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 related form is the Tanooki Suit in which Mario can not only fly, but can also turn into Statue Mario. Raccoon Mario was also going to appear in Super Mario World, but it seems to have been replaced by a similar form. A trophy of Raccoon Mario appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Toad and Princess Toadstool could also transform into Raccoons using Super Leaves. In the episode "Super Koopa", Bowser also used a device to become Raccoon Koopa. On several occassions the form was referred to as Raccoon Power.

Mario briefly transformed 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.

A enemy in the Mario and Luigi series that seems to be related to the raccoon suit is the Tanoomba which is a goomba with a raccoon tail and a leaf on it's head. It can also shapeshift.

Trivia

 * The fact that the Tanooki suit is an upgraded version of of Racoon Mario is simaler to how the Penguin Suit is an upgraded version of Ice Mario.