Top 10 Mario Kart Power Ups

Green koopa troopas aren’t the most threatening of shelled enemies -- seriously, Mario, riding your foe’s shell? However, those hard shells come in handy, especially on the race track. While it does take some good aim to nail your opponent in the back, and yes, them bouncing back and forth against the walls can a hindrance, having three of them circling around you is a nearly impenetrable defence, not to mention having three chances to take out the enemies ahead of you.

One of the most legendary power ups is a certain shell that makes you loathe being in first place -- seriously, is it our fault that we’re good enough to take the lead? We’ll get to that later, but that being said, “Mario Kart 8” introduced one of the most surprising items in the history of the series: a horn that can destroy the blue shell! Technically, the horn can destroy anything within the radius of it’s loud honk, but let’s be real, it’s the blue shell killer, end of story.

Imagine, if you will, that you’re in the middle of an intense race. You’re coasting along, almost in first, when, in the distance, you see a group of rainbow colored boxes (20:31). Maybe you can get a hold of a shell, or a mushroom to boost your speed and take the lead. But then... BAM! You’ve driven into an imposter, a box that’s a fraud, an item that’s out to deceive you (9:41). Damn our number eight pick, damn it to the deepest pits of Bowser’s castle.

Mushrooms have always been a handy power up for plumbers in red and blue -- or green -- so it’s no surprise that they’re just as valuable in a race (19:06). We had a couple of different fungi options, from the singular mushroom to the triple fungus threat that allowed for three chances to boost forward (3:55). In the end we have to give it to the shroom in gold, because having a constant boost with just the tap of a button is always the best option (13:48).

The last thing you ever want to see is a bullet with a diabolical smile on its face. The normal solution, like everything else in the Mushroom Kingdom, is to jump on top of it... unless if you’re in a race kart. Not only does this menacing bullet plow through everything, it propels you forward at breakneck speeds, acting as a boost and a projectile. It only lasts for a couple of seconds, but those few seconds can change the tides of the race.

Seeing how divisive this spikey little bugger can be, he’s only clocking in at #5 (5:29). More meme worthy than the Luigi Death Stare, every kart racer fears this item when they’re in first since it targets them (0:01). To add injury to injury, the shell in later versions causes a massive explosion that hurts anyone in the area (0:09). However, it’s a rare find, and only tends to be available to racers who are far behind (0:33).

Why have one power up when you can have seven... or eight? What if you could have a Green Shell, a Red Shell, a Banana Peel, a Mushroom, a Star, a Blooper, and a Bob-omb at the same time? Surely, that would be insane. There’s no way Nintendo would allow for such destructive possibilities... right? Both of these power ups contain the same items, but the “eighth” one includes a coin in the circle of death, so we’re calling our number four pick a draw.

A crackle of thunder, a bolt of lightning... and shrinkage (15:22)? Another item that tends to be reserved for racers who are lagging behind, it shrinks everyone, makes them lose their items, and completely slows them down (21:53). And, as a true testament to the friendship destruction of the game, you can roll over the miniature versions of your opponents with no consequence to you. Here’s a tip: if your friends ask, you did it to revert them back to their normal size.

The happy, bright, twinkling power up from the Mario series makes its way onto the race track, gifting racers with terrifying invincibility (8:19). When that jingle kicks in you’re able to plow through any of your opponents -- though, most likely, they’ll be doing their best to get out of your way (1:37:58). You’re also protected from any of their attacks and will gain a major speed boost (4:55). What was once an instant goomba killer can now be used against your family and friends. Yay!


Before we completely ruin our friendship with our Mojoholics, let’s take a look at some... honorable?... mentions.

“Boo”
First appearance: Super Mario Kart (1992)

“Super Leaf”
First appearance: Mario Kart 7 (2011)

“Boomerang Flower”
First appearance: Mario Kart 8 (2014)

“Bob-omb”
First appearance: Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003)

When coming up with this list, our first instinct was to give this spot to the dastardly shell in blue. But, after really thinking about it, we realized that three homing shells are deadlier than one. The triple threat circles around you to protect you, but it’s when you go on the offensive that things really get intense. This power up also gets bonus points for not being nearly as rare as the Blue Shell, giving you more opportunities to use it.


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