10 Pointless Super Mario Power Up Clones
2. Power Balloon + Power Flower
After obtaining the Power Balloon in Super Mario World, Mario will inflate and float in the air. He will deflate after 30 seconds or if he is hit by an enemy or projectile. This item is infamous since it is required to traverse through the Tubular level, which is often considered the hardest level in the franchise.
When Super Mario 64 DS was released, gamers noticed that there was a collectible that was a dead ringer for the Power Balloon called the Power Flower.
For most of these entries, the power ups and their clones aren't exactly the same; they're just very similar. But the Power Balloon and Power Flower have zero dissimilarities. One item is unmistakably a clone of the other.
Which begs the question; WHY did the developers bother to change the balloon to a flower? It might be justifiable if the Power Flower had an extra function. But it doesn't.
Imagine if in the next Mario game, the titular character could increase in size if he obtained The Super Sandwich. If it carries out the same function as the Mushroom, why change it in the first place?