Spin
- Not to be confused withSpin Jump,Spin Attack,Spin Dash, orDrill Spin.
- “Jump! Spin! Make 'em flip!”
- —Star Bunny,Super Mario Galaxy 2
Spinning, also called theStar Spin[1] (alternativelyStar-Spin[2] orstar spin[3]), is a move thatMario andLuigi can perform inSuper Mario Galaxy andSuper Mario Galaxy 2. The spin creates a sparkly blue trail around the character when performed. Spinning has two functions: It is a melee range attack that additionally interacts with many objects in the game, such asLever Switches. In the air, it additionally provides a slight aerial boost andfalling delay. In this way, it combinespunching andkicking fromSuper Mario 64 andSuper Mario 64 DS and a weaker version ofF.L.U.D.D'sHover Nozzle fromSuper Mario Sunshine into one action.[4]
TheCo-Star Luma can also perform this move inSuper Mario Galaxy 2, andRosalina can perform it inSuper Mario 3D World and itsNintendo Switchport,Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. In the latter case, the game is not designed around spinning so there are fewer objects with it in mind.
History[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario Galaxy[edit]
Spinning is done when the player shakes
or
. InSuper Mario 3D All-Stars, it can be performed by pressing
,
or by shaking either
. Although the difference is minor, Mario spins higher if the player shakes or
while Luigi spins higher if the player shakes or
.[5] Besides being a key method of attacking, a spin is the only way to activateLaunch Stars, which let Mario fly through the cosmos like a comet and reach new planets and galaxies, making it a vital move throughout the game. It can also add some height to his jumps, deflect certain projectiles, activate switches, breakcrystals, let himswim faster, and even pick up certainitems that are nearby. However, once Mario performs a spin, he must wait a short period forBaby Luma to return to his hat before he is able to spin again, with Luigi's wait time being slightly longer. Also, he can spin only once in midair, as Baby Luma returns to his hat after he lands on solid ground.
Mario gains this ability after being entrusted with Baby Luma's care. Here, spinning is one of Mario's few attacks, with the ability to stun, freeze, or make enemies dizzy by spinning into them. This gives Mario a chance to escape or attack the enemies. Spinning is needed to defeat some bosses. Spinning while moving also causes Mario to skate on icy surfaces, and spinning while crouching makes Mario do a sweep kick. By combining this move with along jump, Mario can chain a spin into adouble kick, and if he spins in midair and immediatelyground-pounds, he automatically homes in on nearby objects or enemies.
Occasionally, spinning is used to activate or use several power-ups, includingFire Mario andFlying Mario. Although not necessary for it to work, spinning asIce Mario causes him to skate across water instead of walking, and spinning asBoo Mario causes him to become invisible for a short time. Spinning cannot be performed asSpring Mario.
Mario can collectcoins,Star Bits, andshells with the spin move. Mario can attract only coins and Star Bits when he uses it underwater or when he uses it as Flying Mario, while he can attract shells in any kind of condition.
It also appears that after his first defeat,Bowser uses the power of aGrand Star to attack Mario with a move similar to Mario's spin duringhis fight at hisDark Matter Plant. Mario is able to negate this spin by performing one of his own.
Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]
Spinning returns inSuper Mario Galaxy 2. It is largely the same as before. Mario once again gains this ability after finding Baby Luma at the beginning of the game. Mario can spin nearYoshi to ride him without having to jump on him, and when he rides Yoshi, the spin becomes aHead Shake, which has the same effect as a spin, except it cannot be used to give him extra height while jumping. The ability to attract coins and Star Bits from the previous game is removed due to the absence of the Red Star, but Mario can still attract shells by spinning. Like the previous game, Mario spins higher if the player shakes and Luigi spins higher if the player shakes.
In addition to the returning power-ups utilized by spinning, it is also used to activateCloud Mario,Rock Mario, and theSpin Drill.
Super Mario 3D World /Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]
InSuper Mario 3D World andSuper Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, spinning is exclusive toRosalina, and it is performed by pressing
or
. Baby Luma is not present in these games. Like in theSuper Mario Galaxy games, spinning allows Rosalina to gain a bit of extra height when used in midair. It is possible to spin multiple times in one jump, though only the first spin gives Rosalina the extra height. As inSuper Mario Galaxy andSuper Mario Galaxy 2, Rosalina is able to stun or defeat an enemy. She loses the ability if she grabs a power-up (except for theSuper Mushroom,Super Star, andDouble Cherry).
Mario & Sonic series[edit]
In the4x100m Relay event featured across multipleMario & Sonic games, Mario's special boost is highly reminiscent of the spin fromSuper Mario Galaxy. For instance, inMario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Mario spins while creating a translucent blue trail to gain a burst of speed. In theWii U version ofMario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the spin additionally creates sparkles around the character, making the resemblance more prominent. Luigi andAmy also spin in their 4x100 Relay special boosts, but the trails they leave are green and magenta, respectively, isolating Mario's special boost as a reference to the move inSuper Mario Galaxy.
In theDream Ski Jumping event of theWii version ofMario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Mario's special action is a spin that surrounds him with a sparkly blur, resembling the spin fromSuper Mario Galaxy.
In theDream Spacewalk event of the Wii version ofMario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the characters can perform a spin, here referred to as aSpin Attack,[6] to deflectDino Piranha's fireballs.
Similar attack methods[edit]
InSuper Mario 3D Land andSuper Mario 3D World, theTanooki form's tail whip acts like a Spin, but does not give any extra height in midair, has little delay between spins, andcan be used continuously whilecrouching.
InCaptain Toad: Treasure Tracker, spinning is done in the same vein as theSpin Jump fromSuper Mario 3D World, rather than the Spin that is seen in theSuper Mario Galaxy games. To makeCaptain Toad orToadette spin around, the player has to quickly rotate the analog stick. While spinning, the characters become dizzy and immobile for a brief moment; however, if timed correctly, the move also enables them to defeat enemies that come into contact with them, serving as an alternative form of attack from stomping, throwingTurnips, or using aSuper Pickax.
InYoshi's Woolly World andPoochy & Yoshi's Woolly World,Mega Yoshi can use a Tail Swipe, spinning around while lashing enemies and objects in front ofYoshi. In the air, it also prevents Yoshi from falling.
InSuper Mario Odyssey theCap Throw partially functions as a Spin. In it, Mario spins to throwCappy forward. Damage is dealt entirely through Cappy, but the move affects Mario's trajectory in the same way the Spin does. While a Cap Throw can be used more than once per jump, Mario is not able to send out Cappy on further throws, and the spin's properties only apply to the first throw. TheSpin Throw move has Cappy whirl around Mario to attack, which has a wider radius than the Spin but again is tied to a projectile rather than Mario. If Mario jumps right as Cappy returns from a throw, he twirls while jumping and reaches slightly higher than a standard jump.Pokio can perform an action similar to a Spin whencaptured, but they can use their beaks with the spin to create an attack.Gushen can also perform an action similar to a Spin when captured, which shoots out water in all directions as an attack.
Gallery[edit]
Mario spins in midair to gain height inSuper Mario Galaxy
Bowser uses a spin on Mario inSuper Mario Galaxy.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | スピン[?] Supin | Spin | |
| Chinese (simplified) | 旋转[?] Xuánzhuǎn | Spin | |
| Chinese (traditional) | 旋轉[7] Xuánzhuǎn | Spin | |
| French | Tourbillonner[8][9] | Spin | |
| Italian | Piroetta[?] | Pirouette | |
| Spanish | Girar[10] | Spin |
References[edit]
- ^Super Mario Galaxy trading card description for "Mario in Training"
- ^Super Mario Galaxy trading card "Mario (Star-Spin)"
- ^"But if timed correctly, Mario can do a star spin into a Tweester and fly up higher than any jump could take him." –Tweester (2007).Super Mario Galaxy trading card. English.
- ^R. Scott (October 31st, 2017).A Brief History of Mario’s Jump Delay.Nintendo Treehouse Log. Retrieved January 18th, 2025.
- ^"In Super Mario Galaxy, Mario and Luigi have different preferences for which hand the player should shake when performing a spin. Mario spins higher if the player shakes the Wii Remote (right Joy-Con in the Switch version), while Luigi spins higher with the Nunchuk/left Joy-Con." – Supper Mario Broth (November 27, 2023).Post.X. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ^"The Dino Piranha shoots fireballs when it's angry. Press
for aSpin Attack to knock back the fireballs." –Dream Spacewalk controls.Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii).Sega (English). - ^超級瑪利歐銀河2.Nintendo of HK (Traditional Chinese). Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ^Super Mario Galaxy instruction booklet, French segment
- ^Super Mario Galaxy 2 move pamphlet, French side
- ^Super Mario Galaxy instruction booklet, Spanish segment
