Dash Mushroom

The Dash Mushroom, commonly called simply the Mushroom and alternatively called the Speed Mushroom, is a type of mushroom physically identical to a Super Mushroom that is used for speed boosts.

Mario Kart series
In the Mario Kart games, a Mushroom is an item that grants the Kart a burst of speed and allows the player to drive through off-road surfaces without slowing down. Mushrooms can come in singles or triplets, the latter providing three Mushrooms to use in a row. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, a character holds these mushrooms in piles, but if the kart is hit by an item on the road, these mushrooms will fall off and the character will be left with just one. Normally this set appears as default power-ups in time trial mode (excluding Super Mario Kart) to use specially over shortcuts of a determined course, though in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the player is only given two to use rather than three, and in Mario Kart DS, the starting amount depends on the kart's Item stat. Another type of Mushroom is the Golden Dash Mushroom, which can be used indefinitely in a restricted period of time.

In recent Mario Kart games, Mushrooms can be used as well to knock over other karts or even steal an item from opponents by ramming them, as seen in Double Dash!!. In later games, this move cannot steal items, but it works to steal balloons, Shine Sprites, or coins from other players during a battle. In Mario Kart 64, using a Mushroom and ramming into other racers will cause them to spin out.

The Mushroom is also used as the logo for the Mushroom Cup in every Mario Kart game to date.

While usually just called Mushrooms, in British English versions of Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart 8, they are called Dash Mushrooms.

From Mario Kart Wii onwards, it can be used to avoid the Spiny Shell; however, it is difficult to obtain a Mushroom in first place. The Mushroom artwork from Mario Kart Wii is reused from the Super Mushroom artwork for New Super Mario Bros.

The single Mushroom is obtainable from 2nd to 7th place in Mario Kart DS, 2nd to 8th place in Mario Kart Wii, and 1st to 5th place in Mario Kart 7.

In Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the Mushroom is slightly more powerful than it is in other games. It also receives a new visual effect; the boost will create a line of flames between the road and the wheels, and it causes the engine to rev louder and higher. When obtained as a set of three, they now revolve around the vehicle, in the same way as the Triple Shells, and other racers that drive into them will feel their effect immediately without causing one to disappear. Mushrooms also have a sponsor named after them, Mushroom Piston.

When a player is gliding, using a Mushroom will provide a pushing force that propels the vehicle higher, allowing them to glide longer.

In addition to single mushrooms, Triple Mushrooms are also included in Mario Kart Tour as the special item of Toad, Toadette, Mario (Classic), Peach (Wedding), Mario (SNES) and Luigi (Lederhosen). Unlike most other games, the mushrooms are used up all at once, providing a similar speed boost for a longer period of time than a normal Mushroom. Additionally, single mushrooms are now automatically trailed behind the player's vehicle, meaning other racers that drive into it will feel its effect, similar to the Triple Mushrooms in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

The following gliders in Mario Kart Tour increase the chance of getting Mushrooms and points for using one.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Dash Mushrooms appear in the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. They appear in the Dream Race event, where they give the player a short speed boost when used. In the Wii version, Dash Mushrooms appear as items in Dream Platform, where they give the character a five second speed boost when used.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Dash Mushrooms appear as items in the Supersonic Downhill Dream Event in the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. They appear randomly scattered throughout the course, and allow the player to perform a Mushroom Dash by pressing the B Button, which gives them a boost of speed. The player can store up to five Mushrooms at once.

Mario Party series
The Dash Mushroom appears as an item in Mario Party: Island Tour, Mario Party: Star Rush, Mario Party: The Top 100, and Super Mario Party. When used, it adds three to the player's dice roll.

Super Mario Kart

 * Wii Virtual Console manual bio: This gives you a temporary burst of speed.

Mario Kart 7

 * Digital instruction manual bio: Mushrooms provide a short speed boost.
 * North American website bio: Mushrooms mean super speed on the racetrack. Grab one for a turbo boost at any time.

Mario Kart 8

 * Digital instruction manual bio: Gives you a brief speed boost.

Mario Kart Tour

 * Tips & Tricks: This classic item gives your kart a speed boost. Doesn't get much simpler than that!
 * Mario Kart Tour Twitter: Today we're introducing the Mushroom item. Grab one of these to receive a burst of speed and overtake your opponents! You can even use them to take shortcuts by breezing past things like signs in the game, which can lead to a glorious victory in the City of Lights!

Mario Party: Star Rush

 * In-game description: Adds +3 to your roll, which lets you move an extra three spaces.

Mario Party: The Top 100

 * In-game description: Gives a little extra to your rolls by adding 3.