Key

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.
==Description==
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.
==In ==
===Super Mario Bros. 2===
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.
===Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2===
Keys unlock various doors and force fields in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. They sometimes are obtained by defeating enemies.
=== Super Mario Maker ===
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.
==In ==
In Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, Keys are used by Wario to unlock a door to a Treasure Room.
==In ==
Keys are used in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Island DS to unlock various doors. Yoshi can only carry five eggs while holding a key. They are often found in crates, held by Baron von Zeppelins, and hidden in potted plants. A key is required to unlock the door to a Mini Battle house.
==In role-playing games==
Keys also appear as items in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, the , and . 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 Yoshi's Story==
Keys are used in a few castle levels to open locked doors.
==In ==
===Luigi's Mansion===
In Luigi's Mansion and its Nintendo 3DS remake, 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.
==Gallery==
es:Llave
fr:Clé
de:Schlüssel
it:Chiave
Category:Keys
Category:Items in Super Mario Bros. 2
Category:Items in Super Mario World
Category:Items in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Category:Items in Super Mario Galaxy
Category:Items in Super Mario Galaxy 2
Category:Items in Paper Mario
Category:Items in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Category:Items in Yoshi's Crafted World