Editing Arrow Sign

{{rewrite-expand|Appearance in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]''|October 29, 2023}}
{{part conjecture}}
{{distinguish|Arrow field}}
{{item infobox
|image=[[File:ArrowSignYS.png|200px]]<br>Artwork of an Arrow Sign from ''[[Yoshi's Story]]''
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario World]]'' ([[List of games by date#1990|1990]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'' ([[List of games by date#2023|2023]])
}}
'''Arrow Signs''' (or '''arrow signs''') are a method of directing the player in several games of the [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' franchise]]. They first appeared in ''[[Super Mario World]]'' as a sign with an arrow on it and a patch of grass below.

==History==
===''Super Mario'' series===
====''Super Mario World''====
In ''Super Mario World'', the first use of the Arrow Sign was in [[Yoshi's Island 1]] near the [[Giant Gate]]. In general, Arrow Signs are placed near the end of levels in which they appear, signaling that the Giant Gate is nearby.

====''Super Mario 64'' / ''Super Mario 64 DS''====
[[File:SM64 Arrow sign.png|thumb|80px|left|An Arrow Sign in ''Super Mario 64'']]
Arrow Signs make their debut in a 3D ''Super Mario'' game in ''[[Super Mario 64]]'', first appearing on the [[Bob-omb Battlefield]]. Near the giant [[Chain Chomp]] is the Arrow Sign directing the character to bypass the Chain Chomp moving on to the next area.

In ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'', the Arrow Signs are breakable by [[Wario]] in his regular form or by any other character when under the effect of a [[Super Mushroom]].

====''Super Mario Sunshine'' ====
In ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'', arrow signs are usually beige-colored with white arrows and are placed in different locations depending on the Episode selected for the level, pointing [[Mario]] in the direction he needs to go to collect the Episode's [[Shine Sprite]]. Metallic arrow signs with blue arrows also appear in [[Ricco Harbor]].

==== ''Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3'' ====
In ''[[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', Arrow Signs only appear in [[World-e]]. Their appearance is almost identical to their design in ''Super Mario World''.

====''New Super Mario Bros.'' series====
Arrow Signs appear in ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'', ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'', ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'', and ''[[New Super Luigi U]]'', taking an appearance similar to that of ''Super Mario 64''{{'}}s.

====''Super Mario Galaxy''====
Arrow Signs appear in ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' as blue arrows with red outlines.

====''Super Mario Galaxy 2''====
Arrow Signs return in ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'' retaining their appearance in its predecessor.

====''Super Mario 3D Land''====
In ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'', the Arrow Sign first appears in [[World 1-1 (Super Mario 3D Land)|World 1-1]] in the beginning of the stage. They appear as an orange sign with a white border and red arrow on it.

====''Super Mario 3D World'' / ''Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury'' / ''Bowser's Fury''====
[[File:Sm3dwarrowsign.png|thumb|250px|An Arrow Sign in ''Super Mario 3D World'']]
Arrow Signs return in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''. They can be broken by using a [[Kick Bomb]] or any attacking move, such as a [[fireball]], [[boomerang]], [[dive|claw dive]], or [[roll]].

[[File:SM3DWBF Cat Arrow Sign.png|thumb|left|100px]]
In the ''[[Bowser's Fury]]'' campaign of ''[[Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury]]'', Arrow Signs decorated with leaves and cat ears can be found throughout [[Lake Lapcat]]. Many are located on walls rather than exclusively on the ground; these Arrow Signs cannot be broken. If an Arrow Sign on the ground is broken, it will only reappear if Mario leaves the radius of the island the Arrow Sign was on. In this mode, they can also be broken by [[Bowser Jr.]]'s [[magic brush]].

====''Super Mario Maker'' / ''Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS''====
{{multiframe|[[File:SMM-SMB-Arrow-Sign.png]][[File:SMM-SMB3-Arrow-Sign.png]][[File:SMM-SMW-Arrow-Sign.png]][[File:SMM-NSMBU-Arrow-Sign.png|30px]]|align=left}}
Two kinds of Arrow Signs appear in ''[[Super Mario Maker]]'', and [[Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS|its 3DS port]]. The traditional Arrow Sign seen in previous ''Super Mario'' games always appears at the start of every level, with the ''Super Mario World'' and ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' ones retaining their original designs in their respective game styles, and cannot be removed. The second is a course part that can be placed, but unlike regular Arrow Signs, it does not have a post or backboard and instead is just a plain red or wooden arrow, depending on the game style. Arrow Signs can be rotated in eight different directions. A maximum of 100 Arrow Signs can be placed in an area. When an Arrow Sign is shaken in the first game, it turns into a [[Checkpoint Flag]]. They cannot be placed in any solid block. In the first game, they are unlockable, being one of the later parts unlocked.

====''Super Mario Maker 2''====
The Arrow Signs return in ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'', retaining their behavior in [[Super Mario Maker|its predecessor]]. The traditional Arrow Sign from ''Super Mario 3D World'' is introduced, retaining its original design in its game style. The Arrow Sign course parts are also classified as gizmos; however, they can only be placed in [[Ice Block]]s in the ''Super Mario 3D World'' style.

===''Mario Kart'' series===
Arrow Signs are placed on several tracks throughout the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]], telling racers which direction to head in. Some Arrow Signs also change depending on the course; for example, the ones in [[GCN Waluigi Stadium|Waluigi Stadium]] are digital, have eyes, and sway around.

[[Arrow field|Special kinds of Arrow Signs]] appear in ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' in several courses included in the ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]''. These arrows resemble holographic images, and when driven through, [[Lakitu]] carries the player back on the road. They only appear on courses that change route in different laps, such as {{classic-link|Tour|Paris Promenade}} or {{classic-link|N64|Kalimari Desert}}.

===''Yoshi'' franchise===
Arrow Signs can be found in games such as ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'', where they are usually placed at the start of levels or new areas to direct players in which direction to move. In ''[[Yoshi's Story]]'', they can be found in certain areas to direct players. ''[[Yoshi's Woolly World]]'' features arrow signs that are made of red fabric with stitched edges set in bobby pins and hanging from transparent strings. In ''[[Yoshi's Crafted World]]'', red arrow signs made of cut cardboard with smiling stars on them that point to the goal appear near the end of each level. There are also blue ones on the flip side.

===''Wario World''===
[[File:GreenhornRuinsSub5.png|thumb|200px|An arrow (left) in one of Greenhorn Ruins' sub-areas]]
An unconventional Arrow Sign appears in ''[[Wario World]]''{{'}}s [[sub-area]]s. Rather than having a post or backboard, the arrow itself is a three-dimensional object that constantly spins about its roll axis. [[Wario]]'s [[punch]]es can jostle the arrow around, though it will soon settle back into place.

===''Mario Party'' series===
Arrow signs appear in many ''[[Mario Party (series)|Mario Party]]'' games. In ''[[Mario Party 7]]'', arrow signs appear in every board and in the minigames [[Kart Wheeled]] and [[Hop-O-Matic 4000]]. In ''[[Mario Party 8]]'', arrow signs appear in the boards [[DK's Treetop Temple]] and [[Koopa's Tycoon Town]]. Following this, in ''[[Mario Party 9]]'', ''[[Mario Party 10]]'', and ''[[Super Mario Party]]'', Arrow Signs appear in every board. In ''Mario Party 9'', they also appear in the minigame [[Snow Go]], and in ''Mario Party 10'', Arrow Signs appear in the minigame [[Revolving Relay]].

===''Super Smash Bros.'' series===
An Arrow Sign appears in the [[Golden Plains]] stage in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. Occasionally, it pops up on-screen indicating that the stage starts to scroll in the direction it is pointing.

===''Mario Sports Superstars''===
Arrow signs appear in ''[[Mario Sports Superstars]]'' in a few Horse Racing courses.

==Gallery==
{{Main-gallery}}
<gallery>
ArrowSignYI.png|''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]''
SMW2 Arrow Sign float art.png|''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island''
YWW Arrow Signpost.jpg|''[[Yoshi's Woolly World]]''
YWW Arrow Sign.jpg|''Yoshi's Woolly World''
SMW Sprite Arrow Sign.png|''[[Super Mario World]]''
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=矢印マーク
|JapR=Yajirushi Māku
|JapM=Arrow Mark
|FreE=Pancarte flèche
|FreEM=Arrow sign
|Dut=Wegwĳzer
|DutM=Signpost
|Ger=Wegweiser
|GerM=Guidepost
|Ita=Freccia
|ItaM=Arrow
|Rus=Указатель
|RusR=Ukazatel'
|RusM=Pointer
|Chi=箭头符号 (Simplified)<br>箭頭符號 (Traditional)
|ChiR=Jiàntóu Fúhào 
|ChiM=Arrow Symbol
}}
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{{SM3DL}}
{{NSMB2}}
{{NSMBU}}
{{SM3DW}}
{{SMM}}
{{SMM2}}
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[[Category:Signs]]
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