Mario Kart 64 / Items

Your position in the race will affect which Item you will receive. For example, it is very unlikely that someone in first place will acquire a Spiny Shell or a Star. Similarly, a racer mired in the back of the pack will receive Spiny Shells, Mushrooms, and Stars quite regularly.


The single banana is the least useful item because it is relatively easy to dodge and there is a trick that will allow people to run over them and not slip. These can be used well for protection. Try putting them right in front of Item Boxes or other places people will likely run into them.


The banana bunch is a great weapon, because if you place them all along the road nearby water or space, it will be very difficult to dodge slipping them. Place them right behind you when someone is in your slipstream or drive right in front of someone to hit them with it.


A single green shell. If you hold the Z button then hold backwards and let go of the Z button it will be shoot backwards of the opponents behind you. Use it as a shield from other power-ups.


Three greens shells that circle you. You can't shoot them backwards but if you shoot them really quickly in the same direction at a person, then they will be hit three times and it will knock them further. Useful if you want to knock someone into water or the void. Also is useful as a shield since there are three of them.


The red shell is the favorite among many as it can provide protection and when shot will home into the nearest enemy. Note that if they have something held behind them for protection then aim to the left or right of them so it will hit them from the side instead of from behind.


This is a great weapon because it consists of three red shells that will home onto the nearest enemy and because it gives you protection from all sides of you. Same thing applies to the multi red shells, that if an enemy has a power-up behind it for protection then aim for the sides of them.


The spiny shell is the most powerful and rare weapon. What this does is, when you shoot it it will automatically lock onto first place, while hitting everyone else in its way. It will be locked onto first place however, so it will hit others if you are in its way.


The Boo item lets you steal opponents Items. Also, when you trigger this item, your driver and kart become invisible to other drivers. Turning invisible causes homing Shells to lose their lock on you. Beware, however, because Spiny Shells don't always lose track of invisible drivers. To counter this, always wait until you hear the Blue Shell approaching before you trigger your Boo. The Boo's effect also protects you from other the other items and obstacles, from Bananas to buses.


This rare item shrinks your opponents down to minuscule proportions. While shrunk, your opponents are slowed down and are also vulnerable to being squished under your tires. They can also squish each other if they accidentally make contact. When a driver is first hit with a Lightning Bolt, his car will spin several feet. This is very similar to the effect a Banana has on a car, but the spin caused by a Bolt cannot be corrected. Knowing this, you can use the Bolt to send your opponents flying off the track and into all sorts of hazards. Because your opponents slow down while shrunk, you can also use the Bolt to trap opponents on the wrong side of large jumps. The best example is the large jump near the end of Wario's Stadium.


The Mushroom will give your kart a helpful turbo boost. Use the Mushroom to cut across the insides of turns, to speed down straight-aways, or to take advantage of shortcuts.


Exactly the same as above except you get three mushrooms. The best places to use mushrooms are when you want to use a shortcut, but you need that bit more of speed.


This will give you unlimited boosts for a certain amount of time, which is great if you need to catch up to the leader quickly.


Possibly the most precious of all Items, the Star gives you a temporary dose of invincibility. During this time, you'll also gain a healthy boost to your overall top speed. Use the Star to run into other racers, cut across off-road terrain, or to drive straight through trees and statues.


They look identical to real question blocks but are upside-down. They have the same trailing and blocking capacities of the banana but are a bit wider. Late in the game it is wise to approach all question blocks with caution. The block, with it's wide girth, can be a good way to silence a close follower. It's also excellent on a sharp turn where your opponent can't see. Mostly, however, it makes a nasty trap. Put them right on top of real blocks, or try to integrate them convincingly in groups of them.

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