timer indicated with a music that starts playing as soon as the ladder is placed and gets faster gradually. The timer can be reset to 0 if Mario places another ladder within the first ladder's time limit, or any other placeable objects such as Roads, Springs and blocks. After disappearing, the ladder can then be placed with the Ladder block again.

Ladders have made appearances as well in Super Mario Land's Bonus Game, in Mario vs. Donkey Kong, in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis and in Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!. Ladders appear in the Rumble Falls and 75m stages of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. They can also be added to custom stages.

In Super Paper Mario, Ladders appear in a few levels, but work more like Beanstalks. Here, they took on the appearance of a long black zigzag line due to the game's theme. Also, Bowser is unable to climb up the Ladder. If he tried, he would struggle and mutter "Can't climb this!"