Lava Geyser

Lava Geyser
	; Model from Super Mario Galaxy
First appearance	Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Latest appearance	Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)

Not to be confused with fire geyser.

Lava Geysers^[1] are obstacles that rise up from pits of lava. They act similarly to Water Geysers and Sand Geysers, with the biggest difference being that the player cannot walk on top of them and takes damage if they attempt to do so.

History

Mario vs. Donkey Kong series

Mario vs. Donkey Kong

Lava Geysers are first seen in Mario vs. Donkey Kong. They can lift moving platforms up into the air when they rise from the lava, allowing Mario to reach higher ground. Lava Geysers only rise when the moving platforms above them reach specific positions, and the geysers make a splashing sound as they rise. They only appear in a few levels of the third world, Fire Mountain, starting with Level 3-1.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis

Two Lava Fountains erupting in Room 5-9

Variants of Lava Geysers known as Lava Fountains^[2] appear in Lava Dome in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis. They carry platforms known as Lava Rocks,^[3] which are partially submerged in lava and move slowly from left to right. Minis can board Lava Rocks to move across lava without being harmed, similarly to rafts from Tropical Island. If a Mini boards a Lava Rock, it remains standing on the Lava Rock until its direction is changed by swiping left, right, or up across the Mini using the stylus.

Certain Lava Fountains will occasionally stop to erupt at specific points, creating a pillar of lava upwards which carries a Lava Rock with it. A Mini can still stand on a Lava Rock while the Lava Fountain below it is erupting; however, if the Mini touches the Lava Fountain, it is burned and destroyed.

In the Construction Zone, Lava Rocks can only be used in the Lava Dome construction kit. However, the Lava Fountains below them do not erupt, meaning all Lava Rocks in custom levels behave identically to rafts.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

In Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, Lava Geysers first appear in Grim Volcano. If Donkey Kong touches one, he is knocked back to the platform he was previously on and the camera focuses on him as he briefly clutches his bottom in pain. The same occurs when touching normal lava.

Super Princess Peach

Lava Geysers reappear in Super Princess Peach. In the game, Princess Peach can throw stone platforms on top of them. After that, if she is standing on the stone platform while the Lava Geysers rise up, she gets risen up, which allows her to access higher areas. They usually appear in levels in the Fury Volcano world.

Super Mario series

Super Mario Galaxy

Lava Geysers appear in Super Mario Galaxy, where they are seen in areas such as the fiery half of Freezeflame Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy, and the lava-based portion of Bowser's Galaxy Reactor.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Mario jumping over a Lava Geyser while riding a Spine Coaster in World 8-7 of New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Lava Geysers later appear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. They first appear in World 8-1, where they are extremely common. Some of them rise and fall at a slower pace than others. Unlike lava, they do not make the player lose a life in one hit. They appear in World 8-5, where the player must avoid them while riding on a Remote-Control Platform. They also appear in World 8-7 where the player must jump over them while riding the Spine Coaster. Finally, they appear in World 9-6, where the player must avoid them while riding moving platforms over pits of lava. They also appear aesthetically on the world map.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Lava Geysers reappear in Bowser's Lava Lair, Shiverburn Galaxy, Melty Monster Galaxy, and Bowser's Galaxy Generator.

Super Mario 3D Land

Lava Geysers in Super Mario 3D Land

In Super Mario 3D Land, Lava Geysers appear in the castle levels. They are often seen elevating platforms into the air, allowing Mario or Luigi to reach higher places, and emerging through grated platforms as hazards. In World 8-Bowser's Castle 2, Lava Geysers propel the Spine Coaster into the air towards the end of the ride. There are also many Lava Geysers that appear out of the way solely for aesthetic purposes, although they can still damage Mario or Luigi should they jump into one.

New Super Mario Bros. U

Lava Geysers reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U, where they act just like they do in New Super Mario Bros. Wii—however, they are much rarer, with only three of them appearing in the game in World 8-1, Meteor Moat. They are one of few obstacles that do not return in New Super Luigi U. They do not rise for as long as they did in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Super Mario 3D World

Lava Geysers return in Super Mario 3D World, primarily appearing in Bowser's Lava Lake Keep and the second boss battle with Bowser in the same level.

Super Mario Odyssey

Geysers in the Underground Moon Caverns.

Lava Geysers reappear in Super Mario Odyssey, where they are found in the Underground Moon Caverns in the Moon Kingdom. If Mario touches one after capturing a Parabones, the Parabones disappears. Pink Lava Geysers also make an appearance in the Luncheon Kingdom, which can levitate Mario as a Lava Bubble.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Lava Geysers only occur in Pull, Turn, Burn. They carry bone-shaped platforms that float across the magma. There are geysers made of poison that behave the same way.

Mario Kart series

Mario Kart Wii

Lava Geysers in the background of N64 Bowser's Castle in Mario Kart Wii

Lava Geysers make their first appearance in the Mario Kart series in Mario Kart Wii, where they first appear in the game's new Bowser's Castle. They appear towards the end of the track, rising up from a grated portion of the track. If the player touches them, they spin out. They also appear in the background as well as on a jump towards the end of the retro N64 Bowser's Castle. Lastly, they appear in the background of Grumble Volcano, where they rise up after certain portions of the track sink into the lava.

Lava Geysers are also objects in two K'NEX building sets based on Mario Kart Wii, where they are referred to as Lava Plumes.

Mario Kart 7

Lava Geysers make another appearance in Mario Kart 7 in the game's Bowser's Castle and the retro battle course N64 Big Donut. They erupt from the lava pits in front of ramps, causing any racers to spin out if they jump into them.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Lava Geysers reappear again in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. They once again appear in the game's Bowser's Castle. They are in the background of this course and also appear in the path of a glider section. If players touch them, they spin out and be pulled to safety by Lakitu. They once again appear in the remade Wii Grumble Volcano and again rise up after certain sections of the ground sink into the lava. Unlike the Mario Kart Wii version of the track, however, they seem to be absent in the multiplayer and online modes.

Mario Kart Tour

A Lava Geyser in Mario Kart Tour

Lava Geysers reappear in the courses 3DS Bowser's Castle and SNES Bowser Castle 3 in Mario Kart Tour. Their design is slightly changed.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star

In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Lava Geysers appear in Rumble Volcano propelling the platforms used to navigate the area.

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olmpic Winter Games

In Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, Lava Geysers appear in the backdrop of he Bowser's Castle segment of Mario's Figure Skating Spectacular.

Yoshi franchise

Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World

In Yoshi's Woolly World and its Nintendo 3DS port, Lava Geysers appear in two levels, Lava Scarves and Red-Hot Blarggs and Vamoose the Lava Sluice!, functioning similarly as in other games.

Yoshi's Crafted World

In Yoshi's Crafted World, Lava Geysers appear in Poochy's Magma Run and Mr. Geary's Factory, again functioning similarly as before.

Gallery

Additional names

Internal names

Game	File	Name	Meaning
Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)	`Model/LavaGeyser.bfres.zs`	LavaGeyser	-

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	火柱^[4] Hibashira	Fire Pillar
Japanese	マグマ^[5] Maguma	Magma (Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2); it is lumped with Fireballs
Italian	Colonna di Fuoco^[6] Colonna di magma^[7]	Fire Pillar Magma pillar

References

^ "Lava Geysers: The last major jump of the castle is over a chasm where lava geysers will shoot up from the depths. Pay attention to your height and avoid contacting them!" – Musa, Alexander (May 30, 2014). Mario Kart 8 PRIMA Official Game Guide. Prima Games. ISBN 978-0-804-16328-6. Page 130.
^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis help (no. 17)
^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis object graphics filename (contents/data/anims/lavarock_anim.bin)
^ 2015. Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook. Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 151 and 216.
^ Sakai, Kazuya (Ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors (2015). 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 137, 171.
^ Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Page 151.
^ Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Page 216.

[1] "Lava Geysers: The last major jump of the castle is over a chasm where lava geysers will shoot up from the depths. Pay attention to your height and avoid contacting them!" – Musa, Alexander (May 30, 2014). Mario Kart 8 PRIMA Official Game Guide. Prima Games. ISBN 978-0-804-16328-6. Page 130.

[2] Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis help (no. 17)

[3] Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis object graphics filename (contents/data/anims/lavarock_anim.bin)

[4] 2015. Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook. Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 151 and 216.

[5] Sakai, Kazuya (Ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors (2015). 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 137, 171.

[6] Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Page 151.

[7] Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Page 216.

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Lava Geyser
Model from Super Mario Galaxy
First appearance	Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Latest appearance	Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)