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 fly high into the air 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. 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 flapping it or attack enemies by spinning. He can also fly in the air 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 was abandoned. The final game introduces Caped Mario, a similar form which also allows Mario to fly.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Raccoon Mario returns in New Super Mario Bros. 2. 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 Caped 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 Caped Mario). After being charged, the Power Meter now decreases to show the amount of remaining flight time Mario has, but once Mario lands on the ground, it will be refilled. When Luigi collects the Super Leaf, it now gives him the ears and tail of Kitsune Luigi from Super Mario 3D Land. Also, an invincible form of Raccoon Mario known as White Raccoon Mario (the counterpart of White Tanooki Mario from Super Mario 3D Land) also appears in the game. Additionally, if Raccoon Mario uses a Cannon to enter a Dash Mario stage, he is able to fly almost indefinitely (given he repeatedly lands on a platform before the Power Meter runs out), much like when using a P-Wing.

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. A shiny variant of this sticker also exists, giving Mario a rainbow-colored tail and a stronger counterattack.

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.

Trivia

 * In the Super Mario Bros. 3 manual and the Nintendo Power Strategy Guide, Raccoon Mario was misspelled as "Racoon Mario".
 * In Super Mario 3D Land, Bowser Impostors are normal enemies with a Super Leaf.