Mario Kart (series)

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The Mario Kart racing series is widely known, as a Mario Kart game has appeared on virtually every Nintendo system since the Super Nintendo.

File:Mario Kart.JPG
Mario and his main Mario Kart DS go-kart, the B Dasher

List of Games

Playable Characters

With so many Mario Kart titles, the list of characters that can be found from within these games is quite impressive, ranging from Mario and Luigi to Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong Below is a list of all the characters found in each game, excluding Mario Kart Arcade GP.

Items and Effects

Throughout the races of the Mario Kart games, you can pick up items out of item boxes. These items differ from game to game, but this is a complete list of all the items from every game, excluding the Mario Kart Arcade GP items.

Banana

Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Arcade GP
The banana is a staple in every Mario Kart game. They can be held behind your kart, and spin you out for about 1.5 seconds upon contact. When thrown forward, your current speed and altitude determines how far it will be thrown.

Banana Bunches

Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart DS
This is essentially the same as the banana, but there are multiples. In MK64, they come in fives, and in MKDS, they come in threes. When first activated the bananas trail your kart, then you fire each one off separately. The Items stat available in some games increases your odds of getting a triple instead of a single. Triple Bananas follow the same physics as single Bananas.

Green Shell

Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Arcade GP
Another classic staple of the Mario Kart franchise, these things are useful in sniping other players... if you're a good shot. You can hold one behind your kart, and they can be thrown backwards. Green shells move slower when thrown backwards, however. If you get hit by one, you will be stunned for about 2 seconds.

Triple Green Shell

Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS
This is the same as the single Green Shell, except you have three of them orbiting around your kart. In Mario Kart DS, you can fire these shells behind your kart, in other games you must only fire them forwards.

Fake Item Box

Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS
This is basically the stationary version of a Green Shell; lay it down and watch as an unobservant driver gets pelted. Please note, however, that you cannot block a Green or Red shell with one, so don't bother trying. Upon hitting a Fake Item Box, you will be stunned for about 2 seconds. As with the Banana, the speed you're going at determines how far it will be thrown forward. When laid down on the track, you can (somewhat) easily spot one by looking for the telltale question mark inside the box. If there isn't a question mark, or if it's upside-down, it's a fake.

Mushroom

Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS
Mushrooms have been around since Super Mario Kart, and they serve pretty much the same purpose; speed. However, charging into another driver while 'shrooming will result in knocking them to the side, regardless of how light or heavy your kart is. Talk about handy! Breaking is pretty much useless while you are using a Mushroom. It may offer a slight increase in handling for the duration of the boost, but it will not slow the kart down. It can be useful for slowing down ASAP, though.

Triple Mushroom

Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS
This is basically the same as a Mushroom, but in triple form, meaning you can use it three times. A higher Items stat, for the games that have it, means you will get this more often.

Blooper

Mario Kart DS
This annoying little squid can really slow down computer players and obscure the view of human players. This item will affect every racer that is currently ahead of you. If you are affected by a Blooper, your Items stat determines how long the ink will stay on your screen. The lower your Item stat is, the faster the ink will go away. Fairly simple to understand. Using a Blooper while you are in first will result in a backfired Blooper! Be careful when using one of these when you're close to the front of the pack. If you are affected by a Blooper, try to get a Mushroom or drive onto a booster pad. This will quickly rid your screen of the obstructive goo.

Red Shell

Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS
Everybody's favorite homing projectile, the red shell is a little smarter in Mario Kart DS. These babies won't always take the quickest route to your target. Instead, they'll usually strike them from the side to avoid any item they might be carrying behind them. If a red shell is trailing you, use a green shell, banana, or another red shell to get rid of it. You may need to attempt a power slide or two in order to position yourself properly, though. As with green shells and fake items, you are stunned for 2 seconds when hit. Red Shells can be held behind you and fired backwards, just like a green shell. Red Shells fired backwards do not home in on anyone. Also note that Red Shells will perform complete 180 degree turns to pursue you. This renders jumping off of ramps ineffective in avoiding red shells. The best method to rid yourself of a red shell is to hit it with a Banana, Green Shell or a Bob-omb, or cleverly drive near a wall and coax the shell into hitting it. In previous games, Red Shells went for the more direct approach, causing then to hit walls more often.

Triple Red Shell

Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS
Red shells, in a group of three. Basically a red version of triple green shells. Again, a higher Items stat means you'll get these more often.

Boo

Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart DS
A ghost from one of the many haunted houses in the Mushroom Kingdom. In Mario Kart: Super Circuit Boo slows down your opponent when you use it on them, compared to the other games, where he simply leaves them alone and takes their item. The target that's chosen is random. However, if only one racer has an item, their item will be taken. Another benefit to Boo is the fact that you become translucent upon using it, which means you can pass right through other drivers and obstacles. In addition to being immune to attack, the Boo item also allows you to drive through rough terrain without losing any speed.

Bob-ombs

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS
These bad boys come in handy if you're good at laying down bananas or throwing fake items, since Bob-ombs are used in a similar manner. These can be held behind your kart. Upon being hit by a Bob-omb, your kart is launched into the air, causing you to lose about 4 seconds of time. Think of it as a poor man's Spiny Shell. Bob-ombs also act like proximity mines; any kart that gets too close will get a taste of gunpowder! If a Bob-omb goes off when you're holding it behind you, you won't get hit if you're going reasonably fast.

Spiny Shell

Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS
The mother of all shells! This baby will zero in on the player that is currently at the front of the pack (meaning the person in the highest place and has not finished the course yet) upon firing it. If a Spiny Shell is fired at you, don't think you can just slink behind and let another player take the hit; if you are in first when it come around to where you are, it will hit you. Regardless. Upon being hit by a Spiny Shell, you will be blown up like a Bob-omb would, losing 4 seconds. Be careful using a Spiny Shell if you're somewhat close to the front; if you fire a Spiny Shell while in first, it'll backfire and blow you up. In earlier games, Spinies were grounded and plowed through anything and everything.

Super Mushroom

Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS
Also known as the Golden Mushroom, this is the supreme Mushroom. It's basically a mushroom that you can use an infinite amount of times for about 7-10 seconds. It's quite useful if you have the room to use it.

Thunderbolts

Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS
Everyone but the user is hit by a thunderbolt when this item is activated. If you are hit by it, you will spin out, lose 1.5 seconds, and be tiny for about 10 seconds. You may not use Boos, Stars, Thunderbolts, or Bullet Bills while tiny. In Mario Kart DS the amount of time you stay tiny depends on your rank; the lower your rank the less time you stay tiny. You also lose an item you were holding when hit by a lightning bolt.

Bullet Bill

Mario Kart DS
Upon using a Bullet Bill, you will gain a MASSIVE amount of speed, turn into a Bullet Bill, and follow the track automatically. The duration of the Bullet Bill depends on how high your Items stat is. If it's high, it will last about 8 seconds, and 4-5 seconds with a low Items stat. It IS possible to steer the Bullet Bill, but only slightly. This feature may allow you to "home in" on other racers as you're flying right past them.

Super Star

Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS
Super Stars are prheps one of the most useful items in the Mario Kart series. They grant you complete invincibility and offensive control. Any poor soul to get in your path will be knocked away from you as if they were hit by a fake item box. A Super Star lasts for about 8 seconds.

Feather

Super Mario Kart
Gives you a spin jump which is higher than the normal hop. It is excellent for jumping over Thwomps and taking shortcuts in races over the barriers.

Bowser Shell

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
A giant shell, exactly like the green shell, only 20 times bigger, stronger, and it has no wall-collision limit. Instead, it runs out after a certain amount of time. Its momentum is not changed by most objects, such as racers, cars, and items. Giant Bananas and the Wiggler Bus, on the other hand, are even stronger, and cause it to bounce off in a different direction. If it hits a kart, the racers lose any items they may have had.

Egg

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
These eggs will home in on rival karts. When they hit something, they'll explode and drop three items onto the track. They are usually three good items, like triple mushrooms, a super star, etc. but can also be bananas, Green Shells, and maybe a Bob-omb.

Fireballs

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
These items can be shot forward or backwards. They start as a single fireball, and then they'll split into five smaller fireballs, which can hit multiple karts at once. The fire balls can bounce off of a wall one time.

Giant Banana

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Like a normal banana, but a LOT bigger, making it tough to avoid. After someone hits the giant banana, it will break up into three smaller bananas. Only Eggs, Bowser Shells, and karts can destroy it.

Heart

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
These things will surround your kart, and if an item hits them, you'll catch it and be able to use it. It is a pretty nice item to use. Spinies aren't caught and falling off the course or getting hit with Lightning destroys it.

Chain Chomp

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Makes you go at an incredibly fast speed and flip over any opponents in your way. Not as good as a Bullet Bill, but close.


NOTE: Most of the item descriptions listed here were taken from, with his permission, Mystic Aurora's Mario Kart DS guide on www.gamefaqs.com

Trivia

  • Mario Kart's mass popularity has led to Kart games in other series. The most notable is the Crash Bandicoot series, which has tried to copy Mario Kart, right down to coloured Karts, and item weapons.

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