Lava Bubble

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This article is about the fireball enemies. For other uses of "bubble", see Bubble (disambiguation). For the enemy also known as a "Lava Bubble", see Li'l Cinder.
Not to be confused with Lava Babble, Lava Blubble, or Lava Ball.
Lava Bubble
A Lava Bubble in Super Mario Run.
Artwork from Super Mario Run
First appearance Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Latest appearance Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024)
Variants
Relatives
Comparable
“Fire EVERYWHERE!”
Sparky, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Lava Bubbles[1][2] (also called Podoboos,[3][4] fireballs,[5] flames,[6] or simply Bubbles)[7] are living fireballs that emerge from lava. They are commonly depicted as a large fireball with two black eyes or also as only a large fireball. Lava Bubbles appear mainly in the Super Mario series, where they can be destroyed using a Super Star or certain projectiles such as Ice Balls, and they have also appeared in Mario Party series, the Mario Kart series, and the Paper Mario series.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario Bros.[edit]

Sprite of Podoboo Sprite of a Podoboo in Super Mario All-Stars (Super Mario Bros.).

Podoboos are found only in the castle levels of Super Mario Bros., where they are first encountered in World 2-4, as well as in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Podoboos jump in and out of lava, and they can damage the player character on contact. Although this is not possible in Super Mario Bros., Podoboos can be defeated by kicking a Red Shell at them in World A-4 of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.

There is a Podoboo in World 9-4 of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels that appears between the "ト" and "ウ" in the word "アリガトウ" (arigatō, meaning "thank you" in Japanese) that is formed by blocks.

Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]

A Podoboo from Super Mario Bros. 3. Sprite of a Podoboo in Super Mario All-Stars (Super Mario Bros. 3).

Podoboos return as enemies in Super Mario Bros. 3. They are the same as before, though some Podoboos in World 5-Fortress 2 jump out of lava on the ceiling. Podoboos can be defeated with Statue Mario, Hammer Mario's hammer, or a Starman.

Super Mario World[edit]

Sprite of a Lava Bubble from Super Mario World. Sprite of a diagonal Lava Bubble from Super Mario World

Lava Bubbles,[8] as they are named for the first time, return in Super Mario World. Lava Bubbles are similar as before in general, but this is the first game to depict them with eyes. Certain Lava Bubbles are always seen moving diagonally outside the lava at all times, bouncing off of walls along their path. If one such Lava Bubble touches the lava, it sinks and does not come out. A Lava Bubble is featured during the battle with Larry, as well as one diagonally traveling variety while battling Lemmy and two while battling Wendy.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS[edit]

Mario and a Podoboo in Lethal Lava Land
A Podoboo in Super Mario 64

Podoboos return in Super Mario 64 and its remake.[9] They are encountered in Lethal Lava Land, of which their name is in the Japanese title of. The behavior of a Podoboo consists of jumping out of the lava and bouncing on bridges before going back in. Podoboos cannot be defeated, and like other fire-based obstacles and enemies, a Podoboo takes away three units of health from Mario upon contact, causing him to run on fire uncontrollably for a few seconds. Bowser in the Sky includes some blue fireballs (green in the remake) that are spit by Bowser and divide into three like-colored Podoboos that bounce across the stage before disappearing shortly after. A Podoboo can be eaten by Yoshi in the remake, granting him a brief fire-spitting ability.

New Super Mario Bros.[edit]

Podoboo

Podoboos are encountered in World 1-Castle, World 4-Castle, and World 8-5 of New Super Mario Bros. Their behavior is derived from Super Mario Bros., while their appearance is from Super Mario 64 DS.

Super Mario Galaxy[edit]

Rendered model of the Lava Bubble enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Model from Super Mario Galaxy of the unusually cyan-colored Lava Bubbles

Lava Bubbles[10][11] are enemies in Super Mario Galaxy. They have an unusual cyan color and bounce along the ground while following Mario. Lava Bubbles can be defeated only from being hit by a Star Bit, causing it to release a coin. Lava Bubbles are first seen in Good Egg Galaxy, being spawned by King Kaliente during the third phase of his battle. Lava Bubbles are later found in Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor, both in the stage and while battling blackened King Kaliente, who spawns Lava Bubbles at a faster rate than his normal counterpart. Lava Bubbles are last seen in Melty Molten Galaxy, where they guard a Silver Star in "Burning Tide" and Star Chips in "Through the Meteor Storm."

Appearances[edit]
  • Baseline sprite of the Star Pointer in Super Mario Galaxy. marks missions where they are completely absent.
  • Galaxy StarP.png marks missions where they are loaded and may be visible, but cannot be encountered directly.
Domes Galaxies Missions
Terrace Good Egg Galaxy Dino Piranha (mission) A Snack of Cosmic Proportions King Kaliente's Battle Fleet Dino Piranha Speed Run Purple Coin Omelet Luigi on the Roof
Engine Room Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor King Kaliente's Spicy Return
Garden Melty Molten Galaxy The Sinking Lava Spire Through the Meteor Storm Fiery Dino Piranha Lava Spire Daredevil Run Red-Hot Purple Coins Burning Tide

New Super Mario Bros. Wii[edit]

NSMBW Lava Bubble Render.png

Lava Bubbles are featured throughout World 8 levels and castle levels in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. They resemble their design from Super Mario World but are more closely based on their appearance in New Super Mario Bros. A Lava Bubble can be defeated either from an Ice Ball or from contact with a character under the effects of a Star. They appear in World 2-Castle, World 5-Castle, World 6-Castle, and World 8-Castle, in addition to appearing in World 8 Enemy Courses.

There is an unused behavior of Yoshi being able to eat a Lava Bubble and then spitting it out as a large fireball, much like the fireball projectiles of Fire Piranha Plants.[12]

Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]

Lava Bubble

Lava Bubbles are enemies in Super Mario Galaxy 2. Most of them are now orange and eyeless, though the blue type appears while battling King Kaliente in the Boss Blitz Galaxy. Lava Bubbles are usually in lava-themed galaxies and behave like they do in Super Mario Galaxy, though Bowser's Gravity Gauntlet has Lava Bubbles that jump from one lava pit into another one nearby.

Appearances[edit]
  • Baseline sprite of the Star Pointer in Super Mario Galaxy. marks missions where they are completely absent.
  • Galaxy StarP.png marks missions where they are loaded and may be visible, but cannot be encountered directly.
Orange
Worlds Galaxies Missions
World 2 Bowser's Lava Lair Bowser's Big Lava Power Party Lava Lair Speed Run
World 4 Bowser's Gravity Gauntlet Breaking into Bowser's Castle Gravity Star Speed Run
World 6 Melty Monster Galaxy The Magnificent Magma Sea A Stroll Down Rolling Lane The Chimp's Bowling Challenge
Cyan
Worlds Galaxies Missions
World S Boss Blitz Galaxy Throwback Throwdown Throwback Throwdown Speed Run

Super Mario 3D Land[edit]

Lava Bubbles return as enemies in castle courses in Super Mario 3D Land. They behave identically as in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, but they can be defeated by only a Star or an Invincibility Leaf.

New Super Mario Bros. 2[edit]

Lava Bubble

Lava Bubbles return in the castle levels of New Super Mario Bros. 2, now with the ability to hop out of lava diagonally.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe[edit]

Lava Bubbles reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, and their port. They behave the same as in other side-scrolling games, though there is a sideways flying variation that leaps from one lava pool to the other in New Super Luigi U, confirmed by the a Lava Bubble by Takemoto in a Miiverse post.[citation needed]

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]

Lava Bubble in Super Mario 3D World
Lava Bubbles in Super Mario 3D World

Lava Bubbles reappear in Super Mario 3D World and its port, behaving identically as in Super Mario 3D Land. There is also the blue type, which leaps out of blue lava.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS[edit]

Lava Bubble with Wings

Lava Bubbles are course elements in Super Mario Maker and its port. It is possible for them to appear from ? Blocks, Warp Pipes, Bill Blasters, or even Lakitus. If given wings, a Lava Bubble moves diagonally and bounces off of walls, similar to some Lava Bubbles in Super Mario World, except they can now bounce off of lava. Additionally, while under the effects of a Big Mushroom, Lava Bubbles gain eyes and mustaches.

Super Mario Run[edit]

Vertically leaping Lava Bubbles appear in Castle levels of Super Mario Run. They can be defeated only by a Super Star. Each Lava Bubble supplies players with a +3 coin bonus when in Toad Rally. The game also adds the Poison Bubble variety, which leaps out of poisonous swamps.

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

Super Mario Odyssey artwork
Artwork from Super Mario Odyssey of a captured Lava Bubble

Lava Bubbles are encountered in the Luncheon Kingdom, the Darker Side, and a secret area of the Lost Kingdom in Super Mario Odyssey. They maintain their usual behavior of jumping out of lava regularly before landing back in, possibly shifting positions as they jump or even passing through gates. A Lava Bubble can be captured by Cappy if it is above the lava. There are also Lava Bubbles in 8-bit sections, where they maintain their abilities from Super Mario Bros., and appear in both the Luncheon Kingdom and the Cloud Kingdom.

If a Lava Bubble is captured, Mario's nose, eyebrows, and mustache form on it. As a Lava Bubble, Mario can travel through lava or Stupendous Stew and be unaffected by other Lava Bubbles, though the effects wear off if he lands back out. The player can press B Button to have Mario jump, Left Stick and Y Button to have Mario dash, or shake the controller to twirl during a faster dash and do a short hop. Many enemies can be defeated by Mario as a Lava Bubble, with Magmatos melting into a puddle of lava specifically. Mario as a Lava Bubble can also enter lava cannons to be launched elsewhere on the map. Lava Bubbles can ignite lanterns on contact, only for the Lava Bubble to disappear afterward, and can release a Power Moon from just entering large pots of Stupendous Stew. A boss fight against Cookatiel occurs at Luncheon Kingdom while swimming in a giant pot of Stupendous Stew at the top of Mount Volbono, which requires the use of a lava cannon to reach. Mario is forced into Lava Bubble throughout the battle, including a rematch against the boss in Mushroom Kingdom. When no longer captured, Lava Bubbles do not get dazed and start jumping up and down.

Super Mario Maker 2[edit]

Lava Bubbles return as course elements in Super Mario Maker 2. Besides their existing role from Super Mario Maker, they can be attached to parachutes and appear in the Super Mario 3D World style, where they do not leap if the player wears a Goomba Mask.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder[edit]

Lava Bubbles appear only in the level Pull, Turn, Burn in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, jumping out of beds of lava, including upside-down ones. Lava Bubbles are also shown on the world map of Deep Magma Bog and in the world's epilogue, startling the player characters. The game is the first appearance of the variant Lava Blobble.

Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen![edit]

Lava Bubble screenshot
Podoboos jumping up and down as Mario and Kibidango jump from platform to platform.

Podoboos appear briefly in Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen!, where they try to attack Mario and Kibidango after they have been knocked on platforms by Goombas. Luigi saves Mario and Kibidango by breaking a hole in the ceiling, though to search for coins, flooding the area as a result.

Nintendo Adventure Books[edit]

Lava Bubbles hop in an out of a lava pool at the Magma Pits in Koopa Capers. As Luigi hops across rocks, he makes it across if he waits, though if not, he passes three Lava Bubbles and hits the fourth one, who responds to Luigi's remark "I'm pretty hot stuff!" with "Not as hot as me."

The Legend of Zelda series[edit]

Zelda Wiki article: Podoboo

Podoboos are one of several Super Mario enemies to appear in The Legend of Zelda series, specifically appearing in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, and Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer featuring The Legend of Zelda. In the first three, they appear in sidescrolling segments and act just like in the Super Mario games. In the Oracle games, a subspecies of the Lava Bubble, Podoboo Tower, exists in the subterranean world of Subrosia in Oracle of Seasons, and in the burning ruins of Symmetry City in Oracle of Ages. In Four Swords, where they are known as Bubbling Lava,[13] they hop after the players, splitting into two small, quickly ricocheting ones when attacked. In Cadence of Hyrule, they instead move around walls like Sparks.

Both The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords feature giant Podoboo-like bosses as well, with the former game having Hot Head and the latter having Gouen.

Yoshi's Island series[edit]

Podoboos from Yoshi's Island DS.

Lava Bubbles appear in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and its Game Boy Advance version. They share the same behavioral patterns as in Super Mario World. In this game, Lava Bubbles can be eaten by Yoshis, giving them the power of the red watermelon: the ability to spit fire. Sometimes, they jump in arcs sideways. If they land on solid ground while doing this, they will continue to bounce along it. Lava Drops,[14][15] as they are named in Yoshi's Island DS, return in the sequel, behaving identically as before.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars[edit]

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars promotional artwork: A Sparky.
In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and its remake, Lava Bubbles (referred to as Sparkies in the original game) are encountered in the Mole Mines and the optionally-traversed Pipe Vault. Lava Bubbles hover in the air during battle and attack by spinning their body into one of the player characters. One can also use Hot Shot to shoot a fiery orb at one of them. Despite being made of fire, Lava Bubbles are vulnerable to jump attacks from Mario, but are unaffected by all lava attacks. Lava Bubbles typically fight in groups of one to three. Lava Bubbles have two varieties specific to the game, Lava Blubbles and Lava Babbles.

Yoshi's Story[edit]

Sprite of a Spark Spook from Yoshi's Story

Spark Spooks[16] reappear in Yoshi's Story. They behave like the do in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, but cannot be eaten. They appear the levels Blargg's Boiler and Magma Castle. There is also another variant, Lava Ghosts.

Mario Party series[edit]

In most Mario Party games prior to Mario Party 8, Lava Bubbles are depicted as flames, causing them to resemble Fire Snakes, and appear mostly in minigames. They are named Podoboos in most minigames prior to Mario Party 8.

Mario Party[edit]

Podoboos are obstacles in the Hot Rope Jump minigame of Mario Party. The object for contestants is to jump over the flaming rope twenty times. If one fails to do so, they will lose fifteen coins—five of those coins will be given to each opposing player. If all players complete the minigame successfully, everyone will receive ten coins. If multiple players don't jump during the fire, 1 player loses at random.

Mario Party 2 / Mario Party Superstars[edit]

Hot Rope Jump in Mario Party 2
Podoboos in the Mario Party 2 iteration of the Hot Rope Jump minigame

Podoboos are obstacles in a different iteration of the Hot Rope Jump minigame in Mario Party 2, also included in Mario Party Superstars. The minigame starts by jumping over slow, blue Podoboos five times, then the Podoboos become orange and move more swiftly. The rope keeps twirling until only one contestant remains.[17]

Mario Party 3[edit]

Podoboos are obstacles in the minigames All Fired Up, Treadmill Grill, and Eye Sore, as well as targets in Hyper Hydrants in Mario Party 3. Podoboos have to be avoided in All Fired Up,[18] with the winner being the final character remaining.

Mario Party 4[edit]

Podoboos are a board feature in Mario Party 4. They jump out of the lava in Bowser's Gnarly Party.

Mario Party 5 / Mario Party: The Top 100[edit]

Podoboos are obstacles in the Heat Stroke minigame in Mario Party 5, also included in Mario Party: The Top 100. They land on the platforms the three players were on. Podoboos are also items, in the form of a Bubble Capsule, which moves the player forward ten spaces, at the expense of every item within their inventory.

Mario Party 6[edit]

Podoboos are obstacles in the Daft Rafts minigame, though only at night, in Mario Party 6. Podoboos return as items, though this time their orb was renamed to Podoboo Orb.

Mario Party Advance[edit]

Podoboos are obstacles in the minigame, Go-go Pogo, in Mario Party Advance. Touching a Podoboo is one way for the player character to lose the minigame.

Mario Party 8[edit]

Lava Bubbles appear on the Bowser Space of Goomba's Booty Boardwalk in Mario Party 8
Several Lava Bubbles as they appear in Goomba's Booty Boardwalk in Mario Party 8.

Lava Bubbles are obstacles in the Lava or Leave 'Em minigame and a board feature of Goomba's Booty Boardwalk in Mario Party 8. The Lava or Leave 'Em minigame has a Lava Bubble capable of splitting into several other Lava Bubbles. Three Lava Bubbles are summoned by Bowser on a Bowser Space of Goomba's Booty Boardwalk if a player character lands there. The character can jump over the Lava Bubbles to dodge them as they move towards the center. The Lava Bubbles only try to hurt the player three times, in a time frame of ten seconds, and take away ten coins with each successful attempt.

Mario Party 9[edit]

Lava Bubbles are a board feature and the basis of a Mini Star constellation in Mario Party 9. The Mini Star constellation, found in the Museum, is simply named Fireballs. Lava Bubbles only physically appear in Magma Mine, where they can jump off the magma.

Mario Party: Island Tour[edit]

Lava Bubbles are a non-interactable species in the Match Faker and Tap Dash minigames and a board feature in Mario Party: Island Tour. In both minigames, a Lava Bubble can appear as one of the guesses. Lava Bubbles appear jumping from the lava on the Bowser's Peculiar Peak board in particular.

Mario Party 10[edit]

Lava Bubbles are obstacles in Mario Party 10. They appear only in Chaos Castle, where contact with one costs the affected player Mini Stars in Mario Party only, while the number of spaces will be reduced to 0.

Mario Party: Star Rush[edit]

Lava Bubbles are items in Mario Party: Star Rush. They are exclusive to Coinathlon, where Lava Bubble stuns the targeted player for a few seconds and removes coins and Item Boxes when used.

Super Mario Party Jamboree[edit]

In Super Mario Party Jamboree, Lava Bubbles are seen jumping in and out of the lava on Goomba Lagoon.[19]

Mario Golf series[edit]

Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)[edit]

The name "Podoboo" can sometimes appear on scorecards in the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Golf.

Mario Golf: Super Rush[edit]

LavaBubble MarioGolfSuperRush.png

Lava Bubbles are obstacles in Mario Golf: Super Rush. They appear in Bowser Highlands only, where hitting one with the ball attracts a one-stroke penalty.

Paper Mario series[edit]

Paper Mario[edit]

Battle idle animation of a Lava Bubble from Paper Mario

In Paper Mario, Lava Bubbles appear as common enemies in Mt. Lavalava. Because of their fiery bodies, they can not be jumped on; Mario can only harm them with hammer-based attacks, unless he has a Fire Shield or Ice Power badge equipped. In this game, Lava Bubbles are weak to water and ice. Lava Bubbles can either jump on Mario or damage Mario's partner, causing the partner to become Injured unless the partner blocks the attack. This also takes up the Lava Bubble's turn. A stronger, blue-colored variety of Lava Bubble, called Embers, appear as enemies in Star Way.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door[edit]

Lava Bubble
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, they can be found in the Pirate's Grotto as well as in the Pit of 100 Trials. Mario has to attack them with his Hammer since they cannot be jumped on unless he is equipped with an Ice Power badge. In this game, they attack by getting close to either Mario or the partner, and burning them with their body, causing 4 damage. They can also spit fireballs that hit either Mario or his partner. These fireballs cause only 3 damage, but they can set Mario (or his partner) on fire. Ice and explosions are their main weakness. They are referred to as "flame spirits" in their descriptions, while the related Embers are commonly called "ghosts." If hit by a fire attack (such as Vivian's Fiery Jinx), they will either duplicate or restore HP.

Super Paper Mario[edit]

In Super Paper Mario, they jump out of lava pits in The Underwhere, just as they do in the main series; however, they can be damaged in this game. The player can use Carrie to jump on them, use Boomer to explode on them, hit them with Cudge, or hit them with Barry. It is possible for them to traverse on land; the player will have to pick them up with Thoreau and drop them. While on land, Lava Bubbles can pass through pipes and get trapped in spikes. Visually, their flames are no longer slanted, and they do not flip over at the top of their jump as in previous Super Mario games.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star[edit]

Lava Bubbles appear in the stage Bowser's Sky Castle, during the third phase of the Bowser battle, in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. As soon as Mario approaches Bowser in a lava-filled area of the final hallway, the Bubbles can be seen jumping up and down in the lava. When it is Bowser's turn to attack, he lifts his pointer finger in the air, and ten Lava Bubbles are sent towards Mario. They each deal two points of damage to Mario. Only the first Lava Bubble can be blocked, but Mario is helpless against the nine that follow. However, they have a weakness.

The only way to harm the Lava Bubbles is with a thing sticker with cold or freezing properties. An example of one such sticker is the Refrigerator. After using the sticker, the Lava Bubbles are frozen. Using a wind Thing Sticker like the Fan make Bowser and the Lava Bubbles fly in the air. Bowser falls, and all 10 Lava Bubbles will fall on Bowser doing 10 damage each. However, more Lava Bubbles will spawn after a few turns. In this game, the Lava Bubbles more closely resemble their visual appearances in Super Mario platformers, as opposed to that of previous Paper Mario games.

Paper Mario: Color Splash[edit]

Big Lava Bubble sprite from Paper Mario: Color Splash
The Big Lava Bubble sprite in Paper Mario: Color Splash.

Lava Bubbles return in Paper Mario: Color Splash. They have three forms: a "normal" version, a black paint version known as Black Lava Bubble, and an 8-bit version, the latter of which is only shown in the course dedicated to Super Mario Bros. 3, Green Energy Plant. In Redpepper Volcano, a Snifit can be seen teaching a Fire Bro how to aim his fireballs, using a Lava Bubble as a target.

Outside battle, normal Lava Bubbles emerge from lava, chase Mario and after a few seconds retreat into the lava if they do not make it to hit him. These Lava Bubbles damage Mario in battle if he jumps on them with non-Iron Jump cards. Moreover, direct-contact hammer attacks result in Mario's hammer getting burned, canceling his attack. Normal Lava Bubbles are very weak to Ice Flower cards.

There is also a Big Lava Bubble in Redpepper Crater that serves as a mini-boss. A Shy Guy translates what he says to Mario while battling and when confronting him.

Paper Mario: The Origami King[edit]

Main article: Paper Macho Lava Bubble

In Paper Mario: The Origami King, Paper Macho versions of Lava Bubbles appear in Hotfoot Crater during the Paper Macho Goomba chase. They fly out from the lava and bounce along the ground, creating small pools of lava that damage Mario upon contact.

Mario & Luigi series[edit]

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga / Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions[edit]

Mini-Mario encountering Podoboos in Bowser's Castle
Podoboos in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.

They are obstacles in a side-scrolling area of Bowser's Castle in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and its remake.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team[edit]

Lava Bubbles are enemies featured during the first section of Neo Bowser Castle in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. Lava Bubbles jump straight up and down, though some in groups of two or three do so at a very fast pace, requiring either a Side Drill or a Spin Jump to bypass them. Slower moving Lava Bubbles may leap in an arc over the path.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong series[edit]

Mario vs. Donkey Kong[edit]

Podoboo
A Lava Bubble from Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)
Lava Bubble in the remake

Podoboos are enemies located in Fire Mountain in Mario vs. Donkey Kong, where they instantly defeat Mario or Mini-Mario upon contact, like in other games. Podoboos received an updated design in the remake to more closely resemble their design in Super Mario World, which is more prominent while in motion.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis[edit]

Podoboos are enemies found in Lava Dome in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis

Super Mario Stadium series[edit]

In both Mario Superstar Baseball and Mario Super Sluggers, Lava Bubbles appear in the Bowser Castle stadium. They jump from the lava pits onto the outfield, creating brief fiery splashes that can burn players and make them drop the ball.

Mario Kart series[edit]

Lava Bubbles appear as obstacles throughout various Bowser's Castle courses in the Mario Kart series. They also appear as obstacles in Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, appearing on Ember Island stunning drivers that make contact with them.

Super Princess Peach[edit]

Fury Volcano 4-3
Podoboos in Super Princess Peach

Podoboos are encountered in Fury Volcano and Bowser's Villa in Super Princess Peach, retaining their behavior from side-scrolling Super Mario games. There is additionally a blue variant in Bowser's Villa, which hover over blue lava and slowly follow Peach whenever she is near a torch. Luring the blue Podoboos to unlit torches is required to open certain doorways. The blue Podoboos are absent from the in-game glossary, like unshelled Koopas, Blindfold Boos, and Security Thwomps.

Mario Sports Mix[edit]

Lava Bubbles are obstacles in Bowser's Castle in Mario Sports Mix, where they burn player characters on contact, as usual.

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games[edit]

Lava Bubbles are part of the Bowser's Castle segment of Mario's Figure Skating Spectacular in Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, being jumped over by the player characters at certain points during the routine.

Minecraft[edit]

In the Super Mario Mash-up in Minecraft, Magma Cubes are replaced by Lava Bubbles.

WarioWare: Get It Together![edit]

Lava Bubbles are featured in level 3 of the Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario World microgames of WarioWare: Get It Together!, behaving identically as in the actual Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario World, respectively.

Other appearances[edit]

Sprite of a Podoboo in Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru

In Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru, Podoboos appear with their usual design as obstacles in sidescrolling areas. They jump from lava as they normally do, but sometimes travel in wide arcs, turning sideways as they do so.

Unused appearances[edit]

Dr. Mario World[edit]

Icon of Lava Bubble from Dr. Mario World
Unused artwork of a Lava Bubble in Dr. Mario World.

A Lava Bubble was originally going to appear in Dr. Mario World as an assistant, but it was removed from the game.[20]

Profiles and statistics[edit]

Main article: List of Lava Bubble profiles and statistics

Paper Mario[edit]

Paper Mario enemy
Lava Bubble
Battle idle animation of a Lava Bubble from Paper Mario Max HP 9 Attack 4 Defense 0
Role Common Type Hover, Fiery Level 17
Strong Fire, Egg Missile Weak Explosion (+1), Ice (+2), Water (+2) Moves Fire Hop (4), Fireball Barrage (2, Partner)
Sleep? 50%, -1 Dizzy? 100%, 1 Shock? 50%, 0
Shrink? 75%, 0 Stop? 85%, 0 Fright? 50%
Air Lift? 90% Hurricane? 85% Coins 1 + 0-3
Items Super Shroom Run 30 Location(s) Mt. Lavalava
Tattle This is a Lava Bubble, a fire ball monster. Lava Bubbles live near lava. Max HP: 9, Attack Power: 4, Defense Power: 0 They are obviously pretty hot, so you'll get hurt if you try to jump on 'em. They sometimes attack your friends (like me!), too. The power of that attack is 2. Because of their fiery nature, they fear snow and water.
  • Player's Guide: It should be obvious, but the best way to attack a big ball of fire is with water, so Sushie's attacks will be a big help. Lava Bubble also has the ability to attack your party members, knocking them silly for a turn or two.[21]

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door[edit]

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door enemy
Lava Bubble
Lava Bubble Max HP 6 Attack 4 Defense 0
Location(s) Pirate's Grotto, Pit of 100 Trials (Levels 43, 45, 48) Role Common Level 21
Sleep? 50% Dizzy? 105% Confuse? 75%
Tiny? 90% Stop? 90% Soft? 95%
Burn? 0% Freeze? 50% Fright? 50%
Gale Force? 90% KO? 95% Moves Jump (4), Fireball (3, Burn, Piercing)
Exp. points 0 Coins 1 - 3 Items Power Punch, HP Drain, Super Shroom
Tattle Log #:
75
Log This flame spirit is vulnerable to explosions and ice attacks. If you stomp on it, you'll take damage.
Tattle That's a Lava Bubble. It's a flame spirit. Max HP is 6, Attack is 4, and Defense is 0. Its HP and Attack power may be different from an Ember's, but otherwise it's the same. Since it is made of fire, try not to touch it, 'cause it'll burn you. Apparently it's vulnerable to explosions and ice attacks. Oh, and if you get hit by a flame attack, you might catch fire, so guard well.

Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)[edit]

Super Mario RPG enemy
Lava Bubble
Image of a Sparky from the Nintendo Switch version of Super Mario RPG HP 120 Weak Elements Ice Drops N/A
Exp. 4 Weak Statuses FearPoisonSleepMute Rare Drops N/A
Found in Pipe Vault
Monster List profile They're on fire, but do they get hot? Or burned? No matter what you ask them, they just keep burning away. What goes on in their little minds?
Thought Peek "*crackle* *hiss*"
Animations

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Lava Bubble.

Additional names[edit]

Internal names[edit]

Game File Name Meaning

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis data/data/anims/podoboo_anim.bin podoboo Podoboo
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
ObjectData/FireBubble.arc FireBubble Fire Bubble; applied to the games' blue variant.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 SystemData/ObjNameTable.arc/ObjNameTable.tbl 溶岩バブル (Yōgan Baburu) Lava Bubble; applied to the game's red variant.
Super Mario Odyssey ObjectData/Bubble.szs Bubble Bubble
Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch) Model/LavaBubble.bfres.zs LavaBubble Lava Bubble

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese バブル[22]
Baburu
Bubble
溶岩ようがんバブル[23]
Yōgan Baburu
Lava Bubble The Legend of Zelda series
Chinese 火花怪[?]
Huǒhuā Guài
Fire Spark Monster
火焰泡泡[?]
Huǒyàn Pàopào
Fire Bubble since Super Mario Maker 2
Dutch Lava Bubble[?] Lava Bubble
Finnish Podoboo[?] -
French Podoboo[?] -
Sparky[?]
Bulle de lave[?] Lava Bubble
Ectopodoboo[?] From "Podoboo" and "ectoplasm" Super Mario Galaxy
German Hothead[?] From the German word Hitzkopf
Lava Blub[?] From English word "lava" and blubbern ("to bubble") first three Paper Mario games
Lava-Blub[24] Super Mario World
Italian Podoboo[?] - Super Mario Bros.
Fiammetto[?] From fiamma ("flame") and the diminutive suffix -etto most games
Bolla di Lava[?] Lava Bubble Super Mario World, Mario Sports Mix
Korean 버블[?]
Beobeul
Bubble
Portuguese (NOA) Bolha de lava[?] Lava Bubble
Portuguese (NOE) Bolha de Lava[?] Lava Bubble
Russian Пузырь лавы[?]
Puzyr' lavy
Lava bubble
Spanish Bola de Fuego[?] Fire Ball
Spanish (NOA) Burbuja de Lava[?] Lava Bubble
Spanish (NOE) Gota de Lava[?] Lava Drop
Burbuja Lava[?] Lava Bubble Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Podoboo[?] -

Notes[edit]

  • One of the Japanese Super Mario character encyclopedias postulates that Lava Bubbles may be the manifestation of the resentment of the Koopa Troop.[25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ August 1991. Mario Mania Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 52.
  2. ^ Miller, Kent and Terry Munson (1995). Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 127Media:SMW2 Guide 127.jpg.
  3. ^ 1985. Super Mario Bros. instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 14.
  4. ^ June 1990. Nintendo Power Volume 13. American English. Page 9.
  5. ^ Summer 2001. Nintendo Power Advance Volume 2. Page 13.
  6. ^ Walsh, Doug (August 21, 2001). Mario Kart: Super Circuit Official Racing Guide. BradyGAMES. ISBN 0-7440-0091-2. Page 35.
  7. ^ Bubble Capsule, Mario Party 5
  8. ^ 1991. Mario Mania Player's Guide. Nintendo of America. Page 52.
  9. ^ Super Mario 64 DS internal object name (BUBBLE)
  10. ^ Black, Fletcher (November 9, 2007). Super Mario Galaxy PRIMA Official Game Guide. Prima Games. ISBN 0-7615-5643-5. Page 57.
  11. ^ October 19, 2015. Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook. Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 978-4-09-106569-8. Page 128 and 227.
  12. ^ ProsafiaGaming (February 4, 2018). New Super Mario Bros Wii - All Castles with Yoshi (17:05). YouTube. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  13. ^ Stratton, Bryan; Stratton, Stephen (December 10, 2002). The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Four Swords Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games. ISBN 0761541187. Page 176.
  14. ^ Williams, Drew (November 6, 2006). Yoshi's Island DS Player's Guide. Nintendo of America. ISBN 1-59812-016-6. Page 91.
  15. ^ Black, Fletcher (December 19, 2006). Yoshi's Island DS PRIMA Official Game Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 0-7615-5576-5. Page 218 and 250.
  16. ^ Leung, Jason, Terry Munson, and Scott Pelland (1998). Yoshi's Story Player's Guide. American English. Page 11.
  17. ^ "The flaming Podoboo rope spins and spins. Jump the rope without touching a Podoboo." – In-game dialogue (2000). Mario Party 2. Nintendo of America.
  18. ^ "Do your best to avoid getting hit by a Podoboo!" – In-game dialogue (2001). Mario Party 3. Nintendo of America.
  19. ^ Nintendo of America (June 18, 2024). Super Mario Party Jamboree – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch. YouTube (American English). Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  20. ^ https://drmarioworld.miraheze.org/wiki/Assistants
  21. ^ 2000. Paper Mario Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Nintendo of America. ISBN 1-930206-07-0. Page 107.
  22. ^ Sakai, Kazuya, and kikai, editors (2018). 『スーバーマリオ オデッセイ 公式設定資料集』. Tokyo: ambit (Japanese). ISBN 978-4-19-864696-7. Page 249.
  23. ^ 「任天堂公式ガイドブック ゼルダの伝説 ふしぎの木の実」 (Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook – Zelda no Densetsu: Fushigi no Kinomi - Daichi no Shō). Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 127.
  24. ^ Menold, Marcus, Claude M. Moyse, and Andreas G. Kämmerer, editors (1993). Der offizielle Nintendo Spieleberater "Super Mario World". Großostheim: Nintendo of Europe GmbH (German). Page 20.
  25. ^ Translated page

External links[edit]