Goal Pole: Difference between revisions

A '''Goal Pole''', also known as a '''flagpole'''<ref>{{cite|title=''Super Mario Bros.'' instruction booklet|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|page=6 and 18}}</ref> (alternatively '''Flag Pole'''),<ref>{{cite|date=September 1993|title=''Nintendo Power'' Volume 52|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|page=18}}</ref> '''Goal Post''',<ref>{{cite|author=Yamashita, Tatsumi|date=1987|title=''The Official Nintendo Player's Guide''|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|isbn=999832369X|page=33}}</ref> or '''pole''',<ref>{{cite|date=2006|title=''New Super Mario Bros.'' instruction booklet|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|page=15}}</ref><ref>{{cite|date=2009|title=''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' instruction booklet|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|page=10}}</ref> is an object appearing mainly in the [[Super Mario (series)|''Super Mario'' series]]. In their appearances, Goal Poles are placed typically at the end of a [[level]], and [[Mario]] or another player character has to [[jump]] at the Goal Pole and grab it to finish the level. The number of [[point]]s the player earns from grabbing the Goal Pole depends on how high they landed on it. Goal Poles first appeared in ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', and the flags on them come in many colors, though [[Goal Pole (secret)|red Goal Pole]]s usually indicate alternate exits in the [[New Super Mario Bros. (disambiguation)|''New Super Mario Bros.'' games]]. Since then, if the player manages to grab the top of a Goal Pole, they will usually earn an [[extra life]]. Goal Poles were replaced by boxed roulette-like [[goal (Super Mario Bros. 3)|goal]]s in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' and [[Giant Gate]]s in ''[[Super Mario World]]''. A Goal Pole symbolizes Mario and friends taking over or claiming that area&mdash;taking down [[Bowser]]'s flag and/or replacing it with their own.

In ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'', getting double digits the same as the world number (e.g. the timer has to be x11 when in World 1) at the end of the timer means that a [[Rainbow Course]] will appear on the map. The Goal Pole<ref>{{cite|quote=Grab the Goal Pole to complete the course.|title=''New Super Mario Bros. 2'' instruction manual|publisher=Nintendo|language=en|page=13}}</ref> can still be destroyed by Mega Mario, but only in World 5-6 and the player only gains three extra lives for doing so. If Mario is in his [[Gold Mario|Gold form]], he gains coins upon grabbing the Goal Pole instead of points, like in ''Super Mario 3D Land''; in turn, this adds even more points to the score. Additionally, hitting the top of the Goal Pole in [[Coin Rush]] mode doubles the round's accumulated coin total. If the game is played in Co-op, either Mario or Luigi's flag will appear depending on whoever is higher on the Goal Pole.