Bullet Bill
Bullet Bills are missiles that are found in many Mario games. Bullet Bills are more living obstacles than species and are considered weapons; they are somewhat like Bob-ombs, but Bob-ombs are considered a species (according to the Paper Mario series).
Game Appearances
Super Mario Bros.
Bullet Bill first appears in World 5-1. It is usually shot from a large cannon, known simply as a Bill Blaster. Sometimes, Bullet Bills will be shot from random locations somewhere off-screen.
Super Mario Bros. 2
Bullet Bills did not appear in the American version of Super Mario Bros. 2. However, Bullet Bills were common in the Japanese game that was later released in the U.S. as Super Mario Brothers: The Lost Levels.
Super Mario Bros. 3
Bullet Bills didn't appear as much in Super Mario Bros. 3 as they did in previous games, mainly appearing in later worlds and on the bosses Airships. A new type of Bullet Bill appeared in this games, the Missile Bill, that follows Mario.
Super Mario World
This game features the first appearance of Torpedo Ted's which are Bullet Bills that are launched from a cannon underwater. Banzai Bills also made their first appearance, which are larger version of a Bullet Bill. When you beat Funky, Bullet Bill's turn into Pidgit Bill's. Remember Pidgit from Super Mario Bros. 2?
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
This game introduces Bouncing Bullet Bill, it bounces and ricochets off walls after being fired. In the Gameboy Advance incarnation there are red Bullet Bills with gnashing fangs that home in on Yoshi.
Super Mario 64
Bullet Bill was only found in one location in the level Whomp's Fortress. In the levels after you defeat the big Whomp, a Bill Blaster will appear at the top of the fortress. The Bullet Bills shot out would home in on Mario. Bullet Bill cannot be defeated in this game.
Yoshi's Story
In this game, Bullet Bills followed the same pattern as in other games. However, this game introduced tongues to the mechanical irritants.
Paper Mario
Gold Bullet Bills known as Bombshell Bills are introduced in Paper Mario and shot from B. Bill Blaster's, and appeared again in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
Super Mario Sunshine
This game contained a Monty Mole that manned a cannon, firing Bullet Bills at Mario. These Bullet Bills are purple, with a glowing red nosecone. They homed in on Mario and exploded after a short time. They could be destroyed with a burst of water from FLUDD. Rarely, Monty Mole would fire a golden Bullet Bill, which when destroyed, would yield extra coins. Bullet Bills were also fired by Mecha Bowser, one of the bosses at Pinna Park. Finally, in the final battle against Bowser and Bowser Jr., Bowser Jr. would fire regular black Bullet Bills and the occasional blue Bullet Bills, which when jumped on, gave Mario a 1-Up Mushroom or a water bottle.
Mario & Luigi
In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Bullet Bills and Bill Blasters returned as enemies at Stardust Fields. The game also featured Sniper Bill, a large Bullet Bill that used a Super Scope as a weapon. It is found in Bowser's Castle.
New Super Mario Brothers
In New Super Mario Bros. Bullet Bills appeared in various levels, and would be shot out of Bill Blasters. Of course if Mario or Luigi Jumped them, they would die.
Super Mario Galaxy
In Super Mario Galaxy, it is revealed that there will be Bullet Bill-like enemies that look extremely similar to the real ones. They are seen on a trailer showing somebody defeating a boss. On this, Bullet Bills are the only way to defeat this boss.
Mario Kart DS
In the game Mario Kart DS, part of the Mario Kart sub-series of the Mario universe, the player can pick up a Bullet Bill as an item. After activating the Bullet Bill, one of these large, bullet-shaped creatures will guide the players kart, and rocket automatically down the track, knocking over any enemies or projectiles in the players way, similarly to the Chain Chomp from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. The Bullet Bill is arguably one of the best items in the Mario Kart series.
Sub-Species
- Banzai Bill: A giant Bullet Bill.
- Bombshell Bill: A golden, upgraded version of the Bullet Bill
- Missile Bill: A red, heat-seeking version of the Bullet Bill; may come also in purple
- Bouncing Bullet Bill: An orange, rubber version of the Bullet Bill
- Torpedo Ted: Although not a sub-species per-se, Torpedo Teds are relatives of the Bullet Bill that live underwater
- Sniper Bill: A Bullet Bill with a sniper gun
- Cosmic Bullet Bill: A heat-seeking Bullet Bill with red glowing eyes from Super Mario Galaxy.
Paper Mario Stats and Tattle Information
Bullet Bill
- HP: 2
- Attack: 2
- Defense: 0
- Location: Koopa Bros. Fortress
- Tattle: This is a Bullet Bill, a kamikaze attacker. If you don't beat Bullet Bills quickly, they'll slam into you and explode. I'm serious, Mario. These guys will really make us pay if they manage to hit us! We have to beat 'em before they get the chance to strike us.
Bombshell Bill
- HP: 3
- Attack: 6
- Defense: 0
- Location: Bowser's Castle
- Tattle: This is a Bombshell Bill. Bombshell Bills have such beautiful gold casings! Of course, if you sit and admire 'em, you'll get hit. Pay attention to their HP, because their explosions get bigger as their HP drops. Let's take 'em out before they get near us!
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Stats and Tattle Information
Bullet Bill
- HP: 2
- Attack: 4
- Defense: 1
- Location: Pirate's Grotto
- Tattle Number: 92
- Tattle Log: A projectile that attacks after being shot from a Bill Blaster. Take it out before it slams into you.
- Tattle: That's a Bullet Bill. It attacks after being shot from a Bill Blaster. Max HP is 2, Attack is 4, Defense is 1. Take care of it quickly, or it'll totally whale into you, mosh-pit style! Use those Action Commands and take it out!
Bombshell Bill
- HP: 3
- Attack: 6
- Defense: 2
- Location: Palace of Shadow
- Tattle Number: 94
- Tattle Log: A souped-up Bullet Bill. It'll hit you hard if you don't take it out first. Its HP are low, so do it quickly!
- Tattle: That's a Bombshell Bill. B. Bill Blasters shoot these things repeatedly. Max HP is 3, Attack is 6, and Defense is 2. Its Attack is high, but its HP is low, so take it out before it takes YOU out! Then again, if you focus on these guys, you'll never win. Smack that B. Bill Blaster!
Cameo Appearances
Bullet Bill has not appeared in many spinoffs, other than occasionally as an enemy in a Mario Party mini-game, or in the form of a baseball bat in early screenshots for Mario Superstar Baseball (note that Bowser's Power Shot is also a Bullet Bill). The Princess Peach's Castle stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee featured Banzai Bills as hazards. He also appeared in Mario Power Tennis in a mini-game, fired by a Mecha Bowser 2.0. Bowser Jr.'s kart in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! takes the form of a Bullet Bill and is called the Bullet Blaster. The Bullet Bill item in Mario Kart DS transforms drivers into a large Bullet Bill, careening drivers through the course and into other characters for 4 to 7 seconds. Bullet Bills are also an obstacle in the Airship Fortress track of the same game. In the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, a Bullet Bill can be seen on Fyer's(a clown that operates the cannon)'s shirt.
Other minor appearances were an appearance on the last episode of 'The Super Mario Brothers Super Show! and a Banzai Bill appears in the background of a Nintendo Wii tech demo. A sign for a "Bullet Bill's" organization (presumably a restaurant) was also given a brief appearance in the Super Mario Bros. film.
