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Item Boxes are colourful, floating boxes scattered in rows throughout sections of tracks in the Mario Kart series, which burst when run over to generate an item to the driver. They are major staples of Mario Kart and have just about featured in every game launched in the series, along with a number of sport-based spin-offs. The items themselves are renowned for the unpredictable nature of the races in the series.
Whilst the item boxes do randomly generate different items to the drivers, there is always an established system in place. The strength of items given out to the drivers is proportional to their position in the race; for example, the leading drivers will typically receive weak items like Bananas and Green Shells, whereas those languishing in the bottom positions will gain the strongest items like Bullet Bills or Lightning Bolts. A fake counterpart of the item boxes exists as well, which serves as an obstacle rather than spawning an item.
In accordance with their name, item boxes typically take the shape of a cube box with a large question mark. Despite this, when they were first debuted in Mario Kart 64 in 1996 they were actually shaped as 2D diamonds. It wasn't until the succeeding Mario Kart: Super Circuit game that they took on their 3D box shape, which has been maintained throughout the franchise to this day with only the colours and graphical styles changing each game. They also made a few appearance in non Mario Kart games but these were occasional and they remain primarilly associated with Mario Kart.
It's worth noting that Super Mario Kart - the game that kickstarted the series - didn't really feature item boxes as they would be known. In their place were flat ? panel markings on the ground that drivers would run over to get items from, as illustrated on the right. This was the case due to technical limitations of the time.
Mario Kart series[]
Mario Kart 64[]
The game saw the first official introduction of item boxes, which as shown on the right were actually 2D diamond-shaped models. In a tradition that would be maintained throughout the series, the item 'diamonds' would generally be clustered together in rows, distributed in equal sections of the track.
Exceptions include Toad's Turnpike where they could only be found in vertical lay-bys featured in the course, and a particular oddity featuring in Luigi Raceway. Sometimes a Luigi blimp would rise down onto the track, with a singular item box dangling underneath. When burst open this item box always gives away a Spiny Shell, the most powerful item in the game.
Mario Kart: Super Circuit[]
The item boxes had their proper redesigns given in this game to resemble actual box shapes; they were cubes with different coloured sides of red, blue and green continually rolling around. Otherwise, they carried out their same functions and traits in Mario Kart 64.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!![]
The item boxes appeared as translucent, multi-coloured cubes that continually rotate around at their spot, which has served as the basis for their current appearances over the series. To fit with the double theme of the game which also featured double racers, double item boxes could also be found amongst the rows of single item boxes, providing two items.
The game has also oversaw introduction of singular item boxes that would travel along the courses as if they were animate; such boxes featured in Mushroom Bridge and City, which both also featured moving traffic.
Mario Kart DS[]
Other than the obvious removal of double boxes and similar gimmicks, the item boxes remained unchanged. An interesting oddity again springs up however, in DK Pass. In between the curving turns up the slope and the bumpy section in the forest, a large snow hill has a single 'super' box that boasts only mushrooms and stars to provide an unexpected advantage to the driver, regardless of position.
Mario Kart Wii[]
The item boxes received a slight graphical update, with the use of colours in the green/blue spectrum and a subtle dotted pattern replacing the old checkers. On a side note, whilst driving through Toad's Factory it can be seen that item boxes are produced there in the manufacturing section of the track. Otherwise, the item boxes carry out the same function.
Mario Kart 7[]
The graphical appearance has been refreshed again, with the item boxes now boasting a more colourful, rainbow-like appearance. The only other changes include the removal of the odd box in Luigi Raceway, which has made a return as a retro course. Now, the item box collected under the blimp will be just a standard one. Despite this, the infamous 'super box' in DK Pass (another returned track) still remains.
Mario Kart 8/Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[]
In the Mario Kart 8 editions of Mario Kart, the item boxes have received a more crystalline look in bluish and purplish hues. Whilst their function is the same as it had ever been, slight changes have been made to how the manner of the items received are held. This time, items can only be held individually at the time (e.g. a driver can't hold bananas behind with another item still be to be used). Drivers will also be physically seen holding the items in their hands as well.
In an unprecedented twist, the Deluxe Port has seen the re-introduction of double item box stacks that were originally designed for the premise of Double Dash!! only, now returned on the tracks in the same fashion.
Mario Kart Tour[]
An Item Box in Mario Kart Tour
Item Boxes return once again in Mario Kart Tour with a similar design and functionality to Mario Kart 8 nut with some new properties. The Double Item Box is gone, a new allowing each character to hold two or three items on certain courses replaces it. When the racer drives through an Item Box, an item will be rolled in all empty item slots, not just one like in past games. The number of item given by regular item boxes depends on the number of slots available. If the Auto-Item feature is turned on by the player, the remaining items will be used and all slots will be rolled when obtaining a new Item box. In available courses, if all three item slots show the same item, Frenzy mode is activated, granting the player invincibility and allowing infinite uses of that specific item for a short time.
A new special type of Item Box introduced in the Valentine's Tour has a pink appearance with a rainbow outline on the question mark, and immediately activates a Frenzy of the item recieved. This special Item Box also appears in the Goomba Takedown bonus challenges held at Mario Circuit 2, Vanilla Lake 1, Mushroom Gorge, as well as the Take them out quick! bonus challenge held at the Frappe Snowland. Some bonus challenges contain new Item Boxes variants with the question mark replaced by the image of the item contained within. These will immediately give the player only one of that item, regardless of how many item slots the driver has. The player also cannot activate a Frenzy with such Item Boxes, even if three are collected. Those item boxes are closer to the way the regular item boxes from the older games work.
Super Smash Bros. series[]
Super Smash Bros.Brawl[]
The Item Box is featured as a sticker based on the Mario Kart Double Dash version of the item box. It can be used by any fighter and will increase the power of any ice based attack by eight if equipped.
Mario & Sonic series[]
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games[]
Item Boxes are one of the features exclusive to the Dream Race and Dream Platform events that appears in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. They also appear in the Dream Race, Dream Canoe, Dream Shooting and Dream Long Jump events of the Nintendo DS edition, taking their design from Mario Kart DS, which was the most recent Mario Kart game at the time. The items that can be obtained from these boxes vary depending on the event being played or even the position of the player when they collect the Item Box during some events.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games[]
In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, the item boxes appear in a lot more Dream events than in the previous game as well as some regular events too in the Nintendo DS version. In the Nintendo DS version of the game, Item Boxes appear in Ski Cross Racing, Rocket Ski Jumping, Extreme Snowboarding and Ski Shooting. In the Wii version of the game, they appear in both the individual and team versions of Dream Alpine, Dream Ski Cross, Dream Snowboard Cross, Dream Short Track, Dream Bobsleigh, Dream Ice Hockey, Dream Curling and Dream Snowball Fight.
Mario Tennis series[]
The item boxes have a more minor role in the Mario Tennis series but they do appear in two of the older titles. Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64 and Mario Power Tennis for the Nintendo GameCube. Like in the Mario Kart series, they can show up on the field and will give items to the player the breaks them. They are often limited to specific modes, however.
Mario Party series[]
Mario Party: Star Rush[]
The Item Boxes also make a single appearance in the Mario Party series. In Mario Party: Star Rush, they are an essential part of the Bowser's Shocking Slipup minigame. Here they appear to throw a bit more chaos into the battle. Depending on timing they will either send lightning at Bowser when obtained or spawn Banana Peels that can stun the players. Interestingly, Double Item Boxes are also featured in this battle. All the item boxes spin faster during the second phase, which makes the timing required to hit Bowser with lightning harder.