Magic ball
- Not to be confused with Magical ball, ? Bubble, or Magic Orb.
| Magic ball | |
|---|---|
 A magic ball from Super Mario World | |
| First appearance | Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) |
| Latest appearance | Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (2024) |
| Effect | Ends a level when Mario or Luigi touches it |
Magic balls[1][2] (also capitalized),[3][4] also known as Crystals,[5] "?" Balls,[6] or Orbs,[7] are items introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3. They have the appearance of round power-up objects with a question mark on each, and certain levels can be cleared only by touching a magic ball.
History
Super Mario series
Super Mario Bros. 3
Magic balls are items in Super Mario Bros. 3. They are dropped by Boom Boom after he is defeated in a fortress, and by touching the magic ball, Mario both destroys the fortress and completes the level. If Invincible Mario defeats Boom Boom by touching him, the magic ball will appear upside down, in the center of the arena. In Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, magic balls bounce when hit by attacks.
Super Mario World
A magic ball appears as an item in Super Mario World, exclusively in the Sunken Ghost Ship, where it is left out in the open and can be touched to complete the level.
There is also a glitch to receive a magic ball and use it in any level to instantly complete it. Using the ball in any horizontal level reveals that when Mario collects it, he goes through the same end-of-level motions that he would if he had used the Giant Gate, albeit with the "boss defeated" fanfare and no chance of Bonus Stars. By contrast, getting the ball in a vertical level causes the screen to freeze.
Game & Watch Gallery 2
Magic balls also appear in the Modern version of Parachute in Game & Watch Gallery 2. If the player has any misses at 200, 500, or 700 points, three magic balls come out of the flying ship. They all disappear to reveal a 1 UP Heart for removing a miss in one of them.
Super Mario-kun
In Volume 4 of Super Mario-kun, whose arc is based on Super Mario World, Mario grabs the magic ball to exit the level, and he and his friends are later found on the top of the entrance to the Valley of Bowser.
Gallery
Super Mario Bros. 3 sprite
The upside down magic ball in Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario All-Stars (Super Mario Bros. 3)
Game & Watch Gallery 2
Super Mario-kun
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | マジックボール[8] Majikku Bōru |
Magic Ball | Super Mario Bros. 3 |
| 水晶玉[9] Suishōdama |
Crystal Ball | Super Mario World | |
| Italian | Palla magica[10][11] | Magic ball | |
| Sfera ?[12] | ? Sphere |
References
- ^ 1990. Super Mario Bros. 3 instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 22.
- ^ 2010. Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 16.
- ^ 1993. Super Mario All-Stars instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 32.
- ^ 2003. Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 23.
- ^ August 1991. Nintendo Mario Mania Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 134, 136-137.
- ^ Hodgson, David S J. (2003). Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 0-7615-4425-9. Page 11.
- ^ Playing With Super Power: Nintendo Super NES Classics eGuide, Super Mario World Confidential Information Tab.
- ^ 1988. スーパーマリオブラザーズ3 (Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Surī) instruction booklet. Nintendo (Japanese). Page 20.
- ^ Sakai, Kazuya (Ambit) et al. (October 19, 2015). Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook, Super Mario World section. Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 978-4-09-106569-8. Page 60.
- ^ Super Mario Bros. 3; Italian booklet. Page 22.
- ^ "Sconfiggi il boss e ottieni la palla magica." – Scontro brutale. Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition. Nintendo (Italian).
- ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 60.
