Wire Trap
| Wire Trap | |
|---|---|
 Artwork of two Wire Traps from Super Mario Sunshine | |
| First appearance | Donkey Kong (Game Boy) (1994) |
| Latest appearance | Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch) (2024) |
| Variant of | Spark |
A Wire Trap[1][2] is an indestructible faceless type of Spark that moves on wires and ropes rather than platforms.
History
Donkey Kong
Wire Traps are introduced in Donkey Kong on the Game Boy, where they are first seen in Stage 1-3 of the Big-City. They travel from the left to the right of their wire, disappearing once they reach the end, and spawn at regular intervals. Upon contact, Wire Traps can shock Mario and cause him to lose a life. They resemble balls with four diagonal needle-like protrusions that constantly emit electricity between them in a pattern resembling that of a Jacob's ladder.
Super Mario Sunshine
In Super Mario Sunshine, Wire Traps are found in Bianco Hills and Noki Bay. They are either red or blue in color and resemble spiral-shaped seashells that are covered in spikes. Glowing sparks of electricity emit from their centers as they cling to a wire and move along it by spinning themselves. Red ones are the most common, and they normally grow from a funnel on one side, travel to the other, and then disappear. However, ones found in Noki Bay instead slowly follow Mario along the rope. Blue Wire Traps, also exclusive to Noki Bay, are bigger and much slower than their red counterparts, and they constantly go back and forth between ends of the rope without disappearing. If Mario touches a Wire Trap, he will get burned and may fall off the rope. The player can slightly hinder the Wire Traps' progress by spraying water on them with FLUDD. The only way to avoid them is to jump over them. As they move, they make a low chirping noise, similar to that of a real-life hermit crab.
Super Mario-kun
A Wire Trap appears in Super Mario-kun, where Mario gets shocked by the obstacle.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Wire Traps periodically travel through wires just as they did in the Game Boy game Donkey Kong, and they retain their ability to shock Mario upon contact, which causes him to lose a life. They are first encountered in Level 1-4.
New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
In New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, Wire Traps appear starting in Desert Oasis, where they are blue with small eyes. They travel along floating noninteractive rails of various shapes, with lines containing circular points to end their path. The ones with points on their rails are faster, though most pause before traveling to the other point. Rectangular rails contain more than one on them. They make a technological beeping sound when nearby, similar to the background of Mario's Hideout from Donkey Kong Jr.
Profiles and statistics
Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten
スパーク
Wire Trap
Tribe: Weapon clan
Disposition: Straight line
Game appearances: Jr., GB Donkey
A lump of electricity that emits sparks
In JR, they are running around on the floor, so you have to run past them at once when you see a chance; in GB, they are moving over the ropes, so avoid them at all costs. In both cases, you will be electrocuted if you touch them.
Gallery
Additional names
Internal names
| Game | File | Name | Meaning
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Sunshine | wiretrap/wire_trap[4] | wire_trap | Wire Trap |
| Mario vs. Donkey Kong | string in ROM (SPARKY_LOOP) | SPARKY_LOOP | Sparky |
| New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat | 1 Data/ObjectData/Biribiri.arc | Biribiri | Onomatopoeia for electric shocking |
| Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch) | Pack/Actor/Sparky.pack.zs | Sparky | - |
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | スパーク[3][5] (Donkey Kong and Super Mario Sunshine) Supāku |
Spark | |
| スパーキー[6] (Mario vs. Donkey Kong) Supākī |
Sparky | ||
| French | Spark[7] | Spark | |
| German | Spark[?] | Spark | |
| Italian | Trappole di corda[8] | Wire trap | |
| Wire Trap[9] | - | ||
| Sfavillo[10] | From sfavillare ("to spark"); shared with Hothead in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate |
References
- ^ Bogenn, Tim, and Doug Walsh. Super Mario Sunshine BradyGames Official Strategy Guide. Page 7.
- ^ Hodgson, David S J, Bryan Stratton, and Stephen Stratton. Super Mario Sunshine Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Page 18.
- ^ a b 「パーフェクト版 マリオキャラクター大事典」 (Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten), page 96.
- ^ Super Mario Sunshine, internal filename root/data/scene/bianco2.szs/scene/wiretrap/wire_trap.bmd
- ^ Shogakukan. 「スーパーマリオサンシャイン任天堂公式ガイドブック」 (Super Mario Sunshine Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook). Page 19.
- ^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong Shogakukan book
- ^ Super Mario Encyclopedia; pag. 99
- ^ Super Mario Sunshine PRIMA guide, pag. 18
- ^ Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia, pag. 99
- ^ Super Mario Mangamania; pag. 26
| 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 |
| Other | 25m Theme • Gallery • Media • Opening • Staff |
