Fire Bro

The Fire Bro (or Fire Brother ) are a variety of Hammer Bro that first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3 as a rare enemy. They have become more common in their following appearances, to the point of being fairly uncommon at most in some games. Instead of throwing hammers like their relatives, Fire Bros. have the unique ability to throw fireballs akin to Fire Mario. Ice Bros, a similar variant that were introduced more recently, act as their polar opposites.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Fire Brothers make their debut in Super Mario Bros. 3, where only three appear in the entire game. They first appear in a group of two in an Enemy Course in Desert Land, which can only be defeated after breaking a boulder in the desert with a hammer. In this game, they shoot the fire from their mouths. Once they are defeated, Mario or Luigi obtains a Magic Whistle. Princess Peach's fourth letter mentions the Fire Brother indirectly as an unidentified thief that stole a whistle and escaped to the east of the desert. One also appears in the first Hand Trap level of Dark Land.

In the original NES version, their map icon was the same as the Hammer Brother. In the SNES remake for Super Mario All-Stars, their map icon was adjusted to resemble their in-game appearance. This adjustment remained intact for Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3; in that version, Fire Brothers also appear in a few World-e levels: Bowser's Last Stand, Koopaling Confusion, and Bowser's Airship 2.

New Super Mario Bros.
Fire Bros. reappear in New Super Mario Bros. as very rare enemies. Only a single pair is found in World 8-7, right after the checkpoint. They still use the same attacks they had in Super Mario Bros. 3. As of this game, Fire Bros. throw their fireballs, just like Fire Mario, rather than spitting them.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Fire Bros. reappear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, having the same attacks from New Super Mario Bros. Their fireball flinging now has a different sound effect, rather than copying Fire Mario's own. From being rare in the past games, they are semi-common in this game. They are more common than the Hammer Bros., the latter being common in the past games; they may also appear as 'guardians' at the end of their levels.

A single Fire Bro is near the end of World 2-3. Three Fire Bros. are found in World 3-4: one at the start, another near halfway in the stage, and a third near the end. In World 6-6, the same number of Fire Bros. guard both the normal and alternate exits. In their last appearance in World 9-7, they appear as a duo on platforms near the end of the level. They are mostly teamed up with Fire Piranha Plants.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Fire Bros. also appear in New Super Mario Bros. 2. They are found in World 6-3 and behave the same way they did in the previous New Super Mario Bros. games. Fire Bros. can also be turned gold when Mario touches a Gold Ring. Golden Fire Bros. toss three coins as opposed to fireballs while the effects of the ring last. A single Fire Bro appears in the second course of the DLC stage Coin Challenge Pack B. When they throw fireballs, they sound like Gold Mario's fireballs.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Fire Bros. reappear in the Wii U game, New Super Mario Bros. U. They behave the same way they did in the past installments, and are more commonly employed than any of their other brethren. Additionally, Fire Bros. have their own Enemy Course in Layer Cake Desert in which either a lone Fire Bro or a trio of Fire Bros. guard a star, as well as making their first appearance as a fortress/castle enemy. Two of them are also found in the Challenge Mode, Fire, Bro!, in which the player must dodge their fireballs within fifteen seconds. They are also featured in the challenge, Seriously! Fire, Bro!, which has the same objective, but with four Fire Bros.

They also appear in Snaking above Mist Valley, Slide Lift Tower and Ludwig's Clockwork Castle. This game also shows the first case of Fire Bros. being flipped, as proved in the level Fire Snake Cavern if the player stuns it with the light of a Glowing Baby Yoshi. In Light Blocks, Dark Tower, Fire Bros. can ignite Bob-ombs with their fireballs. This made it a dangerous guardian of one of the Star Coins in the level, as Bob-ombs repeatedly drop from a pipe in the cave ceiling, increasing the probability of the Fire Bros. blowing them up. One way to prevent any danger due to their fireballs is to simply neutralize it with an iceball.

Super Mario 3D World
Fire Bros. appear in Super Mario 3D World, making their first appearance in a 3D Mario platformer game. These enemies are extremely common in this game, appearing in a multitude of levels. Their attack pattern is the same as that of Hammer Bros. and Boomerang Bros. in 3D Mario games, tossing two fireballs directly at Mario before jumping to another position. Their fireballs can travel through Clear Pipes, and can also be put out by the heroes' own fireballs. Some of them are found atop Goomba Towers and function as their commanders whose defeat clears remaining Goombas on a stack as well. Also, Fire Bros. appear in four different hideouts throughout the game that act as optional enemy battles. In the game, Fire Bros' fireballs can defeat other enemies that come in contact with it, even each other. This is a great strategy in Fire Bro enemy blockades, in which Mario can get the Fire Bros. to face each other or get behind one another, and thus defeat each other due to their own crossfire.

Super Mario Odyssey
Fire Bros. appear as enemies in Super Mario Odyssey, where they are found in the Luncheon Kingdom, where they wear chef hats, and the Wooded Kingdom, where they wear their traditional helmets. Mario must knock their helmets off before he can take control of them using Cappy. When Mario takes control of a Fire Bro, he is able to jump higher and throw fireballs. Removing helmets from Fire Bros. reveals that they have four clumps of fiery colored hair on their heads.

Super Mario Maker 2
Fire Bros. appear as enemies that are exclusive to Super Mario 3D World-styled stages in Super Mario Maker 2. Sledge Bro-like versions known as Heavy Fire Bros. also debut in this game.

Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up
The electronic coloring book game from Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up featured a coloring page for the job title "Forest Ranger". It featured an image of a Fire Bro starting a forest fire with the following description:


 * Mario the forest ranger is on the lookout for fire bugs. He has just spotted Fire Brother who is setting a fire in the forest. Fire Brother is going to be in big trouble because damaging forest land is a serious crime.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
Fire Bros. make two appearances in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, where they retain their status as soldiers in Bowser's army. Like in the game, only three individuals appear.

In the episode "Reptiles in the Rose Garden", two Fire Bros. and two Boomerang Bros. are ordered to guard Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool and Toad while they are held captive in Castle Koopa's dungeon.

In "The Venice Menace", Kootie Pie Koopa briefly uses a miniature Fire Bro as a welding torch, which shoots a stream of fire rather than their usual fireballs and has Bowser stuck to the door.

Nintendo Adventure Books
In Koopa Capers, six Fire Brothers appear in the first chamber of Wendy O. Koopa's secret hideout in the Magma Pits, attacking Luigi by spitting fireballs from the top of a ramp. If he is Fire Luigi, Luigi defeats five of the Fire Brothers and chases the final one into a smaller chamber, where the two get into a stand-off, their fireballs always colliding in mid-air. If he angles it correctly, Luigi defeats the Fire Brother by shooting a fireball at a wall, which it ricochets off of, right into the Fire Brother.

Mario Superstar Baseball
Fire Bro is made playable for the first time in Mario Superstar Baseball, as a color swap for Hammer Bro. He is one of the unlockable characters in the games.

The Fire Bro also appears on Bowser's team in challenge mode. He has slightly less speed than his counterparts, and uses an everyday bat rather than the usual hammer or boomerang of the Hammer Bro and Boomerang Bro characters. Starting with this game, the Fire Bro's appearance has been developed to be wearing a red helmet and a red shell. Oddly, even though the Fire Bro uses a bat, his batting range remains the same as that of the Hammer Bro and Boomerang Bro.

Mario Super Sluggers
The Fire Bro later appears in Mario Super Sluggers with the same bat as in Mario Superstar Baseball. His fielding abilities have improved, and he has the best batting abilities among his counterparts. However, his pitching skills are not very good; the worst when compared to the Hammer Bro and Boomerang Bro.

Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Flare, a Fire Bro, is a fighter in the Glitz Pit alongside Bamma and Hamma Jamma. He is the only Fire Bro to appear in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Like Fire Bros. in earlier appearances, he spits fireballs as a main attack. These fireballs not only damage opponents, but may also cause them to catch fire as well.

Super Paper Mario
Fire Bros. make an appearance in the third installment of the Paper Mario series, Super Paper Mario. They are encountered on the stairs in Castle Bleck and also in the Flipside Pit of 100 Trials, and act just as they did in Super Mario Bros. 3. Some Fire Bros. also have the ability to flip between dimensions.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Fire Bros. make an appearance in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. They are encountered in Rugged Road, Rumble Volcano and Bowser Jr.'s Flotilla. They have a bigger rarity than in New Super Mario Bros. U, and Ice Bros. appear to be semi-common enemies. Fire Bros. retain their red shells and helmets from prior Paper Mario games, but no longer have arm bands, and the seams within their shells are white instead of yellow. Their only attack is to throw a fireball at Mario. They are immune to all fire-based stickers (i.e. Fire Flower and Burnhammer stickers), but take double damage from ice-based stickers (i.e. Ice Flower or Chillhammer stickers), their main weakness. When a Thing sticker is used in the first area of Rugged Road, the Fire Bros. turn into Ice Bros. Fire Bros. are mostly assisted by Shiny Paratroopas. Touching a Fire Bro's fireball outside battle causes Mario to lose 3 HP.

Paper Mario: Color Splash
Fire Bros. return in Paper Mario: Color Splash keeping their appearance and behavior from the previous game. They can be found in Fortune Island, Redpepper Volcano, Redpepper Crater and Black Bowser's Castle. A group of Fire Bros. in Redpepper Volcano is commanded by a blue Snifit. After they are defeated, another Snifit can be found training a Fire Bro to throw fireballs at the beginning of the level.

Paper Mario: The Origami King
Fire Bros. return in Paper Mario: The Origami King, with origami Fire Bros. appearing as enemies.

Mario Party 9
Fire Bro makes his Mario Party debut in Mario Party 9, appearing as a co-host of the Battle minigames. Whenever a player lands on a Battle Space, either Fire Bro or Hammer Bro show up, although Fire Bro appears less frequently. When Fire Bro does show up, he makes the players play a Free-for-All minigame, of either the captain or the player in last place's choice. Afterward, he takes ten Mini Stars from the player who finished in last place and distributes them amongst the other players based upon their ranks. If the loser does not have ten Mini Stars, Fire Bro provides the rest. Additionally, if everybody ends up in first place or last place, Fire Bro does not give or take any Mini Stars from any players.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Fire Bros. make their debut in the Mario & Luigi series in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team in Neo Bowser Castle. In the field, they throw fireballs upon sight at Mario and Luigi. Making contact with any of them initiates the battle with the brother who threw them. They disappear when they eventually touch the ground.

In battle, Fire Bros. can rapidly hurl fireballs with the occasional 5 Coin at the Bros, who must jump to avoid the fireballs. Whoever the Fire Bro targets depends on which foot he stands; if he stands on his left foot, he will target Luigi, and if he stands on his right foot, he will target Mario. They may also throw a large fireball into the sky for it to rain down on the targeted Bro on the next attack turn of the thrower or at the end of the battle. If the Fire Bro hurls it up with his right arm, it'll fall on Mario, who must smack it back to sender with his hammer. If with his left arm, it'll fall on Luigi, who must instead smack it back. If any of these Fireballs touch Mario and Luigi, it may give them the Char status effect.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Fire Bros reappear in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam as enemies along with their paper counterparts. They are first found during the trio's second visit to Twinsy Tropics Dungeon. After Crinkle Goomba gives the Red Medallion to two Fire Bros., the trio must find out which Fire Bro has the Medallion by fighting them and receiving hints from them upon defeat. Fire Bros. attack by standing on either side of one of the brothers and throwing fireballs at him. This must be dodged by jumping over them, causing the Fire Bro on the other side to take damage from the fireball. They also occasionally throw Mushrooms over the brother. Fire Bros. can also attack by throwing fireballs into the air, occasionally jumping when throwing them. After the trio's next turn, the fireballs come back down, with the fireballs that were thrown while the Fire Bro was jumping missing.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
Fire Bros. 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 fireballs at enemies. Fire Bros. are strong against Pokeys and Fuzzbushes, though they are weak against Ice Bros.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
Fire Bros reappear in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, where they are found as enemies and recruitable allies in the Bowser Jr.'s Journey mode. They are strong against plants, such as Fire Stalking Piranha Plants, Sockops, Borps, Treevils, and Beehosses. However, they are weak against Ice Bros. and Parabones.

Mario Golf: World Tour
In Mario Golf: World Tour, one of the names that can appear on the tournament scoreboard is "Fire Bro".

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Fire Bros. appear in Mario Kart 8 and its enhanced Nintendo Switch port Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as spectators on Bowser's Castle and 3DS Neo Bowser City.

Mario Kart Tour
A Fire Bro, alongside a Hammer Bro, Boomerang Bro, and Ice Bro, make their playable debuts in the Mario Kart series in Mario Kart Tour, starting with the Hammer Bro Tour. He is classified as a Super character and his special item is the Fire Flower. In addition to being in the second week's spotlight, he is also obtainable as a Gold Pass tour gift after obtaining 116 Grand Stars.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Fire Bros. return in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, only appearing in Battle Tower Blitz and Beep Block Sky Plaza.

Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition
Fire Bros. appear as enemies in Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. They're Fire attribute characters, and their skill changes all Wood Orbs into Fire Orbs, while their Awoken Skill increases the amount of HP that gets restored whenever Heart Orbs are cleared.

When fought as enemies, a Fire Bro always delivers a first-strike attack on the player, and it can also deliver frenzied blow attacks which can deal more damage than normal to the player.

A player can get a Fire Bro by using five Fire Flowers to transform a Hammer Bro.

Mario Tennis Aces
In Mario Tennis Aces, Fire Bros. are found in the adventure mode level Sure Shot Challenge (Advanced), where two of them throw tennis balls along with a Hammer Bro. They are also found in the level at Castle Gates, Defeat Bowser's Minions!, where they are the second group of enemies that must be fought. They attack by throwing fireballs, and can be defeated by knocking the fireballs back at them. Some fireballs are purple, and they must be blocked to knock them back at the Fire Bro, causing it to bounce back as a regular fireball.

Minecraft
Fire Bros replace Vindicators in Minecraft's Super Mario Mash-Up Pack.

Physical description and traits
Fire Bros. are virtually identical to Hammer Bros. in appearance, featuring the same colored skin, belly plate, nose, and eyes, though with differences such as wearing red helmets, shoes, and shells. Compared to Hammer Bros., Fire Bros. have maintained a consistent design, though there are a few exceptions. In their debut appearance, Super Mario Bros. 3, Fire Brothers have red skin and black helmets, shells, and shoes, though this is likely due to the NES' technical limitations. The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 recreates Fire Brother's appearance in the game; thus, it has a red tint to its skin, though not to the same degree.

In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario, Fire Bros. use an altered design, featuring rounder body proportions, slightly shorter arms, and spiked armbands. From Paper Mario: Sticker Star onwards, Fire Bros. use their design from Mario Superstar Baseball and onward, but with a paper outline. When throwing Cappy at Fire Bros. in the Luncheon Kingdom in Super Mario Odyssey, it is revealed that they have four spiky tufts of fiery, orange hair.

Powers and abilities
A Fire Bros.' most common ability is the ability to shoot fireballs from its hands. In Super Mario Bros. 3 and The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Fire Bros. spit fireballs out of their mouths instead. In the latter form of media, specifically in the episode "The Venice Menace", Fire Bros. can breathe streams of fire. The early Paper Mario games revisit their ability to spit fireballs. Some games add variations to the Fire Bros.' main attack. In Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Fire Bros. will either rapidly hurdle fireballs, or they will shoot a large fireball into the sky, which rains down as smaller fireballs. In Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, Fire Bros. will leap high into the air to shoot a fireball that plummets at their adversaries. In Mario Tennis Aces, Fire Bros. can shoot stronger purple fireballs at Mario. In Puzzles and Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, a Fire Bros.' main attribute is Fire, meaning that it can change all Wood Orbs into Fire Orbs.

Aside from limited pyrokinesis, Fire Bros. retain their original species' agility, due to jumping very high. Fire Bro also hops even when idling. In the Mario Baseball series, Fire Bro has slightly less speed and the worst pitching skills out of his counterparts, but he makes up for these shortcomings with great fielding abilities and the best batting abilities among his counterparts, thus making him a character leaning more towards power.

Speech
Like all Hammer Bro variants, Fire Bros. did not have voice acting or text dialogue in most early Mario games, both due to technical limitations and Nintendo's habit of having silent characters. There are a few exceptions to this, such as Mario Party 9, which gives Fire Bro in-game text dialogue so the player can understand what he is saying. Most contemporary Mario games have Fire Bro voiced by Motoki Takagi (who also voices Hammer Bro and Boomerang Bro), though his speech is limited to grunts, yells and even a few lines such as "Let's go."