A key is a recurring type of item. Keys made their first Mario-related appearance in Donkey Kong Jr., but would not be introduced within the Mario franchise itself until Super Mario Bros. 2.
Keys are generally used to unlock Key Doors and other locked objects, such as gates. Keys most commonly appear in the platforming and role-playing games, generally as objects and items respectively.
Unlike real-world keys, a majority of generic keys in Mario-related media are only single-use items. Keys have several variations, many of which are also single-use.
The player's character—either Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, or Toad—have to use Keys throughout their journey to unlock a Key Door. Most Keys are found within jars. Each Key is guarded by a Phanto, so if the player's character picks up a Key, a Phanto begins to chase them and tries to glide into them, causing the character to take damage. The player's character can make the Phanto disappear by either dropping the Key or once they have used it on a Key Door.
Super Mario World[]
Keys appear in certain levels in Super Mario World, often in hard-to-reach areas and outside of the main path that Mario or Luigi has to take. If Mario or Luigi find a Key in a level, he can take it to its corresponding keyhole to that level's secret exit and open an alternate route on the overworld. A Key can also be kicked at enemies. Either Mario or Luigi can carry the Key themselves or have Yoshi carry the Key in his mouth. Levels with a Key are represented by a red dot instead of a yellow one.
Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS[]
Keys reoccur in the popular game with different uses. The first key is used to open the castle door. Others found in certain levels allow for Bowser stages to become accessible. In Super Mario 64 DS, the rest are used for unlocking minigames, and are each obtained by catching a rabbit.
Keys that are obtained by shaking a P Switch are used to unlock Key Doors. Depending on the course, some Keys are obtained by defeating an enemy or by collecting enough Pink Coins.
Keys also appear as items in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, the Paper Mario series, and Mario & Luigi series. The Keys themselves are either often found in chests or are obtained from other characters. While most chests do not require keys to open, some doors in dungeons may be locked, generally those leading to special rooms or boss battles, and require a key to unlock.
In Luigi's Mansion and its Nintendo 3DSremake, keys are used to unlock the various doors of the mansion. Usually, they are found in treasure chests after clearing the room of ghosts, but that is not always the case. For example, the first key obtained in the Wardrobe Room is found on top of a clothes rack. In each area, after defeating its boss Portrait Ghost, Luigi obtains a special key that allows him to access the next area in the mansion. Area 4's Special Key is instead acquired by vacuuming up the penultimate Portrait Ghost, Vincent Van Gore, so that Luigi can continue on to battle King Boo and Bowser.
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon[]
Keys are similarly found in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. Often hidden around rooms or in enemies, Luigi must use the Keys to open various doors throughout all five mansions.
Trivia[]
An item in Pikmin 2 named The Key is designed after the keys from Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario World, Yoshi's Island, and Yoshi's Island DS.
Slip Slidin' Away • Lil' Penguin Lost • Big Penguin Race • Frosty Slide for 8 Red Coins • Snowman's Lost His Head • Wall Kicks Will Work (N64)/Mario's Super Wall Kick (DS) • Switch Star of Cool, Cool Mountain (DS)
Big Boo's Haunt
Go on a Ghost Hunt • Ride Big Boo's Merry Go Round • Secret of the Haunted Books • Seek the 8 Red Coins • Big Boo's Balcony • Eye to Eye in the Secret Room • Switch Star of the Basement
Hazy Maze Cave
Swimming Beast in the Cavern • Elevate for 8 Red Coins • Metal-Head Mario Can Move! (N64)/Metal-Head Wario Can Move (DS) • Navigating the Toxic Maze • A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit • Watch for Rolling Rocks • Underground Switch Star
In the Talons of the Big Bird • Shining Atop the Pyramid • Inside the Ancient Pyramid • Stand Tall On the Four Pillars • Free Flying For 8 Red Coins (5th Star, N64) (7th Star, DS) • Tox Box Switch Star (DS) • Pyramid Puzzle
Snowman's Big Head • Chill with the Bully • In the Deep Freeze (N64) • Yoshi's Ice Sculpture (DS) • Whirl from the Freezing Pond • Shell Shreddin' for Red Coins (N64) • Snowman's Silver Star (DS) • Into the Igloo • Red Coins in the House (DS)
Wet-Dry World
Shocking Arrow Lifts! • Top o' the Town • Secrets in the Shallows and Sky (N64)/5 Secrets in the Shallows and Sky (DS) • Express Elevator--Hurry Up! • Go to Town for Red Coins (N64)/Go to Town for the Red Coins (DS) • Quick Race Through Downtown! • Soaked Silver Stars (DS)
Tall, Tall Mountain
Scale the Mountain • Mystery of the Monkey Cage • Scary 'Shrooms, Red Coins • Mysterious Mountainside • Breathtaking View from Bridge (Star 5, N64)/Breathtaking View from the Bridge (Star 7, DS) • Blast to the Lonely Mushroom (Star 6, N64) (Star 5, DS) • 5 Secrets of the Mountain
Roll into the Cage (N64) • Luigi in the Cage (DS) • The Pit and the Pendulums (N64) • The Pendulum Switch Star (DS) • Get a Hand • Stomp on the Thwomp •Timed Jumps on Moving Bars • Stop Time for Red Coins • Tick Tock Silver Stars
Rainbow Ride
Cruiser Crossing the Rainbow • The Big House in the Sky • Coins Amassed in a Maze • Swingin' in the Breeze • Tricky Triangles! • Somewhere over the Rainbow • Switch Star of the Manor
Dino Piranha • A Snack of Cosmic Proportions • King Kaliente's Battle Fleet • Dino Piranha Speed Run* • Purple Coin Omelet* • Luigi on the Roof
Honeyhive Galaxy
Bee Mario/Luigi Takes Flight • Trouble on the Tower • Big Bad Bugaboom • Honeyhive Cosmic Mario/Luigi Race* • The Honeyhive's Purple Coins* • Luigi in the Honeyhive Kingdom
Loopdeeloop Galaxy
Surfing 101
Flipswitch Galaxy
Painting the Planet Yellow
Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor
Megaleg's Moon
Sweet Sweet Galaxy
Rocky Road
Space Junk Galaxy
Pull Star Path • Kamella's Airship Attack • Tarantox's Tangled Web • Pull Star Path Speed Run* • Purple Coin Spacewalk* • Yoshi's Unexpected Appearance
Rolling Green Galaxy
Rolling in the Clouds
Battlerock Galaxy
Battlerock Barrage • Breaking into the Battlerock • Topmaniac and the Topman Tribe • Topmaniac's Daredevil Run* • Purple Coins on the Battlerock* • Battlerock's Garbage Dump • Luigi under the Saucer
Hurry-Scurry Galaxy
Shrinking Satellite
Bowser's Star Reactor
The Fiery Stronghold
Sling Pod Galaxy
A Very Sticky Situation
Beach Bowl Galaxy
Sunken Treasure • Passing the Swim Test • The Secret Undersea Cavern • Fast Foes on the Cyclone Stone* • Beachcombing for Purple Coins* • Wall Jumping up Waterfalls
Bubble Breeze Galaxy
Through the Poison Swamp
Ghostly Galaxy
Luigi and the Haunted Mansion • A Very Spooky Sprint • Beware of Bouldergeist • Bouldergeist's Daredevil Run* • Purple Coins in the Bone Pen* • Matter Splatter Mansion
Bunnies in the Wind • The Dirty Tricks of Major Burrows • Gusty Garden's Gravity Scramble • Major Burrows's Daredevil Run* • Purple Coins on the Puzzle Cube* • The Golden Chomp
Freezeflame Galaxy
The Frozen Peak of Baron Brrr • Freezeflame's Blistering Core • Hot and Cold Collide • Frosty Cosmic Mario/Luigi Race* •Purple Coins on the Summit* • Conquering the Summit
Dusty Dune Galaxy
Soaring on the Desert Winds • Blasting through the Sand • Sunbaked Sand Castle • Sandblast Speed Run* • Purple Coins in the Desert* • Bullet Bill on Your Back • Treasure of the Pyramid
Honeyclimb Galaxy
Scaling the Sticky Wall
Bowser's Dark Matter Plant
Darkness on the Horizon
Bigmouth Galaxy
Bigmouth's Gold Bait
Gold Leaf Galaxy
Star Bunnies on the Hunt • Cataquack to the Skies • When It Rains, It Pours • Cosmic Mario/Luigi Forest Race* • Purple Coins in the Woods* • The Bell on the Big Tree
Sea Slide Galaxy
Going after Guppy • Faster Than a Speeding Penguin • The Silver Stars of Sea Slide • Underwater Cosmic Mario/Luigi Race* • Purple Coins by the Seaside* • Hurry, He's Hungry
Toy Time Galaxy
Heavy Metal Mecha-Bowser • Mario/Luigi Meets Mario • Bouncing Down Cake Lane • Fast Foes of Toy Time* • Luigi's Purple Coins* • The Flipswitch Chain
Bonefin Galaxy
Kingfin's Fearsome Waters
Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor
King Kaliente's Spicy Return
Sand Spiral Galaxy
Choosing a Favorite Snack
Deep Dark Galaxy
The Underground Ghost Ship • Bubble Blastoff • Guppy and the Underground Lake • Ghost Ship Daredevil Run* • Plunder the Purple Coins* • Boo in a Box
Dreadnought Galaxy
Infiltrating the Dreadnought • Dreadnought's Colossal Cannons • Revenge of the Topman Tribe • Topman Tribe Speed Run* • Battlestation's Purple Coins* • Dreadnought's Garbage Dump
Matter Splatter Galaxy
Watch Your Step
Melty Molten Galaxy
The Sinking Lava Spire • Through the Meteor Storm • Fiery Dino Piranha • Lava Spire Daredevil Run* • Red-Hot Purple Coins* • Burning Tide
Missions marked with an asterisk (*) are exclusively available while a Prankster Comet is in orbit. Missions marked with two asterisks (**) are only available when receiving a letter from Mailtoad.
Visit Koopa And Para-Koopa (World 2-1) • The Baseball Boys (2-2) • What's Gusty Taste Like? (2-3) • Bigger Boo's Fort (2-4) • Watch Out For Lakitu (2-5) • The Cave Of The Mystery Maze (2-6) • Lakitu's Wall (2-7) • The Potted Ghost's Castle (2-8) • Hit That Switch!! (2-★)
Welcome to Monkey World! (3-1) • Jungle Rhythm (3-2) • Nep-Enut's Domain (3-3) • Prince Froggy's Fort (3-4) • Jammin' Through The Trees (3-5) • The Cave Of Harry Hedgehog (3-6) • Monkey's Favorite Lake (3-7) • Naval Piranha's Castle (3-8) • Hit That Switch!! (3-★)
GO! GO! MARIO!! (4-1) • The Cave Of The Lakitus (4-2) • Don't Look Back! (4-3) • Marching Milde's Fort (4-4) • Chomp Rock Zone (4-5) • Lake Shore Paradise (4-6) • Ride Like The Wind (4-7) • Hookbill The Koopa's Castle (4-8) • The Impossible? Maze (4-★)
Scary Skeleton Goonies! (6-1) • The Cave Of The Bandits (6-2) • Beware The Spinning Logs (6-3) • Tap-Tap The Red Nose's Fort (6-4) • The Very Loooooong Cave (6-5) • The Deep Underground Maze (6-6) • KEEP MOVING!!!! (6-7) • King Bowser's Castle (6-8) • Ultimate Castle Challenge (6-★)
Rock 'n' Fall • High-Speed Cart Race • In the Clouds • Six Face Sal's Fort • Friend or Foe? • Slip Slidin' Away • Teeth-Chattering Chill Zone • Castle of Big Guy the Stilted • Hurry and Throw! • Let There Be Light! • Roulette
Rompin', Stompin' Chomps • Goonie Heights • Spear Guys' Village Found! • The Fort of Moltz the Very Goonie • The Cave That Never Ends • Find the Number Ball! • Superhard Acrobatics • At Last, Bowser's Castle! • Yoshi's Island Easter Eggs • Quit it Already, Tap-Tap! • Slot Machine
Ancient Exhibit • Archives • Aviation Exhibit • Bottom of Well • Ceremonial Chamber • Cliffside • Dark Age Exhibit • Dungeon Cells • East Balcony • East Corridor • East Gallery • Front Entrance • Gargoyle Roof • Grand East • Grand West • Guard Tunnel • Haunted Catacombs • Ice Age Exhibit • Inner Courtyard • Jungle Exhibit • Kitchen • Nautical Exhibit • Restrooms • Space Exhibit • Study • Terrace • Train Exhibit • Underground Lab • Veranda • West Balcony • West Corridor • West Gallery
Drainage Control • Drainage Control Hall • Elevator Hall • Main Tank • Observation • Old Reservoir • Reservoir • Sewer A • Sewer B • Sewer C • Storage Room • Waterworks
Basement
Elevator Shaft • Garage • Laundry Room • Lab • Service Hallway • Service Stairwell
Antechamber • Armory • Bridge Room • Cage-Lift Room • Cart Storage Room • Cellar • Coliseum • Coliseum Balcony • Coliseum Hallway • Dungeon • Front Gate • Hall of Armor • Royal Coffers • Stairway • Waterwheel Room
Garden Suites
Atrium • Blooming Bathroom • Blooming Suite • Elevator Hall • Ivy Bathroom • Ivy Suite • Mushroom Suite • Thorny Bathroom
Paranormal Productions
Backstage • Editing Room • Elevator Hall • Entrance Hall • Studio Entrance • Studio 1: Horror Set • Studio 2: Castle Set • Studio 3: Fire Set • Studio 4: Micro Set • Studio 5: City Set
Unnatural History Museum
Elevator Hall • Exhibit Hall
Tomb Suites
Altar Chamber • Central Chamber • Elevator Hall • Hidden Passageway • Jewel Chamber • Pit Chamber • Sandy Grand Hall • Scale Chamber • Secret Passageway • Snake Chamber
Twisted Suites
Bladed Bedroom • Elevator Hall • False Bedroom • Gallery • Hall • Illusion Bathroom • Inverted Bedroom • Laundry Room • Lounge • Mirror Bathroom • Stage • Suit Bathroom • Trainer's Bedroom • Wardrobe • Water Tank Bathroom
The Spectral Catch
Beach • Elevator Hall • Grotto Lounge
Fitness Center
Elevator Hall • Gym Lobby • Locker Room • Pool • Pool - Back Access • Shower Room • Training Room • Weight Room • Yoga Room • 13F Exterior
