Editing Axe

{{item infobox

|image=[[File:Mario Maker NSMBU Axe.png|100px]]<br>An axe as it appears in the ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'' style of ''[[Super Mario Maker]]''

|latest_appearance=''[[Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition]]'' ([[List of games by date#2024|2024]])

An '''axe'''<ref>{{cite|language=en-us|author=Cain, Christine|title=''Super Mario Bros. Deluxe'' Prima's Official Strategy Guide|page=19|publisher=[[Prima Games]]|date=1999|isbn=0-7615-2190-9}}</ref> (or '''ax''')<ref>{{cite|author=Tochikubo, Hiroo|title=''[[How to win at Super Mario Bros.]]''|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|date=1987|isbn=4-19-720003-XC|page=16}}</ref> appears in the [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' franchise]] as an object often appearing at the end of a [[castle]] level.

[[File:SMB Axe.gif|frame]]

Axes first appear in ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', where they are found in the castle [[level]]s. The player can defeat [[Bowser]] or [[Fake Bowser|his duplicates]] by touching the axe, which cuts the support of the bridge Bowser is standing on and sends him falling into the [[lava]] below. If the player does not have a [[Fire Flower]], using the axe is the only way that the player can defeat Bowser. If Mario already defeated either Bowser or his fakes with fireballs, then the animation of the bridge being destroyed will not be played. Axes return and work in the same way in ''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels]]''. If Mario was to touch both Bowser and the axe at the same time, then it could potentially result in a glitch involving Mario becoming Fire Mario while he is still small. In the ''[[All Night Nippon: Super Mario Bros.]]'' version of the game, owing to the game being filled with cameos from the eponymous radio program, the ax was replaced with the logo for Nippon Broadcasting System, Inc., the home radio station for the program.

In many of the ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'' games, a [[! Switch]] or a [[skull switch]] is used in place of the axe at the end of castles featuring Bowser, and serves the same function. ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'', ''[[New Super Luigi U]]'' and the Nintendo Switch port ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]'' all use an axe, which is activated with a ! Switch.

The axe appears in ''[[Super Mario Maker]]'' and its [[Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS|its 3DS port]], as well as the Nintendo Switch sequel, ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]''. It acts as the goal for courses with the castle theme. When used, it again breaks the bridge. However, all enemies on screen stop, fall and sink into the lava. This occurs even for enemies that fly, can swim, or are not on the bridge. Its appearance varies with the game style, though its appearance in the ''Super Mario Bros.'' style has been changed to make it taller and wider (to match up with its ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' appearance). The ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'' style in ''Super Mario Maker 2'' is the only style to not use the axe as the goal for the castle theme, instead using a slightly modified boss version of the [[Goal Pole]] from the original game.

The axe reappears in  ''[[Super Mario Run]]'', retaining its look and function from the ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'' style in ''[[Super Mario Maker]]''. The courses [[Bowser's Castle Hangout]], [[Fire Bar Castle! Youch!]], [[Rings of Fire!]], [[Make the Cut!]], and [[VS Bowser]] all conclude with an axe. The last of these allows the player to defeat Bowser or [[Fake Bowser]] using [[Invincible Mario|invincibility]], but the axe still cuts the bridge.

[[File:Superstarfalse.png|thumb|An axe right of a crude depiction of Bowser in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''.]]

The axe makes a cameo in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'' and [[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions|its remake]], where it is found at the end of a ''Super Mario Bros.''-like section of [[Bowser's Castle]] alongside a cardboard duplicate of Bowser. The section can only be accessed by [[Mini-Mario (form)|Mini-Mario]], and touching the axe does the same thing as in previous appearances, "defeating" the cardboard duplicate and opening a path for [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] to progress.

Although the axe does not appear in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', it being key to defeating Bowser in previous games is referenced in one of [[Simon Belmont]]'s promotional screenshots on the game's official website, where he is shown about to use his [[smashwiki:Axe|Axe]] special attack on Bowser. Viridi also mentions the axe during Bowser's [[List of Palutena's Guidance conversations#Bowser|Palutena's Guidance conversation]], making reference to [[World 8-4 (Super Mario Bros.)|World 8-4]] in ''Super Mario Bros.''

 

ANN Axe.gif|''All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros.''

|ItaM=Axe

[[Category:Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga objects]]

[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. U objects]]

[[Category:Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 objects]]

[[Category:Super Mario Bros. objects]]

[[Category:Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels objects]]

[[Category:Super Mario Maker objects]]

[[Category:Super Mario Run objects]]