Cannonball: Difference between revisions

{{rewrite-expand|Add information on missing games, including Mario Party series, Yoshi's Island, and Mario vs. Donkey Kong, as well as ''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3'' episodes|March 19, 2021}}

|variants=[[Giant cannonball]]<br>[[Kannonball]]

|comparable=[[Bullet Bill]]<br>[[Water Bomb]]

'''Cannonballs''' are heavy metal spheres that are launched from [[cannon]]s. [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] are able to stop the lethal shots by [[stomp]]ing on them in midair; they can also be dodged relatively easily.

Cannonballs appear most prominently in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', where they are fired from cannons mounted on [[Bowser]]'s [[tank]]s, [[Battleship|boat]]s, and [[airship]]s.

In ''[[Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]]'', cannonballs are fired by [[Bomubomu]] and appear in gray or black, depending on the location.

Cannonballs reappear in ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' with a renewed appearance. They sport a white line around their center and two yellow circles on opposite sides. In this game, cannonballs are fired by cannons located in [[Battlerock Galaxy]] and [[Dreadnought Galaxy]], as well as from airships in [[Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada]]. One notable difference with these cannonballs is that rather than simply colliding with the hero, they explode upon impact. This will knock Mario down and may also result in him being thrown off a platform or into a [[black hole]]. To attack a cannonball, the player must [[jump]] on it or shoot it with a [[Star Bit]]. The first three cannonballs originating from the same cannon to be destroyed this way produce a [[coin]] each.

Cannonballs appear in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', in which are found only in {{world-link|8|airship|World 8-Airship (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)}}. The [[giant cannonball]]s also return from ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''. Since the cannons are always found in a group, there is a high chance for the player to earn endless [[Extra life|1-Up]]s by jumping on each cannonball consecutively without touching the ground.

Cannonballs make a reappearance in ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'', retaining their function from the predecessor, though they only appear in [[Fleet Glide Galaxy]].

Cannonballs also appear in the [[Wii U]] title, ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'', where they act just like the ones in the predecessors. They can only be found in [[The Mighty Cannonship]], from [[Soda Jungle]]. There is also a Challenge called [[Airship 1-Up Rally]], which consists of jumping on many Cannonballs without falling to receive many 1-Ups. Cannonballs do not reappear in ''[[New Super Luigi U]]''.

====''Super Mario Maker'' / ''Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS'' / ''Super Mario Maker 2''====

Cannonballs reappear in ''[[Super Mario Maker]]'', ''[[Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS]]'', and ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'', where they come from cannons. Shaking a cannon will make it produce red cannonballs, which are much faster than normal ones. When a [[Mushroom]] is dragged onto a cannon, it will shoot [[giant cannonball]]s.

Cannonballs appear in ''[[Super Mario Run]]'', behaving similarly to ''Super Mario Bros. 3''. They are found in the levels [[Airship Cannons...Fire!]], [[Airship Armada]], and [[Secret Course 10]].

Cannonballs cameo in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''. During the cutscene that plays after [[Mario]]'s first boss battle against [[Bowser]] in [[Nimbus Arena]], he launches cannonballs from his [[airship]] at the [[Odyssey]]. This causes the ship to crash, and leaves Mario stranded with [[Cappy]] in the [[Lost Kingdom]].

In the game ''[[Mario is Missing!]]'', [[Luigi]] has to return [[Cannonball from the Emperor's Cannon|the cannonball]] of the {{wp|Tsar Cannon|Emperor's Cannon}} to the [[Kremlin]]. It had been stolen by [[Koopa Troopa]]s.

===''Donkey Kong Country'' / ''Land'' series===

In ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'', cannonballs are summoned by [[King K. Rool]] during his battle, falling across the length of [[Gang-Plank Galleon]] from one end to the other, returning the other way for each further time he is hit.

====''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'' / ''Donkey Kong Land 2''====

In ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong Land 2]]'', cannonballs,<ref>''Donkey Kong Land 2'' [[Nintendo 3DS]] [[Virtual Console]] electronic manual, tab 9: "Progressing Through Stages"</ref><ref>''Nintendo Magazine System'' issue 47, page 46.</ref> usually stylized as '''kannonballs'''<ref>''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'' instruction booklet, {{media link|DKC2 Manual 16-17.jpg|page 17}}.</ref> or '''Kannon Balls'''<ref>''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest'' instruction booklet, page 3.</ref> appear as means of activating a [[cannon|kannon]] to blast the [[Kong]]s up to a [[Bonus Area]]. It also has a side use for defeating enemies, including stronger ones such as [[Zinger]]s, [[Kruncha]]s, and [[Klinger]]s. The kannonballs have a varying distance from their corresponding kannon, and some appear in a [[treasure chest]]. Upon finding a kannonball, the [[Kong]]s must pick it up and travel a distance until reaching the kannon itself. To activate the kannon, the Kongs must either throw or carry the kannonball into it. When a kannonball is used to defeat an enemy, the Kongs usually lose grip, and the kannonball falls onto the ground. If a kannonball falls into a pit, the Kongs cannot get it back unless they restart the level.

====''Donkey Kong 64''====

In ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'', a single, very large cannonball appears in [[Gloomy Galleon]] near the entrance/exit. The player must have [[Chunky Kong]] lift this cannonball and bring it to a nearby cannon; once the cannonball is brought to this cannon, it will activate it. These cannonballs explode if they hit into something. Using the cannon, the player must use it to shoot several moving targets in the room they are in, with a limited amount of time and cannonballs for ammunition. If player hits all the targets with cannonballs, they will gain a [[Golden Banana]].

===''Mario & Luigi'' series===

Cannonballs appear again in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'', where they are fired at the Mario Bros. by [[Gunner Guy]]s in battle. They reappear in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]'' as one of the methods of attack for [[Shy Guy Airtub]]s, and their stronger relative, the [[Shy Guy Airtub DX]].

In ''[[Wario World]]'', [[Captain Skull]] shoots gigantic, white cannonballs with human-like faces on them, which explode upon impact.

In ''[[Donkey Kong Jungle Beat]]'', cannonballs are shot from [[Mini Elephant Cannon]]s and other [[Tusk]]s, exploding when they hit any surface. They also rain from the sky during the first segment of [[Battle for Storm Hill]]. The ones shot by [[Torch Tusk]] in its second phase can create shockwaves of fire that cover the platforms where they land.

Cannonballs are shot by [[Bowser Jr.]] in his standard special move in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' / ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U|Wii U]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', [[Clown Cannon]]. [[King K. Rool]] also uses ''Donkey Kong Country 2''-style kannonballs (here simply called "iron balls") as part of his [[Blunderbuss]] move.

Cannonballs appear in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]'', where they are fired from the [[Violet Passage captain]]'s ship. When [[Shy Guy]]s take over the ship, they fire the cannonballs randomly, narrowly missing [[Huey]]. Mario can use the cannonballs to hit targets and collect coins in the [[Violet Passage]].

Cannonballs appear in ''[[Dr. Mario World]]'', which are fired from [[pop cannon]]s and [[rotating cannon]]s after they are eliminated. The former fires two cannonballs above and below it, while the latter fires one cannonball in the direction the cannon is facing.

*'''Notebook bio:''' ''A projectile fired from a cannon, it travels slowly in the air. Its smooth surface can easily be stepped on.''

SMG Concept Art 4.png| Concept artwork from ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]''

|Jap2=タマ<ref>''Super Donkey Kong 2: Dixie & Diddy'' instruction booklet, page 20.</ref>

*In ''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong]]'', Mario will not get struck by a cannonball if he makes contact with one during certain frames of the [[backflip]] animation.

[[Category:Super Mario Galaxy objects]]

[[Category:Super Mario Galaxy 2 objects]]