Raccoon Mario

Raccoon Mario is a form Mario turns into after acquiring the Super Leaf. First seen in the game Super Mario Bros. 3, this form allows Mario to slowly float down when falling, using his tail. Mario can attack enemies with his tail by spinning. He is also able to briefly fly if he runs for a short time and then jumps.

A related form is Tanooki Mario (which it is often mistaken for), which adds a statue transformation to these abilities. The Tanooki form also appears in Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World, where it is given by Super Leaves, and can only glide and tail whip (Statue Mario only reappears in Super Mario 3D Land, via use of a Statue Leaf.). Oddly enough, in Super Mario 3D Land, the enemy forces seem to only able to transform into "Raccoon" (re-translated "Tail") variations, probably due to Raccoon Mario's absence.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Raccoon Mario is first introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3, where Mario transforms into Raccoon Mario by obtaining a Super Leaf. When Mario is in this form, he can use his tail to slowly float down (by tapping ) or tail whip enemies and blocks (by pressing ). He can fly for a while if he fills the Power Meter (by running for a short time) and then jumps. A P-Wing will also transform Mario into Raccoon Mario, but with infinite flight. 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.

Super Mario World
Raccoon Mario was going to appear in Super Mario World, but it was abandoned. The form seems to have been replaced by a similar form, Cape Mario.

Super Mario 3D Land
Raccoon Mario was considered for Super Mario 3D Land, but was passed over for Tanooki Mario, for visual clarity.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Raccoon Mario returns in New Super Mario Bros. 2, but Luigi's Raccoon form is now Kitsune-themed (like his Tanooki form in Super Mario 3D Land) and called Fox Luigi. 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. The tail whip is also quicker, usable underwater, and able to hit enemies like Dry Bones (which are immobilized but not killed as they were with Cape Mario). After being charged, the Power Meter now visibly decreases to show the amount of remaining flight time, but once Mario lands on the ground, it will be refilled. However, if he enters a Warp Cannon stage, he can fly almost indefinitely (if he repeatedly lands on platforms before the Power Meter runs out), much like when using a P-Wing.

Also, White Raccoon Mario (the counterpart of White Tanooki Mario from Super Mario 3D Land) debuts in this game. In addition to this form's abilities, it gives Mario invincibility for the stage, lets him walk on water (like his Mini form), and makes the Power Meter charge much faster than normal. Unlike the White Tanooki form, however, the White Raccoon form can be regained by losing five lives in a level, even after the level or final boss is beaten.

Super Mario Maker
Raccoon Mario returns in Super Mario Maker, where it is exclusive to the Super Mario Bros. 3 style, functioning identically as it did in that game. Also, knocking on a Warp Door in the Super Mario Bros. 3 theme may cause Weird Mario to appear in this form.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star
A form of Raccoon Mario appears in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, in that by using the Tail sticker, Mario is given a raccoon tail to deflect enemy attacks. However, using the sticker only gives Mario the tail, instead of both it and raccoon ears. Bowser Jr. is particularly vulnerable to it in his third and final battle. A shiny variant of this sticker also exists, giving Mario a rainbow-colored tail and a stronger counterattack.

Paper Mario: Color Splash
Raccoon Mario appears in Paper Mario: Color Splash, via use a of a Tail card; like in the previous game, he can deflect enemy attacks with his tail.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Toad and Princess Toadstool also transformed into Raccoon Toad and Raccoon Toadstool using Super Leaves, and in one instance, P-Wings. 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.

Nintendo Comics System
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 new-found ability to save some hot-air balloonists trapped in a cyclone that Bowser creates.

Club Nintendo comics
In the Club Nintendo comic "Marios Rückkehr," Mario somehow turns into Raccoon Mario after jumping on two trampolines consecutively. He is flying over the Mushroom Kingdom when he finds two Nintendo Gamer's Guides on a cloud, accidentally hitting a Koopa Paratroopa and falling to the ground.

Super Smash Bros. series
A trophy of Raccoon Mario appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, the Super Leaf appears as an item, giving the player who grabs it raccoon ears and a tail. Characters can temporarily float by holding the jump button in midair. Like with any equipable items, the player can lose the transformation if they are hit enough times or with a strong enough attack. The transformation will also disappear after enough time has passed. It was considered during development that players could attack using the transformation, but was later dropped.

Trivia

 * In the Super Mario Bros. 3 manual and the Nintendo Power Strategy Guide, Raccoon Mario was misspelled as "Racoon Mario".
 * Although Luigi's Raccoon and Tanooki forms are Kitsune-themed (as of Super Mario 3D Land), he is seen in Raccoon form in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U to match the other characters.