Boulder
- This article is about actual boulders that have appeared in various media. For the special move that was seen in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, see Boulder (move). For the recurring object also known as a rolling rock, see Wobble Rock.
- Not to be confused with Rock, Stone, or Brolder.
| Boulder | |
|---|---|
 Model of a rolling rock from Mario Kart Tour | |
| First appearance | Super Mario World (1990) |
| Latest appearance | Mario Party Superstars (2021) |
Boulders, also referred to as Rolling Boulders,[1] appear in the Super Mario franchise as obstacles that roll down areas, usually sloped ones, and are capable of harming the player characters.
History[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario World[edit]
Rocks[2] in Super Mario World are dug up by Diggin' Chucks to attack the player character.[2] Rocks continue bouncing in a direction, changing direction upon hitting a wall, but either Caped Mario's attack or lava can stop them.
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins[edit]
Boulders in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins are are dug up and kicked by Gorontos,[3] in the same manner as a Diggin' Chuck.
Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS[edit]
Rolling rocks[4] are obstacles in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. An endless number of them roll down a corridor in a wide room of Hazy Maze Cave before falling into a pit.[5] Rolling rocks are featured in the mission Watch for Rolling Rocks, where the goal is to avoid them in a corridor and collect the Power Star nearby.[4] In Super Mario 64 DS, five rolling rocks have to be broken by Wario for the Power Star to appear instead.[6] The remake also covers the Power Star in Swimming Beast in the Cavern with a rock,[7] which is breakable by only Wario.
Super Mario Galaxy[edit]
In Super Mario Galaxy, Ruby Rocks[8] and Big Ruby Rocks[8] roll on open or closed circuits, coming out infinitely out of tunnels in the former case and falling into an abyss afterwards. Ruby Rocks are somewhat common and appear in several galaxies, including the Good Egg Galaxy and the Honeyhive Galaxy. If Mario touches a Ruby Rock, it knocks him backward and takes away a wedge of his Health Meter, but hitting the red area of a Ruby Rock destroys it.[9] Boulders can also be destroyed if either Rainbow Mario collides with them, a rubbery bulb is knocked into them, or an improvised tactic of using a Star Pointer to hold a Ruby Rock in place so that a second Ruby Rock can collide with it, destroying both Ruby Rocks. Ruby Rocks have some subtle size differentiation in different levels, though one in the underground section of the Dusty Dune Galaxy is especially large. One of Bowser's attacks in the first part of his final battle involves surrounding himself with rock fragments and rolling around the planet much like a Ruby Rock in an attempt to squash Mario. Bowser's head sticks out of the rock in the same area where the red spot would be on an actual Ruby Rock. Mario must spin Bowser's head to break him out of his rock shell.
Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]
In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Ruby Rocks[10] reappear in the Boulder Bowl Galaxy. They can be destroyed by Rock Mario, a form that gives Mario a similar shape to a Ruby Rock, except with his head poking out in place of the red spot. Rock Mario rolls around like a Ruby Rock, but with more movement control.
New Super Mario Bros. 2[edit]
Boulders appear in New Super Mario Bros. 2 as common obstacles in an underwater level, World 3-5. They are only way to obtain certain Star Coins that are enclosed in blocks.[11][12] Boulders can be destroyed using a Gold Flower[13] or invincibility.
Super Mario Odyssey[edit]
Boulders in Super Mario Odyssey have various roles. One specific boulder that takes the form of a large, oblong rock is found in front of a tree in the Deep Woods in the Wooded Kingdom and can be captured, which allows it to be moved to reveal a tunnel containing a Power Moon. Many rolling boulders also appear in the Underground Moon Caverns in the Moon Kingdom and in the segment where Mario captures Bowser in the cave on the Darker Side of the moon. These round boulders can be destroyed by ramming into them as a Chargin' Chuck or by clawing them as Bowser, and may produce a heart in the latter case. Additionally, during the first battle against Bowser in the Cloud Kingdom, Bowser occasionally attacks Mario by throwing brick-like boulders at him (the second battle in the Moon Kingdom replaces the brick boulders with burning Bowser shells), and many boulders fall down at the end of the game when Mario captures Bowser in the Moon Kingdom as the caves collapse, serving as obstacles, with yellow markers appearing where they are set to land.
Donkey Kong Land[edit]
Boulders appear in Donkey Kong Land as indestructible obstacles in Mountain Mayhem and Landslide Leap. They down from above periodically and bounce briefly upon hitting a surface.[14] A boulder damages a Kong on contact.
Mario Kart series[edit]
Mario Kart 64[edit]
Boulders appear as obstacles at the Choco Mountain course in Mario Kart 64. They flatten player characters on contact.[15]
Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]
Boulders in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! are obstacles in DK Mountain. They function like in Mario Kart 64.
Mario Kart DS[edit]
Boulders in Mario Kart DS return as obstacles at N64 Choco Mountain. Similar large pinballs appear as obstacles in Waluigi Pinball.
Mario Kart Wii[edit]
Boulders in Mario Kart Wii retain their role in GCN DK Mountain.
Mario Kart 7[edit]
Mario Kart 7 also features boulders as obstacles, this time integrating them at Rock Rock Mountain and Maka Wuhu towards the end of the track. In this game and following Mario Kart games, boulders spin out racers on contact instead of flattening them.
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
Rolling boulders are obstacles in the Bowser's Castle course of Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. In these games, they resemble their Super Mario Galaxy counterparts in texture, but without the red jeweled side. Millstones similar to boulders appear in Thwomp Ruins. Rolling boulders also appear in N64 Choco Mountain, 3DS Rock Rock Mountain, Tour Athens Dash, and GCN DK Mountain in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass DLC.
Tour Sydney Sprint features a type of boulder[16] that is stationary and has an elongated shape. Such boulders appear on the grassy, off-road portions of the Barangaroo Reserve segment. They slow down racers when driven into, but do not crash them like rolling rocks do. They can be launched into the air by hitting them with a Spiny Shell or a Super Horn, or by touching them while under the effects of a Bullet Bill or Super Star.
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
In Mario Kart Tour, rolling rocks[16] appear as obstacles at 3DS Rock Rock Mountain, N64 Choco Mountain, GCN DK Mountain and Athens Dash 2. The player can destroy a rolling rock and get bonus points in the process by hitting it with a Spiny Shell, Bowser's Shell, Bob-omb, Super Horn, Giga Bob-omb, or Super Bell, or by ramming into one while under the effects of a Frenzy, Mega Mushroom, Bullet Bill, or Super Star.
The boulders[16] seen in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's rendition of Tour Sydney Sprint also appear in Mario Kart Tour on Sydney Sprint 3 and its variants. In this game, they can be launched into the air by almost the same means used to destroy rolling rocks, except with Bob-ombs, and they grant bonus points in the process.
Mario Party series[edit]
Boulders appear in some minigames in the Mario Party series. In Boulder Ball in Mario Party 3 and Mario Party Superstars, the solo player must use a machine to fling boulders at the team players to prevent them from reaching the top of a slope. In Granite Getaway in Mario Party 6, the players need to run away from a giant rolling boulder. In Rocky Road in Mario Party 6, Mario Party: The Top 100, and Mario Party Superstars, teams need to punch and kick boulders blocking the road to destroy them so they can reach the finish line. In Block and Roll in Mario Party 9, the rivals must roll boulders down to the solo player to prevent them from transporting three blocks from one side to the other.
Wario Land series[edit]
Wario Land II[edit]
In Wario Land II, boulders fall from holes in the walls of underground areas in Avoid the rocks! and The Final Battle!!. Large ones squash Wario into Flat Wario, but small ones can be held and thrown by him to defeat enemies or Enemy Blocks.
Wario Land 3[edit]
In Wario Land 3, boulders are small, lumpy objects appearing only in Above the Clouds, working as they did in Wario Land II.
Wario Land 4[edit]
In Wario Land 4, boulders are produced by Bowlers from the ground and are indestructible. Once created, they are tossed in the direction of Wario, rolling until hitting a wall or falling into lava. They damage Wario on contact. There are also small, holdable boulders that appear in several levels, working as in previous Wario Land games.
Wario Land: Shake It![edit]
Boulders also appear in Wario Land: Shake It!, acting as obstacles in volcano-related courses. In Mt. Lava Lava, there are enormous boulders held in place either by Hard Blocks or Bomb Blocks. When Wario destroys these, the boulders immediately start chasing him down a path, destroying every enemy and block in its path. If a boulder catches up to Wario, he will remain stuck to its surface and move along with it until the boulder stops somewhere and flings Wario forward due to the momentum. In Sneak Peak, there are small boulders that can also pick up Wario as they roll, but can be jumped on to reach a higher area. They endlessly come out of openings in walls and roll on the ground until they fall into lava.
Donkey Kong 64[edit]
In Donkey Kong 64, boulders can be lifted by Chunky Kong only.[17][18] They are dark green objects that often sit on a pad or a floor switch, which are not usable until the boulder is lifted.
Donkey Kong Country series[edit]
Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze[edit]
Boulders[19] appear in Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze as obstacles. They stand still at first but start rolling towards the player's barrel when approached. They roll straight ahead until hitting a wall, a slope, or the playable barrel, at which point they break. If the playable barrel is hit by a boulder, it loses some energy. Boulders appear in most levels.
Donkey Kong Country Returns[edit]
Boulders in Donkey Kong Country Returns appear in varying sizes, and most are covered in spikes. They are encountered primarily in Boulder Roller.
Yoshi Topsy-Turvy[edit]
Boulders appear in Yoshi Topsy-Turvy as interactive objects that can be stood on by Yoshi. The player can tilt the Game Boy Advance to make the boulder to roll, defeating enemies along the way. Boulders have a few holes in them, comparable to a bowling ball.
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat[edit]
Rolling boulders appear as obstacles in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. They are first encountered in Massive Canyon. Rolling boulders damage Donkey Kong on contact,[20] and can only be jumped over.[20]
Wario: Master of Disguise[edit]
Boulders in Wario: Master of Disguise are created by Poobah the Pharaoh from his nostrils as part of his first attack phase.[21] Boulders remain still for a moment when landing on the ground before rolling towards Wario, breaking when they hit a wall. They can hurt Wario if touched from the sides, but can be destroyed with a jump.
DK: Jungle Climber[edit]
Boulders[22] appear in DK: Jungle Climber. They first appear in Cool Cool Cave and appear in cave areas. Boulders have many pegs on them and are required to reach certain high areas, including Peg Boards and ledges. The boulder can be spun either left or right, depending on which side Donkey Kong is spinning from it.
Gallery[edit]
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Galaxy 2
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Names in other languages[edit]
Boulder[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ゴロゴロ岩[23][24][25] Gorogoro Iwa |
Rolling Rock | |
| ゴロゴロいわ[?] Gorogoro Iwa |
Super Mario 64 | ||
Rakuseki |
Rockfall | Mario Kart 64 | |
| ころがり岩[27] Korogari Iwa |
Rolling Rock | Yoshi Topsy-Turvy | |
Ō Iwa |
Big Rock | Donkey Kong: Jungle Climber | |
| 大岩[29] Ō Iwa |
New Super Mario Bros. 2 | ||
Iwa |
Rock | Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart Tour | |
| Chinese | 岩石[16] Yánshí |
Rock | |
| Chinese (simplified) | 滚动岩石[?] Gǔndòng Yánshí |
Editing Boulder | |
| Chinese (traditional) | 滾動岩石[?] Gǔndòng Yánshí |
Editing Boulder | |
| Dutch | Rotsblok[?] | Rockblock | |
| French | Rocher[?] | Rock | |
| Grand rocher[30] | Big rock/boulder | ||
| Grosse pierre ronde[31] | Big round rock | ||
| German | Felsbrocken[?] | Boulder | |
| Felsen[?] | Rock | ||
| Italian | Masso/Macigno[?] | Boulder | |
| Korean | 바위[16] Bawi |
Rock | |
| Russian | Валун[?] Valun |
Boulder | |
| Spanish (NOA) | Peñasco[?] | Boulder | |
| Roca[16] | Rock | Mario Kart Tour | |
| Spanish (NOE) | Roca[?] | Rock |
Rolling rock[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italian | Roccia rotolante[16] | Rolling rock | |
| Portuguese | Pedra rolante[16] | Rolling stone |
Ruby Rock[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ゴロゴロ岩[?] Gorogoro iwa |
Rolling rock | Super Mario Galaxy |
| でかゴロ岩[32] Dekagoro iwa |
Big rolling rock | giant type, Super Mario Galaxy | |
| Italian | Massoruota[?] | Rockwheel |
References[edit]
- ^ "Rolling Boulders: Near the end of the course, boulders begin to roll downhill towards you." – Musa, Alexander (May 30, 2014). Mario Kart 8 PRIMA Official Game Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-804-16328-6. Page 130.
- ^ a b "Some Chargin' Chucks in the Dinosaur Land underground dig up rocks and toss them at passing plumbers." – August 1991. Nintendo Mario Mania Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (English). Page 114.
- ^ "Ants can toss objects many times their own weight." – Tilden, Gail, et al. (December 1992). Nintendo Power Volume 43. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 47.
- ^ a b "Find the hidden Star in the room with the rolling rocks." – Course 6 - Star 6: Watch for Rolling Rocks. Nintendo: Super Mario 64 Strategy (American English). Archived June 10, 1998, 06:46:32 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
- ^ "An unlimited supply of huge rolling boulders comes crashing down this corridor to fall into a bottomless pit." – Pelland, Scott, and Dan Owsen (1996). Super Mario 64 Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (English). Page 56.
- ^ NintenU (March 1, 2022). Super Mario 64 DS - 100% Walkthrough - Course 6 Hazy Maze Cave (19:15-19:30). YouTube (English).
- ^ Super Mario 64 DS - 100% Walkthrough - Course 6 Hazy Maze Cave (01:40).
- ^ a b English Super Mario Galaxy entry on the official Mario Portal. nintendo.co.jp. Retrieved August 13, 2022. (Archived August 12, 2022, 23:39:09 UTC via archive.today.)
- ^ "Better yet, spin into the red surface of the boulders to destroy them—they release a lot of star bits." – Black, Fletcher (November 9, 2007). Super Mario Galaxy: PRIMA Official Game Guide (Collector's Edition). Roseville: Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-7615-5713-5. Page 42.
- ^ English Super Mario Galaxy 2 entry on the official Mario Portal. nintendo.co.jp. Retrieved August 13, 2022. (Archived August 12, 2022, 23:39:46 UTC via archive.today.)
- ^ IGN Guides (August 17, 2012). New Super Mario Bros. 2 - Star Coin Guide - World 3-5 - Walkthrough (01:02). YouTube (English).
- ^ New Super Mario Bros. 2 - Star Coin Guide - World 3-5 - Walkthrough (02:31). YouTube.
- ^ Elijah Paskevich (video game enthusiast) (May 2, 2023). New Super Mario Bros. 2: World 3-5 100% Walkthrough (w/ Star Coins) (0:55). YouTube (English).
- ^ VideoGamePhenom (May 9, 2019). Donkey Kong Land - Monkey Mountains & Chimpanzee Clouds - Mountain Mayhem (0:33). YouTube (English).
- ^ Owsen, Dan, et al. (1997). Mario Kart 64 Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (English). Page 42.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Displayed as an action in Mario Kart Tour
- ^ "Can pick up a boulder with relative ease. Makes crushing rocks seem such a breeze!" – DK Rap (1999). Donkey Kong 64. Nintendo (English).
- ^ "You'd think that those big arms of Chunky's would be good for something. In fact, they're ideal for lifting big chunks of rock and throwing them." – Bihldorff, Nate, et al. (1999). Donkey Kong 64 Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (English). Page 34.
- ^ "BOULDER: Pursues your barrel in a straight line and causes damage if it hits you." – "Help" screen. Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze.
- ^ a b Nintendo Thumb Digest (July 1, 2017). DONKEY KONG JUNGLE BEAT ~ APPLE KINGDOM ~ MASSIVE CANYON - NO COMMENTARY (0:48). YouTube (English).
- ^ Bosscinerator (November 16, 2018). Let's Beat - Poobah the Pharoah, the Ancient Annoyance (05:20). YouTube (English).
- ^ Donkey Kong: Jungle Climber instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (English). Page 14.
- ^ Sakai, Kazuya (Ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors (2015). "Super Mario 64."『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 92.
- ^ Nintendo Co., Ltd. スーパーマリオギャラクシー. Mario Portal (Japanese). Retrieved 7 Mar. 2024.
- ^ Nintendo Co., Ltd. スーパーマリオギャラクシー2. Mario Portal (Japanese). Retrieved 7 Mar. 2024.
- ^ 1996. マリオカート
64 (Mario Kāto Rokujūyon) instruction booklet (PDF). Nintendo (Japanese). Page 29. - ^ 「ヨッシーの万有引力任天堂公式ガイドブック」 (Yoshi Banyū Inryoku Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook). Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 21.
- ^ 2007. ドンキーコング ジャングルクライマー (Donkī Kongu Janguru Kuraimā) instruction booklet. Nintendo. Page 19.
- ^ Sakai et al. "New Super Mario Bros. 2."『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Page 199.
- ^ July 4, 2018. Super Mario Encyclopedia. Soleil Productions (French). ISBN 2302070046. Page 127.
- ^ October/November 1997. Le Magazine Nintendo officiel N1. Boulogne-Billancourt: Emap Alpha (French) via archive.org. Page 93. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ^ Sakai et al. "Super Mario Galaxy"『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Page 127.
- Hazardous objects
- Platforms
- Capturable
- DK: Jungle Climber
- Donkey Kong 64 objects
- Donkey Kong Country Barrel Maze
- Mario Kart 64 objects
- Mario Kart 7 objects
- Mario Kart 8 objects
- Mario Kart: Double Dash!! objects
- Mario Kart DS objects
- Mario Kart Tour objects
- Mario Kart Wii objects
- New Super Mario Bros. 2 objects
- Super Mario 64 objects
- Super Mario 64 DS objects
- Super Mario Galaxy enemies
- Super Mario Galaxy 2 enemies
- Super Mario Odyssey objects
- Wario Land 4 objects
- Wario Land: Shake It! objects
- Wario: Master of Disguise objects
- Yoshi Topsy-Turvy objects
