Hammer
Hammer | |||
![]() Super Smash Bros. Ultimate artwork | |||
First appearance | Donkey Kong (1981) | ||
Latest appearance | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018) | ||
Used by | Mario | ||
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A Hammer is an item commonly used by Mario as a weapon in the Donkey Kong series and the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series. Hammers make their first appearance in the Donkey Kong arcade game, in which Mario uses them to smash barrels and enemies. Outside of the Donkey Kong titles, Mario has also used a hammer as one of his main weapons in the Mario role-playing games. The Kongs do not often make use of a hammer.
Appearances in the Donkey Kong franchise[edit]
Donkey Kong series[edit]
Donkey Kong[edit]
The Donkey Kong arcade game features Hammers, also referred to as Invincible Hammers,[1] in every stage except 75m. They are located usually in the corners, and Mario can only reach some by jumping at them. For a short time, Mario can use a hammer to destroy the barrels thrown by Donkey Kong, Fireballs created from flaming oil drums, and the cement tubs in 50m. Mario is not invincible while using a Hammer, because if he is attacked from the back or from below, he still loses an life. Obstacles can still damage Mario if the Hammer does not make contact with them. Mario can neither climb nor jump while wielding a Hammer.
Donkey Kong (Game Boy)[edit]
In Donkey Kong for the Game Boy, Hammers make a reappearance, and Mario can use them to defeat all enemies. Mario also has the ability to throw a Hammer upward; during several parts of his journey, Mario is required to do this and quickly climb up a ladder onto the next platform to pick up the Hammer again. If the Hammer touches a floor, it disappears instantly.
The game introduces Super Hammers, a stronger type of Hammer capable of breaking brick walls.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series[edit]
Mario vs. Donkey Kong[edit]
Hammers appear in Mario vs. Donkey Kong as a temporary power-up, retaining their function from Donkey Kong for the Game Boy. Hammers are found above the ground, and Mario is able to grab them by jumping. After acquiring a Hammer, he starts banging it on the ground repeatedly, destroying any enemy encountered on the path. However, as in previous games, Mario is unable to jump while carrying the Hammer. He will throw the Hammers up in the air whenever he begins climbing a Ladder or falls from a great height, with the Hammer rising and falling down slowly in mid-air to allow the character to pick it up again. This period of time when the Hammer is not in use is actually included in the time it takes until it despawns. When in use, the Hammer's characteristic tune from the original Donkey Kong game also plays.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis[edit]
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis and subsequent Mario vs. Donkey Kong titles, Hammers are only featured in pairs, and are wielded by Minis, who similarly swing them on the ground as they march. They can be used to destroy enemies and fragile Rocks.
Like in Mario vs. Donkey Kong, the Hammers are only used temporarily, after which it respawns at its original location. Also like in the first game, Minis throw the Hammers upward when they start climbing a Ladder or a Blue Lift, so that they can catch and continue using them shortly after. However, the time the Hammers are in mid-air no longer contributes to how long they last, and picking up a Hammer again resets its time limit.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again[edit]
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again, the Minis start glowing red when the Hammers are about to wear off. While carrying Hammers, Minis do not become dizzy after they fall from a height between seven and eleven blocks as they usually would. Falling from a height of eleven blocks or more still breaks a Mini, regardless of whether they wield a Hammer or not.
DK: Jungle Climber[edit]
In DK: Jungle Climber, there is a different type of Hammer that resembles a Barrel. It is one of Diddy Kong's items that can be used to assist Donkey Kong. The Hammer can be used to smash barrels, rocks, and other solid elements that Donkey Kong cannot break in his own. This item can only be used for a limited time before Diddy Kong drops it.
Unused appearances[edit]
Donkey Kong no Ongaku Asobi would have featured Pauline using a hammer, but the game went unreleased.
Related appearances[edit]
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
The Hammer from Donkey Kong is a powerful item in the Super Smash Bros. series. Whenever a fighter uses a hammer, they swing it back and forth repeatedly, striking anything upward in their path. The character cannot double jump with it. From Super Smash Bros. Melee onward, there is a rare chance that the head of the Hammer (named Hammerhead in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U) falling off, and the character swings the Hammer's handle back and forth, leaving them vulnerable to attack. However, the head acts as an item, and has the same power as the regular thrown item. When the Hammer is used, the Hammer theme from the NES version of Donkey Kong plays. The original arcade music is used in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the visual effect that appears when a hammer collides with an enemy or obstacle in the original game can be seen when an opponent is hit.
Introduced in Super Smash Bros. Brawl is an even stronger variant, the Golden Hammer, which originally appeared in Wrecking Crew.
When King Dedede grabs a Hammer, he will swing both the item and his own hammer, though only the Hammer item deals damage. Pit and Dark Pit swing the Hammer with only two frames of animation, referencing their animations when using a hammer in their original games (though Dark Pit's is due to being an Echo Fighter of Pit). This also applies to Mr. Game & Watch, although it is because of the way he moves. Wario swings the Hammer from side to side instead of back and forth. Mewtwo uses its telekinetic powers to make the Hammer revolve around it with the head pointed forward. All these quirks apply to the Golden Hammer as well.
Mario Power Tennis / Mario Tennis: Power Tour[edit]
In both Mario Power Tennis and Mario Tennis: Power Tour, Mario and Luigi use a Hammer in their respective Offensive Power Shots, the Iron Hammer and the Squeaky Mallet. Mario's Hammer resembles those from the Donkey Kong series.
Profiles[edit]
Donkey Kong[edit]
- Wii U Virtual Console manual: Sends Mario into a hammering frenzy. Hit barrels or fireballs with the hammer to destroy them.
Super Smash Bros. Melee trophy[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy[edit]
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U trophies[edit]
Gallery[edit]
Artwork[edit]
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis artwork of a Mini Mario holding a pair of Hammers
Sprites[edit]
Donkey Kong (Game Boy) sprite (Super Game Boy palette)
Screenshots[edit]
Names in other languages[edit]
Language | Name | Meaning |
---|---|---|
Japanese | ハンマー Hanmā |
Hammer |
Chinese (Simplified) | 锤子 Chuízi |
Hammer |
Chinese (Traditional) | 錘子 Chuízi 鎚子 Chuízi |
Hammer |
Dutch | Hamer | Hammer |
French | Marteau | Hammer |
German | Hammer Hammerwürfe (Mario Kart Tour) |
Hammer Hammer throws |
Italian | Martello | Hammer |
Korean | 해머 Haemeo 망치 Mangchi |
Hammer Mallet |
Portuguese | Martelo Marreta |
Hammer Mallet |
Russian | Молот Molot |
Hammer |
Spanish | Martillo | Hammer |
References[edit]
- ^ Donkey Kong online instruction manual, section 5 "Items".
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars | ||
---|---|---|
Characters | Donkey Kong • Mario • Pauline • Toads | |
Minis | Cursed Mini Mario • Gold Mini Mario • Mini Donkey Kong • Mini Luigi • Mini Mario • Mini Pauline • Mini Peach • Mini Toad | |
Enemies | Fire Piranha Plant • Monkey robots (Cannon Kong · Capture Kong · Circus Kong) • Piranha Plant • Pokey • Shy Guy • Thwomp | |
Worlds | Rolling Hills • Jumpy Jungle • Runaway Warehouse • Crumbling Cavern • Dashing Desert • Twilight Valley • Orbiting Observatory • Bonus Levels (Bonus 1 · Bonus 2 · Bonus 3) | |
Objects | Items | Coin (large) • Hammers • M Coin • Pickup |
Resource items | Blue Lift • Movable Pipe • Pink Block • Purple Conveyor • Red Girder • Spring | |
Fixed objects | Cannon • Color Switch • Conveyor Belt • Girder • Goal Door • Ladder • Magnet • Rock • Spikes • Warp Pipe | |
Further info | Gallery • Media • Official online levels • Slide • Staff (Nintendo 3DS version · Wii U version) • Stamps • Workshop Store |
- Hammers
- Hazardous objects
- Donkey Kong (game) objects
- Donkey Kong (Game Boy) items
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong objects
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis objects
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! objects
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars objects
- Super Smash Bros. items
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl items
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophies
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U items
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS trophies
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophies
- Super Smash Bros. Melee items
- Super Smash Bros. Melee trophies
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate items