Editing Spike Ball

{{distinguish|Spike ball}}

{{species-infobox

|image=[[File:NSMBW Spike Ball Artwork.png|250px]]<br>Artwork of a Spike Ball in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''

|latest_appearance=''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'' (version 2.0) ([[List of games by date#2019|2019]])

'''Spike Balls''' are black metal balls with silver or white spikes that first appeared in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''. They were originally spat out and thrown by [[Spike]]s, but they can later be found independently. They mainly appear in castle levels, where they roll around and destroy other obstacles. [[Spinner]]s are a variant of Spike Balls, which hang from chains and swing in various motions. Stone Spike Balls are spat out by [[Stone Spike]]s instead of the metal balls, which have the same effect. Another form of the Spike Ball is the [[Giant Spiked Ball]], which is a larger version of the Spike Ball. It has similar features but causes the destruction on a larger scale. Spike Balls can usually be defeated with [[Invincible Mario]]; however, in some games, the use of the [[Super Star]] only prevents damage to Mario.

Spike Balls first appeared in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', where they are spat out and thrown by Spikes. In this game, the player can jump on Spikes even if they are holing a Spike Ball. The Spike Balls can be thrown either left or right by the Spikes. [[Ptooie]]s blow Spike Balls into the air to attack the player.

In ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'', Spike Balls (referred to as '''Spiked Balls'''<ref>Loe, Casey. ''New Super Mario Bros.'' Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Page 13.</ref>) roll along the floor, typically from off-screen, though they may also roll in a half-pipe motion between two hills. The game also features the larger [[Giant Spiked Ball]]s. They, like their smaller counterparts, are almost indestructible, except to [[Mega Mario]] or Mega Luigi. They are usually found in castles and can also destroy anything it rolls over, including the smaller Spiked Balls.

''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'' features Spikes throwing Spike Balls, as well as introducing the Stone Spike to throw stone Spike Balls. In this game, Spike Balls thrown by Spikes cannot break [[Brick Block]]s. Giant Spiked balls are found only in the [[World 8 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 8]] where they appear in World 8-2, and World 8-Airship where [[Bowser Jr.]] uses them as exploding weapons against [[Mario]]. However, Mario can use them against him by [[Ground Pound]]ing the ground to throw them into the [[Koopa Clown Car]] three times.

Both Spike Balls and Giant Spiked Balls (under the name '''Spikey Balls'''{{ref needed}}) return in ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''. They function very similarly to the preceding games. They can be destroyed by [[Statue Mario]] and invincibility.

In ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'', both Spike Balls and Giant Spiked Balls reappear. A pair of very large Spike Balls appear in the World Mushroom Castle. [[Icy Spike Ball]]s appear in World 4-1. Spike Balls can be found in [[World Mushroom-A]], and a Giant Spiked Ball helps Mario obtain a [[Star Coin]]. Spike Balls also feature in the battle against [[Morton Koopa Jr.]], where Morton fires them from his wand to attack Mario/[[Luigi]].

''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'' sees the return of both Spikes and Stone Spikes with Spike Balls. They can now throw the Spike Balls straight down rather than just left or right as they did in previous games. Regular Spike Balls alone are replaced by [[Grrrol]]s.

In ''[[Super Mario Run]]'', Spikes throw Spike Balls, and Bowser's Koopa Clown Car can spit out Giant Spiked Balls during the final battle. The Giant Spiked Balls can destroy certain platforms.

Spike Balls return in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'', where they only appear being released by a [[Yoofoe]] during its fight. Also, [[Spiked Shell]]s that act similar to Spike Balls appear in the [[Seaside Kingdom]].

In version 2.0 of ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'', Spike Balls are thrown by Spikes in all level themes except the snow theme, where they are replaced by [[snowball]]s, and can also be placed as a separate object. They fly forward in the ''Super Mario Bros.'' and ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' styles similar to the latter style's original game, though if they fly towards the ground, they will start to roll. In the ''Super Mario World'', ''New Super Mario Bros. U'', and ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'' styles, they roll along the ground. They can be [[Spin Jump|spin-jump]]ed on, activate [[? Block]]s, [[POW Block]]s, and [[ON/OFF Switch]]es, can be eaten and spit out with [[Yoshi]], and act as weight on [[Seesaw]]s in the latter two styles. Giant Spiked Balls thrown by [[Mega Spike]]s can break through blocks. Since they did not appear in ''Super Mario Bros.'', ''Super Mario World'', and ''Super Mario 3D World'', new sprites are made for them.

===''Wario Land'' series===

[[File:Spiked Ball WL Artwork.png|thumb|Artwork of a Spike Ball for ''Wario Land'']]

Spike Balls appear again in ''[[Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3]]'', where they are preponderant in the [[Parsley Woods]]. This game marks the first time Spike Balls are seen rolling towards the player. They plummet from the trees' thicket when [[Wario]] approaches before rolling along the ground, though one Spike Ball falls straight down and disappears off-screen. In this game, Spike Balls stop immediately when they hit a wall, and fall off the screen.

Spike Balls in ''[[Wario Land: Shake It!]]'' only appear in the form of enemy attacks, shot by [[Shortfuse]], [[Crackpot]], and [[Boomdinero]]. Though two of these enemies represent the [[cannon]]s seen in various ''Mario'' titles, the Spike Balls are used in place of [[cannonball]]s as their spikes are meant to be clear visual indicators that they cannot be touched or jumped on.

Spike Balls also appear in ''[[Mario Party 4]]'' in the minigame [[Hop or Pop]].

====''Mario Party 6''====

Spike Balls play an important role in the ''[[Mario Party 6]]'' minigame [[Pit Boss]], where large ones must be avoided from within a small area.

Spike Balls appear in several [[minigame]]s in ''[[Mario Party 9]]''. In the minigame [[Bumper Bubbles]], players must try to collect balloons while avoiding Spike Balls that fall onto the screen from above; hitting a Spike Ball results in a player's bubble popping, which causes all their balloons to be released and for them to fall off-screen. They also appear in the minigame [[Tumble Temple]], in which the players must avoid the Spike Balls and Giant Spiked Balls that roll through several pegs from above; hitting one results in that player being eliminated. Additionally, in [[Chain Event]], players must slide down chains, flipping from one side to the other to avoid Spike Balls. The player must do the opposite of said objectives when playing Tumble Temple and Chain Event as a Reverse Minigame from a [[Bowser Space]]. The minigame [[Spike-n-Span]] also involves one player hitting the platform above to roll a Spike Ball in the direction of the other players. They are also in [[Spike Strike]] were the player must use a hammer to send the Spike Balls back at Spike.

Spike Balls appear in ''[[Mario Party 10]]'' in the minigames [[Spiked Ball Scramble]] and [[Bowser's Painball]].

====''Paper Mario: Sticker Star''====

In ''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star]]'', Spike Balls appear as a projectile thrown by Spikes, and are called Spike Balls. They are also dropped by Spikes as a [[Sticker (Paper Mario: Sticker Star)|sticker]] when defeated. Their spikes are brown.

====''Paper Mario: Color Splash''====

Once more, Spike Balls return in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]'', where they are thrown by Spikes, but they have a different design from that of ''Paper Mario: Sticker Star'', since the spikes are now white rather than brown. Ptooies also use Spike Balls in the game, and they can attack by shooting the Spike Ball at Mario.

In ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]'', the [[Elder Shrooboid]], the boss of the [[Star Shrine]], uses a Spike Ball in one of its attacks. One of the Bros. has to hit the Spike Ball with their hammer, or else it will slam into them and cost lots of HP. However, if one of the Bros. does hit the Spike Ball, it will fly off into the sky and the Elder Shrooboid will be vulnerable to jump attacks for a brief period of time. In the second phase, however, when the Spike Ball hits the UFO with the timer, the timer resets. The [[Shroid]], an enemy from [[Toad Town]], also uses a Spike Ball in one of its attacks. It consists of the Shroid calling a Shroob UFO into battle, which then gives the Shroid a Spike Ball. This ball will either have "M" or "L" printed in it, which indicates the brother at whom the ball will be thrown. However, if the Shroid is malfunctioning, its attacks are reversed (i.e. an "M"-printed ball will land on Luigi, and vice versa).

In ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]'', Spike Balls are once again used by Spikes as projectiles, which can be avoided by jumping over them, while the Giant Spiked Balls must be [[hammer]]ed back at them.

Spike Balls are also utilized by [[Bowser]] and [[Paper Bowser]] in their boss fight. They will use then as projectiles against the trio.

===''Luigi's Mansion'' series===

====''Luigi's Mansion''====

Spike Balls also appear in ''[[Luigi's Mansion]]'', and its [[Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon|sequel]], where they appear in both of [[King Boo]]'s battles as explosives.

====''Luigi's Mansion 3''====

[[File:LM3 Spike Ball.png|left|thumb|100px|One of King Boo's Spike Balls]]

In ''[[Luigi's Mansion 3]]'', Spike Balls appear in the final boss battle with [[King Boo]]. In one of his attacks, King Boo throw Spike Balls into the air that fall back onto the [[Rooftop (Luigi's Mansion 3)|Rooftop]], breaking and revealing multiple [[bomb]]s that are about to explode. If a Spike Ball hits the player, they lose 20 HP.

===''Super Princess Peach''===

Ptooies and [[Glad Ptooie]]s use Spike Balls to attack in ''[[Super Princess Peach]]''. A Glad Ptooie will toss its Spike Ball up a few times, and then it will toss it over to another location and run over to it.

Spike Balls reappear in ''[[Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker]]'' once again being tossed by Spikes.

In ''[[Yoshi's Woolly World]]'' and ''[[Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World]]'', Spike Balls are used by [[Big Montgomery]], and [[Miss Cluck the Insincere]].

In ''[[Mario Sports Superstars]]'', Spike Balls appear as obstacles in boss battles.

In [[Spooky Trails]], a level from ''[[Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle]]'', many Spike Balls lie scattered across the Underwater Village, with one encountered earlier in Spooky Square. Although they are mainly used for decoration, [[Beep-0]] remarks the one in Spooky Square, expressing that he hopes it stays put and does not cause more trouble than he and the other team members already have.

In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', Spike Balls appear when [[Piranha Plant]] uses its neutral special [[Ptooie (move)|Ptooie]], based on the Spike Ball-blowing [[Ptooie|enemy of the same name]]. Piranha Plant blows a Spike Ball up and down and can launch it to the left or right.

Goro Perfect.png|Art of a ''[[Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3]]'' Spike Ball from ''[[Perfect Edition of the Great Mario Character Encyclopedia]]''

SpikedBallSM3DL.png|In-game model render of a Spikey Ball in ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''

NSMB2 World 4-Castle Spiked Balls.png|Spike Balls in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''

SpikedBall CTTT.png|Artwork of a Spike Ball in ''[[Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker]]''

PMCS Mossrock Theater colorless spot 10.png|A Ptooie blows a Spike Ball in the air in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''

==Names in other languages==

|Jap=シューリンガン<ref>Shogakukan. 2015. ''Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook'', ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' section, pages 35 and 37.</ref> (''Super Mario Bros. 3'' and ''Super Mario Maker 2'')<br>''Shūringan''<br>{{nowrap|ゴロー<ref>''Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten''. [http://imgur.com/a/UvABP#90 Page 85.]</ref> (''Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3'')}}<br>''Gorō''<br>トゲ鉄球<ref>Shogakukan. 2015. ''Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook'', pages 119, 150, 185, 200, 209.</ref> (since ''New Super Mario Bros.'')<br>''Toge Tekkyū''

|JapM=The name ''shūringan'' is taken from the Japanese ''rakugo'' folktale ''{{wp|Jugemu}}'', from which the Japanese names of [[Lakitu]] (''Jugemu'') and [[Spiny Egg]]s (''Paipo'') are also derived.<br><br>Onomatopoeia for rolling; same as [[Grrrol]]<br><br>Spiked iron ball

|Chi=刺刺球<ref>[https://www.nintendo.com.hk/ssqj/minigame/index.html Official Chinese website for ''Mario Party 9'']. Retrieved February 12, 2020.</ref><br>''Cì Cì Qiú''<br>殊力钢<br>''Shūlìgāng''

|ChiM=Spike Ball<br><br>Transliteration of the Japanese name. “殊力钢” can also mean "specially powerful steel".<br><br>

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