Spark pylon: Difference between revisions

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{{item-infobox
{{item infobox
|title=Spark pylon
|title=Spark pylon
|image=[[File:SMO Spark pylon Capture.png|150px]]
|image=[[File:SMO Spark pylon Capture.png|200x200px]]<br>Artwork
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'' ([[List of games by date#2017|2017]])
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'' ([[List of games by date#2017|2017]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' ([[List of games by date#2018|2018]])
}}
}}
'''Spark pylons''' are [[capture|capturable]] objects in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''. They represent the terminals of a power line, which [[Mario]] can travel rapidly along after turning into a ball of electricity. The base of a spark pylon has a small sphere on the top with a lightning bolt symbol on the sides.


[[File:Spark Pylon SMO.png|thumb|160px|left]]
==History==
'''Spark pylons''' are objects that appear in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''. The base of a spark pylon has a small sphere on the top with a lightning bolt symbol on the sides. When [[Mario]] [[capture]]s a spark pylon, he will turn into a ball of electricity and gain the ability to move across a power line, although variants without power lines appear in the [[Moon Kingdom]], [[Ruined Kingdom]] and [[Bowser's Kingdom]]. This can help Mario quickly travel to different areas of some kingdoms. The player can also shake their Joy-Con controller when [[coin]]s are surrounding a spark pylon, which will cause Mario to follow the trail of coins. Mario can de-capture the spark pylons at any time to collect items below him.
===''Super Mario Odyssey''===
[[File:Spark Pylon SMO.png|thumb|160px|left|Mario capturing a spark pylon]]
When Mario captures a spark pylon, he turns into a ball of electricity and gains the ability to move across power lines to reach other spark pylons. Variants without power lines appear in the [[Moon Kingdom]], in the [[Ruined Kingdom]], in [[Bowser's Kingdom]], and in a [[Sand Kingdom]] bonus challenge, but they handle similarly by having electricity arc across the path. This can help Mario quickly travel to different areas of some kingdoms, much like [[Launch Star]]s in ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'' and the [[Warp Box]]es and [[Clear Pipe]]s in ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' and ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'' (only the former appears in both of these games).


Mario first encounters a spark pylon when traveling from the [[Cap Kingdom]] to the [[Cascade Kingdom]] for the first time. It is the only spark pylon that transports Mario to a different kingdom entirely, due to Mario not yet discovering the [[Odyssey]]; after that, the Odyssey becomes his main mode of transportation between kingdoms.
Mario can move across a wire or over a path when the player uses {{button|switch|stick}}. The player can also shake the controller, moving into the default direction. (If there are multiple directions of wires, this is the direction Mario faces when he captured the pylon.) Mario cannot stop or change direction until he reaches a different spark pylon. If the destination spark pylon has options to move in that are not backward, Mario stops and awaits a new input. If there is not, he pops out. A rare few destinations do not have a spark pylon, so Mario pops out there.
 
The player can shake their Joy-Con controller or press a button to slightly crackle. This has the additional effect of allowing the ball to target and follow trails of [[coin]]s nearby, then return to the power line. In some cases, this allows Mario to grab out-of-reach [[Power Moon]]s. The player can de-capture while moving, which can allow them to reach places the wire/path moves past. While a ball of electricity, Mario damages enemies he touches. This does not mean he is invincible: Enemies that do not take damage such as [[Fuzzy|Fuzzies]] are sometimes seen on these same lines as obstacles.
 
Spark pylons have a unique property compared to all other objects on the Capture List. If Mario has currently captured a character, then touches a spark pylon, he immediately captures the spark pylon and leaves the other character. If that character was an enemy, the electric ball usually proceeds to defeat them because of their proximity. This property does not apply to [[Glydon]], [[Moe-Eye]]s, or [[T-Rex]]es. While a spark pylon cannot be destroyed, the Cascade Kingdom has some on top of destroyable poles. Destroying a pole reveals that a wire attached to a spark pylon that moves off becomes longer to keep the connection between spark pylons.
 
Mario first encounters a spark pylon after defeating [[Topper]] on [[Top-Hat Tower]] during [[Cappy of the Cap Kingdom]]. This spark pylon appeared after the boss was fought, and Mario uses the power line leading from it to travel from the [[Cap Kingdom]] to the [[Cascade Kingdom]]. It is taller compared to other spark pylons. The wire connecting the kingdoms breaks and falls away as Mario exits in the Cascade Kingdom, and the tall spark pylon never appears again. This may be because the [[Odyssey]] is the primary means of moving between kingdoms, and it is found in the Cascade Kingdom. No other power lines lead between kingdoms.
 
[[File:SMO Bowser and Peach Spark Pylon.jpg|thumb|A spark pylon being used by Peach, Tiara, and the captured Bowser]]
The game's final setpiece is a larger spark pylon deep in the Moon Kingdom, during [[Bowser's Moon Wedding]]. [[Bowser]], while being captured by Mario, unearths it so that everyone can escape a collapsing cave. This spark pylon is a special exception to the normal rules, since Mario and [[Cappy]] capture the spark pylon while still capturing Bowser. [[Princess Peach]] and [[Tiara]] also capture this spark pylon at the same time. They all start moving only after a directional input is held or the controller is shaken for a short duration. This specific spark pylon is captured as part of a cutscene and is not programmed as a capture.<ref>{{cite|author=Lowest Percent|date=Nov 6, 2020|title=How Speedrunners beat Mario Odyssey without Cappy (almost)|url=https://youtu.be/L5aQzCJW5-s|timestamp="2:36"|publisher=Youtube|accessdate=Sept 14, 2024}}</ref>
 
===''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''===
Spark pylons can be seen in the [[New Donk City Hall (stage)|New Donk City Hall]] stage of ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' as background elements. They appear in the same spots on the building as in ''Super Mario Odyssey''.


==Names in other languages==
==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
{{foreign names
|Fra=Borne gzzzt
|Fre=Borne gzzzt
|FraM=Electric gzzzt
|FreM=Gzzzt terminal
|Ger=Stromgenerator
|Ger=Stromgenerator
|GerM=Electricity generator
|GerM=Electricity generator
Line 30: Line 46:
|Chi=电箱 (Simplified)<br>電箱 (Traditional)
|Chi=电箱 (Simplified)<br>電箱 (Traditional)
|ChiR=Diàn xiāng
|ChiR=Diàn xiāng
|ChiM=Electric box}}
|ChiM=Electric box
}}


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Captured enemies can capture a spark pylon by touching it, making it the only object that can be captured while controlling a captured creature.
*The electricity sound that is produced as Mario travels with a spark pylon adjusts its pitch and tempo according to the background music. This sound is replaced by {{wp|Koto (instrument)|koto}} samples in Bowser's Kingdom.
*The electricity sound that is produced as Mario travels with a spark pylon adjusts its pitch and tempo according to the background music. This sound is replaced by {{wp|Koto (instrument)|koto}} samples in [[Bowser's Kingdom]].
 
==References==
<references/>
 
{{SMO}}
{{SMO}}
[[Category:Capturable]]
[[Category:Capturable]]
[[Category:Super Mario Odyssey Objects]]
[[Category:Super Mario Odyssey objects]]
[[de:Stromgenerator]]
[[it:Generatore elettrizap]]

Latest revision as of 08:33, September 15, 2024

Spark pylon
The Spark pylon capture icon.
Artwork
First appearance Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
Latest appearance Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018)

Spark pylons are capturable objects in Super Mario Odyssey. They represent the terminals of a power line, which Mario can travel rapidly along after turning into a ball of electricity. The base of a spark pylon has a small sphere on the top with a lightning bolt symbol on the sides.

History[edit]

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

Spark pylon in Super Mario Odyssey
Mario capturing a spark pylon

When Mario captures a spark pylon, he turns into a ball of electricity and gains the ability to move across power lines to reach other spark pylons. Variants without power lines appear in the Moon Kingdom, in the Ruined Kingdom, in Bowser's Kingdom, and in a Sand Kingdom bonus challenge, but they handle similarly by having electricity arc across the path. This can help Mario quickly travel to different areas of some kingdoms, much like Launch Stars in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 and the Warp Boxes and Clear Pipes in Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World (only the former appears in both of these games).

Mario can move across a wire or over a path when the player uses Control Stick. The player can also shake the controller, moving into the default direction. (If there are multiple directions of wires, this is the direction Mario faces when he captured the pylon.) Mario cannot stop or change direction until he reaches a different spark pylon. If the destination spark pylon has options to move in that are not backward, Mario stops and awaits a new input. If there is not, he pops out. A rare few destinations do not have a spark pylon, so Mario pops out there.

The player can shake their Joy-Con controller or press a button to slightly crackle. This has the additional effect of allowing the ball to target and follow trails of coins nearby, then return to the power line. In some cases, this allows Mario to grab out-of-reach Power Moons. The player can de-capture while moving, which can allow them to reach places the wire/path moves past. While a ball of electricity, Mario damages enemies he touches. This does not mean he is invincible: Enemies that do not take damage such as Fuzzies are sometimes seen on these same lines as obstacles.

Spark pylons have a unique property compared to all other objects on the Capture List. If Mario has currently captured a character, then touches a spark pylon, he immediately captures the spark pylon and leaves the other character. If that character was an enemy, the electric ball usually proceeds to defeat them because of their proximity. This property does not apply to Glydon, Moe-Eyes, or T-Rexes. While a spark pylon cannot be destroyed, the Cascade Kingdom has some on top of destroyable poles. Destroying a pole reveals that a wire attached to a spark pylon that moves off becomes longer to keep the connection between spark pylons.

Mario first encounters a spark pylon after defeating Topper on Top-Hat Tower during Cappy of the Cap Kingdom. This spark pylon appeared after the boss was fought, and Mario uses the power line leading from it to travel from the Cap Kingdom to the Cascade Kingdom. It is taller compared to other spark pylons. The wire connecting the kingdoms breaks and falls away as Mario exits in the Cascade Kingdom, and the tall spark pylon never appears again. This may be because the Odyssey is the primary means of moving between kingdoms, and it is found in the Cascade Kingdom. No other power lines lead between kingdoms.

Captured Bowser and Princess Peach using a spark pylon
A spark pylon being used by Peach, Tiara, and the captured Bowser

The game's final setpiece is a larger spark pylon deep in the Moon Kingdom, during Bowser's Moon Wedding. Bowser, while being captured by Mario, unearths it so that everyone can escape a collapsing cave. This spark pylon is a special exception to the normal rules, since Mario and Cappy capture the spark pylon while still capturing Bowser. Princess Peach and Tiara also capture this spark pylon at the same time. They all start moving only after a directional input is held or the controller is shaken for a short duration. This specific spark pylon is captured as part of a cutscene and is not programmed as a capture.[1]

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]

Spark pylons can be seen in the New Donk City Hall stage of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as background elements. They appear in the same spots on the building as in Super Mario Odyssey.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese 電気ボックス[?]
Denki bokkusu
Electric box
Chinese 电箱 (Simplified)
電箱 (Traditional)
[?]

Diàn xiāng
Electric box
Dutch Generator[?] Generator
French Borne gzzzt[?] Gzzzt terminal
German Stromgenerator[?] Electricity generator
Italian Generatore elettrizap[?] Electrizap generator
Russian Трансформатор[?]
Transformator
Transformer
Spanish Poste de chispazo[?] Spark post

Trivia[edit]

  • The electricity sound that is produced as Mario travels with a spark pylon adjusts its pitch and tempo according to the background music. This sound is replaced by koto samples in Bowser's Kingdom.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Lowest Percent (Nov 6, 2020). How Speedrunners beat Mario Odyssey without Cappy (almost) ("2:36"). Youtube. Retrieved Sept 14, 2024.