Two Decades of Blue Shells: 15 of the Greatest "Mario Kart" Moments in GIFs

With Mario Kart 8 set to drop this month, we take a look at the greatest moments in the history of Mario Kart.

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Image via Complex Original
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On May 30Mario Kart 8 will hit stores in North America, opening the doors for a new generation of gamers to fall in love with one of racing's iconic franchises. Over the years, the Mario Kart series has given us all plenty of happy moments. Flower and Star Cups were won, and close friends and enemies were defeated, all while controlling our favorite heroes and villains from the Mushroom Kingdom

Indeed, since Super Mario Kart's release in 1992, racing games have been completely different, and from early trailers and previews, Mario Kart 8 figures to be a title with the exact same impact as its most notable predecessors. 

But what exactly defines Mario Kart? What makes it so great? In 15 handy GIFs, we break down the essence of the series, distilling it with a handful of unforgettable and beloved snapshots. 

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Banana Peel

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F*ck EVERYTHING right now.

Spinning out on a banana peel is basically the same as waking up on a Monday, and thinking it's a Sunday, only to realize that you actually have to go to work. It kills all the momentum you had going, and puts you in a total tailspin. In Mario Kart, when you've got all that momentum going, you're riding out a comfortable lead, and you suddenly hit a banana peel, you're almost ready to snap your controller in half.

Green Shell

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I'll Take That

Is there any greater feeling than just completely fucking up someone's day by poaching first place from them at the finish line? The best part is when you're playing two-player mode and they can just see it coming. Sweat accumulates on their forehead as they think they can make it, their thumb is jammed against the accelerator button thinking it will give them an extra boost, and then with just one small bump on your green shell, their dreams are destroyed. 

Last Place Never Felt So Good

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Last Place Never Felt So Good

With the addition of the paraglider, Mario Kart 7 took your go-karting abilities to soaring new heights. Like, take a look at the view that Mario has right now. Is he in last place? Sure, but that's beside the point. Instead of zooming around in a landlocked go-kart constantly trying to make it in the rat race, Mario is sitting back, meditating on life, and enjoying the fleeting, but exhilarating moments he has in the air, feeling free for the first time in his life. How you can you call anyone like that a loser? 

Rainbow Road

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Rainbow Road

Rainbow Road is simultaneously the most thrilling and most devastating level in any Mario Kart title it appears. The music is hypnotic and mesmerizing, the track itself is an acid trip, and the world in which it resides seems to have its own unique set of physics. However, its exhausting length and challenging twists and turns always made it an easy stage to trip up on. Of course, you could just do what Peach is doing here and improvise a shortcut. 

Sunk

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Sunk 

Was there anything more annoying and shame-inducing than falling into the water? First, you had to suffer the embarrassment of Lakitu fishing you out, and hauling your wet, soaking butt out of the swamp. Then you had to deal with the fact that you'd been bumped from first place to fifth, at the very least. Of course, trials like this only made your eventual victory that much sweeter. 

Double Dash

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Two Heads Are Better Than One

Mario Kart: Double Dash was a moment for the series when nothing was the same. For the first time, you and your fellow competitor were given the opportunity to pair up and take down teams one-by-one. Paired with the addition of special, custom items for each character, some of the combinations could be absolutely devastating. Tip: put Paratroopa and Baby Mario together, and you will be set for life. 

Iggy Koopa

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The Koopalings 

There has been some fuss made over which characters are and aren't included on the upcoming Mario Kart 8, but it's hard to begrudge Nintendo for including the Koopalings in this bunch. Sure, it may seem like overkill to include every single Koopa kid, but at the same time, it's also a fun, nostalgic throwback to the company's roots, and the game the Koopalings first appeared in, Super Mario Bros. 3

For the first time ever, these characters are now playable. Instead of beating them, you now have the opportunity to shoot off shells and throw banana peels with them. Anyone who wants to hate on that is only depriving themselves of a good time. 

Power Slide

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Turbo Boost

If you're ever looking for that extra edge in Mario Kart, or wondering why it is that your friends also manage to beat you to the finish line, it may have something to do with one of the most underrated maneuvers in the game: the Power Slide. By hitting the corners hard and shooting right out of them, you give yourself an added boost that can take seconds off your time. When it's getting down to the final lap, those who have mastered this technique will also stand out over those who haven't. 

Blue Shell

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A Fate Worse Than Death

The Blue Shell: a reason for ended friendships, lost trophies, and broken controllers. It's the ultimate "fuck you" in gaming, a weapon so evil and unstoppable that it's only purpose is to completely screw over the person who has worked so hard to get to first place. The worst part about it is that you can hear it approaching. You know it's coming, and that there's nothing you can do about it. You weave left and right, knowing that nothing will ease your coming fate. 

However, with the Super Horn, Nintendo has offered a reprieve from the Blue Shell's dominance in Mario Kart 8. Unfortunately, the item is said to be very rare, but anything is better than nothing. 

Super Mario Kart

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The Beginning 

Of course, when it comes to iconic moments in Mario Kart history, let us not forget about the title that started it all: Super Mario Kart. Released for the SNES in 1992, the title added an essential arm to the Mario franchise, forever changing the way racing games were made for video game consoles. The design and controls were simplistic, and sometimes aggravating, but the title's place in the canon of racing games should never be doubted. 

Mario Kart Wii

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Inventing the Wheel

Years after the original Mario Kart was released, its eventual successor Mario Kart Wii would completely change the way the game was played. While the title still offered you the chance to play with a joystick set-up or a classic GameCube controller, everyone knew that if you wanted to take full advantage of the title, you used its accompanying wheel accessory. 

The wheel was a sensitive, touchy gadget at first, but as you played with it more and more, you eventually got the hang of its mechanics, allowing you to have the unique and dynamic driving experience that the series was always made for. 

Battle Mode

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Going to War 

Battle Mode has always been one of the defining features of Mario Kart, which is pretty remarkable considering that it's a racing game at heart. However, going to war in these tiny arenas—whether they're donuts, skyscrapers, or what have you—has always been one of the most addicting parts of the Mario Kart experience. 

Protect your balloons, and eliminate those of your opponent. The premise was straightforward and simple. Getting there was always a hardfought struggle. 

Motor Bikes

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A New Set of Wheels

Adding new vehicles to any racing game is always a risk. On the surface, a game like Diddy Kong Racing should be superior to Mario Kart 64. The former title boasted a hovercraft and plane and a car, while Mario Kart was stuck to the ground. However, Mario Kart was still the better title because it didn't spread itself too thin by trying to offer too many different options. Instead, it had spectacular levels that were built for one experience. 

When the series first broke out the motor bikes, it showed how skilled the game's developers were at making a versatile track. Whether you chose a bike or a car, the Mario Kart Wii experience was never compromised. 

Lakitu

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You F*cked Up

Lakitu is a universal symbol in the Mario Kart franchise, and he means just one thing: you fucked up. If he pops up and gives you the "REVERSE" sign, it means that you've gotten so turned around on this track that you're somehow managing to take yourself away from the finish line. At this point, defeat appears inevitable. Better luck next race. 

Lightning

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Lightning

If the Blue Shell is associated with frustration and cheap shots in Mario Kart, then Lightning is the item that offers the ultimate revenge. It's not directed at one, specific player, instead it targets everyone who isn't you, and then allows you to tee off on them by slowing them down and shrinking them. It you're sitting at the back of the pack in a race, Lightning usually never lasts long enough to take you to first place. However, you'll be able to comfortably take yourself up to the top half of the finish line and have a lot of fun doing it. 

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