Editing Spiny Shell (red)

|image=[[File:Super Mario Maker - Mario artwork 03.png|200px]]  

|latest_appearance=''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'' ([[List of games by date#2023|2023]])

}}{{quote|The best way to break [[Hard Block]]s is with a Spiny Shell, but I don't have one. Could [[Mario|you]] go find me a Spiny Shell?|[[Toad (species)|Purple Toad]]|''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]''}}

A '''Spiny Shell''' is the [[Spiny]] counterpart to [[Koopa Shell]]s. Their uses vary by game series—in platformers, they generally cannot be touched from above without damage, even when they are empty or the Spiny inside is unconscious, but when upside-down, empty, or in other series, they can serve as a usable item.

In ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', Spiny Shells made their debut. Unlike future appearances, Spiny Shells still cannot be jumped on even while upside down without taking damage, though they can be held just fine. Notably, in the [[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3|Game Boy Advance version]], immobile upside-down Spiny Shells are harmless, and can thus be handled safely.

Like in ''Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3'', in the ''[[New Super Mario Bros. (disambiguation)|New Super Mario Bros.]]'' games, Spiny Shells flipped upside-down will not harm Mario and friends when carried.

In ''[[Super Mario Maker]]'', ''[[Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS]]'', and ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'', Mario is able to wear Spiny Shells like [[Buzzy Shell]]s on his head like a helmet and become '''Spiny Mario''' (except in the ''Super Mario 3D World'' style). They are created by shaking a Spiny in the editor mode to make it hide inside its shell. Spiny Shells defeat just about every enemy outright on contact; this includes even the tougher enemies, such as Thwomps and [[Boo]]s, but it only deals a single point of damage to [[Bowser]] per hit in ''Super Mario Maker'', but three points in ''Super Mario Maker 2''. When ducking as [[Small Mario]], walking enemies will bounce off Mario as if he was a wall. Spiny Shells can break Blocks like [[Brick Block]]s and [[Hard Block]]s. However, the Spiny Shell is also a double-edged sword in that it's able to break [[? Block]]s; this in return, means that Mario will not be able to acquire the contents of the ? Block if he hits it from below.

Spiny Shells appear as obstacles in the ''[[Mario Party 3]]'' minigame [[Ice-Rink Risk|Ice Rink Risk]]. They also appear the ''[[Mario Party 6]]'' minigames [[Cash Flow]], [[Crate and Peril]], [[Cog Jog (minigame)|Cog Jog]], and the ''[[Mario Party 7]]'' minigame [[Fun Run]]. In addition, there is an orb in ''[[Mario Party 5]]'', ''[[Mario Party 6]]'', and ''[[Mario Party 7]]'' called the [[Spiny Orb]], which has a Spiny Shell as its symbol. They retain their function in the first two minigames in ''[[Mario Party: The Top 100]]''. In the original version of Ice Rink Risk, they uncharacteristically have hexagonal plates making up the carapace instead of a smooth surface, despite the official artwork for said minigame showing otherwise. In ''[[Mario Party Superstars]]'', they reappear in Ice-Rink Risk.

In ''[[Super Mario Strikers]]'' and ''[[Mario Strikers Charged]]'', Spiny Shells, also known as '''Spiked Shells'''<ref>''Mario Strikers Charged'' instruction booklet, page 5.</ref>, act as [[List of items|items]]. When fired, they will shoot towards the other players, acting very similar to the [[Green Shell]]s. However, instead of just hitting one player, then disintegrating, the Spiny Shells will keep going. This can be compared with the [[Giant Green Shell]]s. They continue to bounce around the stage until, at long last, they wear out, and get destroyed on their own. The more effective counterpart of the Spiny Shell is the [[Giant Spiny Shell]]. Spiny Shells usually come in groups of three. In these games, Spiny Shells have a hexagon-plated carapace rather than the usual smooth one.

Super Mario Maker - Artwork 12.png|Mario wearing a Spiny Shell in the ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' style in ''[[Super Mario Maker]]''.

SMM-NSMBU-SuperMario-Spiny.png|Mario wearing a Spiny Shell in the ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'' style in ''Super Mario Maker''.

|Fre=Carapace d'Hériss

|FreM=Spiny Shell

|Ita=Guscio di Koopistrice<br>Guscio spinoso

|ItaM=Spiny Shell<br>Thorny Shell (same as the ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'' [[Spiny Shell (blue)|item]])