View source for Snowball

{{item infobox
|image=[[File:SMM2-NSMBU-Snowball.png]]<br>A Snowball in the ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'' style of ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]''
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'' ([[List of games by date#1995|1995]])
|latest_appearance=''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'' (2023)
|comparable=[[Spike Ball]]
}}
'''Snowballs''' in the [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' franchise]] typically have the purpose of being snow-covered projectiles thrown by enemies, such as [[Mr. Blizzard]]s, or opponents.
==History==
===''Yoshi'' franchise===
====''Yoshi's Island'' series====
{{multiframe|[[File:Snowball.PNG]] [[File:SMW2 Snowball biggest.png]]|A small and a large snowball in ''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island''|size=210|align=left}}
Snowballs in the [[Yoshi's Island (series)|''Yoshi's Island'' series]] are interactive objects in ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'', [[Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3|its Game Boy Advance version]], and ''[[Yoshi's New Island]]'' that a [[Yoshi (species)|Yoshi]] can push down a path as if it were a [[Chomp Rock]], which they are functionally similar to. However, a difference with snowballs is that they gradually increase in size while being rolled on the ground, as more snow is added to them, but only up to a certain point. Aside from this, snowballs are retextured Chomp Rocks, which is the case for ''Yoshi's New Island'',<ref>{{file link|YNI Snowball Retextured Chomp Rock.png|Image showcasing the retextured Chomp Rock}}</ref> being capable of destroying all items and enemies in its path and allowing Yoshi to hop on as a platform, useful for accessing higher areas.

A snowball in the ''Yoshi's New Island'' level, [[Ski Lift Leap]], can be rolled downhill to to defeat enemies and access a higher [[Warp Pipe]].
{{br|left}}

====''Yoshi's Woolly World'' / ''Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World''====
Snowballs in ''[[Yoshi's Woolly World]]'' and ''[[Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World]]'' appear to be made of cotton wool, in step with the game's textile aesthetic, but are otherwise identical to their appearances in the ''Yoshi's Island'' series. Snowballs appear in the [[World 5 (Yoshi's Woolly World)|World 5]] course, [[Fluffy Snow, Here We Go!]]. While snowballs are only able to push a Yoshi around, they can crush [[Poochy]]. 

[[Big Montgomery]]'s battle in [[Big Montgomery's Ice Fort]] makes use of snowballs. After taking damage once, one of is attacks has him stand in the background at the top of a slope that ends on the main plane. He calls [[Monty Mole]]s to roll themselves down the slope, becoming snowballs that hurt Yoshi before dropping away into the foreground. After being hit twice, Big Montgomery concludes this attack by rolling down the slope himself to become a as a bigger snowball. These snowballs are invincible. Yoshi cannot stop them by standing in the way and pushing back like normal snowballs.

[[A Little Light Snowfall]], another [[World 5]] course, focuses on a different kind of snowball: one that looks near identical to a white [[yarn ball]]. Multiple kinds of enemies can throw these snowballs, namely [[Snow Guy]]s, [[Lakitu]], and [[Ukiki]] hanging from branches. For the latter two, the snowball replaces their normal projectile. Once thrown, snowballs ignore gravity and proceed in a straight line, breaking against any surface and damaging Yoshi. Snowballs continue to fly past Yoshi should they connect though. Snowballs are able to activate the large bundles of snow in the course, causing them to fall even though Yoshi did not activate them. Yoshi can [[stomp]] snowballs to defeat them, or [[swallow|eat]] them to create white yarn balls.

===''Donkey Kong'' franchise===
====''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!''====
Snowballs in ''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]'' are shot by [[Bleak]] out of his hat cannon, and should be avoided, since they can damage the player.

====''Diddy Kong Racing'' / ''Diddy Kong Racing DS''====
Snowballs in ''[[Diddy Kong Racing]]'' and [[Diddy Kong Racing DS|its remake]] sport a pair of large eyes, and are obstacles that can squish players. Snowballs appear in [[Snowball Valley]] and in the [[Bluey Challenge|challenge race course]] against [[Bluey]].

====''Donkey Kong Jungle Beat''====
[[File:LizardBoss.jpg|thumb|Donkey Kong and Hoofer approaching an enormous snowball in ''[[Donkey Kong Jungle Beat]]'' while being followed by [[Iguanagon]]]]
An enormous snowball in ''[[Donkey Kong Jungle Beat]]'' appears in the level [[Silver Snow Peak]], where [[Donkey Kong]] and [[Hoofer]] have to follow it up a hill, which slows down as it goes. Donkey Kong has to [[Sound Wave Attack|clap]] and create shockwaves to shrink and eventually destroy the large snowball, causing it to release a number of [[Banana|beats]] and allowing Donkey Kong to pass.

====''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''====
Snowballs<ref>{{cite|quote=Once you’re safely past the nearby snowballs, adjust your position to fly through the O on your way to the next area.|author=von Esmarch, Nick, and Cory van Grier|date=February 21, 2014|title=''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze'' Prima Official Game Guide|publisher=[[Prima Games]]|language=en-us|page=225|isbn=978-0-804-16252-4}}</ref> in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'' and [[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Nintendo Switch)|its Nintendo Switch port]] are hazards in the level [[Blurry Flurry]], where they are mostly launched from orange bombards fixed on the walls or on the ground; other times, they are tossed in the air as a result of larger snowballs plummeting on the platforms they lie on. If a snowball hits the [[Kong]]s, they lose one heart from their health meter. Shortly before the end of Blurry Flurry, the Kongs are propelled into a giant snowball which then starts rolling through rows of enemies and [[Snowmads|Snowmad]] structures, destroying them. The player can make the snowball jump to avoid falling into pits.

===''Mario Kart'' series===
Snowballs in the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]] are obstacles in [[DS DK Pass|DK Pass]], a racetrack in ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''. They fall and roll on the mountainous road, knocking away any racer standing in their path. They appear in the area around the second set of [[Item Box]]es where they go against the racers, and on the snowy incline afterwards, where they roll in their direction. Snowballs also appeared in a [[Steer Clear of Obstacles]] bonus challenge on [[N64 Frappe Snowland]] in ''Mario Kart Tour''.

===''Mario Party'' series===
Snowballs in the ''[[Mario Party (series)|Mario Party]]'' series appear in some [[minigame]]s. Snowballs in [[Snowball Summit]] of ''[[Mario Party 3]]'', ''[[Mario Party: The Top 100]]'', and ''[[Mario Party Superstars]]'' have to be created by the player characters to try and knock their opponents off of a frozen summit. Snowballs in [[Snow Brawl]] of ''[[Mario Party 6]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Party Jamboree]]'' again have to be created by players to try and hit all of their opponents on the other side, though this time, the solo player is assisted by four [[Ukiki]]s or [[Shy Guy]]s, while the team players work together to each create their own snowballs. Snowballs in [[Snow Way Out]] of ''[[Mario Party 8]]'' are shot from a snow vehicle by the solo player to try and make their rivals fall off the roof.

===''Super Mario'' series===
====''New Super Mario Bros.''====
[[File:Platform Block.png|thumb|[[Snow Spike]]s in ''New Super Mario Bros.'' throw snowballs to attack]]
Snowballs in ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'' are regurgitated and thrown by [[Snow Spike]]s. Once on the ground, snowballs start rolling in a set direction, growing rapidly larger in the process. Snowballs in the game damage [[Mario]] or [[Luigi]] on contact.

====''Super Mario Galaxy 2''====
Snowballs in ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'' will build in size when rolled along snow, and they can create temporary snow paths over [[lava]] before melting. Snowballs usually appear when [[Fire Mario]] destroys a snow sculpture. Snowballs can defeat [[Li'l Brr]]s, [[Li'l Cinder]]s and [[Goomba]]s on contact.

====''New Super Mario Bros. U'' / ''New Super Luigi U'' / ''New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe''====
Snowballs in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'', ''[[New Super Luigi U]]'', and [[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe|their Nintendo Switch version]] are obstacles used as projectiles by [[Fliprus]]es, but unlike in ''New Super Mario Bros.'', they do not increase in size and can be jumped on safely. Snowballs in ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' also appear as standalone obstacles in [[Fliprus Lake]].

====''Super Mario 3D World'' / ''Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury''====
Snowballs in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'' and [[Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury|its Nintendo Switch version]] are interactive objects that can be grabbed and thrown at enemies to defeat them, and passed from one player to another in multiplayer mode. Snowballs are in the [[Snowball Park]] level, where some can appear on the ground, while others are created from the segments of defeated [[Snow Pokey]]s.

====''Super Mario Maker 2''====
Snowballs in version 2.0 of ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'' are thrown by [[Spike]]s in the snow theme, a behavior taken from Snow Spikes in ''New Super Mario Bros.'' Snowballs cannot hurt the player, unlike Spike Balls, instead only knocking them back if hit from the side or below. The player can jump on snowballs after throwing them to stop them, then pick them up and throw them at objects or enemies (except in the ''Super Mario Bros.'' style, where they can only be kicked). Large snowballs can only be kicked and rolled along the ground. Additionally, a snowball can be produced after defeating a [[Snow Pokey]]. Snowballs can also be placed as a separate object. When used against [[Bowser]] (or [[Meowser]]), a normal-sized Snowball deals 2 HP damage (with 10 Snowball hits defeating him). The damage dealt gets doubled to 4 HP if the Snowball is giant-sized.

Snowballs in version 3.0 lets players pluck snowballs from ground tiles in snow-themed levels if using the [[SMB2 Mario|SMB2 form]].

A snowball with a sprout coming out of it is a possible ground decoration in the [[Level#Snow/ice/winter/tundra/frozen theme|snow]] level theme of the ''[[Super Mario World]]'' game style.

===''Paper Mario: Sticker Star''===
Snowballs in ''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star]]'' are obstacles once again used by [[Snow Spike]]s, and are usually rolled on slanted footpaths. If a snowball clashes with Mario, it catches him into a loop, forcing him to go back a distance until the snowball breaks into a ledge. Additionally, a Snow Spike may drop a Snowball [[sticker]] upon defeat, which can be used in battles to summon a large snowball that rolls over and damages ground-dwelling enemies.

The Snowball can also be placed into the [[Sticker Museum]] as #88, alongside other enemy-based stickers.

==Profiles and statistics==
===''Paper Mario: Sticker Star''===
*'''Item description:''' ''Sometimes dropped by Snow Spikes. Launches a giant snowball that snares all ground-bound foes. Doesn't reach high-flying foes.''
*'''Sticker Museum description:''' ''An icy snowball yacked up by a Snow Spike that hits all grounded foes with a cold-blooded attack.''

==Gallery==
<gallery>
DKR-SnowballValley.png|''[[Diddy Kong Racing]]''
DKR Snowball model.png|''Diddy Kong Racing''
Thwomp Pull Snowball.png|''[[Mario Party 3]]''
MKDS DK Pass Cliffside.png|''[[Mario Kart DS]]''
Snowball Valley DS.png|''[[Diddy Kong Racing DS]]''
Freezy Flake Launch Star.png|''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]''
SnowballPMSS.png|Snowball [[sticker]] from ''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star]]''
SM3DW Asset Model Snowball.png|''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''
YNI Snowball.png|''[[Yoshi's New Island]]''
Cannons.jpg|The Kongs are sieged by two snowballs shot from cannons in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''
Flying snowballs.png|The Kongs, weaving between several snowballs tossed in the air in ''Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze''
FluffySnowHereWeGo.png|''[[Yoshi's Woolly World]]''
SMM2-SMB-Snowball.png|''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]''
MKT DK Pass Scene.jpg|''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''
SnowballTSMBM.jpg|''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]''
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jpn={{ruby|雪玉|ゆきだま}}<ref>{{cite|date=November 20, 1995|title=「オールカラー版　スーパーマリオヨッシーアイランド全百科」 (''All-Color Ban - Super Mario: Yossy Island All Hyakka'')|publisher=Shogakukan|language=ja|page=156}}</ref><br>ゆきだま<ref>''Mario Kart Tour'' in-game name</ref>
|JpnR=Yukidama
|JpnM=Snowball
|Chi=雪球
|ChiR=Xuěqiú
|ChiM=SnowBall
|Dut=Sneeuwbal
|DutM=Snowball
|Fre=Boule de neige
|FreM=Snow ball
|Ger=Schneeball
|GerM=Snowball
|Ita=Palla di neve
|ItaM=Snow ball
|Kor=눈덩이
|KorR=Nundeong'i
|KorM=Snowball
|Por=Bola de neve
|PorM=Snowball
|Spa=Bola de nieve
|SpaM=Snowball
}}

==References==
<references/>

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[[Category:Platforms]]
[[Category:Projectiles]]
[[Category:Bowser's Fury objects]]
[[Category:Diddy Kong Racing]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze objects]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Jungle Beat objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 7 objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart DS objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Tour objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart World objects]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. objects]]
[[Category:Paper Mario: Sticker Star items]]
[[Category:Super Mario 3D World objects]]
[[Category:Super Mario Galaxy 2 objects]]
[[Category:Super Mario Maker 2 objects]]
[[Category:Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island objects]]
[[Category:Yoshi Topsy-Turvy objects]]
[[Category:Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3]]
[[Category:Yoshi's New Island objects]]
[[Category:Yoshi's Woolly World objects]]
[[it:Palla di neve]]