Mario Kart (series)

The Mario Kart racing series is widely known, as a Mario Kart game has appeared on almost every Nintendo system since the Super Nintendo.

List of Games

 * Super Mario Kart (1992, SNES)
 * Mario Kart 64 (1996, Nintendo 64)
 * Mario Kart Super Circuit (2001, Game Boy Advance)
 * Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003, Nintendo GameCube)
 * Mario Kart DS (2005, Nintendo DS)
 * Mario Kart Wii (2008, Nintendo Wii)

Arcade Series:
 * Mario Kart Arcade GP (2005, Arcade)
 * Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 (2007, Arcade)

Playable Characters
With so many Mario Kart titles, the list of characters that can be found from within these games is quite impressive, ranging from Mario and Luigi to Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. Below is a list of all the characters found in each game.

Items and Effects
Throughout the races of the Mario Kart games, racers can pick up items out of item boxes. These items differ from game to game, but this is a complete list of all the items from every game, excluding the Mario Kart Arcade GP items. After picking up the items out of item boxes, items randomly shuffle on top of the screen (little right in Super Mario Kart, center screen on Mario Kart 64, and the left side on Mario Kart: Double Dash but it scrolls instead of appear), and then press the ("A" in Super Mario Kart, "Z" or "C, Down" in Mario Kart 64, "X" or "Y" in Mario Kart: Double Dash) button to select the item (item is selected when flashing in Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64, in Mario Kart: Double Dash when a special item is selected by their own character(s), the word SPECIAL appears). If a player doesn't select an item right away by pressing the ("A" in Super Mario Kart, "Z" or "C, Down" in Mario Kart 64, "X" or "Y" in Mario Kart: Double Dash) button, the computer automatically selects an item. After the item is selected, press the ("A" in Super Mario Kart, "Z" or "C, Down" in Mario Kart 64, "X" or "Y" in Mario Kart: Double Dash) button to use it.

Banana
Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Arcade GP, Mario Kart Wii The banana is a staple in every Mario Kart game. They can be held behind the player's kart, and spin the player out for about 1.5 seconds upon contact. When thrown forward, the player's current speed and altitude determines how far it will be thrown.

Banana Bunches/Triple Bananas
Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii This is essentially the same as the banana, but there are multiples. In MK64, they come in fives, and in MKDS, they come in threes. When first activated the bananas trail the player's kart, then the player fire each one off separately. The Items stat available in some games increases the player's odds of getting a triple instead of a single. Triple Bananas follow the same physics as single Bananas.

Green Shell
Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Arcade GP, Mario Kart Wii Another classic staple of the Mario Kart franchise, these things are useful in sniping other players... if the player is good at aiming. The player can hold one behind the player's kart, and they can be thrown backwards. Green shells move slower when thrown backwards, however. If the player gets hit by one, the player will be stunned for about 2 seconds.

Triple Green Shells
''Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS. Mario Kart Wii'' This is the same as the single Green Shell, except the player has three of them orbiting around the player's kart. In Mario Kart DS, the player can fire these shells behind the player's kart, in other games the player must only fire them forwards. In MK: DD!!, the item was exclusive to Koopa Troopa and Paratroopa. Also in MK: DD, if the driver was hit by any of the items, Koopa Troopa or Paratroopa will lose one or two shells they had held in.

Fake Item Box
Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii This is basically the stationary version of a Green Shell; lay it down and watch as an unobservant driver gets pelted. Please note, however, the player cannot block a Green or Red shell with one, so don't bother trying. Upon hitting a Fake Item Box, the player will be stunned for about 2 seconds. As with the Banana, the speed the player going at determines how far it will be thrown forward. When laid down on the track, the player can (somewhat) easily spot one by looking for the telltale question mark inside the box. If there isn't a question mark, or if it's upside-down, it's a fake.

Mushroom
Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii Mushrooms have been around since Super Mario Kart, and they serve pretty much the same purpose; speed. However, charging into another driver while 'shrooming will result in knocking them to the side, regardless of how light or heavy the player's kart is. Talk about handy! Braking is pretty much useless while the player is using a Mushroom. It may offer a slight increase in handling for the duration of the boost, but it will not slow the kart down. It can be useful for slowing down ASAP, though.

Triple Mushroom
Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii This is basically the same as a Mushroom, but in triple form, meaning the player can use it three times. A higher Items stat, for the games that have it, means the player will obtain this more often. Also in MK: DD, if the driver was hit by any of the items, one of the two characters will lose one or two mushrooms they had held in.

Blooper
Mario Kart DS,Mario Kart Wii This annoying little squid can really slow down computer players and obscure the view of human players (though the touch screen will not be obscured). This item will affect every racer that is currently ahead of the player. If the player is affected by a Blooper, the player's Items stat determines how long the ink will stay on the player's screen. The lower your Item stat is, the faster the ink will go away. Fairly simple to understand. Using a Blooper while the player is in first will result in a backfired Blooper! Be careful when using one of these when the player is close to the front of the pack. If the player is affected by a Blooper, try to get a Mushroom or drive onto a booster pad. This will quickly rid your screen of the obstructive goo.

Red Shell
Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii Everybody's favorite homing projectile, the red shell is a little smarter in Mario Kart DS. These babies won't always take the quickest route to your target. Instead, they'll usually strike them from the side to avoid any item they might be carrying behind them. If a red shell is trailing you, use a green shell, banana, or another red shell to get rid of it. You may need to attempt a power slide or two in order to position yourself properly, though. As with green shells and fake items, you are stunned for 2 seconds when hit. Red Shells can be held behind you and fired backwards, just like a green shell. Red Shells fired backwards do not home in on anyone. Also note that Red Shells will perform complete 180 degree turns to pursue you. This renders jumping off of ramps ineffective in avoiding red shells. The best method to rid yourself of a red shell is to hit it with a Banana, Green Shell or a Bob-omb, or cleverly drive near a wall and coax the shell into hitting it. In previous games, Red Shells went for the more direct approach, causing then to hit walls more often.

Triple Red Shells
Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii Red shells, in a group of three. Basically a red version of triple green shells. Again, a higher Items stat means you'll get these more often. In MK: DD, it was available to Koopa Troopa and Koopa Paratroopa only. Also in MK: DD, if the driver was hit by any of the items, Koopa Troopa or Paratroopa will lose one or two shells they had held in.

Boo
Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart DS A ghost from one of the many haunted houses in the Mushroom Kingdom. In Mario Kart: Super Circuit Boo slows down your opponent when you use it on them, compared to the other games, where he simply leaves them alone and takes their item. The target that's chosen is random. However, if only one racer has an item, their item will be taken. Another benefit to Boo is the fact that you become translucent upon using it, which means you can pass right through other drivers and obstacles. In addition to being immune to attack, the Boo item also allows you to drive through rough terrain without losing any speed. Boo's absence in Double Dash!! was most likely due to King Boo being playable in the game.

Bob-ombs
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii These bad boys come in handy if you're good at laying down bananas or throwing fake items, since Bob-ombs are used in a similar manner. These can be held behind your kart. Upon being hit by a Bob-omb, your kart is launched into the air, causing you to lose about 4 seconds of time. Think of it as a poor man's Spiny Shell. Bob-ombs also act like proximity mines; any kart that gets too close will get a taste of gunpowder! If a Bob-omb goes off when you're holding it behind you, you won't get hit if you're going reasonably fast. In Double Dash!!, the Bob-omb was exclusive to Wario and Waluigi, except for in the mini-game Bob-omb Blast.

Spiny Shell
Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii The mother of all shells! This baby will zero in on the player that is currently at the front of the pack (meaning the person in the highest place and has not finished the course yet) upon firing it. If a Spiny Shell is fired at you, don't think you can just slink behind and let another player take the hit; if you are in first when it come around to where you are, it will hit you. Regardless. Upon being hit by a Spiny Shell, you will be blown up like a Bob-omb would, losing 4 seconds. Be careful using a Spiny Shell if you're somewhat close to the front; if you fire a Spiny Shell while in first, it'll backfire and blow you up. In earlier games, Spinies were grounded and plowed through anything and everything.

Super Mushroom
Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii Also known as the Golden Mushroom, this is the supreme Mushroom. It's basically a mushroom that you can use an infinite amount of times for about 7-10 seconds. It's quite useful if you have the room to use it. In Double Dash!! the item could only be received by Toad and Toadette.

Mega Mushroom
''Mario Kart Wii The player's character becomes bigger and is able to crush other characters in the amount of time.

Thunderbolts
Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii Everyone but the user is hit by a thunderbolt when this item is activated. If you are hit by it, you will spin out, lose 1.5 seconds, and be tiny for about 10 seconds. In Mario Kart 64, You may not use Boos, Stars, Thunderbolts, (or Bullet Bills) while tiny. In Mario Kart DS the amount of time you stay tiny depends on your rank; the lower your rank the less time you stay tiny. In Mario Kart: Double Dash not only that, you also lose an item you were holding when hit by a lightning bolt.

Thunderclouds
Mario Kart Wii When obtained, the player automatically receives a boost of speed, constantly. However, the Thunder Cloud will eventually strike Lightning at the player, just shrinking them just like an original Thunderbolt. The Cloud however can be passed on to another kart by bumping into any other racer before the lightning strikes. To use the item efficiently, the player's character will have to bump another character and let him be shrinked instead.

Bullet Bill
Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii Upon using a Bullet Bill, you will gain a MASSIVE amount of speed, turn into a Bullet Bill, and follow the track automatically. The duration of the Bullet Bill depends on how high your Items stat is. If it's high, it will last about 8 seconds, and 4-5 seconds with a low Items stat. It IS possible to steer the Bullet Bill, but only slightly. This feature may allow you to "home in" on other racers as you're flying right past them.

Star
Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii Super Stars are perhaps one of the most useful items in the Mario Kart series. They grant you complete invincibility and offensive control. Any poor soul to get in your path will be knocked away from you as if they were hit by a fake item box. A Super Star lasts for about 8 seconds.

Feather
Super Mario Kart Gives you a spin jump which is higher than the normal hop. It is excellent for jumping over Thwomps and taking shortcuts in races over the barriers.

Bowser Shell
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! A giant shell, exactly like the green shell, only 20 times bigger, stronger, and it has no wall-collision limit. Instead, it runs out after a certain amount of time. Its momentum is not changed by most objects, such as racers, cars, and items. Giant Bananas and the Wiggler Bus, on the other hand, are even stronger, and cause it to bounce off in a different direction. If it hits a kart, the racers lose any items they may have had. It is only available to Bowser and Bowser Jr.

Egg
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! These eggs will home in on rival karts. When they hit something, they'll explode and drop three items onto the track. They are usually three good items, like triple mushrooms, a super star, etc. but can also be bananas, Green Shells, and maybe a Bob-omb. It is a Yoshi and Birdo-only item.

Fireballs
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! These items can be shot forward or backwards. They start as a single fireball, and then they'll split into five smaller fireballs, which can hit multiple karts at once. The fire balls can bounce off of a wall one time. They are Mario and Luigi's signature item.

Giant Banana
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Like a normal banana, but a LOT bigger, making it tough to avoid. After someone hits the giant banana, it will break up into three smaller bananas. Only Eggs, Bowser Shells, and karts can destroy it. The item is DK and Diddy's only.

Heart
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! These things will surround your kart, and if an item hits them, you'll catch it and be able to use it. It is a pretty nice item to use. Spinies aren't caught and falling off the course or getting hit with Lightning destroys it. It is Peach and Daisy's special item.

Chain Chomp
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Makes you go at an incredibly fast speed and flip over any opponents in your way. You will lose it if you get hit by an item. Not as good as a Bullet Bill, but close. Baby Mario and Baby Luigi are the only ones who can get it.

POW Block
Mario Kart Wii When dispatched by a player, other racers will find POW Blocks above their karts. They must jump three times (in rhythm) to destory the POW Block otherwise they will spin out and lose speed.

Battle Mode
Battle Mode is a game play mode in the Mario Kart Series. Some games have multiple battle modes. In Battle Mode the objective is always to defeat all the other players. Mario Kart Double Dash!! introduced two new Battle modes, Shine Thief and Bob-omb Blast.

Balloon Battle
Each player has a certain number of Balloons. Players' balloons pop when they are being hit by any item, such as Bananas or Koopa Shells. In Mario Kart DS balloons must now be blown up by either blowing into the microphone, or holding down the Select button.

Shine Thief
There is a Shine Sprite on the track which can be collected. As soon as a player has collected the Shine Sprite, a countdown starts. When it is over and the player is still holding the Shine Sprite, he wins.

Other players can steal the Shine Sprite by first hitting the player with it with any item, and then recolleting the Sprite themselves. The countdown is reset after this, but it starts at a lower level each time.

Shine Runners
Shine Runners replaces Shine Thief in Mario Kart DS. Instead of one Shine Sprite there are many Sprites. After about thirty seconds, the player without a Shine Sprite loses. This continues until only one player is left.

Bob-omb Blast
In this mode, all items are Bob-ombs, and players can stack up to five Bob-ombs per character on their kart. When another player is hit by a Bob-omb explosion, that player loses a point (if he has one) and the other player gains it. The player who reaches three points first wins.

Trivia

 * Mario Kart's mass popularity has led to Kart games in other series. The most notable is the Crash Bandicoot series, which has tried to copy Mario Kart, right down to colored Karts, and item weapons.
 * The first Mario Kart Title, Super Mario Kart, contains heavy themes from Super Mario World.
 * The Mario Kart series is referenced to in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door by Luigi, who, while telling Mario about the races on Circuit Break Island, briefly mentions racing in karts previously.
 * Mario, Peach, Luigi, Bowser, Yoshi, and Toad are the only characters to appear in all the Mario Kart Games.
 * In the main games (not including the GP series), here has been at least one Mario Circuit, atleat one Bowser Castle, one Rainbow Road and at least one Ghost course. There has also been a DK Course in 3 of the 4 main games.
 * In American and European version of Mario Kart 64, "Circuits" were renamed "Raceways".