Clear Pipes[1] are pipes which make their debut in the Wii U game Super Mario 3D World. Like Warp Pipes, they are used for traveling distances too far for a normal jump to reach. Unlike Warp Pipes, however, Clear Pipes are transparent, and the player can change direction while in one. Additionally, the player automatically enters vertical Clear Pipes without having to press a button.
While traveling through Clear Pipes, the player cannot attack and is therefore vulnerable to any enemies inside them. Fuzzies and projectiles such as Fire Bro fireballs can travel through Clear Pipes. Such projectiles can be destroyed by Fire Flower fireballs or nearby red POW Blocks from outside the pipes. Coins, Green Stars, Mines and other objects can also be found either moving or stationary inside these pipes.
A Cannon Pipe variety of Clear Pipes also appear. These Clear Pipes are similar to Launch Stars and Sling Stars from the Super Mario Galaxy games, as they launch the player to another part of the level. Some of these pipes require the player to manually press 
to launch themselves out of the cannon.
All of the Worlds, with the exception of the special worlds, are connected through Clear Pipes. Once a Sprixie Princess is saved from the castle at the end of a World, she will construct a Clear Pipe leading to the next World.
Clear Pipes reappear in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker acting the same as in Super Mario 3D World. Their cannon variety also reappears.[2]
The idea of Clear Pipes was thought of by the producer of Super Mario 3D World, Koichi Hayashida, who wondered what Mario did in Warp Pipes.[3]
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yelaZWsh6_o
- ^ Wii U Developer Direct - Super Mario 3D World @E3 2013. YouTube. Retrieved November 26, 2014.