Manta
- "Manta Ray" redirects here. For the boss fromDonkey Kong Land also referred to as "Manta Ray", seeWild Sting.
- Not to be confused withPhantamanta.
| Manta | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 The manta fromMario Kart 8 | |||
| First appearance | Super Mario 64 (1996) | ||
| Latest appearance | Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020) | ||
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Themanta, also referred to as theray, is an aquatic species found in variousSuper Mario games. Mantas are peaceful-yet-energetic creatures, much like realmanta rays. Some leave trails of regenerativerings behind them as they swim, and others can be used to surf above channels of water.
History[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario 64 /Super Mario 64 DS[edit]
AManta Ray, also referred to as theManta[1] orRay,[2] first appears inSuper Mario 64 andits remake, where it resides in the levelDire, Dire Docks from the secondPower Star onwards, swimming in a circle around thewhirlpool in the center of the entrance area. The Manta Ray will leave a trail ofbubble rings as it swims around the whirlpool. IfMario,Yoshi,Luigi, orWario canswim through five rings in a row, he will be rewarded with a Power Star; this is the focus of the missionThe Manta Ray's Reward. Moreover, he can swim through a ring to regain lost oxygen. However, if the player character misses a ring, he has to start the five-ring sequence all over. If he swims through a ring correctly, a red number will appear. When the player character accomplishes the five-ring task, the Star will appear at the top of the whirlpool. The player character should also keep distance from the Manta Ray's tail, as it can deal damage.
Super Mario Sunshine[edit]
- Main article:Phantamanta
Aspectral Manta appears as a boss inSuper Mario Sunshine, appearing atSirena Beach. It is flat and moves along the ground and other surfaces as though it is a light projected from the sky, constantly leaving a trail of electricgoop behind it. Spraying it withFLUDD causes it to split into progressively smaller forms.
Super Mario Galaxy[edit]
- Main article:Ray
A small, friendly manta namedRay appears as a minor character inSuper Mario Galaxy. Mario can surf on his back along tracks in theLoopdeeloop andLoopdeswoopgalaxies.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii[edit]
- Main article:Jumbo Ray
Types of mantas calledJumbo Rays appear inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii. They are green and wear a pair of water goggles. They can fly, soMario and company can stand on them as platforms for a short time. Their appearance and manner of aiding the characters to pass some obstacles are rather similar to those ofDolphins fromSuper Mario World.
Mario Party series[edit]
Mantas only appear twice in theMario Party series. InMario Party 4, there is a minigame calledManta Rings in which a Manta releases golden rings while swimming. These rings give the players three points unlike the usual blue ones, which give out one point. InMario Party 5, there is a? Space next to the two logs on either side of the boardUndersea Dream that allows the player to ride a manta to the other side of the board and collectcoins along the way.
Mario Kart series[edit]
Mario Kart 8 /Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
Mantas appear on a single course inMario Kart 8 and two courses inMario Kart 8 Deluxe. In both games, one appears in the courseDolphin Shoals, and with theBooster Course Pass, one appears inWii Koopa Cape near the U-turn in the underwater section. It has water goggles, light spots, and peach lips, resembling a Jumbo Ray, but retains its blue color, cephalic fins, and visible gills. It also has a small dorsal fin.
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
While no actual mantas appear inMario Kart Tour, there are fourgliders that resemble them. These gliders are known as theManta Glider,Silver Manta Glider,Polka-Dot Manta Glider andFire Manta Glider, which debuted in theMarine Tour,Peach vs. Daisy Tour,2021 Summer Tour, andOcean Tour, respectively. All four of these gliders were featured in the Ocean Tour'sspecial pipe, the Ocean Manta Pipe.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope[edit]
- Main article:Darkmess Manta
InMario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, a giant flying manta made ofDarkmess, known asDarkmess Manta, appears abovePeach's Castle, covering the landscape in Darkmess. It abductsRabbid Peach, and Mario andBeep-0, along with theSparkStarburst, rescue her. After this, it is not seen for the rest of the game.
Unused appearances[edit]
A manta using itsSuper Mario 64 DS model appeared in anearly build ofNew Super Mario Bros. with an unknown role, but it did not appear in the final game.
Gallery[edit]
Model fromSuper Mario 64
Screenshot fromSuper Mario 64
Screenshot fromSuper Mario 64
Artwork fromSuper Mario Bōken Game Ehon 6 3 Tsu no Takara
Artwork fromSuper Mario Bōken Game Ehon 6 3 Tsu no Takara
Screenshot fromNew Super Mario Bros. (pre-release)
Artwork ofRay fromSuper Mario Galaxy
Artwork of Ray fromSuper Mario Galaxy
Model of theJumbo Ray fromNew Super Mario Bros. Wii
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | マンタ[3] Manta | Manta | |
| エイ[?] Ei | Ray | ||
| Chinese | 鳐鱼[?] yáo yú | Manta | |
| German | Mantus Rachus[4] | - | |
| Italian | Manta[5][6] | - | |
| Pesce Razza[7] | Ray Fish | Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia (characters section) | |
| Korean | 만타[?] Manta | Manta |
References[edit]
- ^Pelland, Scott, and Dan Owsen (1996).Super Mario 64 Player's Guide.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 78.
- ^Course 9 - Star 5: The Manta Ray's Reward.Nintendo: Super Mario 64 Strategy (American English). Archived June 10, 1998, 06:48:55 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
- ^Motomiya, Shusuke (One Up),Yasuhiro Nemoto, Hideki Endo, Yuta Naoi, and Noriko Tsuyuki, editors (1996). 「キャラクター図鑑」 in 『スーパーマリオ64完全クリアガイド』. Tokyo:Media Factory (Japanese). ISBN4-88991-411-0. Page 69.
- ^Kraft, John D., Thomas Görg, and Marko Hein, editors (1997).Der offizielle Nintendo 64 Spieleberater "Super Mario 64". Großostheim:Nintendo of Europe GmbH (German). Page 7.
- ^"La ricompensa della manta" –Dire, Dire Docks level selection.Super Mario 64 DS (Italian).
- ^November 15, 2018.Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia.Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN889367436X. Page 89.
- ^November 15, 2018.Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia.Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN889367436X. Page 85.
