Softlock

A softlock occurs when the game is put into a state where, though it has not crashed or ceased functioning, it has been put into a state from which there is no way to exit without resetting the console.

Known Softlocks

  • Repeatedly bonking within a glitchy wall[1]
  • Getting stuck in a Black Room of Death
  • Activating a death, star, sign text, or painting entrance cutscene at the same time as a specific type of star activation cutscene (mainly item box stars)[2][3][4]
  • Being grabbed by Heave-Ho or Chuckya while releasing its clone
  • Being grabbed by Chuckya while in Timestop[5]
  • Being thrown by a Heave-Ho while underwater[6]
  • Being grabbed by Chuckya the same frame he dies or being grabbed in midair and having Chuckya unload[7]
  • Collecting a star in vertical wind
  • Activating a star in a PU[8]
  • Talking to Yoshi while your lives counter is stuck (i.e. while having 1000 coins on the Japanese version)[9]
  • Talking to Yoshi while falling off the roof[10]
  • Dying when Lakitu's textbox is triggered at the start of the game.[11]
  • Activating certain text boxes while the camera is stuck

References