- "I truly enjoyed the time we shared. I miss the way the inside of your pocket smells."
- —Skeleton Key
The Skeleton Key is a key in the Mario Party series. It is named after an actual kind of key used on some types of locks. The Skeleton Key can unlock special doors throughout the various boards, usually for opening up secret paths or shortcuts. To use a Skeleton Key, a player must reach a door and choose to use it. Its dialogue characterizes it as enjoying its holder's company, showing relief when the user refuses to unlock a door, and feeling sorrowful when used.
Skeleton Keys are replaced by Mini Mushrooms in Mario Party 4, which allow access to new paths via tiny pipes.
History
Mario Party 2
In Mario Party 2, the Skeleton Key has a golden bow on its head and is Luigi's favorite item. It is always for sale at Item Shops. The exception to this rule are the shops in Bowser Land where Baby Bowser forces players to buy a particular item, though he can force a player to buy a Skeleton Key. The only way to discard an unwanted Skeleton Key is by using it on a door, even if the player does not wish to travel through it.
Mario Party 3
In Mario Party 3, the Skeleton Key was redesigned to have big black eyebrows instead and continues to be Luigi's favorite item. It is always for sale at Item Shops, regardless of whether or not Toad or Koopa Kid is running it. Unlike Mario Party 2, it is possible for players to "use" a Skeleton Key on their turn like a normal item, which gives them the option to throw it away.
Mario Party Superstars
In Mario Party Superstars, the Skeleton Key returns with its Mario Party 2 design. It can be discarded the same way as in that game if the player has no use for it.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
In Super Mario Party Jamboree, the Skeleton Key returns again with its Mario Party 2 design. It is one of eight items that can be selected to start a game using Pro Rules, but only on Western Land and King Bowser's Keep, as they are the only boards with gates.
In Party-Planner Trek, Kamek owns a Skeleton Key in King Bowser's Keep, which is given to the player to use on a gate. This particular key, however, has a request to make before it can be used: it has a dream to ride the red pipe one more time. After temporarily making the Goomba that is in front of it move, the player and the Skeleton Key go through the red pipe, fulfilling its dream and finally allowing it to be used on the gate, with it saying that it knew that they would come to the gate eventually.
If the player obtains a Skeleton Key, and keeps it for the remainder of the game without using it, they will get the "Friends Forever" achievement.
Price
The following is a price list showing how much the Skeleton Key costs within the Item Shop in each game.| Game | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mario Party 2 | 10 Coins | 12 Coins if purchased in Bowser Land. |
| Mario Party 3 | 5 Coins | |
| Mario Party Superstars | 3 Coins | Only available in Space Land, Horror Land and Woody Woods. |
| Super Mario Party Jamboree | 3 Coins | Only available on Western Land and King Bowser's Keep in Koopa's Shops. |
Profiles
Mario Party 2
- Manual description (page 14): Use this Item to open Locked Gates on the ADVENTURE BOARDS. This can only be used when you are in front of a Locked Gate.
Mario Party 3
- Manual description (page 22): The Skeleton Key unlocks gates to certain paths on the boards. It's a must for shortcut lovers.
Mario Party Superstars / Super Mario Party Jamboree
- In-game description: Open a gate. Can only be used when you're next to a gate.
Gallery
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To view Skeleton Key's image gallery, click here.
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|---|---|---|
| Characters | Playable | Mario • Luigi • Peach • Daisy • Wario • Waluigi • Yoshi • Rosalina • Bowser • Goomba • Shy Guy • Koopa Troopa • Monty Mole • Bowser Jr. • Boo • Spike • Donkey Kong • Birdo • Toad • Toadette • Ninji • Pauline |
| Non-playable | Toads • Blooper • Bob-omb • Broozer • Bullet Bill • Chain Chomp • Chargin' Chuck • Cheep Cheep • Conkdor • Fishin' Lakitu • Flutter • Fly Guy • Fuzzy • Galoomba • Gold Cheep Cheep • Huckit Crab • Kamek • King Bob-omb • Koopa Paratroopa • Lakitu • Magikoopa Mega Cheep Cheep • Mega Blooper • Paratroopa • Penguin • Peepa • Piranha Plant • Pokey • Porcupuffer • Shy Guys • Sumo Bro • Swooper • Hammer Bro • Toady • Thwomp • Walleye • Whomp • Wiggler | |
| Boards | New | Mega Wiggler's Tree Party • Roll 'em Raceway • Goomba Lagoon • King Bowser's Keep • Rainbow Galleria |
| Retro | Mario's Rainbow Castle (Mario Party) • Western Land (Mario Party 2) | |
| Minigames | Free-for-All | Lumber Tumble • Big-Top Quiz • Scare-ousel • Snag the Flags • Sandwiched • Hot Cross Blocks • Light-Wave Battle • Thwomp the Difference • Cold Front • Hot-Hot Hop • Domination (4) • Three Throw (4) • Granite Getaway (6) • Tilt-a-Golf • Night Lights • Hammer It Home • Twist and Sort • Shuttle Scuttle • Tiny Triathlon • Pickax Dash • Gate Key-pers • Sled to the Edge • Rinks to Riches • Treetop Treasure • Treasure Divers (1) • Platform Peril (1) • Stamp Out! (4) • Trample-line |
| 1 vs. 3 | Cookie Cutters • Sunset Standoff • Unfriendly Flying Object • Lost and Pound • Arch Rivals • On-Again, Off-Again • Broozer Bash • Cage Catch • Income Stream • Blame It on the Crane (4) • Snow Brawl (6) • Squeaky Shakedown | |
| 2 vs. 2 | Rocky Rope Race • Pickin' Produce • Prime Cut • Dorrie Pedal-Paddle • Robo Arm Wrestle • Shadow Play • Match Makers • Defuse or Lose (5) • Jump the Gun (6) • Two-Axis Taxi • Tricky Turntable • Coin Corral | |
| Duel | Fast Fishing • Slappy-Go-Round • Stone-Eye Bowling • Fuzzy Heights • All the Marbles | |
| Item | Roll with It • Prize Line • A Stone's Throw • Flip 'n Find • Prize Drop | |
| Showdown | Mario's Three-peat (Leaf Leap (5) • Bumper Balls (1) • Shy Guy Says (2)) • Luigi Rescue Operation • Peach's Day Off • Daisy's Field Day • Wario's Buzzer Beater • Waluigi's Pinball Arcade • Yoshi's Mountain Race • Rosalina's Radical Race • DK's Konga Line • Jr.'s Jauntlet | |
| Boss | Dragoneel Slayers • Mega Stingby Stompers • Mega Rocky Wrench Wreckers • Boss Sumo Bro Blitzers • Bowser Crashers | |
| Koopathlon | Noggin Knock • Brick Breaker • Gold 'n Brown • Spike's Gambit • Down the Hatch • Which Door Has More? • Lane Change • Coin Conveyor • Sky-High Cannons | |
| Survivathon | Burning Bridges • Castle Hassle • Sleight of Shell • Fire Away • The Floor is Falling | |
| Kaboom-Squad | Juiceworks • Ball Volley • Ballistic Bingo • Bath Bob-ombs • Chomp Wash • Match! That! Item! • Trading Cards • Ski-daddle • Look This Way • Puzzle Pandemonium | |
| Rhythm | Soup Troupe • Parfait the Course • Whisk Cream • Spread 'n Butter • Short-Stack Chef • Burger Builders • Footlong Frenzy • Copycat Curry • En Barb! • On the Beet | |
| Mouse | Shell Hockey • Bowser Filter • Stuffie Stacker • Pull-Back Attack • Domino Effect • Bob-omb Makeover • Toad-ally Electric Escape • Ice and Easy • Bob-omb Toss • Net Gains • Get a Grip • What's the Scoop? • Knock-Knock Match • Goomba Scoopas | |
| Bowser Live | Talking Flower Says • Hitting It Rich • Goombalancing Act • Bowser Chicken • Speak Up, Junior! • Bowser Beats | |
| Items | New | 10-Coin Steal Trap • Bowser Byway Lever • Creepy Dice Block Tickets • Half-Coins Steal Trap • Loadstone • Markup Sticker • Mushroom Tickets • Payday Double Dice • Payday Triple Dice • Pipe • Shop Hop Box • Star Steal Trap • Steamer Ticket • Super Creepy Dice • Super Dueling Glove • Super Swap Mirror • Swap Mirror • Tide Shell • Tower Turner • Turbo Dice • Wiggler Bell |
| Returning | Boo Bell • Bowser Phone • Cellular Shopper • Chomp Call • Creepy Dice Block • Custom Dice Block • Double Dice • Dueling Glove • Golden Pipe • Hidden Block Card • Item Bag • Mushroom • Plunder Chest • Skeleton Key • Triple Dice • Warp Box | |
| Koopathlon | 3 Coins • 15 Coins • Amp • Blooper • Bullet Bill • Coin Bag • Double Medal • Imposter Bowser • Kamek • Star | |
| Bowser Kaboom Squad | Banana • Bowser Bell • Dash Panel • Hammer • Heart • Iron Hammer • Lightning • Mighty Glove • Super Heart • Trampoline | |
| Spaces | Blue Space • Bowser Space • Chance Time Space • Event Space • Item Space • Lucky Space • Red Space • Star Exchange • Start Space • Unlucky Space • VS Space | |
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Source: This article contains content from the article Skeleton Key from the Super Mario Wiki A list of the original authors can be found on that article's history page or on the local history page. |