Play Armadillo Online

Summary

Armadillo puts you in the shell of Billy the Shell, a bright‑yellow armadillo sporting a red hat, as you wander a world map that feels like a stripped‑down Super Mario Bros. 3. Each tiny square you step on can be “captured” and then crossed out, opening up free movement across the grid, while larger picture‑tiles trigger the action stages you must clear to progress. A roaming opponent on the map can be bumped into to launch a boss battle that unlocks the next world for both players. The core platforming mixes standard jumps with a roll‑into‑ball mechanic; in ball form you slide, bounce higher by holding jump, and can only damage foes by rolling into them, which makes the control feel deliberately slippery. A two‑player mode lets a red‑hatted player and a green‑hatted player take turns on the same map, sharing lives and bonus points (an extra life appears every 30,000 points). Though a North‑American release and a sequel were planned, both were scrapped; the intended Game Boy follow‑up, Armadillo Gaiden, eventually resurfaced as Ultraman Ball, and among bootleg collectors the original cartridge is sometimes nicknamed “Super Mario IV” after its sprite swap.