Triple Red Shells
Triple Red Shells in Mario Kart 8
Artwork of three Red Shells from Mario Kart 8
First appearance Mario Kart 64 (1997)
Latest appearance Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017)

Triple Red Shells are clusters of three Red Shells appearing predominantly in the Mario Kart series.

HistoryEdit

Mario Kart 64Edit

Triple Red Shells first appear in Mario Kart 64. When used, three Red Shells are deployed to orbit the player's kart. The player may throw each Red Shell one-by-one whenever they please, and can also use the Red Shells to block incoming items. Any player from second to eighth place can obtain this item, with a 20% of obtaining it in each position it appears in.

Mario Kart: Super CircuitEdit

Triple Red Shells return in Mario Kart: Super Circuit, behaving exactly the same as in Mario Kart 64. The item is obtainable in 2nd place or lower, with the best chance of obtaining it being in 4th place or lower.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!Edit

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Triple Red Shells are among one of the two special items usable by Koopa and Paratroopa; as with all special items in the game, they can also be used by Petey Piranha and King Boo. This is the only game where the Red Shells do not orbit the kart; instead, they are held by the character in the back, though they otherwise function the same. Like the Triple Green Shells and Triple Mushrooms, should the player crash while holding two or three of the Red Shells, they will drop them until they are only holding one.

Mario Kart DSEdit

Triple Red Shells return in Mario Kart DS, behaving the same as in past games. They can be obtained as rare items in third through sixth place in Grand Prix and local VS modes, and can also be collected by poorly-performing players in Battle Mode; however, they are absent in online VS mode. The AI cannot normally receive Triple Red Shells via Item Boxes, but they can still obtain it through stealing from the player using Boo.

Mario Kart WiiEdit

Triple Red Shells return in Mario Kart Wii, behaving exactly the same as in previous games. They can be obtained as uncommon to rare items in fourth through eighth place in Grand Prix and VS modes; in Battle Mode, they are usually obtained by poorly-performing players. The best chance of getting this item is in 5th place, with a 12.5 percent (5 out of 40) chance of getting it in said position. If the player currently has a Triple Red Shell, they are unable to obtain a Triple Banana or Triple Green Shell and vice versa.

Mario Kart 7Edit

Triple Red Shells return in Mario Kart 7, behaving exactly the same as in past games. In Grand Prix races, they can be obtained if the player is anywhere from third to sixth place; in VS Races, they can be obtained in third or fourth place; in Battle Mode, human players can only uncommonly obtain Triple Red Shells a significant distance from the frontrunner, though poorly-performing CPUs have a rare chance in obtaining them, marking the first time in the series in which CPUs may obtain Triple Red Shells.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 DeluxeEdit

Triple Red Shells return in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, functioning exactly the same as in past appearances. In Grand Prix and VS modes, all players may obtain Triple Red Shells roughly 1000-3000 units from the frontrunner; however, they cannot be obtained in Battle Mode. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also marks the first time that CPUs may obtain Triple Red Shells in VS mode.

ProfilesEdit

Mario Kart seriesEdit

Mario Kart: Super CircuitEdit

  • 3DS Manual bio: "You can shoot three Red Shells. Press   once to set them up to act as a barrier against enemy attacks."

Mario Kart WiiEdit

  • Trading card description: "There is a single Red Shell item, but this is three times as good! Triple Red Shells form a protective barrier around your vehicle helping you to fend off attacks. Then they can be fired, one by one or in rapid succession, forward or backward depending on your needs. The difference between Green and Red Shells is that Red Shells will hone in on the closest rival racer."
    • Game Tip!: "It's usually best not to fire off all three Red Shells in succession. It only takes one to crash an opponent. Save the other two for someone else."

Mario Kart 7Edit

  • Digital instruction manual description: "Press   or   to equip (the three shells spin around your kart), and then press   or   again to throw one shell at a time."

Mario Kart 8Edit

  • Instruction manual description: "Three Shells that spin around your vehicle. Use   to throw them one at a time."

Super Smash Bros. BrawlEdit

Sticker
Triple Red Shells
 
Artwork from: Mario Kart Double Dash!!
Effects in The Subspace Emissary: Launch Resistance +21
Usable by: Anyone

GalleryEdit

ArtworkEdit

SpritesEdit

Names in other languagesEdit

Language Name Meaning
Japanese トリプルアカこうら
Toripuru Aka Kōra
Triple Red Shell

Chinese (simplified) 三重红龟壳
Sānchóng Hóng Guīké
Triple Red Shell

Chinese (traditional) 三重紅龜殼
Sānchóng Hóng Guīké
Triple Red Shell

Dutch Driedubbel Rood Schild
Triple Red Shell
French Triples carapaces rouges
Triple carapace rouge (Mario Kart: Super Circuit)
Trois carapaces rouges (Mario Kart 64)
Triple Red Shells
Triple Red Shell
Three red shells
German Drei rote panzer
Dreifache Rote Panzer (Mario Kart: Super Circuit)
Triple Red Shell
Italian Triplo guscio rosso
Tripla Conchiglia Rossa (MK64, MKSC)
Triple Red Shell
Portuguese (NOA) Trio de cascos vermelhos
Red Shells Trio
Portuguese (NOE) Trio de Carapaças Vermelhas
Red Shells Trio
Spanish Triple caparazón rojos
Trío de Conchas Rojas (Mario Kart: Super Circuit)
Tres conchas rojas (Mario Kart 64)
Triple Red Shells
Red Shells Trio
Three red shells