Green Shell

Green Shells are green Koopa Troopa shells that have appeared in many games in the Mario franchise. 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 its shell, leaving it for Mario to use. Upon contact, the shell is launched, defeating every enemy in its way. However, this can 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 walk straight into it. The Koopa Troopa will stay in the shell for only a limited amount of time. After a while, the Koopa Troopa will get out of its shell and resume its business. Koopa shells can only be destroyed by a fireball shot by Fire Mario or being hit by Invincible Mario.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Green shells reappear in the Japan-only sequel Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Nothing has changed from the previous game; it can be obtained by again, defeating a Koopa Troopa and making it retract into its shell, making the shell available for use.

Super Mario Bros. 3
The Green Shells return in Super Mario Bros. 3 and serve the same purpose as in the first game. The Shells can now also be grabbed and carried around before they are thrown. They can be used to hit blocks on their sides. Giant Green Shells also debut in this game's World 4.

Super Mario World
Green Shells appear in Super Mario World. However, instead of the Koopa Troopa retracting back into its shell, it will slide out of its shell, becoming a Beach Koopa. If the Beach Koopa finds its shell again, it will go back inside it. Green Koopa Shells do not give Yoshis who eat them any additional abilities, unlike the other shells.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS
Green Shells (referred to as Koopa Shells or Shiny Shells ) are rare objects in Super Mario 64. They can be obtained by hitting some ! Blocks or attacking a Koopa Troopa to get them out of their shell. When Mario jumps on a Koopa Shell, the plumber can travel at fast speed and ram into enemies to defeat them instantly. Riding a shell also allows Mario to navigate over lava or water. Additionally, if Mario grabs a Koopa Shell while underwater, he can hold the shell in front of him and use it to swim faster in water for a short period of time. When riding on a Koopa Shell, the theme that plays is the one used for the Wing Cap and Vanish Cap.

Koopa Shells make a return in Super Mario 64 DS, where they can be ridden on (and used underwater) once again. Additionally, they may appear behind some brick blocks as well. Yoshi can eat Koopa Shells and spit them out, although they disappear upon hitting a wall. Some minigames found in Super Mario 64 DS require use of a Koopa Shell such as Shuffle Shell.

In the original version, when hitting the ! Blocks for Koopa Shells, the boxes do not respawn, but shells do not disappear until Mario hitches a ride on one. In the DS version, ! Blocks have the ability to respawn and, unless they were stolen from Koopa Troopas, shells now disappear if not used for a while.

New Super Mario Bros.
Green Shells return in New Super Mario Bros., in which they can be obtained after stomping on a Koopa Troopa. Just like in Super Mario Bros., the Koopa Troopa will retract into his shell so Mario can grab the shell and throw it then. Aside from the design change, the Green Shell had little change in its function. Performing a Ground Pound on a Koopa Troopa or Paratroopa will kick its shell forwards without having to pick it up. Blue Shells also return in this game as power-ups that let Mario slide across levels like a kicked shell.

In addition, Bowser Jr. throws Green Shells during certain boss fights (specifically when his bandanna is on). The player must step on the green shell, pick it up, and throw it back at Jr. to stun him. Once stunned, the player can then attack Bowser Jr. by either jumping on him or Ground Pounding him.

Super Mario Galaxy
Green Shells reappear in Super Mario Galaxy as an offensive weapon. Many Green Shells in this game will be found independently (usually underwater), though occasionally they will still be attached to the back of a Koopa Troopa, in which case the player must spin the Koopa Troopa or jump on its back to get it to retreat into its shell, after which it can be picked up and used normally. Unlike Super Mario 64, Mario can only hold the Green Shell, not surf around on it. Mario can throw the shell by spinning 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 in Super Mario 64, Green Shells can be found underwater. Underwater shells can be grabbed by Mario, and allow him to swim faster. The Green Shell can also be thrown at underwater creatures to defeat them. The shells also produce light underwater, so the player can destroy underwater Boos and point at enemies before throwing the shell. 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, with a few minor differences.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Green Shells make an appearance in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. They have the same function as in New Super Mario Bros., although there is one difference not commonly known. Holding the / and shaking allows players to carry it over their head, which can then be thrown in the same way as holding and throwing it normally. If Ice Mario attacks a Koopa Troopa after stomping on it, the Koopa Troopa will remain frozen within his shell in an Ice Block. Mario can then use the Ice Block like a platform or lift it up to throw the block and destroy the shell. Also, larger green shells appear in World 5. Mario can enter these larger shells and find hidden items.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Green Shells reappear in Super Mario Galaxy 2, with the same function as in the predecessor. However, in this game, only Green Shells appear, and Red Shells and Gold Shells do not. In this game, they are mostly found in galaxies such as the Cosmic Cove Galaxy and Slimy Spring Galaxy.

Super Mario 3D Land
Green Shells reappear in Super Mario 3D Land with the same function as other games, however, Mario can only kick the shell in this game and only green shells appear once again. Additionally, the player can shoot fireballs to make the shell bounce off of them in the air. If this is done long enough, the shell will turn into a 1-Up Mushroom.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Green Shells reappear in New Super Mario Bros. 2 with the same function as in the past New Super Mario Bros. installments. However, if Mario passes through a Gold Ring, any Green Koopa Troopas in the area turn Golden, and so do their shells. If thrown, they produce a trail of coins behind them.

New Super Mario Bros. U
Green Shells reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U with the same function as in the past installments. Giant Green Shells also reappear.

Super Mario 3D World
Green Shells appear in Super Mario 3D World, generally acting as they do in Super Mario 3D Land. Similar to Super Mario World and Super Mario 64, jumping on a Koopa Troopa allows the player to kick the Koopa Troopa out of its shell and take it. Additionally, while carrying a shell, the player can have Mario and the others climb inside of it (by crouching) and slide across the ground in it, similar to Shell Mario. Like this, the player can knock aside any enemies they ram into. The Shell changes color for all characters except Luigi, who is already green. After being in the shell for a certain amount of time, the player will become dizzy and automatically come out of the shell. The character can also climb into the shell without moving. The shell will still change color depending on its user, and pressing the jump button will make the shell jump, spinning in place for the duration thereof. The player will not be forced out of the shell if this happens. If a player is inside the shell and touches the Goal Pole, the player will be rewarded with a 1-Up.

Yoshi's Cookie
A Green Shell appears as one of the cookies in Yoshi's Cookie when playing Rounds 11-99. Since there is only one per level, this makes for a more challenging experience as the only way to get rid of the Green Shell cookie is to pair it up with a Yoshi Cookie, which is further complicated by the placement of the other cookies.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island / Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
Green Koopa Shells also appear in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, where they can be carried by Yoshi, but Yoshi cannot swallow them due to them being hard and inedible. These green shells act in the same manner as in Super Mario World; it can still hurt Yoshi when a shell sliding around and touches him.

Yoshi's Island DS
The Green Shells, worn by Koopas, re-appear in Yoshi's Island DS, where they are still inedible and can be used to attack enemies.

Paper Mario series
The Green Shells reappear in the Paper Mario series, where they are donned by Koopa Troopas once again. In Super Paper Mario, there is an item called Shell Shock, which is a giant 8-bit Green Shell (appearing in its design from Super Mario Bros.) which can be used to attack enemies the same way as a Green Shell would. However, the Shell Shock can still hit the heroes and cause damage.

In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Green Shells appeared as stickers, under the name Shell. By using the sticker, Mario summons a green Koopa Troopa, which he jumps on to send into its shell; he then kicks the shell into all ground enemies. There is also a Shiny Shell sticker which is stronger and summons a red Koopa Troopa, and an even stronger Flashy Shell, which is blue and summons a Buzzy Beetle.

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 bros. 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 sixteen successful hits are dealt; in any one of these cases, the Green Shell disappears. When the adult and baby Mario brothers fight together, the babies can sit over the shell and spin upon pressing the corresponding button the babies use, causing extra damage to the foe.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, the Green Shell is a Special Attack for Mario and Luigi. To use it, the player must get all the Trash Pit Attack Pieces. This is the first Special Attack the brothers get, as well as one of the few mandatory ones. It is used exactly as in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, but lacks the baby-button command. Unlike the previous game, the shell moves faster as it gets kicked and slows down slightly after it ricochets from the enemy, though the returning speed of the shell still increases after each kick. This shell will continue to attack even if the first target was defeated, just like the Red Shell in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, and will break after ten hits. It costs three SP to use this attack.

In the remake, the number of hits has been reduced to six, and the finishing attack is similar to using the 3D Red Shell and 3D Green Shell in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team and the 3D Red Shell in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam.

Among a series of images in the game's credits showing a battle between the brothers and Bowser, one displays the pair using this attack.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
The Green Shell reappears as the first of Luigi's Bros. Attacks in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, under the name 3D Green Shell and like the 3D Red Shell, it costs 4 BP to be used. The Attack Pieces to obtain the 3D Green Shell are found in Mushrise Park, which are given to Luigi after Mario and Luigi free Brickle from the fountain. It can only target enemies on the ground. Unlike its counterpart used by Mario, the 3D Green Shell hits enemies more randomly and Luigi initiates and ends the attack.

Upon using the attack, Mario and Luigi will both run into the foreground, where Luigi will take out a Green Shell and kick it at one of the enemies. Mario will kick the Green Shell back at the enemies after it rebounds off the enemy towards him, and Luigi will do the same, this repeating three more times. After the Green Shell hits nine times, Mario will then kick the Green Shell towards Luigi, who blasts it at one of the enemies, ending the attack. If all enemies are defeated before the attack ends during it, the attack will end prematurely at that point, rendering it impossible to get an "Excellent!!" rating.

Striking three, five, nine and ten times with the Green Shell yields an "OK", "Good!", "Great!!" and "Excellent!!" rating respectively.

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 rebound from walls. After ricocheting several times, the Green Shell will automatically disappear. Aside from single Green Shells, this item also comes in a triple variant, introduced in Mario Kart 64. When the player decides to use the item, a group of three Green Shells will rotate around the driver's kart (excluding in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!) protecting them from Bananas and other shells, though not always. If the player collides with another racer, the other racer will be hit by one, and if the other driver also has another set of Triple Green Shells or Triple Red Shells, both drivers will lose shells. Like ordinary Green Shells, they travel in a straight direction when fired and will bounce off walls for a time. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, they are a special item exclusive to Koopa Troopa and Paratroopa (and Petey Piranha and King Boo, due to their ability to have any special item). Also, in Double Dash!!, the three shells are carried rather than having them circle around the kart. Triple Green Shells are not used in Mario Kart DS Wi-Fi mode due to the fact that items cannot be deployed in that mode. As of Mario Kart 64, the Green Shell leaves a green-colored trail when thrown although in more recent games, the trail is more of a blur. Ever since Mario Kart DS, the Green Shell is the emblem of the Shell Cup.

Super Mario Kart
In Super Mario Kart, the Green Shell is an item in the form of a missile. When the player uses this item, it will fire directly forward of the player's kart, only changing direction if it hits a wall. Alternatively, the player can place the shell on the track behind them like a Banana. The Green Shell will be destroyed once it hits a kart, another item, or falls off the race track or into water or lava. If the shell hasn't been destroyed or fallen off the track, the game engine will remove it after more items are released onto the track. When a kart is hit by a Green Shell, the kart will stop dead in its tracks whilst spinning out, unlike a Banana where it would continue to move for a short while. The only computer-controlled player with the ability to use a Green Shell is Koopa Troopa, but instead of Koopa Troopa throwing the shell, it is thrown through the air in the same manner as a Banana, and stops dead when it lands rather than sliding across the ground. Green Shells do not bounce over jumps, for example, firing a Green Shell towards the main jump in Mario Circuit 2 will make the shell bounce back after hitting the wall, rather than clearing the jump and landing on the track section over the wall.

Mario Kart 64
In Mario Kart 64, the Green Shell acts the same way as in the previous game; however, when the player holds the analog stick backwards, the shell will now be fired backwards instead of dropped. Computer-controlled opponents do not receive this item in the game, their items being relegated to Bananas, Fake Item Boxes, Super Stars and Thunderbolts. When a player is hit by a Green Shell, they will topple over for roughly two seconds before stopping. This crash effect also affects the computer-controlled players whilst off-screen, whereas a computer opponent being hit with a Red Shell, a Fake Item Box, a Star, or a Chain Chomp (the latter only being on Rainbow Road) off-screen will simply make the computer-controlled player stop and continue to move immediately afterwards in the form of a cheat.

An alternate item called the Triple Green Shell also debuts in Mario Kart 64. When this item is activated, three shells form a circular barrier around the player's kart in a similar way to the balloons in Battle Mode in the previous game, which can be used to guard against items and projectiles, as well as turning the kart into a battering ram against other karts. Unlike the single Green Shell, however, these shells cannot be fired backwards and are slightly harder to aim as they are constantly rotating around the kart.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the Green Shell can be destroyed after hitting a certain amount of walls. Also, when fired backward, it moves much slower than forward, unlike Mario Kart 64 where the shell moves at the same speed in both directions. The physics has also been changed from the previous game, and being hit by a Green Shell will simply topple the player's kart, letting them continue moving straight away. The Triple Green Shell variant is also in this game, but only Koopa Troopa, Koopa Paratroopa, King Boo and Petey Piranha can receive this item, as it is now classified as a Special item. Unlike Mario Kart 64 however, instead of the shells rotating the player's kart, they are held in the character's hand, and as such, they cannot be used as protection against track-based obstacles unless they are fired. Also, a shell will travel through a Fake Item Box without destroying either of the two. Also, the Triple Green Shell can now be fired backwards, a feature missing from Mario Kart 64. Characters who otherwise cannot receive a Triple Green Shell can steal this item from another kart by ramming it while using a Mushroom. Also, computer-controlled players can now receive, and fire, any item in the game from any position.

Non-moving Green Shells also make their first appearance since Super Mario Kart. If a player holding a Green Shell or Triple Green Shell is hit by a Blue Spiny Shell, a Bob-omb, a Thunderbolt or a Super Star, the shell(s) will be dropped onto the track. Yoshi's Eggs and Birdo's Eggs may also randomly release this item after being destroyed. Certain track obstacles may also make a kart lose their items, such as Piranha Plants, Chain Chomps, Cataquacks and cars and trucks. Also, certain creatures on some race tracks can be temporarily taken out by shells, such as Goombas and Cataquacks. If a pipe containing a Piranha Plant is hit, the Piranha Plant droops down and temporarily cannot attack passers-by.

Mario Kart Tour
Green Shells appear as an item in Mario Kart Tour. They can appear as one shell, or triple shells, and can be launched either forwards or backwards. They can also be used as a form of defense against many other items. They can also slow down an opponent by letting the opponent ram into a player holding a green shell on the back.

The Triple Green Shells are a special item in this game, usable only by Koopa Troopa, Dry Bones, Lakitu, and Iggy.

The following gliders increase the chance of getting Green Shells and points for hitting racers with one.

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, appear as offensive power-ups in the Super Mario Strikers and Mario Strikers Charged. In these games, they are normally collected in groups of three. Once used, they are fired out in the direction the soccer player is facing. The Green Shell then trips 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. They are useful for clearing room for a Super Strike or Mega Strike.

Mario Tennis series
Green Shells appear in the games Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64, and Mario Power Tennis for the Nintendo GameCube and Wii. These staples can be used during an Item Battle match, which can be obtained when the player hits an Item Box with the ball over the net. If the player hits the ball after receiving the item, three green shells are fired at the same time towards the opponent's side of the court to stumble them so that they cannot receive the incoming ball. Just like in other games, green shells go in straight lines, but if they cannot hit any target on their way, they simply disappear after being used. In Mario Tennis Open, tennis gear is designed based on this item, and available for Miis to use.

Super Princess Peach
Green Shells also appear in Super Princess Peach. They can be obtained by knocking Koopas out of their shells, allowing Peach to throw it to attack enemies. Every consecutive enemy Peach hits with the shell can leave coins and 5 Coins in their wake.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Green Shells appear as an item in the Dream Race event in the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, and function almost identically to the shells in Mario Kart games, although they can only be thrown forwards in this event. Characters will lose speed if hit by one, although their effect can be blocked with a Shield. They also appear in the Dream Canoe event, where they come in sets of five with almost the same function, although they instead cause the character hit to lose three coins, and can either be jumped over or have their effect blocked by a Starman item. They also appear as an item in the Dream Long Jump event, with the same effect as in Dream Race, but additionally cause the player to lose height and can be blocked by a Starman. In the Wii version, Green Shells appear as an item in Dream Race, where they can be thrown straight forward and can either hit an obstacle on the course or an opponent. They can be defended against using a Starman or by jumping over them.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Green Shells appear as items in Dream Alpine in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, where they can be thrown forwards to knock down any opponents in their path, causing them to lose speed. They can be blocked using either a Super Star or Shield.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
During the Dream Hurdles event in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, two Green Shells can appear if the player pushes a ? Switch. Getting hit with one results the player losing five points.

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Green Shells appear in Rhythmic Gymnastics Plus in the Nintendo 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where they appear occasionally to uncover upcoming buttons. They also appear as an item in Football Plus, where one will replace the ball and increase the power of all of the team's shots until the other team gains possession of the ball.

Mario Sports Mix
In Mario Sports Mix, Green Shells appear again. When used normally, they'll move at a straight line, and temporarily knock out anyone in their path. When combined with a ball/puck, the object will move at a straight line at high speeds. This makes the item rather dangerous in dodgeball, since players can't catch, nor repel a dodgeball while it's equipped with an item.

Mario Party: Island Tour
Green Shells return in Mario Party: Island Tour. In the game, they are known as Setback Shells, and are usable items on Perilous Palace Path that, when used, automatically send an opponent back two spaces.

Other appearances and references
A green Koopa Shell is one of the collectible treasures that Kirby can find in "The Great Cave Offensive" mode of the games Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra. The Koopa Shell is found in the Old Tower Area of the Great Cave, and is worth 800 Gold. It is referred to as the "Turtle Shell" in Kirby Super Star, but correctly called the "Koopa Shell" in Kirby Super Star Ultra.

In the Animal Crossing series, Green Shells appear as furniture items. The originally use their Super Mario Bros. appearance, though they use their modern appearance in Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

Terrorpins, an enemy from the The Legend of Zelda series, appear in The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass with a Green Shell-like design, appearing as enemies in Mutoh's Temple. They can only be defeated by using the Hammer near them and flipping them over.

In Super Mario Chess, Green Shells appear as pawns on Bowser's team.

If the Question Block AR Card is used in the Fishing minigame included as part of the AR Games software on the Nintendo 3DS, and the card is placed on a green surface, Green Shells will rain down upon the water. The shells can also be caught by the player.

In Monopoly Gamer, there is a Green Shell side on the "Power-Up Die". Rolling it normally forces the next player on a space forward from the player's position (player's choice if multiple players occupy the space) to drop three Coins on that space, where the next player who lands on or passes that space can pick them up. Some characters have a "Power-Up Boost" that enhances or changes this power.

In Minecraft, Turtle Shells are changed to resemble Green Shells in the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack.

Super Mario Kart

 * Wii Virtual Console manual bio: "Shoot this shell at enemies in front of you. Hold down on and press  to drop the shell behind you. Green shells will bounce off walls."

Mario Kart 7

 * Instruction manual bio: "Green Shells travel in a straight line and knock over the first kart they hit. Hold or  to equip a Green Shell, and then release  or  to throw it."
 * North American website bio: "This shell is a straight shooter. It also bounces off walls, and could fly right back at you if you're not careful."

Mario Kart 8

 * Instruction manual bio: "Green Shells travel in a straight line and knock over the first driver they hit."

Mario Kart Tour

 * Tips & Tricks: "Flies straight and crashes any kart it hits. Keep it behind your kart to protect yourself from a single attack."
 * Mario Kart Tour Twitter: "Item introduction: Green Shell Flies straight and crashes any kart it hits. Will bounce backwards if it hits a wall, so keep an eye out! blue"

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team

 * Instruction manual bio: "Kick a shell back and forth off the enemy to deal damage. Kick with for Mario and  for Luigi."

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
Blue indicates exclusive to the Wii U version.