Ladder

This article is about the platforming objects found in many games. For the item in Mario's Time Machine, see Ladder (item).

Wario climbing a ladder in Wario Land 4

Ladders are objects first seen in the original Donkey Kong game. They have reappeared throughout many later games as inanimate objects that the player is able to climb to progress in the level, area, or stage.

History

Donkey Kong series

Donkey Kong

Mario next to a ladder in Donkey Kong

Ladders are found throughout Donkey Kong and serve as a connection between two platforms. In 25 m, Mario has to use them in order to get to the top and to avoid barrels and Fireballs, however, barrels can occasionally roll down the ladders and the Fireballs can climb up them as well. Some of the ladders are broken; Mario cannot climb these. He also cannot climb any ladders if he is carrying a hammer. Some of the ladders in the 50 m stage extend and retract. Mario can only climb those up completely if they are fully open.

Donkey Kong (Game Boy)

Ladders reappear in Donkey Kong for the Game Boy in several varieties. The static and extending ladders from the original arcade game make a return in many levels of the game. Mario can only climb a ladder if he stands on solid ground, which is an important element in some levels, where he first has to place a road or jump on an icicle to have a platform to stand on from which he can climb the ladder. Another important element in the game's puzzles are ladders than can be placed by Mario himself, also known as Arrow Blocks^[1]. If Mario jumps against one such vertical-facing block in the game, the game freezes and the player has to place the ladder in any free point of the level. The ladder will then extend itself upwards and downwards as far as it can. The ladder is timed, and disappears after the time has passed. This timer indicated with a music that starts playing as soon as the ladder is placed and gets faster gradually. The timer can be reset if Mario places another ladder within the first ladder's time limit, or any other placeable objects such as roads, Jump Stands, and blocks. After disappearing, the ladder can then be placed with the same block again.

VS. Wrecking Crew / Wrecking Crew

Ladders reappear in VS. Wrecking Crew and Wrecking Crew, where they serve the same purpose they did in Donkey Kong. The enemies, Eggplant Men, Gotchawrenches, and Foreman Spike, can climb ladders. Ladder walls also appears in this game, and must be destroyed.

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros. 2

Ladders first appeared in the Super Mario series in Super Mario Bros. 2, where they function similar to beanstalks.

Super Mario Bros. 3

Mario and Luigi in Battle Mode, with coins hidden beneath kickable blue ? Blocks

Mario on a ladder in the bonus round

In Super Mario Bros. 3, ladders appear in a bonus round in the 2-Player battle mode. The brothers have to use the ladders to find coins hidden in blue ? Blocks. The one who finds the most wins.

Super Mario Land

Ladders also appear in Super Mario Land's bonus game. One ladder, along with Mario, will move between the different platforms until the player presses . Mario will then move along the platform, but if he comes across a ladder, Mario will move up or down it onto another platform, collecting a different reward.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

A rope ladder sprite

In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the only level to feature ladders is World 2-4, where they are made of ropes. Here, while strong gusts blow, the ladders are pushed up, making them unusable.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe

Ladders also appear in New Super Mario Bros. U and its Nintendo Switch port, in the level The Mighty Cannonship, and in New Super Luigi U in the levels Slippery Rope Ladders and Broozers and Barrels. They behave the same as they did in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Luigi's Mansion

Several ladders also appear in Luigi's Mansion. One of them appears in Professor E. Gadd's laboratory, though it serves no function, and a second leads between the Courtyard and the Bottom of the Well. A third is found on the bunk bed in The Twins' Room, and two are found on the Roof.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong series

Mario vs. Donkey Kong

In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, ladders appear in every world and plus world.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis

In Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, ladders appear on the Roof and in DK's Hideout. There are two retractable ladders on the Roof that are similar to the ones found in 50m of the original Donkey Kong arcade game.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!

In Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!, Blue Ladders are present. They cause Mini Marios to immediately climb or descend it.

Super Paper Mario

In Super Paper Mario, ladders are found in the Floro Caverns. Bowser is unable to climb up the ladder, most likely due to his size. If he tries, he struggles and mutters, "Can't climb this!"

Super Smash Bros. series

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Ladders first appear in the Super Smash Bros. series in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. They appear in the 75 m, PictoChat, and Rumble Falls stages. They are also found in several of the Subspace Emissary levels. They can also be placed as stage parts in custom stages.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, ladders reappear on 75 m as well as on Palutena's Temple and the Wrecking Crew stage. On the Wrecking Crew stage, ladders appear in the form of ladder walls and can be destroyed if they are attacked.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, ladders reappear on 75 m, Palutena's Temple, Wrecking Crew, and the stage builder. Fighters can now perform aerial attacks while on a ladder.

Mario Party series

Mario Party: Island Tour

In Mario Party: Island Tour, ladders appear in the minigame Mad Ladders.

Mario Party 10

In Mario Party 10, ladders appear in Mega Goomba's Ladder Leap.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Ladders also appears in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and its Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS ports which Captain Toad and Toadette can climb. During the levels that reappear from Super Mario 3D World, ladders were added due to Captain Toad and Toadette being unable to jump.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Dutch	Ladder^[2]	Ladder
Italian	Scala (a pioli) Muro scalabile (Wrecking Crew; NES Remix)^[?]	Ladder Climbable wall
Spanish	Escalera^[?]	Ladder

References

^ Nintendo Power Volume 61, pages 81 and 82.
^ Game Boy Donkey Kong Dutch Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console digital manual, tab 13: "Voorwerpen".
^ Wrecking Crew Famicom instruction booklet, page 5.
^ Game Boy Donkey Kong Japanese instruction booklet, pages 12 and 18.
^ Wrecking Crew '98 physical release manual, page 14.

[1] Nintendo Power Volume 61, pages 81 and 82.

[2] Game Boy Donkey Kong Dutch Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console digital manual, tab 13: "Voorwerpen".

[3] Wrecking Crew Famicom instruction booklet, page 5.

[4] Game Boy Donkey Kong Japanese instruction booklet, pages 12 and 18.

[5] Wrecking Crew '98 physical release manual, page 14.

[1]

[2]

[Edit] Donkey Kong
Characters	Donkey Kong • Mario • Pauline
Levels	25m • 50m • 75m • 100m
Items and objects	Bolt • Conveyor Belt • Hammer • Ladder • Lift • Parasol, Hat & Bag
Enemies and obstacles	Barrel • Cement tub • Fire • Fireball • Jack • Oil drum
Music	Opening • 25m Theme • Hammer
Other	Gallery • Media • Staff

[Edit] Saturday Supercade (Donkey Kong segments)
Episodes	Season 1	Episode 1: "Mississippi Madness" • Episode 2: "Gorilla Gangster" • Episode 3: "Banana Bikers" • Episode 4: "The Incredible Shrinking Ape" • Episode 5: "Movie Mania" • Episode 6: "Gorilla My Dreams" • Episode 7: "Little Orphan Apey" • Episode 8: "Circus Daze" • Episode 9: "The Great Ape Escape" • Episode 10: "Apey and the Snowbeast" • Episode 11: "How Much is That Gorilla in the Window?" • Episode 12: "Private Donkey Kong" • Episode 13: "Get Along, Little Apey"
Episodes	Season 2	Episode 1: "Sir Donkey Kong" • Episode 2: "The Pale Whale" • Episode 3: "El Donkey Kong" • Episode 4: "New Wave Ape" • Episode 5: "Greenhouse Gorilla" • Episode 6: "Hairy Parent"
Characters	Recurring	Donkey Kong • Mario • Pauline
Characters	Other	Barnacle • Barney Todd • Belle • Billy Bob • Boris • Brian • Bruto • Cabeza • Clovis • Coach • Colonel Culpepper • Dee-Dee • Don Diego • Doug's Health Club • Flint Westwood • Harry • Herman • Hooligan brothers • Hoss • José • Jumbo • Kenworth • Knuckles Darklings • Long John • Maxwell • Miss Persimmon O'Hara • Momma • Mr. X • Mugsy • Panther and the Thunderbolts • Slam • Solmes • Sonny • Stanley • Trapper Jack • Trixie • Whale
Locations		Acme Video • Africa • Barney Todd's Circus • Big Banana Malt Shop • Cutting Edge Salon • Don Diego's Hacienda • Greenhorn (One Star Saloon) • Hornby Manor • Los Angeles (Golden Studios) • Mississippi Maid • New Orleans • Pet City • Pleasant Bluff • Speed-Oil Car Wash • S.S. Romance • Safari Land • Stanley's Nursery • State Prison • Sooper Dooper Market
Miscellaneous		Banana • Barrel • Emerald of the East • Gallery • Ladder • Mechanical bull • Quotes • Staff

[Edit] VS. Wrecking Crew / Wrecking Crew
Characters	Mario • Luigi
Items and objects	Coin • Door • Drum^a • Dynamite • Floor • Golden Hammer^a • Ladder (Ladder wall) • Letter^a • Pillar^a • Wall
Enemies	Eggplant Man^a • Fireball • Foreman Spike^a • Gotchawrench
Phases	VS. Wrecking Crew • Wrecking Crew^a
^a Only in Wrecking Crew

[Edit] Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA) / Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)
Characters	Donkey Kong • Mario • Mini-Mario • Toad^b
Worlds	Regular worlds: Mario Toy Company • Donkey Kong Jungle • Fire Mountain • Merry Mini-Land^b • Spooky House • Slippery Summit^b • Mystic Forest • Twilight City • vs. Donkey Kong Plus worlds: Mario Toy Factory • Donkey Kong Jungle Plus • Fire Mountain Plus • Merry Mini-Land Plus^b • Spooky House Plus • Slippery Summit Plus^b • Mystic Forest Plus • Twilight City Plus • vs. Donkey Kong Plus Extra worlds: Expert
Enemies and obstacles	Bat • Bird • Bob-omb • Bob-omb Block • Boo • Brickman • Bucket Man • Candle • Cannon • Falling spike • Fire bird • Fire Shy Guy • Fireball • Ice Block^b • Icicle^b • Lava Geyser • Monchee • Ninji • Oil • Podoboo • Polterguy • RamRam • Robo Kikki • Shy Guy • Sir Shovalot • Snapjaw • Spear Guy • Spike • Spiked Barrel • Tane Pakkun • Thwimp • Thwomp • Thwomp Platform • Wire Trap • Wrench Shy Guy
Abilities	Crouch • Handstand / Handstand Jump • Jump • Backflip • Wire Spin • Spring Jump
Items and objects	1-Up Mushroom • 2 UP^a • 3 UP^a • 5 UP^a • Barrel • Bird Nest • Checkpoint Flag^b • Conveyor Belt • Crumble Block • Direction Switch • Donut Block • Door • Elevator • Flower Fan^b • Flying key^b • Garbage Can • Girder • Hammer • Help Box • Key • Ladder • Letter Block • Present • Spring • Rope • Color Switch • Toy box • Warp Box^b • Wire
Other	Mini-Mario Factory Game! • Gallery (GBA · Switch) • Mario Toy Company • Plus Mode • Pre-release and unused content • Quotes • Staff (GBA · Switch) • Time Attack^b
^a Exclusive to Mario vs. Donkey Kong for the Game Boy Advance ^b Exclusive to Mario vs. Donkey Kong for the Nintendo Switch

[Edit] New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Playable characters		Mario • Luigi • Yellow Toad and Blue Toad
Forms		Small Mario • Super Mario • Fire Mario • Propeller Mario • Ice Mario • Penguin Mario • Mini Mario • Invincible Mario
Non-playable characters		Yoshi • Yellow Yoshi • Light Blue Yoshi • Pink Yoshi • Princess Peach • Toads • Jumbo Rays
Enemies		Amp • Banzai Bill • Big Boo • Big Chain Chomp • Big Dry Bones • Big Fuzzy • Big Thwomp • Big Urchin • Big Wiggler • Blooper • Blooper Baby • Blooper Nanny • Bob-omb • Boo • Boomerang Bro • Bramball • Broozer • Bulber • Bull's-Eye Banzai • Bullet Bill • Chain Chomp • Cheep Cheep • Cheep-Chomp • Clampy • Climbing Koopa • Cooligan • Crowber • Deep-Cheep • Dry Bones • Eep Cheep • Fire Bro • Fire Snake • Flame Chomp • Foo • Fuzzy • Giant Goomba • Goomba • Huckit Crab • Hammer Bro • Heavy Para-Beetle • Hefty Goomba • Ice Bro • Jellybeam • King Bill • Koopa Paratroopa • Koopa Troopa • Lakitu • Lava Bubble • Mechakoopa • Mega Cheep-Cheep • Mega Deep-Cheep • Mini Goomba • Missile Bill • Monty Mole • Muncher • Para-Beetle • Parabomb • Paragoomba • Piranha Flower • Piranha Plant • Pokey • Porcupuffer • Prickly Goomba • River Piranha Plant • Rocky Wrench • Scaredy Rat • Sledge Bro • Spike • Spike Top • Spiny • Spiny Cheep Cheep • Spiny Egg • Stalking Piranha Plant • Stone Spike • Super Piranha Plant • Swoop • Thwomp • Urchin • Venus Fire Trap • Wet Bones • Wiggler
Obstacles		Ash • Ball 'n' Chain • Banzai Bill Cannon • Bill Blaster • Bill Blaster Turret • Bowser's Fireball • Burner • Cannon • Cannonball • Electrical field • Fire Bar • Ghost Block • Ghost Vase • Giant cannon • Giant cannonball • Giant Spiked Ball • Huge Icicle • Ice • Icicle • Junior Clown Car • Lava • Lava Geyser • Lava swell • Lava tide • Moving torch • Pit • Poisonous swamp • Quartet-cannon • Quicksand • Sandstorm • Shifting wall • Skewer • Spell • Spike Ball • Spikes • Volcanic debris • Volcano
Bosses	The Koopalings	Larry • Roy • Lemmy • Wendy • Iggy • Morton • Ludwig
Bosses	Other bosses	Bowser Jr. • Magikoopa • Bowser • Super Bowser
Items and power-ups		1-Up Mushroom • Barrel • Blue Coin • Buzzy Shell • Coin • Fire Flower • Fruit • Glow Block • Hidden Coin • Ice block • Ice Flower • Key • Koopa Shell • Mini Mushroom • Penguin Suit • POW Block • Propeller Block • Propeller Mushroom • Red Coin • Springboard • Star • Star Coin • Super Mushroom • Toad balloon • Yoshi's Egg
Objects		! Switch • ? Block • ? Switch • 10-Coin Block • Arrow lift • Bolt Lift • Bone lift • Bouncing ball • Bouncy Cloud • Brick Block • Bridge • Bubble-jet pipe • Ceiling • Cliff • Cloud • Cog • Conveyor Belt • Crate • Door • Dotted-Line Block • False wall • Fence • Fence wheel • Flag (midway point) • Flip panel • Floating barrel • Floating Block • Flower • Flying ? Block • Gray Block • Half-circle rock • Hanging chain • Hanging vine • Ice Block • Ice platform • Ice Snake Block • Ice Wall • Invisible Block • Iron Block • Jump Block • Large ! Switch • Large shell • Lift • Light Block • Limited Lift • Mushroom Platform • P Switch • Paddle Platform • Palm tree • Pendulum Platform • Pipe • Pipe Cannon • Pole • Pole (goal) • Pole (secret goal) • Raft • Rail Block • Red Ring • Remote-Control Platform • Remote-Controlled Clown Car • Remote-Controlled Elevator • Remote-Controlled Fence • Remote-Controlled Lift • Rocky wall • Rolling log • Rope • Rope ladder • Rotating square • Roulette Block • Sand Geyser • Scale Lift • Screw • Screwtop Lift • Screwtop Shroom • Semisolid Platform • Small pipe • Spine Coaster • Stretch Block • Stretch Shroom • Square cloud • Super Guide Block • Swing • Swinging Hammer • Tilt Lift • Tilting platform • Treasure chest • Trick door • Turning Floor • Unstable mushroom • Vine • Water • Water Ball • Water tide • Yellow ledge
Locations	Worlds	World 1 • World 2 • World 3 • World 4 • World 5 • World 6 • World 7 • World 8 • World 9 • World Coin
Locations	Other	Peach's Castle • Toad Houses
Moves		Crouch • Dash • Double Jump • Drill Spin • Ground Pound • Jump • Midair Spin • Propeller Jump • Shell Toss • Simultaneous Ground Pound • Slide • Spin Jump • Stomp • Swallow • Swim • Triple Jump • Wall Jump
Gameplay elements		1-up Blast • Coin Battle • Enemy Course • Extra life • Flutter Jump • Ghost House • Hint movies • Paah • Power-up Panels • Score • Secret exit • Time Limit • Warp Cannon
Further info		Gallery • Glitches • Media • New Super Mario Bros. Mii • New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Simplified Piano Solos • Pre-release and unused content • Staff • Trading cards