Point
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Points appear as units of score in games of theSuper Mario franchise, acquired by defeatingenemies orbosses, collectingcoins, etc. The total of all received points is usually called thescore. The first game of theSuper Mario franchise to include points was the originalDonkey Kong arcade game, where they determine the player's ranking.
Description[edit]
InSuper Mario Bros.,Mario can earn points by interacting with the environment in various ways. For instance, he earns 50 points for breakingBricks, 200 for collecting a coin, and 1,000 for collecting a power-up. Points can also be earned upon defeating an enemy, with higher points earned for sequences of defeated enemies without landing back on the ground. There are different sequences for different methods of defeating enemies:
- Stomping on multipleGoombas,Koopa Troopas, andBuzzy Beetles grants the following sequence of points: 100, 200, 400, 500, 800, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, 5,000, 8,000, and then all1-Ups.
- Enemies defeated by aKoopa Shell orBuzzy Shell grant the following sequence of points: 500, 800, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, 5,000, 8,000, and then all 1-Ups.
- Kicking a shell itself usually grants 400 points, though it may grant 500 or 800 points if done after the player stomps on the enemy.
- Stomping two Goombas with onejump grants Mario 100 + 400 points (200 + 500 if it occurs just after he stomps on another Goomba).
- Defeating most enemies withfireballs grants 200 points, though defeating a Goomba grants 100 points, defeating aHammer Bro grants 1,000 points, and defeatingBowser with fireballs grants 5,000 points.
Less common enemies may earn more points, even when not in sequence. Stomping on aLakitu grants 800 points, and stomping on a Hammer Bro grants 1,000 points.
At the end of each stage, pulling down the flag on theflagpole grants 100, 400, 800, 2,000, or 5,000 points depending on how high the flagpole is touched. At the end of alevel, there is a bonus that grants 50 points for each remaining second on thetimer, though no such bonus is present incastle levels in the original NES version; it is, however, inSuper Mario All-Stars and the Challenge mode ofSuper Mario Bros. Deluxe.
Later games use a point chain of 200, 400, 800, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, 8,000, and then all 1-Ups (it is preceded by 100 inSuper Mario Bros. 3). This chain typically applies to stomping on multiple consecutive enemies, kicking a shell at enemies, running into enemies whileinvincible (starting withSuper Mario World), and hitting enemies whilesliding downslopes (as ofNew Super Mario Bros.); inSuper Mario 3D World, the chain loops back to the start while the player is invincible.
A chain started with Lakitu or any member of the Hammer Bro family starts at 1,000 sinceNew Super Mario Bros., as do enemies defeated by touchinggoals. However, certain items can affect these chains, as stomping enemies while using aP-Wing inSuper Mario Bros. 3,shell-dashing into foes inNew Super Mario Bros., or running into foes while in theWhite Raccoon form orWhite Tanooki form inNew Super Mario Bros. 2 andSuper Mario 3D World, respectively, grants only the initial point value for each enemy beaten.
InSuper Mario Bros. Wonder, due to a lack of points, the chain displays differently: Good, Great, Super, Fantastic, Excellent, Incredible, Wonderful, and then all 1-Ups.Super Mario Run uses coins instead of points and lacks lives. The chain's length is reduced as well, with the chain being one coin, two coins, and four coins from then on.
History[edit]
In many games, points are largely aesthetic and serve only as a secondary goal, such as inSuper Mario World and theNew Super Mario Bros. games; in others, such asSuper Mario 3D Land, they may be replaced entirely by another mechanic, such ascoins. However, there are a few times where points hold a purpose for the gameplay.
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario Bros. 3 /Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
InSuper Mario Bros. 3, anN-Mark Spade Panel spawns for every 80,000 points earned. ItsGame Boy Advance reissue,Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, features twoe-Reader cards that made changes to how points were earned:a Japan-only card that doubled any points gained, and an unreleased card that made the point chain start at 4,000 instead of 100.[1]
Super Mario Land[edit]
InSuper Mario Land, points return with the same methods as in previous games, albeit adjusted for the new enemies andSuperball Mario. Earning 100,000 points gives Mario acontinue after getting aGame Over.
Super Mario World /Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2[edit]
InSuper Mario World, points return as a largely aesthetic factor like the rest of the series. Running into enemies asInvincible Mario now gives an increasing number of points for the first seven foes defeated (and 1-Ups for the eighth onwards), and the first fourDragon Coins collected in a level give 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, and 8,000 points, respectively.Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, in addition to the original game's score system, tracks the best scores for theSpecial Zone's courses once they are all cleared.
Super Mario Advance[edit]
Super Mario Advance adds a scoring system based on that of the other 2DSuper Mario games to its version ofSuper Mario Bros. 2; this includes the combo racked up for kicking shells into foes or running into enemies while invincible.
Super Mario 3D World /Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]
InSuper Mario 3D World, points reappear, though they serve a purpose only in multiplayer mode: The game keeps track of the points each player gains (though any points earned while ridingPlessie are awarded to all players) and displays the totals at the end of each level, with the player with the most points getting acrown as a prize. This crown is worth 5,000 points if an active player wears it to the end of the next level, but the crown can be lost if the player who holds it gets hit by an enemy, and it can be stolen if another playerground-pounds the crowned character. If the crowned player grabs aDouble Cherry, only one instance of their character wears the crown. Unlike most other games,Super Mario 3D World simply tracks the highest score for each level, rather than having a running total throughout the game.
This system remains the same in theNintendo Switch port, although points are not present in theBowser's Fury side mode.
Super Paper Mario[edit]
InSuper Paper Mario, points are used tolevel up the characters, replacingStar Points fromPaper Mario andPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.Super Paper Mario featuresSpeed Flowers andSlow Flowers, which speed up or slow down gameplay, respectively, and also triple any points gained while the items are in effect. The game also subtracts points instead of giving extra lives when the point chain gets far enough.
Mario Kart series[edit]
In theMario Kart series, theGrand Prix andVersus modes award points based on the player's finishing position. At the end of the course/tournament, the player with the most points gets a goldtrophy, and the second- and third-place finishers receive silver and bronze trophies, respectively. Points are also used inBattle Mode, with different uses throughout the games.
InMario Kart: Double Dash!! andMario Kart DS, the player can set a rule that makes the winner gain a point, and (inMario Kart DS only) win the match when reaching a predetermined number of points. InMario Kart Wii, the player earns a point for every balloon popped or coin collected. At the end, the teams' points are totaled and the team with more wins the match. Winning a predetermined number of matches means winning the battle.
InMario Kart 7 andMario Kart 8, points work as inMario Kart Wii but are summed individually. InBalloon Battle, players can earn an unlimited number of points, but inMario Kart 7's game Coin Runners, a player can earn only 10 points per battle due to the game's limit of 10 coins carried at a time. InMario Kart World, points are applied similarly, but the maximum number of points in Coin Runners was increased to 20.
Super Mario sports games[edit]
VariousSuper Mario sports titles use the same point system as in the real sport depicted, such as shooting a basketball into the net inMario Hoops 3-on-3 andMario Sports Mix, scoring goals in theMario Strikers series, and trying to get the lowest score in theMario Golf series.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danish | Point[2] | - | |
| Finnish | Piste[3] | Point | |
| German | Punkt[4] | Point | |
| Italian | Punto[5] | Point | |
| Norwegian | Poeng[6] | Point | |
| Swedish | Poäng[7] | Point |
References[edit]
- ^TCRF.Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 § 4000 Points Switch.The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
- ^August 1991.Nintendo-Magasinet NR. 1 1991. Copenhagen, Denmark:Interpresse A/S (Danish). Page 11.
- ^Nintendo-lehti (1990-1994, Finnish)
- ^Alle Minispiele - New Super Mario Bros. [BONUSPART]
- ^Tutti i minigiochi di New Super Mario Bros.
- ^August 1991.Power Player Nummer 13. Oslo, Norway:Semic AS (Norwegian). Page 11.
- ^Nintendo Magasinet 1991 Nr 08
