Editing Fake Item Box

{{split|Fake Item Box|Jack-in-the-box (item)}}

{{item-infobox

|image=[[File:MKW Fake Item Box Artwork.png|250px]]<br>Artwork of the Fake Item Box in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''.

|latest_appearance=''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]'' ([[List of games by date#2013|2013]])

The '''Fake Item Box''', originally known as '''Fake Item'''<ref>''Mario Kart 64'' English instruction booklet, page 13.</ref><ref>''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' English instruction booklet, page 17.</ref>, is an [[item]] found in the ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'' series. They resemble regular [[Item Box]]es in their design, but unlike their regular counterparts, they do not bestow items to karts that pass through them - instead, the item acts as a hazard that flips vehicles over in a way similar to that caused by a [[Green Shell]] or a [[Red Shell]]. Fake Item Boxes are generally obtained by racers near the front of the race, being used as traps similarly to [[Banana]]s; however, as of ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'', Fake Item Boxes cannot block incoming shells. This item hasn't appeared in recent installments, with its last appearance in a main series ''Mario Kart'' game being in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''.

The Fake Item's first appearance is in ''[[Mario Kart 64]]''. It can only be obtained if the player is in 1st or 2nd place, but CPUs can also obtain it in 3rd to 6th place. They appear identical to regular Item Boxes with a key difference: the question mark inside is upside-down (a ¿ instead of a ?). Karts that collide with one are blasted into the air. Like Bananas, they can be used to block incoming shells, though unlike Bananas, they cannot be tossed forward.

If placed midair, the Fake Item floats; this is the only game where Fake Items are unaffected by gravity.

While Fake Items are absent in ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'', Fake Items appear in ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]''. Here, they have a ¿ symbol and are also colored red. However, the color cannot be seen from a distance - only when approaching will they turn red. They can be destroyed by running into them with a [[Super Star]] or picked up with [[Heart (item)|Hearts]], while other obstacles pass through them, including all shells, eggs, [[Fireball]]s, and [[Chain Chomp]]s.

[[File:MKDS Fake Item Box Screenshot.png|thumb|right]]

The Fake Item Box's next appearance is in ''[[Mario Kart DS]]''. They have a new set of differences from a real Item Box: they lack a "?" entirely, they do not spin around, and they show up as red on the bottom screen's map. Their overall behavior is much the same as the previous game, though they do not bounce when thrown. Additionally, they get knocked away if a racer collides with them instead of exploding as all other iterations do. They can be obtained if the player is anywhere from 1st to 3rd place, with CPUs also being able to obtain them in 4th and 5th place. In Balloon Battle, they can be obtained if the player has two or more balloons.

 

Missions [[Choco Mountain|4-6]] and [[Banshee Boardwalk|7-8]] involve collecting a number of Item Boxes while avoiding Fake Item Boxes.

Fake Item Boxes appear in ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP 2]]'' under the name '''Jack-in-the-boxes'''.<ref>RobertoLPDX (June 28, 2015). [https://youtu.be/D14ZwD1uxgA?t=3283 Let's Play: Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 (Longplay)]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved July 25, 2019.</ref> They look similar to the Fake Item Boxes of other games, but have a different effect when touched: Instead of flipping the kart out, it unleashes a toy jack-in-the-box clown to temporarily cover the screen while the speed of the kart decreases.

The Fake Item Boxes return to their ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' look in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', with a style change to match the new style of the real ones, as well as being larger than in the previous games. They can be obtained from 1st to 5th place, with CPU-controlled players also being able to obtain it in 6th and 7th place. While they still have a ¿ sign inside, like in ''Double Dash!!'', they can hide their red color at a distance - only on approaching do they turn red. Fake Item Boxes become blue instead if they belong to the blue team in team play. Much like in ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'', Fake Item Boxes can be destroyed only by colliding into them. In [[DK's Jungle Parkway|N64 DK's Jungle Parkway]], if a lightweight racer places a Fake Item Box close to the edge of the track near the ramp and a heavyweight rams them into it using a [[Mushroom]], they will get sent flying onto a small island. This is best demonstrated in VS Mode using two human players. This is so far the most recent non-arcade ''Mario Kart'' game the Fake Item Box appears as a usable item, making it, the [[Thunder Cloud]], and the [[POW Block]] the only three usable items in ''Mario Kart Wii'' to not reappear in any future non-arcade installments.

 

 

Fake Item Boxes make a reappearance in ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]'', serving the same purpose as the Jack-in-the-boxes in ''Mario Kart Arcade GP 2''.

The Fake Item Box makes its first appearance outside of the ''Mario Kart'' series in the [[Wii]] version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]'', where it appears in various [[Dream Event]]s. In [[Dream Alpine (Individual)|Dream Alpine]], Fake Item Boxes can be placed behind the player and will cause opponents that hit it to fall over and lose speed. They also appear as items in [[Dream Ski Cross]].

FakeItemBox_MK64.png|''Mario Kart 64''

MKDS Fake Item Box Sprite.png|''[[Mario Kart DS]]''

|Jap=にせアイテムボックス<br>''Nise Aitemu Bokkusu''<br>びっくりばこ (''Mario Kart Arcade GP 2'')<br>''Bikkuri-bako''

|JapM=Fake Item Box<br><br>Surprise Box

|Spa=Bloque Sorpresa

|SpaM=Surprise Block

|Ita=Oggetto Finto (''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'')<br>Falso oggetto (''Mario Kart DS'' and microsite of ''Mario Kart DS'')<br>Oggetto finto (''Mario Kart DS''{{'}}s instruction booklet and ''Mario Kart Wii'')

|ItaM=Fake Item<br>False item<br>Fake item

|KorM=Fake Item Box

|Fra=Fausse boîte à objets

|FraM=Fake item box

|Chi=假道具<ref>[https://www.ique.com/games/52011.htm Offical Chinese website for ''Mario Kart 64'']. Retrieved Febuary 20, 2020.</ref>

|ChiR=Jiǎ Dàojù

|ChiM=Fake Item

[[File:MKWii - Blue Fake Item Box glitch.png|thumb|A glitch involving the appearance of blue Fake Item Boxes in a solo race in ''Mario Kart Wii''.]]

*The instruction booklets for ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' and ''Mario Kart DS'' erroneously state that the Fake Item Box can be used to block incoming shells, when they cannot in games following ''Mario Kart 64''.

[[Category:Traps and Obstacles]]

[[Category:Mario Kart 64 Items]]

[[Category:Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 Items]]

[[Category:Mario Kart Arcade GP DX Items]]

[[Category:Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Items]]

[[Category:Mario Kart DS Items]]

[[Category:Mario Kart Wii Items]]