Wall Jump

Mario performing a Wall Jump as illustrated in a Super Mario Sunshine manual

“While sliding down a wall, press to wall-jump! See how high you can get with this technique!”

—Board, Super Mario Galaxy 2

The Wall Jump (or wall jump), also known as the Wall Kick (or wall kick), is a special move that can be used by several characters, most notably Mario. The move is activated by jumping towards a wall and hitting the jump button again upon colliding with the wall. If that is done in narrow passages, characters can jump between the walls to ascend to a higher platform or over an obstacle.

History

Super Mario series

Mario performing a Wall Jump in Super Mario 64

Mario performing a Wall Jump in Super Mario 3D Land

In many early games, before the implementation of the actual wall-jumping mechanic, maneuvers similar to the Wall Jump exist as glitches. For example, in Super Mario Bros., if Mario lands on a wall on a 16×16 boundary (so that his foot is on the top corner of a block), the player is able to jump from that point with frame-perfect timing. Similar glitches also exist in Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.

The Wall Jump itself was first implemented in Super Mario 64. Here, if Mario jumps at a wall, he bounces off, but if the player presses as soon as Mario hits the wall, he kicks off it instead, ascending higher than usual. If the player presses too late, Mario simply falls down. The angle of the Wall Jump can also be adjusted, based on the angle Mario jumps at the wall. In games starting from Super Mario Sunshine onward, Mario slides down the wall, making wall-jumping easier and the timing of the jump adjustable. This characteristic carries over to Super Mario 64 DS, where Mario is the only character that can wall-jump. Due to the and buttons having their functions swapped, the text box that appears after the player collects the Mario Cap for the first time provides incorrect controls.

Starting from New Super Mario Bros. onwards, Luigi is able to wall-jump as well. In the New Super Mario Bros. series, Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad are capable of wall-jumping. In New Super Luigi U, Nabbit is also capable of wall-jumping. In New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U, the player can perform a Spin Jump while wall-jumping.

In Super Mario Galaxy 2, the Mailtoad mentions that Captain Toad has the ability to wall-jump, as he was able to scale a canyon in pursuit of The Chimp in the Fluffy Bluff Galaxy; however, Captain Toad is unable to jump at all in Super Mario 3D World, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (and its Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS ports of the same name), and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, likely due to his heavy backpack. Toad, Princess Peach, and Rosalina are able to wall-jump in Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury.

Mario performing a Wall Jump in Super Mario Run

In Super Mario Run, characters can wall-jump off the sides of walls and platforms when players tap the screen when they are both next to the wall and facing it. If the player does not jump immediately, they can still slide down. The wall jump itself changes the direction the player is facing, enabling them to wall jump off parallel walls. (Once the player lands on the ground, they change back to facing forward.) In a Tower, Wall Jumping is critical because the player continues to face the other way after landing from a wall jump or sliding down a wall. This enables the player to go up the zigzagging layout. The character's upper body touching a ledge while facing it prompts Edge Climbing, so at a ledge the player can only wall-jump before that move starts. Wall Jumps can defeat enemies while rising. The game's user interface in How to Play and Easy Mode clarifies that Wall Jumps cannot reach as high as normal jumps. Wall Jumps have a blue star effect, meaning that in Toad Rally they contribute to starting a Coin Rush. In Toad Rally, performing consecutive Wall Jumps attracts more Toads.

In Super Mario Maker (and its 3DS version) and Super Mario Maker 2, Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Toadette can all wall-jump, but only in the New Super Mario Bros. U and Super Mario 3D World styles.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong series

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis

Minis can wall-jump against Wall Jump Bars in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, and by approaching one, a starts moving against it automatically. If the player taps the Mini with the stylus before it slides off of the Wall Jump Bar, it performs a Wall Jump.

Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge

Mini Mario executing the Wall Jump in Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge

The Wall Jump is a special ability used by Mini Mario in Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge. From a horizontal surface, Mini Mario will automatically stick to a wall and bounce off it, continuously jumping between it and any other wall until the toy reaches a platform. Wall Jumps are not performed if Mini Mario touches a wall as it walks up a slant or bounces from a Spring.

This ability is essential in reaching Mini Mario's assigned door in Level 5, located at the top of the stage. After clearing the level through said door, Mini Mario gains access to the Boost Pad Bonanza set of levels, which make extensive use of the Wall Jump ability.

Mario Superstar Baseball

The Wall Jump is a special fielding ability in Mario Superstar Baseball. It is usable by Mario, Luigi, Bowser Jr., Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, and Toadette. When one of these characters jumps near a wall, they take a great leap off it, covering distance at a vertical angle. The move is used to catch low home run balls. In Mario Super Sluggers, this special ability is absent, possibly replaced by the Buddy Jump move.

Mario Tennis Aces

The Wall Jump is used by Mario during his Special Shot, the Blazing Wall Jump, in Mario Tennis Aces.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Wall-jumping is an ability in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. It is usable by the player character, Donkey Kong, and operates similarly to its use in other games, the player must be constantly tapping the control stick or hitting the bongo in the direction of the wall to be able to slide down it.

Super Smash Bros. series

SmashWiki article: Wall jump

Wall-jumping appears in the Super Smash Bros. series as an ability usable by several fighters. Wall-jumping works by tilting the control stick in the direction away from the wall while against it. Since Super Smash Bros. Brawl, some of these characters are able to wall-cling as well, which allows them to stick to a wall for a few seconds as long as players hold the control stick in the direction facing the wall. Only six characters are able to wall-cling: Lucario, Diddy Kong, Squirtle, Greninja, Sheik, and Bayonetta.

Although Luigi was able to wall-jump in the E3 demo of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and despite his ability to wall jump in sidescrolling games of the Super Mario series since New Super Mario Bros., he cannot do so in the final game nor Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Princess Peach: Showtime!

One of Peach's transformations in Princess Peach: Showtime!, Ninja Peach, can use wall jumps, which is mandatory to perform in some sections of the three levels in which she appears, including to get out of the room where she first receives the transformation in the Ninjutsu: The Art of Rapids level.

Profiles

Super Mario Sunshine

• Instruction booklet description: Jump toward a wall then jump again as soon as Mario makes contact. Perform successive wall kicks between two walls to climb higher and higher.
  NOTE! Never give up! Try pressing even when sliding down walls!

Super Mario 3D Land

• Website description:
  • English (American):
    Mario can do a long running leap to more easily clear wide gaps.
  • English (British):
    Press the B Button (or the A Button) when sliding down a wall to perform a Wall Jump, which will cause Mario to kick off the wall and jump in the opposite direction. Performing repeated Wall Jumps can take Mario up to some very high places!

Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS

• Digital manual description: against a wall midjump

Gallery

• 

  Mario about to jump from a wall in a commercial for a McDonald's Happy Meal tie-in with The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	カベジャンプ[?] Kabe janpu	Wall Jump
	カベキック[?] Kabe kikku	Wall Kick
Chinese (simplified)	踢墙跳[?] Tī Qiáng Tiào	Kick wall jump
Chinese (traditional)	踢牆跳[?] Tī Qiáng Tiào	Kick wall jump
Dutch	Muursprong[?]	Wall jump
French (NOA)	Saut mural	Wall Jump
	Saut au Mur	Jump on Wall
	Rebond sur le mur	Bounce on the wall
	Impulsion	Pulse
French (NOE)	Saut mural[?]	Wall jump
German	Wandsprung[?]	Wall Jump
Italian	Calcio su parete	Wall kick
	Salto a parete[?]	Wall jump
	Scalaparete[?]	Wall-climb	Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge
Korean	벽차기[?] Byeokchagi	Wall Kick
Portuguese (NOA)	Salto escalada[?]	Climbing jump
	Impulso na Parede	Wall Impulse	Super Mario 64
Portuguese (NOE)	Salto Ricochete[?]	Rebound Jump
	Salto na parede[?]	Jump on the wall	Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Russian	Прыжок от стены[?] Pryzhok ot steny	Wall jump
Spanish (NOA)	Salto escalada[?]	Climbing jump	Super Mario Odyssey
	Salto Escalada[?]		Super Mario Bros. Wonder
	Rebotar en la Pared	Bounce on the Wall
	Salto de Muro[?]	Wall Jump	New Super Mario Bros. U
	Salto de la patada en la pared[?]	Wall kick jump	Super Mario 64 DS
Spanish (NOE)	Salto Escalada[?]	Climbing Jump