Tank (Mario franchise)

This article is about the vehicle first appearing in Super Mario Bros. 3. For the enemies in Super Mario Odyssey sometimes generically referred to as "tanks" in the Prima guide, see Sherm.

Tanks^[1] are large, segmented, and heavily armed land vehicles utilized by Bowser and his armies in various games. They are usually equipped with various artillery, such as cannons, Rocket Engines, Bob-omb launchers, and Rocky Wrenches. In addition, some tanks were just mostly square in shape.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]

In Super Mario Bros. 3, there are only two tank companies, which both guard areas in Dark Land. The first one is found in the kingdom's first area, and the second one is in the last portion of it. There are 13 tanks (10 in Super Mario Advance 4) in the first level, and there are two regular tanks and three large tanks in the second level. Their texture is the same as that of the airships in Super Mario Bros. 3.

New Super Mario Bros.[edit]

In New Super Mario Bros., the boss of World 6 is Monty Tank, which is depicted as a Monty Mole piloting a tank.

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]

In Super Mario 3D World and its Nintendo Switch port, tanks appear in Bowser's Bullet Bill Brigade and Bowser's Bob-omb Brigade. In these levels, they slowly move around the levels, and Spike Traps are found on them. In this game, tanks have lights. The lights are activated only in the latter level, which takes place at night.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]

Tanks also appear in the The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 episode "Princess Toadstool for President," in which several tanks and Rocky Wrenches appear to attack Mario and Luigi when they enter Dark Land.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[edit]

In Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, a tank resembling those in Super Mario Bros. 3 makes a cameo near the beginning of the level Frosty Fruits, where it can be seen in a window.

In game designer Eric Kozlowsky's blog, there is concept art of the tank titled "SMB3 Tank," accompanied by a screenshot of a Rocky Wrench riding a tank in the original Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

List of appearances[edit]

Title	Year of release	Release medium	Role
Super Mario Bros. 3	1988	Family Computer / Nintendo Entertainment System	Vehicle used by the Koopa Troop in some Dark Land levels
The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 - "Princess Toadstool for President"	1990	Television	Same as in Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario All-Stars (Super Mario Bros. 3)	1993	Super Nintendo Entertainment System	Same as in Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3	2003	Game Boy Advance	Same as in Super Mario Bros. 3
New Super Mario Bros.	2006	Nintendo DS	Used by Monty Tank throughout his battle; it is different than the tanks in Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario 3D World	2013	Wii U	Same as in Super Mario Bros. 3
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze	2014	Wii U	Cameo in the background of Frosty Fruits
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze	2018	Nintendo Switch	Same as in the original Wii U version
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury	2021	Nintendo Switch	Same as in the original Wii U version