Raccoon Mario

Raccoon Mario is a form of Mario and Luigi first seen in the game Super Mario Bros. 3.

Mario turns into Raccoon Mario after acquiring the Super Leaf. When Mario is in this form, he has the ability to slowly float down when falling, using his tail. Mario can attack enemies with his tail by spinning. He is also able to fly high into the air if he runs for a short time and then jumps. A P-Wing will also transform Mario in Raccoon Mario, but with the added ability to fly indefinitely without the need for a running start. The benefit of a P-Wing will be lost once Raccoon Mario takes damage, transforms into Fire Mario, Frog Mario or Hammer Mario, or clears a level.

A related form is the Tanooki Suit (which it is often mistaken for) in which Mario can not only fly, but he can also turn into Statue Mario. The full Tanooki form also appears in Super Mario 3D Land, where Super Leaves supply the power-up. Oddly enough, the enemy forces seem to only able to transform into "Raccoon" (retranslated "Tail") variations, although Raccoon Mario itself is absent.

Raccoon Mario was also going to appear in Super Mario World, but the form seems to have been replaced by a similar form. A trophy of Raccoon Mario appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Raccoon Mario returns in New Super Mario Bros. 2. The mechanics are somewhat different from Super Mario Bros. 3, the player can now simply hold the jump button instead of repeatedly pressing it for Mario to ascend and slowly descend, much like Cape Mario. It also has slightly more flexibility with the tail attack and is able to attack enemies like Dry Bones (which are immobilized but not killed as they were with Cape Mario). After being charged, the P-meter now decreases to show the amount of remaining flight time Mario has, but once Mario lands on the ground it will be refilled. When Luigi collects the Super Leaf, it gives him honey-colored ears and a different tail, resembling a fox rather than a raccoon, similar to how his Tanooki form in Super Mario 3D Land resembled a fox. Also, an invincible form of Raccoon Mario known as White Raccoon Mario (the counterpart of White Tanooki Mario from Super Mario 3D Land) also appears in the game. Additionally, if Raccoon Mario uses a Cannon to enter a Dash Mario stage, he is able to fly almost unlimited in time (given he repeatedly lands on a platform before the P-meter runs out), much like when using a P-Wing.

Appearances in Other Media
In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Toad and Princess Toadstool can also transform into Raccoon Toad and Raccoon Toadstool (respectively) using Super Leaves. In the episode "Super Koopa", Bowser uses the Power Pendant to become Raccoon Koopa. On several occasions, the form is referred to as Raccoon Power.

Mario briefly transforms into Raccoon Mario once in the Nintendo Comics System, in the story "It's Always Fair Weather" (which takes place before the events of Super Mario Bros. 3). Mario gains the ability by using a piece of a plant labeled as "Magic Leaf Raccoonias" for a toothpick and then uses his newfound ability to save some hot-air balloonists trapped in a cyclone that Bowser creates.

In the Club Nintendo comic "Marios Rückkehr," Mario turns into Raccoon Mario by just using a Trampoline instead of a Super Leaf.

Trivia

 * In the Nintendo Power Strategy Guide for Super Mario Bros. 3, "Raccoon Mario" is misspelled as "Racoon Mario".