Guide to Mario Power Ups (READ Description)

I decided to make this guide for Mario fan games, flash animations comics and more to understand how power ups work. This will prove to be useful so you don't try to make the power ups the wrong way then there proper usual trend. These power ups come in Mushrooms. sometimes Flowers, Stars at occasions other types of various items based on objects and food and and at rare times suits.

Some items are said to be power ups but some don't really seem to be, On the official site of New Super Mario Bros. 2 says that 1-Up Mushrooms are power ups but there just lives sure they give you you could say another Mario but it's not a form at all. Sometimes Nintendo doesn't get what is a true power up or an accessory in some of the games, manuals and sites. Some of items may have the one hit to lose and other power up behaviors but there more like weapons more so. 

If Nintendo says they are part of the main stream power ups if you want me to answer a question to them i will edit this info of this list then and rearrange it then.

Hammer  The Hammer from DK. While it is technically the first power up to be in a Mario in general it isn't really part of the main series. It's more of an accessory like let's say i had a wrench to fix stuff that doesn't give me powerful and changing me up at all.  

Goomba's Shoe It's more a mount. Before Yoshi existed since your just riding it it doesn't make the power up sound and neither does it change your appearance. Despite that you do lose it if you get hurt. Although Yoshi just simply runs away

Yoshi Egg The Yoshi's are more like mounts rather then Power ups.They do have abilities of there own an getting hit with them usual they would run away till they fall off pits or lava which is the only way to lose.

Yoshi's Wings They are just Yoshi's own power ups this sheet focuses on the Super Mario power ups only.

Life Mushroom They only upgrade Mario's health to 6 in the Galaxy games.

Spin Drill Not sure why that item is listed as a Power Up sure you lose it when you get hit once with it to lose it but ao was other items like Shells.Oddly in Starship Mario's Power Up gallery for some reason it took the Rainbow Stars spot.

Dash Pepper Blimp Fruit and Bulb Berry Again like the Yoshi Wing's there simply Yoshi's own power ups.

Propeller Box That item may sorta act like the Propeller suit but it's more of a portable item to carry around again you do lose it when you get hit with it but it still doesn't count to being a form for Mario.

Super Pickaxe Same reason for the DK Hammer.

Shell Helmet Yes there they act like a power up though there just a special accessories. 

Gold Block Not sure why but on the New Super Mario Bros. 2 official site. It's considered a power up but it's more of those "block hats" you wear and after a while running to get coins it's gone.

Piranha Plant Cannon Box Ice SkateGoomba MaskLight Box Those are again just blocks you simply wear and the Ice Skate is just a mount. There not really power ups since they don't change his form and have a name when wearing them like the items above.
  
Most power ups usually have eyes but that doesn't mean there alive.
Not many power ups have no eyes at all the ones that do in the modern era are only and still haven't been redesigned are the followings below.

-The P-Wing It has the Letter "P" so why would it need eyes between or over the letter.

-The Cape Feather  it would look weird with eyes between the stem.

-The Power Balloon  Same reason why from the P-Wing also no inflation fetish talking please :/

-The Blue Shell Shell with eyes would be very silly xD

-The Rainbow Star Possibly make it more identified from the Power Stars and Super Stars likely.



I could of included Caps like in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Odyssey.
Super Mario 64 was the only time Caps were treated like actual power ups though they were only timed and when you get hurt you won't lose the power from them. Though for Super Mario Odyssey the outfits and hats (Which is Cappy in them to get through level obstacles are just disguises and capturing enemies are the power ups of the game since they have abilities. Like capturing a Fire Bros gives you the ability to shoot fireballs being the Fire Flower of that game instead.

F.L.U.D.D hasn't been used after Super Mario Sunshine. Though I liked using him he was the permanent power up of the game. He would gain the Hover, Squirt and Turbo nozzles. While at default he gains the Squirt Nozzle. Being his power ups of the game.

If any of the power up items have a "Blue Link" that means there my appropriate ideas how the classic power ups traditional item should be.

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Mushrooms can change either your body shape, change your appearance into suits or a material covering your body by giving you different abilities aside from shooting projectiles which is the flowers job. Mushrooms are the most common type of power up to usually find mainly the common Super Mushrooms. Mushrooms are usually not timed.
The only time I have seen a Mushroom timed is when you get the Mega Mushroom but there over powered which makes sense why since your a living destruction.

If the Vanish power up from Super Mario 64 and DS used a traditional item in the modern era I think a transparent Vanish Mushroom would fit since your just invisible and enemies can't see you and cannot attack you and you can go through walls it make sense why this Mushroom should be timed as well. Though it's odd to have the Super Star music unless it had a different theme.
The Vanish Cap shared the same music as the Wing Cap though it's theme was shorter since the Vanish Cap lasted for a shorter time than the Wing Cap but the same time limit as the Metal Cap.

Here is a list of Mushroom power ups below in historical order.

I didn't put the Poison Mushroom since they are more treated like an enemy and a general item neither do I count the 1-Up  and Life Mushroom and other Mushrooms Since they just give you an extra life and upgrade your health to 6 and other effects in the spin-offs in respective. The Metal Mushroom Orb in Mario Party 6 and 7 was Hudson idea it's rather unfitting to make the modern power up a Mushroom since there temporary. 


There are 12 Official Mushroom power ups in the Mario Series.

Super Mushroom NOTE: Oddly they behaved mostly like a Mega Mushroom in Super Mario 64 DS I wish they thought of putting the Mega Mushroom in a lot sooner.

Vanish Mushroom (My fitting idea if the Vanish Cap became a modern traditional power up)

Mega Mushroom

Mini Mushroom

Bee Mushroom

Boo Mushroom

Spring Mushroom

Propeller Mushroom

Rock Mushroom

Invincibility Mushroom (Though this is fitting for the Star but they function like the Invincibility Leaf being invincible for the whole level only it was made for Captain Toad's game. Mushrooms are rarely timed anyways.)

Weird Mushroom NOTE: So far it's only in Super Mario Bros. 1 style in 8-bit neither has there been a modern design as of yet).

Mystery Mushroom NOTE: So far it's only in Super Mario Bros. 1 style in 8-bit neither has there been a modern design as of yet.

Big Mushroom  NOTE:So far it's only in Super Mario Bros. 1 style in 8-bit neither has there been a modern design as of yet.

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Flowers can shoot you projectiles out of your hands based on there element appearance. In Super Paper Mario and the two Super Mario Galaxy games The Slow, Speed, Ice (From Galaxy but I also call them Frost Flower to avoid confusion and if they were used again), and Cloud Flower spawns objects from under your feet. For Super Paper Mario the Speed and Slow Flowers spawn more coins coming out from jumping on enemies. The Ice Flower (Or Frost Flower for my name calling) from Galaxy spawns hexagon ice platforms on Water and Lava. The Cloud Flower makes Cloud Platforms when you do a Star Spin in Super Mario Galaxy 2. The most common Flower is the Fire Flower which obviously shoots up to 2 Fireballs out of your hand.

The only flowers I didn't include were the Copy Flower (Which the Double Cherry kinda takes the role which makes more sense), Mix Flower since that was only used as an item in Mario & Luigi Partners In Time and the Happy Flower from Super Paper Mario since it didn't really change your forms but rain small and big coins. I know the Slow and Speed Flower are listed but they somewhat change your form and spawn stuff from under you.

When I was making this power up I created I was careful choosing it to be a Flower since it mostly shoots stuff like Webs. If this power up is official it would be the first animal suit to be an item of a Flower. unlike the Penguin Suit since it's not a Flower at all yet it shoots Iceballs. koopshikinggeoshi.deviantart.c…

There are 9 (or 11 if you count the Galaxy styled Frost Flowers and my Hammer Flower idea) official Flowers.  

Here is a list of Flower power ups below in historical order. 

Fire Flower  NOTE: Surprisingly it was timed in Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 but that was made for balancing reasons otherwise it would of made the games too easy to beat.

Flower NOTE: Personally Superball Flower would sound better Nintendo's official name sounds generic and boring also this is the oldest flower power up that never has been used in a game yet...though this power up was made since Super Mario Land's computer memory in the game couldn't handle the Fire Flowers code very well. Oddly Mario's appearance never changed when he gains that power up. But if he did in modern days I think he should be like the fire form but the white is black. The Flowers artwork has a rather faded with the lack of colors. If the Flower was back i think Black and grey on the head of the flower would make sense the very middle can still be white where the eyes are.

Hammer Flower: NOTE: I haven't finished my design of it yet but when I do i will post a link here.
But once the Hammer Suit makes a return to be consistent to the Boomerang Flower it should be a hammer Flower since you are shooting projectile hammers.

Power Flower NOTE: Not sure why this is a Flower power up it made sense mostly for Yoshi since he shoots flames but the other characters should of had there own items unless there was not enough memory to include more models for them, but still they should of probably made a "Power Mushroom" more appropriately I guess since there forms had nothing to do with shooting or spawning under you. Nintendo probably didn't follow the power up tend till later in the years. This game is just a remake so i guess it doesn't matter I guess.

Ice Flower NOTE: Though this item actually first appeared in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time 
the Ice Flower had a rather inverted appearance since it debut and the Mario Bros never changed there colors or form not even the Fire Flower (Though it was called the Bros. Flower strangely) entirely yet. Since Super Mario Galaxy the color pattern matches the contrast of the Fire Flower. Super Mario Galaxy was the first main Mario game to feature the Ice Flower (Or since it has a completely ability I rather call it the Frost Flower to avoid confusion) actually however it no longer used it's properties from Partners In Time instead Mario turns into an ice sculptor of himself in appearance being able to run/walk and skate on Water and Lava this Flower was also timed as well appropriately. New Super Mario Bros. Wii brought back the Ice Flower again but now changes there appearance into the Fire form but the white is now light blue. If I saw a Super Mario Galaxy 3 be made and they brought the Frost Flower from Super Mario Galaxy 1 (I wish they never got rid of it in Super Mario Galaxy 2 though that game still has that power up in the files) i think they should make it into an ice sculpture of the Fire Flower somewhat like the Gold Flower but ice textured instead. 

Slow Flower NOTE: It may not seem to make stuff from your hands or under your feet. But when you jump on enemies it does make lots of coins appear under you so it's technically good enough to be part of the Flower family.

Speed Flower NOTE: Same thing from above but faster speed.

Cloud Flower

Boomerang Flower NOTE: in Super Mario 3D World the boomerangs color matches the characters color other then Mario the other characters had there own colored armor. 

Gold Flower NOTE: Luigi turns Silver in New Super Mario Bros. 2 to avoid confusion to Mario's gold form.

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Stars are rare and powerful items that mostly grant you different forms of invisibility and at rare times different abilities. There is also the Caps from Super Mario 64 that also plays Super Star remixes but the closest that makes it a Star is the Metal Cap since you are invincible.


There are officially 5 Star power ups (6 if you count the Metal Cap/ and my Star in the official Mario games. 

Super Star

Metal Star (Though the Metal Cap was the next invincible power up to appear in Super Mario 64, my fitting idea is if the Metal Cap was a traditional item it should be the my Metal Star i created so now let's say the Super Star has a silver counterpart, after all you are invincible as well so i thought a Star would be appropriate)

Rainbow Star (Works like a Super Star though since your collecting Power Stars which look identical to Super Stars it was replaced though Rainbow Mario has solid changing colors in hue order and can gain lots of Star Bits from hitting enemies instead of gaining 1ups making it more balanced though getting every 50s of Star Bits do get you a 1UP.

Red Star NOTE: Rather odd that this type of Star doesn't make you invincible but rather fly nearly as long as the Wing Cap but you fly freely.

Mega Star NOTE: Works similar to the Mega Mushroom but your a giant 8-bit version of yourself instead. 

Boost Star NOTE: This power up can only work in Boost mode in New Super Mario Bros. U. It doesn't make you invincible but your stylish on the gamepad does and it can kill most enemies when you touch them! 

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These are power up items not related to the traditional Mushroom, Stars and Flowers but there has been various objects and food based power ups as well giving you random abilities like some of the mushrooms do. They were also made to fit the theme of an item as well to go along with the form.

 

There are officially 14 other power ups.


Wing NOTE: While this is actually the first general flying Mario power up before the Super Leaf. This power up only appeared in Super Mario Bros. Special which is just another edited port of the original game see here: www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_…
But this power up is not a main stream power up and it's only made by Hudson. It allowed Mario to swim in the air for a limited time.

Super Leaf NOTE: This is canonically the first flying power up since Super Mario Bros. 3. Though this power up turned Mario into Raccoon Mario (Just ears on the cap and a tail on the backside of his overalls). Starting with Super Mario 3D Land Tanooki Mario (Full costume) was the form for the Super Leaf instead. Though it no longer turns you into a Statue and allows flying. However the hovering/gliding is much slower then before and the tail whip is still part of the abilities. The Raccoon form (ears and a tail only) still does the usual abilities which is flying after running enough, tail whipping and gliding/hovering though it's heavier then the Tanooki Suits (Full outfit). The Raccoon with ears and a tail is a not a suit since it's like having a headband with ears and a belt around your waist that is not a suit, A suit is like a full outfit that covers most of your body think of it like a costume.
The Raccoon has appeared in 2D games nowadays such as New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Smash Bros for 3DS & Wii U and unlike Super Mario Bros. 3 it nowadays never appears along with the Tanooki Suit. The Tanooki Suit appears in 3D games usually the linear ones like Super Mario 3D Land and World.

3.bp.blogspot.com/-uSo0kCbqGAs… The left is a Raccoon form while the middle is actually the Tanooki Suit the right is the Statue form from the early 1990s

The Raccoon and Tanooki power ups caused a ton of confusion throughout the years even how Nintendo arranged the power ups though out the Mario series nowadays. This guide can help correct ya in many ways as i am expert on these sort of stuff. Also nowadays Luigi is now a Fox (his Raccoon equivalent) and a Kitsune (His Tanooki Suit equivalent) to give him a bigger difference then the rest of the cast.

The Raccoon and Tanooki forms may have been separated from the games nowadays because it would not only cause a ton of confusion but to differ them from being too similar. This is why the Tanooki Suit changed it's abilities cause in the original Super Mario Bros. 3 it acted like the Raccoon minus the Statue ability.

Fox Luigi:  mariopartylegacy.com/wp-conten…
Kitsune Luigi: www.mariowiki.com/images/5/5b/…

One more thing from my big explanation about the Super Leaf is that Tanookis are actual real animals in japan known as "Tanuki" or in English "Raccoon Dogs" 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raccoon_…

For Kitsune it's just Japanese for "Fox" and there based on mythical creatures in Japan. Which makes sense since Mario's Tanooki Suit is a Japanese animal while there is no such thing as a Japanese fox.

P-Wing NOTE: in Super Mario Bros. 3 this power up can give you unlimited Raccoon Power for the whole level while in Super Mario 3D Land it only appears if Mario or Luigi loses 10 lives in a (skipped) normal world level (making P-Wing Assist Blocks appear), or within certain Mystery Boxes. Mario will lose the P-Wing if he gets any other power-up (excluding a Super Star, or Invincibility Leaf, as the P-Wing will be replaced if Mario is in Super form or better).

The P-Wing can be combined with the Tanooki Suit in Super Mario Bros. 3. However, in order to do this, one must use a P-Wing, then enter a level that has a Tanooki Suit hidden within it (World 4-5, World 5-5, World 6-3, or World 7-) and collect that Tanooki Suit without losing the P-Wing's power.

Cape Feather 

Power Balloon

Carrot (I would of rather called it the Super Carrot I think. Mario kart Arcade games gave the carrot a curve on the bottom to the left with rabbit ears replacing the stem).  

Wing Feather NOTE: The feather itself is unnamed or just called a feather. Wing Feather would be a fitting name
This is basically how Mario himself only gets his Wing form in Super Mario 64 DS. This should be the traditional item replacement of the Wing Cap in the modern era.

Blue Shell NOTE: Not to be confused by the Blue Shell from the Mario kart series item with the fans referring it as such a name there official name is actually "Spiny Shell"

Invincibility Leaf NOTE: This form only appears in Super Mario 3D Land and World when dying 5 times it appears in the Assist Block.
Transforms Mario into White Tanooki Mario (Super Mario 3D Land) or White Raccoon Mario (New Super Mario Bros. 2), which grants him the Super Leaf's powers, as well as unlimited invincibility for one level. 

Statue Leaf NOTE: Basically Super Mario 3D Lands version of the classic Tanooki suit. It's like how the Super Mario Bros. 3 Tanooki Suit used to do the invinsible statue ability but what really makes it confusing is that Nintendo made another type of Tanooki Suit with a colored scarf for the character to allow them to become a Statue instead of having the Raccoon and the Tanooki Suit having the Statue ability separately. But the Raccoon wouldn't make sense for the 3D style of the game however since that nowadays flies.

Fittingly the Statue Leaf would be a consistent choice over the original Tanooki Suit item from Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Acorn Note: Both the Super Acorn and the P-Acorn may resemble Mushrooms but they are not Mushrooms then they appear to be.

P-Acorn

Super Bell

Double Cherry

Lucky Bell NOTE: Basically the Tanooki counterpart of the Super Bell it turns you into a Golden Lucky Cat Statue also known as the manaki-Neko 


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Suits used to be a thing in Super Mario Bros. 3 they give you stronger abilities. In the modern era they have been rarely used unless they can't find a sui that wouldn't fit well as a random object or food or even a Mushroom. Suits nowadays are usually good for underwater areas.

In modern there are officially 2 Suit power ups so far!

Frog Suit NOTE: This power up wouldn't fit well to be a Mushroom or an Affiliation item since they would look awkward and the newer Paper Mario game still shows it as a Suit i bet in the newer games it will remain as a Suit. The Frog Suit could work well in 3D games while the Penguin Suit works well in 2D games similar to they both act alike. Again jsut like the Raccoon being in 2D games while the Tanooki Suit is in the 3D Games.

Tanooki Suit NOTE: Although the Tanooki Suit is now the Super Leaf in 3D games. The Statue Leaf would make a good replacement for consistent reasons. If there was another 2D Mario game with both the Raccoon and the Tanooki form together. The Super Leaf should turn you into the Raccoon and the Statue Leaf giving you the Tanooki form with all the original abilities from the Raccoon but also the Statue from Super Mario Bros. 3 minus the scarf on the suit itself from Super Mario 3D Land (except for the statue).

Hammer Suit NOTE: Seeing how there is a Boomerang Flower it would make more sense for this item to become the "Hammer Flower" since you are shooting projectiles which is more consistent.

Penguin Suit NOTE: Besides the original Hammer Suit in the classic days. The Penguin Suit in the modern era is the only non-flower power up that shoots projectiles which is Iceballs though they don't freeze enemies for long unlike the Ice Flower. This fits since Penguins are meant for the cold. A Penguin Flower wouldn't make sense

This is the longest thing i typed in my life if you have any questions comment below. And if i made a mistake let me know and I did try to memorize everything the best I could do.
If there are any grammar, typos or any other mistakes let me know in the comments I really wanted to get everything typed up as properly as possible.

Copyright (C) Nintendo for the artwork and fonts.