Spark
- This article is about the enemies debuting in Donkey Kong Jr. For other uses of the word Spark, see Spark (disambiguation).
| Spark | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Super Mario Advance artwork | |||
| First appearance | Donkey Kong Jr. (1982) | ||
| Latest appearance | Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (2024) | ||
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| |||
Sparks are orb-shaped creatures who continually emit pulses and flashes of electricity. They are mostly found crawling around walls and ceilings and moving across wires. Sparks are the first in a series of enemies in the Super Mario franchise that are balls of electricity, including Lil Sparkies and Amps.
History
Donkey Kong series
Donkey Kong Jr.
Sparks first appear in Mario's Hideout of Donkey Kong Jr. Red Sparks (also known as Globes[1]) continue to circle their own platform, but blue ones can travel to other platforms through static particles. These Sparks are generated by Mario in order to shock Donkey Kong Jr., preventing him from saving his father.
In the Coleco Adam port, the layout of the stage has been altered and there are no blue Sparks. Instead, they have been replaced by dangerous green water drops that come from the mouths of spigots and cracks in the ceiling.
Donkey Kong (Game Boy)
In Donkey Kong for Game Boy, only one Spark[2] appears in Stage 6-4, rotating clockwise at a medium pace around a small platform in the path of a Conveyor Belt. It has the same behavior as the Sniper and Sukōpī seen earlier in the game, except losing a life from the Spark displays an electrocution animation. Unlike other appearances, the Spark in this game lacks eyes. This game also introduces a more common wire-crossing successor.
Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic / Super Mario Bros. 2
Sparks also appear in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic and Super Mario Bros. 2 as uncommon enemies, usually encountered underground or in buildings. They circle platforms, though some can hover in the air if a Mushroom Block is pulled out from beneath them. Sparks can be defeated by throwing an object at them or using a POW Block near them. Sparks can't be jumped on and can hurt the player's character by simply touching them. In original versions, Sparks have red outlines around their eyes; in the Super Mario All-Stars version and other subsequent remakes, they have yellow outlines as well as an orange outer body outline. If the screen scrolls while they are in a specific position, they automatically die.[3]
Sparks changed slightly in Super Mario Advance. If the player is hit by one, they are knocked back and the screen flashes. In addition, an item called the Spark Chaser can be used to expel them from new jar interiors.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
- “Spark on the warpath!”
- —Mario, "On Her Majesty's Sewer Service"
A Spark makes only one appearance on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, in the episode "On Her Majesty's Sewer Service". Having been dumped into the Tunnel of Doom, Mario and Luigi, while running from a Goomba, encounter a Spark that is quickly approaching. Mario and Luigi manage to avoid this Spark and the Goomba by creating a grappling hook out of a super spy hose nozzle and mini plunger; apparently unable to stop moving, the Spark and Goomba subsequently crash into one another, causing an explosion. In this appearance, the Spark featured does not appear to radiate any electricity.
Nintendo Comics System
Sparks are featured quite prominently in issues of Nintendo Comics System, appearing in such stories as "The Legend," "Bedtime for Drain-Head," and "A Mouser in the Houser." Like most enemies featured in the stories, they are shown to be intelligent and fully capable of speech.
Yoshi's Island series
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island / Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and its Game Boy Advance remake, Sparks are known as Piro Dangles.[4] They emit fire instead of electricity and have faces similar to that of Fryguy. Occasionally, their fire temporarily goes out, revealing that underneath they are white spheres. During this time, they are harmless. In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Piro Dangles can only be found in a secret room in Burt The Bashful's Fort. There is also an unused variant of Boo Blah that has a Piro Dangle on its head. In Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, they also appear in Endless World of Yoshis and can now be defeated with a blue watermelon.
Yoshi's New Island
In Yoshi's New Island, they are found in Beware the Boo Brigade and Fort Key Calamity. Both instances have them appear in a dark room.
The Legend of Zelda series
- Zelda Wiki article: Spark
Sparks appear with the same wall-running behavior in multiple games in The Legend of Zelda series. In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Sparks flash between orange and blue and are completely invincible, appearing in a few dungeons. In this game, they also share the same graphics as the segmented fire bars and Fire Snakes, which stay orange. In The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Sparks are much more common than before, and can be destroyed with the boomerang, which turns them into fairies.
Profiles and statistics
Super Mario series
Super Mario Bros. 2
- Instruction booklet description:
- English:
He shines and moves in a circular motion around the walls and floors of the underground. He moves fast or slow.[5]
- English:
- Game Boy Advance
- Instruction booklet description:
- English (British):
You'll find Sparks circling blocks and steps. It's best to use POW blocks to turn off their power.[6]
- English (British):
Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten
Donkey Kong series
Super Mario USA
Yoshi's Island series
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island / Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
- Shogakukan guide: 暗闇の中で、壁に沿って動いている。火が消えて白くなったときをねらって、通り抜けよう。[7] (They move along walls in the dark. Try to get by when their flames are extinguished and they turn white.)
- Player's Guide: Mr. P.D. jealously guards a secret cache of coins in Burt the Bashful's Fort.[4]
- Shogakukan guide (Game Boy Advance version): 暗やみの中で、かべに沿って動いている。火が消えて白くなったスキに、通りぬけよう。[8] (They move along walls in the dark. Get by when their flames are extinguished and they turn white.)
Yoshi's New Island
- Shogakukan guide: 一定の間隔で光を放ち、ゆっくりと移動すろ。光を照明がわりにして暗い部屋を進もう。光ったときだけ、触れるとダメージを受ける。倒すことはできない。[9] (Emits light at regular intervals and moves slowly. Use the light as a light source to advance through the dark room. If you touch it, you will take damage only when it glows. It cannot be defeated.)
Gallery
Artwork
Donkey Kong Jr. (Famicom 40th Anniversary)
Super Mario USA
Sprites
Donkey Kong Jr. (arcade, red)
Donkey Kong Jr. (arcade, blue)
Donkey Kong Jr. (NES, red)
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Screenshots
Donkey Kong Jr. (NES)
Yoshi's New Island
Yoshi's New Island
Names in other languages
Spark
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | スパーク[10][7][9][8][11] (Donkey Kong series, Yoshi's Island series, and The Legend of Zelda series) Supāku |
Spark | |
| スパック[10][12] (Super Mario Bros. 2) Supakku |
A corruption of "Spark" | ||
| Chinese | 火花[21] Huǒhuā |
Spark | |
| Chinese (simplified) | 电球[11] (The Legend of Zelda series) Diànqiú |
Electric ball | |
| Chinese (traditional) | 電球[11] (The Legend of Zelda series) Diànqiú |
Electric ball | |
| Dutch | Spark[11] (The Legend of Zelda series) | - | |
| French (NOA) | Spark[11] (The Legend of Zelda series) | - | |
| French (NOE) | Eclair[13] | From éclair ("sparkle") | |
| German | Funke[13] | Spark | |
| Pyro Head[?] | - | ||
| Spark[11] | |||
| Italian | Scintilla[13][14][15] | Spark | |
| Scarica elettrica[16] | Electrical charge | ||
| Spark[17][18][11] | - | ||
| Favilla[19] | Spark | ||
| Sfavillotto[20] | Li'l Spark; shared with Luma | ||
| Korean | 스파크[11] (The Legend of Zelda series) Seupakeu |
Spark | |
| Russian | Искрик[11] (The Legend of Zelda series) Iskrik |
Sparks | |
| Spanish (NOA) | Chispa[11] (The Legend of Zelda series) | Spark | |
| Spanish (NOE) | Chispa[13] | Spark | |
| Spark[11] (The Legend of Zelda series) | - |
Globe
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | スパーク[10] Supāku |
Spark | |
| French | Boulet[13] | Ball | |
| German | Feuerkugel[13] | Fireball | |
| Italian | Globo[13] | Globe | |
| Spanish | Globo[13] | Globe |
References
- ^ Instruction manual for Atari 8-bit and Atari 7800 conversions[page number needed]
- ^ August 20, 1994. 「任天堂公式ガイドブック ドンキーコング」 (Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook – Donkey Kong). Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 4-09-102485-8. Page 59.
- ^ Video. Small Mario Findings (English). Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ a b Miller, Kent, and Terry Munson (1995). Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 128.
- ^ Nintendo (1988). Super Mario Bros. 2 Instruction Booklet (PDF). Nintendo of America (American English).[page number needed]
- ^ Nintendo (2001). Super Mario Advance European instruction booklet (PDF). Nintendo of Europe (British English). Page 11.
- ^ a b September 20, 1995. 「スーパーマリオヨッシーアイランド任天堂公式ガイドブック」 (Super Mario: Yossy Island Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook). Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 4-09-102523-4. Page 5.
- ^ a b November 20, 2002. 「スーパーマリオアドバンス3任天堂公式ガイドブック」 (Super Mario Advance 3 Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook). Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 4-09-106701-4. Page 17.
- ^ a b August 9, 2014. 「ヨッシー New アイランド 任天堂公式ガイドブック」 (Yoshi's New Island Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook). Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 978-4-09-106542-1. Page 20.
- ^ a b c November 20, 1994. Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten. Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 4-09-259067-9. Page 96.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Nintendo Switch) enemy glossary
- ^ 1994. Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten. Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 225.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Donkey Kong Junior Atari computer version manual (International)[page number needed]
- ^ Donkey Kong Jr. (3DS - Virtual Console) Italian e-manual. Page 8.
- ^ The Legend of Zelda: Enciclopedia di Hyrule. Page 205.
- ^ Donkey Kong II Italian manual
- ^ Super Mario Bros. 2 Italian manual. Page 26.
- ^ The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap figurine gallery: "080 - Spark"
- ^ Nintendo (2001). Super Mario Advance manual. Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 111.
- ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 67.
- ^ From the ending scenes of Super Mario Advance as localized by iQue. Reference: 无敌阿尔宙斯 (August 28, 2013). 神游 超级马力欧2敌人官译. Baidu Tieba (Simplified Chinese). Archived February 26, 2017, 16:11:09 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
External links
| Donkey Kong Jr. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characters | Donkey Kong Jr. • Donkey Kong • Mario | |
| Enemies | Bird • Drop* • Egg • Nitpicker • Snapjaw • Spark | |
| Items | Fruit • Key | |
| Objects | Chain • Jump Board • Pole | |
| Rounds | Vine Scene • Jump Board Scene • Mario's Hideout • Chain Scene | |
| Other | Gallery • Media • Pre-release and unused content • Staff | |
| 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 |
