Coin Shell

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Not to be confused with Yellow Shell.
Coin Shell
Artwork of a Gold Shell from New Super Mario Bros. 2
Artwork from New Super Mario Bros. 2
First appearance Mario Kart Arcade GP (2005)
Latest appearance Mario Kart World (2025)
Variant of Koopa Shell
Related
“If you bring me the gold shell, it's an automatic A for you!”
Coach, Super Mario Galaxy

A Coin Shell (also known as a Gold Shell or gold shell) is a rare type of Koopa Shell. It first appears in Mario Kart Arcade GP. In later Super Mario games, it can give coins.

History

Mario Kart series

Mario Kart Arcade GP

A Gold Shell in Mario Kart Arcade GP
Yoshi holding a Gold Shell in Mario Kart Arcade GP

In Mario Kart Arcade GP, the Gold Shell appears as an item exclusive to the fourth round iteration of Rainbow Downhill, where it functions identically to a Green Shell.[1] This item can only be obtained in versions of the game that do not feature Mario Card compatibility.

Mario Kart Arcade GP DX

Gold Shell from Mario Kart Arcade GP DX.
Gold Shell from Mario Kart Arcade GP DX

In Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, Gold Shells act just like Black Shells, but instead of being thrown normally like a Green Shell, they home in on the driver in front of the player, like a Red Shell, exploding upon impact. Triple Gold Shells can be unlocked and used as an item as well.

Mario Kart World

Official screenshot of the Coin Shell in Mario Kart World.
A Coin Shell in Mario Kart World

In Mario Kart World, Coin Shells appear as an item. They act as they do in New Super Mario Bros. 2, though they speed down the center of the course, knocking over any racers in their way (like Spiny Shells), and burst into eight coins at the end of their limit. This also marks their first appearance in a Mario Kart video game that is not a Mario Kart Arcade GP title, as well as their first appearance in a Mario Kart console title.

Super Mario series

Super Mario Galaxy

Passing the Swim Test from Super Mario Galaxy
A gold shell in the Beach Bowl Galaxy
Bigmouth Galaxy
A gold shell in the Bigmouth Galaxy

In Super Mario Galaxy, gold shells function just like Red Shells when held and thrown. The gold shell appears in only two missions: Passing the Swim Test and Bigmouth's Gold Bait.

When the player arrives at the Beach Bowl Galaxy, they learn that the penguins' Coach gave his students a "swimming test" where the students have to find shells. He states that the penguin that finds a gold shell instantly gets an A. When the player dives underwater after speaking with Coach, the player sees that a penguin has already found the sole gold shell. The player must swim up to the penguin, who refuses to give up the shell. However, the player can take the gold shell from him by spinning, allowing them to take it back to Coach, who is so impressed that he gives Mario a "gold medal" (which is actually a Power Star), only to realize Mario is not one of his students. After Mario gets the Power Star, he has to leave the gold shell behind.

In the Bigmouth Galaxy, the player finds the Gold Treasure Box, which will open only if they bring back a gold shell. After swimming through a dangerous cavern in the darkness, the player must find the gold shell to bring back up and throw it at the treasure chest, opening it and freeing the Toad Brigade captain, who was trapped in the chest. He gives Mario a Power Star as thanks for freeing him.

New Super Mario Bros. 2

A Gold Shell being used in New Super Mario Bros. 2
Gold Shell in New Super Mario Bros. 2

Gold Shells return in New Super Mario Bros. 2, where they are now the golden versions of the average Koopa shells. They are much more common here, as Gold Shells appear when Mario passes through a Gold Ring. When a Gold Koopa is stomped, they retreat into their golden shell, and if kicked it produces a trail of coins behind it.

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

Gold Shell in Super Mario 3D World
A Gold Shell in Super Mario 3D World

Gold Shells also appear in Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury; once again, they are rare. They only appear in Koopa Troopa Cave, Sunshine Seaside, and Coin Express. They function similar to the ? Box and Gold Shells in New Super Mario Bros 2: the player gains coins for shell-dashing with these shells or throwing them; they give 30 coins before breaking. There is also no character color code for the shells.

Profiles

Mario Kart World

  • In-game manual:
    • English:
      A shiny shell that drops coins and crashes into drivers as it moves along the course.
    • Other languages:
      • French:
        Cette carapace étincelante suit le tracé de la course tout en laissant des pièces dans son sillage et en percutant les pilotes sur sa route.[2]
        (Translation: This glittering carapace follows the course of the race, leaving coins in its wake and colliding with drivers in its path.)

Gallery

Names in other languages

Gold Shell

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese コウラ(金)[3]
Kōra (Kin)
Shell (Gold) Super Mario Galaxy
ゴールドコウラ[4]
Gōrudo Koura
Gold Shell Super Mario 3D World
ゴールドこうら[5]
Gōrudo Koura
Mario Kart Arcade GP DX
Chinese (traditional) 黃金龜殼[?]
Huángjīn Guīké
Gold Shell
German Goldpanzer[?] Gold Shell
Italian Guscio d'Oro[6] Gold Shell Super Mario Galaxy
Spanish Caparazón dorado[?] Golden shell

Coin Shell

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese ゴールデンこうら[7]
Gōruden Kōra
Golden Shell
Dutch Muntenschild[8] Coin shell
French Caparace à pièces[2] Coin shell
German Münz-Panzer[9] Coin Shell
Italian Guscio moneta[10] Coin shell
Korean 골드 등껍질[11]
Goldeu Deungkkeopjil
Golden Shell
Portuguese Carapaça de moedas[12] Coin shell
Spanish Caparazón de monedas[13] Coins shell

Notes

References

  1. ^ Mario Kart Arcade GP All Cups in 1:13:13
  2. ^ a b Mario Kart World in-game manual from French European localization. (Archived 12 Jun. 2025 via Imgur.)
  3. ^ Sakai, Kazuya (Ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors (2015). "Super Mario Galaxy."『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 136.
  4. ^ ---- (2015). "New Super Mario Bros. U"『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 232.
  5. ^ Mario Kart Arcade GP DX item list. Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (Japanese). Retrieved April 19, 2025. (Archived November 27, 2021, 17:18:30 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
  6. ^ «Devi portarmi il Guscio d'Oro!» – Coach. Super Mario Galaxy. Nintendo of Europe (Italian).
  7. ^ Nintendo 公式チャンネル (April 17, 2025). マリオカート ワールド Direct. YouTube. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  8. ^ Nintendo Nederland (April 17, 2025). Mario Kart World Direct – 17 april 2025. YouTube. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  9. ^ Nintendo DE (April 17, 2025). Mario Kart World Direct – 17.04.2025. YouTube. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  10. ^ NintendoItalia (April 17, 2025). Mario Kart World Direct – 17/04/2025. YouTube. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  11. ^ 한국닌텐도 공식 채널 (April 17, 2025). 마리오 카트 월드 Direct. YouTube. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  12. ^ Nintendo Portugal (April 17, 2025). Mario Kart World Direct – 17/04/2025. YouTube. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  13. ^ Nintendo España (April 17, 2025). Mario Kart World Direct - 17-04-2025 (35:05). YouTube. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  14. ^ 「任天堂公式ガイドブック ヨッシーのたまご」 (Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook – Yoshi's Egg). Page 61Media:Yoshi no Tamago Shogakukan 61.jpg.