Stop Watch

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Split-arrows.svg It has been suggested that this page be split into the following: Stop Watch, Watch (item). (discuss)
This article is about the item that freezes enemies and/or the environment. For other types of timers, see Timer.
Stop Watch
A Stop Watch from Super Paper Mario.
First appearance Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987)
Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)
Latest appearance Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (2013)

Stop Watches[1] (alternatively formatted as Stopwatches),[2][3][4] also known as Time Stops,[5] are clock-like items that usually slow down or stop time when collected.

History

Super Mario Bros. 2

The killing Phanto glitch from Super Mario Bros. 2
Princess Toadstool pulling up a Stop Watch to stop a Phanto in Super Mario Bros. 2

If Mario and his friends first pull up four large vegetables in Super Mario Bros. 2, pulling up what would be a fifth one will instead reveal a Stop Watch. It will appear for a second and then freeze everything in the level for a few seconds. This gives a window of opportunity for Mario and his friends to avoid or defeat enemies and collect small hearts. However, touching the frozen enemies still hurts the player.

They are depicted as gray/green in the NES version and as orange in Super Mario Advance. In the Super Mario All-Stars version, however, they are depicted as gold when playing as Mario or Luigi, gold with a dark red outline as Princess Toadstool, or blue with a brown outline as Toad. This is due to the Stop Watch using the same palette as the player character, consequently subjecting them to any changes done when switching characters.

Nintendo Comics System

In the Nintendo Comics System story Cloud Nine, it appears as an animate object who acts as the Mushroom King's alarm clock, dodging the grumpy King's attempts to swat him and fearfully running to Princess Toadstool for safety.

Donkey Kong Land III

Kiddy Kong receiving a Watch in Donkey Kong Land III for Game Boy
Kiddy Kong receiving a Watch

Six related items known as Watches or Clocks[6] appear in Donkey Kong Land III. Watches, however, cannot be used during gameplay. They are obtained by completing the cards minigame in each world, where the bear gives them to the player. They act primarily as collectibles which count toward a final game score of 100%, but also act to unlock various time trial challenges after King K. Rool is defeated for the second and final time. These time trials are merely select levels from the game which are timed, unlike in regular gameplay. Finishing six of the twelve total challenges, on top of collecting all major items in the regular levels, will lead to a perfect game score.

Paper Mario series

Stop Watch
A Stop Watch from Paper Mario. Stop Watch. A Stop Watch from Super Paper Mario.
Paper Mario description If it works, paralyzes all enemies for a short time.
The Thousand-Year Door description Temporarily immobilizes all enemies.
Super Paper Mario description A wacky watch that stops enemies in their tracks.

Paper Mario

The Stop Watch later appears as an item in Paper Mario. When Mario or his partners use it, it will immobilize enemies for a few turns (assuming it is successful). It can be bought at most stores and is a fairly common item.

Locations

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

It reappears in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door as the Stopwatch. Here, it is a somewhat rare item, for it can only be purchased in Twilight Town or Fahr Outpost. The item will immobilize enemies, just as in the game's predecessor. However, enemies can also use the item against Mario or his partners. Several warped clocks appearing in various colors will appear on-screen after using the item. After about four seconds, the item takes effect and immobilizes its target.

Locations

Super Paper Mario

The Stop Watch also appears as an uncommon item in Super Paper Mario, where it immobilizes all enemies.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team

The Stop Watch appears again in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team as a badge effect that occurs when mixing the Miracle Badge with the Gold Badge.

Official profiles

Super Mario Bros. 2

  • Wii Virtual Console manual: "If you've pulled up enough vegetables, this item will temporarily freeze your enemies."

Gallery

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese ストップウォッチ[9]
Sutoppuwocchi
Stop Watch
Chinese 静止钟[?]
Jìngzhǐ Zhōng
Static Clock
German Stoppuhr[?] Stop Watch
Italian Fermalogio (SMB2)
Paralogio (PM)
[?]
Pun on "fermare" (stop)/"paralizzare" (paralize) and "orologio" (clock)
Spanish Reloj Parado[?] Stopped Clock

Trivia

Stop Watch
The Stop Watch character in a 1989 character sheet
  • An official 1989 Super Mario Bros. 2 character sheet that was given to third party companies getting the Mario license for products, included "Stop Watch" as a character. Despite the Stop Watch being merely an item in the original game, this character sheet gave the bottom of the watch part a base with eyes, mouth, legs and hands.[10] This Stop Watch character is the same one later used briefly in the Nintendo Comics System story, Cloud Nine.

References

  1. ^ Super Mario All-Stars instruction booklet, page 21.
  2. ^ Nintendo Power Volume 1, page 10.
  3. ^ M. Arakawa. Super Mario All-Stars Player's Guide. Page 88.
  4. ^ Arnold, J. Douglas, James Yamada, and Mark Elies. Super Mario Advance Official Perfect Guide, page 5.
  5. ^ Super Mario Advance instruction booklet, page 29.
  6. ^ Donkey Kong Land III instruction booklet, page 5.
  7. ^ Floogal (December 23, 2006). Paper Mario Stat/Attack Guide. GameFAQs. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  8. ^ Jdaster64 (April 7, 2016). Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Enemy Item/Badge Drop FAQ. GameFAQs. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  9. ^ Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic instruction booklet, page 27.
  10. ^ suppermariobroth.com. Posted August 13, 2020. Accessed September 8, 2020.