Mask Gate
- Not to be confused with Birdfish.
| Mask Gate | |
|---|---|
| |
| First appearance | Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987, overall) Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988, Super Mario franchise) |
| Latest appearance | Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (2024) |
Mask Gates[1][2][3] (or mask gates),[4] also known as masks[5] and Birdfaces,[6] are eagle-head gates that appear at the end of every level in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, Super Mario Bros. 2, and the latter's reissues in Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario Advance.
History[edit]
Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic / Super Mario Bros. 2[edit]
Originally, in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, Mask Gates had the design of a kabuki theater mask, reminiscent to Phanto or the smaller masks that were replaced by Mushroom Blocks, but were redesigned as a bird head in Super Mario Bros. 2. In both games, Mask Gates are attached to the wall at the end of a level. A Mask Gate allows the player to move on to the next level, or to the world's boss if the current level is the last level of the world. Opening a Mask Gate requires the player to pick up a Crystal Ball, which are usually guarded by a Birdo. All Mask Gates are harmless, except for the one in World 7-2; when the player picks up the Crystal Ball, this Mask Gate detaches itself from the wall and then chases them around in a similar manner to Phanto. It takes away a small heart from the player upon contact. The player must attack the Mask Gate by throwing Mushroom Blocks (masks in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic) in the vicinity; after the player throws three Mushroom Blocks at it, the Mask Gate is temporarily stunned, allowing entry into Wart's throne room. However, if the player does not enter into the Mask Gate while it is stunned, it eventually reanimates itself and resumes attacking, forcing the player to throw three more Mushroom Blocks at it.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show![edit]
What appears to be a Mask Gate appears in the episode "Too Hot to Handle" of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Although King Koopa leaps into the Mask Gate at the climax of the episode to make his getaway, it appears to be inanimate and metallic.
Nintendo Comics System[edit]
It has been requested that this section be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: Detail individual appearances
Mask Gates made several appearances in the Nintendo Comics System's Super Mario Bros. comics, functioning much like Warp Pipes.
Super Mario-kun[edit]
A Mask Gate appears in volume 8 of Super Mario-kun. This Mask Gate is similar to the one near Wart's Castle because it starts attacking when Mario tries to enter through it. As in the games, Mario throws a Mushroom Block to have it allow him, Luigi, and Yoshi to enter Wart's Castle.
Gallery[edit]
Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (enemy)
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2 (enemy)
Super Mario Bros. 2 (World 7-2)
Super Mario All-Stars (enemy)
Super Mario Maze Picture Book 6: Take Down Wart
Super Mario Advance (enemy)
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 仮面[7] Kamen |
Mask | |
| マスクゲート[8] Masuku Gēto |
Mask Gate | ||
| ゲート[9] Gēto |
Gate | ||
| Chinese (simplified) | 老鹰嘴通道[10] Lǎoyīng Zuǐ Tōngdào |
Eagle Beak Passageway | |
| German | Falkentor[?] | Falcon Gate | |
| Italian | Maschera[11] | Mask | |
| Portale[12] | Portal/Gate | ||
| Mask Gate[13] | - | ||
| Testa di Falco[14] | Falcon's Head | ||
| Testa di falco[15] | Falcon's head | ||
| Portuguese | Boca da ave[16] | Bird's mouth |
References[edit]
- ^ 1989. Super Mario Bros. 2 Inside Out, Part I. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 8 and 34.
- ^ 1989. Super Mario Bros. 2 Inside Out, Part II. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 32.
- ^ Spring 1991. NES Game Atlas. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 27.
- ^ Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition Egg Toss description
- ^ "At the end of each area, there is a mask that becomes a gate to the next area." – 1988. Super Mario Bros. 2 instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 22.
- ^ Spring 2001. Nintendo Power Advance Volume 1. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 39.
- ^ 1987. Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic instruction booklet. Nintendo (Japanese). Page 28.
- ^ 「スーパーマリオコレクション任天堂公式ガイドブック」 (Super Mario Collection Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook). Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 154.
- ^ 1994. Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten (Japanese). Page 225.
- ^ SMG114514 (February 27, 2017). 小神游GBA官方游戏宣传视频. Bilibili (Simplified Chinese). Retrieved June 5, 2024.
- ^ Super Mario Bros. 2 Italian manual. Page 22.
- ^ "Sconfiggi Strutzi e oltrepassa il portale!" – Super Mario Bros. 2 level 10-1 description. NES Remix 2.
- ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 68.
- ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 70.
- ^ "Sconfiggi il boss ed entra nella Testa di falco." – Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, Egg Toss challenge.
- ^ "Derrote o chefão e entre na boca da ave." – Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, Egg Toss challenge.
