Items play a vital role inMario Kart’s formula, adding that trademark layer of chaos and unpredictability that makes the series such a great party game experience.Mario Kart Worldseems to understand the importance of items all too well, with almost 30 of them confirmed to be in the game already, including a handful of new ones and plenty ofreturningMario Kartstaples.
Just about all ofMario Kart 8 Deluxe’s items have made it intoMario Kart World, seemingly excluding the Piranha Plant and Crazy 8. The Mega Mushroom fromMario Kart Wiiis finally making its long-awaited return as well, alongsideMario Kart Tour’s Coin Block, Hammer, and Ice Flower. This is a really strong line-up, but there are plenty of pastMario Kartitems that deserve another shot in the spotlight.
Old Items That Should Return in Mario Kart World
Some returning items inMario Kart Worldhave seemingly been changed to fit with the game’s increased lobby size and wider track layout. The Coin Block, for instance, now leaves a trail of coins behind the player’s kart after they’ve used it.
Peach and Daisy’s Heart Shield
Originally an item exclusive toPeach and Daisy inMario Kart: Double Dash, the Heart Shield was an incredibly useful power-up that blocked any oncoming projectile or item and allowed players to redirect it towards someone else. This item recently returned inMario Kart Tour(along with a few otherDouble Dashitems that might appear later), proving that the item can work outside its original GameCube constraints. The Heart Shield would be even more useful inMario Kart World, where 20+ racers could all be hurling projectiles at the same time.
Mario Kart Tour’s Bubble
Making its debut inMario Kart Tour, the Bubble isn’t themost loved item inMario Karthistory, but with a few tweaks it could work well withMario Kart World’s more expansive courses. InTour, the Bubble essentially acted as a slower Bullet Bill, propelling those at the back of the race forward for a short duration, protecting them against one item hit, and ignoring the track surface below them.
InMario Kart World, the Bubble could be used to simply protect players from being hit and allow them to traverse any surface without taking a speed penalty, which would be useful for the game’s many off-track sections.
Mario Kart 64’s Fake Item Box
First seen inMario Kart 64, the Fake Item Box is a tad divisive due to its ability to stop players dead in their tracks and kill any momentum, but that type of challenge could be used to great effect inMario Kart World. Some of the tracks revealed so far forMario Kart Worldhave caught flak from fans for looking a little too straight and straightforward. Fake Item Boxes could go a long way in keeping players on their toes throughout a race.
Donkey and Diddy Kong’s Giant Banana
AnotherDouble Dashitem that reappeared inMario Kart Tour, Donkey and Diddy Kong’s Giant Banana does exactly what fans would expect it to do, causing anyone that comes into contact with it to spin out. This item would be perfect forMario Kart World’s wider tracks, forcing players to use the new wall-climb and rail-grind mechanics to get around the huge obstacle.
Bowser’s Shell
One final item fromDouble Dash,Bowser’s Shellis essentially a more lethal Green Shell, capable of hitting multiple enemies and ricocheting several times before disappearing. This offensive item could be very satisfying to use at the back of aMario Kart Worldrace, watching as it tears through 20+ racers ahead and drastically changes the rankings.
