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{{rename|Fireball (obstacle)}}
{{about|the ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'' enemy|other uses|[[Fireball (disambiguation)]]}}
{{about|the ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'' enemy|other uses|[[Fireball (disambiguation)]]}}
{{italic title|Fireball (''Mario Bros.'')}}
{{species infobox
{{Species-infobox
|image=[[File:SMBW Fluff-Puff Peaks Palace second 10-flower coin.jpg|250px]]<br>Fireballs, as they appear in ''Super Mario Bros. Wonder''
|title=Fireball
|image=[[File:MBFireball.png]][[File:MBGreenFireball.png]]
|first_appearance=''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'' ([[List of games by date#1983|1983]])
|first_appearance=''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'' ([[List of games by date#1983|1983]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'' ([[Nintendo Switch]]) ([[List of games by date#2018|2018]])
|latest_appearance=''[[WarioWare: Move It!]]'' ([[List of games by date#2023|2023]])
}}
}}
Though often used by [[Mario]], [[Bowser]] and other characters as means of attack, '''fireballs''' (also called '''Discs'''<ref>Instruction manual for Amstrad CPC home port.</ref>) are sometimes encountered as stand-alone obstacles. The first appearance of fireballs in the ''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' franchise, ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'', is also the first time they were depicted as independent enemies.
'''Fireballs''' (alternatively '''fire balls'''<ref>''{{cite|title=Mario Bros.'' instruction booklet|page=8|author=Nintendo|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=1985|language=American English}}</ref> or '''Fire Balls'''<ref>{{cite|author=Williams, Drew|title=''Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3'' Player's Guide|date=2002|page=4|publisher=[[Nintendo Power]]|language=American English|isbn=1-930206-25-9}}</ref>), also called '''Discs''',<ref>Instruction manual for Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum ports of ''Mario Bros.''</ref> '''Fires''',<ref>{{cite|title=''Mario Clash'' instruction booklet|page=18 and 22|date=1995|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=American English|author=Nintendo}}</ref> or '''swirls''',<ref>{{cite|title=''Nintendo Power Advance'' Volume 1|page=40|date=Spring 2001|publisher=[[Nintendo Power]]|language=American English}}</ref> in the [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' franchise]] sometimes appear in the context of being obstacles, but are most commonly used by [[Mario]], [[Bowser]], and other characters as means of attack.
 
==History==
==History==
===''Mario Bros.''===
===''Mario Bros.'' series===
====''Mario Bros.''====
[[File:MB fireballs.png|thumb|left|[[Mario]] dodging fireballs in ''Mario Bros.'']]
[[File:MB fireballs.png|thumb|left|[[Mario]] dodging fireballs in ''Mario Bros.'']]
In ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'', fireballs are unique enemies in that game in that they cannot cross the left or right edge of the screen and come out on the other side. Together with [[Icicle]]s, they are also the only enemies that can harm players hiding behind the bottom pipes.
Fireballs in ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'' make their first appearance in a ''Super Mario'' game. They appear in red and green varieties, and are unique enemies in that they cannot cross the left or right edge of the screen and come out on the other side. There can be a maximum of four fireballs, two of each color, on screen at any given time. Fireballs and [[Icicle]]s are the only enemies that can harm players hiding behind the bottom [[Warp Pipe|pipe]]s. A fireball will appear to impede the player if they take too long to complete a phase. Red fireballs are slower and bounce diagonally all around the stage, and if they hit one side of the screen, they ricochet off the side and keep going until making a full circuit of the screen after which they will disappear and respawn as a faster opponent. The quicker '''green fireballs'''<ref>''Mario Bros.'' Atari 7800 game manual, Scoring page.</ref> move horizontally from one side of the screen to the other where it will disappear until respawning elsewhere. It has a pattern of two small wavy bounces and one long bounce. Typically, the green fireballs spawn on a row where a player is located. To destroy fireballs, the player has to bump them from below while they are touching the [[floor (Mario Bros.)|floor]], or use a [[POW Block]]. Fireballs respawn as faster enemies a few moments after being destroyed.


If the player takes too long to clear a phase, a fireball will appear to impede the player. Fireballs come in red and green varieties. The red fireballs are slower and bounce diagonally all around the stage. If they hit one side of the screen, they ricochet off the side and keep going until making a full circuit of the screen after which they will disappear and respawn as a faster opponent. The quicker green fireballs move horizontally from one side of the screen to the other where it will disappear until respawning elsewhere. It has a pattern of two small wavy bounces and one long bounce. Typically, the green fireballs spawn on a row where a player is located. To destroy fireballs, the player has to bump them from below while they are touching the platform, or use a [[POW Block]]. Fireballs respawn as faster enemies a few moments after being destroyed. There can be a maximum of four fireballs, two of each color, on screen at any one time.
[[File:SMB3BattleMode-BonusFountain.png|thumb|Fireball bonus stage in ''Super Mario Bros. 3'']]
In the {{wp|Atari 2600}} port, fireballs are orange but behave like the green types from the original. It flies straight forward very quickly. In the {{wp|Atari 5200}} port, the orange fireball takes the place of the red one while the green one is replaced by the gold fireball. In the {{wp|PC-8001}} port, there is only one red fireball and it can travel through the wraparound screen. In the {{wp|Commodore 64}} port, there is a single red fireball but it behaves like the green fireball from the arcade version. In the {{wp|Amstrad CPC}} and {{wp|ZX Spectrum}} ports, the single fireball will float to the bottom floor as if it was affected by gravity and just roll around continuously. In the {{wp|Atari 7800}} port, the red type is called the orange fireball but it looks purplish. In the Atari 8-bit port, the red and green types are replaced by orange and blue respectively.


====In other iterations of ''Mario Bros.''====
In the 1983 [[Family Computer]] port, fireballs are significantly smaller, making them easier to avoid. They were restored to their correct size by the [[Kaettekita Mario Bros.|1988 FDS port]] and 1993 NES port.
In the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Amstrad CPC, and other ports of ''Mario Bros.'', only the red type appears.


In the NES port of the game, fireballs are significantly smaller, making them easier to avoid.
Fireballs in the [[Mario Bros. (Super Mario Bros. 3)|Mario Bros.]] game of ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' are all depicted red, but some behave like green fireballs. In addition, there is a bonus stage in which fireballs are shot out of a pipe. The in-game battle mode in its ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' version also has both fireballs using the red sprite, while the [[Battle Game (Super Mario All-Stars)|Battle Game]] in the main menu replaces the sprites with [[Boo]]s, which can go through the wraparound screen.


In ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', there is a 2 player [[minigame]] which has fireballs in it. In ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'', the Battle Mode has both fireballs using the red sprite, while the battle game unusually replaces the sprites with [[Boo]]s. Red fireballs can also now go through the wrap-around screen.
Fireballs in ''[[Luigi Bros.]]'' of ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'' function identically to their appearance in the Family Computer port of ''Mario Bros.''


Fireballs appear in ''Luigi Bros.''; an additional game featured in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''. Like the other enemies in ''Luigi Bros.'', fireballs behave in the same way as ''Mario Bros.'', which this game is based on.
====''Mario Bros. Special''====
Fireballs in ''[[Mario Bros. Special]]'' appear in red and green varieties, both of which are invincible. Green fireballs in the game appear only in trampoline stages and have a sharper angle to their turn with a pattern of alternating broad and narrow waves. Red fireballs in the game appear only in conveyor belt stages and patrol a narrow range.


===''VS. Wrecking Crew''/''Wrecking Crew''===
====''Punch Ball Mario Bros.''====
In ''[[VS. Wrecking Crew]]'' and ''[[Wrecking Crew]]'', a red fireball will appear if too much time is spent in one place. It behaves like the green fireballs of ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'' but with a simpler wavy pattern. Careful positioning can allow the fireball to fly harmlessly over Mario or Luigi's head.
Fireballs in ''[[Punch Ball Mario Bros.]]'' are invincible and look red. They act like green fireballs, but with a simpler wave pattern.


===''Super Mario Galaxy'' games===
====''Mario Clash''====
{{rewrite-expand|April 20, 2018|reason=split SMG1 and SMG2 info into different sections|section=yes}}
Fire in ''[[Mario Clash]]'', as they are called, function like the green fireballs from ''Mario Bros.'' but with a simpler wave pattern. They can be destroyed with a [[Koopa Shell|Turtle Shell]].
In ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'', fireballs move in circular patterns, either through the air or coming out of lava, appearing as an arc. They appear in places like the [[Freezeflame Galaxy]], the [[Melty Molten Galaxy]], the lava pool in the [[Freezy Flake Galaxy]], and the [[Melty Monster Galaxy]]. Unlike most depictions, these fireballs have long, burning tails. A small, rolling variety can be spawned by [[Magikoopa]]s, and in the former game, is in fact the only thing generic Magikoopas can spawn in gameplay.


[[File:Fireballs.png|left|thumb|240px|Several fireballs soar past [[Donkey Kong]] on his [[Rocket Barrel]].]]
===''VS. Wrecking Crew'' / ''Wrecking Crew''===
===''Donkey Kong Country'' series===
{{multiframe|[[File:VSWC Fireball.png]] [[File:WC Fireball.png]]|bg=black|align=left|Fireballs in ''VS. Wrecking Crew'' and ''Wrecking Crew''|size=130}}
====''Donkey Kong Country Returns / 3D''====
Fireballs in ''[[VS. Wrecking Crew]]'' and ''[[Wrecking Crew]]'' behave like the green fireballs of ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'' but with a simpler wavy pattern. A fireball will appear if too much time is spent in one place. Careful positioning can allow the fireball to fly harmlessly over Mario or Luigi's head. The in-game manual of the ''[[Arcade Archives]]'' release of ''VS. Wrecking Crew'' classifies fireballs as characters.<ref>{{cite|title=''Arcade Archives VS. Wrecking Crew'' in-game manual|page=7}}</ref>
[[File:FireballsDKCTF.jpg|thumb|250px|Two fireballs raining down in front of [[Donkey Kong]].]]
In both ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D]]'', fireballs are featured as hazards during a short section of [[Hot Rocket]].<ref>"''As some '''fireballs''' come at you from behind, try to fly in the middle.''" Knight, Michael. ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' [[Prima Games|Prima]] Official Game Guide. Page 140.</ref> They come out from behind and fly across the screen, destroying the [[Kong]]s' [[Rocket Barrel]] and causing them to lose a life if they come into contact. However, if avoided, fireballs simply outrun the characters, never to be seen again. Fireballs cannot be stopped or destroyed. At one point, a fireball crashes into a chunk of rock falling from the ceiling, destroying it and revealing a [[Puzzle Piece (Donkey Kong Country series)|Puzzle Piece]].


====''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''====
===''Hotel Mario''===
Fireballs that drop from scorching baobabs appear in [[Scorch 'n' Torch]], a level from ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''. They spawn regularly from the canopy and come down in a straight line, always disappearing in a pit below. The Kongs would have to time their jumps so as not to get hit and damaged by the obstacles. Fireballs can only be dispelled using [[Water Sack]]s.
Balls of fire in ''[[Hotel Mario]]'' are obstacles in [[Bowser's Seizures Palace Hotel]]. They are preceded by a match-striking sound, and then dart from one end of a floor to another horizontally. In certain stages, more than one ball can appear at once. If they appear on the same floor as the player, the player can duck underneath them or hide into a door to avoid them. Alternatively, if the player is [[Fire Mario]], they can shoot a [[fireball]] at one of them, which will make them stop spawning for the remainder of the hotel.
 
===''Super Mario'' series===
====''Super Mario 64'' / ''Super Mario 64 DS''====
[[File:SM64 Asset Model Fireball.png|thumb|Fireball model in ''Super Mario 64'']]
Fireballs in ''[[Super Mario 64]]'' and its [[Super Mario 64 DS|Nintendo DS version]] are very common obstacles featured as both standalone objects and enemy projectiles. Stationary ones light torches in the [[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]] and [[Hazy Maze Cave]], and they are shot out in large groups by the volcano in [[Lethal Lava Land]]. They can also be shot by [[flame thrower (Flame Chomp)|flame thrower]]s, [[Fly Guy]]s, [[Small Piranha]]s, [[Big Fire Piranha|Piranha Flower]]s, and [[Bowser]], with some staying still and others chasing Mario. In the remake, stationary fireballs also light small bonfires at [[Cool, Cool Mountain]] and [[Snowman's Land]], and they can be eaten by [[Yoshi]] for [[Fire Power (Yoshi)|fire breath]].
 
====''Super Mario Galaxy'' / ''Super Mario Galaxy 2''====
Fireballs in ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'' move in circular patterns, either through the air or coming out of lava, appearing as an arc. They appear in places like the [[Freezeflame Galaxy]], the [[Melty Molten Galaxy]], the lava pool in the [[Freezy Flake Galaxy]], and the [[Melty Monster Galaxy]]. Unlike most depictions, these fireballs have long, burning tails. A small, rolling variety can be spawned by [[Magikoopa]]s, and in the former game, is in fact the only object generic Magikoopas can spawn in gameplay with their main attack. [[Kamella]] also uses this and [[Koopa Troopa|Koopa]] [[Shell]]s during her fights, and becomes more likely to summon fireballs as she takes damage.
 
===''Super Mario Bros. Wonder''===
Fireballs in ''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'' are obstacles spawned from hazardous ooze. They are first encountered during the level [[Fluff-Puff Peaks Palace]]. The direction in which a fireball moves depends, but if a character touches one, they take damage.
 
===''Mario Power Tennis''===
[[File:Coin_Collectors.jpg|thumb|left|A green fireball in ''Mario Power Tennis'']]
Green fireballs from ''Mario Bros.'' in ''[[Mario Power Tennis]]'' are obstacles bouncing around the court in the [[minigame]] [[Coin Collectors]]. These fireballs can stun a player for three seconds on contact as the defeated sound effect from ''Mario Bros.'' is heard playing.
{{br}}
===''Donkey Kong'' franchise===
====''Donkey Kong Jungle Beat''====
Fireballs in ''[[Donkey Kong Jungle Beat]]'' are recurring lava obstacles that may travel straight or in arcs, and usually leap from magma. Fireballs in the game first appear in the level [[Grim Volcano]].
 
====''Donkey Kong Country'' series====
[[File:Fireballs.png|thumb|Several fireballs soar past [[Donkey Kong]] on his [[Rocket Barrel]] in ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'']]
Fireballs in the [[Donkey Kong Country (series)|''Donkey Kong Country'' series]] first appear in ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' and return in the [[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D|Nintendo 3DS version]], then in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'' shortly afterward. In all games, they appear as a type of hazard capable of damaging the Kongs.
 
Fireballs in ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' appear as hazards during a short section of [[Hot Rocket]].<ref>{{cite|quote=As some '''fireballs''' come at you from behind, try to fly in the middle.|author=Knight, Michael|title=''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' Prima Official Game Guide|page=140|date=2010|publisher=[[Prima Games]]|isbn=978-0-307-47102-4}}</ref> They come out from behind and fly across the screen, destroying the [[Kong]]s' [[Rocket Barrel]] and causing them to lose a life if they come into contact. However, if avoided, fireballs simply fly past them. Fireballs cannot be stopped or destroyed. At one point, a fireball crashes into a chunk of rock falling from the ceiling, destroying it and revealing a [[Puzzle Piece (Donkey Kong Country series)|Puzzle Piece]].
 
Fireballs in ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'' appear in [[Scorch 'n' Torch]], where they drop from baobab canopies at regular intervals and fall into [[pit]]s below. Fireballs can only be destroyed with a [[Water Sack]].
 
===''WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase''===
A green fire in ''[[WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase]]'' appears in [[18-Volt]]'s boss [[microgame]] [[Dustpan]] as roaming obstacle. It appears to have been recolored from the fireball sprites in ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
 
==Profiles==
===''[[Perfect Edition of the Great Mario Character Encyclopedia|Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten]]''===
{{PEGMCE profile
|name=ファイアボール (JP) / Fireball (EN)
|shuzoku=ゴースト{{ruby|族|ぞく}}
|seikaku=勝気
|tojo_gemu=ブラザー、クルー
|desc='''<big>{{ruby|突然現|とつぜんげん}}れる{{ruby|小|ちい}}さに{{ruby|火|ひ}}の{{ruby|玉|たま}}</big>'''<br>
マリオの{{ruby|投|な}}げるファイアボールとは{{ruby|違|ちが}}い、はじの{{ruby|方|ほう}}から{{ruby|突然姿|とつげんすがた}}を{{ruby|現|あらわ}}し、{{ruby|画面|がめん}}を{{ruby|横切|よこぎ}}る。{{ruby|当|あ}}たると{{ruby|丸焦|まるこ}}げになってしまうので、{{ruby|他|ほか}}の{{ruby|階|かい}}へ{{ruby|移動|いどう}}するかジャンプをして{{ruby|避|さ}}けよう。<ref name=Daijiten>{{cite|title=''Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten''|page=[https://imgur.com/sEM7tEO 180]|language=Japanese|publisher=[[Shogakukan]]|date=1994}}</ref>
|tribe=Ghost clan
|disposition=Unyielding spirit
|game_appearances=Bros., Crew
|eng_desc='''''<big>Sudden appearance of a small fireball</big>'''''<br>
''Unlike the fireballs thrown by Mario, these fireballs suddenly appear from the beginning and cross the screen. If it hits you, you will be burned to a crisp, so move to another floor or jump to avoid it.''
}}
 
==Gallery==
<gallery>
MB Arcade Red Fireball.png|''Mario Bros.'' arcade sprite (red)
MB Arcade Green Fireball.png|''Mario Bros.'' arcade sprite (green)
SMW2 Fireball Roger.png|A fireball produced by [[Roger the Potted Ghost]] in ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]''
MC Fire.png|''[[Mario Clash]]''
D.I.Y.Chiritorie.png|A green fire in ''[[WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase]]'', as an obstacle in [[18-Volt]]'s [[Dustpan]] microgame
FireballsDKCTF.jpg|Two fireballs raining down in front of [[Donkey Kong]] in ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''
</gallery>


==Names in other languages==
==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
{{foreign names
|Jap=ファイアボール<ref>Mario character book, [http://imgur.com/a/UvABP#89 page 180]</ref>
|Jap=ファイアボール<ref>{{cite|title=レッキングクルー (''Rekkingu Kurū'') instruction booklet|date=1985|page=5|language=Japanese|author=Nintendo|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref><ref name=Daijiten/>
|JapR=Faiabōru
|JapR=Faiabōru
|JapM=Fireball
|JapM=Fireball
|SpaE=Bola de fuego<ref name=SMAEman>[https://cdn02.nintendo-europe.com/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/game_boy_advance_8/Manual_GameBoyAdvance_SuperMarioAdvance_EN_DE_FR_ES_IT.pdf ''Super Mario Advance'' European instruction manual], pages 38, 58, 98, and 118</ref>
|Jap2=ファイア<ref>{{cite|title=マリオクラッシュ (''Mario Kurasshu'') instruction booklet|page=16 and 20|date=1995|language=Japanese|author=Nintendo|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref>
|SpaEM=Fire Ball
|Jap2R=Faia
|FraE=Boule de Feu<ref name=SMAEman/>
|Jap2M=Fire
|FraEM=Fire Ball
|Jap3={{ruby|炎|ほのお}}<ref>{{cite|title=''Wrecking Crew '98'' physical release manual|page=15|date=1998|author=Nintendo|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref>
|Jap3R=Honō
|Jap3M=Flame
|FreE=Boule de Feu<ref name=SMAEman/>
|FreEM=Fire Ball
|Ger=Feuerball<ref name=SMAEman/>
|Ger=Feuerball<ref name=SMAEman/>
|GerM=Fireball
|GerM=Fireball
|Ita=Sfera di fuoco<ref name=SMAEman/>
|Ita=Fiamma<ref>''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' Italian manual, pag. 28</ref>
|ItaM=Fire Ball}}
|Ita2=Sfera di fuoco<ref name=SMAEman/>
|Ita3=Palla di fuoco (''NES Remix'')
|ItaM=Flame
|Ita2M=Fire sphere
|Ita3M=Fire ball
|SpaE=Bola de fuego<ref name=SMAEman>{{cite|url=cdn02.nintendo-europe.com/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/game_boy_advance_8/Manual_GameBoyAdvance_SuperMarioAdvance_EN_DE_FR_ES_IT.pdf|title=''Super Mario Advance'' European instruction booklet|page=38, 58, 98, and 118|format=PDF|language=Italian|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|date=2001|accessdate=April 6, 2019}}</ref>
|SpaEM=Fire Ball
}}


==References==
==References==
<references/>
<references/>
{{nav templates|
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{{WC}}
{{SMB3}}
{{SMB3}}
{{HM}}
{{Mario Clash}}
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{{DKJB}}
{{SMG}}
{{SMG}}
{{SMG2}}
{{SMG2}}
{{DKCR}}
{{DKCR}}
{{DKCTF}}
{{DKCTF}}
[[Category:Enemies]]
{{SMBW}}
[[Category:Fire Creatures]]
}}
[[Category:Fire creatures]]
[[Category:Hazardous objects]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Jungle Beat objects]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country Returns objects]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze objects]]
[[Category:Hotel Mario enemies]]
[[Category:Mario Bros. enemies]]
[[Category:Mario Clash enemies]]
[[Category:Super Mario 64 objects]]
[[Category:Super Mario Bros. Wonder objects]]
[[Category:Super Mario Galaxy objects]]
[[Category:Super Mario Galaxy 2 objects]]
[[Category:VS. Wrecking Crew]]
[[Category:Wrecking Crew]]
[[Category:Wrecking Crew]]
[[Category:Mario Bros. Enemies]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country Returns Objects]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Objects]]
[[Category:Super Mario Galaxy Objects]]
[[Category:Super Mario Galaxy 2 Objects]]

Latest revision as of 07:46, May 11, 2024

This article is about the Mario Bros. enemy. For other uses, see Fireball (disambiguation).
Fireball
The second 10-flower coin in the level Fluff-Puff Peaks Palace in Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Fireballs, as they appear in Super Mario Bros. Wonder
First appearance Mario Bros. (1983)
Latest appearance WarioWare: Move It! (2023)

Fireballs (alternatively fire balls[1] or Fire Balls[2]), also called Discs,[3] Fires,[4] or swirls,[5] in the Super Mario franchise sometimes appear in the context of being obstacles, but are most commonly used by Mario, Bowser, and other characters as means of attack.

HistoryEdit

Mario Bros. seriesEdit

Mario Bros.Edit

 
Mario dodging fireballs in Mario Bros.

Fireballs in Mario Bros. make their first appearance in a Super Mario game. They appear in red and green varieties, and are unique enemies in that they cannot cross the left or right edge of the screen and come out on the other side. There can be a maximum of four fireballs, two of each color, on screen at any given time. Fireballs and Icicles are the only enemies that can harm players hiding behind the bottom pipes. A fireball will appear to impede the player if they take too long to complete a phase. Red fireballs are slower and bounce diagonally all around the stage, and if they hit one side of the screen, they ricochet off the side and keep going until making a full circuit of the screen after which they will disappear and respawn as a faster opponent. The quicker green fireballs[6] move horizontally from one side of the screen to the other where it will disappear until respawning elsewhere. It has a pattern of two small wavy bounces and one long bounce. Typically, the green fireballs spawn on a row where a player is located. To destroy fireballs, the player has to bump them from below while they are touching the floor, or use a POW Block. Fireballs respawn as faster enemies a few moments after being destroyed.

 
Fireball bonus stage in Super Mario Bros. 3

In the Atari 2600 port, fireballs are orange but behave like the green types from the original. It flies straight forward very quickly. In the Atari 5200 port, the orange fireball takes the place of the red one while the green one is replaced by the gold fireball. In the PC-8001 port, there is only one red fireball and it can travel through the wraparound screen. In the Commodore 64 port, there is a single red fireball but it behaves like the green fireball from the arcade version. In the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum ports, the single fireball will float to the bottom floor as if it was affected by gravity and just roll around continuously. In the Atari 7800 port, the red type is called the orange fireball but it looks purplish. In the Atari 8-bit port, the red and green types are replaced by orange and blue respectively.

In the 1983 Family Computer port, fireballs are significantly smaller, making them easier to avoid. They were restored to their correct size by the 1988 FDS port and 1993 NES port.

Fireballs in the Mario Bros. game of Super Mario Bros. 3 are all depicted red, but some behave like green fireballs. In addition, there is a bonus stage in which fireballs are shot out of a pipe. The in-game battle mode in its Super Mario All-Stars version also has both fireballs using the red sprite, while the Battle Game in the main menu replaces the sprites with Boos, which can go through the wraparound screen.

Fireballs in Luigi Bros. of Super Mario 3D World function identically to their appearance in the Family Computer port of Mario Bros.

Mario Bros. SpecialEdit

Fireballs in Mario Bros. Special appear in red and green varieties, both of which are invincible. Green fireballs in the game appear only in trampoline stages and have a sharper angle to their turn with a pattern of alternating broad and narrow waves. Red fireballs in the game appear only in conveyor belt stages and patrol a narrow range.

Punch Ball Mario Bros.Edit

Fireballs in Punch Ball Mario Bros. are invincible and look red. They act like green fireballs, but with a simpler wave pattern.

Mario ClashEdit

Fire in Mario Clash, as they are called, function like the green fireballs from Mario Bros. but with a simpler wave pattern. They can be destroyed with a Turtle Shell.

VS. Wrecking Crew / Wrecking CrewEdit

Fireballs in VS. Wrecking Crew and Wrecking Crew

Fireballs in VS. Wrecking Crew and Wrecking Crew behave like the green fireballs of Mario Bros. but with a simpler wavy pattern. A fireball will appear if too much time is spent in one place. Careful positioning can allow the fireball to fly harmlessly over Mario or Luigi's head. The in-game manual of the Arcade Archives release of VS. Wrecking Crew classifies fireballs as characters.[7]

Hotel MarioEdit

Balls of fire in Hotel Mario are obstacles in Bowser's Seizures Palace Hotel. They are preceded by a match-striking sound, and then dart from one end of a floor to another horizontally. In certain stages, more than one ball can appear at once. If they appear on the same floor as the player, the player can duck underneath them or hide into a door to avoid them. Alternatively, if the player is Fire Mario, they can shoot a fireball at one of them, which will make them stop spawning for the remainder of the hotel.

Super Mario seriesEdit

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DSEdit

 
Fireball model in Super Mario 64

Fireballs in Super Mario 64 and its Nintendo DS version are very common obstacles featured as both standalone objects and enemy projectiles. Stationary ones light torches in the Mushroom Castle and Hazy Maze Cave, and they are shot out in large groups by the volcano in Lethal Lava Land. They can also be shot by flame throwers, Fly Guys, Small Piranhas, Piranha Flowers, and Bowser, with some staying still and others chasing Mario. In the remake, stationary fireballs also light small bonfires at Cool, Cool Mountain and Snowman's Land, and they can be eaten by Yoshi for fire breath.

Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2Edit

Fireballs in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 move in circular patterns, either through the air or coming out of lava, appearing as an arc. They appear in places like the Freezeflame Galaxy, the Melty Molten Galaxy, the lava pool in the Freezy Flake Galaxy, and the Melty Monster Galaxy. Unlike most depictions, these fireballs have long, burning tails. A small, rolling variety can be spawned by Magikoopas, and in the former game, is in fact the only object generic Magikoopas can spawn in gameplay with their main attack. Kamella also uses this and Koopa Shells during her fights, and becomes more likely to summon fireballs as she takes damage.

Super Mario Bros. WonderEdit

Fireballs in Super Mario Bros. Wonder are obstacles spawned from hazardous ooze. They are first encountered during the level Fluff-Puff Peaks Palace. The direction in which a fireball moves depends, but if a character touches one, they take damage.

Mario Power TennisEdit

 
A green fireball in Mario Power Tennis

Green fireballs from Mario Bros. in Mario Power Tennis are obstacles bouncing around the court in the minigame Coin Collectors. These fireballs can stun a player for three seconds on contact as the defeated sound effect from Mario Bros. is heard playing.

Donkey Kong franchiseEdit

Donkey Kong Jungle BeatEdit

Fireballs in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat are recurring lava obstacles that may travel straight or in arcs, and usually leap from magma. Fireballs in the game first appear in the level Grim Volcano.

Donkey Kong Country seriesEdit

 
Several fireballs soar past Donkey Kong on his Rocket Barrel in Donkey Kong Country Returns

Fireballs in the Donkey Kong Country series first appear in Donkey Kong Country Returns and return in the Nintendo 3DS version, then in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze shortly afterward. In all games, they appear as a type of hazard capable of damaging the Kongs.

Fireballs in Donkey Kong Country Returns appear as hazards during a short section of Hot Rocket.[8] They come out from behind and fly across the screen, destroying the Kongs' Rocket Barrel and causing them to lose a life if they come into contact. However, if avoided, fireballs simply fly past them. Fireballs cannot be stopped or destroyed. At one point, a fireball crashes into a chunk of rock falling from the ceiling, destroying it and revealing a Puzzle Piece.

Fireballs in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze appear in Scorch 'n' Torch, where they drop from baobab canopies at regular intervals and fall into pits below. Fireballs can only be destroyed with a Water Sack.

WarioWare: D.I.Y. ShowcaseEdit

A green fire in WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase appears in 18-Volt's boss microgame Dustpan as roaming obstacle. It appears to have been recolored from the fireball sprites in Super Mario Bros.

ProfilesEdit

Perfect Ban Mario Character DaijitenEdit

ファイアボール (JP) / Fireball (EN)

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Original text (Japanese) Translation
種族しゅぞく ゴーストぞく Tribe Ghost clan
性格せいかく 勝気 Disposition Unyielding spirit
登場とうじょうゲーム ブラザー、クルー Game appearances Bros., Crew
突然現とつぜんげんれるちいさにたま

マリオのげるファイアボールとはちがい、はじのほうから突然姿とつげんすがたあらわし、画面がめん横切よこぎる。たると丸焦まるこげになってしまうので、ほかかい移動いどうするかジャンプをしてけよう。[9]

Sudden appearance of a small fireball

Unlike the fireballs thrown by Mario, these fireballs suddenly appear from the beginning and cross the screen. If it hits you, you will be burned to a crisp, so move to another floor or jump to avoid it.

GalleryEdit

Names in other languagesEdit

Language Name Meaning
Japanese ファイアボール[10][9]
Faiabōru
ファイア[11]
Faia
ほのお[12]
Honō
Fireball

Fire

Flame

French (NOE) Boule de Feu[13]
Fire Ball
German Feuerball[13]
Fireball
Italian Fiamma[14]
Sfera di fuoco[13]
Palla di fuoco (NES Remix)
Flame
Fire sphere
Fire ball
Spanish (NOE) Bola de fuego[13]
Fire Ball

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ Nintendo (1985). Mario Bros. instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 8.
  2. ^ Williams, Drew (2002). Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 Player's Guide. Nintendo Power (American English). ISBN 1-930206-25-9. Page 4.
  3. ^ Instruction manual for Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum ports of Mario Bros.
  4. ^ Nintendo (1995). Mario Clash instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 18 and 22.
  5. ^ (Spring 2001). Nintendo Power Advance Volume 1. Nintendo Power (American English). Page 40.
  6. ^ Mario Bros. Atari 7800 game manual, Scoring page.
  7. ^ Arcade Archives VS. Wrecking Crew in-game manual. Page 7.
  8. ^ "As some fireballs come at you from behind, try to fly in the middle." – Knight, Michael (2010). Donkey Kong Country Returns Prima Official Game Guide. Prima Games. ISBN 978-0-307-47102-4. Page 140.
  9. ^ a b (1994). Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten. Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 180.
  10. ^ Nintendo (1985). レッキングクルー (Rekkingu Kurū) instruction booklet. Nintendo (Japanese). Page 5.
  11. ^ Nintendo (1995). マリオクラッシュ (Mario Kurasshu) instruction booklet. Nintendo (Japanese). Page 16 and 20.
  12. ^ Nintendo (1998). Wrecking Crew '98 physical release manual. Nintendo. Page 15.
  13. ^ a b c d (2001). Super Mario Advance European instruction booklet (PDF). Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 38, 58, 98, and 118. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  14. ^ Super Mario Bros. 3 Italian manual, pag. 28