Bullet Bill: Difference between revisions

|latest_appearance=''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' ([[List of games by date#2014|2014]])

'''Bullet Bills''' are bullet-like projectiles in the ''[[Mario (series)|Mario]]'' series. They are shot out of [[Bill Blaster]]s, and are usually under Bowser's control, acting as enemies of [[Mario]] since their debut in ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''. Ever since ''[[Super Mario 64]]'', Bullet Bills have had the ability to home in on Mario as a missile. They also have increasingly been items, mostly in the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]]. Other games depict them as sentient being with emotions, and some talk in the cartoons.

When the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] is overrun by [[Bowser]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', Bullet Bills are Bowser's prime ammunition. Bullet Bills first appear in [[World 5 (Super Mario Bros.)|World 5-1]]. They are usually shot from a large cannon (the [[Bill Blaster]]), though are sometimes shot from off-screen, and fly in a straight line. To defeat a Bullet Bill, the player has to either jump on them, kick a [[Koopa Shell]] at them or use a [[Starman]]. They are immune to fireballs from [[Fire Mario]].

Bullet Bills reappear in ''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels]]'' when, once again, Bowser kidnaps [[Princess Peach]]. As most of the original enemies from ''Super Mario Bros.'' reappear in the remake, Bullet Bills do too. They can be defeated like they were in ''Super Mario Bros.'', with a jump, [[Koopa Shell]], or [[Starman]], and are still immune to flames. The Blasters in ''The Lost Levels'' are even better-placed than in the other game; on levels with Bill Blasters, players have to watch where they jump very well.

In the SNES remake for ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'', a [[False Bowser]] is really a Bullet Bill in World C-4.

Bullet Bills do not appear as much in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' as they did in previous games, mainly appearing in later worlds and on the bosses' [[Airship]]s. They can be defeated with a [[Jump]], [[Koopa Shell]], [[Starman]], [[Hammer]], tail attack, or a [[Bob-omb]] (on certain levels). [[Fire Flower]]s still do not affect them. A new type of Bullet Bill appears in this game, the [[Missile Bill]], which turns around and flies back towards Mario if it misses him the first time. They also appear in the remakes of this game: ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Advance 4]]''.

In ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'', Bullet Bills appear in various levels, and are, as usual, shot out of Bill Blasters. They appear in World 2-Castle, World 5-4, World 6-1, World 7-5, and World 8-1. If the player jumps on them, they are defeated. They also can be defeated by hitting them with a [[Green Shell|Shell]], or using a [[Starman]] or [[Mega Mushroom]], and are again immune to fireballs. Banzai Bills return, and now their [[Banzai Bill Blaster|source]] is confirmed. In World 5-4, they fly out from somewhere off-screen rather than being fired from Bill Blasters.

Although the Bullet Bill doesn't appear in ''[[Super Mario Land]]'', a sub-species called Bullet Biff does appear. Bullet Biffs resemble Super Mario Sunshine Bullet Bills with an added feature of a [[Rocket Engine]].

Bullet Bills are commonly found in the [[Mario Zone]] in ''[[Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]]''. Bullet Bills act much like the previous Bullet Bills in other games. They fly in a straight direction and are shot by Bill Blasters. Mario can get rid of them by jumping on them or just dodging them, letting them fly off-screen. [[Torpedo Ted]]s also make their second appearance in this game.

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There's a Bullet Bill attraction in ''[[Mario Party 10]]'' on an unnamed board, in which the players can collect [[Mini Star]]s.

[[File:SSB4 WiiU BulletBill Item.jpg|thumb|A fighter attacking [[Luigi]] as a Bullet Bill in ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U''.]]

Bullet Bills have been confirmed to appear in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]'' in two capacities: One as an item, and another as an enemy in the 3DS-exclusive mode, Smash Run. In the former case, once picked up, players turn into a Bullet Bill themselves and can attack opponents at full speed.

In the games ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'', the player can collect Bullet Bills as [[item]]s. After activating the Bullet Bill, the player's entire kart will transform into a giant Bullet Bill, which will automatically rocket down the track on auto-pilot at very high speeds. The Bullet Bill is totally invincible, which allows the player to knock over any items, any course obstacles and any other drivers in the player's way, similarly to the [[Chain Chomp]] from ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]''. Damaged players by the Bullet Bill will also lose items in their possession. It will only last for a limited time, which increases the farther behind the player is in the race, and can only be received by the racers in 6th-8th place in ''Mario Kart DS'' and ''Mario Kart 7'', and 8th-12th place in ''Mario Kart Wii''.

It has been greatly praised due to its ability to rocket the player around the course, knocking any player it comes across without having to steer. However, this item can be a disadvantage at times. For example, when racing on many of the trickier, narrower courses, the Bullet Bill can occasionally steer the player right up to the edge of the track, just before it wears off.  This can often lead to the player falling into an abyss. In [[Mario Kart 7]] Bullet Bills slow down when nearing the end of it's lifespan - which makes it less likely for a player to be thrown off the course.

[[Bowser Jr.]]'s [[kart]] in ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'' takes the form of a Bullet Bill and is called the [[Bullet Blaster]]. There is also a bike for small-sized characters in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'' called the [[Bullet Bike]], which also resembles a Bullet Bill. ''Mario Kart 8'' shows that bullet Bill's eyes glow in the dark, as seen in [[Toad's Turnpike]].

==Official profiles and statistics==

===''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' trophy===

===''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' trophy===

|'''NES''' [[Super Mario Bros.]]<br>'''GCN''' [[Super Mario Sunshine]]

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{{Yoshi's Island}}

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[[Category:Hotel Mario]]