Triple Red Shells

Triple Red Shells are clusters of three Red Shells appearing predominantly in the Mario Kart series.

Mario Kart 64
Triple Red Shells first appear in Mario Kart 64. When used, three Red Shells are deployed to orbit the player's kart. The player may throw each Red Shell one-by-one whenever they please, and can also use the Red Shells to block incoming items. Any player from second to eighth place can obtain this item, with a 20% of obtaining it in each position it appears in.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Triple Red Shells return in Mario Kart: Super Circuit, behaving exactly the same as in Mario Kart 64.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Triple Red Shells are among one of the two special items usable by Koopa and Paratroopa; as with all special items in the game, they can also be used by Petey Piranha and King Boo. This is the only game where the Red Shells do not orbit the kart; instead, they are held by the character in the back, though they otherwise function the same.

Mario Kart DS
Triple Red Shells return in Mario Kart DS, behaving the same as in past games. They can be obtained as rare items in third through sixth place in Grand Prix and local VS modes, and can also be collected by poorly-performing players in Battle Mode; however, they are absent in online VS mode. The AI cannot normally receive Triple Red Shells via Item Boxes, but they can still obtain it through stealing from the player using Boo.

Mario Kart Wii
Triple Red Shells return in Mario Kart Wii, behaving exactly the same as in previous games. They can be obtained as uncommon to rare items in fourth through eighth place in Grand Prix and VS modes; in Battle Mode, they are usually obtained by poorly-performing players. The best chance of getting this item is in 5th place, with a 12.5 percent (5 out of 40) chance of getting it in said position. If the player currently has a Triple Red Shell, they are unable to obtain a Triple Banana or Triple Green Shell and vice versa.

Mario Kart 7
Triple Red Shells return in Mario Kart 7, behaving exactly the same as in past games. In Grand Prix races, they can be obtained if the player is anywhere from third to sixth place; in VS Races, they can be obtained in third or fourth place; in Battle Mode, human players can only uncommonly obtain Triple Red Shells a significant distance from the frontrunner, though poorly-performing CPUs have a rare chance in obtaining them, marking the first time in the series in which CPUs may obtain Triple Red Shells.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Triple Red Shells return in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, functioning exactly the same as in past appearances. In Grand Prix and VS modes, all players may obtain Triple Red Shells roughly 1000-3000 units from the frontrunner; however, they cannot be obtained in Battle Mode. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also marks the first time that CPUs may obtain Triple Red Shells in VS mode.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit

 * 3DS Manual bio: "You can shoot three Red Shells. Press once to set them up to act as a barrier against enemy attacks."

Mario Kart Wii

 * Trading card description: "There is a single Red Shell item, but this is three times as good! Triple Red Shells form a protective barrier around your vehicle helping you to fend off attacks. Then they can be fired, one by one or in rapid succession, forward or backward depending on your needs. The difference between Green and Red Shells is that Red Shells will hone in on the closest rival racer."
 * Game Tip!: "It's usually best not to fire off all three Red Shells in succession. It only takes one to crash an opponent. Save the other two for someone else."

Mario Kart 7

 * Digital instruction manual description: "Press or  to equip (the three shells spin around your kart), and then press  or  again to throw one shell at a time."

Mario Kart 8

 * Instruction manual description: "Three Shells that spin around your vehicle. Use to throw them one at a time."