- Not to be confused with Rainbow Mario.
| Invincible Mario | |
|---|---|
 Artwork from Super Mario Bros. Wonder | |
| Applies to | Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, Yellow Toad, Blue Toad, Toadette, Yoshi, Red Yoshi, Yellow Yoshi, Light-Blue Yoshi, Purple Yoshi, Blue Yoshi, Rosalina, Nabbit, Plessie, Wario, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Kiddy Kong All characters in Mario Party: Island Tour, Mario Party 10, Super Mario Party Jamboree, the Mario Kart series, Super Smash Bros. series, Mario Tennis, Mario Hoops 3-on-3, and Mario Sports Mix |
| Item needed | Super Star, Hiranya, Invincibility Barrel |
| Power(s) given | Defeat enemies on contact, invulnerablility, attract coins (Super Mario Run and Super Mario Bros. Wonder) |
| First appearance | Super Mario Bros. (1985) |
| Latest appearance | Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024) |
Invincible Mario is a form that makes its debut in Super Mario Bros. Mario can assume the form after using a Super Star, which made its debut in the same game; while in this state, he is unaffected by most enemies and obstacles, and can defeat most of them by simply touching them. However, the state only lasts a few seconds, and Mario can still lose a life if he falls into a pit, touches lava, poison, ash, or a Boohemoth, gets crushed in any way, or runs out of time. Invincibility is usually depicted by a flashing, color-changing character. Unless he is already in another invincibility-granting form (like the White Tanooki form, which is incompatible with this form), Mario usually retains his current form while invincible (for example, if Fire Mario gets a Super Star, he becomes invincible, but retains his Fire form).
This form is distinct from the state of invulnerability Mario gets for several seconds after taking damage in most games.
HistoryEdit
Super Mario seriesEdit
Super Mario Bros. / Super Mario Bros.: The Lost LevelsEdit
Super Mario Bros. marks this form's debut, and it returns in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Enemies defeated by this form give the same points as if they were beaten by fireballs.
Super Mario Bros. 2 / Super Mario AdvanceEdit
In Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Stars, and thus invincibility, are gained by grabbing five Cherries. Because enemies respawn off-screen and hearts spawn for every eight foes defeated, this form is mainly used to recover health.
In Super Mario Advance, however, hearts spawn differently, enemies only respawn upon returning to an area, and a traditional Super Mario World-style point system is added; as such, this form can be used to gain extra lives instead, as in most other 2D Super Mario games.
Super Mario Bros. 3Edit
In Super Mario Bros. 3, Invincible Mario somersaults when he jumps if he is not Small Mario, in a similar manner to Samus Aran. Also, there are some ? Blocks that normally contain coins, but instead contain Super Stars if Mario or Luigi is invincible when they strike the block. This allows the player to string together a long period of invincibility, and thus gain even more points (and in Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, extra lives).
Super Mario LandEdit
Super Mario Land features the same invincibility as in Super Mario Bros. Because of the limitations for the Game Boy hardware, Mario only changes between two monochrome colors.
Super Mario WorldEdit
Starting with Super Mario World, Invincible Mario starts earning extra lives from the eighth enemy defeated onwards (which also gives an increasing point reward up to that point). This property was also included in the Game Boy Advance remakes of Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3, which originally did not have it.
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden CoinsEdit
In Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Mario starts earning extra lives from the fifth enemy defeated onwards, rather than the eighth.
Super Mario 64Edit
Although the Invincible form does not appear in Super Mario 64, the Metal form has a similar function, destroying any enemies Mario touches.
New Super Mario Bros. seriesEdit
In the New Super Mario Bros. series, Invincible Mario returns, working as it did in Super Mario World. In addition to making players invincible, it also increases one's running speed in New Super Mario Bros., and it can be shared in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, New Super Mario Bros. U, and New Super Luigi U if an invincible player lifts a vulnerable partner (or vice-versa). The last three games also give the player the ability to clear Enemy Courses on the map without entering them, though they will not get any items from them. The form also makes the characters somersault like in Super Mario Bros. 3, even in Small form.
New Super Mario Bros. also features Mega Mario, which is similarly invincible. In certain courses, the Invincible form creates a trail of Blue Coins behind Mario/Luigi.
New Super Mario Bros. 2, in addition to bringing back the Mega form, also introduces White Raccoon Mario (gained just like the White Tanooki form from Super Mario 3D Land), which gives permanent invincibility for the level in addition to Raccoon Mario's abilities, the ability to walk on water (like Mini Mario), and a faster-charging P-Meter. If White Raccoon Mario uses a Super Star, this form's invincibility will override its own until it wears off. However, Mega Mario simply gets 1000 points upon using a Super Star.
Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2Edit
In Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, there is a similar form known as Rainbow Mario that can be obtained by using a Rainbow Star. Unlike the Invincible form, the Rainbow form speeds up until it expires and can break through objects, but it cannot give Mario extra lives, nor can it be combined with any other form.
Super Mario 3D LandEdit
In Super Mario 3D Land, Invincible Mario makes its 3D Super Mario debut. As in Super Mario Land 2, Mario must only defeat five enemies to start gaining extra lives, rather than the usual eight. Unlike in most games, Mario merely glows golden while invincible in this game. Like in Super Mario Bros. 3, Invincible Mario somersaults when he jumps in this game and its successor Super Mario 3D World.
Also, White Tanooki Mario debuts in this game, becoming available by an Invincibility Leaf after dying five times in a row on a (skipped) normal world course. In addition to Tanooki Mario's abilities, it makes Mario permanently invincible for the level, though he cannot gain extra lives by defeating enemies. Super Stars do not affect White Tanooki Mario.
Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's FuryEdit
In Super Mario 3D World, invincibility works as it did in the New Super Mario Bros. games, with the only differences being that an extra life is gained for every eighth enemy defeated (instead of every enemy from the eighth onwards), and invincible players merely need to touch others to share the invincibility, rather than grab them. The new Lucky Bell lets Mario turn into an invincible lucky cat statue for a brief time. The Mega and White Tanooki forms also return.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury introduces the Invincibility Bell (gained by using a Cat Mario amiibo), which grants the White Cat form, applying the White Tanooki form's invincibility to Cat Mario instead. If an invincible character rides Plessie, it will also gain the invincibility properties for a short time. However, the invincibility given by this form, the White Tanooki form, and the White Cat form does not protect Mario or Plessie from the goop in the Bowser's Fury campaign.
Super Mario RunEdit
In Super Mario Run, the Super Star once again grants invincibility. Invincible characters run faster and attract nearby coins, except for Black Coins and Red Coins. Similarly, any Hidden Coins around them are revealed, which usually also collects them because of the coin attraction effect. Bonus Medals are also attracted. In Toad Rally, the Super Star triggers a special version of Coin Rush that ends precisely when the player's invincibility ends. A similar, unnamed effect happens while the player is invincible in Remix 10.
Super Mario OdysseyEdit
Although power-ups, including Super Stars, do not return in Super Mario Odyssey, Mario can still become briefly invincible if any Mario amiibo is used. In this game, the music is recycled from Rainbow Run, and Mario does not instantly defeat enemies upon contact; his life meter does not decrease whereas he still receives knockback.
Super Mario Bros. WonderEdit
The Invincible form reappears in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Also, the player is able to attract nearby coins (flower coins in addition to yellow coins) just like in Super Mario Run.
DIC Super Mario television seriesEdit
In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, neither Invincible Mario or Luigi ever made an appearance, as a Starman would not turn Mario or Luigi invincible, but instead served as an alternative to the Fire Flower for becoming "Super Mario" or "Super Luigi".
In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and the Super Mario World television series, characters can become invincible for a limited time by using a Starman. As shown in "Party Line", this invincibility state also makes characters strong enough to launch enemies into space. In both shows, the Bros. flash two palettes: Fire and normal.
Mario Kart seriesEdit
In the Mario Kart series, every driver can become invincible by touching and/or using a Super Star, allowing them to drive faster and make other drivers spin-out or tumble by touching them—unless both drivers are invincible, in which case they bump each other normally. In Mario Kart Tour, a Frenzy will make the driver invincible. The Star Thwomps of the original Rainbow Road are also invincible, causing the same effects to any driver that runs into them.
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3Edit
In Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, Wario gains this form by collecting a Super Star. In this state, he becomes faster and gains 10 hearts for each enemy defeated by touch.
Yoshi's Island seriesEdit
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, and Yoshi's Island DS allow Baby Mario to become invincible by grabbing a Super Star. In this state, he is referred to as Superstar Mario and is able to touch spikes safely, glide with a cape, run up walls, and run faster than the Yoshis. Yoshi's New Island instead features the Yoshi Star, which turns the Yoshis themselves into Super Yoshis, granting them the same abilities as Superstar Mario bar the cape glide.
Mario & Luigi seriesEdit
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s JourneyEdit
In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, in one of Bowser Memory M's moves, he uses a Super Star to become invincible and attack the Mario Bros., complete with the theme music and the effect of knocking a hit bro off-screen for the move's duration.
Mario & Luigi: Dream TeamEdit
In Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Dreamy Mario has an attack where he and his duplicates become invincible with a Super Star and run toward Mario repeatedly.
In the Mad Skillathon, the Star Rocket game has Super Stars. Collecting one makes the rocket invincible. In this state, the player earns two points for collecting a little star, increasing from one point. The player can also pass through damage balloons, which normally end the game, earning two points as well.
Mario Golf: World Tour / Mario Sports SuperstarsEdit
Invincible Mario makes a small appearance in Mario Golf: World Tour and Mario Sports Superstars in a post-hole cutscene, specifically when either Mario or Gold Mario/Metal Mario receives an Eagle or better.
The Super Mario Bros. MovieEdit
During the climax of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, both Mario and Luigi turn invincible by grabbing the Super Star Bowser stole before being hit by his fire breath. This allows them to effortlessly beat him and his forces, as well as destroy his ship.
Invincibility in other gamesEdit
In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, and Donkey Kong Land 2, the Kongs can become invincible by breaking through an Invincibility Barrel. While invincible, they temporarily gain the same effects as a Super Star, such as immunity to most obstacles and the ability to defeat enemies by touching them. However, even in this state, they still lose a life if they fall in a pit.
Yoshi's Story features the Super Happy form, gained by eating a Heart Fruit or collecting six melons from a minigame. In this form, not only are the Yoshis briefly invincible, they also gain super strength (including improved Ground Pounds), a longer tongue, a better Flutter Jump, and an infinite supply of eggs for the form's duration.
In Yoshi's Woolly World and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World, once Yoshi touches an Invincibility Egg (which spawns after five deaths), he glows orange and be immune to damage from enemies and their attacks. However, Yoshi cannot instantly defeat enemies by touching them, and he can still be pushed by enemies, and instantly defeated by spike pits, bottomless pits, lava, and being crushed.
In Super Mario sports titles where Super Stars appear as items, like Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and Mario Sports Mix, invincible characters become immune to the effects of other items.
ProfilesEdit
Super Mario LandEdit
- Virtual Console manual description: When you pick up a Star, Mario will become invincible for a short time. Any enemy he touches during this time will be defeated automatically.
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden CoinsEdit
- Virtual Console manual description: Pick up a Star to become temporarily invincible. In this state, you can defeat enemies simply by touching them.
GalleryEdit
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Invincible Mario.
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. (Super Mario)
Super Mario Bros. Special (Sharp X1)
Names in other languagesEdit
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 無敵マリオ[?] Muteki Mario |
Invincible Mario | |
| Chinese (simplified) | 无敌马力欧[?] Wúdí Mǎlì'ōu |
Invincible Mario | |
| Chinese (traditional) | 無敵瑪利歐[?] Wúdí Mǎlì'ōu |
Invincible Mario | |
| French | Mario invincible[1] | Invincible Mario | |
| Italian | Invicibile[sic] Mario[2] | Invincible Mario | |
| Mario Invincibile (earlier games)[?] | |||
| Invulnerabile[3] | Invulnerable | ||
| Mario invincibile[?] | Invincible Mario | ||
| Korean | 무적마리오[?] Mujeok Mario |
Invincible Mario | |
| Portuguese | Mario invencível[?] | Invincible Mario | |
| Romanian | Mario Invincibilul[?] | The Invincible Mario | McDonald's Romania 2017 Happy Meal promotion |
| Spanish | Mario invencible[?] | Invincible Mario | |
| Spanish (NOA) | Invencible Mario[4] | Invincible Mario | Super Mario Land 2 |
TriviaEdit
- Invincible Mario's theme in New Super Mario Bros. is reused from the theme of Wing Mario/Vanish Mario from Super Mario 64, which in turn is an arrangement of Superstar Mario's theme from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.
- A slowed-down remix of Invincible Mario's theme plays on Star World from Super Mario World.
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Super Mario: Manga Adventures. Volume 9, page 16
- ^ Super Mario Bros. Italian manual. Page 8.
- ^ 2004. Classic NES Series Super Mario Bros. European manual. Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 104.
- ^ Club Nintendo (Mexico) Año 2 No. 3. Page 48.