View source for Gold Shell

{{distinguish|Yellow Shell}}
{{item infobox
|image=[[File:Gold Shell NSMB2 artwork.png|200px]]<br>Artwork of a Gold Shell from ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''
|first_appearance=''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP]]'' ([[List of games by date#2005|2005]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury]]'' ([[List of games by date#2021|2021]])
|variant_of=[[Koopa Shell]]
|related=[[Gold Koopa]]
}}
{{quote|If [[Mario|you]] bring me the {{color|gold|gold shell}}, it's an automatic A for you!|[[Coach (Super Mario Galaxy)|Coach]]|[[Super Mario Galaxy]]}}

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 [[coin]]s.

==History==
===''Mario Kart'' series===
====''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]].<ref>[https://youtu.be/JnGZEB9huNg?si=yeoF5LIUXX07odPd&t=4120 Mario Kart Arcade GP All Cups in 1:13:13]</ref> This item can only be obtained in versions of the game that do not feature Mario Card compatibility.

====''Mario Kart Arcade GP DX''====
[[File:MKAGPDX Shell Gold.png|thumb|150px|left|Gold Shell from ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]'']]
In ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]'', Gold Shells act just like [[Black Shell]]s, 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''====
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In ''[[Mario Kart World]]'', Gold Shells, named '''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 (like [[Spiny Shell (blue)|Spiny Shells]]) and burst into eight coins at the end of their limit. This also marks their first appearance in a ''[[Mario Kart (series)|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.
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===''Super Mario'' series===
====''Super Mario Galaxy''====
[[File:Gold Shell.png|thumb|left|A gold shell in the Beach Bowl Galaxy]]
[[File:SMG Bigmouth Galaxy Gold Shell.png|thumb|A gold shell in the Bigmouth Galaxy]]
In ''Super Mario Galaxy'', 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 [[penguin]]s' [[Coach (Super Mario Galaxy)|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 [[spin]]ning, 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 [[Captain Toad|Toad Brigade captain]], who was trapped in the chest. He gives Mario a Power Star as thanks for freeing him.
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====''New Super Mario Bros. 2''====
[[File:GoldenShellNSMB2.png|thumb|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 a [[Gold Ring]]. When a [[Gold Koopa]] is stomped, they retreat into their golden shell, and if kicked it produces a trail of [[coin]]s behind it.

====''Super Mario 3D World'' / ''Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury''====
[[File:GoldShellSM3DW.jpg|thumb|125px|left|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 [[Coin Box|? Box]] and Gold Shells in ''New Super Mario Bros 2'': the player gains coins for [[shell dash|shell-dashing]] with these shells or throwing them; they give 30 coins before breaking. There is also no character color code for the shells.
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==Profiles and statistics==
===''Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook – [[Yoshi (game)|Yoshi's Egg]]''===
金<br>
上の4種類のこうらの成分すべてを含んだこうらだ。味はすさまじくまずいが、体力を極限まで高めてくれる栄養がある。良薬口に苦し、というアレである。<ref name=Sho/>

'''''Gold'''''<br>
''A shell that includes all ingredients of the above 4 shell types. It tastes dreadfully unpleasant, but its nutrition will maximize physical strength. Good medicine tastes bitter, as they say.''

==Gallery==
<gallery>
SMG Asset Model Gold Shell.png|''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]''
SMG Gold Shell.png|''Super Mario Galaxy''
Gold Shell SM3DW Prima.jpg|''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
===Gold Shell===
{{foreign names
|Jpn=コウラ（金）<ref>{{cite|author=Sakai, Kazuya (Ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors|title="Super Mario Galaxy."『[[Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia|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]]』|language=Japanese|location=Tokyo|publisher=Shogakukan|date=2015|page=136}}</ref>
|JpnR=Kōra (Kin)
|JpnM=Shell (Gold)
|JpnN={{a|SMG}}
|Jpn2=ゴールドコウラ<ref>{{cite|author=----|title="New Super Mario Bros. U"『[[Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia|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]]』|language=Japanese|location=Tokyo|publisher=Shogakukan|date=2015|page=232}}</ref>
|Jpn2R=Gōrudo Koura
|Jpn2M=Gold Shell
|Jpn2N={{a|SM3DW}}
|Ger=Goldpanzer
|GerM=Gold Shell
|Ita=Guscio d'Oro
|ItaC=<ref>{{cite|quote=Devi portarmi il Guscio d'Oro!|author=Coach|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|language=it|title={{a|SMG}}}}</ref>
|ItaM=Gold Shell
|ItaN={{a|SMG}}
|Spa=Caparazón dorado
|SpaM=Golden shell
}}

===Coin Shell===
{{foreign names
|Spa=Caparazón de monedas
|SpaM=Coins shell
|SpaC=<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo España|date=April 17, 2025|url=https://www.youtube.com/live/5K_UzF4K_ng?si=qgNzWFWSR1NeoFOC|title=Mario Kart World Direct - 17-04-2025|timestamp=35:05|publisher=YouTube|language=European Spanish|accessdate=April 17, 2025}}</ref>
}}

==Notes==
*According to the Japanese Shogakukan guide for the game ''[[Yoshi (game)|Yoshi]]'', the [[Shell (flashing)|flashing shell]]s are considered "gold" shells that combine all ingredients of the [[Green Shell|Green]], [[Red Shell|Red]], [[Yellow Shell|Yellow]], and [[Blue Shell]]s from ''[[Super Mario World]]'', resulting in awful taste but incredible benefits.<ref name=Sho>「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''), [[:File:Yoshi no Tamago Shogakukan 61.jpg|page 61]].</ref>

==References==
<references/>

{{MKAGP}}
{{SMG}}
{{NSMB2}}
{{SM3DW}}
{{MKAGPDX}}
{{Mario Kart World}}
[[Category:Shells]]
[[Category:Gold variants|Shell]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Arcade GP items]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Arcade GP DX items]]
[[Category:Mario Kart World items]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. 2 items]]
[[Category:Super Mario 3D World items]]
[[Category:Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury items]]
[[Category:Super Mario Galaxy items]]
[[it:Guscio Dorato]]