Pillar

Pillars are large columns found in Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros., and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. These fearsome traps only appear in fortresses, towers, and castles, usually hidden in the floor, ceiling, or also in walls. They move slowly for some seconds to rise suddenly from the surface, smashing almost anything on their way. After some seconds later, pillars move back to rise again.

There are many types of pillars. Some are just large columns with a flat end that fall on the player. These can be avoided by hiding in small pits found under the pillars. There are also pencil shaped pillars with pointed ends and pillars covered with spikes on each side, called Spike Pillars.

Pillars are indestructible, so the player can't destroy them. The player has to avoid them if they have spikes, or else if the player touches them in small form, he/she will lose a life, but if the player has a Mushroom, he/she will turn back to small form instead. If the player has a different power-up and touches the spikes, he/she will turn back to normal, except in Super Mario World (SNES version), where the player reverts back to small form. If the player has a Starman or a Mega Mushroom, he/she will be immune to the pillars while in Invincible or Mega form.

The Spike Pillars in Super Mario World can cause an instant life loss if they're able to crush the player. In later games, however, the player can actually run through them.

All pillars are vertical in Super Mario World, but there are some horizontal pillars in New Super Mario Bros. and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Also, New Super Mario Bros. Wii does feature some even larger spike pillars in World 6-Tower and World 7-Castle.

Donkey Kong Country Returns also contains some spiked pillars in the level, Jagged Jewels.

Pillars also appear in the Super Mario World cartoons in the episode, "Mama Luigi". Here, they appear in King Koopa's Neon Castle and Baby Yoshi mindlessly hops into a room full of them. Luigi saves Yoshi from the Spike Pillars and he gets flattened himself until Mario comes at his aid.

Spike Pillars from New Super Mario Bros. Wii are set to re-appear in the Nintendo 3DS game, Super Mario 3DS. This marks the Spike Pillars' first appearance in a 3D Mario game.

Trivia

 * Smithy uses a special attack, the Sledge, which lets fall a pillar over his target.