Ladder
- This article is about the platforming objects found in many games. For the item in Mario's Time Machine, see Ladder (item).
Ladders in the Super Mario franchise commonly appear as inanimate objects that the player can climb to progress in a level, an area, or a stage.
History
Donkey Kong
Ladders in Donkey Kong serve as a connection between two platforms throughout the stages. 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.
In the Game Boy version, Ladders appear in several varieties. The static and extending ladders return in several of the later levels. 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 in Super Mario Bros. 2 function similarly to beanstalks and chains.
Super Mario Bros. 3
Ladders in Super Mario Bros. 3 are used by Mario and Luigi in a bonus round of the 2-Player battle mode to find coins hidden in blue ? Blocks.
Super Mario Land
A ladder in Super Mario Land appears in the bonus game, where it and 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
Ladders in New Super Mario Bros. Wii are made of ropes. They appear only in World 2-4, and are pushed up while strong gusts blow, making them unusable.
New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Ladders in New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, and their Nintendo Switch version, function identically as in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. They appear in the level The Mighty Cannonship in New Super Mario Bros. U and in both Slippery Rope Ladders and Broozers and Barrels in New Super Luigi U.
Luigi's Mansion
Ladders in Luigi's Mansion and its Nintendo 3DS version are interactive objects that can be climbed by Luigi, except for one in Professor E. Gadd's Lab, which is only part of the background. The first interactive ladder appears in Courtyard, where it takes Luigi down to the Bottom of the Well. The second is attached to the bunk bed in The Twins' Room. The third and fourth ladders are both on the Roof.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Ladders in Mario vs. Donkey Kong and its remake are objects functionally similar to those in the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong. Ladders appear in various levels in the game, some featuring colored ladders that require pressing a Color Switch of their color to be used, otherwise they appear with a dotted outline and cannot be climbed on. Ladders cannot be climbed by Mini-Marios at all, and may require using other objects in the level to catch up with the player should they use a ladder.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
Ladders in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis are interactive objects on the Roof and in DK's Hideout, and there are two retractable ladders on the Roof similar to those in 50m of the original Donkey Kong arcade game.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!
Ladders in Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! appear in the form of Blue Ladders, which cause Mini Marios to immediately climb or descend it.
Super Paper Mario
Ladders in Super Paper Mario take on a zigzagging design and colored either black, yellow, or white. They are found in various areas, typically appearing out of specific blocks when hit. Ladders with more standard designs are found in Yold Ruins and the Floro Caverns. Bowser is unable to climb up ladders, most likely due to his size. If he tries, he struggles and mutters, "Can't climb this!"
Super Smash Bros. series
Template:Main-external Ladders in the Super Smash Bros. series are interactive objects in a few Super Mario-themed stages. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Ladders appear in two Super Mario stages: 75 m and Rumble Falls. In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, ladders reappear on 75 m and a Wrecking Crew stage of the same name, though as ladder walls, which can be destroyed if they are attacked. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Ladders appear in the same two stages representing the Super Mario franchise as in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
Mario Party series
Ladders are featured in a few minigames of the Mario Party series. In Mario Party: Island Tour, ladders appear in the minigame Mad Ladders, and 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 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ハシゴ[2] / はしご[3] Hashigo |
Ladder | |
Futsū no hashigo |
Usual ladder | ||
| Dutch | Ladder[5] | Ladder | |
| French | Échelle[?] | Ladder | |
| Italian | Scala (a pioli)[?] | Ladder | |
| Muro scalabile (Wrecking Crew; NES Remix)[?] | Climbable wall | ||
| Spanish | Escalera[?] | Ladder |
References
- ^ June 1994. Nintendo Power Volume 61. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 81-82.
- ^ Nintendo. レッキングクルー (Rekkingu Kurū) instruction booklet. Nintendo (Japanese). Page 5.
- ^ Nintendo (1994). ゲームボーイ ドンキーコング (Gēmu Bōi Donkī Kongu) instruction booklet. Nintendo (Japanese). Page 12 and 18.
- ^ Nintendo (1998). Wrecking Crew '98 manual. Nintendo (Japanese). Page 14.
- ^ Game Boy Donkey Kong Dutch Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console digital manual, tab 13: "Voorwerpen".
| 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 |
| VS. Wrecking Crew / Wrecking Crew | |
|---|---|
| Characters | Mario • Luigi |
| Items and objects | Coin • Door • Druma • Dynamite • Floor • Golden Hammera • Ladder (Ladder wall) • Lettera • Pillara • Wall |
| Enemies | Eggplant Mana • Fireball • Foreman Spikea • Gotchawrench |
| Phases | VS. Wrecking Crew • Wrecking Crewa |
| Nintendo Land | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Characters | Ganon • Mii • Octopus • Ridley | ||
| Mii character costumes | Captain Falcon • Captain Olimar • Gold Ghost • Link • Luigi • Mario • Pikmin • Samus • Toad (Blue • Green • Purple • Yellow) • Waluigi • Wario | ||
| Objects | ? Block • Automated elevator • Barrel • Bee • Brick Block • Conveyor belt • Gear Crank • Girder • Goal Flag • Goal Gate • Hole • Ladder • Lever • Metallic slide • Moving Rail • Moving Floor • Moving Platform • Mud • Number Flag • Passage • Prize • Roller • Slow Motion Bubble • Spike • Suit of armor • Warp gate • Yoshi Cart | ||
| Items | Battery • Big battery • Blue check mark • Chili plate • Coin • Flashlight • Fruit (Apple • Bananas • Grapes • Melon • Orange • Peach • Pear • Strawberry • Watermelon) • Heart • Present • Super Light • Star • Yoshi egg | ||
| Super Mario attractions | Donkey Kong's Crash Course • Luigi's Ghost Mansion • Mario Chase • Yoshi's Fruit Cart | ||
| Moves | Dash • Jump • Magic • Sidestep • Slide • Tackle | ||
| Miscellaneous | Fuel • Gallery • Media | ||
- Equipment
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker objects
- Donkey Kong (game) objects
- Donkey Kong (Game Boy) objects
- Donkey Kong objects
- Mario & Wario
- Mario Bros. (Game & Watch)
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong objects
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
- New Super Mario Bros. U objects
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii objects
- Nintendo Land objects
- Super Mario Advance objects
- Super Mario Bros. 2 objects
- Super Mario Bros. 3 objects
- Super Mario Land objects
- Super Paper Mario objects
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
- Super Smash Bros. series objects
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie objects
- VS. Wrecking Crew objects
- Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 objects
- Wario Land 4 objects
- Wrecking Crew objects
