Shell Toss

The Shell Toss is a move used in many platform games in the Mario franchise. The term "shell toss" can be used to describe any attack wherein an ally or foe uses its shell to attack by launching it forward. To use the Shell Toss, one must grab or carry a shell and toss it. Koopa Troopa shells are the most common type of shell, although Buzzy Shells and upside-down Spiny Shells are also common.

Super Mario series
Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad can first use the Shell Toss in Super Mario Bros. 2. The Red Shells can be obtained in the grass and thrown at will. The shells speed across the ground, knocking over any enemies.

Later, in Super Mario Bros. 3, the Shell Toss can be used to hit blocks from the side and gain the items contained within them. Bricks can also be broken to gain access to other areas. This is also possible in most later 2D Mario games. In some games, such as Super Mario World and Super Paper Mario, enemies may also throw shells at the player. In a few games, such as Super Mario Bros. 3 and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, shells can even be used to collect coins or other items.

Paper Mario series
In the Paper Mario series, various Koopas and Buzzy Beetles, including Mario's party members Kooper and Koops, use Shell Toss by going inside their shells and launching themselves at enemies in battle. This attack can hit only the frontmost enemy on the ground, but it does not take contact damage from things such as fire and electrification. For Kooper and Koops at normal rank, the attack does one damage without the Action Command and two with it; this changes to two or three damage at Super Rank and three or five at Ultra Rank. The Action Command for Shell Toss differs slightly depending on which Koopa is using it, but both involve releasing at the right time. Also, Koops's version includes Stylish moves.

Kooper and Koops can also be launched by Mario out of battle, which can be used to grab faraway items, activate switches, or do a First Strike on an enemy. A First Strike with Kooper always fails the Action Command, while a First Strike with Koops always succeeds.

Names in other languages
Panzerstoß