Countdown Timer

The Countdown Timer, is a feature in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, and Yoshi's Island DS. It was known as just the Timer in the original release of the game. This feature is first explained in the "Welcome to Yoshi's Island" level. If Yoshi hits an enemy, the countdown will begin. The countdown will stop when Yoshi grabs Baby Mario (or any other baby in Yoshi's Island DS) in a bubble. Stars and Middle Rings will give the player one and ten more seconds, respectively, up to a maximum of thirty. If the Countdown Timer reaches zero, a few Toadies come and steal Baby Mario (or whichever baby is currently riding on Yoshi's back in Yoshi's Island DS).

When the Yoshi retrieves the baby, the Countdown Timer will slowly restore to ten seconds. However, if Yoshi recovers the baby while the Countdown Timer is above ten seconds, no increase is awarded. In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, in addition to collecting individual Stars to increase the timer, the Yoshis can use items called 10 Point Stars and 20 Point Stars to increase the timer by ten and twenty seconds respectively.

Other Appearances
In addition to the Yoshi's Island main series of games, the timer also made other appearances in the Mario spin-offs and in the Super Smash Bros. series and in addition to that, it starts at three seconds instead of the usual ten and it comes in on various occasions like, starting mini-games, starting races, and more.

Mario Kart series
The Countdown Timer appeared in three Mario Kart games and it can be seen in the middle of the game screen (top screen in Mario Kart DS) to tell the player when the race or battle starts. The timer starts when Lakitu gives the first red light on the racing signal to the player (immediately in the DS version of the game). In Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, if the player holds down the corresponding gas button while "2" is displayed, he/she will get an extra speed boost when the word START appears on the game screen (GO! in Mario Kart Wii).

Super Smash Bros. series
The Countdown Timer also appeared in both Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Brawl to tell the fighters when to start fighting and only the announcer of the game can count it off to the start of the match.

Mario Power Tennis
In Mario Power Tennis, the timer appeared in some of the mini-games and it tells the player when to start the mini-game.

Super Mario Galaxy series
In both Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, the Countdown Timer made an appearance to tell the player when the race, mini-game, or challenge starts, depending on which galaxy and mission the player is currently at right now. Some of them include: The Chimp's Skating Challenge (Super Mario Galaxy 2), Ray Surfing (Super Mario Galaxy), and Crate Burning (Super Mario Galaxy 2).

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem, the timer appeared on the Touch Screen and it tells the player when the battle against Donkey Kong, mini-game, or Special Level starts.