Triple Red Shells

Template:Item-infobox Triple Red Shells are an item found in the Mario Kart series. They did not appear in the earlier Super Mario Kart or Mario Kart: Super Circuit. Triple Red Shells were also absent from the Mario Kart arcade series. They debuted in Mario Kart 64 and have appeared in Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, and Mario Kart Wii. The item consists of three ordinary Red Shells seen in other Mario games, and they have the homing capabilities of the single Red Shell from the Mario Kart series. Triple Red Shells have served the same primary function in each appearance, and they are one of the most desirable common items to receive during the course of a race. Their Green Shell counterpart is the slightly different functioning Triple Green Shell.

Mario Kart 64 and DS

While Red Shells made their debut in Super Mario Kart for the Super Nintendo, Triple Red Shells did not appear until the sequel Mario Kart 64 for the Nintendo 64. Triple Red Shells also appear identical in Mario Kart DS for the Nintendo DS. However, Triple Red Shells were absent from the Wi-Fi mode in DS due to restrictions in the game. Triple Red Shells could be given to any position when collecting a Item Box, although the item was rarely given to the first place person. When activated, three Red Shells would automatically circle the player’s vehicle. They would continue to circle the player, where the player could fire one at a time. The Red Shell would then break off and travel down the course toward the next opponent in line, unless the Red Shell hit a wall, fell off a course, or hit another obstacle, such as a Banana, Fake Item Box, or another shell. If the next player was at a distance (but not too far for the Red Shell to home in and hit them), each Red Shell could be shot at a set time apart, where all three could strike the next racer and severely slow them down. Because of that, Triple Red Shells are viewed as a more desirable item over other projectiles such as the Banana, Fake Item Box, Green Shell, or Triple Green Shells. However, if one is attacked by another racer with a Star while holding Triple Red Shells, it is possible to lose all three Red Shells in the ensuing attack. A passerby with a Star may take out some of your Red Shells without actually striking you. Triple Red Shells are also useless against the Blue Spiny Shell, which can take out a Red Shell and still strike the racer. If another racer has a Boo, they are invulnerable to Triple Red Shells. The invisible racer can even take out any Red Shell that they touch without facing any consequences. For that reason, it is possible to see all your Red Shells disappear from your cart from an invisible racer you did not even know was next to you. Shooting a Red Shell at an invisible racer is also useless. Triple Red Shells could also not be shot behind one’s cart. They could only be shot forward.

While the Red Shells circle the racer, they also serve a defensive purpose. If another racer bumped into your cart, they would take out a Red Shell and crash. Also, if another player tried to attack you from behind with a Green Shell or Red Shell or from the front with a Banana or Fake Item Box, that item could strike one of your circling Red Shells. However, since Triple Red Shells circle one’s cart with a slight amount of space in between each other, it is possible for someone’s item to sneak through and attack your cart without touching a Red Shell. If you have only one or two Red Shells left circling you, there is a higher chance that another item could sneak through and hit you. The same applies if a person runs into a Fake Item Box or Banana while holding Triple Red Shells. If one ran into one of those obstacles, it could take out one of the Red Shells, or it is quite possible for all three shells to miss and cause that racer to crash. If a player has any shells circling their cart, they can still pick up another item from a Item Box, but they may not use that other item until they have shot or lost all of their circling shells.

Shooting Triple Red Shells is not entirely accurate in the same ways that the single Red Shell suffers, especially if a player has only one Red Shell left after shooting two of their shells. With one Red Shell left circling the cart, it is less likely that the Red Shell will protect you from oncoming attacks or obstacles. It is very easy for other racers to collide with you while your Red Shell is spinning around on the opposite side of your cart. In addition to that, if a player tried to shoot the last Red Shell while it was positioned behind their cart in its circle pattern, the shell would first get shot backward before being able to travel forward to the next racer. Because of that, it is possible to get struck by one’s own Red Shell or for the shell to fail to home in on another racer and immediately crash right off the course. Triple Red Shells also appear in Battle Mode, but because of their effective nature, they are extremely rare items to receive in a two player Battle Mode. While still rare, they are more commonly issued to racers in three or four player Battle Modes. Firing all three Red Shells in quick succession is not recommended, because only one will actually cause the victim to crash, while the other two just bounce off the already crashing racer. In addition to that, quickly shot Red Shells may end up just colliding with themselves and break apart.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Wii

File:Koopaparatroopa.jpeg

Koopa Paratroopa holding the Triple Red Shells in promotional artwork for Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!! for the Nintendo GameCube, the Triple Red Shells were limited to only a Special Item given to Koopa Troopa and Koopa Paratroopa. They were no longer common items given to other racers, with the exception of Petey Piranha and King Boo. They did not have their own unique Special Items and could receive anyone else’s Special Items at random, including the Triple Red Shells. In addition to that, other players could “steal” Triple Red Shells from another racer if they collided into them with a Star or burst of speed from a Super Mushroom (or Golden Mushroom). Because of the unbalanced nature of the Special Items in this game — the reason they did not return for future games — Triple Red Shells were a highly prized Special Item that were more useful than most other items. Plus, they could easily be given to a player in a high position, while most Special Items were only given to those in much lower positions. In addition to that, the homing capabilities of the Red Shells in this game were improved, making them much more useful and effective. A Red Shell could travel over a much longer distance in this crouse. As a Special Item, Triple Red Shells could only be given to those eligible in the Battle Mode. However, the Red Shell’s homing capabilities were reduced in this mode to prevent an unfair advantage to those that received them. A Red Shell would only home in on an opponent if it was shot in a direct path toward that racer.

Since items in this game could not be dragged behind one’s vehicle, Triple Red Shells could not be used to circle one’s vehicle as they did in Mario Kart 64. Their defensive traits were limited to only being able to shoot an individual Red Shell backward to ward off an oncoming projectile or other racer. The shells themselves did not have homing capabilities when shot backward, and they would disappear upon hitting an obstacle or wall. A player holding Triple Red Shells could lose all their shells if they were attacked by powerful items, such as Bowser Shell, Chain Chomps, or Lightning. When that happened, the player would drop their shells onto the course, where other drivers could collide with them. If a player was struck with a Spiny Shell, the Triple Red Shells would disappear completely.

In Mario Kart Wii for the Wii, Special Items were eliminated, and Triple Red Shells were now a common item given to anyone. Their function in this game is identical to Double Dash!!, except now Triple Red Shells can be used to circle one's vehicle again. Arguably, Triple Red Shells are less useful in this game, because of the complex nature of the courses, which include more obstacles, jumps, abysses, tight corners, and more items a player can defend themselves against such attacks. Also, the item could easily be lost through a wide variety of attacks, such as the POW Block, Bullet Bill, Star, Lightning, Mega Mushroom, or Spiny Shell. Triple Red Shells are also a common item given in the Battle Mode. Triple Red Shells could not protect someone from running into a Fake Item Box in either Double Dash!! or Wii.

External links

• Video showing Triple Red Shells used in Double Dash!!