Editing Enemy Course

{{about|a type of course|its associated musical composition|[[Enemy Course (theme)]]}}
[[File:NSMBW World 2-Enemy Screenshot.png|thumb|250px|An Enemy Course from [[World 2 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 2]] in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'']]
'''Enemy Courses'''<ref>{{cite|date=2009|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|title=''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' instruction booklet|page=8}}</ref> (also known as '''World Obstacles'''<ref>{{cite|author=Bueno, Fernando|title=''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' PRIMA Official Game Guide|page=11|date=November 15, 2009|publisher=[[Prima Games]]|language=en-us|isbn=978-0-307-46592-4}}</ref> or '''Enemy Battles'''<ref>{{cite|author=Stratton, Steve|title=''New Super Mario Bros. U'' PRIMA Official Game Guide|page=11|publisher=Prima Games|language=en-us|date=November 18, 2012|isbn=978-0-307-89690-2}}</ref>) are a type of battle course found in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', and ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''. [[Enemy Battles]] in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'' work in a similar fashion to Enemy Courses. KO Arena levels in ''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'' also play a similar role to Enemy Courses; unlike the former, however, these levels have multiple battles rather than one. Additionally, ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'' has a similar system of map-roaming [[Hammer Bro]]s., though these are encountered as additions in normal stages and do not force an encounter when crossed on the map.

==History==
===''Super Mario Bros. 3''===
Each of the first six worlds of ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' features at least one Enemy Course.  An enemy will patrol the world map, moving when the player loses a [[Extra life|life]] or clears a level, and the player must fight it if they cross paths. Depending on where they meet, the arena and any block contents may change (ex.: meeting on a water tile in [[Water Land|World 3]] will have the ground submerged underwater). If the player wins this battle, they will be rewarded with an item, such as a [[Super Star|Starman]] or [[Music Box]].  In this game, Enemy Courses consist solely of [[Hammer Bro]]thers and their variants. These courses can be skipped if the player uses a Music Box, which puts them to sleep until the player clears a level and/or loses two lives in a row.

When encountered on specific map spaces, a brick in an Enemy Course will contain an item. These are very rare and are missing from [[Desert Land]] and [[Giant Land]] due to a lack of bricks in those courses. Most (with two rows of bricks) contain a [[Super Leaf]] (or [[Super Mushroom]] if playing as [[Small Mario]]), though the ones in [[Grass Land]] instead contain a [[Fire Flower]]. In the original game, this one notably changes to an odd color with a white outline and black leaves when the chest appears due to the [[Super Star|Starman]] inside of it overwriting the typical "green" palette once it appears, though this is no longer an issue in the enhanced versions.

The Hammer Bros. can travel over most of the map, moving one space at a time every time a stage is exited by completing it or failing it. They can only ever stop on the blank areas on the map resembling [[coin]]s, and will skip over any stages, [[Toad House|Mushroom House]]s, [[fortress]]es, or [[castle]]s they may walk into, consecutively as needed, though when these lead to dead ends they will simply return to where they began that turn. Also, if two overlap, they both will continue moving so they are on separate spaces. They are blocked by rocks, gates, and open drawbridges like the player is, but also cannot cross or even move onto [[Start Space]]s, [[Spade Panel]]s (including completed ones), [[Warp Pipe|pipe]]s, destroyed fortresses, the "tree" space in [[Desert Land]], or [[World 5-Tower (Super Mario Bros. 3)|the tower]] in [[Sky Land]]. They will also not move onto the space where the player starts out on that turn, such as a completed stage. If one gets "trapped" between the player and a space it cannot walk (such as a Spade Panel), it will not move that turn.

If the tens digit of the player's score and both digits of their coin count match upon clearing a level (zero does not count) in [[Grass Land]], Water Land, [[Sky Land]], or [[Ice Land]], a Hammer Brother Enemy Course will become a [[Treasure Ship]] (the prize for clearing the ship remains the same).

In [[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3|the Game Boy Advance version]], once [[Completion|every level is beaten]], the Enemy Courses can be replayed indefinitely, and the player is not forced to enter them, though they will also move if the player visits a [[Toad House]] or [[Spade Panel]].
{|style="text-align: center" class=wikitable
!width="20%"|World
!width="40%"|Spawn location
!width="20%"|Enemies
!width="20%"|Reward
|-
|[[Grass Land]]
|One space west of World-1 Castle
|A [[Hammer Bro]]ther 
|A [[Super Star|Starman]]
|-
|rowspan=3|[[Desert Land]]
|One space east of [[World 2-3 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 2-3]]
|A [[Boomerang Bro]]ther
|A [[Music Box]]
|-
|One space north of {{world link|2|Pyramid|World 2-Pyramid}}
|A Boomerang Brother
|A [[Hammer]]
|-
|Two spaces south and one space east of the hidden [[Toad House|Mushroom House]]
|Two [[Fire Bro]]thers
|A [[Recorder|Magic Whistle]]
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Water Land]]
|Two spaces south of {{world link|3|Fortress|World 3-Fortress 1}} 1
|Two Hammer Brothers
|A Hammer
|-
|One space east of [[World 3-4 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 3-4]]
|Two Hammer Brothers
|A Starman
|-
|rowspan=3|[[Giant Land]]
|One space west of [[World 4-3 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 4-3]]
|A [[Sledge Bro]]ther
|A [[Lakitu's Cloud]]
|-
|At the fork in the road east across a river from {{world link|4|Fortress|World 4-Fortress 2}} 2
|A Sledge Brother 
|A Starman
|-
|One space west of {{world link|4|Fortress|World 4-Fortress 2}} 2
|A Sledge Brother 
|A [[P-Wing|Magic Wing]]
|-
|rowspan=3|[[Sky Land]]
|One space east of [[World 5-3 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 5-3]]
|Two Hammer Brothers
|A Starman
|-
|Two spaces south of the previous Hammer Brother
|Two Hammer Brothers
|A Magic Wing
|-
|One space west of [[World 5-7 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 5-7]]
|Two Hammer Brothers 
|A Music Box
|-
|rowspan=3|[[Ice Land]]
|One space north of [[World 6-3 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 6-3]]
|Two Hammer Brothers
|A Hammer
|-
|One space east and one space north of [[World 6-5 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 6-5]]
|Two Hammer Brothers
|A Lakitu's Cloud
|-
|Two spaces east of [[World 6-5 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 6-5]]
|Two Hammer Brothers
|A Starman
|}

{|style="text-align: center" class=wikitable
!colspan=4|Hidden item locations
|-
!width="20%"|World
!width="20%"|Item
!width="20%"|Brick
!width="40%"|Space
|-
|rowspan=2|Grass Land
|rowspan=2|[[Fire Flower]]
|rowspan=2|Furthest right
|One space west of {{world link|1|Fortress|World 1-Fortress}}
|-
|One space north of [[World 1-6 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 1-6]]
|-
|rowspan=4|Water Land
|rowspan=4|[[Super Leaf]]
|rowspan=4|Lower row, center
|One space west of [[World 3-3 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 3-3]]
|-
|One space south of [[World 3-3 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 3-3]]
|-
|One space south of {{world link|3|Fortress|World 3-Fortress 1}} 1
|-
|One space east of [[World 3-5 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 3-5]]
|-
|rowspan=2|Sky Land
|rowspan=2|[[Super Leaf]]
|rowspan=2|Lower row, center
|One space east of the [[Spade Panel]] on the ground
|-
|One space west of [[World 5-5 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 5-5]]
|-
|rowspan=3|Ice Land
|rowspan=3|[[Super Leaf]]
|rowspan=3|Lower row, furthest right
|One space west of [[World 6-2 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 6-2]]
|-
|One space west of [[World 6-5 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 6-5]]
|-
|One space east of [[World 6-6 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 6-6]]
|}

Similar, but immobile courses also appear in the later worlds of the game, being {{world link|7|piranhaplant|World 7-Piranha Plant 1}} 1, {{world link|7|piranhaplant|World 7-Piranha Plant 2}} 2, {{world link|8|tank3|World 8-Big Tanks}} 1, {{world link|8|navy|World 8-Battleships}}, {{world link|8|hand|World 8-Hand Traps}}, {{world link|8|airforce|World 8-Airship (Super Mario Bros. 3)}}, and {{world link|8|tank3|World 8-Super Tank}} 2. Of them, only the [[Piranha Plant]]s can be passed with a Music Box.

===''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''===
[[File:NSMBW World 3-Enemy Screenshot.png|thumb|Screenshot from ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' (Ice Bro Enemy Course in World 3)]]
[[File:NSMBW World 6-Enemy Screenshot.png|thumb|Screenshot from ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' (Bullet Bill Enemy Course in World 6)]]
An Enemy Course is found in all worlds except for [[World 9 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 9]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''. The player needs to collect eight [[Toad balloon]]s, while enemies attack them, to release a [[treasure chest|chest]] that contains a [[Toad (species)|Toad]] in it. Once all balloons are collected, the Toad thanks the player for rescuing him and will give the player three [[Super Mushroom]]s. These courses are played at designated areas of the Map where an enemy is found; they move when players do. In Worlds 6 and 8, the player can do their Enemy Course infinite times. The enemies do not need to be defeated, and are automatically defeated when the game is won. The players cannot quit these courses, so in order to get back to the World Map the player has to complete the course or lose a life. However, if the player loses a life, they will be knocked back to the space where they were before on the World Map.

Losing a life in any level will cause enemies to reappear on the map. Using a [[Super Star|Star]] when on the map and running into one of the enemies will immediately defeat them without having to enter these courses, however, the player does not receive three Super Mushrooms for doing so.
{|style="text-align: center" class=wikitable
!width="10%"|World
!width="45%"|Location
!width="45%"|Enemies
|-
|World 1
|After [[World 1-4 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 1-4]]
|Eight [[Goomba]]s, four [[Hefty Goomba]]s and two [[Big Goomba|Giant Goomba]]s
|-
|World 2
|After either [[World 2-5 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 2-5]] or [[World 2-6 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 2-6]]
|Three [[Spiny|Spinies]] and four more Spinies
|-
|World 3
|After [[World 3-2 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 3-2]]
|Three [[Ice Bro]]s. and four more Ice Bros.
|-
|World 4
|After [[World 4-1 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 4-1]]
|A [[Porcupuffer]]
|-
|World 5
|After [[World 5-1 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 5-1]], and after either [[World 5-Ghost House (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 5-Ghost House]] or [[World 5-5 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 5-5]]
|Four [[Stalking Piranha Plant]]s
|-
|World 6
|After [[World 6-3 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 6-3]], and after [[World 6-6 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 6-6]]
|Infinite [[Bullet Bill]]s
|-
|World 7
|After [[World 7-Ghost House (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 7-Ghost House]]
|A [[Lakitu]] that throws Spinies
|-
|World 8
|After [[World 8-3 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 8-3]]
|Five [[Lava Bubble]]s, six more Lava Bubbles and eight more Lava Bubbles
|}

===''New Super Mario Bros. U'' / ''New Super Luigi U'' / ''New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe''===
[[File:NSMBU Goomba Enemy Course.png|thumb|250px|The Goomba Enemy Course found in Layer-Cake Desert in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''.]]
After being absent in ''New Super Mario Bros. 2'', Enemy Courses return in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'', ''[[New Super Luigi U]]'', and ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]''; there are seven Enemy Courses this time around. As with the courses in ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', the enemies must be defeated in order to retrieve the prize, which is a [[Super Star]] this time around, instead of three Super Mushrooms given by Toad, but if the player does not open the chest for 30 to 45 seconds, [[Nabbit]] will jump out of nowhere and steal the chest's contents. (If a player is playing as Nabbit in ''New Super Luigi U'' or either game of the port, the screen simply fades to black.) In ''New Super Luigi U'', the prize is either a [[Propeller Mushroom]], a [[Mini Mushroom]], or a [[Penguin Suit]]. If the enemy cannot be defeated by normal stomps, such as [[Boo]]s, a [[Flying ? Block]] holding a Super Star floats by for Mario and co. to use. Upon clearing an Enemy Course in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]'', the player may receive a [[Super Crown]] in either base game, as well as the rewards from ''New Super Luigi U'' no longer being exclusive to that game in the port.
{|style="text-align: center" class=wikitable
!width="50%"|World
!width="50%"|Enemies
|-
|Acorn Plains
|[[Piranha Plant]]s
|-
|Layer-Cake Desert
|[[Goomba]]s and/or [[Hefty Goomba]]s and [[Fire Bro]]s.
|-
|Sparkling Waters
|[[Cheep Cheep]]s
|-
|Frosted Glacier
|[[Cooligan]]s 
|-
|Soda Jungle
|[[Boo]]s
|-
|Meringue Clouds
|[[Fuzzy|Fuzzies]]
|}

==Music==
{{media table
|file1=Hammer Bros Battle Theme Super Mario Bros 3.oga
|title1=''Super Mario Bros. 3'' Enemy Course theme
|file2=NSMBW Enemycourse.oga
|title2=''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' and ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' Enemy Course theme
}}

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jpn=敵コース<ref>{{cite|language=ja|publisher=Nintendo|title=New スーパーマリオブラザーズ U デラックス : ステージ {{!}} Nintendo Switch {{!}} 任天堂|url=www.nintendo.co.jp/switch/adala/pc/stage/index.html|accessdate=June 28, 2024}}</ref>
|JpnR=Teki Kōsu
|JpnM=Enemy Course
|FreE=Niveau ennemi<ref>{{cite|title=''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' French instruction booklet|page=11|date=2009|publisher=Nintendo|language=fr}}</ref>
|FreEM=Enemy level
|ChiS=敌人关卡<ref>{{cite|language=zh-hans|accessdate=June 28, 2024|url=www.nintendoswitch.com.cn/new_super_mario_bros_u_deluxe/pc/stage/index.html|publisher=Nintendo|title=新 超级马力欧兄弟U 豪华版 {{!}} Nintendo Switch {{!}} 任天堂 {{!}} 腾讯}}</ref>
|ChiSR=Dírén Guānqiǎ
|ChiSM=Enemy Course
|ChiT=敵人關卡<ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20100711131457/http://www.nintendo.com.hk/nsmb/howto/index.htm|title=新 超級瑪利歐兄弟 Wii - 香港任天堂網站|publisher=Nintendo HK|language=zh-hant|accessdate=June 28, 2024}}</ref>
|ChiTR=Dírén Guānqiǎ
|ChiTM=Enemy Course
|Ita=Livello nemico
|ItaM=Enemy level
}}

==Trivia==
*In ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', Spinies are the only enemies that appear in Enemy Courses not to be seen on the world map.
*An oversight in ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' may randomly cause an Enemy Course to overlap with an [[N-Mark Spade Panel]] on the overworld maps that Enemy Courses appear in, causing them to combine and move around indefinitely, thus causing a [[Unwinnable state|softlock]].

==References==
<references/>

{{SMB3}}
{{NSMBW}}
{{NSMBU}}
[[Category:Levels]]
[[de:Gegnerkurs]]
[[it:Livello nemico]]