Spiny Shell (red)

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This article is about the shells of the Spiny enemy. For the blue shell that sometimes has wings and is a Mario Kart item, see Spiny Shell (blue).
Not to be confused with Spiky Shell.
Spiny Shell
A Spiny Shell (red) from the New Super Mario Bros. U theme in Super Mario Maker
Model of a Spiny Shell in the New Super Mario Bros. U style in Super Mario Maker
First appearance Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
Latest appearance Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)
Variants

Spiny Shells are the shells worn by Spinies, as a counterpart to Koopa Shells worn by Koopa Troopas. Their uses vary by game series—in platformers. Typically, the spikes on the shell prevent jumps from above, but when upside-down, empty, or in other series, they can be carried.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario Bros. 3 / Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]

In Super Mario Bros. 3, Spiny Shells made their debut. Unlike future appearances, Spiny Shells cannot be jumped on even while upside down without taking damage, though they can be held after being rendered immobile by Raccoon Mario's or Tanooki Mario's tail swipe. Notably, in the Game Boy Advance version, upside-down Spiny Shells are harmless, and can thus be stomped.

New Super Mario Bros. series[edit]

An upside down Spiny Shell

Like in Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, in the New Super Mario Bros. games, Spiny Shells flipped upside-down will not harm the player characters when they stomp them.

Super Mario Maker series[edit]

Main article: Spiny Shell (helmet)

In Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Mario Maker 2, Spiny Shells act as they do in other Super Mario games, but can also be used as a helmet, by shaking a Spiny in Course Maker. Mario is able to wear these Spiny Shells like on his head and become Spiny Mario, automatically harming enemies that touch him from above.

Mario Party series[edit]

Artwork of Luigi getting by a red Spiny Shell for Mario Party 3
Luigi hit by a Spiny Shell

Spiny Shells appear as obstacles in the Mario Party 3 minigame Ice Rink Risk. They also appear the Mario Party 6 minigames Cash Flow, Crate and Peril, Cog Jog, and the Mario Party 7 minigame Fun Run. In addition, there is an orb in Mario Party 5, Mario Party 6, and Mario Party 7 called the Spiny Orb, which has a Spiny Shell as its symbol. They retain their function in Ice-Rink Risk and Crate and Peril in Mario Party: The Top 100. In the original version of Ice Rink Risk, they uncharacteristically have hexagonal plates making up the carapace instead of a smooth surface, despite the official artwork for said minigame showing otherwise. In Mario Party Superstars, they reappear in Ice-Rink Risk.

Paper Mario series[edit]

In Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Spinies use their shells to attack by lunging at Mario. Using a POW Block or Quake Hammer will flip them over, allowing Mario to jump on them and lowering their defense. In Super Paper Mario, Spinies will retreat into their shells to attack, and can also fall from the ceiling to attack from above. In Paper Mario: Color Splash, there are pits in Kiwano Temple that are filled with spikes that resemble Spiny Shells. In Paper Mario: The Origami King, at Shangri-Spa, a Spiny is spinning rapidly under a pile of leaves. When Mario destroys the leaves, the Spiny exits its shell and explains that it was trying to trim the leaves from the inside.

Mario Strikers series[edit]

Spiny Shells, also known as Spiked Shells,[1] function as items in Super Mario Strikers and Mario Strikers Charged. When fired, they will shoot towards the other players, similarly to Green Shells. However, instead of just hitting one player, then disintegrating, the Spiny Shells will keep going. This can be compared with the green Giant Shells. They continue to bounce around the stage until, at long last, they wear out, and get destroyed on their own. The more effective counterpart of the Spiny Shell is the spiked Giant Shell. Spiny Shells usually come in groups of three. In these games, Spiny Shells have a hexagon-plated carapace rather than the usual smooth one.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey[edit]

Sprite of a Spike Blop from Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and its remake, Spike Blops wear Spiny Shells on their heads.

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese トゲゾーこうら[2]
Togezō Kōra
Spiny Shell Same as the Mario Kart item
Chinese (simplified) 刺龟壳[2]
Cì Guīké
From "刺刺龟" (Cìcìguī, Spiny) and "龟壳" (guīké, shell)
Chinese (traditional) 刺刺龜殼[2]
Cìcìguī Ké
Spiny Shell Same as the Mario Kart item
Dutch Spiny-schild[2] Spiny shell
French Carapace d'Hériss[2] Spiny shell
Carapace à pointes[3] Pointy shell Super Mario Strikers
Carapace à pics[4][5] Spiky shell Mario Strikers Charged
German Stachi-Panzer[2] Spiny Shell
Italian Guscio spinoso[2] Thorny shell Same as the Mario Kart item
Guscio spinato[6][7] Barbed shell Mario Strikers series
Korean 가시돌이등껍질[2]
Gasidori Deungkkeopjil
Spiny Shell
Russian Панцирь колючкина[2]
Pantsir' kolyuchkina
Spiny shell
Spanish (NOA) Caparazón de picudo[2] Spiny shell
Spanish (NOE) Caparazón de Pinchón[2] Spiny shell
Spiny Mario
Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese トゲゾーマリオ[8]
Togezō Mario
Spiny Mario
Chinese (simplified) 刺刺龟马力欧[8]
Cìcìguī Mǎlì'ōu
Spiny Mario
Chinese (traditional) 刺刺龜瑪利歐[8]
Cìcìguī Mǎlì'ōu
Spiny Mario
Dutch Spiny-Mario[8] Spiny Mario
French Mario Hériss[8] Spiny Mario
German Stachi-Mario[8] Spiny Mario
Italian Mario Koopistrice[8] Spiny Mario
Korean 가시돌이마리오[8]
Gasidori Mario
Spiny Mario
Russian Марио-колючкина[8]
Mario-kolyuchkina
Spiny Mario
Spanish (NOA) Mario picudo[8] Spiny Mario
Spanish (NOE) Mario Pinchón[8] Spiny Mario

References[edit]

  1. ^ 2007. Mario Strikers Charged instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (English). Page 5.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Enemies (2019). Super Mario Maker 2 by Nintendo EPD. Nintendo.
  3. ^ 2005. Mario Smash Football instruction booklet. Nintendo of Europe (French). Page 21.
  4. ^ 2007. Mario Strikers Charged Football instruction booklet. Nintendo of Europe (French). Page 13.
  5. ^ 2007. Mario Strikers Charged instruction booklet. Nintendo of America (Canadian French). Page 18.
  6. ^ 2005. Mario Smash Football instruction booklet. Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 21.
  7. ^ 2007. Mario Strikers Charged Football instruction booklet. Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 13.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Clear Condition (Status) (2019). Super Mario Maker 2 by Nintendo EPD. Nintendo.