This article is about a type of device in Mario Party 5. For information about a collectible toy dispenser in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, see Capsule Toy Machine.
A capsule machine from Mario Party 5.
Luigi receives a Mushroom Capsule from a capsule machine.
“OK! I'll give you a capsule. I wonder what it will be? Here it comes...”
Capsule machine, Mario Party 5

Capsule machines are objects that dispense capsules to players, appearing only in Mario Party 5. If a player passes a capsule machine, they can get a random capsule for free. Capsule machines are based on the real-life gashapon machines, sometimes known as capsule machines. Capsule machines have bolts for eyes and yellow mouths where the capsules come out. They also sport two yellow rod-like arms with blue balls on the end. In the official Mario Party 5 guide, Mario mentions he introduced capsule machines because he wanted the capsules to be free. Despite this, a certain number of coins is required to use a capsule, with its effect immediately taking effect after the player pays. However, coins are not required to throw capsules onto spaces to create Capsule Spaces. After every minigame, Eldstar can be seen with three capsule machines as the game saves. On the last turn on a board game, capsule machines become unavailable.

In Mario Party 6 and Mario Party 7, Orb huts replace capsule machines and Orbs now need to be bought with coins. As a compromise, free Orbs in those games can still be obtained, this time from Orb Spaces, and Orbs obtained either way can be used for free.

Names in other languagesEdit

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese カプセルマシン[?]
Kapuseru Mashin
Capsule Machine
Italian Pallinamatic[?] From pallina (marble) and -matic, a suffix relating to machines
Spanish Glotonis[?] Pun on glotón (glutton)