Editing Lightning

{{about|the yellow lightning bolt|other uses|[[Lightning (disambiguation)]]}}

|latest_appearance=''[[Super Mario Party Jamboree]]'' ([[List of games by date#2024|2024]])

'''Lightning''' (also called '''Lightning Bolt''',<ref>{{cite|language=en-us|title=''Super Mario Kart'' instruction booklet|url=gamesdbase.com/Media/SYSTEM/Nintendo_SNES/Manual/formated/Super_Mario_Kart_-_1992_-_Nintendo.pdf|format=PDF|publisher=Nintendo of America|page=14|date=1992}}</ref> '''Thunder Bolt''',<ref>{{cite|language=en-us|title=''Mario Kart 64'' instruction booklet|url=www.mariomayhem.com/downloads/mario_instruction_booklets/Mario_Kart_64_-_Manual_-_N64.pdf|format=PDF|page=13|date=1997|publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref> '''Lightning Blast''',<ref>{{cite|date=April 1997|title=''Nintendo Magazine System'' (AU) issue 49|page={{file link|NMS Australia 49 MK64 drivers and items.jpg|39}}}}</ref> or '''Thunder''' in ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020]]'') is an attack item that can summon a powerful lightning bolt from the sky, usually shrinking opponents as a result. Lightning appears mainly in the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]], but it also appears in other games of the [[Super Mario (franchise)|''Super Mario'' franchise]].

In the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]], Lightning is a very powerful item that racers usually receive when they are in (or near) last place in a race. When used, Lightning will temporarily shrink all the other racers, making them slower and weaker, in addition to making them spin out and drop their items. It also temporarily makes the racers' voices high-pitched and sped up (with the exception of ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'') until being back to normal or getting squashed. It is also the emblem for the [[Lightning Cup]].

In ''[[Mario Kart 64]]'', ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'', and ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'', when Lightning is used, a sound like that of a tiny alarm is heard during its effect. In ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'' that sound is only heard when the Lightning is launched, and from ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'' onward, the music in the race is affected when the player is hit by it. Lightning's effect can be avoided if a racer has a [[Mega Mushroom]], [[Super Star|Star]], [[Boo]], or [[Bullet Bill]] item activated when the bolt strikes, or if they are flying through the air after being shot out of a cannon in all games prior to ''Mario Kart 7'' or are frozen by an [[Ice Flower]] in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''.  

In ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'', any shrunken racers spin out if driven over. While shrunk, the character's weight is equal to other shrunken players. Lightning is about twice as long than it would be in following ''Mario Kart'' games. It is the rarest item, having 3.1% chance of being obtained if the player is in 5th place or lower for most tracks<ref name=gamefaqs>{{cite|url=gamefaqs.gamespot.com/snes/588738-super-mario-kart/faqs/78534|title=Item Probability Chart (SNES)|publisher=GameFAQs|language=en|date=April 17, 2021}}</ref> and 2nd or lower for Bowser Castle and Rainbow Road tracks.<ref name=gamefaqs/>

[[File:MK64 Lightning Shock.png|left|thumb|200px|A Thunder Bolt striking [[Mario]] and [[Toad]] in ''Mario Kart 64'']]

The Thunder Bolt returns in ''[[Mario Kart 64]]'', behaving the same as in ''Super Mario Kart''. While shrunk, racers cannot use items in their Item Windows,<ref>{{cite|language=en-us|title=''Mario Kart 64'' instruction manual|page=10 and 13|date=1997|publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref> but they can use items they have deployed. However, if two shrunken racers run into each other, they will both crush each other. A racer can obtain a Thunder Bolt if they are anywhere from second to eighth place while CPUs only obtain it in 8th place. The flash from the Thunder Bolt has been toned down in [[Virtual Console]] releases.<ref>{{cite|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=je4uAdPxPkU|title=(Epilepsy Warning) ''Mario Kart 64'' Lightning Bolt Flashing Alteration on Virtual Console|author=BlazingMan11|date=November 10, 2018|publisher=YouTube|language=en}}</ref>

Lightning is mostly the same in ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'', but shrunken racers now spin around and get pushed to the side if hit by a racer at regular size. The duration of Lightning is six seconds, shorter than in any other ''Mario Kart'' game. [[Princess Peach]], [[Wario]], and [[Bowser]] are the only three CPUs that are able to obtain the item.{{ref needed}} The item is obtainable in 3rd place or lower, with the best chance of obtaining it being in 6th place or lower. The flashing effect of the Lightning was toned down in the {{iw|nwiki|Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program}} release.

In ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'', Lightning can also scatter racers' items across the road when used. It does not affect racers who are either hit by an item or go out-of-bounds when the item is used. Also, unlike in ''Super Mario Kart'', ''Mario Kart 64'', and ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'', shrunken racers will not get squished or spun around if they ram into normal sized racers. However, tiny karts will be easy to push around. Lightning can be dropped on the road and remain there for a few seconds if the racer drives into certain obstacles, such as [[Freezie]]s.

Lightning wears off a lot more quickly for lower ranked players in ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', since it wears off almost immediately for the racer in seventh place while lasting up to a second for the racer in first place. The item can still affect racers who are hit by an item at the same time the Lightning is used. Unlike before, the background music becomes distorted rather than not playing at all. Lightning can be obtained if the racer is in 6th place or lower in Grand Prix, though CPUs and players in VS race can receive it only in 8th place. Lightning is also in Shine Runners of [[Battle Mode]], where using it causes every opponent to drop a [[Shine Sprite]], excluding those without any.

[[File:MKW Lightning Strike.png|thumb|150px|Lightning shrinking several racers at once, as seen in ''Mario Kart Wii'']]

The effect of Lightning in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'' is the same as in the previous game, wearing off quicker for racers in lower positions. If the racers are under the effects of a [[Mega Mushroom]], they will shrink back to normal size immediately and will not spin out or lose their items. In [[Battle Mode]], unlike other items, Lightning does not take away a balloon or coins. This item can be obtained if the racer is in 9th place or lower, with CPUs only being able to obtain it in 12th place. The best chance of getting this item is in 12th place, with a 22.5 percent (9 out of 40) chance of getting it in said position. There is also the [[Thunder Cloud]], which gives the recipient a speed boost prior to striking them with lightning. It is one of six items wherein only one can be in play at a time (the other five being the [[Thunder Cloud]], [[Spiny Shell (blue)|Spiny Shell]], [[Bullet Bill]], [[POW Block]], and [[Blooper]]), is one of four items with a cooldown timer for the first few seconds of a race (the other three being the Spiny Shell, POW Block, and Blooper), and is one of three items with a cooldown timer between uses (the other two being the POW Block and Blooper). Lightning is unobtainable for the first thirty seconds of a race, and once a Lightning is used, thirty seconds must elapse before another Lightning is obtainable.

In ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'', the length of a Lightning's effects is identically shorter for racers in lower positions and longer for those in higher positions. In addition to the music being altered, an extra beat that plays in 1st place goes out of sync with the music for a few seconds after the attack. The racer is still shrunk if hit by an item. Any racers that are shrunk will also be squished if run over by normal sized racers, an effect returning from ''Mario Kart 64''. Unlike in prior games, when a driver is shot out of a cannon, the shrinking effect will still happen and the driver will fall off while gliding in midair. Additionally, up to three racers can hold a Lightning Bolt at a time, potentially unleashing two or three lightning attacks at once. This item can be obtained if the racer is in 7th or 8th place in Grand Prix, with CPUs and players in VS race only being able to obtain it in 8th place. Unlike previous installments, the character using this item celebrates their opponents getting successfully shrunk.

[[File:MK8D Shy Guy Lightning Shock.jpg|thumb|250px|Green Shy Guy shrunk by Lightning in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'']]

In ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'', the effect of this item is very similar to its effect in ''Mario Kart 7''. In these games however, when a character is shrunken, the loss of speed makes it more difficult for the racer to perform tricks and to drift. Unlike in previous ''Mario Kart'' games, when a racer is hit with Lightning, they will lose the item they are holding even if they are under the effects of a [[Super Star|Star]] (in the original version only). Like ''Mario Kart 64'' and ''Mario Kart 7'', when a racer is shrunken by Lightning, and another one with the normal size drives on them, they will be squished. Up to three racers can hold Lightning at the same time. Lightning will also strike all course elements that react to thrown items, such as Piranha Plants or the crystal switches on [[Hyrule Circuit]]. As of version 2.2.0 of ''Deluxe'', Lightning no longer causes drivers' [[glider]]s to close.

Lightning is an item of the [[Toy Field]] in both games of the ''[[Mario Baseball (series)|Mario Baseball]]'' series. In ''[[Mario Superstar Baseball]]'', it may sometimes occur by landing the ball in the ? space, and by doing so, it switches the leading player's coins with their coins. In ''[[Mario Super Sluggers]]'', Lightning is an error item that can be received by the losing player.

Lightning makes a few appearances in the [[Mario Party (series)|''Mario Party'' series]]. It first appears in ''[[Mario Party 8]]'', although only from being depicted on the wrapper of the [[Cashzap Candy]]. In ''[[Mario Party 9]]'', Lightning appears in [[King Boo's Puzzle Attack]], where lining three of them will give ten points to whoever lined up three of this item, while taking away three points from their opponents. It also unleashes lightning that will damage [[King Boo]] more than the other items do.

 

As of ''[[Mario Party: Island Tour]]'', Lightning has had the role of being an item, although here it is referred to as a [[Lightning Score Striker]], which subtracts three from an opponent's roll. In ''[[Mario Party: Star Rush]]'', Lightning returns as an item, this time in [[Coinathlon]], where using it stuns an opponent for a few seconds. Lightning is also an item in the Bowser Kaboom Squad mode of ''[[Super Mario Party Jamboree]]''.

[[File:M&S Dream Race Lightning.png|thumb|Yoshi is struck by lightning in [[Dream Race (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for Wii)|Dream Race]] in ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games'' for the Wii.]]

Lightning appears as an item in a few installments of the [[Mario & Sonic (series)|''Mario & Sonic'' series]]. Its first appearance in the series is the [[Wii]] version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games]]'', where it is an item in [[Dream Race (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for Wii)|Dream Race]] that can temporarily stun all other characters and cause them to lose speed, though one can defend against Lightning by using either a Starman or invincibility from a [[Chaos Emerald]]. Lightning made its second appearance in the Wii version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]'', where it appears as an item in several Dream Events: in [[Dream Alpine (Individual)|Dream Alpine]], [[Dream Ski Cross (Individual)|Dream Ski Cross]] and [[Dream Snowboard Cross (Individual)|Dream Snowboard Cross]], [[Dream Short Track]], and [[Dream Bobsleigh]], Lightning can strike every opponent, knocking them over and causing them to lose speed; in the Individual version of [[Dream Ski Jumping (Individual)|Dream Ski Jumping]], Lightning can strike every opponent and cause them to lose height, speed, 10 points and a [[Bonus panel]], though one can defend against it using a [[Shield (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Barrier]]; in the [[Dream Gliding (Individual)|Individual]] and [[Dream Gliding (Team)|Team]] versions of Dream Gliding, Lightning can strike all opponents and knock them out of the sky. In ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020]]'', Thunder is in the [[Dream Racing]] event, where using it affects all opponents, causing them to spin out of control and lose some of their [[Ring (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Rings]].

{{main-wiki|SmashWiki|Lightning Bolt}}

|Eng=Use the Lightning Bolt and you'll see a big flash, all of the other racers will become smaller in size for a while. During this time, they will move slower and are very vulnerable.''<ref>{{cite|title=''Super Mario Kart'' instruction booklet|page=14|date=1992|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref>}}

|type=Wii Virtual Console manual

|Eng=Strikes all other karts with lightning, shrinking them and making them slow and vulnerable to being flattened by other karts.}}

|EngA=Drop lightning on all your opponents, shrinking them and slowing them down for a few seconds.<ref>{{cite|title=''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' instruction booklet|page=16|date=2001|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref>

|EngE=Fire lightning at all your opponents, shrinking them and slowing them down for a few seconds.<ref>{{cite|title=''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' European instruction booklet|page=12|date=2001|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|language=en}}</ref>}}

|EngA=This mighty bolt strikes all opponents at the same time, causing them to spin out, drop their items, and shrink in size, which reduces their max speeds.<ref>{{cite|title=''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' instruction booklet|page=17|date=2003|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref>}}

|EngA=Makes all opponents spin out, drop their items, and shrink for a brief period of time.<ref>{{cite|title=''Mario Kart DS'' instruction booklet|page=12|date=2005|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref>

 

====''Mario Kart Wii''====

|EngA=Lightning zaps your opponents, causing them to spin out, drop their items, shrink, and drive more slowly for a while.<ref>{{cite|title=''Mario Kart Wii'' instruction booklet|page=9|date=2008|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref>

====''Mario Kart 7''====

|Eng=Lightning zaps your opponents, causing them to spin out, drop their items, shrink, and drive more slowly for a while.{{hover|note|Reused from the Mario Kart Wii manual}}</ref>}}

|type=website

|EngA=Use this item to send a bolt from the sky on to all of your opponents, shrinking and slowing them down.}}

|type=manual

|Eng=Strikes all opponents with lightning, causing them to lose their items. It also temporarily shrinks them, reducing their speed.}}

*'''''Mario Kart Tour'' Twitter:''' ''This powerful item calls bolts of lightning down from the sky to strike your opponents with electrifying accuracy! If you get hit, your kart will shrink and slow down.<br>Channel mother nature to make a comeback for the ages...and maybe bring a thunder rod.''<ref>{{cite|language=en|author=mariokarttourEN|date=September 23, 2019|url=x.com/mariokarttourEN/status/1175937827974111232|title=Post|publisher=Twitter|accessdate=March 13, 2020}}</ref>

Lightning Brawl artwork.png|''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''

|JapR=Inazuma

|JapC=<ref>{{cite|language=ja|title=スーパーマリオカート (''Sūpā Mario Kāto'') instruction booklet|url=www.nintendo.co.jp/clvs/manuals/ja/pdf/CLV-P-VAAFJ.pdf|page=13|format=PDF|publisher=nintendo.co.jp|accessdate=June 10, 2022}}</ref>

|JapN=''Super Mario Kart''

|ChiT=雷電

|ChiTR=Léidiàn

|ChiTC=<ref>{{cite|url=www.nintendo.com.hk/ssqj/minigame/index.html|title=瑪利歐派對 9：種類豐富！80種小遊戲|publisher=Nintendo HK|language=zh-hant|accessdate=February 12, 2020}}</ref> <small>(''Mario Party 9'')</small>

|ChiT2=閃電

|ChiT2R=Shǎndiàn

|ChiT2N=''Mario Kart'' series / ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''

|ChiTM=Thunder

|ChiT2M=Lightning

|Dut=Bliksemschicht

|DutN=''Mario Kart 8''

|Dut2=Bliksem

|Dut2N=''Mario Kart 7''

|DutM=Lightning bolt

|Dut2M=Lightning

|Ger=Donnerblitz

|Ger2=Blitz

|Ger2N=''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart Tour''

|GerM=Thunderbolt

|Ger2M=Lightning

|Ita=Fulmine

|Ita3=Saetta

|Ita3N=''Mario Kart DS''

|ItaM=Lightning

|Ita3M=Thunderbolt

{{navboxes|