Tanooki Suit

The Tanooki Suit is a rare item found in Super Mario Bros. 3 and its subsequent remake. It transforms Mario or Luigi into Tanooki Mario or Tanooki Luigi, respectively. The suit grants the same abilities as the Super Leaf, with the added ability of turning into a statue when the player presses down and B at the same time. Also, if Mario or Luigi run fast enough to fill the Speed Gauge and jump, they can temporarily fly just like when Mario or Luigi get a Super Leaf. In the e-Reader level Tanooki Suit's secret, The Tanooki Suit is revealed able to break certain blocks when in statue form. This item is probably the most unique because once a player looses it, it pops out of the player, turns white, and dissapears, just like the Frog and Hammer Suit. It can first be found in World 4, and then the rest of the worlds.

The Tanooki Suit will be returning in the upcoming title Super Mario 3D. However, the power-up item for it has changed into a leaf, and it is unknown if the suit will maintain its ability to turn into a statue.

Tanooki suits are named after tanukis, Japanese creatures who, according to mythology, can use leaves to shape-shift and cause chaos.

The Tanooki Suit was prominently featured in a Nintendo Comics System story titled "Tanooki Suits Me"; according to this story, the suit was one of many magical suits made by a tailor named Tanooki whose trademark was to sew a tail on the back of each one. It is revealed in this comic that Mario turns into a statue by pressing a button on the front of the suit, and changes back by wishing to return to human form.

Trivia

 * Tanookis are also a species found on the Isle Delfino in Super Mario Sunshine.
 * It can be combined with the P-Wing.
 * If Mario or Luigi defeat a Koopaling in the Tanooki Suit, the Mushroom King will say, "Thank you, kind raccoon. Please tell me your name."
 * In Nintendo Monopoly, there is a Coin Block/Brick Block card that charges the player $50 for a new suit. The artwork depicts Mario wearing a Tanooki Suit.
 * In the graphic Novel, Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour, during one of Scott's flashbacks with dating one of his ex-girlfriends, he is wearing a Tanooki Suit.