Waterfall
- This article is about the environmental feature. For the move from theSuper Smash Bros. series, seeList of fighters debuting in Super Smash Bros. Brawl § Pokémon Trainer.
| Waterfall | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screenshot fromSuper Mario Galaxy 2 | |||
| First appearance | Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987, overall) Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988,Super Mario franchise) | ||
| Latest appearance | Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2025) | ||
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Waterfalls[1][2] appear as recurring elements of underwater, beach, and forest-themed areas in theSuper Mario franchise. While often ambient background elements that cannot be interacted with, waterfalls sometimes are ascendable platforms, like inSuper Mario Bros. 3 andSuper Mario Galaxy. In some games, such asSuper Mario Sunshine andSuper Mario Odyssey, the rapids from waterfalls pull the player character towardspits as they try toswim.
History[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic /Super Mario Bros. 2[edit]
InSuper Mario Bros. 2 and its unlocalized originYume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, waterfalls primarily appear as background scenery. However, they often carry logs that gradually appear at the top before descending down, and these logs can be used as platforms; desert stages have a similar system with certain patches ofquicksand with bones traveling down them. Additionally,Trouters often appear jumping from waterfalls. InYume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, waterfalls have a two-frame animation; inSuper Mario Bros. 2, they have a seven-frame animation (with an eighth frame not appearing due to a programming error); and in all remakes ofSuper Mario Bros. 2, they have an eight-frame animation.
Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
InSuper Mario Bros. 3, waterfalls appear mainly as downwardcurrents: they can be swum in like normalwater, but they constantly push down onMario orLuigi as he swims, which is signified by a spray effect over his head.
Super Mario 64[edit]
InSuper Mario 64, waterfalls appear in a few places: outside theMushroom Castle, in theCavern of the Metal Cap, and onTall, Tall Mountain. They once again mainly act as downward currents, thoughone mission has Mario go through one to a cave on the other side.
Super Mario Sunshine[edit]
InSuper Mario Sunshine, a waterfall appears as a central feature ofNoki Bay, and the area'sfirst mission involves restoring it after it is plugged by a giantcork. Its water cuts through the layer ofpollution on the bay's surface and can push Mario into the old Noki city in the abyss beneath the bay.
Super Mario Galaxy[edit]
InSuper Mario Galaxy and itsNintendo Switchport, waterfalls make an important appearance inthe secret mission of theBeach Bowl Galaxy, whereIce Mario must use his freezing touch toWall Jump up them as though they were solid walls.
Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]
A pair of waterfalls are the basis of the "Twin Falls Hideaway" mission in theCosmic Cove Galaxy inSuper Mario Galaxy 2. In this galaxy, a pair of waterfalls extending from overhanging platforms pool into the sea. Pressing theGround-Pound Switch on a nearby causes the sea tofreeze over, allowingMario (orLuigi) toWall Jump up between them and reach thecrystalizedPower Star. This mission invokes the abilities of Ice Mario in the previous game, but without the power-up returning. Enormous waterfalls also surround and give part of the name to theHightail Falls Galaxy, though these cannot be interacted with.
Virtual Boy Wario Land[edit]
InVirtual Boy Wario Land, waterfalls inStage 6 can be swam in. However, they are inhabited bytadpole-like enemies that chase him through them when they see him. Additionally, the entire game takes place in a cave system behind theAldegara Waterfall.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars[edit]
- Main article:Midas River
InSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, a waterfall known as Midas Waterfall makes up the first half of theMidas River course. Mario can slowly move left and right while traveling down it, enabling him to collect coins and travel into cave entrances that take him elsewhere in the falls.
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble![edit]
InDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, a few levels take place beside a waterfall and feature the characters going in front and behind it.Squirt hides in the waterfall and can only be attacked when he shows his eyes from it.Ellie can also suck up water from the falls and launch it from her trunk.
Super Smash Bros. Melee[edit]
InSuper Smash Bros. Melee, the waterfalls fromSuper Mario Bros. 2 appear with their logs inMushroom Kingdom II, acting the same as in that game. Additionally,Kongo Jungle has a similar waterfall in its background, though the logs that travel down it are purely for scenery. However, on rare occasions, aKlaptrap travelling over the falls will end up in theBarrel Cannon below. Both courses appear again in later games in the series.
Paper Mario series[edit]
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door[edit]
InPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, a few waterfalls appear throughoutPirate's Grotto. Mario can ride down them if he is inBoat Mode.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star[edit]
InPaper Mario: Sticker Star,Warm Fuzzy Plains has a waterfall that leads into a stream with a bridge across it.Water's Edge Way takes place beside a large waterfall.
Long Fall Falls ends with Mario's raft falling over the edge of a giant waterfall. The following level,Chomp Ruins, has waterfalls visible in the background.Bomps come in and out of the waterfalls and can push Mario off a bridge.
Paper Mario: Color Splash[edit]
Different waterfalls appear throughoutPaper Mario: Color Splash. There is one that powers the waterwheel inPort Prisma, and when Mario repaints it, he gets washed down the canal.
Indigo Underground contains a few waterfalls. One of theRescue Squad Toads is behind one and needs to be freed withCutout.
AtPlum Park, there is a waterfall ofpoison. It is purified once theTeapot is collected.
OnLighthouse Island, a waterfall has treasure behind it. Mario can stop it by pulling avine. He must visit the site of the waterfall multiple times between the regular andparallel worlds.
The hot springs inRedpepper Crater have waterfalls in them. Going behind one takes Mario to a secret spring with Bowser's minions and aMini Paint Star.
Paper Mario: The Origami King[edit]
InPaper Mario: The Origami King,Eddy River ends with a giant waterfall, featuring coins for Mario to collect by jumping.
Gallery[edit]
Super Mario Bros. 3 (spray effect 2 -Statue Mario)
Super Mario Bros. 3 (spray effect 2 -Hammer Mario)
Screenshot fromSuper Mario 64
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | Taki | Waterfall | |
| Chinese | 瀑布[2][4] Pùbù | Waterfall | |
| Dutch | waterval[4] | waterfall | |
| French | cascade[4] | waterfall | |
| German | Wasserfall[4] | Waterfall | |
| Italian | cascate[4] | waterfall | |
| Korean | 폭포[4] Pokpo | Waterfall | |
| Russian | водопаде[4] vodopade | waterfall | |
| Spanish | catarata[4] | waterfall |
References[edit]
| Wikipedia has an article onwaterfalls. |
- ^Sather, Pam, Howard Phillips, and Dan Owsen, editors (1990).Super Mario Bros. 3 Strategy Guide. Redmond:Tokuma Shoten and Nintendo of America. Page 37.
- ^abIn-game name for "Wall Jumping up Waterfalls."
- ^Sakai, Kazuya (ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors (2015). "Super Mario Bros. 3" in 『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). ISBN978-4-09-106569-8. Page 41. Kanji.
- ^abcdefghiList of Power Moon names in other languages by kingdom (A–K) § Cascade Kingdom
- Hazardous objects
- Platforms
- Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! objects
- Paper Mario: Color Splash objects
- Paper Mario: Sticker Star objects
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door objects
- Paper Mario: The Origami King objects
- Super Mario 64 objects
- Super Mario Bros. 2 objects
- Super Mario Bros. 3 objects
- Super Mario Galaxy objects
- Super Mario Galaxy 2 objects
- Super Mario Sunshine objects
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- Super Smash Bros. Melee
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Virtual Boy Wario Land objects
















