Line #278 NightmareFuel/SuperMarioBros


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9	[[quoteright:325:[[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_smbnf.png]]]]
10	[[caption-width-right:325:The cherry on top: [[ParanoiaFuel this also has moving eyes!]]]]
11	%%
12	->''"S-s-scared..."''
13	-->--'''Captain Toad''', ''VideoGame/CaptainToadTreasureTracker''
14
15	With a [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros series]] as iconic and [[LongRunner long-running]] as his, Mario and his various allies have obviously run into their own fair share of frights, as these examples will attest to.
16
17	'''All spoilers are UNMARKED [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff per wiki policy]]. Read at your own risk! [[{{Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned}} You Have Been Warned.]]'''
18
19	The following examples have their own pages:
20	[[index]]
21
22	[[AC:Main series]]
23	* ''NightmareFuel/SuperMarioBros1''
24	* ''NightmareFuel/SuperMarioBros2''
25	* ''NightmareFuel/SuperMarioBros3''
26	* ''NightmareFuel/SuperMarioWorld''
27	* ''NightmareFuel/SuperMario64''
28	* ''NightmareFuel/SuperMarioSunshine''
29	* ''NightmareFuel/SuperMarioGalaxy''
30	* ''NightmareFuel/SuperMarioGalaxy2''
31	* ''NightmareFuel/SuperMarioOdyssey''
32	[[AC:Spin-Offs]]
33	* ''NightmareFuel/DonkeyKongCountry'' series
34	** ''NightmareFuel/DonkeyKong64''
35	* ''NightmareFuel/LuigisMansion''
36	** ''NightmareFuel/LuigisMansionDarkMoon''
37	** ''NightmareFuel/LuigisMansion3''
38	* ''NightmareFuel/MarioAndLuigi''
39	** ''NightmareFuel/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga''
40	** ''NightmareFuel/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime''
41	** ''NightmareFuel/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam''
42	* ''Mario + Rabbids''
43	** ''NightmareFuel/MarioPlusRabbidsKingdomBattle''
44	** ''NightmareFuel/MarioPlusRabbidsSparksOfHope''
45	* ''NightmareFuel/MarioParty''
46	* ''NightmareFuel/PaperMario''
47	* ''NightmareFuel/WarioLand'' series
48	* ''NightmareFuel/WarioWare'' series
49	* ''NightmareFuel/WarioWorld''
50	* ''NightmareFuel/YoshisIsland''
51	* ''NightmareFuel/YoshisStory''
52	[[AC:Other media]]
53	* ''NightmareFuel/TheAdventuresOfSuperMarioBros3''
54	* ''NightmareFuel/SuperMarioWorld1991''
55	* ''NightmareFuel/SuperMarioBros1993''
56	* ''NightmareFuel/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie''
57	[[/index]]
58	----
59	[[foldercontrol]]
60	[[folder:Main Series]]
61
62	!!''Super Mario Land''
63	* You know how in ''[=SMB1=]'', when you defeat the fake Bowser at the end of a castle, you then go to the hallway in the back and a Toad thanks you for rescuing him while informing you that "Your princess is in another castle"? This game does a pretty cruel twist on it. You defeat the boss in World 1-3, 2-3, or 3-3, go into the hallway behind them, and as gentle music plays you see what appears to be Daisy at first... only for her to reveal that she's actually an enemy monster in disguise while the music changes to a much more sinister jingle.
64	-->"THANK YOU MARIO." \
65	"OH! DAISY"
66
67	!!''Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins''
68	* The game's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZm5cXRShO4 U.S. commercial]]. Before Wario was portrayed as the greedy AntiHero character he is today, the U.S. portrayed him in a way that made many young gamers afraid of him. It depicts Wario hypnotizing the denizens of Mario Land to follow him and turn against Mario (and thus kicking off the game's plot), all set to a creepy "hypnosis" sound effect.
69	-->Obey Wario! ''Destroy Mario!''
70	* There's a bizarre enemy in the boss stage of Pumpkin Zone called [[https://www.mariowiki.com/Pikku Pikku]], which looks like a cross between a leech and a headless fish, and simply bounces back and forth while frantically wiggling. Just what the hell ''is'' that thing?!
71
72	!!''New Super Mario Bros.''
73	* 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 ''[[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath desperately flailing in the lava, and emerging with all of his flesh melted off]]''. Totally unexpected and freaky as all get-out.
74	** Later on in the game, it turns out that he's ''still alive and continues to live on as a skeleton''.
75	* If you fall into lava, not only does it [[OneHitKill defeat you instantly]], like in the older games, but you additionally hear [[HellIsThatNoise a violent sizzling noise with Mario exclaiming in pain]]. Alongside this, you can see a unique death animation.
76	* In World 3-1, you encounter the Cheep Chomp, a larger purple Cheep Cheep with a bigger mouth. It follows the footsteps of the above-mentioned Boss Bass and will [[OneHitKill instantly take away one of your lives]] by [[SwallowedWhole swallowing you whole]]. Throughout the first two Worlds, you've probably seen Mario get defeated by an enemy by [[CollisionDamage touching it]], fall into [[BottomlessPit Bottomless Pits]], or get squished by moving obstacles in the towers, so being eaten in one bite can be rather shocking.
77	* Touching an Amp will have Mario [[HellIsThatNoise scream out in pain]] while being [[ShockAndAwe shocked]]. This can be startling, especially for younger audiences.
78	* Unagi the Eel returns from Super Mario 64 and is a regular type of enemy in this game. In World 8-3, there's also a ''giant'', invincible [[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.
79	** This giant version also shows up in World 4-3, moving from right to left.
80	* In World 4-Tower and World 8-6, the lava ''rises''. You better start running!
81
82	!!''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''
83	* A platform in one of the ghost houses suddenly drops down, which can be very unnerving.
84	* 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 [=SMB1=]'s ending music playing... 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 giant, his eyes ''glowing'' [[RedEyesTakeWarning a dark blood red]], and he is truly ''LIVID.'' The demon starts chasing Mario down relentlessly in a mindless rage, with extremely intense orchestral music playing and only becoming even more intense in the second phase... and it's [[HellIsThatNoise his demonic, ungodly roar that really sells it]].
85
86	!! ''Super Mario 3D Land''
87	* 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.
88	!!''New Super Mario Bros. 2''
89	* Boohemoth. He just pops in out of ''nowhere'' in two of the ghost houses. Can easily frighten an unsuspecting player.
90
91	!!''New Super Mario Bros. U''
92	* In a certain set of haunted levels in the Soda Jungle, you can see a giant, painted, Mega Bowser in the background (pictured at the top). 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 also a Bowser Jr. version with the same properties.
93	* As with NSMBW, the final boss fight first starts off with a regular Bowser-on-the-bridge boss fight. When the player reaches the second phase, Bowser ''springs up'', looking tremendously giant, and gives off [[HellIsThatNoise that one demonic, ungodly roar for the ultimate battle]], with a slightly different intense soundtrack.
94
95	!!''Super Mario 3D World''
96	* 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, The Great Tower of Bowser Land.
97	** The post? ''"Anyone remember those mysterious faces on the top of the cliffs in [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy SMG2]]? Or the mysterious face in the ghost house in [[VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand SM3DL]]? Look closely at the reflection in this photo. Tell me what you see."''
98	* The Switch re-release adds a new mode called ''Bowser's Fury'', at first a seemingly mellow landscape based around the Super Bell and the cat suit, with Bowser Jr. helping Mario collect cat coins... with an encroaching, inky darkness off in the distance alongside a large black spiky mountain in the distance. But that doesn't quite put a damper on things on its own. What does, however, is that lump begins ''twitching'' as the spikes in it grow longer and begin emitting heat. Eventually, the mountain reveals itself to be ''Bowser'', who has undergone a transformation that leaves him more powerful than he's ever been, and [[UnstoppableRage stuck in a blind rage]], presumably over one too many defeats at Mario's hands. Bowser Jr. is thus helping Mario to try and knock some sense back into his dad, not just because he wants him back, but based on his fire breath now resembling a solid ray of blistering sunlight, because Bowser could probably ''snap the world in two'' if he wasn't stopped.
99	** The inky darkness is actually paint from Bowser Jr.'s magic paintbrush. What makes this a different case from ''Sunshine'' is that in that game, the paint was weak enough that ordinary water could clear it off. Here, the paint is so strong that it's acting more like ''oil'', floating on top of the water and not being affected by it at all.
100	** As the game goes on, Fury Bowser starts to get ''angrier.'' Yeah, the new SuperMode powered by anger ''isn't as angry as it can get yet.'' By the endgame, he's become so apocalyptically furious that the sky TurnsRed, and then ''goes past that'' to become a menacing pink. And as it turns out... Fury Bowser is actually a lesser threat compared to the more aware and more intelligent ''Giant Bowser''.
101	** Normally, Bowser goes back to being dormant after some time if you don't collect a Cat Shine or activate a Giga Cat Bell. However, near the end of the game, [[SuperPersistentPredator he stops doing this]], and you ''have'' to do one of either to get him to stop. At 47 Cat Shines, [[NoSell even those and the lighthouses no longer work on him]]! You ''have'' to collect 50 Cat Shines and trigger the FinalBoss fight to stop him!
102	** If that wasn't enough, user Insidious_NX made a mod that uses the more demonic-looking Giga Bowser from ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' as his base model, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlBC0CbJDVY& the combination is absolutely monstrous]].
103
104	!!''Super Mario Bros. Wonder''
105	* Castle Bowser is a fusion between Bowser, his Koopa Clown Car and the Flower Kingdom Castle that happens when he grabs a hold of a Wonder Flower, and the fusion is very creepy, especially with his demented swirly eyes and dark Piranha Plant clouds that protect him from any outsiders while he plots to take over the entire universe.
106	** Heck, how he wrecks havoc across the kingdom is pretty creepy. He converts all of the Popplins' houses into jail cells and has Bowser Jr and Kamek cause their own chaos in several of the lands.
107	* Bowser Jr himself looks creepy during some of his battles, specifically adopting a similar color scheme to [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Dark Bowser]] and a creepy mask that happens to have sharp teeth itself.
108	** His battle in Deep Magma Bog deserves a mention, considering that he turns the battlefield into a silhouette one during some of his phases, with the platforms growing really creepy orangish eyes which look very similar to [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings the Eye of Sauron]].
109	* The Talking Flowers are usually friendly, but the ones in the the Pyramid Wonder event in "The Desert Mystery" are the exception. You see reddish ones (keep in mind that red ones usually hang out in Badge stages and are encouraging) that will outright shout "Intruder!" as you enter the pyramid, with strong implications that they set up a trap as well. This is definitely something when most Talking Flowers are either friendly or just want to provide their own commentary and exposition.
110	* The entirety of the level of ''Muncher Fields'', which happens to be situated right in front of Castle Bowser in the world map. The atmosphere screams BleakLevel compared to everything that's been thrown at you so far - with rain being present, Bowser giving you an unsettling stare the whole time, and the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEm0tZ43BT4&list=PL2XjmdkuVL-3wJKAC7hwQ3BADByBhhj8r&index=46 creepy Fungi Mines music]] playing in the background. Thankfully it's a BreatherLevel compared to the two worlds it's situated between (Fungi Mines and Deep Magma Bog) but it's still really creepy, even by Mario standards.
111	* You endure the gauntlet that Castle Bowser throws at you and you're ready to take him on. Bowser Jr then activates a "super duper extra-cool Wonder" which backfires on him. This Wonder ends up being a distorted mass of everything that's been thrown in at you, with the music sounding very off and the Talking Flowers which appear have very unsettling voices compared to what you encountered beforehand.
112	[[/folder]]
113
114
115	[[folder:Misc. Games]]
116	* The Thwomps from Bowser's Castle in ''VideoGame/MarioKart64''; it's that disturbing EvilLaugh. The green one in the cell is scarier for some reason. Luckily, they aren't scary in the Wii version's remake.
117	%%* ''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 just plain unsettling at times.
118	* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'':
119	** In the Switch remake, Mack (now known as Claymorton) becomes this thanks to his unique introduction. He (as in the reddish figure on top of the knife pogo stick) sticks his head towards the camera, which is terrifying enough due to the lack of pupils and does a laugh. The unexpected factor of it can really catch players off guard, especially if they were used to just a goofy looking knife.
120	** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PN0XQIe6cg Kero Sewers]] theme. Backed by an OminousPipeOrgan, it's very eerie and gives a feeling of desolation in such a dark, underground area. It also plays inside Belome Temple within Land's End (which is a {{Palette Swap}}ped- Kero Sewers), in the depths of the Moleville Coal Mines that have become infested with enemies, and inside the cave areas of the Sea before you find the Sunken Ship.
121	** Seaside Town is creepy on your first visit. When you arrive, your first clue that something is amiss is hearing the same [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgMX2780ki8 ominous music]] that played when Mushroom Kingdom and Rose Town were invaded by Smithy's forces. In the former two places, it was obvious right away what was going on. In Seaside Town, however, it's not clear at first what the problem is. Just that ''something'' is off. The toads in the town all have an unusual grey appearance and seem to have trouble speaking properly, with frequent pauses in their sentences, and they behave strangely in general. Special mention goes to when you rest up at the inn. After waking up in bed, you see that the innkeeper has been standing there watching you sleep, before he runs out of the room.
122	** The Weapon Factory. It's an apocalyptic, [[TheNightThatNeverEnds sunless]], wind-ravaged, ghost-inhabited DeathWorld that's surprisingly creepy compared to what's mostly been a bright, cheerful game up until now. The assembly lines are full of copies of Smithy's goons the player already defeated, revealing they weren't people but ''products'' which Smithy is now ''[[OhCrap mass-producing]]'' in preparation for an invasion. The player immediately understands the Weapon Factory is [[HostileTerraforming what the Mushroom World will become]] should Smithy win. In the end, the heroes don't even fix Smithy's world once they beat him; the damage is too far done and they have to leave the place as-is, simply cutting off access to it with Exor's destruction.
123	** Smithy, himself. Imagine a cyborg-bearded-giant-king-mechanical being, with a couple of replaceable heads, each just as creepy as the original. Special mention goes to the Magic head for how ''unsettling'' it is to look at. He doesn't turn his head into a wizard's head or hat, but the [[https://mario.wiki.gallery/images/a/ac/Smithy3.gif?20060909165314 entire upper half of a wizard]] -- head, body, and arms, while still having a face at the base of the body.
124	** The final battle with Smithy. Never mind that he hammers his own ''skull'' into new weapons; he's a massive war machine in a playful fantasy world. A massive war machine that not only makes simpler ones in bulk, but (going by whatever the hell is going on with the Factory Basement in the second phase) is apparently ''self-replicating'' too, and the Smithy you fight is just the one currently active.
125	** The Remake adds an extra context for the final arena by littering the scattered remains of other bosses in the arena. Claymorton's pogo stick, Speardovich's tassel, a piece of The Blade, and Bowyer's still-smiling severed head. It's not just a storage area, it's a ''junkyard'' of dismantled Smithy Gang units that are likely to be salvaged and remade into whatever else the parts are useful for.
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:Subseries]]
129	!!''VideoGame/SuperPrincessPeach''
130	* The wall of Blindfold Boos in Bowser's Villa is so fast you can only escape from them while crying, and if they catch Peach they move on to swarm the rest of the screen before her position is reset.
131	* The Mad Boos and Mad Big Boos, which look positively AxCrazy, with beady orange eyes, sharper-looking teeth, and a more sinister grin.
132	!! ''VideoGame/YoshisCraftedWorld''
133	* "Be Afraid of the Dark" is [[SurprisinglyCreepyMoment a terrifying level in a cutesy, charming game]]. The level's primary enemies are [[TheJuggernaut invincible]] MonsterClown ragdolls with axes chasing you throughout the stage. They can pop out from the background at any moment, make a [[HellIsThatNoise horrific screeching sound when doing so]], [[JumpScare and one moment has them appear]] ''[[JumpScare en masse]]'' [[JumpScare when you hit a winged cloud]]. Even worse is the atmosphere, since almost everything is dark and dreary, and even the ''text boxes'' are ominous jumbled phrases that would feel more at home in a psychological horror game. And to top it all off, there's [[SymbolicBlood red paint on the walls]] as a stand-in for blood.
134	[[/folder]]
135
136	[[folder:Other]]
137	* The German Club Nintendo comic ''Super Mario in Die Nacht des Grauens'' [[labelnote:(ENG)]]Super Mario in The Night of Horror[[/labelnote]] features a [[http://www.mariowiki.com/File:DNDG_CN4.jpg zombie Princess Peach]] with creepy black eyes and a pale, cracked face.
138	** What led to Peach becoming a zombie; Prior to her zombication, Wario had made a deal with Abigor to allow his demons into the skyscraper, where in exchange, Abigor would manipulate Peach’s brain to make her love Wario. Her ending up as a zombie raises a lot of questions about Abigor’s promise, such as him going against the deal or turning her into a zombie was his way of fulfilling his end of the bargain.
139	* The ''Super Mario-kun'' manga's ''Wario's Woods'' arc has a ''[[SarcasmMode delightful]]'' illustration of Yoshi's snout '''[[https://64.media.tumblr.com/2f87f7e4598a49d731f92c69c17c1003/9ab81f20b98d1597-49/s1280x1920/2e40fe299865587a070631110ecf59c9771fdb8e.jpg GRAPHICALLY CRACKING APART]]''' '''AND''' '''[[https://64.media.tumblr.com/3daabfda7af9eba4ed27488b35e2e6d3/9ab81f20b98d1597-cb/s2048x3072/e3cbe9990d2bcfb4ba36f4e15e2f0030d7b7a543.jpg SHATTERING INTO TINY PIECES]]''' complete with his eyes becoming bloodshot due to the pressure. And you thought being thrown in lava was the worst thing to happen to him...
140	[[/folder]]

Context NightmareFuel / SuperMarioBros