Editing Fake Item Box

Fake Items are items in ''Mario Kart 64''. They can be obtained only by a player in first or second place, though CPUs can also obtain them 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 in midair, a Fake Item floats; this is the only game where Fake Items are unaffected by gravity.

Pre-release screenshots of ''Mario Kart 64'' depict the Fake Item with a bomb inside of it instead of an upside-down "?". They were also originally named the "Bogus Box".<ref>{{cite|url=tcrf.net/Prerelease:Mario_Kart_64#Early_Fake_Item_Box|title=''Mario Kart 64''|publisher=The Cutting Room Floor|language=en|accessdate=August 13, 2024}}</ref>

Fake Items are items in ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]''. They retain their ¿ symbol and are now colored red, making them easier to distinguish from real Item Boxes. However, the color is slightly obscured when viewed from a distance; they will only appear solid red as the player approaches. Racers hit by a Fake Item will emit red electricity while tumbling. 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. Fake Items can no longer block shells and are now affected by gravity, but can now be tossed forward.

Fake Item Boxes, now known by their current name, are items 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/faded 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 CPU drivers 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. Fake Item Boxes are obstacles to avoid in Missions 4-6 and 7-8.

Fake Item Boxes are items in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''. They maintain their design from ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'', but 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 computer-controlled racers also being able to obtain it in 6th and 7th place. The highest chance of obtaining this item is in 1st place, with a 7 out of 40 (17.5%) chance of obtaining it in said position. 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. They are also bigger than real Item Boxes. 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 {{classic-link|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.