Green Shell

Green Shells are green Koopa Troopa shells that have appeared in many Mario games so far. Though their appearance remains largely the same, their functions differ throughout the different games.

Super Mario Bros
Green Shells first appear in Super Mario Bros.. After a Koopa Troopa is hit by a jump attack, it will retreat into it's shell, leaving it for Mario to use it. Upon contact, the Shell would be launched, defeating every enemy in its way. However, this could also backfire when the shell rebounds from any obstacle. A Shell in motion can be stopped by stomping on it. If a Koopa Troopa is seen wearing a Green Shell, that means that it will not turn around if it reaches a cliff and will instead straightly walk into it.

Super Mario Bros. 3
The Green Shells return in the third installment and they serve the same purpose as in the first game. The Shells could now also be grabbed and carried around before they were thrown.

Super Mario 64
Green Shells (referred to as "Shiny Shells") could be ridden in Super Mario 64. When Mario jumps atop a Green Shell, the plumber can travel at a fast speed and ram into enemies to defeat them. It also allows Mario to cross over un-walkable terrain, like lava or icy water. Additionally, when Mario grabs a Green Shell while underwater, he will hold the Green Shell in front of him and use it to swim faster in the water.

Super Mario Galaxy
Green Shells reappear in Super Mario Galaxy as an offensive weapon. Unlike Super Mario 64, Mario can only hold the Green Shell, not ride it. Mario can throw the shell in a straight direction until it hits another object. The Green Shell moves in a straight line, and keeps going even if the Green Shell is thrown off the edge of a planet. Like Super Mario 64, Green Shells can be found underwater. Underwater shells can be grabbed by Mario, and allow him to swim faster with better maneuverability. The Green Shell can also be thrown at underwater creatures by spinning. The other two varieties of shells that appear in Super Mario Galaxy are Red Shells and Gold Shells. These act more or less similar to Green Shells.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, the Green Shell is a Bros. Item that is used as a weapon against enemies. At least two persons are required to use the item. When the item is chosen, one of the brothers will kick the Shell towards the foe. It will then bounce off the enemy, cause damage, and come to the other player. After each kick, the shell starts moving faster along the ground. The brothers can then repeat this until the player misses a kick, the enemy is defeated, or fifteen successful hits are dealt; in any one of these cases, the Green Shell disappears. When the adult and toddler Mario brothers fight together, the babies can sit over the shell and spin upon hitting the enemy, causing extra damage to the foe.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, the Green Shell is an Attack Piece. It's used exactly as in the Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, but lacks the baby-button command. This shell will continue to attack even if the first target was defeated, just like Red Shell in Partners in Time. It will break after 10 hits. It costs 3 SP to use this attack. To use it, the player must get all the Trash Pit Attack Pieces.

Mario Kart series
In the Mario Kart series, Green Shells appear as a projectile weapon. Racers can shoot Green Shells forward in a straight line to hit opponents. Unlike the Red Shell, the Green Shell is able to ricochet off of walls. After ricocheting several times, the Green Shell will automatically disappear. Green Shells also come in singles or triples, in which case they circle around the kart until all three are fired. In this state, they can be used as a barrier, useful for blocking contact with other shells (except Spiny Shell) and Bananas. If the racer comes in contact with any other driver, that driver will be knocked over. In Mario Kart DS Wi-Fi mode, Green Shells could not be dragged behind the kart by holding the item button.

Super Smash Bros. series
Green Shells also appear in the Super Smash Bros. series. A Green Shell is a regular item which can be picked up and thrown at other fighters, damaging them. The shell can also be activated by hitting it or jumping on top of it, which causes the shell to shoot in a certain direction, damaging any characters in the way.

Mario Strikers series
Green Shells, as well as Giant Green Shells, appeared as offensive power-ups in the Mario Smash Football and Mario Strikers Charged Football. In these games, they were normally collected in groups of three. Once used, they would be fired out in the direction the soccer player is facing. The Green Shell would then trip up any opponent it hits on the ground, thus halting their movements for a small period of time. The shells, unlike the Red Shells, do not home in on a target, but instead move in one straight path until the shell hits a wall, which makes them bounce back, or hits a player, which destroys the shell. The aforementioned Giant Green Shells cover a wider range than the regular Green Shell.

Trivia

 * A green Koopa Shell was one of many collectible treasures that Kirby discovered in "The Great Cave Offensive" mode of the games Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra. Kirby found the Koopa Shell in the Old Tower Area of the Great Cave. The Koopa Shell was worth 800 Gold.

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