Bill Blaster

A Bill Blaster is a black cannon that fires Bullet Bills from either side. They are usually used as defense emplacements in fortresses and castles. While some Bill Blasters are pure black, others have a design (usually a skull icon) emblazoned on their side.

Bill Blasters are immobile and usually indestructible, as they are commonly part of the environment. Although they cannot move around, some Bill Blasters in more recent games have been shown to be able to rotate, like a turret. However, recent games in the series have made Bill Blasters enemies that are capable of being defeated. Due to their nature, they are usually paired with Bullet Bills as their main attack.

Bill Blasters are similar to Rocket Engines. The latter emits flames instead of Bullet Bills.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros.

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Bill Blasters as they appear in Super Mario Bros.

Bill Blasters first appear in World 5-1 in Super Mario Bros., where they were placed throughout the Mushroom Kingdom during Bowser's initial invasion. They are also found in World 5-2, World 7-1, World 8-2 and World 8-3. They are found in locations that are difficult for the Bros. to travel through, such as on the ground or above the player where they would be hit if the player jumped. They will not fire if the player is completely within a sprite box next to the Blaster.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

In Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Bill Blasters return and this time are found in even more difficult places. They now are more common and act just the same as they did in Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. 3

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Bill Blasters as they appear in Super Mario Bros. 3

Bill Blasters appear in Super Mario Bros. 3. They first appear on Larry's Airship along with Cannons. They are also invincible. They appear numerous times on all airships, tanks, and boats. Some fire Bull's-Eye Bills.

Super Mario World

Bill Blasters can be found in the Sunken Ghost Ship and Outrageous. This game also introduces the Skull Box, which shoots Torpedo Teds.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS

A Bill Blaster as it appears in Super Mario 64.

A single Bill Blaster appears in Super Mario 64, and a few more in its remake, Super Mario 64 DS. This Bill Blaster is found on the top of the tower in Whomp's Fortress after defeating the Whomp King. It looks drastically different from its previous appearances, more resembling a simple gray box with a hole for launching Bullet Bills rather than an actual cannon. This is the only game in which Mario can force a Bill Blaster to fire; it will do so if he performs a Ground Pound on top of one. In the DS remake, Bill Blasters can also be found in Whomp's Fortress in the new area surrounding the fortress, after a large gap, and in Dire, Dire Docks before completing Bowser in the Fire Sea. They can now be destroyed using a Super Mushroom.

New Super Mario Bros.

In New Super Mario Bros, Bill Blasters return to their original role of being a part of the game's environment, having the same behavior they had in previous 2D games. However, in this game, they can be destroyed by use of a Mega Mushroom. An advanced tower version of a Bill Blaster called the Bill Blaster Turret is introduced.

Super Mario Galaxy

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Several Bill Blasters in Super Mario Galaxy

In Super Mario Galaxy, Bill Blasters appear in many of the game's levels. They are often found on planets or other areas where various items are trapped in cages, where Mario must lure a Bullet Bill from the Bill Blaster to the cage or cages in order to access what is inside. Their appearance here is more typical of a cannon and noticeably lacks the familiar skull icon. The Bullet Bills they shoot out will home in on Mario upon becoming aware of his presence. Some Bill Blasters can be destroyed by luring the Bullet Bill back. Others are too far into their base for one to reach.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Bill Blaster and Bill Blaster Turrets reappear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii and act the same as in New Super Mario Bros.. Unlike in New Super Mario Bros., they are again invincible, as the Mega Mushroom is absent from the game.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

Bill Blasters reappear in Super Mario Galaxy 2 and serve the same purpose as in its predecessor. Banzai Bill Cannons appear as well. They have the exact same appearance in the predecessor.

Super Mario 3D Land

Bill Blasters firing Bullet Bills in World 2-5.

Bill Blasters and Bill Blaster Turrets later appear in Super Mario 3D Land and serve the same purpose as the games before. However they are shown to appear differently such as in Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel.

New Super Mario Bros. 2

The Bill Blaster in New Super Mario Bros. 2.

Bill Blasters reappear in New Super Mario Bros. 2 and act the same as in its predecessors.

New Super Mario Bros. U

Bill Blasters and Bill Blaster Turrets reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U, behaving the same way it did in previous games. This time, Roy Koopa utilizes a longer, bazooka-like version of the Bill Blaster cannon in his boss battle.

Super Mario 3D World

In Super Mario 3D World, Bullet Bill Blasters appear in various levels, behaving the same as in Super Mario 3D Land. In this game they are also capable of firing Cat Bullet Bills.

Yoshi series

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island / Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Bullet Blasters are green, like the Bullet Bills themselves, but act entirely like previous incarnations. Their cannon visibly expands upon preparing to shoot Bullet Bills, then returns to normal after having done so. They can be frozen with use of an Special Blue Watermelon, and then shattered by being touched or struck with a Yoshi Egg.

Yoshi's New Island

In Yoshi's New Island, Bill Blasters, as well as the Bullet Bills they shoot, return retaining their appearance from the main Mario games. There are also Bill Blasters that have a cannon in only one side.

Yoshi's Woolly World

Bill Blasters return in Yoshi's Woolly World, acting the same as in previous games, except this time they are made of wool. If Yoshi throws a Yarn Ball at a Bill Blaster, it will get tied up and become temporarily deactivated.

The World 6 boss, Knot-Wing the Koopa, launches Bullet Bills and Bull's-Eye Bills from a Bill Blaster on his shell.

Paper Mario series

Paper Mario

In the Paper Mario series, Bill Blasters are considered separate enemies from the Bullet Bills they launch. They must be destroyed before Mario and his allies can end a battle and progress through the level. Before battle, Bill Blasters would fire Bullet Bills to slow Mario's progress, attempting to defeat him before he could even reach the cannons themselves. If hit, Mario and his friends would have to destroy the Bullet Bills before continuing on to the Bill Blasters.

In battle, Bill Blasters cannot directly attack Mario's party; instead, they fire Bullet Bills to attack for them. A Bill Blaster has an unlimited supply of Bullet Bills; the cannons will continue firing Bullet Bills until defeated. Jumping attacks are generally ineffective against Bill Blasters, as their hard armor protects against such attacks.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

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Bill Blasters returned in Paper Mario's sequel, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. They are first encountered in the Pirate's Grotto, and appear quite often there as well. They looked exactly the same, though more refined with the improved graphics, and their battle strategy was largely unchanged. They still shot out Bullet Bills to attack for them, but now had a new move, Bullet Double, which allowed them to shoot out two Bullet Bills rather than the usual one. Also returning is the Bombshell Bill Blaster which fires Bombshell Bills. They are much alike, except for the higher attack, defense, and golden color. These are encountered in the Palace of Shadow.

Super Paper Mario

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In Super Paper Mario, Bill Blasters appear exclusively in Chapter 3-1 guarding Bowser's fort. They shoot Bullet Bills like any other Bill Blaster, but these ones will only shoot in the left direction instead of both.

If the player completes the level then comes back later in the game, the Bill Blasters can also be defeated by using Bowser's fire breath or very accurately using Luigi's super jump. They can also be defeated by using a Catch Card.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star

Only two Bill Blasters appear on Bowser Jr.'s Flotilla in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. Here, they appear as mere obstacles and cannot be battled.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Bill Blasters act the same as they did in the Paper Mario series. Mario and Luigi must jump on the Bill Blasters to eliminate them before a battle can end. The only difference to these Bill Blasters are that they shoot their Bullet Bills directly at the brother that is standing in front of them.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

A Bill Blaster in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

Bill Blasters appear in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS as Smash Run enemies. They sit in place, and do not move as they take damage. In addition to firing Bullet Bills, they may also fire other enemies, such as Koopa Troopas or Shy Guys.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Bill Blasters return in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker with an appearance and function identical to Super Mario 3D World. The standard Bill Blasters fire normal Bullet Bills, while red ones fire Bull's-Eye Bills.

Super Mario Maker

Mary O hammering on a Bill Blaster.

Bill Blasters reappear in Super Mario Maker as the only way to make Bullet Bill enemies. They function the same as previous games. In the Course Maker, they can be placed as the regular black variants, or can be shaken to turn into a red variant, which launches Bull's-Eye Bills, and if an enemy is placed inside, will shoot them out very fast and far. They cannot be enlarged by a Super Mushroom or given wings. They can be placed on tracks.

Profiles and statistics

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS trophy information

Name	Image	NTSC-U Description	PAL Description
Bill Blaster		Usually a big cannon with a skull on it is a clear sign that it's time to flee. Running away isn't an option in the Super Mario series, though. It may be known as the Bill Blaster, but it can occasionally fire Koopas or Shy Guys instead. Take it out before it's out of ammo for more goodies!	Usually, seeing a cannon with a skull on it would be your sign to run, and that's true in the Mario series as well...but with Bullet Bills speeding towards you, it's harder than it looks! Despite the name, they'll sometimes fire Koopas or Shy Guys in this game, just for variety. Take it down before it's out of ammo to get more goodies!