Special Item (Mario Kart series)

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Special Item
Fireball in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
Mario's Special Item from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
First appearance Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003)
Latest appearance Mario Kart Tour (2019)
Effect Varies for each character

A Special Item is a certain item that is obtainable only to a specific character or group of characters. Unlike a standard item, most of these items can be obtained in any place during a race, and while a character holds a Special Item in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the second character cannot have another Special Item from Item Boxes.

History[edit]

Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]

Special items make their debut in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Characters have special items exclusive to them. A certain special item is given to one of the two characters. Though some characters seem to have a personal power-up used only by them, some share the same function like the other's weapon. Petey Piranha and King Boo are the only characters who can receive any special item excluding the green Fireball and Birdo's Egg (due to the Mario Bros. and Yoshi and Birdo each having their own exclusive version of their special item while all other pairs have no difference in items). Additionally in Battle mode, all characters are able to use all the special items, but only Luigi can get a green Fireball while only Birdo can get a Magenta Egg.

A Yoshi's Egg, Bowser's Shell, and Bob-omb also make a cameo as rainbow decorations in the background of Rainbow Road. Due to a mistake, the Heart decoration was misplaced out of the course where it cannot be seen in normal gameplay; however, it can be viewed through hacking.

1 - Special items would become a regular item in future Mario Kart titles.
2 - Special Items were already regular items prior to Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Mario Kart Arcade GP[edit]

Special items appear in Mario Kart Arcade GP. They are specific to certain characters with each character having six special items. All special items must be unlocked by winning races.

Item Character Category
Star Mario and Luigi Status
Hammer Mario and Luigi Melee
Fireball Mario and Luigi Shoots forward or backward
Chain Chomp Mario and Luigi Lock-on shot
Block Mario and Luigi Drops backward
Special Coin Mario and Luigi Status
Star Mark Banana Donkey Kong Status
10T Hammer Donkey Kong Melee
Barrel Donkey Kong Shoots forward or backward
Giant Banana Donkey Kong Drops backward
Conga Donkey Kong Other
Delicious Banana Donkey Kong Status
Shell Body Bowser Status
Flaming Tender Bowser Other
Bowser Shell Bowser Shoots forward or backward
Thwomp Bowser Drops backward
Bullet Bill Bowser Shoots backward
Meat Bowser Status
Wario Car Wario Status
Stretch Punch Wario Melee
Bob-omb Wario Drops backward
Snot Bomb Wario Shoots forward or backward
Fart Gas Wario Drops backward
Garlic Wario Status
Miracle Mushroom Toad Status
Mushroom Hammer Toad Status
Mushroom Powder Toad Drops backward
Poison Mushroom Toad Shoots forward or backward
Sick Mushroom Toad Shoots backward
Fine Mushroom Toad Status
Egg Body Yoshi Status
Whacking Fan Yoshi Melee
Mystery Egg Yoshi Drops backward
Rolling Egg Yoshi Shoots forward or backward
Tongue Yoshi Other
Melon Yoshi Status
Power Pill Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man Status
Quack Hammer Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man Melee
Rally-X Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man Drops backward
Galaga Boss Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man Shoots forward
Pooka Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man Shoots forward or backward
Fairy Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man Status
Princess's Drink Peach Status
Frying Pan Peach Melee
Piranha Plant Peach Drops backward
Peach's Bird Peach Shoots forward or backward
Heart Peach Other
Cake Peach Status
Monster Shield Blinky Status
Monster's Hammer Blinky Melee
Flare Ball Blinky Drops backward
Petit Monster Blinky Shoots forward or backward
Ghost Morph Blinky Status
Monster Pill Blinky Status

Mario Kart Arcade GP 2[edit]

Special items return in Mario Kart Arcade GP 2. Mario Coins can be collected to unlock character-exclusive special items.

Item Character Category
Star Any character Status
Hammer Mario and Luigi Melee
Fireball Mario and Luigi Shoots forward or backward
Chain Chomp Mario and Luigi Lock-on shot
10T Hammer Donkey Kong Melee
DK Barrel Donkey Kong Shoots forward or backward
Giant Banana Donkey Kong Drops backward
Flaming Tender Bowser Other
Bowser Shell Bowser Shoots forward or backward
Thwomp Bowser Drops backward
Stretch Punch Wario Melee
Bob-omb Wario Drops backward
Snot Bomb Wario Shoots forward or backward
Mushroom Hammer Toad Status
Mushroom Powder Toad Drops backward
Poison Mushroom Toad Shoots forward or backward
Whacking Fan Yoshi Melee
Rolling Egg Yoshi Shoots forward or backward
Tongue Yoshi Other
Rally-X Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man Drops backward
Galaga Boss Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man Shoots forward
Pooka Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man Shoots forward or backward
Frying Pan Peach Melee
Piranha Plant Peach Drops backward
Peach's Bird Peach Shoots forward or backward
Monster's Hammer Blinky Melee
Flare Ball Blinky Drops backward
Petit Monster Blinky Shoots forward or backward
Bagubagutchi Mametchi Drops backward
Chibi Syrup Mametchi Lock-on shot
Mame Block Mametchi Shoots forward or backward

Mario Kart Arcade GP DX[edit]

Special items reappear in Mario Kart Arcade GP DX. However, unlike previous entries, after a character is selected, it is randomly assigned to a special item during a race. Palette swaps of characters will enable the use of an exclusive item only available to that swap.

Palette swap exclusives[edit]

Mario Kart Tour[edit]

Main article: Special skill (Mario Kart Tour) § Driver skills

Special items reappear in Mario Kart Tour, now assigned to drivers as "special skills". Uniquely, Gold Mario makes use of a different special item, the Coin Box, during Coin Rush on N64 Frappe Snowland, while his special item in regular races is the Fire Flower instead.

Gallery[edit]