Editing Blue Shell

{{Image|more=y|Screenshots from ''Bowser's Inside Story'' and its remake}}
{{about|the normal [[Koopa Troopa]] shell|the blue version of the [[Spiny Shell (red)|Spiny Shell]] which appears as a ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'' item|[[Spiny Shell (blue)]]|generic instances of blue-colored shells|[[Koopa Shell]]}}
{{item infobox
|image=[[File:ShellNSMB.png|200px]]<br>Artwork from ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]''
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario World]]'' ([[List of games by date#1990|1990]]) 
|latest_appearance=''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]'' ([[List of games by date#2018|2018]])
}}
'''Blue Shells''', also known as '''Blue Koopa Shells''',<ref>{{cite|author=Loe, Casey|title=''New Super Mario Bros.'' Player's Guide|page=8|date=May 15, 2006|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|isbn=1-59812-009-3}}</ref> are blue [[Koopa Troopa]] shells that first appear in ''[[Super Mario World]]''. While occasionally worn by Koopa Troopas, they are more prevalent as [[List of items|items]] that [[Mario]] or [[Luigi]] can use.
==History==
===''Super Mario'' series===
====''Super Mario World''====
[[File:ShellBlue.png|frame|left]]
Blue shells first appear in ''[[Super Mario World]]'', either alone or on the back of a Koopa Troopa. As with other colors of shells, jumping on a Koopa Troopa will cause the shell to be removed, where it can then be held or [[Shell Toss|thrown]]. When [[Yoshi]] eats one, he will [[Winged Yoshi|grow wings]] and gain the ability to fly for a limited time, at the end of which he will [[swallow]] the shell. [[Yoshi (species)|Blue Yoshi]] can gain this ability by eating a shell of any color. Yoshis can also spit the shell back out, in which case it will behave like a [[Green Shell]], flying out at high speed and defeating enemies in its way. If the player attempts to launch the shell back at a blue [[Unshelled Koopa Troopa|unshelled Koopa]], it will stop the shell and kick it back at the player. If a green or red unshelled Koopa comes in contact with the Blue Shell (or kicks it right-side up if upside down), it will then jump in it and become that colored Koopa.

According to the Japanese Shogakukan guide for the game ''[[Yoshi (game)|Yoshi]]'', Blue Shells from ''[[Super Mario World]]'' are filled with refreshing mints and have an herbal scent.<ref name=Sho>{{cite|publisher=[[Shogakukan]]|language=ja|title=「任天堂公式ガイドブック　ヨッシーのたまご」 (''Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook – Yoshi's Egg'')|page=[[:File:Yoshi no Tamago Shogakukan 61.jpg|61]]}}</ref>

====''New Super Mario Bros.''====
Blue shells appear again in ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'', this time as a power-up. It turns Mario or Luigi into [[Shell Mario]] or Shell Luigi respectively upon contacting it. By using the Blue Shell, the player gains the ability to [[shell dash]]. While ducking or shell dashing, Shell Mario or Shell Luigi are invulnerable to almost anything, except for boss attacks (if hit by [[Bowser]], Mario will be knocked out of the shell dash, albeit still keeping the power-up), falling into a pit, poison, or lava. They can also [[Ground Pound]] on [[Spiny|Spinies]] to send them spinning in their shells, similarly to a Koopa Troopa when kicked.  Additionally, the power-up allows them to swim faster and with more precision, similar to the [[Frog Suit]] from ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''.

The item can be collected by defeating a wandering [[Hammer Bro]], stomping the Blue Koopa Troopa found in the Ice Stage of the Mario vs. Luigi mode, hitting a [[Flying ? Block|Flying ? Block]], visiting a [[Toad House|Red Toad House]], or in a [[Roulette Block]]. However, it cannot be found in any of the normal [[? Block]]s in the game. 

The ''New Super Mario Bros.'' Player's Guide has an icon for Blue Shells in the legend for level maps, but it goes unused, as Blue Shells are not found in normal ? Blocks.

===''Mario Strikers'' series===
[[File:MSC Blue Shell.png|thumb|A Blue Shell from ''Mario Strikers Charged'']]
In ''[[Super Mario Strikers]]'' and ''[[Mario Strikers Charged]]'', Blue Shells appear as items; in the latter game they are cyan and frosted with ice instead. They can be collected in a pack of three. When used, all three are fired at the opposing players, but do not home in like the Red Shell does. If a Blue Shell hits a player, they will instantly freeze in that spot, rendering them unable to move. The effects wear off after a few seconds. The shells are able to hit and freeze both the player's and opponent's team members. They will continue bouncing around the stage until they either hit a player or disappear after a set amount of time.

A more effective version of this item is the [[Giant Blue Shell]], which appears individually, and is able to run over players while continuing to move.

===''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'' / ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey''===
The Blue Shell appears in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'' and [[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey|its 3DS remake]] as an item found in the overworld and once in the [[Energy Hold]] in Bowser's Body. By striking [[shell block]]s, Mario can go in Blue Shells and turn into Shell Mario. Luigi can then hit Mario using his [[hammer]] to make Mario retract into the shell, spinning straight forward. This can be used to hit blocks in areas that Mario and Luigi cannot directly enter. Because the shell is so heavy, Mario cannot jump while wearing it. If he attempts to jump, he tosses the shell off of his body and it disappears. This serves a similar purpose to [[Kooper]] and [[Koops]]'s field abilities in the [[Paper Mario (series)|''Paper Mario'']] series.

===Unused appearances===
====''Mario Kart 7''====
[[File:MK7BlueShellModel.png|thumb|100px]]
A model of a Blue Shell exists in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]''{{'}}s game files.<ref>''[[tcrf:Mario Kart 7#Blue Shell|Mario Kart 7]]''. ''The Cutting Room Floor''. Retrieved January 13, 2023.</ref>

==Profiles and statistics==
===''Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook – [[Yoshi (game)|Yoshi's Egg]]''===
青<br>
気分爽快ミント味のこうら。のどにさわやかで、八ーブの香りがする。大都会の雑踏などでこのこうらを食べると、あまりの爽快さに空をも飛んでしまうという。<ref name=Sho/>

'''''Blue'''''<br>
''A fresh-feeling, mint-filled shell. It's refreshing in the throat, and has a herbal scent. It is said that if you eat this shell in a big city crowd, you'll fly in the sky from the sheer exhilaration.''

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=青コウラ
|JapR=Ao Kōra
|JapM=Blue Shell
|Jap2=こうら<ref>{{cite|url=www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/a2dj/newmario/index.html|title=New スーパーマリオブラザーズ|language=ja|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=December 20, 2019}}</ref>
|Jap2N=''New Super Mario Bros.''
|Jap2R=Kōra
|Jap2M=Shell
|Ger=Blauer Panzer
|GerM=Blue Shell
|Chi=龟壳<ref>{{cite|url=www.ique.com/games/Mariobros/newmario.htm|title=New 超级马力欧兄弟|language=zh-hans|accessdate=June 3, 2024|publisher=[[iQue]]}}</ref>
|ChiR=Guīké
|ChiM=Shell
|Ita=Guscio Blu
|ItaM=Blue Shell
|Fre=Carapace Bleue
|FreM=Blue Shell
|Spa=Caparazón azul
|SpaM=Blue Shell
}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Strikers Blue Shell Artwork.png|''[[Super Mario Strikers]]''
True Blue Shell.png|''Super Mario Strikers''
NSMB Blue Shell.png|''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]''
NSMB Blueshell.png|''New Super Mario Bros.''
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

{{SMW}}
{{NSMB}}
{{Super Mario Strikers}}
{{MSC}}
[[Category:Shells]]
[[Category:Projectiles]]
[[Category:Power-ups]]
[[Category:Flight power-ups]]
[[Category:Heads-Up]]
[[Category:Mario Strikers Charged items]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. items]]
[[Category:Super Mario Strikers items]]
[[Category:Super Mario World objects]]
[[de:Blauer Panzer]]
[[it:Guscio Blu]]