Lift
- "Elevator" redirects here. For the object inDonkey Kong's Crash Course inNintendo Land, seeAutomated elevator. For the object inSuper Mario Land also referred to as an Elevator, seeLift Block.
Lift | |||
---|---|---|---|
![]() Artwork fromCaptain Toad: Treasure Tracker | |||
First appearance | Donkey Kong (1981) | ||
Latest appearance | Mario & Luigi: Brothership (2024) | ||
Effect | Platforms that are either suspended in the air or move in set patterns | ||
|
Lifts[1][2] (also known aselevators)[3][4] are thin platforms that appear throughout theSuper Mario franchise. They typically are suspended in the air and move, enabling the player character to reach different heights and cross gaps. Some move by themselves, while others are controlled by the player. They debuted inDonkey Kong.
Lifts that move along wire-liketracks in theSuper Mario andYoshi's Island series are sometimes referred to asFlatbed Ferries.[5]
History[edit]
Donkey Kong[edit]
Donkey Kong features a lift that travels upward and another going downward in75 m, traveling along what appears to be a track. Both lifts spawn another elevator when one reaches the end of the path.Switches that reverse their direction appear in some levels of theGame Boy game.
Mario Bros. Special[edit]
A lift that takesMario orLuigi to the upperconveyor belts appears inMario Bros. Special.
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario Bros. /Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels[edit]

Vertical Lifts[6] are first found inWorld 1-2 ofSuper Mario Bros., functioning like inDonkey Kong. However,World 1-3 adds a variation that moves up and down. The game adds several varieties in general.World 3-3 addsFlimsy Lifts, which move down when stood on. There areBalance Lifts, which push down from the weight ofMario orLuigi, putting them at risk of falling into apit if they stand on for too long. The lifts are solid, meaning Mario and Luigi cannot land on top by jumping through them. Lifts look like the platforms that make up100m inDonkey Kong, though the originalFamily Computer Disk System ofSuper Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels composes them of mushrooms. There are alsoHorizontal Lifts,[6] which move back and forth.
Super Mario Bros. 3 /Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
Lifts, likeHard Blocks inSuper Mario Bros. 3. The game addsRail Lifts,[7] debuting inWorld 1-6 and traveling along a track, and moving Flimsy Lifts, debuting inWorld 1-4, that collapse to the bottom when stood on.
CertainWorld-e levels ofSuper Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 include two more varieties based on their appearance inSuper Mario Bros. andSuper Mario World.Wild Ride in the Sky,Caped Escape,Koopaling Confusion,Classic World 1-2,Classic World 1-3 andClassic World 1-4 includes those based onSuper Mario Bros., whileRich with Ropes include several stationary lifts based on their design inSuper Mario World.A Towering Tour has fast-moving gray lifts that work like theSuper Mario Bros.-based lifts but are shaped like the lifts fromSuper Mario Bros. 3, and they follow a shorter path compared to normal lifts; they move faster ontracks.
Super Mario World /Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2[edit]
Lifts return inSuper Mario World andits reissue, this time with a gray or cream color. The Rail Lift returns with the titlePulley Lift[8] (orPully Lift).[9] There areSingle Swing Lifts, consisting of a platform on a swing, with a brown version that rotates around a central pivot point when stepped on and a gray version that swings perpetually. There is also theTriple Swing Lift, consisting of three swinging gray platforms; aFlying Platform, a set of grayRotating Blocks that cannot spin with wings;Skull Raft, a raft of skulls onlava; adiagonal platform, an orange lift with a grassy top; theCount-Lift, an upright grassy platform with a countdown timer; and thePiston Lift, a mushroom variant of the Balance Lift.
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins[edit]
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins introduces aBone Lift, which rises when stood on, working the opposite of a Flimsy Lift, but freezes in place if not stood on.
Super Mario 64 /Super Mario 64 DS[edit]

Most lifts inSuper Mario 64 andSuper Mario 64 DS are textured with a checkerboard pattern of tan and green. Some pairs of lifts move and rotate around both sides of a vertical beam, flipping upon reaching the top, like inWhomp's Fortress andVanish Cap Under the Moat. The lifts ofHazy Maze Cave move along black spheres, and there are large orange lifts with yellow and black details that move between floors as well as the controllableWork Elevator at one point.Lethal Lava Land similarly has lifts that travel along black spheres.Wet-Dry World hasArrow Lifts, which move back and forth when stepped upon. The course also has theExpress Elevator, which can be stepped on from outside so then the player can ride the part inside of the mesh and get thePower Star of "Express Elevator--Hurry Up!."Tick Tock Clock has vertically moving yellow rectangular lifts, though their speed and direction vary depending on when the course is entered, and a "The Pit and the Pendulums" has a brown cube, an obstacle that moves up and down.
Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]
The Lifts ofSuper Mario Galaxy 2 appear inSky Station Galaxy, are yellow and rise before flashing blue and disappearing. They have a giant counterpart inSupermassive Galaxy.
Super Mario 3D Land /Super Mario 3D World /Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]
Lifts inSuper Mario 3D Land,Super Mario 3D World, and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury|the latter's port]] have the same design and function as inSuper Mario Galaxy 2 but do not vanish.
Super Mario Maker /Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS[edit]
Lifts inSuper Mario Maker,its port, andSuper Mario Maker 2 can travel in a preset direction and be placed on atrack. Lifts can be shaken to become the blue Flimsy Lifts, which travel along a track when stepped on. A lift on a track in theSuper Mario World style has a tile largely similar to theChainsaw. TheSuper Mario 3D World style ofSuper Mario Maker 2 turns lifts into the form ofCloud Lifts.
Super Mario Run[edit]
Lifts inSuper Mario Run move on tracks in several levels. When the player lands on a Lift, they slowly center themselves on the lift, then do not move again until they jump from it. Some lifts only start moving if the player is standing on them. If a lift leaves a track, it does not reattach itself to any track, even one it originates from. After the player leaves a Lift in any way, most commonly by jumping but also by other platforms or enemies coming between their feet and the Lift, the Lift disappears. After some time has passed, the Lift reappears back in its original location. The lifts' designs are similar to the falling platforms in the finalBowser battle inNew Super Mario Bros. 2.
Super Mario Odyssey[edit]
Lifts (referred to asmoving platforms in thePrima guide)[10] appear in varying designs and sizes inSuper Mario Odyssey. TheTostarena Ruins of theSand Kingdom has large stone lifts depicting theInverted Pyramid after completing "Atop the Highest Tower" as well as in the Ice Cave, albeit darker, covered with ice. The stone lifts move along atrack when stepped on, and those of Tostarena Ruins take Mario toMoe-Eye Habitat, where smaller variations are used to collectMoon Shards. Larger versions of the stone lifts from Moe-Eye Habitat are in the sub-area with the Power Moon for the sidequestJaxi Driver.
The 2D segments have lifts reusing their graphics fromSuper Mario Bros. The sidequestPast the Chasm Lifts ofCascade Kingdom has lifts that work like those inWorld 1-2 ofSuper Mario Bros.
Donkey Kong Country series[edit]
Donkey Kong Country[edit]
Elevators inDonkey Kong Country travel up or down from a steel pole inElevator Antics.
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble![edit]
Wooden lifts that move up and down are in the mill stages,Fire-Ball Frenzy, andRocket Rush ofDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, as well asDingy Drain-Pipe inthe remake. A lift that moves horizontally is in the first boss fight withBaron K. Roolenstein. Certain lifts only move when stepped on by the player characters.
Yoshi series[edit]
Yoshi's Island series[edit]
Every game of theYoshi's Island series has Flatbed Ferries, which typically follow a preset path marked by atrack whenjumped upon until reaching a little red sphere at the end. Upon reaching the end, a Flatbed Ferry switches its direction of movement; if the line ends without a sphere, the Flatbed Ferry falls down, but it may be "caught" by another track if it falls on one, and it starts following it.
Flatbed Ferries appear in a variety of colors, such as green, yellow, and red, with each getting progressively faster; in the isometric sections found in certainfortresses, the colors are a pale pink, periwinkle, and cyan. Magenta ones appear as part ofpaddle wheels. Theliquid lift andBlarggwich carry green Flatbed Ferries.
Yoshi's Story[edit]
Lifts inYoshi's Story are featured in the form of smiling cloud platforms that move along tracks in the levelRail Lift. If aBaby Yoshi hits a switch present along the tracks by throwing anegg, the cloud platform can move to different tracks. Flatbed Ferries also return in the game.
Yoshi Topsy-Turvy[edit]
Lifts are the smallerHalf Lifts (ハーフリフト).[11] are usable inYoshi Topsy-Turvy. Lifts bear a green zig-zag pattern and a brown rocky pattern. They are attached either to chains or rails. The player can tilt their system to have the lifts move. There are worn-out brown lifts, which fall at the end of a rail.
Game & Watch Gallery 2[edit]
Flatbed Ferries are activated temporarily from a lever in the ModernDonkey Kong inGame & Watch Gallery 2 They are the last platforms used in the first stage, where it moves like a paddle wheel, doing four turns within a full rotation, and the second stage, where they swing from side to side on a chain.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
- SmashWiki article:Platform
Lifts appear in theSuper Smash Bros. series as platforms in various stages themed after theSuper Mario franchise. Asmiling cloud lift appears in theYoshi's Story stage ofSuper Smash Bros. Melee, also returning inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate; it moves along a dotted line and utilizes its design fromYoshi's Story. The lifts of75 m inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl and its reappearances inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate work exactly like in the original 75m.Super Smash Bros. Brawl also includes rusted lifts in theWorld 1-2 version ofMushroomy Kingdom, except they arepass-through platforms, unlike the originalSuper Mario Bros. iteration.Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS includes the lifts ofSuper Mario 3D Land as platforms. 3D Land starts on three motionless lifts, and players battle on four multi-colored lifts while being transitioned from the second to third portion, with rocks possibly altering their angle.
PictoChat 2 ofSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS may feature segment from World 1-2 ofSuper Mario Bros. showing a row of blocks between a pair of continuously moving lifts.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga /Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions[edit]
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga andits port, has some lifts inGuffawha Ruins and the caves ofBeanbean Fields. One lift toLittle Fungitown is at the end ofTeehee Valley. The game also adds theSpin Block variety.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series[edit]
Mario vs. Donkey Kong[edit]
The lifts ofMario vs. Donkey Kong andits remake are similar to those fromDonkey Kong. They appear at one end of a track repeatedly before traveling in another direction and disappearing at the other end, and aDirection Switch can sometimes change the direction of every lift in a level.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis[edit]

Elevators andMoving Platforms[12] (also known asPath Platforms),[13] are the two types of lifts inMario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis.
Elevators are platforms attached to a pole, like before, and are first found inRoom 1-5 ofMushroom Mayhem. At a wall next to an elevator is acontrol panel,[14] depicted with buttons looking like up and down arrows that turn green when activated. An elevator can have up to twoMinis, and the either raises or lowers the platform from the control panel accordingly. The direction of an elevator can be altered once it reaches a ground or the top of the pole.
Moving Platforms are first found inRoom 6-3 ofToadstool Castle and move along a path automatically, stopping whenever at any ledge and extending their platform slightly, allowing only one Mini to go on board.
WarioWare series[edit]
Lifts ontracks fromSuper Mario Bros. 3 appear in the microgameSuper Mario Bros. 3-Lift inWarioWare: Twisted! andWarioWare Gold (renamed to simply "Super Mario Bros. 3" in the latter). The player has to rotate the system to move the platforms and make Mario avoid the multiple enemies coming for him. In the third level, another lift appears along with Luigi on it, who also needs to be protected.
Super Princess Peach[edit]
Flatbed Ferries appear inSuper Princess Peach with a similar role as inSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.
Super Paper Mario[edit]
Lifts are depicted with a yellow and orange zigzag pattern inSuper Paper Mario. The player uses horizontal and vertical lifts in places such asYold Desert, theFloro Caverns, andThe Overthere to reach certain areas.The Bitlands has a pixelated variation resembling its design fromSuper Mario Bros., and there are vertically traveling lifts underground. TheCastle Bleck Inner Sanctum has black lifts with white outlines.
Mario Party: Island Tour[edit]
Lifts are featured in the minigameGyro for the Gold inMario Party: Island Tour, where players try to cross two of them to complete the obstacle course.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Nintendo Switch)[edit]
Lifts reappear in theNintendo Switch version ofCaptain Toad: Treasure Tracker. They replace thePropeller Platforms because theNintendo Switch has no usable microphone.
Mario Kart series[edit]
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
InMario Kart Tour'sBattle Mode, any opponents that are eliminated ride on lifts that move around the course and throw projectiles such asGreen Shells,Bananas, andBob-ombs onto the course.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
A pink Flatbed Ferry, with aYoshi sitting on it, appears near the starting line ofYoshi's Island in theBooster Course Pass DLC pack forMario Kart 8 Deluxe.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]
Lifts make an appearance inThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, where they resemble and behave the same way they do inSuper Mario 3D Land andSuper Mario 3D World.
List of lifts[edit]
Lifts are the basis for many other platforms. For many of them, this is apparent with the inclusion of
- Arrow lift (New Super Mario Bros. series)
- Arrow Lift (Super Mario 64)
- Arrow wheel
- Balloon Bully
- Bell-shaped contraption
- Big Windmill
- Blarggwich
- Blarggwich (sandwich)
- Bolt Lift
- Bone lift
- Bone Lift (Super Mario Bros. Wonder)
- Bone Lift (Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins)
- Cloud Lift
- Count-Lift
- Cross Lift
- Diagonal platform
- Directional Lift
- Disappearing platform
- Donut Lift
- Dropdown Countdown Lift
- Elevator block
- Elevator lift
- Eye Beamer
- Flimsy Lift
- Floating barrel
- Floating couch
- Flying Platform
- Ghost-coaster
- Hinged device
- Hip Drop Move Lift
- Ice platform
- Lava Lift
- Liftoglobin
- Limited Lift
- Limited Lift (Remote-Control)
- Linking Lift
- Liquid lift
- Moving block
- Multi-Vator
- Paddle Platform
- Pendulum Platform
- Pinwheel
- Propeller Lift
- Propeller Lift (Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins)
- Propeller Platform
- Puffy Lift
- Pump Lift
- Raft
- Remote-Control Platform
- Remote-Controlled Lift
- Rocking Platform
- Rotary Lift
- Rotating Panel
- Scale Lift
- Screwtop Lift
- Screwtop Shroom
- Seesaw
- Segmented platform
- Single Swing Lift
- Ski Lift
- Sky Move Lift
- Slide Lift
- Spine Coaster (Super Mario 3D Land)
- Star Lift
- Stretch Shroom
- Swing
- Switch-Lift
- Tilt Lift
- Transparent Lift
- Triple Swing Lift
- White box
- Wire Net Platform
- Work Elevator
- Zipline lift
Profiles[edit]
Rail Lift[edit]
Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
- Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console manual description:
- English:
Travel along rails.
- English:
Gallery[edit]
- For this subject's image gallery, seeGallery:Lift.
Names in other languages[edit]
Lift[edit]
Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Japanese | リフト[15][16] Rifuto | Lift | |
エレベーター[17] Erebētā | Elevator | Mario & Wario | |
Chinese | 升降梯[?] Shēngjiàngtī | Lift | |
升降台[?] Shēngjiàng Tái | Super Mario Maker 2 | ||
Dutch | Platform[?] | Platform | |
French | Plateforme[?] | Platform | |
Ascenseur[21][22] | Elevator | ||
German | Lift[19] | - | |
Italian | Ascensore[?] | Elevator | |
Piattaforma[?] | Platform | ||
Piattaforma mobile[20] | Mobile platform | ||
Russian | Платформа[?] Platforma | Platform | |
Spanish | Ascensor[?] | Elevator | |
Elevador[18] |
Flatbed Ferry[edit]
Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Japanese | せんリフト[?] Sen Rifuto | Track Lift | |
センリフト[23] Sen Rifuto | |||
線リフト[24] Sen Rifuto | |||
レールリフト[25] Rēru Rifuto | Rail Lift | Super Mario Bros. 3 | |
Korean | 줄리프트[?] Jul Ripeuteu | Line Lift | |
Spanish (NOE) | Transbordador[?] | Ferry |
References[edit]
- ^Pelland, Scott, and Dan Owsen (1996).Super Mario 64 Player's Guide. Redmond:Nintendo of America (American English). Page 58.
- ^Super Mario Maker in-game name
- ^Musa, Alexander, and Geson Hatchett (November 22, 2013).Super Mario 3D World PRIMA Official Game Guide.Prima Games (American English). ISBN978-0804162494. Page 167.
- ^Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis in-game help (no. 08)
- ^"Stand on the Flatbed Ferry platform above this first Star Coin, and wait for the Flatbed Ferry to slide to the right." – Stratton, Steve (2012).New Super Mario Bros. U: PRIMA Official Game Guide. Roseville:Prima Games (American English). ISBN978-0-307-89690-2. Page 68.
- ^abTochikubo, Hiroo (1987).How to win at Super Mario Bros..Tokuma Shoten (American English). ISBN4-19-720003-XC. Page 47..
- ^1990.Super Mario Bros. 3 English instruction booklet.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 19.
- ^August 1991. NintendoMario Mania Player's Guide.Nintendo Power (American English). Page 70 and 71.
- ^2002.Nintendo Power Advance Volume 4.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 29.
- ^Walsh, Doug; Epstein, Joe (October 27, 2017).Super Mario Odyssey Prima Official Guide.Prima Games (American English). ISBN978-0744018882. Page 54, 59, 68, 71, 73.
- ^March 1, 2005. 「ヨッシーの万有引力任天堂公式ガイドブック」 (Yoshi Banyū Inryoku Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook.Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN4-09-106215-6. Page20Media:YUG Shogakukan P20.jpg.
- ^Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis in-game help (no. 20)
- ^Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis object graphics filename (data/anims/path_platform_anim.bin)
- ^Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis instruction booklet.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 21. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
- ^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 21, 29, 41, 48, 61, 78, 92, 119, 137, 151, 171, 186, 201, 217, 234.
- ^KADOKAWA Game Linkage, editors (2023). 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ ワンダー かんぺき攻略本』. Tokyo:Kadokawa (Japanese). ISBN4-047337-02-1. Page 62.
- ^1993.Mario & Wario instruction booklet.Nintendo (Japanese). Page 9.
- ^Mario vs. Donkey Kong European instruction booklet. Page 98.
- ^Mario vs. Donkey Kong European instruction booklet. Page 38.
- ^"TIP — Sali sopra all'ultimo soffitto usando la piattaforma mobile nel MONDO 1-2 per trovare tubi capaci di portarti nel MONDO 2, 3 e 4." – March 26, 2025. Una guida al mondo di Super Mario — MONDO 1 — Super Mario Bros.Nintendo Today! (Italian). Retrieved March 27, 2025.
- ^Mario vs. Donkey Kong European instruction booklet. Page 58.
- ^Yoshi's Storyin-game name (French localization)
- ^November 20, 1995. 「オールカラー版 スーパーマリオヨッシーアイランド全百科」 (All-Color Ban - Super Mario: Yossy Island All Hyakka).Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 92.
- ^---- (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 60, 118, 150, 200, 216.
- ^1988.Super Mario Bros. 3 Japanese instruction booklet.Nintendo (Japanese). Page 17.
- Lifts
- Donkey Kong (game) objects
- Donkey Kong (Game Boy)
- Donkey Kong Country objects
- Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! objects
- Mario & Luigi: Brothership objects
- Mario & Wario
- Mario Kart Tour objects
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong objects
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
- Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 objects
- New Super Mario Bros. objects
- New Super Mario Bros. 2 objects
- New Super Mario Bros. U objects
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii objects
- Super Mario 64 objects
- Super Mario 64 DS objects
- Super Mario 3D Land objects
- Super Mario 3D World objects
- Super Mario Bros. objects
- Super Mario Bros. 3 objects
- Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels objects
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder objects
- Super Mario Galaxy 2 objects
- Super Mario Maker objects
- Super Mario Maker 2 objects
- Super Mario Odyssey objects
- Super Mario Run objects
- Super Mario World objects
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island objects
- Super Paper Mario objects
- Super Princess Peach objects
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie objects
- Yoshi Topsy-Turvy objects
- Yoshi's Island DS objects
- Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
- Yoshi's New Island objects
- Yoshi's Story objects