Boulder

This article is about actual Boulders that have appeared in various games. For the special move that was seen in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, see Boulder (move).

Boulders rolling around a planet in Super Mario Galaxy

Boulders are large rocks found throughout various Mario games, which usually serve as obstacles.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario World

Boulders first appear in Super Mario World, where they are dug up by Diggin' Chucks.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

In Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, they are dug up by Gorontos, similar to the Diggin' Chucks.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS

A boulder rolling towards Mario in Hazy Maze Cave

They also appear in Super Mario 64 in Hazy Maze Cave. In one room, boulders endlessly roll down a slope and into a bottomless pit. If Mario attempts to climb the slope, the boulders deliberately try to home in on him, although they can be dodged. The level's sixth Power Star is entitled "Watch for Falling Rocks," and is located near the Boulders. In Super Mario 64 DS, Wario must instead punch several boulders, (or ram them upon growing with a Super Mushroom) to receive the Power Star.

Super Mario Galaxy

In Super Mario Galaxy, boulders roll on open or closed circuits, coming out infinitely out of tunnels in the former case and falling into an abyss afterwards. If Mario touches them, he is knocked away and loses one wedge of his Health Meter. Boulders are semi-common obstacles that appear in several galaxies, including the Good Egg Galaxy and the Honeyhive Galaxy. They can be destroyed if Mario spins their weak spot, a circular red area. They can also be destroyed if Rainbow Mario collides with them, a Stretch Plant is knocked into them, or if the second player uses their Star Cursor to hold one in place, allowing a second boulder to collide with it, destroying both boulders. Upon destruction, boulders leave a large amount of Star Bits.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

File:BoBoG2.png

Boulders in Boulder Bowl Galaxy

In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Boulders reappear in the Boulder Bowl Galaxy, a galaxy which is appropriately centered around Boulders, as well as the Rock Mushroom. This time, the boulders can also be destroyed by Rock Mario. The boss of this galaxy, Rollodillo, attacks in the same way as a Boulder, and can only be defeated by using Rock Mario. Sorbetti, the boss of the Freezy Flake Galaxy, also uses a similar strategy during the boss battle.

New Super Mario Bros. 2

A boulder and a Blooper chasing Mario in World 3-5

Boulders make their next sidescroller appearance in New Super Mario Bros. 2. They appear in World 3-5, which is an underwater level. They are common obstacles here but they are also necessary to obtain several Star Coins as they are enclosed in blocks that cannot be broken by Mario. Boulders can be destroyed using a Super Star, an Invincibility Leaf, or a Gold Flower.

Super Mario Odyssey

A boulder captured by Mario

Boulders appear again in Super Mario Odyssey. One appears in the Wooded Kingdom, taking the form of a large oblong rock that can be captured by Cappy and slowly moved to make way to an entrance. Many rolling boulders also appear during the platforming part where Mario captures Bowser in the Moon Kingdom as well as an optional area on the Darker Side of the Moon. These round boulders can be destroyed by ramming into them as a Chargin' Chuck or by clawing them as Bowser, although they do not produce any item.

Donkey Kong series

Donkey Kong Land

DK and Rambi wait for a boulder to fall in Mountain Mayhem.

Boulders are present as obstacles in Mountain Mayhem and Landslide Leap, two levels from Donkey Kong Land. They are infinitely generated by holes in the background wall and rain onto the platforms below. The Kongs will take damage if they are hit by a boulder. Rambi the Rhino is also damaged at contact with these hazards, making boulders completely indestructible.

Donkey Kong 64

In Donkey Kong 64, Boulders appear as stationary obstacles, often appearing on various pads, which require them to be moved before the pads could be used. However, only Chunky Kong can lift them. Boulders also serve as weights, and are sometimes needed to keep various switches pressed down. In this game, they are dark green in color.

Mario Kart series

Mario Kart 64

Boulders make their first Mario Kart appearance in Mario Kart 64, where they appear as obstacles in Choco Mountain.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Boulders return in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! as obstacles in DK Mountain.

Mario Kart DS

In Mario Kart DS, Boulders appear again in Choco Mountain, which is a retro course in this game. Large pinballs similar to boulders appear in Waluigi Pinball.

Mario Kart Wii

Boulders reappear once more in Mario Kart Wii in DK Mountain, which appears as a retro course.

Mario Kart 7

In Mario Kart 7, Boulders make yet another appearance as obstacles in Rock Rock Mountain and Maka Wuhu towards the end of the track.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

A boulder on the Bowser's Castle course

Boulders appear in Mario Kart 8 and its enhanced port, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as an obstacle in Bowser's Castle. They resemble their Super Mario Galaxy counterparts in texture, but without the red jeweled side.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ゴロロ岩 Gororo iwa 岩 iwa	Gororo is a Japanese word referring to a rolling object, while iwa is Japanese for rock. Boulder (Super Mario Odyssey)
Dutch	Rotsblok	Rockblock
German	Felsbrocken Felsen	Boulder Rock (Super Mario Odyssey)
Italian	Masso	Boulder
Russian	Валун Valoon	Boulder
Spanish (NOA)	Peñasco	Boulder
Spanish (NOE)	Roca	Rock

Trivia

During the first part of the final Bowser battle in Super Mario Galaxy, one of Bowser's attacks involves surrounding himself with rock fragments and rolling around the planet much like a Boulder in an attempt to squash Mario. Bowser's head sticks out of the rock in the same area where the red spot would be on an actual Boulder. Mario must spin Bowser's head to break him out of his rock shell.
In Super Mario Galaxy 2, the Rock Mushroom is introduced for the first time. When collected, this power-up allows Mario to transform into Rock Mario, taking the form of a round Boulder-like object, and roll into obstacles and enemies, much like Bowser did in Super Mario Galaxy's final battle. Mario's head sticks out of the rock where the red spot is normally on a regular boulder.

[Edit] Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS
Playable characters		Mario • Yoshi^b • Luigi^c • Wario^c • Red Yoshi^c • Blue Yoshi^c • Yellow Yoshi^c
Forms		Wing Mario • Metal Mario/Metal Wario • Vanish Mario/Vanish Luigi • Fire Power^c • Balloon Mario^c • Mega Mario^c
Non-playable characters		Lakitu Bros. • Princess Peach • Toad • Toads • Bob-omb Buddies • Koopa the Quick • Hoot • Penguins • Baby Penguins • Mother Penguin • Big Penguin • Snowman • Rabbits • MIPS^a • Glowing rabbits^c • Dorrie • Ukkikis
Enemies		Amp • Beach Koopa • Bob-omb • Boo • Bookend • Bub • Bubba • Bullet Bill • Bully • Chain Chomp • Chair • Chuckya • Clam shell • Flame thrower • Fly Guy • Fwoosh • Goomba • Goombette • Grand Goomba • Grindel • Heave-Ho • Klepto • Koopa Troopa • Lakitu • Mad Piano • Manta Ray • Money Bags • Monty Mole • Moving Bar • Mr. Blizzard • Mr. I. • Piranha Flower • Piranha Plant • Pokey • Scuttle Bug • Skeeter • Small Koopa Troopa • Small Piranha • Snufit • Sparky • Spindel • Spindrift • Spiny • Spiny bomb • Sushi • Swoop • Thwomp • Tox Box • Unagi • Whomp
Obstacles		Blaster • Casket • Cold water • Current • Endless stairs • Falling pillar • Fire bar • Fireball • Flamethrower • Hidden smasher • Ice block • Iron ball • Lava • Moving sand • Pendulum • Pit • Quicksand • Rolling rock • Slide Box • Spiked orb • Strange toxic cloud • Tornado • Water bomb • Water tide • Whirlpool • Wind
Bosses		Big Bob-omb • Whomp King • Bowser • Big Boo • Big Mr. I. • Big Bully • Eyerok • Chill Bully • Wiggler • Goomboss^c • King Boo^c • Chief Chilly^c
Items and power-ups		1-UP Mushroom • Blue Coin • Bubble • Crate • Crazed Crate • Jumbo Star • Key • Koopa Shell • Luigi Key^c • Luigi's cap^c • Mario's cap • Mario's Key^c • Metal Cap^a • Mushroom^c • Power Flower^c • Power Star • Red Coin • Silver Star^c • Spinning Heart • Vanish Cap^a • Wario Key^c • Wario's cap^c • Wing Cap^a • Wings^c • Yellow Coin • Yoshi Egg^c
Objects		★ door • Arrow Lift • Arrow Sign • Big Star Door • Block • Blue Coin Block • Brick pillar • Bubble ring • Butterfly • Cannon • Cap Block • Cap Switch • Cloud House • Conveyor belt • Crystal Tap • Falling Block • Gondola • Key Door • Lift • Log • Magic carpet • Mushroom • Paddle wheel • Painting • Pole • Post • Purple Switch • Pyramid platform • Rainbow Cruiser • Rotating bar • Secret • Seesaw • Semi-visible block • Shrinker Pipe • Square • Star Marker • Star Sphere^c • Star Switch^c • Swing • Tapering platform • Track • Treasure Chest • Tree • Warp pipe • Warp Point • Wire net • Wire platform • Work Elevator • Yellow block
Locations	First floor and mezzanine	Bob-omb Battlefield • Whomp's Fortress • Jolly Roger Bay • Cool, Cool Mountain • Bowser in the Dark World • The Princess's Secret Slide • The Secret Aquarium • Tower of the Wing Cap • Sunshine Isles^c • Goomboss Battle^c
	Basement and courtyard	Big Boo's Haunt • Hazy Maze Cave • Lethal Lava Land • Shifting Sand Land • Dire, Dire Docks • Bowser in the Fire Sea • Cavern of the Metal Cap/Behind the Waterfall • Vanish Cap Under the Moat/The Secret Under the Moat • Big Boo Battle^c • Battle Fort^c
	Upper floors and tower	Snowman's Land • Wet-Dry World • Tall, Tall Mountain • Tiny-Huge Island • Tick Tock Clock • Rainbow Ride • Bowser in the Sky • Wing Mario Over the Rainbow/Over the Rainbows • Chief Chilly Challenge^c
	Other	Castle Grounds • Mushroom Castle • Princess's room • Courtyard • Rec Room^c
Moves		Backward Somersault • Crawl • Crouch • Dive • Double Jump • Egg Throw^c • Flutter Jump^c • Fly • Jump • Kick • Long Jump • Pound the Ground • Punch • Scuttle^c • Side Somersault • Slide • Slide Kick • Spin Jump • Stomp • Swallow^c • Sweep Kick • Swim • Triple Jump • Wall Kick • Wild Swing-Ding^c
Gameplay elements		Completion • Letter • Mario's face • Missions • Power Meter
Minigames^c	Luigi	Lucky Stars • Mario Slot • Memory Master • Memory Match • Mushroom Roulette • Pair-a-Gone • Pair-a-Gone and On • Picture Poker • Super Mario Slot
	Mario	Bounce and Pounce • Bounce and Trounce • Connect the Characters • Mario's Slides • Shell Smash • Shuffle Shell • Sort or 'Splode • Trampoline Terror • Trampoline Time
	Wario	Bingo Ball • Bob-omb Squad • Coincentration • Giant Snowball Slalom • Intense Coincentration • Lakitu Launch • Psyche Out! • Slots Shot • Snowball Slalom
	Yoshi	Boom Box • Hide and Boo Seek • Loves Me...? • Mix-a-Mug • Puzzle Panel • Puzzle Panic • Tox Box Shuffle • Wanted! • Which Wiggler?
Musical compositions		"Super Mario 64 Main Theme" • "Slider" • "Inside the Castle Walls" • "Koopa's Road" • "Koopa's Theme"
Further info		Gallery (DS) • Glitches (DS) • Media (DS) • Original soundtrack • Pre-release and unused content (DS) • Quotes • Staff (DS)
^a Exclusive to Super Mario 64 ^b Present in both games, but has different roles in each ^c Exclusive to Super Mario 64 DS

[Edit] Mario Kart 64
Drivers	Lightweights	Peach • Toad • Yoshi
	Middleweights	Mario • Luigi
	Heavyweights	D.K. • Wario • Bowser
Courses	Mushroom Cup	Luigi Raceway • Moo Moo Farm • Koopa Troopa Beach • Kalimari Desert
	Flower Cup	Toad's Turnpike • Frappe Snowland • Choco Mountain • Mario Raceway
	Star Cup	Wario Stadium • Sherbet Land • Royal Raceway • Bowser's Castle
	Special Cup	D.K.'s Jungle Parkway • Yoshi Valley • Banshee Boardwalk • Rainbow Road
	Battle Mode	Big Donut • Block Fort • Double Deck • Skyscraper
Enemies and obstacles		Baby Penguin • Bat • Boulder • Bus • Cactus • Car • Chomp • Chubby • Crab • Ghost • Giant Egg • Lava • Mini Bomb Kart • Penguin • Piranha Plant • Porcupine • Snowman • Thwomp • Train • Truck
Background species		Big Cheep Cheep • Boo • Bowser Statue • Cheep Cheep • Lakitu • Moo Moo
Items and objects	Item Box items	Banana • Banana Bunch • Boo • Fake Item • Green Shell • Lightning • Mushroom • Red Shell • Spiny Shell • Super Mushroom • Super Star • Triple Green Shells • Triple Mushrooms • Triple Red Shells
Items and objects	Other	Dash Panel • Hot-air balloon • Kart • Pipe Frame • Ramp • Trophy
Techniques		Hop • Mini-Turbo • Rocket Start • Slide • Slipstream • Spin-Turn
Miscellaneous		Castle Grounds • Driver's Points • Finish line • Gallery • Glitches • Mario Kart 64: Greatest Hits Soundtrack • Mario Kart 64 on Club Circuit • Mario Kart 64 Original Soundtrack • Mario Kart 64 Race Tracks • Media • Pre-release and unused content • Sponsors • Staff

[Edit] Donkey Kong 64
Protagonists	Playable characters	Donkey Kong • Diddy Kong • Lanky Kong • Tiny Kong • Chunky Kong • Krusha* • Klaptrap† • Mario#
	Non-playable characters	B. Locker • Banana Fairy • Banana Fairy Princess • Beanstalk • Beetle • Buzzard • Candy Kong • Funky Kong • Ice Creature • K. Lumsy • Llama • Mermaid • Microphone • Mini-Car • Owl • Professor Cranky Kong • Rabbit • Scoff • Seal • Snide • Troff • Worm • Wrinkly Kong
	Animal Friends	Rambi • Enguarde • Squawks • Lightfish
Antagonists	Bosses	Army Dillo • Dogadon • Toy Monster • Mad Jack • Puftoss • Giant Spider • King Kut Out • King K. Rool
Antagonists	Enemies	Barrel# • Bat • Block • Bones • Book • Buzzard • Cement tub# • Donkey Kong# • Fire# • Fireball# • Flame • Fly • Ghost • Giant Viking Kremling • Gnawty • Jack# • Kasplat • Klaptrap • Klobber • Klump • Kosha • Krash • Kremling cop • Kritter • Kroc • Mechanical Zinger • Mr. Dice • Oil drum# • Oyster • Puftup • Resident demon • Robokremling • Scubi • Shroom • Shuri • Sir Domino • Small Spider • TNT Bomber • Tomato • Zinger
Locations	DK Isles	Kong Isle • Banana Fairy Island • Crocodile Isle • K. Lumsy's Prison
	Levels	Jungle Japes • Angry Aztec • Frantic Factory • Gloomy Galleon • Fungi Forest • Crystal Caves • Creepy Castle • Hideout Helm
	Other areas	DK's Tree House • Funky's Store • Candy's Music Shop • Cranky's Lab • Troff 'n' Scoff • Wrinkly Door • Snide's H.Q. • K. Rool's airship • Boxing arena
Items		5-Banana Coin • Bananas (Yellow, Red, Blue, Purple, Green) • Banana Balloon • Banana Bunch • Banana Camera Film • Banana Coin • Banana Medal • Battle Crown • Blueprint • Boss Key • Candy's Headphones • Crystal Coconut • DK Coin • Golden Banana • Melon • Nintendo Coin • Orange • Rareware Coin • Supply Crate
Objects	Barrels & crates	Animal crate • Barrel • Bonus Barrel • Cranky's Kong Barrel • Metal keg • Tag Barrel • TNT Barrel • Training Barrel
	Switches	Kong Switch • Target Switch • Wall switch
	Pads	Bananaport Pad • Battle Arena Pad • Cranky's Kong Pad • Music Pad
	Weapons	Coconut Shooter • Peanut Popgun • Grape Shooter • Feather Bow • Pineapple Launcher • Orange grenade launcher*
	Others	Boulder • Cannon • Cannonball • DK Dirt Pile • DK Portal • Melon Crate • Minecart • Toxic waste
Minigames	Bonus stages	Batty Barrel Bandit • Peril Path Panic • Big Bug Bash • Searchlight Seek • Kremling Kosh • Splish Splash Salvage • Speedy Swing Sortie • Mad Maze Maul • Minecart Mayhem • Stealthy Snoop • Teetering Turtle Trouble • Busy Barrel Barrage • Beaver Bother • Krazy Kong Klamor • Stash Snatch
Minigames	Others	Donkey Kong • Enguarde Arena • Jetpac • Mine Cart Ride • Rambi Arena
Special moves	From Cranky	Baboon Balloon • Baboon Blast • Chimpy Charge • Gorilla Gone • Gorilla Grab • Hunky Chunky • Mini-Monkey • Monkeyport • OrangStand • OrangStand Sprint • Pony Tail Twirl • Primate Punch • Rocketbarrel Boost • Simian Slam • Simian Spring • Strong Kong
	From Candy	Bongo Blast • Guitar Gazump • Trombone Tremor • Saxophone Slam • Triangle Trample
	Other	Banana Fairy's Camera • Super Slam
Other		Banana hoard • Blast-o-Matic • DK Rap • Donkey Konk • Gallery • DKTV • Glitches • DK Rap Attack • Kremling Krunch • Lore Quiz • Pre-release and unused content • Staff
* Multiplayer only † Minigame only # Donkey Kong arcade game only

[Edit] Yoshi Topsy-Turvy
Characters		Bowser • Egglings • Hongo • Yoshi Island Spirits (Spirit of Cuteness • Spirit of Fright • Spirit of Money • Spirit of Kindness • Spirit of Power • Spirit of Speed • Spirit Who Loves Surprises) • Yoshi
Chapters		Tale of the Spirit of Cuteness • Tale of the Spirit of Money • Tale of the Spirit of Power • Tale of the Spirit of Speed • The Tale of Bowser's Fields • Tale of the Spirit of Kindness • Tale of the Spirit of Fright • The Tale of Bowser's Cave
Minigames		Bonus Chance! • Bonus Mission! • Shuffle Mode • Yoshi's Big Jump • Yoshi's Pirate Battle • Yoshi's Time Attack • Shuffle Mode EX
Yoshi forms		Ball Yoshi • Balloon Yoshi • Boat Yoshi • Ship Yoshi • Yoshi
Enemies		Big Boo • Boo • Daruma Otoshi-kun • Fly Guy • Goonie • Gusty • Igashira-kun • King Debuhō • Mace Guy • Piranha Plant • Raven • Shy Guy • Tap-Tap
Items and objects		Apple • Ball • Ball and Chain • Baron von Zeppelin • Basket • Big heart • Bomb • Boulder • Cannon • Checkpoint • Coin • Ferris wheel • Forbidden Pop-Up Book • Goal • Gold Medal • Happiness Medal • Heart • Lift • Rising note • Rolled-up carpet • Shy Guy Ship • Silver Medal • Half Lift • Snowball • Spike • Wall • Xylophone • Yajirobee
Miscellaneous		Eggland • Gallery • Gravity • Media • Quotes • Smile Meter • Staff

[Edit] Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Drivers	Light	Baby Mario • Baby Luigi • Toad • Toadette • Koopa • Paratroopa • Diddy Kong • Bowser Jr.
	Medium	Mario • Luigi • Princess Peach • Princess Daisy • Yoshi • Birdo • Waluigi
	Heavy	Donkey Kong • Bowser • Wario • Petey Piranha • King Boo
Karts	Light	Goo-Goo Buggy • Rattle Buggy • Toad Kart • Toadette Kart • Koopa Dasher • Para-Wing • Barrel Train • Bullet Blaster
	Medium	Red Fire • Green Fire • Heart Coach • Bloom Coach • Turbo Yoshi • Turbo Birdo • Waluigi Racer
	Heavy	DK Jumbo • Koopa King • Wario Car • Piranha Pipes • Boo Pipes
	Any	Parade Kart
Courses	Mushroom Cup	Luigi Circuit • Peach Beach • Baby Park • Dry Dry Desert
	Flower Cup	Mushroom Bridge • Mario Circuit • Daisy Cruiser • Waluigi Stadium
	Star Cup	Sherbet Land • Mushroom City • Yoshi Circuit • DK Mountain
	Special Cup	Wario Colosseum • Dino Dino Jungle • Bowser's Castle • Rainbow Road
	Battle courses	Cookie Land • Block City • Luigi's Mansion • Nintendo GameCube • Pipe Plaza • Tilt-a-Kart
Objects	Standard items	Banana • Fake Item • Green Shell • Lightning • Mushroom • Red Shell • Shine Sprite • Spiny Shell • Star • Triple Mushrooms • Trophy
	Special items	Birdo's Egg • Bob-omb • Bowser's Shell • Chain Chomp • Giant Banana • Golden Mushroom • Green Fireball • Heart • Red Fireball • Red Shell • Triple Green Shells • Triple Red Shells • Yoshi's Egg
	Course objects	Barrel Cannon • Cannon • Car (Mushroom-shaped) • Dash Panel • Item Box • Kart • Ramp • Yoshi Cookie
Background characters and species		Baby Bowser • Boo • Donkey Kong Jr. • Hammer Bro • Helicopter Yoshi • Kamek • Lakitu • Noki • Koopa Paratroopa • Pianta • Poochy • Shy Guy • Snifit • Toad • Train • Toadsworth
Enemies and obstacles		Big Pokey • Bomb-car • Boulder • Bus • Car • Cataquack • Chain Chomp • Delfino Oak Tree • Fire Bar • Fire Chain • Freezie • Ghost • Goomba • Lava • Mechanical Bowser • Mechanical Piranha Plant • Noshi • Piranha Plant • Pit Plant • Podoboo • Pokey • Skating Shy Guy • Snowman • Table • Thwomp • Truck • Warp Pipe • Wiggler Wagon
Techniques		Double Dash • Drift • Mini-Turbo • Rocket Start • Slide Attack
Miscellaneous		All-Cup Tour • Daisy Cruiser • Finish line • Gallery • Glitches • Media • Pre-release and unused content • Sponsors • Staff

Boulder

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