Summary
Look, when you’ve been doing your thing as long as theMariogames, they won’t all be high points. There have been a few light fumbles like Paper Mario: Sticker Star and a few plunges down elevator shafts like Hotel Mario, and that’s ok. The lows just make the highs hit harder.
But aside from the games themselves, there are a few power-ups throughout the series that haven’t exactly enjoyed the same prestige as the humble Super Mushroom. While some traverse the territory of clunkiness like certain games, there are a few others which probably deserve a bit more appreciation.
8Cannon Box
Super Mario 3D World
Everybody loves a good Fire Flower in Mario games. Press a button, shoot a blazing ball of flames, problems stop being problems. It’s a winning formula. But what if the projectile was automated? And what if, instead of an arching trajectory, it flew straight and true until it ruined someone’s day somewhere in the universe?
Enter the Cannon Box fromSuper Mario 3D World. This ballistic beauty can be used as an explosive helmet, shooting endless bombs straight into whatever is unlucky enough to be in your line of sight. Plus, you may hold the run button to charge up your shot for precision aiming and better range. That sort of satisfying power deserves to be in more games.
7Blue Shell
New Super Mario Bros.
No,not that Blue Shell, this one doesn’t ruin relationships, but it can ruin your day if you’re not mindful of nearby pits, as with most life experiences. New Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo DS introduced this power-up only for it to fall by the wayside in the years since, and that’s a tragedy.
Mario and Luigi use the Blue Shell much like the Koopas do, stuffing themselves inside and trying not to think about the implications. But running will cause the shell to slide forward and take out any enemies in the way. It can be tough to control at first, but bring it back in a new game and players will undoubtedly be using it for speed runs before the day is done.
6Bull Pot
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
Wario may have traded in his platforming boots for an impressive minigame collection, but that doesn’t mean he should forget where he came from. In Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, the greedy best Mario Kart choice (please don’t argue) managed to find perfection in one of his most basic forms.
The game grants Wario different hats that imbue him with new abilities. Aside from flying and shooting fire, an overlooked one is the Bull Pot, which styles Wario with a Viking hat and increased strength for his shoulder charge move. It might not seem like much, but being able to smash blocks in one blow is remarkably satisfying, and a potential new Wario Land game should honor that feeling.
5Drill Mushroom
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario Bros. Wonderwasn’t the first appearance of a drill-based item, but it very much did perfect the art. While theexcellent 3D platformer Super Mario Galaxy 2gave Mario the Spin Drill to tunnel through worlds, somehow the ability to simply stop being perceived for a bit was the preferable option (your introverted friends could have told you that).
The Drill Mushroom in Wonder lets you burrow just under almost any surface, making you invulnerable and controlling buttery-smooth as you slide along the floor or ceiling. Then, you may pop out under any enemy and ruin their whole deal, or simply move through narrow passages. It’s functional, looks cool, and feels darn satisfying to use. Gucci, take note.
4Double Cherry
Admittedly some people might be put off by this slightly disturbing item. No mincing words. The Double Cherry clones whichever character touches it, continuing to add more copies every time you collect a new one. Those who have seen The Prestige are already giving it the side-eye, but it’s pretty neat in-game.
Aside from solving simple puzzles, the Double Cherry clones are also oddly satisfying to play as, essentially serving as extra hit points and surface area to bounce on enemies. There are tons of possibilities if it came back. Just be careful of who’s left after all the clones are taken out. How do you know which is the original?
3Mini Mushroom
Tiny things are cute, especially in video games. That’s just basic science. Granted, big things are also often cute too. Don’t pretend you wouldn’t give a whale ear scritches if you could find its ears. But the tiny rule is pretty universal, and it just so happens to cross over with practicality in New Super Mario Bros.
Grab a Mini Mushroom and you’ll shrink down into a floaty little dude, capable of hanging in the air longer after jumping, entering tiny spaces, and even running on water. Religious implications aside, that’s not only functional, but it feels great to control as well. Sure, you can take fewer hits in this form, but true cuteness requires sacrifice. Again, basic science.
2Jet Pot
Wario Land really managed to establish a wonderful identity for itself separate from the Mario Land series that spawned it. They’re slower, more deliberate, and with that comes power-ups that just feel wonderfully punchy.
The Bull Pot is one thing, making Wario’s attacks hit harder in the most fun ways. But the Jet Pot deserves a spot in the Mario item pantheon for very different reasons. Pop it on and you’re able to soar straight forward no matter where you are, on land, sea, or air. Time it right and you can skip troublesome spots in nearly any stage, which frankly feels on brand for Wario.
1Hammer Suit
Super Mario Bros. 3
Still considered by many to be the peak of Mario games,Super Mario Bros. 3is essentially the perfect baseline for what an excellent platformer can be. It controls well, has a world map you may easily parse, and it absolutely nailed its power-ups.
To be fair, those who have played it almost unanimously adoreSuper Mario Bros. 3’s Hammer Suit. It turns you fireproof when you crouch down and gives you throwable hammers that can quite literally defeat almost anything in one hit, including Bowser, so that may be why it hasn’t appeared since, but come on, Nintendo, live a little.
