Big Ben

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Big Ben in Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
Big Ben as seen in the opening of the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games

Big Ben is a famous bell in the Houses of Parliament, London, although the term is often used to refer to the clock tower that houses the bell (which is officially known as Elizabeth Tower, having been renamed from Clock Tower in 2012). The tower has made several appearances as a notable landmark in the Super Mario franchise.

History[edit]

Mario is Missing![edit]

Luigi's photograph of Big Ben
Luigi's photograph of Big Ben

Luigi visits Big Ben when he travels to London in Mario is Missing!. Koopa Troopas have stolen Big Ben's minute hand, which is 14 feet long, and Luigi has to find it and return it to the landmark. Upon doing so, he is rewarded 1,200 dollars, plus a bonus of 2,400 dollars if he returns it first.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games[edit]

It has been requested that more images be uploaded for this section. Remove this notice only after the additional image(s) have been added. Reason: The Collect Shy Guy's Coins! minigame sticker and screenshots of the exterior in the 3DS version and in London Party.

Dr. Eggman and Bowser in Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games for Nintendo 3DS.
Bowser and Dr. Eggman in the lab in Big Ben in The Night Before

Big Ben features prominently in both versions of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games due to the game's setting. In the Wii version, the tower appears several times in the game's opening, ending with Mario and Sonic stood on top of the tower at the end. The tower appears as one of the landmarks in the London Party mode, but also has the additional purpose of acting as a countdown timer until the next Event. The clock's face appears in the lower right corner of the screen while leading up to the event with a ticking sound, and the clock will strike every sixth hour (12am, 6am, 12pm and 6pm) to indicate the start of an event. Fences themed to Big Ben appear in Equestrian - Show Jumping, and the tower also appears on the European and Japanese box art for the game. An image of the clock face and top of the tower appears on the sticker earned for completing the Collect Shy Guy's Coins! minigame.

In the Nintendo 3DS version, Big Ben appears as a central location in the Story Mode. As well as the area surrounding the tower, which is passed by in 20km Race Walk and Marathon, the inside of the tower also appears as a location, where Dr. Eggman has set up a lab. The lab includes the fog amplifying system, Fog urn and several computers that Dr. Eggman uses to monitor various areas around London, including the area directly outside the tower, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and the Main Stadium. Big Ben first appears in The Night Before, where the exterior is shown before cutting away to Bowser and Dr. Eggman in the lab, who conclude that the Olympic Games are being started without them. Dr. Eggman starts the fog amplifying system before using the computer screens to observe the reaction at the Main Stadium. The lab appears again in Clear Skies Again, where after observing the clearing of the Phantasmal Fog Dr. Eggman uses the fog amplifying system to create more, overloading the system and causing the rainbow colored fog to be distributed from the top of the tower. In To the Ruins! Omega reveals that he had transported the urn to Dr. Eggman in Big Ben, and he travels there along with Mario, Luigi, Toad, Sonic and Tails in The Promise to Toad, where it is shrouded in the rainbow fog. Mario, Luigi, Sonic and Tails confront Bowser and Dr. Eggman at the top of the tower in The Grand Showdown, sealing the fog back into the urn and stopping the fog amplifying system. In Dr. Eggman's Robots, Dr. Eggman and Metal Sonic practice Taekwondo in the lab at the top of the tower, which lacks the fog amplifying system, with Orbot & Cubot watching. After Metal Sonic loses, the group uses the computers to observe Waluigi outside the tower and head out to compete with him. Metal Sonic challenges Wario outside the tower in An Old Urn and Wario forfeits the fog urn to Dr. Eggman, who then takes it back up to the lab. In The Fog Returns, Dr. Eggman places the urn in the newly constructed fog amplifying system, which is not yet fully completed and successfully tests the device. Lakitu also mistakes the Tower of London as Big Ben in Bowser's Blues.

Mario Kart series[edit]

Tour London Loop as it appears in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
View of Big Ben in Tour London Loop in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

In Mario Kart Tour, Big Ben is one of the numerous landmarks seen throughout the London Loop course. It is located right next to the road directly in front of the starting line on the left in London Loop's first two routes, while it is behind the starting line on London Loop 3. It is notably shorter compared to its real life equivalent, presumably so the clock's faces can be seen whilst on Westminster Bridge. The tower is merely aesthetic in the course, and does not produce sound nor does the time on the clocks change; instead, the clock is constantly showing the minute hand on one minute past, and the hour hand on eight.

Big Ben was used as the landmark of the London Tour, the Baby Rosalina Tour, and the 2021 Halloween Tour, appearing in the background of the menus.

London Loop returns in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in the third wave of the Booster Course Pass DLC; as such, Big Ben returns as a landmark in the course.

In the course icons and promotional pictures posted on social media by Nintendo for Mario Kart Tour, Big Ben is depicted with extra details atop the tower, such as windows and spires. These details are absent in both Mario Kart Tour's gameplay and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Pamphlet information from Mario is Missing![edit]

Big Ben, the symbol of England, is located in the Houses of Parliament, England's Capitol Hill. Its officially called the Palace of Westminster, originally the palace of Edward the Confessor. At the north end of Parliament is the Clock Tower, 320 feet high. The face of the Tower's clock is enormous, about 23 feet across. Although most people believe the clock itself is Big Ben, that distinction goes to the tower's 13 ton bell, which strikes the hour and lets London know all is well.

Gallery[edit]