Mario Kart (series)

The Mario Kart racing games are a large franchise series in Mario games; one Mario Kart game has appeared on almost every Nintendo system since the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. With a total of nine titles in the series, Nintendo has started a sort-of fad of cartoon-styled racing games amongst many gaming companies.

Super Mario Kart
Super Mario Kart is the first Mario Kart game to be released. The game has a total of eight playable characters and 20 different racecourses to select from, all of which have five laps. This is the only title featuring five courses for a Grand Prix; all later installments only consist of four. Super Mario Kart is also the only Mario Kart game to feature Donkey Kong Jr. as a playable character; he is replaced by Donkey Kong in all subsequent titles. Koopa Troopa is also playable in the game, but did not reprise this role until Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Though the game is on a 16-bit system, it features three-dimensionally rendered surroundings, giving the graphics depth and a more realistic feel. This particular Mario Kart game is heavily influenced by Super Mario World, with some graphics and locations taken directly from the sidescroller. Yoshi's tongue noise from Super Mario World is also present, as is a computer-generated "hoomph" for Donkey Kong Jr.; actual voice acting was not yet possible. Super Mario Kart was later re-released on the Virtual Console for 800 points.
 * Year Released - 1992
 * System - Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Mario Kart 64

 * Years Released - 1996-1997
 * System - Nintendo 64
 * For this game's beta elements, see here.

Mario Kart 64 is the first 64-bit Mario Kart game, which allows for fully three-dimensional graphics, such as the course layouts. However, it still uses 2D frames for characters and items. It is the first Mario Kart title to feature Donkey Kong and Wario as playable characters, though there is still a total of eight drivers to choose from. The game features 16 normal racecourses, as well as four battle courses. Mario Kart 64 was later re-released on the Virtual Console for 1,000 points.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit

 * Year Released - 2001
 * System - Game Boy Advance
 * For this game's beta elements, see here.

Mario Kart Super Circuit is the first Mario Kart title to be brought to a handheld gaming system. It is compatible with the Game Boy Advance (now with the Nintendo DS as well), and is a 32-bit game. It is highly influenced by its two home console predecessors, especially Mario Kart 64. The game featured eight playable characters once more, all of whom are in Mario Kart 64. A total of 20 racecourses (plus the 20 courses from Super Mario Kart) could be selected from. This game also has a feature that allows players to swap Ghost data via the use of a Game Boy Advance Link Cable.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

 * Year Released - 2003
 * System - Nintendo GameCube
 * For this game's beta elements, see here.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is the fourth game to be released in the franchise. The game introduces many new features. One difference is that there are two drivers per kart, in contrast to all other games in the Mario Kart series; this allowed characters to hold more items simultaneously. Another new feature is Special Items: each pair of drivers has their own unique Special Item that only they could obtain, with the exception of King Boo and Petey Piranha, who did not have their own Special Item, but could obtain any of other drivers' instead. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! features 16 racecourses, as well as 20 different characters to select from. It is also the first game that has uniquely designed karts for each character, rather than just color variations.

Mario Kart Arcade GP
Mario Kart Arcade GP is the first Mario Kart title to be released into an arcade. Though many of the same elements from previous games are still featured in this game, it is entirely unique from the rest at the time. This game features a total of 11 playable characters; 8 are from the Mario series, while the remaining three are from the Pac-Man series. This is the first Mario Kart title to feature third-party characters. It also features 12 racecourses to select from, with two in each cup. It is notable for having many more items than other Mario Kart games.
 * Year Released - 2005
 * System - Arcade Machine

Mario Kart DS

 * Year Released - 2005
 * System - Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi playable on 3DS
 * For this game's beta elements, see here.

Mario Kart DS is the fifth mainstream installment in the Mario Kart series, and is the second title to be released on a handheld gaming system. Unlike Mario Kart Double Dash!!, this game returns to one-person driving and does not feature Special Items. The game features 64-bit graphics, and included an all new Mission Mode, for which the player needs to complete missions within certain time limits. This game features 13 playable characters: eight default racers, four unlockable racers, and one only available for racing via Download Play.

This game is also the second in the series to feature racecourses encountered in earlier titles (the first was Mario Kart Super Circuit, which included all Super Mario Kart tracks). In the Retro Grand Prix mode, players could select to race on courses from Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. New courses, from the Nitro Grand Prix, are based on the latest Mario platform games. Some tracks include pipes and flat blocks in the background based on those from Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3. The course Tick Tock Clock and Mission Mode's bosses come from Super Mario 64 DS.

Mario Kart Arcade GP 2
Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 is the second (and latest) Mario Kart title to be released in the arcades. It features the same playable characters as Mario Kart Arcade GP, with the additions of Waluigi and Mametchi. This title also features something different from the last arcade release: unique Karts for each playable character, just as Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii, and Mario Kart 7 did. This game features a total of 16 racecourses.
 * Years Released - 2007-2008
 * System - Arcade Machine

Mario Kart Wii

 * Year Released - 2008
 * System - Wii
 * For this game's beta elements, see here.

Mario Kart Wii is the sixth mainstream game in the series. A new feature in Mario Kart Wii is Bikes. Bikes allow the players to do wheelies, speeding them up temporarily. Also, the players can do Tricks as they jump off certain ramps to get a short boost when landing. Another new feature is the Mario Kart Channel. This channel, installable on the Wii Menu, allows players to check rankings, race ghosts, and compete in tournaments. Similar to the Retro racecourses, the game also has five Retro battle courses. One Retro battle course is featured from each of the past five games in the series, in addition to five all-new battle courses. Mario Kart Wii has 24 playable characters, with 32 courses to choose from. Unlike the past titles, this game uses a size system instead of a weight system, although the two are somewhat similar.

Mario Kart 7

 * Year Released - 2011
 * System - Nintendo 3DS
 * For this game's beta elements, see here.

Mario Kart 7 is the seventh main installment in the series which was announced for the Nintendo 3DS. Wi-Fi play is utilized to exchange Ghost Data or to race. New features introduced into the Mario Kart series are the ability to glide, drive underwater, and build customizable vehicles with unlockable parts instead of using premade vehicles. Eight racers compete once again instead of the twelve racers seen in Mario Kart Wii. Retro race tracks also return and, for the first time ever in the series, racers can see the race in first-person view and race with the motion sensor. The game also introduces the community mode for online play, where players race with customizable rules.

Mario Kart Arcade GP DX
It was also announced recently that a new Mario Kart arcade title is being worked on, named Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, which is being developed by Namco Bandai Games in partnership with Nintendo. It will feature the return of gliders and underwater racing from Mario Kart 7 and will be released in Japan at Summer 2013.
 * Years Released - 2013
 * System - Arcade Machine

Unnamed Wii U Mario Kart title
It was announced in the Wii U Nintendo Direct of January 2013 that an upcoming Mario Kart title will be released for the Wii U, which will be presented at E3 2013.

Cancelled games
The German magazine Big N claimed that a Virtual Boy installment of the Mario Kart series, tentatively named VB Mario Kart, was in development. The only known media report of it is Big N's August 2000 issue, which listed it among various other cancelled Virtual Boy projects.

Playable Characters
- characters yet to be announced to confirm or deny in the future Mario Kart games.

- playable character

- non-playable character

Weight/Size and Effects
Throughout the Mario Kart series, a common element in almost each game is the weight of different characters. Characters have been classified by their weight. Up until Mario Kart Wii, the three weights were "Light", "Medium", and "Heavy". In Mario Kart Wii, however, the main element was the size of the character, split in three categories: "Small", "Medium", and "Large". Different weights and sizes have different effects on racing.

Please note:
 * In Super Mario Kart, characters are classified in 4 classes with no official name.
 * In Mario Kart DS, weights of characters are not classified in categories, but more exact weights are given to characters.
 * In Mario Kart Wii, bikes are usually lighter than karts, due to their smaller size. However, some bikes are heavier than karts, especially when size classes are taken into account.
 * Also, in Mario Kart Wii, Miis can be small, medium, or large depending on their height and weight.
 * In Mario Kart 7, there are two extra classes known as Feather, before the Light class, and Cruiser, between Medium and Heavy.

Feather/Light/Small
Characters in this classification are easily knocked aside by their heavier opponents. Feather/Light/Small characters have high acceleration, but low top speeds. When off-road, they lose a very minimal amount of speed. In some games, however, a lightweight can own a kart that has a high top speed, but low acceleration.

Medium
Medium characters have a equal balance of weight, top speed, and acceleration. When they go off-road, they lose a moderate amount of speed, contrary to that of its corresponding weight classes. In some games, however, middleweights can own a kart that has low speed and high acceleration, or a kart that has high speed and low acceleration.

Cruiser/Heavy/Large
Cruiser/Heavy/Large characters can easily knock most opposing racers aside. They have high top speeds, but very poor acceleration. When they go off-road, their speed greatly decreases. In some games, however, a heavyweight can own a kart that has a low top speed, but high acceleration.

Engine Class
The Engine Class (also referred to as Engine Size) is an important factor in the Mario Kart series, determining the speed of Karts. Super Mario Kart introduced 50 cubic centimeter (cc) and 100cc Karts (And 150cc Karts were unlockable). Starting with Mario Kart 64, 150cc Karts were available at the start of the game. As larger engines increase speed, Karts are more difficult to control. In Grand Prix mode, an increase in engine class also increases the computer player difficulty. In Vs. Mode of Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, the Engine Class doesn't control the difficulty of the computer drivers, but the option CPU Level does. Each Cup can be raced with different Engine Classes; completing a Cup with a certain Engine Classes sometimes unlocks other Cups, drivers, or battle stages.

Mirror
Appears In: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

The Mirror class (EXTRA in Mario Kart 64; 150cc Mirror in Mario Kart DS) is a bonus engine class in which all tracks are completely mirrored. As a result, left becomes right and vice versa. All vehicles use the 150cc engine size in this engine class (100cc in Mario Kart 64). Most environmental hazards remain untouched, but there are some exceptions, such as with Toad's Turnpike, in which the cars on the road are traveling towards the kart racers instead of along with them, making them harder to dodge.

Items
 *  - Special Item in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.

 **  - Only in the Competition Game from Mario Kart Wii.

 ***  - Only in the Coin Runner battle game from Mario Kart Wii.

- Item yet to be announced to confirm or deny in the future Mario Kart Series

- Present item in the game

- Item not present in game

Throughout the races of the Mario Kart games, racers 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 series. Items randomly shuffle in the Item Roulette after characters run into an Item Box. Characters can then tap the item button rapidly to speed up the rate of stopping. If players do not select an item right away by pressing the item button, the computer automatically selects an item. The item chosen depends on the player's place in the race. Generally, the worse players are doing in the race, the better item players get. After the item is selected, players can press the item button to use it. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!! onwards, certain damages such as being flipped, squashed or being picked up by Lakitu makes players drop their item on to the road (for others to use/get hit by) or lose it all together.

Banana
Appears in: All Games

The banana is a staple in every Mario Kart game. They can be held behind players' karts, and anybody who hits it spins out on contact. When thrown forward, the players' current speed and altitude determines how far it will be thrown. In certain games, if players slow down just when they are about to drive over a banana, they do not slip; the indication of success is a musical note appearing above the racer's head.

Banana Bunch/Triple Bananas
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

This is essentially the same as the banana, but there are multiple of them. In Mario Kart 64, they come in fives, and in Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7, they come in threes. When first activated, the bananas trail players' karts, and can then be dropped or thrown one at a time. The Items stat available in some games increases players' odds of getting a triple instead of a single. Triple Bananas follow the same physics as single Bananas.

Blooper
Appears in: Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

Bloopers obscure the view of players by squirting ink on the screen. This item affects every racer that is currently ahead of the player. If the player is affected by a Blooper, the player's Items stat determines how long the ink stays on the player's screen. The lower the player's Item stat is, the faster the ink goes away. If players are affected by a Blooper, they can use a Mushroom or drive onto a Boost Pad to get rid of the obstructive goop.

Bob-omb
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

The Bob-omb stays on the track, and it explodes after a restricted period of time. If it is thrown forward, the Bob-omb waits until another racer passes near it to explode by them. Any driver who is in the blast radius and surroundings blows or spins. If a racer holds it behind them (ala Mario Kart Wii) and an item such as a red shell hits them, it immediately explodes like it usually does. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the Bob-omb is the special item exclusive to Wario and Waluigi, and to King Boo and Petey Piranha; although it can be used for all characters during Battle Mode.

Bob-ombs also appear as unique items in the Battle Mode game, Bob-omb Blast. They are given colors that match the player numbers, and only affects opposing players when thrown.

Boo
Appears in: Super Mario Kart; Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart DS.

Boos are ghosts from one of the many haunted houses in the Mushroom Kingdom. In Mario Kart Super Circuit, Boos slow down the race leader when the player uses it on him or her, compared to the other games, where he simply leaves the leader alone and takes his or her item. The target that is chosen is the one with the most powerful item, including Mushrooms. However, if no other racers have items, the Boo does not steal anything for the player. Another benefit to Boo is the fact that players become translucent upon using it, meaning that they can pass right through other drivers and certain obstacles, including items. In addition to being immune to attacks, the Boo item also allows players to increase their speed slightly, as well as driving through rough terrain without losing speed.

Notably, Boos are absent in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart Wii, probably because of the inclusion of King Boo.

Bowser Shell
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*

The Bowser Shell is the item used exclusively by Bowser, Bowser Jr., and by King Boo and Petey Piranha. This monstrous shell goes in a straight line, just like a normal Green Shell, bumping on walls and obstacles, capable of knocking over random karts, or destroying other items that it collides with. Unlike a Green or Red Shell, the Bowser Shell does not disintegrate if it collides on a kart. It keeps spinning around after several bumps, where it breaks apart. When the Bowser Shell collides with another special item, it rebounds.

Bullet Bill
Appears in: Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

Upon using a Bullet Bill, the player turns into a Bullet Bill, and follows the track automatically. The Bullet Bill is very fast, and boosts the player faster than any other item. The duration of the Bullet Bill depends on how high the player's current place is; the closer the player is to last, the longer the duration. It is possible to steer the Bullet Bill, but only slightly. This feature allows players to "home in" on other racers as they are flying right past them.

Chain Chomp
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*

The Chain Chomp is a special Item used only by Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, and by King Boo and Petey Piranha as well. When used, a Chain Chomp appears on the front of the kart, pulling the vehicle ahead at a very fast speed, sweeping away any karts and most items in its path. After a limited period of time, the Chain Chomp breaks away from the kart and continue down the track until it eventually vanishes. It is very similar to the Bullet Bill item, except that players are not invulnerable when they use this item. Of course, if the player gets hit by any items, the Chain Chomp breaks free before the time limit has even ended. It was set to appear in Mario Kart DS, but the player can't receive it even in the kiosk demo.

Coin
Appears in: Super Mario Kart; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart 7

The Coin item lets the player's character gain a pair of coins in order to prevent being spun around if the driver bumps with another kart while having zero coins. The coin also increases the player's speed slightly. In Mario Kart 7 a maximum of 10 coins can be collected in a race at one time.

Yoshi Egg/Birdo Egg
Appears in: Super Mario Kart (CPU only), Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*

In Super Mario Kart, Eggs are used by CPU-controlled Yoshi. Yoshi either drops Eggs or throws them forward. Any karts that are hit by an Egg spin out.

Eggs are special items used by Yoshi and Birdo, known as Yoshi Egg and Birdo Egg, respectively in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. King Boo and Petey Piranha can use this item as well, but they receive only the Yoshi Egg. These Eggs home on rival karts, much like a Red Shell. Unlike the Red Shell, though, Eggs stay on the track if there are no karts to home on. When an Egg hits an object, it breaks and lets out three items on the track. Eggs contain these items: Mushrooms, Stars, Bananas, Green Shells, or Bob-ombs. They break by themselves eventually if they do not hit any kart, but they still release 3 items.

Fake Item Box
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii

Fake Item Boxes can be placed on the stage anywhere, similar to Bananas. They can also be dragged behind the kart. When hitting a Fake Item Box, the player rolls over, which is similar to the effect of a Green Shell. Like the Banana, the tilt of the control stick determines how far it is thrown. When a Fake Item Box is set on the track, the player can distinguish it by looking for the telltale question mark inside the box. In most games, the Box has an upside-down question mark. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart Wii, there is an occasional red flash added. In Mario Kart DS, there is simply no question mark, and they did not rotate either.

In Mario Kart 64, players cannot throw this item forward, but it can block items. However, it loses the ability to block items in the later Mario Kart titles.

Feather
Appears in: Super Mario Kart

The Feather gives the player a spin jump which is higher than a normal hop. It is useful for jumping over obstacles, and taking shortcuts over the barriers and voids during races. It was planned for Mario Kart 64 but was removed.

Fireballs
Appears in: Super Mario Kart (CPU only), Mario Kart Wii (CPU only); Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*

In Super Mario Kart, only CPU-controlled Bowser can receive this item. They act very similar to Banana Peels.

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, they are Mario and Luigi's special item, known as Red Fireballs and Green Fireballs, respectively. Petey Piranha and King Boo use Fireballs as well, but they only receive red ones. These items can be shot both forward or backwards. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, they at first appear as a single fireball, but they split into five smaller fireballs after thrown, which can hit multiple karts at once. The fire balls can bounce off walls.

Fireballs appeared lately in Mario Kart Wii, used by Dry Bowser as an ability which he spits out three fireballs against his opponents to make them to spin out of control. This item appeared only in a competition of the game.

Fire Flower
Appears in: Mario Kart 7

When using the Fire Flower, players can throw fireballs backward and forward for ten seconds after it's used or when the player uses ten fireballs. When characters are hit by one of the fireballs, they will spin out and lose a coin.

Giant Banana
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*

The Giant Banana is the signature item used by Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, as well as King Boo and Petey Piranha in Mario Kart Double Dash!! The Giant Banana is much larger than a regular banana, making it harder to avoid. If a kart collides with one, it spins out much longer than a normal Banana would make. After someone hits the Giant Banana, the Giant Banana breaks up into three normal Bananas. Only certain items can destroy it.

Golden Mushroom
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

The Golden Mushroom allows the player to perform indefinite boosts of speed for a limited amount of time until it disappears. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the item appeared as a Special Item under the name Super Mushroom, and could only be received by Toad, Toadette, King Boo, and Petey Piranha. This item usually only appears when the racer is behind by a fair bit.

Green Shell
Appears in: All Games

One of the classic staples of the Mario Kart series, the Green Shell is a projectile that when thrown, goes in a straight line, knocking over any target that gets in its way. It ricochets when it bumps against walls or certain obstacles, eventually breaking after several bumps. In games before Mario Kart Double Dash!!, however, Green Shells, rather than breaking apart, flip over and fall off the screen. In Super Mario Kart, they slow down and eventually stop, only disappearing when a racer hits it. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Green Shells can be held and thrown backwards, but they move slower when shot backwards. In Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, when thrown backwards, the shell moves slightly slower before the shell moves fast, and in Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart 7, the shell moves very fast when thrown backwards like they fire forwards.

Heart
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*

When the Heart item is used, a pair of Hearts surround the kart, protecting against any items dropped on the track. When the kart collides with an item, one of the Hearts absorb it, and gives it to one of the racers for them to use, unless both are already holding an item. After absorbing two hits, the effect of the Heart item disappears. If the driver falls off the course, or gets struck by a Thunderbolt, the hearts in use disappear. Also, this item cannot protect the user from Spiny Shells, Chain Chomps, and Bob-omb explosions (but it can absorb the Bob-omb itself). The Heart is not timed-based, meaning that it does not expire on its own. The Heart is the special item used by Princess Peach and Princess Daisy, and is also used by Petey Piranha and King Boo.

Mega Mushroom
Appears in: Mario Kart Wii

The player's character becomes bigger and is able to crush other characters throughout the duration. The driver also becomes immune to most other items, except for powerful items such as Bullet Bills or players utilized with Stars that can still knock enlarged characters aside. Getting hit by Lightning shrinks the enlarged players back to their normal size, as opposed to making them tiny or even being immune to it.

Mushroom
Appears in: All Games

Mushrooms have appeared in every Mario Kart game so far. By using the item, users get a temporary boost of speed, allowing them to go through rough terrain at ease. Also, charging into another driver while using the boost results in knocking him or her aside, regardless of how light or heavy the player's kart is. Braking is very difficult while using a Mushroom. It can offer a slight increase in handling for the duration of the boost, but it does not slow the kart down. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, using a Mushroom allows the player to steal or drop an item directly from other driver. This technique can also be made in the Battle modes from recent games, although this is for stealing Balloons, Shine Sprites or Coins.

Lucky Seven
Appears in: Mario Kart 7

When the player uses this item, they gain a Banana, Red Shell, Green Shell, Blooper, Mushroom, Star, and a Bob-omb that revolve around their kart until used. In Mario Kart 7's VS and battle mode, it is possible to select that only Shells, Bananas, Mushrooms, or Bob-ombs are items in the battle. If a Lucky Seven is used, only these items appear around the kart.

Poison Mushroom
Appears in: Super Mario Kart (CPU Only)

An item used only by Princess Peach and Toad when CPU Controlled in Super Mario Kart. It gets thrown onto the track and once anyone touches it, they shrink players, not unlike using a Thunderbolt.

POW Block
Appears in: Mario Kart Wii

The POW Block works against the drivers who are ahead of the player that has the item. After used, a POW Block image appears over the drivers, which compresses itself gradually until it disappears. Then, all the drivers ahead of the player spin around, losing their items as well. The POW Block item does not show any effects for the airborne vehicles.

Red Shell
Appears in: All Games

This is one of the classic staples from the Mario Kart series. The Red Shell is a homing projectile which chases after the driver who is before it to knock the kart over. The Red Shell can also be thrown backwards, although it goes in a straight line when shot in that direction. In Mario Kart Super Circuit, the driver drops the shell instead of throwing backwards. However, the dropped red shell reacts when another driver passes near to it, and chases after the nearer kart. Homing Red Shells can be stopped using a Green Shell, a Banana, or another Red Shell as a shield. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!! they can also be dodged if the driver uses Powersliding. Upon hitting a wall or obstacle, the Red Shell breaks; however, in games prior to Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, it flips, and falls off the screen.

Red Shells are different Mario Kart 64, since they always follow a straight line, often hitting walls during the process. Starting with Mario Kart Double Dash!! though, the Red Shells began to follow the whole track until they reached their target.

Spiny Shell
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

When used, the Spiny Shell navigates along the track until it homes in on the player who is currently in first, flipping the player's kart into the air. In Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart Super Circuit, the Spiny Shell flips any karts that are on its path, until it reaches and knocks out the leader of the group. This shell tends to break if it bumps against walls.

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, and Mario Kart Wii, the Spiny Shell appears with wings. Unlike the past versions, where the Spiny Shell slides like a Red or Green Shell, the winged version flies at a very great speed, going directly to the player that is in first place. After hovering over the driver for a few seconds, it explodes immediately, sending the kart flying and destroying the items that the player is holding. Any other driver who is found near to the blast zone is sent flying, bowling over, or spinning out as well. The Spiny Shell is nearly impossible to avoid, but by using certain items like the Star, Boo, Bullet Bill, or even a Mushroom, it is possible to not be affected by the item when it explodes.

Star
Appears in: All Games

The classic Star grants to the player invincibility against every item as well as a great speed and power to knock other karts over. It nullifies any off-road effect, which enables players to travel offroad without any speed loss.

Super Leaf
Appears in: Mario Kart 7

The Super Leaf gives racers a Tanooki tail, so they can spin and whip others with it. If one goes under water, the tail serves as propeller. If the player spins while drifting they will skid, making it harder to control the drift. When used, the Super Leaf lasts for 10 seconds, or until the player is hit by an item.

Thunderbolt
Appears in: All Games

When a driver uses the Thunderbolt, a lightning strikes all opponent racers that are not invincible, in a Bullet Bill, or falling off the course, causing them to spin around, as well as shrinking and slowing them down during a certain amount of time. Shrunk drivers are vulnerable to be flattened or knocked apart by a driver that is not affected by the Thunderbolt. In Mario Kart 64, Boos, Stars, Mushrooms and Thunderbolts could not be used while the racers are tiny. In Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, the amount of time the players stay tiny depends on their rank; the lower the rank, the less time they stay shrunk. In recent games, any items in possession are lost when hit by the lightning.

Beginning with Mario Kart Double Dash!!, tiny players never get squished, but they do get pushed around easily by the normal sized racers. In Mario Kart 7, the effect of being squished after a Lightning strike is reintroduced.

Thunder Cloud
Appears in: Mario Kart Wii

When drivers obtain this item, the Thunder Cloud forms over their heads. Then, they automatically receive a constant, minor boost of speed. They can also drive off-road without losing speed. However, after a set amount of time, the Thunder Cloud strikes lightning at drivers, shrinking them similarly to the Thunderbolt. The cloud, however, can be passed onto another racer by bumping into his or her kart before the lightning strikes, giving the opponent the cloud. It can be passed as many times before the lightning strikes. It also gets destroyed if the driver goes into a cannon or uses an item such as the Star.

Triple Green Shells
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

A set of three Green Shells orbit the kart of the driver. These can be used either as an offensive tool or a protective shield against other certain items as incoming Red Shells. In Mario Kart 64, the shells could be only shot forwards, but in the recent games, the shells can be thrown backwards as well. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, these Triple Shells are the special item for Koopa Troopa and Paratroopa (as well as for Petey Piranha and King Boo). In the game, characters hold the Shells with their hands. If the kart gets hit with another item on the road, the character drops the shells, having one left.

Triple Mushrooms
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

This is basically the same as a Mushroom, but in triple form, meaning the player can use it three times. A higher Items stat, for the games that have it, means the player obtains this more often. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, characters hold the Mushrooms with their hands. However, if the kart gets hit with another item on the road, the character drops the mushrooms, having one left.

Triple Red Shells
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

A set of three Red Shells orbit the kart of the driver. They can be used as an offensive or defensive tool. In Mario Kart 64, the shells could be only shot forward, but in the recent games, the shells can be thrown backwards as well. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, these triple Shells are the special item for Koopa Troopa and Paratroopa (as well as for Petey Piranha and King Boo). In the game, characters hold the Shells with their hands. However, if the kart gets hit with another item on the road, the character drops the shells, having one left.

Rocket Start
Appears in: All Games

The Rocket Start technique allows racers to give them an early lead when a race starts. In the first four games, players must press the acceleration button when the light on Lakitu's start signal turns green, but since Mario Kart DS, players must press and hold while the timer shows "2". When the final beep is heard and when the word START appears on the screen in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart DS (GO! in Mario Kart Arcade GP, Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7), the kart or bike will give an extra burst of speed out of the starting line, which is a very helpful move to get first place early on in a race. However, there is a risk to the move. If a driver is too early on timing and holds down the acceleration button for too long, the kart or bike's engine will burst and they will get a bad start, requiring a few seconds to get back up to normal speed.

Wheelie
Appears in: Mario Kart Wii

The Wheelie is a technique unique to bikes in Mario Kart Wii. It gives them a small boost in speed. This technique can be useful if the bike is on a straightway or if the bike is going to get hit by a POW Block. When a wheelie is used at the beginning of a race, it is called a Wheelie Rocket Start.

Trick
Appears in: Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

Tricks allow racers to give themselves a speed boost when the kart or bike jumps off a ramp or a hill. To do a trick, just jump off on a ramp or a hill and when the player successfully does a trick, the kart or bike will receive a speed boost.

Double Dash!!
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (Co-Op Only)

The Double Dash!! works the same way as the rocket start, but with two racers in a kart. The players must wait for the light to turn green, and hit the button to trigger the effect. The kart gets a big speed boost out of the starting line when a race begins.

Drift
Appears in: All Games

Drifting allows the player to cut through sharp corners. Prolonged drifting induces sparks, blue causing a mini-turbo and orange/red causing a super mini-turbo boost. The latter can only be performed with a kart.

Mini-Turbo
Appears in: All Games

Mini-Turbos allow racers to get a small boost after drifting for a long time. Mini-turbos save time and improve the acceleration.

Slipstream
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

Slipstreaming is a type of speed boost. To perform it, the racer must trail behind the racer for a moment. If done correctly, the racer will suddenly go faster with blue lines surrounding them.

Modes
Throughout the Mario Kart series, there have been several games that feature different modes of play. The standards featured in each game are 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. Other modes of play are also available. Different types of Battle Modes allow players to battle against each other in different competitions. Grand Prix Mode features different types of tournament classes as well, such as the Nitro and Retro Grand Prix.

Grand Prix
Appears in: All Games The Grand Prix (known as Mario Kart GP or simply Mario GP before Mario Kart: Double Dash!!) is a game mode in the Mario Kart series. In this mode, eight drivers (or twelve in Mario Kart Wii) race a series of courses from a certain Cup and get points depending on their position when reaching the finish line. In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7, there was an additional ranking system rating the quality of a player's race performance. After all of the tracks are finished, points are summed up and the three drivers with the most points get Gold, Silver, and Bronze Cups at the award ceremony. Finishing a Grand Prix race with a certain score sometimes unlocks other Cups, drivers, or karts and bikes.

Nitro Grand Prix
Appears in: Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7

In Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7 (and technically, all past Mario Kart games as well), there is a section of the Grand Prix mode called Nitro Grand Prix. It is one of two sections of the Grand Prix mode. In the Nitro Grand Prix, there are four different cups to choose from: The Mushroom Cup, the Flower Cup, the Star Cup, and the Special Cup. This section of the Grand Prix contains sixteen brand new courses.

In Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, in order to play the Star Cup, the player must place first in the Mushroom Cup and the Flower Cup (it does not matter which order). Then, in order to play the Special Cup, the player must place first in the Star Cup. By placing first in the Special Cup, the player will unlock something depending if it is played on 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, or 150cc Mirror.

For Mario Kart 7, in order to play the three remaining cups, the player must claim first place in the Mushroom Cup. Also, once the cup is unlocked, it is available for all engine class.

Retro Grand Prix
Appears in: Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7.

A new feature in Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii, and Mario Kart 7, appears as the Retro Grand Prix. It is a selectable section in Grand Prix mode. In Retro Grand Prix, all racecourses are from past Mario Kart games. Within the Grand Prix, there are four cups able to choose from: The Shell Cup, the Banana Cup, the Leaf Cup, and the Lightning Cup.

In order to play the Leaf Cup, the player must place first in the Shell Cup and the Banana Cup (it does not matter which order). And in order to play the Lightning Cup, the player must place first in the Leaf Cup. By placing first in the Lightning Cup, the player will earn an unlockable, depending on which level it is played on; 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, or Mirror. In Mario Kart 7 however, the player must place first in the Shell Cup first to unlock the next retro cup and once unlocked, it was available for all engine class.

A similar mode appeared in Mario Kart: Super Circuit, where all of the racecourses from Super Mario Kart reappeared in five cups of four courses, as opposed to the original which was four cups of five courses.

All-Cup Tour Grand Prix
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

The All-Cup Tour Grand Prix is a combination of all four cups that appeared only in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. In this Grand Prix, players can race in all sixteen playable courses in a random order, though Luigi Circuit will always appear first, and Rainbow Road will always appear last. It is the fifth cup to compete in that game.

Time Trial
Appears in: All Games Every mainstream Mario Kart game has featured a Time Trial mode. In this mode, players will race through the set amount of laps for each course. In Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64, every course is playable. In other games, only unlocked courses were playable. Also, players start out with a certain amount of Mushrooms, depending on what their item status is. In games without item statuses, the player started out with three Mushrooms.

Battle Mode
Appears in: All Games

Battle Mode is a game play mode in the Mario Kart series. Some games have multiple battle modes. In Battle Mode, the objective is to defeat all the other players. All games feature Balloon Battle, and some of the more recent additions in the series have additional modes. Until Mario Kart Wii, Battle Mode did not have a Time Limit, unless one excludes the Shine Thief mode of Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Balloon Battle
Appears in: All Games Each player has a certain number of Balloons. In Super Mario Kart, players' balloons pop when they are being hit by any item, such as Bananas or Koopa Shells. The last one standing wins. In Mario Kart 64 onwards, balloons were let go after being hit by any item, or after falling in the void or lava before Lakitu picks up the player.

In Mario Kart DS, the system of the mode was slightly changed. Players now have five Balloons, but start out with only one - the rest had to be blown up via Microphone, or by holding down the Select Button. Only three could be out at a time, and the player would be eliminated if they had no balloons out, even if they had more in reserve.

In Mario Kart Wii, the mode was permanently changed, with the battles now timed by three minutes. Also, the score was based on how many balloons popped, and was not a survival game, unlike others. With each balloon lost, the player will give the opposite team a point. If the player loses their three balloons, they will not be eliminated, rather they will receive another three balloons and continue on with the battle, though with one less point. When the three minutes are up, the team with the most points wins.

Balloon Battle in Mario Kart 7 is similar to Mario Kart Wii but it can be played without teams, and the battles are now timed by two minutes, resulting in a larger variety of balloon colors.

Up to five balloons can be obtained in Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7 by using a Mushroom to steal other's balloons.

Bob-omb Blast
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart 7 (Community Online Only) In this mode, all items are Bob-ombs, and players can stack up to five Bob-ombs per character on their kart. When another player is hit by a Bob-omb explosion, that player loses a point (if they has one) and the other player gains it. The player who reaches three points first wins the match (four points in three and four player mode).

Although this mode does not appear in Mario Kart 7, Nintendo has a community of the same name that allows players to play online. This is similar to Balloon Battle except Bob-ombs only appear as items. The code for this community is 05-2097-9533-2225.

Coin Runners
Appears in: Mario Kart Wii; Mario Kart 7 This game mode is similar to Shine Runners; the teams must collect as many coins as they can within the three-minute time limit. There are coins set on the stage from the beginning, and some that drop as the battle goes on. If a player with coins is hit by an item or falls off the stage, they will lose half of their total. The team with the most coins at the end of the time limit wins. This battle mode has returned to Mario Kart 7 with some minor changes, this time players can only collect a maximum of 10 coins within a two-minute time limit, and it can be played without teams.

Shine Runners
Appears in: Mario Kart DS

Shine Runners replaces Shine Thief from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Instead of one Shine Sprite, there are nine Sprites that fall onto the stage. Shines can be obtained by running into them. If hit by an item, the player will lose one shine, which will then drop at a random spot on the stage. After sixty seconds, the player(s) with the least Shine Sprites is out for the rest of the battle and another thirty seconds is added to the game's time limit. This continues until only one player is left and that person will be declared the winner.

Shine Thief
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!! In this mode, there is a Shine Sprite on the arena which can be collected. As soon as a player has collected the Shine Sprite, a timer starts. The team that holds the Shine Sprite when time runs out wins. Other players can steal the Shine Sprite by hitting the player holding it with any item and then colleting the Sprite themselves. The timer is reset after this, but it starts at a lower level each time. The number of players in the battle determines how long the Sprite must be held; a team must possess it for sixty seconds in a two-player game, fifty-five for three players, and fifty for four players.

VS
Appears in: All Games

Versus (commonly shortened to VS) is a mode much like Grand Prix, in which players race on courses that are selected by them.

In Super Mario Kart, it is called a Match Race. Here, two players race against each other in a five-lap race. Mario Kart 64 also has VS. Mode but this time, up to four players can compete in a three-lap race.

In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, the VS mode can include up to four players. If only one Game Card is being used, all players race as Yoshis (not by choice) numerous times, gaining points depending on how many times the player wins. Only four courses can be played: Mario Circuit 1, Donut Plains 1, Ghost Valley 1, and Bowser Castle 1, four of the Super Mario Kart courses. If all players have their own game cartridge, then all tracks are available and all the playable characters are available. It also becomes possible to to turn Item Boxes on or off, set the amount of laps (3 or 5) and also if all players start the race with a Triple Mushroom. Vs. mode is, like previous installments, not available in single player mode. However Quick Run mode shares similarities with VS. mode.

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the mode is mostly the same, except for some additions: Players can choose their Racers and Karts, and in the options menu, they can change the number of laps on every course and item variety. Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii have a single-player VS mode, unlike previous installments. Also, unlike previous installments, Vs. mode acts more like Grand Prix mode with custom rules. In Mario Kart DS, the player will select their racer and kart, and then they can change CPU difficulty, course selection (randomly chosen or chosen by the player), engine cc, the winning requirements, and whether to play on teams or not. In Mario Kart Wii, the player selects whether to play in teams or not, their racer and vehicle; if playing multiplayer, then both players select which team to be on. Team members are randomly chosen in both installments. Points are distributed based on standings at the end of the race, and the team with the most combined points wins. In the Download Play version in Mario Kart DS, up to eight players may play; however, if all players are only using one game cartridge, the racers are limited to course selection, and may only play as varying colored Shy Guys.

For Mario Kart 7, players can customize the rules to their liking but this time, VS is only playable in multiplayer mode. Like with Mario Kart DS, when playing with others via Download Play, anyone playing that does not have a game cartridge must play as a Shy Guy and cannot edit their karts.

Mission Mode
Appears in: Mario Kart DS

The Mission Mode consists of a series of tasks that appear only in Mario Kart DS. The player must complete each mission in a restricted time, in a determined course with the character that plays in the mission. There are seven levels which have eight missions in each. Completing all the missions on a level results in the player unlocking the last mission of that level, which is a battle against a boss. Mission completion is commonly ranked by how fast the player completes the mission, with C being the lowest and three stars being the highest; after clearing an entire level, a rank will be given based on the average of the grades given in the individual missions. The missions that appear vary from collecting objects, defeating enemies using the items, versus races, passing through numbered gates, and more.

Trivia

 * The Mario Kart series is referenced to in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door by Luigi, who, while telling Mario about the races on Circuit Break Island, briefly mentions racing in karts previously.
 * Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Bowser, and Toad are the only characters to have been playable in all titles. Also, Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Bowser are the only characters to be classified as the same weight class in every Mario Kart title.
 * In the main games (not including the GP series), there has been at least one Mario Circuit, one Bowser's Castle, one Rainbow Road, one ice-themed course, one beach-themed course, and one desert-themed course.
 * However, Mario Kart Wii did not introduce any new beach-themed courses.
 * The Game Boy Color is the only Nintendo console since the Super Nintendo Entertainment System to not receive a Mario Kart game.

Awards

 * Longest Running Kart Game Franchise - Guinness Book of World Records Gamer's Edition 2009 - 2013