Editing Dark

{{construction}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|Darkness|[[Darkmess]]}}
{{item infobox
|image=[[File:DarknessNSMBUDX.png|220px]]<br>The dark in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]''
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' ([[List of games by date#1988|1988]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns HD]]'' ([[List of games by date#2025|2025]])
}}
In the [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' franchise]], the '''dark''' is a recurring obstacle, representing player characters' reduced range of vision in low light.

Player characters and other important entities, such as enemies, [[coin]]s, and [[power-up]]s, often appear lit to remain visible to the player. In this case, the dark mainly obscures the terrain, leaving [[pit]]s unmarked and making projectiles' trajectories harder to predict. The exact lighting effect used for this has depended on hardware limitations and stylistic considerations. Many games use a spotlight effect.

Emissive objects increase the range of vision in the dark. Some, such as [[Light Box]]es, can also defeat light-sensitive enemies. After touching a [[Super Star]], [[Invincible Mario]] illuminates the entire screen, clearing the dark until the invincibility expires.

The dark has a more aesthetic than mechanical effect in some games. For example, in some games in the ''[[Mario Kart]]'' series, [[kart]]s' headlights will turn on in dark areas, but the visibility is relatively good regardless.
==History==
===''Super Mario'' series===
====''Super Mario Bros. 3''====
In ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', the third overworld screen of [[Dark Land]] is shrouded in darkness, with only the player's vicinity lit in a circle. In ''[[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', this circle expands while the lock on the same screen is undone.
Unlike later games, the levels themselves are not darker than expected, aside from exclusively having black backgrounds in the original version.

====''Super Mario World''====
[[File:SMW BackDoor.png|thumb|The final room with the spotlight on]]
In ''[[Super Mario World]]'', the final room of [[Bowser's Castle]] before the battle with [[Bowser]] is dimly lit. A spotlight<ref>{{cite|date=August 1991|title=Nintendo ''[[Mario Mania]]'' Player's Guide|page=147|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us}}</ref> below the [[Item storage|Item Stock]] casts a beam of light down across the center of the screen, rocking back and forth. The dark room is accessed directly though the [[Back Door]], with slight alterations from the [[Front Door]] layout.

====''Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins''====
In ''[[Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]]'', darkness appears in [[Pumpkin Zone]], where it causes [[invisible/flashing block|certain blocks]] to fade in and out of visibility.

====''Super Mario Sunshine''====
{{quote|Though it is daytime in [[Delfino Plaza]], our poor residents tremble beaneath a veil of darkness.|Pianta prosecutor|Super Mario Sunshine}}
A subdued version of darkness appears in ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'', where it affects [[Delfino Plaza]] due to the fleeing of the [[Shine Sprite]]s. Rather than blackness, it appears as a haze preventing the sunlight from getting through aside from around the [[Shine Gate]]. The more Shine Sprites are recovered, the further out the lit area grows until it eventually covers the whole plaza.

====''Super Mario 64 DS''====
In ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'', darkness is used in the [[Hide and Boo Seek]] minigame. The player has to wipe away the darkness to reveal the hidden [[Boo]]s. This minigame returns in ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]''

====''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''====
[[File:DarknessNSMBW.png|thumb]]
The dark occurs in multiple courses in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''. It is first present in the main underground area of [[World 2-3 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 2-3]], which demonstrates that it is warded off by the [[fireball]]s of [[Fire Mario]], [[Fire Piranha Plant]]s, [[Fire Snake]]s, and [[Fire Bro]]s, as well as torches in the ground.

[[Glow Block]]s increase the holder's range of vision. They appear in [[World 2-5 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 2-5]], {{world link|5|ghosthouse|World 5-Ghost House (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)}}, [[World 6-6 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 6-6]], and [[World 8-4 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 8-4]].

World 8-4 introduces bioluminescent enemies: [[Bulber]]s and [[Jellybeam]]s.
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====''Super Mario Galaxy 2''====
In ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'', [[Flash Black Galaxy]] is pitch-black; a flash of light illuminates the course every eight beats of the background music. Entities that are not part of the terrain proper, such as player characters, items, enemies, and [[Empty Block]]s, are always shown at full brightness. Parts of the background are also dimly lit, which can provide contrast with the pitch-black terrain. However, the back wall of the tower makes this less effective. The [[Boo Moon Galaxy#Ghost Maze Planet|Ghost Maze Planet]] in [[Boo Moon Galaxy]] contains its titular maze shrouded in darkness, with Mario or Luigi and their surroundings visible thanks to a spotlight that follows their movements.

====''New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe''====
[[File:DarknessNSLU.png|thumb|''[[New Super Luigi U]]'']]
The dark returns in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'', ''[[New Super Luigi U]]'', and ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]'', serving as the same visual hazard as in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' in all three games. The player(s) are able to temporarily push back the dark with [[Glowing Baby Yoshi]]s.
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====''Super Mario Maker 2''====
In ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'', dark sub-areas occur with the Underwater (night) and Ghost House (night) course themes. A small radius around player characters and certain objects is lit up; this radius changes based on the state of the [[ON/OFF Switch]].

====''Super Mario 3D World''====
In ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'', the dark occurs in [[Switchblack Ruins]], illuminated by [[Lantern|torches]], [[lava]], and [[Fire Piranha Plant]]s. It returns in later levels, [[A Beam in the Dark]] and [[Deep-Black Jungle Drift]], where players can use the [[Light Box]] to cast a beam of light.

====''Super Mario Bros. Wonder''====
There are two types of darkness in ''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'': the first and most common renders all elements as silhouettes, causing objects on the same plane to blend into one another and obscure most identifying details with some exceptions, such as characters' eyes or [[Piranha Plant]]s' teeth, similar to ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]''. An area can appear this way by default, or darkness may be turned on or off by a [[Wonder Flower]] or [[ON/OFF Switch]]. The second type obscures the entire level in darkness except for the player. Elements such as fire and electricity can light the way; enemies that walk through electric currents become light sources themselves. In [[Pull, Turn, Burn]] and [[High-Voltage Gauntlet]], their respective [[Wonder Effects]] can grant the player a fiery shield or the [[Metal Mario]] transformation (allowing them to conduct electricity) to light the way.

===''Hotel Mario''===
{{Quote|You bring a light?|Luigi|Hotel Mario}}
In ''[[Hotel Mario]]'', [[Roy's HardBrick Hotel]] has flickering lights due to a room full of toasters using too much electricity. In hallways with windows, the visibility is unaffected by the power going out.

Some stages of [[Larry's Chillton Hotel]] also feature the dark. Floors other than the one that Mario is currently on are dimly lit.

===''Donkey Kong Country'' series===
====''Donkey Kong Country''====
[[File:Blackout Basement GBA darkness.png|thumb|Blackout Basement as seen in the [[Game Boy Advance]] version of ''[[Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Advance)|Donkey Kong Country]]]]
In ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'', darkness occurs in a few stages. [[Blackout Basement]] has the lights flicker on and off every few moments, with the stage and enemies disappearing completely when the lights are out. [[Torchlight Trouble]] and [[Loopy Lights]] feature a more subdued darkness that can be lit with [[Squawks]] in the former and [[On & Off Barrel]]s in the latter.

====''Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest''====
In ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'', darkness appears in [[Glimmer's Galleon (Donkey Kong Country 2)|Glimmer's Galleon]], where it is lit by [[Glimmer]].

====''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble''====
In ''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble]]'', darkness appears in [[Murky Mill]], where it must be used to keep [[Ellie]] from seeing [[Sneek]]s under the lights as she is afraid of them. Later, in [[Floodlit Fish]], [[Enguarde]] can temporarily brighten the dark reef by defeating a [[Gleamin' Bream]].

====''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' (''3D'' / ''HD'')====
A different kind of darkness occurs in ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' and its [[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D|Nintendo 3DS]] and [[Donkey Kong Country Returns HD|Nintendo Switch]] ports, where it instead causes everything to appear in black silhouette against a brightly lit background, with only a few objects such as the red in [[Donkey Kong]]'s tie remaining colored. This appears in [[Sunset Shore]], [[Foggy Fumes]], and [[Smokey Peak]].

====''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''====
[[File:WiiU DKCountry scrn03 E3.png|thumb|Strange creatures light the abyss in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'']]
In ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'', the type of darkness from ''Donkey Kong Country Returns'' reappears in the stages [[Busted Bayou]], [[Amiss Abyss]], and [[Cliffside Slide]]. Of these, the middle one is the most ambiently dark, being otherwise only lit by bioluminescent deep-sea creatures in the foreground and background, such as {{wp|pyrosome}}s, {{wp|brittle star}}s, and {{wp|leafy seadragon}}s.

===''Donkey Kong Land 2''===
In ''[[Donkey Kong Land 2]]'', darkness returns in [[Glimmer's Galleon (Donkey Kong Land 2)|Glimmer's Galleon]], though due to the absence of Glimmer, [[Light Barrel]]s are used to light the stage instead.

===''Yoshi's Island'' series===
====''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island''====
In ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'', darkness appears in certain rooms of [[fortress|fort]]s and [[castle]]s. [[Spark|Piro Dangle]]s are found in one such room, providing a small amount of light.

====''Yoshi's Island DS''====
In ''[[Yoshi's Island DS]]'', darkness appears in a similar capacity as it does in the predecessor. Due to the generally lighter colors of the game, the darkness is also easier to see through.

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===''Wario Land II''===
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===''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars''===
In ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'', darkness appears in [[Bowser's Castle|Bowser's Keep]] during the second visit, specifically the room immediately beyond where Mario fights [[Bowser]] in the first visit. A spotlight effect is used, though the surrounding areas can still faintly be seen. Enemies inhabit the dark here.

===''Mario Party'' series===
====''Mario Party''====
In the ''[[Mario Party]]'' [[minigame]] [[Pedal Power]], the player starts in a dark room and has to pedal a stationary bike to power a light and prevent a Boo from catching them.

====''Mario Party 2''====
In ''[[Mario Party 2]]'', darkness is used in the [[Lights Out]] minigame. When the room occasionally becomes dark, only the players carrying lightbulbs remain visible.

====''Mario Party 4''====
[[File:MP4CandlelightFlight.png|thumb|Candlelight Flight]]
In ''[[Mario Party 4]]'', the [[Candlelight Flight (minigame)|Candlelight Flight]] minigame takes place in a dark room. The solo player carries a candle which becomes dimmer as the other three players spray water on it.

====''Mario Party 6''====
In the ''[[Mario Party 6]]'' minigame [[Light Up My Night]], darkness is used to obscure the candles within the maze.

====''Mario Party 7''====
In ''[[Mario Party 7]]'', the [[Ghost in the Hall]] minigame has players navigate a dark maze-like mansion. 

====''Mario Party 10''====
In ''[[Mario Party 10]]'', it occurs in the minigame [[Murky Maze]], wherein the players use Glow Blocks to navigate a dark maze.

===''Donkey Kong 64''===
In ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'', darkness appears a few times. In a hidden cave under [[Jungle Japes]], a path is only lit by flaring torches that occasionally go off. Additionally, the shipwrecks in [[Gloomy Galleon]] are dark and lit by a [[Lightfish]] as a call-back to [[Glimmer]] in ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''.

===''Paper Mario'' series===
====''Paper Mario''====
During [[Paper Mario#Chapter 4: Trials in the Toy Box|Chapter 4]] of ''[[Paper Mario]]'', darkness is incorporated in the battle with the Big Lantern Ghost. While the Big Lantern Ghost is obscured in darkness, Mario and his [[party member|partner]] are unable to attack him. In order to dissipate the darkness, they need to repeatedly hit his lantern. The Big Lantern Ghost is able to blow into his lantern, causing the room to become dark again.

The Big Lantern Ghost's room, the room preceding [[General Guy]]'s room, the interior of the [[Whale (character)|whale]], the cave where the green member of the [[Fearsome 5]] is trapped, and the cavernous room in [[Bowser's Castle]] are all dark. In order to illuminate them, Mario needs to use [[Watt]]'s ability.

====''Super Paper Mario''====
[[File:SPM Underwhere Road.png|thumb]]
In Chapter 7-2 of ''[[Super Paper Mario]]'', the [[Underwhere Road]], the dark obscures certain rooms. The dark is stylized as an animated scribble around the player character.

====''Paper Mario: Sticker Star''====
In ''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star]]'', the basement of one of the warehouses in [[Surfshine Harbor]] is obscured in darkness. The player must [[paperize]] and use a [[Lightbulb]] [[sticker]] to light up the room and reveal the [[Ship's Wheel (scrap)|Ship's Wheel]].

====''Paper Mario: Color Splash''====
[[File:PMCS Lighthouse Island Toad dark.png|thumb|A [[Toad (species)|Toad]] looking into the darkness]]
In ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]'', a solid wall of darkness obscures the world past [[Lighthouse Island]]. By fixing the lighthouse by using the [[cutout]] ability and placing a Lightbulb [[Battle Card (Paper Mario: Color Splash)|Battle Card]], the lighthouse dissipates the darkness and reveals a [[Mini Paint Star]] in the process.
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===''Luigi's Mansion'' series===
{{quote|[[ghost (Luigi's Mansion series)|Ghost]]s love to hide in dark places. Isn't that a hoot? There! Here they come!|Professor E. Gadd|Luigi's Mansion}}
{{see also|Blackout}}
In the ''[[Luigi's Mansion (series)|Luigi's Mansion]]'' series, darkness represents rooms Luigi has not cleared out all the [[ghost (Luigi's Mansion series)|ghost]]s from. The original ''[[Luigi's Mansion]]'' also features a [[blackout]] event, where the power goes out and plunges [[Luigi's Mansion (location)|the entire mansion]] into darkness, allowing ghosts to respawn indefinitely when rooms are revisited until the power is restored.

===''Super Smash Bros.'' series===
In the ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' series, darkness occurs sometimes due to random effects from {{iw|bulbapedia|Togepi (Pokémon)|Togepi}} and {{iw|zeldawiki|Tingle}}. It also appears in the [[Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary#Battleship Halberd Interior|Battleship Halberd Interior]] stage of [[Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary]] of ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', where temporary switches turn the lights on.

===''Super Princess Peach''===
In ''[[Super Princess Peach]]'', darkness appears in [[Shriek Mansion]]. In the battle against [[King Boo]], he is invincible until the darkness is lifted by lighting all the [[Lantern Ghost]]-shaped [[lantern|torch]]es with [[Rage]].

===''Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time''===
In ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]'', darkness appears in certain passages where [[Baby Mario]] and [[Baby Luigi]] travel through. They are temporarily lit by a [[Shine Sprite]] spawned from an [[Adult Shine Block]].

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Torchlight Trouble SNES 3.png|''[[Donkey Kong Country]]''
Blackout Basement DKC screen 2.png|''Donkey Kong Country''
Loopy Lights SNES.png|''Donkey Kong Country''
PiroGreen.png|''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]''
SMW2YI Boo with Blindfold screenshot.png|''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island''
Glimmer's Galleon Puftups.png|''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]''
Glimmer's Galleon DKL2.png|''[[Donkey Kong Land 2]]''
Bowser's Keep Treasure 1.png|''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]''
Murky Mill DKC3 Sneek in dark.png|''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]''
Floodlit Fish.png|''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!''
MP1 PedalPower.png|''[[Mario Party]]''
PM Watt Is Freed.png|''[[Paper Mario]]''
Whale Mouth Area PM.png|''Paper Mario''
DK64 Jungle Japes Chunky Banana 1b.png|''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''
DK64 Gloomy Galleon Diddy Banana 3.png|''Donkey Kong 64''
BlackoutBasement-GBC-2.png|''[[Donkey Kong Country (Game Boy Color)|Donkey Kong Country]]'' ([[Game Boy Color]])
Parlor Hidden Mansion - NTSC.png|''[[Luigi's Mansion]]''
GlimmerGalleon-GBA-O.png|''[[Donkey Kong Country 2 (Game Boy Advance)|Donkey Kong Country 2]]'' ([[Game Boy Advance]])
SM64DS HideandBooSeek.png|''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]''
LightUpMahNight.png|''[[Mario Party 6]]''
GhostInTheHall.png|''[[Mario Party 7]]''
Castle of Priscilla the Peckish.png|''[[Yoshi's Island DS]]''
SPM Darkness.png|''[[Super Paper Mario]]''
NSMBW World 5-GH Screenshot.png|''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''
NSMBW World 6-6 Screenshot.png|''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''
NSMBW World 8-4 Screenshot.png|''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''
Sunshet Shore Tiki Bush DKCR.png|''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]''
DKCR Foggy Fumes Mr G&W.png|''Donkey Kong Country Returns''
DKCR Foggy Fumes Puzzle Piece 1.png|''Donkey Kong Country Returns''
DKCR Smokey Peak Puzzle Piece 1.png|''Donkey Kong Country Returns''
Murky Maze.png|''[[Mario Party 10]]''
SM3DW Switchblack Ruins start.jpg|''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''
Deep-Black Jungle Drift.jpg|''Super Mario 3D World''
NSMBU E3 Fire Snake Cavern Baby Yoshi.png|''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''
NSMBU Light Blocks Dark Tower Screenshot.jpg|''New Super Mario Bros. U''
NSLU Piranhas in the Dark Screenshot.png|''New Super Luigi U''
NSLU Light-Up-Lift Tower Screenshot.jpg|''[[New Super Luigi U]]''
DKCTF Screenshot Samus Gunship.png|''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''
Cliffside Slide DKCTF 2.jpg|''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''
PMCS Lighthouse Island dark.png|''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''
PMCS Lighthouse Island light on.png|''Paper Mario: Color Splash''
Bowser's Keep Treasure 1 (Switch).png|''[[Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)|Super Mario RPG]]'' ([[Nintendo Switch]])
DarknessSMBW.png|''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]''
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jpn=くらやみ
|JpnR=Kurayami
|JpnM=Darkness
}}

==See also==
*[[Poison fog]]
*[[Dark matter]]

==References==
<references/>

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[[Category:Hazardous objects]]
[[Category:Hotel Mario]]
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