- “I LOVE GOOMBAS! I love them so much that I made them a clubhouse! Aren't they just SOOOO cute when they scoot through those Clear Pipes?”
- —Goomba Lover, Super Mario Maker 2
Clear Pipes are pipes that make their debut in Super Mario 3D World. Like Warp Pipes, they are used for traveling distances too far for a normal jump to reach. Unlike Warp Pipes, however, Clear Pipes are transparent, and a player can change direction while in one. Additionally, players automatically enter vertical Clear Pipes without having to press a button.
Clear Pipes were conceived after the director of Super Mario 3D World, Koichi Hayashida, wondered what Mario did in Warp Pipes.[1]
History
Super Mario series
Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
While traveling through Clear Pipes, Mario and the other playable characters cannot use any attacks like on ground. Some enemies, such as Goombas and Koopa Troopas, can travel through Clear Pipes, and are automatically defeated when collided with while inside a Clear Pipe. However, there are certain obstacles found within Clear Pipes that damage the playable characters upon contact, as is the case with spike balls and the fireballs produced by Fire Bros or Fire Piranha Plants. While inside Clear Pipes, fireballs can be destroyed by other fireballs or nearby red POW Blocks from outside the pipes. Coins, Green Stars, and other objects can also be found either moving or stationary inside these pipes.
A cannon variety of Clear Pipes also appears. These ones are similar to Launch Stars and Sling Stars from the Super Mario Galaxy games, as they launch the player to another part of the level. Some of these pipes require the player to manually press 
to launch themselves out of the cannons.
All of the game's worlds, with the exception of the special worlds, are connected through Clear Pipes. Once a Sprixie Princess is saved from the castle at the end of a world, she constructs a Clear Pipe leading to the next world using either a hammer or a wrench.
In the Bowser's Fury campaign of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Clear Pipes are the main gimmick of Pipe Path Tower. Notably, this area introduces diagonal, sloped paths for Clear Pipes, something that was not done in their game of origin. In this area, Mario has to travel through different Clear Pipe paths to reach the top to collect a Cat Shine. Blue Coins and Cat Shine Shards can also be found inside Clear Pipes. Fury Bowser is unable to damage Mario if he is in a Clear Pipe.
All lighthouses that are activated or fully restored have Clear Pipes that allow Mario to travel to the top of the lighthouse.
Super Mario Maker 2
In Super Mario Maker 2, Clear Pipes appear as course elements for the Super Mario 3D World style. Like in the original game, Mario can shoot fireballs into them, and enemies such as Goombas and Koopa Troopas can travel through them as well. However, entering vertical ones requires using 
, unlike in the original game. If both ends of a Clear Pipe are blocked while the playable character is inside, the playable character will be trapped and lose a life.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Clear Pipes reappear in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and its Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch ports, acting the same as in Super Mario 3D World. Their cannon variety also reappears.
Mario Strikers: Battle League
In Mario Strikers: Battle League, Clear Pipes appear in the Strikers Club customization options for Mushroom Hill. Here, they can be used as a fence post, goal or goal-line decorations.
Illumination film series
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
- “Just pop in this pipe and we're on our way. It's the only way to fly, man.”
- —Toad, The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Clear Pipes appear in The Super Mario Bros. Movie as one of the methods of transportation on the grounds around Peach's Castle. As Mario attempts to take a closer look at a Clear Pipe, he gets violently sucked in and repeatedly hits the pipe's inner walls as he slides along.[2]
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Clear Pipes, referred to as Warp Pipes by R.O.B.,[3] appear in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in the Gateway Galaxy, where they are used to navigate to other areas of the spaceport.[4]
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Clear Pipes appear in the 4-Player minigame Twist and Sort in Super Mario Party Jamboree. They produce Cheep Cheeps and Bloopers that the players must correctly sort into separate water tanks.
Profiles
Super Mario 3D World
- North American website bio: Travel through these to find secret areas and move quickly through a course.
Super Mario Maker 2
- North American website bio: These Clear Pipes can be placed in any shape you like. Be careful, though! Enemies will make use of them as well.
Gallery
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Illustration containing concept artwork of key art for Super Mario Maker 2
Clear pipe goal-line decoration in Mario Strikers: Battle League
Clear pipe fence post in Mario Strikers: Battle League
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|
| Japanese | とうめい土管
Tōmei Dokan | Transparent Pipe | | [?] |
| Chinese | 透明水管
Tòumíng shuǐguǎn | Transparent Pipe | | [5] |
| Dutch | Glazen buis | glass pipe | | [6] |
| French | Tuyau transparent | Transparent pipe | | [?] |
| German | Glasrohr / Glasröhre | Glass Pipe | | [?] |
| Italian | Tubo Trasparente | Transparent Tube | | [?] |
| Korean | 투명토관
Tumyeong Togwan | Transparent Pipe | | [7] |
| Portuguese | cano transparente | transparent pipe | | [?] |
| Russian | Стеклянная труба
Steklyannaya truba | Glass pipe | | [?] |
| Spanish | tubería transparente | transparent pipe | | [?] |
References
- ^ Nintendo of America (June 11, 2013). Wii U Developer Direct - Super Mario 3D World @E3 2013. YouTube. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
- ^ Illumination (December 9, 2022). The Super Mario Bros. Movie | “Mushroom Kingdom” | Official Movie Clip. YouTube. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
- ^ @supermariomovie (March 10, 2026). "Attention, travelers! You have arrived at your portal to the stars. Visit the Gateway Galaxy and explore exciting worlds near and far with your faithful guide R.O.B.". X. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ Gateway Galaxy | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
- ^ Nintendo HK官方頻道 (May 17, 2019). 《Super Mario Maker 2 (超級瑪利歐創作家 2)》Direct 2019.5.16. YouTube. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
- ^ Nintendo Nederland (May 15, 2019). Super Mario Maker 2 Direct - 16 mei 2019. YouTube. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- ^ 한국닌텐도 공식 채널 (June 26, 2019). 「슈퍼 마리오 메이커 2」 소개 영상. YouTube. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
