Clear Pipe

Clear Pipe
Artwork of a Clear Pipe
First appearance	Super Mario 3D World (2013)
Latest appearance	Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024)
Effect	Allows the player to travel distances inaccessible by a normal jump
Variant of	Warp Pipe
Variants Clear Pipe Cannon

“I LOVE GOOMBAS! I love them so much that I made them a clubhouse! Aren't they just SOOOO cute when they scoot through those Clear Pipes?”

—Goomba Lover, Super Mario Maker 2

Clear Pipes are pipes that make their debut in 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 a player can change direction while in one. Additionally, players automatically enter vertical Clear Pipes without having to press a button.

Clear Pipes were conceived after the director of Super Mario 3D World, Koichi Hayashida, wondered what Mario did in Warp Pipes.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

While traveling through Clear Pipes, Mario and the other playable characters cannot use any attacks like on ground. Some enemies, such as Goombas and Koopa Troopas, can travel through Clear Pipes, and are automatically defeated when collided with while inside a Clear Pipe. However, there are certain obstacles found within Clear Pipes that damage the playable characters upon contact, as is the case with spike balls and the fireballs produced by Fire Bros or Fire Piranha Plants. While inside Clear Pipes, fireballs can be destroyed by other fireballs or nearby red POW Blocks from outside the pipes. Coins, Green Stars, and other objects can also be found either moving or stationary inside these pipes.

A cannon variety of Clear Pipes also appears. These ones 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 cannons.

All of the game's 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 constructs a Clear Pipe leading to the next world.

In the Bowser's Fury campaign of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Clear Pipes are the main gimmick of Pipe Path Tower. Notably, this area introduces diagonal, sloped paths for Clear Pipes, something that was not done in their game of origin. In this area, Mario has to travel through different Clear Pipe paths to reach the top to collect a Cat Shine. Blue Coins and Cat Shine Shards can also be found inside Clear Pipes. Fury Bowser is unable to damage Mario if he is in a Clear Pipe.

All lighthouses that are activated or fully restored have Clear Pipes that allow Mario to travel to the top of the lighthouse.

Super Mario Maker 2

In Super Mario Maker 2, Clear Pipes appear as course elements for the Super Mario 3D World style. Like in the original game, Mario can shoot fireballs into them, and enemies such as Goombas and Koopa Troopas can travel through them as well. However, entering vertical ones requires using , unlike in the original game. If both ends of a Clear Pipe are blocked while the playable character is inside, the playable character will be trapped and lose a life.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Clear Pipes reappear in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and its Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch ports, acting the same as in Super Mario 3D World. Their cannon variety also reappears.

Mario Strikers: Battle League

In Mario Strikers: Battle League, Clear Pipes are a type of goal post as part of stadium customization.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

“Just pop in this pipe and we're on our way. It's the only way to fly, man.”

—Toad, The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Clear Pipes appear in The Super Mario Bros. Movie as one of the methods of transportation on the grounds around Peach's Castle. As Mario attempts to take a closer look at a Clear Pipe, he gets violently sucked in and repeatedly hits the pipe's inner walls as he slides along.

Super Mario Party Jamboree

Clear Pipes appear in the 4-Player minigame Twist and Sort in Super Mario Party Jamboree. They produce Cheep Cheeps and Bloopers that the players must correctly sort into separate water tanks.

Profiles

Super Mario 3D World

• North American website bio: Travel through these to find secret areas and move quickly through a course.

Super Mario Maker 2

• North American website bio: These Clear Pipes can be placed in any shape you like. Be careful, though! Enemies will make use of them as well.

Gallery

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  Super Mario 3D World

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  Super Mario 3D World

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  Super Mario 3D World

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  Super Mario 3D World

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  Super Mario 3D World Original Soundtrack

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  Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

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  Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

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  Super Mario Maker 2

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  Super Mario Maker 2

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  Illustration containing concept artwork of key art for Super Mario Maker 2

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  Clear Pipe goal posts in Mario Strikers: Battle League

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	とうめい土管[?] Tōmei Dokan	Transparent Pipe
Chinese	透明水管 Tòumíng shuǐguǎn	Transparent Pipe
Dutch	Glazen buis	glass pipe
French	Tuyau transparent[?]	Transparent pipe
German	Glasrohr / Glasröhre[?]	Glass Pipe
Italian	Tubo Trasparente[?]	Transparent Tube
Korean	투명토관[?] Tumyeong Togwan	Transparent Pipe
Portuguese	cano transparente[?]	transparent pipe
Russian	Стеклянная труба[?] Steklyannaya truba	Glass pipe
Spanish	tubería transparente[?]	transparent pipe