Spike

"Spike 'em, er...Spike!"

- Bowser Jr.

Spikes are Koopa enemies that throw spiked balls or bars from within their mouths. They were designed by Hiroyuki Kimura at Nintendo, and they first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3. Spikes have black Buzzy Beetle-like shells on their backs that are too small for them to enter.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Spikes first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3 as enemies. They are found in one Water Land stage and many Ice Land stages, and they attack by pulling spiked balls out of their stomachs and throwing them at Mario or Luigi while wandering around. They can also fall off the edge like green Koopa Troopas. A single stomp defeats them. Despite their appearance, Spikes can be stomped even when they are holding their spiked balls above their heads. Their sprites are shown to not have hair while they are shown with blue hair in their Super Mario Bros. 3 artwork. Spikes can also be defeated by fireballs and hammers. The Water Land King also resembles a Spike while transformed in the NES version.

New Super Mario Bros.
Although no regular Spikes appear in New Super Mario Bros., an icy variety of Spike called Snow Spike appears in World 5-1. Instead of throwing spiked balls, Snow Spikes throw snowballs that progressively get bigger.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Normal Spikes reappear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, along with Stone Spikes, a blue variety that uses spiked balls made of stone thrown directly downwards from the ledges on which they stand. This game marks the first appearance of their modern design, which would go on to be re-used in future games. Spikes can be defeated by a simple jump to the head, however, unlike in Super Mario Bros. 3, if the Spike is holding a spiked ball it will damage the player. They can also be defeated by fireballs, barrels, being frozen via the Ice Flower or the Penguin Suit power-ups, and sliding into them as Penguin Mario. In this game, Spikes stay at one spot instead of walking around, although they can turn directions. The green variation appears only in World 2. Unlike regular spiked balls which destroys blocks, the Spike's spiked balls cannot break blocks.

New Super Mario Bros. U
Spikes and Stone Spikes also appear in New Super Mario Bros. U, where they act in the same way they did in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The green variation appears at their own level called Spike's Spouting Sands, where they appear mounted on Flying ? Blocks, while Stone Spikes appear in Dry Desert Mushrooms. The green Spikes jump whenever a "bah" is heard in the music.

Super Mario 3D World
Spikes make their first appearance in a 3D Mario platformer game in Super Mario 3D World. Here, they appear in a few levels, such as Spike's Lost City and Hands-On Hall, and throw Spike Bars instead of spiked balls.

Super Mario Run
Spikes return in Super Mario Run, though they only appear in the level Land of Spikes. They throw spiked balls like in previous games, except at slightly faster intervals.

Super Mario Maker 2
Spikes appear as enemies in version 2.0 of Super Mario Maker 2. In the Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 styles, the Spikes' spiked balls fly horizontally after being thrown like in Super Mario Bros. 3, though they start being affected by gravity once they touch the ground; while in the Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros. U and Super Mario 3D World styles, they only roll along the ground. The spiked balls can also be Spin Jumped on and, in the latter two styles, act as weight on Seesaws. In snow-themed levels, Spikes throw snowballs instead (similar to Snow Spikes), which can be jumped on, picked up, and thrown.

Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros.
In Super Mario Momotarō, a Spike is the last creature to join Mario on his mission to rescue Princess Peach. The Spike hopes to get his revenge against Bowser for destroying his home world. During the final battle he helps by knocking Ludwig von Koopa out with an exploding spike ball. After the final battle, he joins Mario in returning the treasure Bowser had stolen to their rightful owners. He is most likely based off of the monkey from the Momotarō.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island / Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
Spikes, known here as Mace Penguins, appear in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. They only are in BLIZZARD!!!, but in the remake, they also appear in Endless World of Yoshis.

Yoshi's Story
Spikes, known here as Gabons (a direct translation from Japanese, possibly due to the name being taken by another enemy), reappear in Yoshi's Story in the level Jungle Hut on Page 4. They regurgitate spiked balls and roll them down hills. The Yoshis may eat them, but the Green Yoshi likes them best. Additionally, the boss Don Bongo bears some resemblance to one.

Super Princess Peach
Spikes also appear in Super Princess Peach, which also introduces the orange haired, enraged Mad Spike.

Mario Party 9
A giant Spike appears as a boss in Mario Party 9. It is the mid boss of the Magma Mine board, while the stage boss is Chain Chomp. The minigame it is fought in is Spike Strike. During the minigame, the Spike attacks the players by spitting spiked balls onto the paths leading to them. The players must attack it by quickly choosing a hammer to smack the spiked balls back at him.

Mario Party: Island Tour
In Mario Party: Island Tour, a Spike is one of the possible tiles to appear in Match Faker. Stone Spikes appear in Mad Ladders.

Mario Party 10
Spike appears in Mario Party 10 as a new unlockable playable character. This is the first appearance of Spike as a playable character in the Mario franchise, and also the first game where Spike is not allied with the Koopa Troop. Spike is unlocked by purchasing "Hidden Character 2" in Toad's Room for 600 Mario Party Points, while Toadette is Hidden Character 1. Its voice in this game is the same as in Super Mario 3D World. Spike is also the only playable character in Mario Party 10 to not appear as a playable character in Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash.

Mario Party: Star Rush
Spikes appear as nonplayable characters in Mario Party: Star Rush, and are only encountered in the minigame Roller Revenge. Here, they throw spiked rollers at players, and players who are hit by the rollers lose a life. When the minigame is over, Spike does his second place animation from Mario Party 10.

Super Mario Party
Spikes appear in Super Mario Party as non-playable characters. They can be found in the background of several different minigames.

Paper Mario series
Although no regular Spikes appear in Paper Mario or Super Paper Mario, Clubbas, a variation of Spikes that use spiked clubs as weapons and are often seen sleeping, appear instead. Characters known as Tubba Blubba and Grubba appear in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, respectively.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Generic Spikes make their Paper Mario debut in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. They only appear within the levels of World 2. They also have a lot of HP and they have the same HP yellow Pokeys and Snifits have. Spikes also fight in groups of two later and are aided by Paragoombas, Paratroopas, Swoops and Hammer Bros. Spikes will chase Mario and throw their spike balls instead of tossing them slightly and letting it roll. In battle, Spikes can hold a spike ball over their heads, making jump attacks ineffective until they throw the ball on their next turn. Spikes can also Ground Pound Mario but if the attack misses, it will bounce to the left. When defeated they occasionally drop a Spike Ball sticker. Snow Spikes from New Super Mario Bros. also appear in this game and sometimes drop a Snowball sticker. If a Spiked ball is touched outside battle from a Spike, Mario loses 2 Heart Points.

Paper Mario: Color Splash
Spikes return in Paper Mario: Color Splash with the same appearance and behavior from the previous game. However, they don't hold the Spiked Balls during the entire battle this time around, but only when they attack. Also, the design of the spiked balls has changed, since the spikes were brown in Paper Mario: Sticker Star and are now white. Spikes appear in Kiwano Temple, The Golden Coliseum, and Sunset Express. Two Spikes assist Ludwig von Koopa in battle, and their Spiked Balls must be hit back at them as Raccoon Mario to defeat them. One appears as a member of the Shady Sledge Bro's gang in Dark Bloo Inn, and one also appears as an NPC on the Sunset Express.

Mario Golf: World Tour
Spikes appear in Mario Golf: World Tour as NPC characters in the Castle Club game mode. Their name can also appear on the tournament scoreboard. A giant Spike also appears in Wiggler Park.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Spikes return in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker acting like in Super Mario 3D World, although they can throw Spiked Balls as well. They appear in Windup Stairs, Seesaw Sizzle, Retro Ramp-Up, and Trick-Track Hall.

If a Spike is stunned using the pointer/touch screen as it is preparing to throw an obstacle, the object that has yet to leave its hands will be destroyed.

Certain Spikes, such as the ones in Trick Track Hall, cannot be defeated. The red turnips thrown by the 2nd player in the game's Co-op assist mode does not defeat them on the Nintendo Switch version. They can still be defeated using other methods such as spinning or using the Super Pickax.

Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash
Spikes make their Mario Tennis debut in Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash. Here, they appear in the crowd.

Mario Tennis Aces
Spikes make their second appearance in the Mario Tennis series in Mario Tennis Aces. While they appear as spectators like in Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, a Spike also appears as a playable character, classified as a Powerful character. This Spike also appeared in the online tournament demo as an unlockable playable character, unlocked after 600 participation points were accumulated.

The Sure Shot Challenge (Beginner) level of the Adventure mode pits Mario against Spike in Piranha Plant Forest. If Mario is successful in the challenge, Spike gives Mario the Wooden Racket.

Alternate costumes can be unlocked for Spike by earning participation points in the April 2019 online tournament. A blue headband and blue wristband costume is unlocked at 300 points, a pink headband and pink wristband costume is unlocked at 1000 points, and a yellow headband and yellow wristband costume is unlocked at 2000 points.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Spikes appear in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam as enemies during the second visit to Doop Doop Dunes and reside with their paper counterparts, Pokeys and Spinies. One Spike and Paper Spike are also fought as one of the Bowser Duo's last lines of defense in Neo Bowser Castle. In battle, Spikes may throw small spiked balls at all three bros at once which must be jumped over. It can also throw big spiked balls at one bro which must be hammered back, although only the last one will actually damage the Spike since the rest will ricochet off the next one thrown.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
Spikes appear in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, where they are enemies and recruitable allies found in Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser. They are ranged troopers, and attack by throwing Spiked Balls at enemies. Their special skill, Throw the Fight, allows them to throw larger Spiked Balls at enemies, dealing more damage.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
Spikes reappear in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, as enemies and allies in the Bowser Jr.'s Journey mode. They are ranged troopers, and are strong against both variants of Koopa Troopas and Koopa Paratroopas.

Mario Sports Superstars
Spikes, alongside Stone Spikes, make their playable debut in a Mario sports game as selectable teammates in Mario Sports Superstars, in the soccer and baseball modes of the game. They are classified as power type characters. They also appear as bosses in the Road to Superstar mode.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Spikes do not appear during the events of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, but there are recurring background elements in Spooky Trails that allude to them, like Spiked Balls and Spike Bars. In addition, one of Luigi's Precision weapons, the Spike Strike, is based on a Spike.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions

 * Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser profile: They spit up and throw Spike Balls at foes. Gross! The larger ones they throw are especially strong.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

 * Bowser Jr.'s Journey profile: They spit up and throw Spike Balls at foes. They seem to find the shells of Koopa Troopas and Koopa Paratroopas to be easy targets.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

 * Trading Card description: "Save room for spike balls! Spikes have room in their stomachs for unlimited ammunition. They spew razor-tipper balls at you at any given time. You can kill them by bopping them on the head, but time your jumps carefully or you will get hit. Look out for the blue-colored Spikes—unlike their green counterparts, they spew rock spike balls, aiming downward."

Super Mario Run

 * Notebook bio: "This hardworking turtle has a very small shell. It spits out metal balls that it'll throw at its enemies."
 * Spike Statue: "Spikes may look all cute and innocent, but watch out when they hurl those spiked balls!"

Trivia

 * In Japanese, the spiked balls thrown by Spikes and Ptooies are named "shūringan" (シューリンガン). The name shūringan is taken from the Japanese rakugo folktale , from which the Japanese names of Lakitu (Jugemu) and Spiny Eggs (Paipo) are also derived.
 * In the Super Mario Bros. movie, one of President Koopa's cousins is named Spike. The film character bears no resemblance to the Spike species depicted in the games, however.
 * Spike's Super Mario Bros. 3 sprite depicts it as nearly bald, with only two pixels allocated for hair, and its Yoshi's Story appearance depicts it completely hairless.