History NightmareFuel / SuperMarioBros

[[quoteright:325:[[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_smbnf.png]][[caption-width-right:350:''[[BlankWhiteEyes Those eyes. Those goddamn eyes...]]]]''

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* In a certain set of haunted levels in the Soda Jungle, you can see a giant, painted, Mega Bowser in the background. He has [[BodyHorror blank, milky-white eyes]] and just sits there looking like he wants to [[EatenAlive eat you]], [[ParanoiaFuel sometimes moving his eyes]]. There's even a Bowser Jr. version...

* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZm5cXRShO4 U.S. commercial]] for ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins''. To some it may be Narm but before Wario was portrayed as the greedy character he is today, the U.S. portrayed him in a way that made most young gamers rather afraid of him.

[[quoteright:325:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_smbnf.png]]

** ''NightmareFuel/PaperMarioColorSplash''

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1494087878037879500

[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/MarioKart8 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/demonbowser.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350: ''[[VideoGame/SuperPaperMario "Your face is about to feel the burn!"]]'']]
%% We need a new image. I'll start a new Image Pickin' thread.

!! ''General''
* Several people are terrified by Boos. It pretty much all boils down to the fact that they [[ParanoiaFuel only chase you when you're not looking]].
* This series introduced the concept of spikes = instant death in video games. Good thing everything causes Mario to go into DeathThrows. Doesn't stop some kids from being scared by the thought of falling and getting impaled on spikes, and the resultant saturation of spikes in video games as a whole causes nightmare fuel filled scenes in video games where they DO impale you.
* The [[https://www.mariowiki.com/Skewer_ Skewers]]. They debuted in Super Mario World, and have increasingly become even more terrifying due to graphical improvements. Especially when there are some that are ''incredibly large'' and/or ''incredibly fast''.
* The Thwomps. Their faces, especially in 3D games like ''Galaxy'', look extremely terrifying. Doesn't help that some of them are sentient in that they know you're coming and know when to drop down to try and crush you.

!! ''Super Mario Bros.''
* The first ''Super Mario Bros.'' gave us the MinusWorld, a world no man is intended to go to and has no escape, unless you count drowning to death or the reset button as a method of escape.
* If you let a Hammer Brother stay onscreen too long without killing him, he will [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nih0xD0ZtTs chase Mario]].
* The castles in the first ''Super Mario Bros.'' game for the NES probably weren't intended to actually be scary. But the [[NothingIsScarier pitch-black nothingness]] in their backgrounds, the weirdly static lava and the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In8WfBgBEis oppressive music]], which seems out-of-place against the rest of the game's soundtrack (and tends to desync slightly as it goes on), make for an atmosphere that can be downright unsettling. To make matters worse, some of the castle levels are also [[GuideDangIt mazes]] that will repeat [[EndlessCorridor endlessly]] until you either find the correct path, or [[TimedMission time runs out]] [[CriticalExistenceFailure and you die on the spot]].
** The rotating spinning Fire Bars obstacles speak for themselves. But a special mention goes to an exceptionally long one found in castle World 5, and it being longer in fact means an increased risk of getting hit by it.
* Speaking of running out of time, the "Hurry Up!" jingle is probably at its most startling on the NES, a potentially frightening experience if you are a young child that doesn't quite understand numbers or time limits yet-- especially if Mario dies seemingly without cause when the timer hits zero.
* The famous [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox2Fjp9oeAI cave music]] probably creeped out more than a few kids.
* The story behind this game. Bowser invades the kingdom and kidnaps Peach. That's all you get from the game itself. [[AllThereInTheManual In the instructions book,]] however, it's revealed that Bowser laid waste to the Mushroom Kingdom and turned the Mushroom Retainers that weren't kidnapped alongside their ruler [[TakenForGranite into the bricks that make up the blocks that Mario hits for powerups]], and the reason why he kidnapped Peach was that she's the only one that can break the curse. These poor Toads [[AndIMustScream are probably aware of their position]], and would have likely stayed like that forever if they hadn't been separated by Mario.
** The [[WebVideo/GameTheory Game Theory]] video on this led to a widespread misconception in that they became Brick Blocks which were broken by Mario, killing them, but [[https://legendsoflocalization.com/media/super-mario-bros/manuals/Super-Mario-Bros-Manual-US.pdf that same instruction manual]] clearly states the Toads are giving you the powerups, so you’re not killing Toads, you’re just getting a little magic from them. There’s still plenty of nightmare fuel to be had in the canon-after doing the one thing they can, Toads [[AndIMustScream trapped as blocks are completely unable to move]] until Peach saves them.

!! ''Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels'' (Japanese ''Super Mario Bros. 2'')
* 8-4 and D-4 both have two Bowsers in one castle (one of them is fake).
* The Hammer Bros from the original game chase you if you wait, but they don't wait this time around. They come after you ''immediately''.

* The Mask Gate in ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' (the eagle head that acts as an end of level gate) scared the crap out of some in the end of World 7-2 when it ''flew off the wall and tried to chase them.''
** It was even creepier in the original ''Doki Doki Panic'', where it was some sort of tribal mask. [[http://www.nesmaps.com/maps/DokiDokiPanic/sprites/DokiDokiPanicSprites.html Look for it here, labeled (rather accurately) as "Evil Door."]]
* And then you get past the door to confront Wart -- and the music changes to this creepy, disturbing horror/techno mix that just messes with your concentration while you have to catch vegetables in midair and throw them into Wart's open mouth (as opposed to the other bosses where you just had to hit them with weapons).
* [[http://www.mariowiki.com/Phanto Phanto]]. Creepy pumpkin masks that guard keys; when you pick up a key, they come to live and move really fast and chase you.

* Corrupting [=SMB2=] leads to some [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV-D1ggFUj8 horrifying results.]]
** [[MadnessMantra WORLDSPREAD BEFORE WORLDSPREAD BEFORE WORLDSPREAD BEFORE]]
** Not to mention literally invoking this trope by [[NightmareSequence corrupting a game that's set in a dream.]]
** Being a highlight video, it plays up more of the bizarre aspects, such as a segment with a [[NumberOfTheBeast bunch of 6s]] (with a hidden pentagram, soon after, appropriately), and several enemies appearing [[ParanoiaFuel in places they shouldn't be]].
* In the later versions of the game, after Wart dies, there's some red under his eyes, almost like he's [[EyeScream bleeding from them.]]

* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49A63nJiYsI mini-fortress music]]. It's quieter than the fortress music of ''SMB 1'', which gives it [[NothingIsScarier another brand of eeriness]].
* World 8 of ''Super Mario Bros 3''. Apparently, Bowser's home base is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQCjaXRKoZQ Hell itself]]. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRMbsScm91Q gigantic, discolored hands]] that drag you down on certain tiles are especially creepy to a small kid. And if that doesn't scare you, the levels will because you are forced to play the levels without fail or you are sent back to the beginning of the tile section.
** The color limitations on the NES ended up (unintentionally?) making Bowser's castle look like some flesh-tint structure with teeth at the front gate, like the castle is an organism. Compare this with the SNES version of SMB 3 where the details have been improved and the castle is less jarring, looking more like a regular castle-château with the top of the castle emulating the form of Bowser's upper-skull.
* The [[http://www.mariowiki.com/Angry_Sun Angry Sun]] made some too scared to play past World 2.
* Some were also afraid of the Podoboos in the World 1 mini-fortress.
* Chain Chomps debut in this game, and there's a quirk to their behavior that not many know about. If it [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4THDnt3wSA pulls on its chain]] 50 times or if the timer hits 160 seconds, it ''escapes''.
** Notably, Chain Chomps are inspired by an incident in which Miyamoto was nearly attacked by a dog.
* The Giant Fish that constantly chase you as you race against time to get to high-ground as the water level rises.... if you don't make it to high ground in time, or worse, '''fall''' in the water, they will ''swallow Mario in one gulp'', no matter how big you are and, insta-kiling you. No chewing, no biting, just '''gulp''' and you're gone.
* There were also some terrified by the Hot Foot in the first fortress of World 4.
* The laser-shooting Bowser statues in his castle.
* World 6's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8LnHIODRMM map theme]] is pretty ominous and chilling compared to the other world map themes (save for World 8) in which gives off a feeling that something's bad is going to happen
* The first fortress in World 7, since the entire place is empty. No enemies whatsoever (barring the boss). Even worse is that one can see where the enemies would be, giving the feel that it was just suddenly abandoned.
* In the ''Super Mario All-Stars'' remake of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'', World 5's blue mini-fortress has both a lava floor ''and'' a ceiling. It's even more unsettling considering that in ''[=SMB=] 3'', lava isn't merely a harmless curtain for the top of a BottomlessPit; rather, touching it ''kills you instantly'', even if you're Super Mario. Or powered-up with the ''[[NotSoInvincibleAfterAll invincibility star]]'' for that matter.
* Boss Bass from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''. ''Super Mario 3''[='=]s Boss Bass in particular has this habit of jumping right out of the water, ''snatching you right off the surface and swallowing you whole in one gulp''.
** And what makes it even more nerve-racking that by ''swallowing you whole in one gulp'', means that no matter what power-up form you're in, being swallowed and gulped is an instant death regardless.
* [=SMB3=] can be [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CIBrncUxwg corrupted too]], as LetsPlay/ProtonJon found out. The video is called "Super Mario Bros. 3: Nightmare Edition."
* In Worlds 1 through 6, each time you transform a king back to normal, he gives you a letter featuring some advice from Peach. Come World 7, however, and the letter instead comes from Bowser, who has informed you that he has kidnapped Peach (again), with his portrait on the letter and a ScareChord taunting you. Those who expect Peach's usual advice letters are in for a [[JumpScare nasty]] [[PlayerPunch surprise]] [[WhamLine out of nowhere]].

* In ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'', Bowser falls into lava in the first world. Not much different from what happened at the end of every single castle in the original ''Super Mario Bros''... until the game proceeds to show him ''desperately flailing in the lava, and emerging with all of his flesh melted off''. Totally unexpected and freaky as all get-out.
** Mario's next line, immediately after the whole debacle is "That's-a so nice!" He probably wasn't referring to Bowser's death, but still...
** Later on in the game, it turns out that he's ''still alive and continues to live on as a skeleton'', which meant he actually got to ''feel'' his flesh burn off.
* Unagi the Eel is a regular type of enemy in this game. And there's also a ''giant'', unkillable [[http://www.mariowiki.com/images/3/3f/NSMB_World_8-3.png version]] of it, which is easily the most terrifying enemy in the game.

* Sorbetti, a giant rolling spiked snowball monster with a disturbing clown-like face and a really creepy high-pitched laugh. Because the fight planet is designed to look like the body to his head, it's even creepier.
* Cosmic clones in ''VideoGame/{{Super Mario Galaxy 2}}''. The ones in the previous game were simple Mario and Luigi clones that served as racing opponents. In this game, they follow your every action with a delay of a second or two. If one catches up to you or you bump into one, it hurts. You can't stop for even a quick breather or you'll get hit. And they keep coming. More and more of them get spawned every few seconds, leading to a seemingly endless chain of them. Even the nearby signs are afraid of what they can do. And worst of all, their corruption extends as far as ''[[ThatOneLevel Luigi's Purple Coins]]''...
** They mimic their movements perfectly, a few seconds after they do. You touch someone on the shoulder, they touch them seconds later. You pick something up, they mime picking it up themselves. And if you stand still, they collide with you, exploding into dark energy at point-blank range. And until you, or possibly somebody else the comet is focusing on, finishes an arbitrary task, they spawn forever. Following you everywhere.
* In several later levels, Magmaarghs (a much larger version of Blarggs from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'') rise up and engulf your platform in their mouths. They're huge, hideous creatures made of lava who look incredibly deranged, with strange eyes and huge mouths, and when they try to collapse into Mario or Luigi, they make a very disturbing roar until they lose their form in the lava.

* The swirling spirits in the background in the ghost levels, which looks like they're entering a bright portal to the afterlife.

* Bowser himself, as he's immensely powerful and gigantic in this game. He nearly devours Rosalina and her starship, and creates a black hole that he's in complete control of.

* An EasterEgg: In the yard at the end of any ghost house, waiting long enough causes a ghostly figure to appear in the background just behind the fence and will vanish after a few seconds. This figure doesn't actually do anything and cannot be interacted with, but what makes it creepy is that the thing resembles the Shiverburn Galaxy figures. They're not trees. They're still watching. And they're getting closer.
** Even worse, it could be [[WebVideo/MarbleHornets Slenderman]], in a Mario game. And as a bonus, it opens its mouth before disappearing, as if trying to scream at you.
*** The connection between the spirit and the ''[[=HellValleySkyTree=]]''... there's also a UFO visible if you wait a minute at 1-3. What other freaky stuff has Nintendo put in these games? Are they... are they trying a secret subplot told through weird Easter eggs?
*** Come to think of it, that UFO...we've seen a UFO like that before. Specifically, one that helped Bowser to airlift Peach's Castle in the first Galaxy game... Yes, others appear in later levels, but that first one that helped kick everything off--Bowser did ''not'' just happen across it on his own...
* The cosmic clones. They mimic Mario's quotes, but in a higher pitch with added distortion. When they say "Let's-a go!", it sounds like they're saying "[[CannibalismSuperpower Time to chow!"]].

!!''New Super Mario Bros. 2''

[[quoteright:230:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/boohemoth.jpg]]
* There is nothing okay about the Boohemoth seen to the right, the giant Boo in the ghost house in World 2 and World Flower. It has a [[NightmareFace terrifying face]], being between it and a wall means [[OneHitKill instant death]], and it doesn't even play by Boo rules- if you stare directly at it, it will occasionally peek out from behind its ghost-hands and inch forward a bit.
** What really gets you is when you're just entering the hall it's in. It just appears out of nowhere with a high pitched laugh that almost gives you a heart attack.
* The game introduces a Piranha Plant equivalent of Dry Bones. Its appearance is [[http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120916113746/nintendo/en/images/6/6a/Bone_Piranha_Plant.png unsettling at best.]]
* In World 6-Castle and World Star-Castle, Mario has to make his way across a lava-filled platforming level. The kicker? He has to avoid the Koopalings' special [[TakenForGranite petrifying gaze]]. If he's not hiding behind a wall, one wrong step and he'll most likely freeze, and fall into lava.

[[quoteright:230:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/grrrol.png]]
* The opening of the game is pretty jarring, with the giant Bowser claw crushing the heroes and throwing them out of the kingdom.

* Grrrols. They're one of those enemies that can't be killed by normal means, plus they have toothy grins and red eyes with black scleras. It doesn't help there is a '''giant''' version of it as well (seen at the right).

** It seems Nintendo is slowly trying to implement their own darker version of ''Literature/WheresWaldo''.
* There's also Motley Bossblob: a Koopa jester who summons BlobMonster creatures to transform into an enormous gelatinous [[AsteroidsMonster Asteroids]] MonsterClown, complete with GlowingEyesOfDoom and a SlasherSmile. And it chases you around the stage, hopping around erratically in an attempt to crush you, and if the player's afraid of clowns, it can become worse.
* Bowser re-kidnapping the Sprixie Princesses and using them to power Bowser Land.
* The [[AdvancingWallOfDoom advancing wall]] of Fuzzies in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpeqzW6ltLQ Fuzzy Time Mine]]. Resembling a fuzzy black void with faces randomly and chaotically popping in and out, it consumes everything in its path.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viYE2i4XZX8#t=58 music]] that plays in the final Captain Toad level sounds very chilling, especially in contrast with the more happy-go-lucky tracks in these stages.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand'':
** The way the enemies die is actually kind of creepy. Unlike the NES Mario games, where enemies generally flip upside-down and fall off the screen when you jump on them, here they lay on the ground, flattened and dead for a few seconds, before flopping off the screen.
** The Fake Daisys at the ends of Worlds 1 through 3 of ''Super Mario Land'' that are actually monsters can make the player jump.
** There are bonus rooms with SpikesOfDoom. Coupled with the quiet bonus room music, Mario accidentally jumping onto the spikes and dying is pretty frightening.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZm5cXRShO4 U.S. commercial]] for ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins''. To some it may be Narm but before Wario was portrayed as the greedy character he is today, the U.S. portrayed him in a way that made most young gamers rather afraid of him. The commercials for ''VideoGame/VirtualBoyWarioLand'' and ''Wario Blast!'' didn't help matters.
** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVeE9FhafaA&t=1m27s ending sequence]] to ''Super Mario Land 2''. Wario shrinks into a pointy-eared midget, [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment punts his shoe at Mario]], and runs off the castle balcony bawling. It became a bit more bearable in ''Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3'', when it was revealed that Wario has a "powered down" form a la Small Mario which looks very much like his diminutive appearance in the ending, but to a young child who doesn't know any better, it's easy to wonder: just what did Mario ''do'' to Wario to turn him into that strange little mutant? And [[FridgeLogic what happened to Wario after he seemingly jumped off a balcony on the highest floor of Mario's castle?]]

* The final stage of ''[[VideoGame/PanelDePon Tetris Attack]]'' for the SNES, where a Godzilla-sized Bowser rises out of a chasm at the end of a mountainside cave. [[OminousPipeOrgan Cue the sinister organ music]].
* While playing ''VideoGame/HotelMario'', you must never hide in doors during boss battles. While this does work for regular enemies in normal levels because they can't enter the door and hurt you, the Koopa Kids (except Wendy) or Bowser himself will enter the door you're in, come back out, and burp out Mario's hat, strongly implying that they ate him. The silence before the "lose a life" music does not help.
* ''Mario Teaches Typing 2'', like ''Mario 64'', featured the floating disembodied head of Mario. Unlike the ''Mario 64'' version, this one goes back and forth between [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments cracking jokes and being amusing]], to being [[UncannyValley just plain unsettling]] at times.
* The GBA puzzle game ''VideoGame/MarioVsDonkeyKong'' features a relatively realistic 3D rendering of Mario facing off against cartoony Thwomps and Shy Guys, and is brought up at this point in the page due to its ''Galaxy''-like series of disturbing death animations. The default animation (for example, stepping on spikes or touching a Shy Guy from the side) has Mario tilt briefly before he falls face-first into the floor ([[EyeScream or spikes]]) and stops moving. Then there's the specialty animations for dying to a fiery or electrical attack, which don't pull any punches about how terrifyingly painful it must be for poor Mario.
** There are [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAfOX4Jv9xw three different "death" tracks]] in the game's BGM. While the first two apply for "standard" deaths (the second is used for getting burnt by lava), the third is used for the most horrifyingly painful and gruesome (for Mario standards, that is) death animations, such as getting squished by a Thwomp, falling from a high place (with Mario falling ''on his head'' as a result) and, last but not least, getting ''electrocuted to death''. In fact, you can tell the various deaths apart by listening to the different pitches of Mario's variants of his classic "Mamma mia!". The first is "standard", the second is "exhausted", and the third is "a mixture of pain and horror".
* ''VideoGame/MarioTennis'' was the game that debuted Waluigi. In his debut, Waluigi, not only was pretty creepy looking, but made extremely weird noses all of the time, almost like a psychopath groaning in pain or delight. Whenever he scored, his celebration would have him [[GlowingEyesOfDoom making his eyes glow and flash purple]], all while bearing the [[SlasherSmile demented grin]] frozen into his face. The glowing eyes, to this day, remain unexplained.
* In ''Mario Power Tennis'', when Yoshi wins a trophy, there's an animation in which Luigi brings it to him. [[MeatOVision Things go awry]], and in the end Yoshi has swallowed Luigi. There's no scene where Luigi gets spit out, or even turned into an egg, [[OffscreenInertia he never escapes onscreen.]]
** Another one involving Luigi, Luigi delivers a trophy to Shy Guy. While walking toward Luigi, Shy Guy suddenly trips and his mask falls off. Only Luigi sees what's under his mask, and he is terrified. What ''is'' under a Shy Guy's mask?
*** Actually, Luigi already knew before then. In ''Luigi's Mansion'' you can remove the masks from Shy Guy ghosts revealing their heads to be completely hollow.
* The end of ''VideoGame/MarioIsMissing'', when Bowser is defeated, may scare some young children. You don't fight him, he comes out of nowhere and is shot out of a cannon, but then he falls into the ice, freezes up, is covered in snow, then shatters.
** Also one of the versions you have to rescue Film/KingKong. The image you get of him is his fist wrapped around the entire Empire State Building. Something that big is too terrifying for words.
* In ''[[VideoGame/MarioStrikers Super Mario Strikers]]'', we have Bowser, who is portrayed as a giant [[ImplacableMan implacable koopa]] who wreaks major havoc on the field with shells and bombs whenever the "Bowser Attack" options is on instead of comic relief. When that occurs, his entrance would be accompanied with a short, gritty rock n' roll riff or a ScareChord. Worse is that [[ParanoiaFuel you don't know whether when or if he will ambush anybody in his way.]] Even when he becomes playable in Charged, it does little to dampen the terror, considering not only does he often turn on his own teammates if he's on a winning streak, his gloves have ''blades longer than his own claws'' attached to them. Perhaps even worse is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_un7fv8JW04&t=29s the silhouette he gains when using his Mega Strike.]]
** Also, one of Peach's screams when she is electrocuted sounds like a realistic interpretation (i.e. screaming bloody murder) of feeling that type of excruciating pain in contrast to some of the other screams. Think about how she and the others feel in a more realistic way after that.
** The Mega Strikes can be this. Almost ''everyone'' gains an unsettling silhouette, and there's a look of utmost fury on (most of) their faces. Makes you wonder: ''what the hell is going on to cause this?!?''
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSN6KS-z3p8 The Game Over theme]] from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioKart''. What's scary is that if you lose all your lives, the screen darkens, your character vanishes, then "GAME OVER" drops in ghostly-like letters, with that nightmarish music playing in the background.

** There's a room in the Sunken Ship with a Mario clone that seems pretty harmless, like any other NPC. Except that said Mario clone '''turns into a Greaper''' out of nowhere, and you enter battle.
** When you initially arrive at Seaside Town in ''Super Mario RPG'', there is definitely something off about the place. The townspeople all look identical, and display disturbing behavior, like stopping mid-sentence to quietly converse with each other, and watching you sleep. It eventually turns out that a Smithy Gang member named Yaridovich took over and impersonated the entire town.

** The factory's basement where the final battle takes place, the floor is made of nothing but several Smithy's heads, and some particularly interesting ones seems to be looking at the player. It would be harder to beat him if those [[http://vinesauce.booru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=7112 eyes were glowing]]...
* ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'': The new Bowser's Castle course features a gigantic and terrifying flaming rock version of Bowser, which punches a forked road in the course repeatedly. And there's a chance that it may crush you under its immense fist, depending on which part of the road you choose. It's even the page image you see at the top.

* In Bowser's Villa, there are a couple of segments that contain several faceless Peach statues and a giant Thwomp that takes up the entire background. Before it opens its eyes to scan the area, you have to copy the poses the statues are in. If you fail to do so, ''you'll be sucked into his gaping mouth.'' Of course, you'll only be sent to the beginning of the segment, but still...
* The wall of Langolier-like Boos that you can only escape from while crying because it makes you run faster.

* The Mad Boos and Mad Big Boos, which look positively AxCrazy.
* In Bowser's Villa, there are several segments where you constantly need to avoid a pair of mechanical claw-like things flying in from the sides. Get caught, and you're treated to Peach being helplessly trapped in them [[StrappedToABomb while they begin a countdown to explode.]] There's nothing you can do if you get caught, unless you mash the buttons on the D-pad for dear life.

!! ''VideoGame/MarioAndSonicAtTheOlympicGames''

* During the Hammer Throw event in ''London 2012'', most of the characters will let out a [[ScreamingWarrior yell when preparing to toss the hammer]], but Daisy's yell in particular sounds more like a blood-curdling and realistic scream of pain.

* Daniella and Daisy's kidnappings are played to scary effect, and as far as the residents of Brooklyn knew, they and the other girls were missing and probably dead.

* The Goombas and Koopa Troopas are huge behemoths with tiny heads and flamethrowers.
* Lena's head motions and hisses invoke the UncannyValley, and she's intensely jealous of Daisy.
* Koopa snapping and attacking Luigi after politely asking them for the rock. He looks like he's trying to crush Luigi's head or gouge his eyes out.
* The brothers dissolving between dimensions. Mario was conscious of the fact that he ''disintegrated''.

* According to Mojo Nixon, who played Toad, Creator/DennisHopper's performance as Koopa legitimately scared him during the scene where Toad de-evolves. Toad freaking out as he's strapped into the chair ''wasn't'' acting.

* Lena stabbing Yoshi after trying to kill Daisy.
* Goomba!Toad getting set on fire.
* Lena shoving a guy out of the way by grabbing his face, then getting electrocuted when she dives for the meteorite piece seconds later.
* Lena being fossilized by the meteor energy.
* When the two dimensions start to merge, Koopa's twin towers -- one of which looks half-destroyed (actually, it's not finished construction yet, but the visual effect is the same), and the other of which has a glowing stylized "K" on the side that looks like, depending on how you see it, either an explosion or a gaping hole -- replace the World Trade Center towers. This scene can be nightmare fuel to especially survivors and family members of the victims of the September 11th 2001 Terrorist Attacks.
* When the dimensions start to merge, what is the first thing Koopa does when he arrives in New York City (specifically, Brooklyn)? He unintentionally de-evolves Scapelli (due to Mario, his intended target, jumping sideways out of the way to avoid it) into a monkey. Granted, [[KickTheSonOfABitch the son of a gun had it coming]], but still, it is kind of scary to be de-evolved into a monkey.
* The JumpScare of the Tyrannosaurus lunging out.
* Koopa devolving into slime.

* Creator/BobHoskins had a '''''terrible''''' experience during filming, suffering numerous injuries from '''''being stabbed four times, being electrocuted, breaking a finger, and nearly drowning.''''' He and Creator/JohnLeguizamo would get drunk on set to try and forget how miserable the experience was.

!! ''The Super Mario Bros Super Show''
* "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em": Queen Rotunda, an {{Expy}} of [[Disney/AliceInWonderland the Queen of Hearts]], ordering the Marios to be executed, yelling "[[OffWithHisHead Off with their heads!]]". Then, Mario tries to intervene, causing the queen to ask ''why he still has his head.''
* "Count Koopula" has creepy looking and sounding GiantSpiders that wear [[GasMaskMooks Snifit]] masks.
** Many of the horror-themed mooks in that episode definitely qualify, including the Koopa Troopas changing into [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent wereturtles.]]
** Koopa's vampire alter-ego, Count Koopula, is perhaps his most menacing and terrifying.
* Dr. Koopenstein's brain scanner in "Koopenstein" along with Koopa turning into the Koopenstein Monster when he gets too close.

* Everything has eyes. You can't go anywhere without being watched.
* A fear of heights as well as death by falling makes playing ''Mario Galaxy'' and ''Mario 64'' terrifying sometimes[[note]]since Galaxy had falling into an endless abyss/sucked into a black hole deaths and 64 had falling damage[[/note]].

* [[http://web.archive.org/web/20150729082440/http://www.suppermariobroth.com/post/57227938568/creepy-nurse-peach-art-from-the-german-club This]] image of Nurse Toadstool from the German Club Nintendo magazine has ''horrifying'' SkintoneSclerae.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPPLGfk6YdI The underratedly demonic You Lose theme]] from ''Mario Hoops 3-on-3''.

* [[http://pixeloo.blogspot.com/2008/03/super-real-mario-world.html This "realistic" Mario image]] is UncannyValley personified.

** ''[[http://brawlinthefamily.keenspot.com/comic/142-stumble/ Brawl In The Family]]'' noted this.

* Meta Nightmare Fuel from the fans in the form of a joke turned psychological horror. At one point, [[WebVideo/{{Vinesauce}} an internet personality]] suggested in jest that the entire series was a hallucination of Luigi's brought on as a side effect of brain cancer. This idea has gained a shocking amount of traction with a variety of fan works depicting the series as the deluded fantasy of at least one of the Mario Bros., including [[VideoGame/Terminal7 a psychological horror game made in the Source engine]].

Even Mario has run into his share of frights, as these examples will attest to.

[[Administrivia/SpoilersOff Per wiki policy]], '''all spoilers are unmarked'''.

[[AC:Spinoffs]]

* ''NightmareFuel/LuigisMansionDarkMoon''

* Several people are terrified by Boos. It pretty much all boils down to the fact that they [[ParanoiaFuel only chase you when you're not looking]]. It only leaves the door open to FridgeHorror.

** This is actually a major plot point of the whole game, since it requires Bowser Jr. to take command of the entire Koopa Troop in place of Bowser's death.
** Later on in the game, [[spoiler:it turns out that he's ''still alive and continues to live on as a skeleton'', which meant he actually got to ''feel'' his flesh burn off.]]
** In the final level, [[spoiler: Bowser Jr. uses a magic cauldron to restore his father to normal]].

* The final boss fight first starts off with a regular Bowser-on-the-bridge boss fight. Mario looks up to what appears to be Peach, a remix of [=SMB 1=]'s ending music playing... [[spoiler:before it starts LettingTheAirOutOfTheBand, unveiling Kamek in a Peach disguise. He gets on his broomstick and gives Bowser some magic...the ground starts shaking. Kamek looks down, wondering what's happening... and then, Bowser ''springs up'', looking tremendously huge, his eyes ''glowing'' [[RedEyesTakeWarning a blood red]], and he's '''''very pissed.''''' He starts chasing Mario down relentlessly in a mindless rage, with intense orchestral music playing and only becoming even more intense in the second phase...and it's [[HellIsThatNoise his roar that really sells it.]]]]

* Cosmic clones in ''VideoGame/{{Super Mario Galaxy 2}}''. The ones in the previous game were simple Mario and Luigi clones that served as racing opponents. In this game, they follow your every action with a delay of a second or two. If one catches up to you or you bump into one, it hurts. You can't stop for even a quick breather or you'll get hit. And they keep coming. More and more of them get spawned every few seconds, leading to a seemingly endless chain of them. Even the nearby signs are afraid of what they can do. And worst of all, their corruption extends as far as ''[[spoiler:[[ThatOneLevel Luigi's Purple Coins]]]]''...
** They mimic their movements perfectly, a few seconds after they do. You touch someone on the shoulder, they touch them seconds later. You pick something up, they mime picking it up themselves. And if you stand still, they collide with you, exploding into dark energy at point-blank range. And until you, or possibly somebody else the comet is focusing on, finishes an arbitrary task, they spawn forever. Following you everywhere. And when you think about it, aren't the other comets also FridgeHorror? Just think of what happens when, say, the Red Comet gives one arbitrary person a time limit to do one task before dying.
* In several late levels, giant lava monsters suddenly rise up from out of nowhere and engulf your platform in their mouths. The last one is particularly memorable.
** Those are Magmaarghs (a much larger version of Blarggs from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''). They're huge, hideous creatures made of lava who look incredibly deranged, with strange eyes and huge mouths, and when they try to collapse into Mario or Luigi, they make a very disturbing roar until they lose their form in the lava.
* In the Shiverburn Galaxy, if you change the camera to first-person mode and look toward the cliffs above you, there seems to be three mysterious shadowy figures on the cliff, watching you, and following you.
** They're supposed to be trees. It doesn't help though, because they don't look at all like trees. And they have glowing eyes.
** The file names? ''[=BeyondHellValleySky=]'' is where they reside, and ''[=HellValleySkyTree=]'' is the names; the ominousness of the trees were enough, but ''those names'' make them worse.
** The skybox implies that the cliff background is very far away, suggesting that these figures are somewhere between the size of a large hill to mountain-sized.
** They have since appeared in ''3D Land'' and ''3D World''. It seems they've taken an interest in the heroes... and the first trailer for Odyssey may imply that we may see these things again, this time up close and personal... [[spoiler: the tentacle.]]
*** The "tentacle" thankfully turned out to be a dinosaur tail.
* The swirling spirits in the background in the ghost levels.

* There is nothing okay about the Boohemoth seen to the right, the giant Boo in the ghost house in World 2 [[spoiler:and World Flower]]. It has a [[NightmareFace terrifying face]], being between it and a wall means [[OneHitKill instant death]], and it doesn't even play by Boo rules- if you stare directly at it, it will occasionally peek out from behind its ghost-hands and inch forward a bit.

* In a certain set of haunted levels in the Soda Jungle, you can see a giant, painted, Mega Bowser in the background. He has [[BodyHorror blank, milky-white eyes]] and just sits there looking like he wants to [[EatenAlive eat you]], [[ParanoiaFuel sometimes moving his eyes]].
** [[spoiler:There's even a Bowser Jr. version...]]

* As cited from a Miiverse post, the Shiverburn figures are ''back.'' They can be seen through a reflection on a Clear Pipe Cannon on the last main level, [[spoiler:The Great Tower of Bowser Land]].

* [[spoiler:Bowser re-kidnapping the Sprixie Princesses and using them to power Bowser Land.]]

** [[spoiler:The "Daisy"s]] at the ends of Worlds 1 through 3 of ''Super Mario Land'' [[spoiler:that are actually monsters]] can make the player jump a bit.

* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhB8XG9_5Rc U.S. commercial]] for ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins''. To some it may be Narm but before Wario was portrayed as the greedy character he is today, the U.S. portrayed him in a way that made most young gamers rather afraid of him. The commercials for Virtual Boy Wario Land and Wario Blast didn't help matters.

* While playing the infamous ''VideoGame/HotelMario'', you must never hide in doors during boss battles. While this does work for regular enemies in normal levels because they can't enter the door and hurt you, the Koopa Kids (except Wendy) or Bowser himself will enter the door you're in, come back out, and burp out Mario's hat, strongly implying that they ate him. The silence before the "lose a life" music does not help.

* The GBA puzzle game ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' features a relatively realistic 3D rendering of Mario facing off against cartoony Thwomps and Shy Guys, and is brought up at this point in the page due to its ''Galaxy''-like series of disturbing death animations. The default animation (for example, stepping on spikes or touching a Shy Guy from the side) has Mario tilt briefly before he falls face-first into the floor ([[EyeScream or spikes]]) and stops moving. Then there's the specialty animations for dying to a fiery or electrical attack, which don't pull any punches about how terrifyingly painful it must be for poor Mario.

* ''Mario Tennis'' was the game that debuted Waluigi. In his debut, Waluigi, not only was pretty creepy looking, but made extremely weird noses all of the time, almost like a psychopath groaning in pain or delight. Whenever he scored, his celebration would have him [[GlowingEyesOfDoom making his eyes glow and flash purple]], all while bearing the [[SlasherSmile demented grin]] frozen into his face. The glowing eyes, to this day, remain unexplained.

*** Actually, Luigi already knew before then. In ''Luigi's Mansion'' [[spoiler: you can remove the masks from Shy Guy ghosts revealing their heads to be completely hollow.]]

!! ''Super Princess Peach''

!! ''Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games''

* Lena [[spoiler:stabbing Yoshi]] after trying to kill Daisy.

* Lena [[spoiler:being fossilized by the meteor energy]].

* When the dimensions start to merge, what is the first thing Koopa does when he arrives in New York City (specifically, Brooklyn)? He unintentionally de-evolves [[spoiler: Scapelli]] (due to Mario, his intended target, jumping sideways out of the way to avoid it) into a monkey. Granted, [[KickTheSonOfABitch the son of a gun had it coming]], but still, it is kind of scary to be de-evolved into a monkey.

* Koopa's TransformationRay, especially in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgmABs0_JYI deleted scene]] where a guy gets devolved into primordial slime and sloshes out of the chair and onto the floor. As Koopa puts it, ti's worse than death--it's being undone.

* Koopa's TransformationRay, especially in the deleted scene where a guy gets devolved into slime.

* ''Mario Teaches Typing 2'', like ''Mario 64'', featured the floating disembodied head of Mario. Unlike the ''Mario 64'' version, this one goes back and forth between [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments cracking jokes and being amusing]], to being [[UncannyValleyjust plain unsettling]] at times.

* The infamous ''VideoGame/HotelMario'' had some rather [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQoFaU2iqxY unnerving music.]]
** Also in Hotel Mario, you must never hide in doors during boss battles. While this does work for regular enemies in normal levels because they can't enter the door and hurt you, the Koopa Kids (except Wendy) or Bowser himself will enter the door you're in, come back out, and burp out Mario's hat, strongly implying that they ate him. The silence before the "lose a life" music does not help.
* ''Mario Teaches Typing 2'', like ''Mario 64'', featured the floating disembodied head of Mario. Unlike the ''Mario 64'' version, this one goes back and forth between cracking jokes and being amusing, to being just plain unsettling at times.

* In a certain set of haunted levels in the Soda Jungle, you can see a giant, painted, Mega Bowser in the background. He has [[BodyHorror no eyes]] and just sits there looking like he wants to [[EatenAlive eat you]], [[ParanoiaFuel sometimes moving his eyes]].

* There's also Motley Bossblob: a Koopa jester who summons BlobMonster creatures to transform into an enormous gelatinous AsteroidsMonster MonsterClown, complete with GlowingEyesOfDoom and a SlasherSmile. And it chases you around the stage, hopping around erratically in an attempt to crush you, and if the player's afraid of clowns, it can become worse.

* Magmaarghs (a much larger version of Blarggs from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''). They're huge, hideous creatures made of lava who look incredibly deranged, with strange eyes and huge mouths, and when they try to collapse into Mario or Luigi, they make a very disturbing roar until they lose their form in the lava.

** There are even some demonic symbols and evil nuances within the video, like a [[NumberOfTheBeast bunch of 6's]], and even images of a ''demon''.

* The firebar in C-4 that practically requires you to take a hit. If you're Small Mario, it's almost impossible to pass.

* Meta Nightmare Fuel from the fans in the form of a joke turned psychological horror. At one point, an internet personality suggested in jest that the entire series was a hallucination of Luigi's brought on as a side effect of brain cancer. This idea has gained a shocking amount of traction with a variety of fan works depicting the series as the deluded fantasy of at least one of the Mario Bros., including a psychological horror game made in the source engine.

** The rotating spinning Fire Bars obstacles speak for themselves. But a special mention goes to an exceptionally long one found in castle World 5, and yes, it being longer in fact means an increased risk of getting hit by it.

* The story behind this game. Bowser invades the kingdom and kidnaps Peach. That's all you get from the game itself. [[AllThereInTheManual In the instructions book,]] however, it's revealed that Bowser laid waste to the Mushroom Kingdom and turned the Mushroom Retainers that weren't kidnapped alongside their ruler [[TakenForGranite into the blocks that Mario hits for powerups]], and the reason why he kidnapped Peach was that she's the only one that can break the curse. These poor Toads [[AndIMustScream are probably aware of their position]], and would have likely stayed like that forever if they hadn't been separated by Mario.
** Seriously, is ''no one'' bothered by the fact that these Toads are turned into the blocks you get items from? For God's sake the most pivotal item in the entire franchise, the Super Mushroom, comes from a Toad that's been turned into a block. ''You are decapitating defenseless Toads in order to consume their heads''.
*** To be fair, it wouldn't be the first time Nintendo ret-conned lore such as this, but the fact that ''that'' could've been the direction the Mario franchise would've gone in is rather unnerving...
*** The [[WebVideo/GameTheory Game Theory]] video on this led to a widespread misconception- [[https://legendsoflocalization.com/media/super-mario-bros/manuals/Super-Mario-Bros-Manual-US.pdf that same instruction manual]] clearly states the Toads are giving you the powerups, so you’re not killing Toads, you’re just getting a little magic from them. There’s still plenty of nightmare fuel to be had in the canon-after doing the one thing they can, Toads [[AndIMustScream trapped as blocks are completely unable to move]] until Peach saves them.

* The Hammer Bros from the original game? The ones that chase you if you wait? They don't wait this time around. They come after you IMMEDIATELY.

** The color limitations on the NES ended up (unintentionally?) making Bowser's castle look like some flash-tint structure with teeth at the front gate, like the castle is an organism. Compare this with the SNES version of SMB 3 where the details have been improved and the castle is less jarring, looking more like a regular castle-château with the top of the castle emulating the form of Bowser's upper-skull.

* ''The final boss. Big time.'' It first starts off with a regular Bowser-on-the-bridge boss fight. Mario looks up to what appears to be Peach, a remix of [=SMB 1=]'s ending music playing... [[spoiler:before it starts LettingTheAirOutOfTheBand, unveiling Kamek in a Peach disguise. He gets on his broomstick and gives Bowser some magic...the ground starts shaking. Kamek looks down, wondering what's happening... and then, Bowser ''springs up'', looking tremendously huge, his eyes ''glowing'' [[RedEyesTakeWarning a blood red]], and he's '''''very pissed.''''' He starts chasing Mario down relentlessly in a mindless rage, with intense orchestral music playing and only becoming even more intense in the second phase...and just like Bouldergeist, it's his roar that really sells it. Like...''[[HellIsThatNoise holy hell.]]'']]

* In one galaxy, a group of penguins are out swimming, watched over by a couple of larger penguins. To get the non-secret star in that stage, you must hit a switch that causes the entire area to freeze solid. It's not just the surface; you can see them under the ice, frozen in midstroke. Congrats, you just caused the Ice Age.
** The penguins above the surface don't even seem to know, and the small penguin in particular is even ''happy'' that ice coated the land. [[NightmareRetardant But]] look even more closely and you can see the water still rippling and fish still swimming. And in the second main star mission the penguins are perfectly fine.

* How about that black hole that spawns at certain places, waiting to suck Mario in if he falls off within range? the [[HellIsThatNoise sound too doesn't help matters at all]].

** What really gets you is when you're just entering the hall it's in. It just appears out of nowhere with a high pitched laugh that almost gives you a heart attack. Huh. An empty hallwa- HOLY CRAP!
* The game introduces a Pirhana Plant equivalent of Dry Bones. Its appearance is [[http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120916113746/nintendo/en/images/6/6a/Bone_Piranha_Plant.png unsettling at best.]]

* In a certain set of haunted levels in the Soda Jungle, you can see a giant, painted, Mega Bowser in the background. He has [[BodyHorror no eyes]] and just sits there looking like he wants to [[EatenAlive eat you]]. Wait [[ParanoiaFuel did his eyes move]]?
** [[spoiler:There's even a [[OhCrap Bowser Jr. version]]...]]

* There's also Motley Bossblob: a Koopa jester who summons BlobMonster creatures to transform into an enormous gelatinous AsteroidsMonster MonsterClown, complete with GlowingEyesOfDoom and a SlasherSmile. And it chases you around the stage, hopping around erratically in an attempt to crush you. Hope you aren't afraid of clowns.

** The way the enemies die is actually kind of creepy. Unlike the NES Mario games, where enemies generally flip upside-down and fall off the screen when you jump on them, here they lay on the ground, flattened and dead for a few seconds, before flopping off the screen. It gets worse with the Koopa Troopa analogues, which ''explode'' when they die.

* In ''Mario Power Tennis'', when Yoshi wins a trophy, there's an animation in which Luigi brings it to him. [[MeatOVision Things go awry]], and in the end Yoshi has swallowed Luigi. He doesn't get spit out. There isn't even an egg. [[OffscreenInertia He never escapes.]]

*** Actually, Luigi already knew before then. In Luigi's Mansion [[spoiler: you can remove the masks from Shy Guy ghosts revealing their heads to be completely hollow]]
* The end of ''VideoGame/{{Mario Is Missing}}'', when Bowser is defeated, may scare some young children. You don't fight him, he comes out of nowhere and is shot out of a cannon, innocent enough. It's cartoony. Then he falls into the ice, freezes up, is covered in snow, then shatters.

* In Bowser's Villa, there are a couple of segments that contain several faceless Peach statues and a HUMONGOUS Thwomp that takes up the entire background. Before it opens its eyes to scan the area, you have to copy the poses the statues are in. If you fail to do so, ''you'll be sucked into his gaping mouth.'' Of course, you'll only be sent to the beginning of the segment, but still...

* A meta-example, but ''Mario Kart Arcade GP'' holds a dark secret; [[http://tcrf.net/Mario_Kart_Arcade_GP three test images, two of them are innocent stuff, but the third one is a photograph taken from the September 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis.]]

** Smithy, himself. Imagine a cyborg-bearded-giant-king-mechanical being, with [[MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily More teeth than the Osmond Family]], and a couple of replaceable heads, each just as creepy as the original.

* ''NightmareFuel/MarioKart8''

* When the dimensions start to merge, what is the first thing Koopa does when he arrives in New York City (specifically, Brooklyn)? He unintentionally de-evolves [[spoiler: Scapelli]] (due to Mario, his intended target, jumping sideways out of the way to avoid it) into a monke. Granted, [[KickTheSonOfABitch the son of a gun had it coming]], but still, it is kind of scary to be de-evolved into a monkey.

*** The GameTheory video on this led to a widespread misconception- [[https://legendsoflocalization.com/media/super-mario-bros/manuals/Super-Mario-Bros-Manual-US.pdf that same instruction manual]] clearly states the Toads are giving you the powerups, so you’re not killing Toads, you’re just getting a little magic from them. There’s still plenty of nightmare fuel to be had in the canon-after doing the one thing they can, Toads [[AndIMustScream trapped as blocks are completely unable to move]] until Peach saves them.

* Good lord, the story behind this game. Bowser invades the kingdom and kidnaps Peach. That's all you get from the game itself. [[AllThereInTheManual In the instructions book,]] however, it's revealed that Bowser laid waste to the Mushroom Kingdom and turned the Mushroom Retainers that weren't kidnapped alongside their ruler [[TakenForGranite into bricks.]] The same bricks that Mario hits for powerups. And the reason why he kidnapped Peach was that she's the only one that can break the curse! These poor Toads [[AndIMustScream are probably aware of their position]], and would have likely stayed like that forever if they hadn't been separated by Mario.

* The Mask Gate in ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' (the eagle head that acts as an end of level gate) scared the crap out of some in the end of World 7-2 when it ''flew off the wall and tried to chase them!''

* In some versions of the game, after Wart dies, there's some red under his eyes, almost like he's [[EyeScream bleeding from them.]]

** The color limitations on the NES ended up making Bowser's castle look like (unintentionally?) some flash-tint structure with teeth at the front gate, like the castle is an organism. Compare this with the SNES version of SMB 3 where the details have been improved and the castle is less jarring, looking more like a regular castle-château with the top of the castle emulating the form of Bowser's upper-skull.

* The Giant Fish that constantly chase you as you race against time to get to high-ground as the water level rises.... if you DON'T make it to high ground in time, or worse, '''fall''' in the water, these bastards will ''swallow Mario in one gulp'', no matter how big you are and, insta-kiling you. No chewing, no biting, just '''gulp''' and you're gone. Shiver.

** Mario's next line, immediately after the whole debacle? "That's-a so nice!"

** Later on in the game, [[spoiler:it turns out that he's ''still alive and continues to live on as a skeleton''. Which meant he actually got to ''feel'' his flesh burn off.]] Wow, Nintendo.

* Hey, remember Unagi the Eel from ''Super Mario 64''? They made it into a regular type of enemy in this game. And also made a ''giant'', unkillable [[http://www.mariowiki.com/images/3/3f/NSMB_World_8-3.png version]] of it, which is easily the most terrifying enemy in the game.

* ''The final boss. Big time.'' It first starts off with a regular Bowser-on-the-bridge boss fight. Mario looks up to what appears to be Peach, a remix of [=SMB 1=]'s ending music playing... [[spoiler:before it starts LettingTheAirOutOfTheBand, unveiling Kamek in a Peach disguise. He gets on his broomstick and gives Bowser some magic...the ground starts shaking. Kamek looks down, wondering what's happening...and then, '''''WHAM!''''' Bowser ''springs up'', looking tremendously huge, his eyes ''glowing'' [[RedEyesTakeWarning a blood red]], and worst of all? Bowser is ''pissed. '''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis VERY. Pissed.]]''''' He starts chasing Mario down relentlessly in a mindless rage, with intense orchestral music playing and only becoming even more intense in the second phase...and just like Bouldergeist, it's his roar that really sells it. Like...''[[HellIsThatNoise holy hell.]]'']]

* In the Shiverburn Galaxy, if you change the camera to first-person mode and look toward the cliffs above you, there seems to be three mysterious shadowy figures on the cliff, watching you, and following you. You can read about it [[http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=126769 here]].
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu0vtkU02uM This shit. This shit right here.]]
** They're supposed to be trees. It doesn't help though, because they don't look at all like trees. And they have glowing eyes. Brrr.

** Even worse, it could be [[WebVideo/MarbleHornets Slenderman]], in a frigging Mario game. And as a bonus, it opens its mouth before disappearing, as if trying to scream at you... brrr.

* The cosmic clones. They mimic Mario's quotes, but in a higher pitch with added distortion. When they say "Let's-a go!", it sounds like they're saying "[[CannibalismSuperpower Time to chow!"]]. Yikes.

* The GBA puzzle game ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' features a relatively realistic 3D rendering of Mario facing off against cartoony Thwomps and Shy Guys, and is brought up at this point in the page due to its ''Galaxy''-like series of disturbing death animations. The default animation (for example, stepping on spikes or touching a Shy Guy from the side) has Mario tilt briefly before he falls face-first into the floor ([[EyeScream or spikes!]]) and stops moving. Then there's the specialty animations for dying to a fiery or electrical attack, which don't pull any punches about how terrifyingly painful it must be for poor Mario.

** Another one involving Luigi, Luigi delivers a trophy to Shy Guy. While walking toward Luigi, Shy Guy suddenly trips and his mask falls off. Only Luigi sees what's under his mask, and he is terrified. What ''is'' under a Shy Guy's mask!?

* A meta-example, but ''Mario Kart Arcade GP'' holds a dark secret; [[http://tcrf.net/Mario_Kart_Arcade_GP three test images, two of them are innocent stuff, but the third one is a photograph taken from the September 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis of all things!]]

** There's a room in the Sunken Ship with a Mario clone that seems pretty harmless, like any other NPC. Except that said Mario clone TURNS INTO A GREAPER out of nowhere, and you enter battle.

* During the Hammer Throw event in ''London 2012'', most of the characters will let out a [[ScreamingWarrior yell when preparing to toss the hammer]], but Daisy's yell in particular sounds more like a blood-curdling scream of pain. It sounds so eerily realistic!

* When the dimensions start to merge, what is the first thing Koopa does when he arrives in New York City (specifically, Brooklyn)? He unintentionally de-evolves [[spoiler: Scapelli]] (due to Mario, his intended target, jumping sideways out of the way to avoid it) into a monkey! Granted, [[KickTheSonOfABitch the son of a gun had it coming]], but still, it is kind of scary to be de-evolved into a monkey.

* Creator/BobHoskins had a '''''terrible''''' experience during filming, suffering numerous injuries from '''''being stabbed four times, being electrocuted, breaking a finger, and NEARLY DROWNING!''''' He and Creator/JohnLeguizamo would get drunk on set to try and forget how miserable the experience was.

* "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em": Queen Rotunda, an {{Expy}} of [[Disney/AliceInWonderland the Queen of Hearts]], ordering the Marios to be executed, yelling "[[OffWithHisHead Off with their heads!]]". Then, Mario tries to intervene, causing the queen to ask ''why he still has his head!''

[[caption-width-right:350: [[VideoGame/SuperPaperMario Your face is about to feel the burn!]]]]