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{{item-infobox |image=[[Image:MKwii Itembox.jpg|100px]] |name=Item Box|first_appearance=''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' (1996) |latest_appearance=''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'' (2008)}}
{{item infobox
'''Item Boxes''' are boxes found in the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]]. Item Boxes look like [[? Block]]s but are transparent and often multi-colored, and in more recent games they have a iridescent checker board pattern. When a character passes through them, he/she will get a random item. These blocks also appear in ''[[Mario Tennis]]'' and ''[[Mario Power Tennis (Nintendo GameCube)|Mario Power Tennis]]''. They have appeared in all the Mario Kart games, except ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'' where they used [[? Panels]] instead.
|name=Item Box
|image=[[File:ItemBoxMK8.png|200px]]<br>The Item Box in its ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' appearance
|effect=Gives an item when broken
|first_appearance=''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' ([[List of games by date#1996|1996]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit]]'' ([[List of games by date#2020|2020]])
}}
{{Quote|Touch an Item Box to {{color|red|break it open}}!|[[Lakitu (Mario Kart referee)|Lakitu]]|[[Mario Kart Tour]]}}
 
'''Item Boxes''' (or '''item boxes''') are boxes featured mainly in the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]]. Item Boxes look like [[? Block]]s but are transparent and often multicolored, and in more recent games, they have an iridescent checkerboard pattern. When a character passes through them, they get a random [[List of items|item]]. These blocks also appear in ''[[Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)|Mario Tennis]]'' and ''[[Mario Power Tennis]]''. They have appeared in all the ''Mario Kart'' games, except ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'', where [[? Panel]]s are used instead. [[Fake Item Box]]es appear as items from the real Item Boxes and can be used in a similar way to [[Banana]]s, but they have a bigger impact by making racers flip over instead of spinning out. As seen in [[Toad's Factory]] in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', Item Boxes can be made out of [[Brick Block]]s.
 
The positions in which players are in a race determine what kinds of items they will get. For example, someone in first place may get a [[Green Shell]] or a Banana, while someone in last place may get a [[Super Star]], a [[Golden Dash Mushroom]], [[Lightning]], or a [[Bullet Bill]].
 
By holding and not releasing the "use item" button on a controller, players can hold some items behind them, such as Bananas and shells, referred to as "dangling."<ref>''Mario Kart DS'' English instruction booklet. Page 10.</ref> This allows players to protect themselves from rear attacks or collisions with other racers.


==History==
==History==
===''Mario Kart'' series===
===''Mario Kart'' series===
====''Mario Kart 64''====
====''Mario Kart 64''====
[[Image:MK64_Item_Box.PNG|100px|thumb|left|The diamond-shape of an item box in ''Mario Kart 64'']]
[[File:MK64 Item Box.png|thumb|150px|The octahedron shape of an item box in ''Mario Kart 64'']]
''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' was the first game to utilize Item Boxes. They replaced ? panels from ''Super Mario Kart''. They had a diamond-like shape with a ? in the center of it. They gave the player an item whenever a character ran into it. The item received in result of running into an item box will determine on the place of the character; the lower the place ranking, the more powerful items will get to help the losing player out. They can regenerate unlike the ? panels in the previous games and they had this rainbow color instead of a plain yellow color.
[[File:MK64SidewaysItemBox.png|thumb|left|A sideways item box from Luigi Raceway]]
''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' is the first game to utilize Item Boxes, replacing [[? Panel]]s from ''[[Super Mario Kart]]''. Instead of being flat, square, and yellow like ? Panels, they have an [[wikipedia:octahedron|octahedron shape]] with a ? in the center, and are multicolored and translucent. Colliding with an Item Box will provide the character with a random item; the item received is determined based on the place of the character - the farther back they are, the more powerful items they will get. Unlike ? Panels, Item Boxes respawn almost immediately after being used.
 
Throughout the game, there are two item boxes that provide only [[Spiny Shell (blue)|Spiny Shell]]s; they are marked with a sideways "?" and appear hanging from the [[N64 Luigi Raceway|Luigi Raceway]] balloon and atop a large rock on [[N64 Koopa Troopa Beach|Koopa Troopa Beach]].
{{br}}
 
====''Mario Kart: Super Circuit''====
[[File:MKSC Mario Circuit 1 Item Box.png|240px|thumb|left|An item box in ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' in an isolated location of [[SNES Mario Circuit 1|Mario Circuit 1]]]]
[[File:ItemBox MKSC.png|thumb]]
Item Boxes take on a different appearance in ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]''. Here, they look like cubes that change color instead of their previous octahedron shape. Most are found in groups of 3 but some boxes are isolated in uncommon locations in the track. Other than appearance and location changes, no functional changes have been made. Item Boxes in this game usually rotate, but in Single-Pak Multiplayer they simply shrink and extend slightly without rotating.
{{br}}
 
====''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!''====
[[File:MKDD Double Item Box.png|thumb|100px|The Double Item Box, which first appeared in ''Mario Kart Double Dash!!'']]
In ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'', Item Boxes make a reappearance, along with a new variety named Double Item Boxes. Unlike regular Item Boxes, Double Item Boxes grant both the driver and the thrower items. Item Boxes in ''Mario Kart Double Dash!!'' take on a different appearance from their previous appearances: they are still shaped like cubes, but they have a checkerboard texture, similar to a race flag.


====''Mario Kart Super Circuit''====
''Double Dash!!'' is the first game where Item Boxes can move independently around the track - some in [[GCN Mushroom Bridge|Mushroom Bridge]] or [[Mushroom City]] will follow the track like the other cars, while some in [[GCN Peach Beach|Peach Beach]] or [[GCN Sherbet Land|Sherbet Land]] will move back and forth along a piece of track. Moving Item Boxes respawn where they were last broken, except in Mushroom Bridge and Mushroom City, where they respawn in the pipe shortcut and in alleyways, respectively.  
[[Image:ItemBox_MKSC.png|100px|thumb|An item box in ''Mario Kart Super Circuit'']]
Item Boxes take on a different appearance in ''[[Mario Kart Super Circuit]]''. Here, they looked like cubes that changed color instead of their previous diamond-like shaped. Most are found in groups of 3,4,5 but some boxes are isolated in desolate locations in the track. Other than appearance and location changes, no function related changes has been made.


====''Mario Kart Double Dash!!''====
In split-screen mode except for Battle Course stages, Item Boxes are brighter checkerboard texture than the normal checkerboard texture. In the mini-game Bob-omb Blast, Item Boxes and Double Item Boxes only grant players the [[Bob-omb]] item, and have their "?" replaced with a Bob-omb to show this.
[[Image:MKDD_ItemBox.png|100px|thumb|right|The item box's checkerboard texture in ''Mario Kart Double Dash!!'']]
In the game, ''[[Mario Kart Double Dash!!]]'', item boxes, along with new types of item blocks can be found which are the [[Double Item Box]]es, which can grant both the driver and the thrower items, and the Bob-omb Item Box, which can only be found in Bob-omb Blast, gives the player bob-ombs only. They take on a different appearance again. They are still cubes, but they have a checkerboard texture, similar to a race flag.


Item Boxes can either stay stationary or move along the track, as seen in [[Mushroom Bridge]] and [[Mushroom City]]. Item Boxes can also move back and forth from left to right, as seen in [[Peach Beach]], [[Sherbet Land (course)|Sherbet Land]], and [[Dino Dino Jungle]]. Regardless they move or not, they still grant the player an item depending on the player's place.
Any Double Item Boxes are replaced with single Item Boxes when a ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' course appears in a later game.


In split-screen mode except for Battle Course stages, Item Boxes are brighter checkerboard texture than the normal checkerboard texture.
====''Mario Kart Arcade GP'' subseries ====
[[File:ToadItemBoxes.png|thumb|left|The hexagonal item boxes from ''Mario Arcade GP 2'']]
Item Boxes in ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP]]'' and its sequel, ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP 2]]'' have an identical function. However, they are depicted with a honeycomb-like hexagonal structure instead of cubic.
{{br}}


====''Mario Kart DS''====
====''Mario Kart DS''====
In ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', the boxes take on the same appearance as in ''Mario Kart Double Dash!!'' and even serves the exact same function. Like in the previous games, they still grant the player an item depending on the player's place.
[[File:ItemBoxMKDS.png|thumb|]]
In ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', the boxes have a similar appearance to the boxes in ''Mario Kart Double Dash!!'', though they are slightly more square with white borders and including transparent areas. They serve a similar function, though Double Item Boxes do not return and characters return to not physically holding them. Like in the previous games, they still grant the player an item depending on the player's place.
 
In [[DS DK Pass|DK Pass]], there is an item box sitting on top of a large hill that gives the player, regardless of their current standing, a [[Super Star|Star]], [[Mushroom#Mario Kart series|Triple Mushrooms]], a single Mushroom, or (rarely) a [[Red Shell]]. This is the only location of such in the entire game, but it also appears in missions where the player must beat an opponent (like [[Yoshi]], a [[Chain Chomp]] or a [[Car (obstacle)|red car]]).


In the [[Mario Kart DS#Mission Mode|Mission Mode]] of ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', the player's task occasionally is to destroy a certain amount of Item Boxes (which often contain [[Super Mushroom|Mushrooms]] to give the driver a boost).  
In multiplayer battle mode, defeated players have an unlimited supply of item boxes (though there is a delay time for each use) and can deploy them similar to a banana. These help other players get items. The ghost item boxes disappear after a while.


In [[DK Pass]], there is an item box sitting on top of a large hill that breaks the function of item boxes. It will give the player, no matter what place he/she is in, either a [[Star]], [[Red Shell]], [[ Super Mushrooms#Mario Kart series|Triple Mushrooms]], or a single [[Super Mushroom|mushroom]]. It is sometimes referred to a ''Super Item Box''. This is the only location of such in the entire game.
To match the theme of [[DS Waluigi Pinball|Waluigi Pinball]], the item roulette sound in that course has an arcade-like sound to it.


====''Mario Kart Wii''====
====''Mario Kart Wii''====
[[Image:MKwii Itembox.jpg|thumb|100px|left|An item box as seen in ''Mario Kart Wii'']]
[[File:MKW Item Box Artwork.png|thumb|left|100px|Artwork of an item box in ''Mario Kart Wii'']]
In ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', the item boxes lose their checkerboard textures and gain rainbow dot textures. They act in a similar manner as in the previous games and nothing has been changed relating to function when an item is received. However, they do reappear at a slower rate than its precedents.  
In ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', the item boxes lose their checkerboard textures and gain rainbow dot textures. They act in a similar manner as in the previous games and nothing has been changed relating to function when an item is received. However, they do reappear at a slower rate than its precedents. It is seen that Item Boxes are created out of [[Brick Block]]s in [[Toad's Factory]].


In ''Mario Kart Wii'', during the Grand-Prix, Vs., and WFC modes, there are many item-boxes display without spinning question marks, while in split-screen mode, the question marks are moving like a spin.
In [[Chain Chomp Wheel]], some item boxes float in the center of a large ring, bearing in shape of a star. If players can aim correctly and touch the item boxes, they mostly receive a [[Super Star|Star]] or the occasional [[Mushroom]].


The concept of a "Super" item box returns only in the battle mode stage, [[Chain Chomp Wheel]]. There, the item boxes float in the center of a large ring, bearing in shape of a star. If the player can aim correctly and touch the item boxes, he/she will mostly receive a [[star]] and sometimes the occasional [[Super Mushroom|mushroom]].
In multiplayer modes, Item Boxes have spinning question marks inside them as opposed to being static in single-player mode.
{{br}}


====''Mario Kart Arcade GP 2''====
====''Mario Kart 7''====
Item boxes in ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP 2]]'' serve the same function, except instead of their current cube structure, they take form as rainbow hexagons. They are usually found in hordes in most places, like what all other item boxes can be found.
[[File:MK7 Current.png|thumb|Item Boxes in ''Mario Kart 7'']]
Item Boxes return in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'' with the same design and purpose as ''Mario Kart Wii'', with a rainbow-colored texture slightly less biased against the red area. Unlike in ''Mario Kart DS'', they do not appear on the bottom screen's map.


===''Super Smash Bros.'' series===
While the "super Item Box" of {{classic|DS|DK Pass}} remains intact, the Spiny Shell-only Item Boxes from {{classic|N64|Luigi Raceway}} and {{classic|N64|Koopa Troopa Beach}} have been replaced with a regular Item Box and a [[Coin]] respectively. {{classic|DS|Waluigi Pinball}} also retains its unique item roulette sound.
An Item Box appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', as a [[sticker]]. It increases ice attack power by eight. The artwork shown in the sticker is from the ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' version of the Item Box.


===''Mario Tennis'' series===
====''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''====
Item boxes are only used in the two games, ''Mario Tennis'' for the N64 and ''[[Mario Power Tennis]]'' and the former can only utilize item boxes in a certain stage. They both have similar functions to each other and to the ''Mario Kart'' series as they will both give the player an item when hit, which is in this case, hit by the tennis ball. They both give similar items as seen in the ''Mario Kart'' series; even as far as having the same sound effects of ''Mario Kart Double Dash!!'' in ''Mario Power Tennis''.
Item Boxes reappear in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'', holding the same function as in previous encounters. The appearance remains about the same from ''Mario Kart 7'', except it is a crystalline grey instead of a rainbow color and the ? is slightly larger. One difference between the games is that players can no longer hold two items at once (like in ''Super Mario Kart''), and items will appear in the drivers' hands (like in ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!''), or in the case of the triple items and the [[Crazy Eight]], automatically activate by themselves. Unlike previous games, it now has a new sound effect, for both the Item Box itself and the item roulette. In ''Mario Kart 8'', the items players can receive are solely determined by their distance behind the leader, rather than position. In [[Animal Crossing]], there are Item Boxes after the glider segment that are held up by balloons, which can be obtained by either gliding through the Item Box or by breaking the balloon. The Item Boxes in certain stages have special sound effects from their respective games, as opposed to the normal sound; Animal Crossing's play a variant of the music when a profile is loaded or saved, [[Hyrule Circuit]]'s play the chest opening jingle from ''The Legend of Zelda'' games, and [[Urchin Underpass]]'s play the stat slot sound from ''Splatoon''. {{classic|DS|Waluigi Pinball}} also retains its unique item roulette sound.


===''Super Mario Bros.'' series===
''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' features the return of Double Item Boxes. Like in ''Double Dash!!'', players can once again hold up to two items at once, even if they do not equip the first item. However, unlike in ''Double Dash!!'', ''Deluxe'' uses the same arrangement as previous games in that the second item is merely held in reserve while the first item is in play, and the player can get a second item from a standard Item Box if they have one in their main slot. Additionally, Double Item Boxes are no longer randomly generated; rather, they appear in the same spot every time. There are two courses in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'' that do not have Double Item Boxes: {{classic-link|GCN|Baby Park}} and {{classic-link|DS|Shroom Ridge}}.  In this game, the item given is now determined by both distance and position.
Item boxes make little appearances in the ''Super Mario Bros.'' series. However, they will appear in ''Super Mario Galaxy 2'', in the same style of a spinning box, only that instead of having a question mark inside, they have pictures of a Bowser face, a Coin, and 1-Up Mushroom on their sides.


===''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games''===
====''Mario Kart Tour''====
In the most-to-all [[Dream Event]]s in ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]'', item boxes are used. They, like in the series they debut in, give the player an item if the player happens to run into the item box.
[[File:MKT Frenzy Item Box Bobomb.png|thumb|120px|A Frenzy Item Box found in a ''Mario Kart Tour'' [[Goomba Takedown]] challenge, giving the player a [[Bob-omb]] [[Frenzy]]]]
Item Boxes return once again in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' with similar design and functionality to ''Mario Kart 8''. Replacing the Double Item Box is a feature allowing each character to hold two or three items on certain courses. When the racer drives through an Item Box, an item will be rolled in all empty item slots; if the Auto-Item feature is turned on, the remaining items will be used and all slots will be rolled. When all three item slots (if available) show the same item, [[Frenzy]] mode is activated, granting the player invincibility and allowing infinite uses of that item for a short time.


==Sticker Information==
In general, if a racer drives through a spot where an Item Box that was broken by another driver is supposed to be, they will still obtain items even if the Item Box has not respawned yet; this is contrary to previous appearances, where racers would miss getting an item from an Item Box in the time it took to respawn. A ''Mario Kart Tour'' feature on the {{wp|App Store (iOS/iPadOS)|App Store}} stated that players can miss an Item Box if it has not physically reappeared after breaking;<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220212163155/https://apps.apple.com/us/story/id1533872240 5 Speedy Tips for Mario Kart Tour]. apple.com (United States). Archived February 12, 2022, 16:31:55 UTC from the [https://apps.apple.com/us/story/id1533872240 original] via Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 12, 2022. ({{file link|App Store screenshot story 5 Speedy Tips for MKT.png|Screenshot}}.) "''If a racer in front of you gets an Item Box, you'll miss it before it respawns.''"</ref> this is only true for Item Boxes found within [[Clampy|Clampies]], which do not reappear until a Clampy closes and reopens its valves to produce another Item Box, or when [[Car (obstacle)|traffic]] breaks the Item Boxes.
{| border=1 cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="text-align:center" width=100%
|-
! width=120px | Image !! | Game !! | Effect
|-
| [[Image:MKDD ItemBox.png|100px]]
| ''Mario Kart Double Dash!!''
| [Freezing] - Attack +8
|-
|}


==Trivia==
Some bonus challenges contain Item Boxes with the question mark replaced by the image of an item, such as a [[Bob-omb]]. These will immediately give the player one of that item, regardless of how many item slots the driver has. The player also cannot activate a Frenzy with such Item Boxes, even if three are collected. Another special type of Item Box introduced in the [[Valentine's Tour]] has a pink appearance with a rainbow outline on the question mark, and immediately activates a Frenzy of a given item. This special Item Box appears in the [[Goomba Takedown]] bonus challenges held at [[SNES Mario Circuit 2]], [[SNES Vanilla Lake 1]] and [[Wii Mushroom Gorge]], as well as the [[Take them out quick!]] bonus challenge held at [[N64 Frappe Snowland]].
*In ''Mario Kart Wii'', it is seen that Item Boxes are created by normal Brick Blocks in [[Toad's Factory]].
 
Like in previous appearances, DS Waluigi Pinball retains its unique item roulette sound.
 
====''Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit''====
Item Boxes appear once again in ''[[Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit]]'', where they act identically to ''Mario Kart 8''. Here, they act as a gate customization option. Any racer who drives through the customized gate will trigger an item roulette.
 
===''Mario & Sonic'' series===
[[File:Dream Race Item Box.png|thumb|left|An Item Box in [[Dream Race (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for Wii)|Dream Race]], a Dream Event in the Wii version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games]]'']]
In the [[Mario & Sonic (series)|''Mario & Sonic'' series]], Item Boxes appear in various [[Dream Event]]s, functioning identically as in the ''Mario Kart'' games, but the items that they give vary, depending on the event or even position of the player. In the [[Wii]] version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games]]'', Item Boxes only appear in the [[Dream Race (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for Wii)|Dream Race]] and [[Dream Platform]] events. In the [[Nintendo DS]] version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Nintendo DS)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games]]'', Item Boxes appear in the [[Dream Race (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for Nintendo DS)|Dream Race]], [[Dream Canoe]], [[Dream Shooting]] and [[Dream Long Jump (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games)|Dream Long Jump]] events. The items that can be obtained from these boxes vary depending on the event being played and in some events, the position of the player when they collect the Item Box. In the [[Nintendo DS]] version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Nintendo DS)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]'', Item Boxes appear in [[Ski Cross Racing]], [[Rocket Ski Jumping]], [[Extreme Snowboarding]] and [[Ski Shooting]]. In the game's [[Wii]] [[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|version]], Item Boxes appear in both the [[Dream Alpine (Individual)|Individual]] and [[Dream Alpine (Team)|Team]] versions of Dream Alpine, the [[Dream Ski Cross (Individual)|Individual]] and [[Dream Ski Cross (Team)|Team]] versions of Dream Ski Cross, the [[Dream Snowboard Cross (Individual)|Individual]] and [[Dream Snowboard Cross (Team)|Team]] versions of Dream Snowboard Cross, [[Dream Short Track]], [[Dream Bobsleigh]], [[Dream Ice Hockey]], [[Dream Curling]] and [[Dream Snowball Fight]]. Additionally, in Dream Ice Hockey, one of the events that may occur when collecting a [[Wild Ball]] is a large number of Item Boxes appearing on the rink.
 
===''Mario Party: Star Rush''===
[[File:Bowser's Shocking Slipup.jpg|thumb|Item Boxes in [[Bowser's Shocking Slipup]], a minigame in ''Mario Party: Star Rush'']]
Item Boxes make an appearance in the minigame, [[Bowser's Shocking Slipup]] in ''[[Mario Party: Star Rush]]''. Here, depending on the timing hit, they can deliver [[Lightning|Lightning Bolt]]s to [[Bowser]] or cause [[Banana|Banana Peel]]s to spawn, which can stun players. Double Item Boxes appear and give out twice the number of items. During the second phase of the battle, Item Boxes spin faster.
{{br}}
==Profiles and statistics==
===''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''===
{{SSBB sticker
|name=Item Box
|image=[[File:Item Box Sticker.png]]
|game=''Mario Kart Double Dash!!''
|effect=[Freezing] - Attack +8
}}
 
===''Mario Kart Wii''===
[[File:MKW Item Box Trading Card.jpg|thumb|60px]]
'''Trading card information:''' ''Usually found strung out in a single line across the track, Item Boxes contain all of the Power-Ups, offensive and defensive items that make the Mario Kart series so interesting and enjoyable. From Bananas to Bob-ombs, don't miss your chance to hit an Item Box because you're definitely going to want what's inside. And if you use the Items to your advantage, they'll help you win!''<br>
*'''''Game Tip!'''<br>Item Boxes aren't always found in obvious locations. On some tracks you'll find them being pulled behind moving objects. Grab them anywhere you can!''


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<center><gallery>
{{main-gallery}}
Image:MK64_Item_Box.PNG|<center>An Item Box seen in ''[[Mario Kart 64]].
<gallery>
Image:ItemBox_MKSC.png|<center>An Item Box in ''[[Mario Kart Super Circuit]].
MKDD ItemBox.png|''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' artwork
Image:MKDD_ItemBox.png|<center>An Item Box in ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]] and [[Mario Kart DS]].
ItemBoxMKDS.png|''Mario Kart DS'' appearance
Image:MKAGP2itemboxes.jpg|<center>In ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP 2]]'', Item Boxes have a hexagonal design.
MK8-Line-Item-NO.gif|''Mario Kart 8'' LINE sticker
Image:MKwii Itembox.jpg|<center>An Item Box in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]].
MKT 138CB.png|''Mario Kart Tour'' badge
</gallery></center>
MKT Item Box.png|''Mario Kart Tour'' screenshot
[[Category:Objects]]
</gallery>
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. Stickers]]
 
==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=アイテムボックス
|JapR=Aitemu Bokkusu
|JapM=Item Box
|Chi=道具箱
|ChiR=Dàojù Xiāng
|Chi2=问号方块
|Chi2C=<ref>腾讯NintendoSwitch (March 27, 2020). [https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv5319257 想在《马力欧卡丁车8 豪华版》中占据上风?这些游戏小技巧值得一试]. ''Bilibili''. Retrieved March 27, 2020. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20201124224147/https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv5319257 Archived] November 24, 2020, 22:41:47 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>
|Chi2N=Chinese release of ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''
|Chi2R=Wènhào Fāngkuài
|ChiM=Item Box
|Chi2M=Question Block
|Dut=Voorwerpdoos
|Dut2=Voorwerpkist
|Dut2N=''Mario Kart 8'' electronic manual
|DutM=Item Box
|Dut2M=Item Box
|Fre=Boîte à objets
|Fre2=Boîte à bonus
|Fre2N=''Mario Kart 64'' instruction booklet
|FreM=Item box
|Fre2M=Bonus box
|Ger=Itembox
|GerM=Item Box
|Ita=Cubo oggetto
|Ita2=Riquadro Oggetti
|Ita2N=''Mario Kart 64'' instruction booklet
|Ita3=Blocco "?"
|Ita3N=''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' website
|Ita4=Scatola
|Ita4N=''Mario Kart DS'' website
|Ita5=Scatola oggetto
|Ita5N=''Mario Kart Wii'' and ''Mario Kart 7'' websites
|ItaM=Item cube
|Ita2M=Item Square
|Ita3M="?" block
|Ita4M=Box
|Ita5M=Item box
|Kor=아이템박스
|KorR=Aitem Bakseu
|KorM=Item Box
|Por=Caixa de itens
|PorM=Item box
|Spa=Caja de objetos
|SpaM=Item box
|Swe=Objektlåda
|SweM=Item box
}}
 
==References==
<references/>
 
{{navboxes|
{{MK64}}
{{MKSC}}
{{MKDD}}
{{MKDS}}
{{MKAGP}}
{{MKAGP2}}
{{MKDS}}
{{M&SATOG}}
{{MKW}}
{{M&SATOWG}}
{{M&SATLOG}}
{{MK7}}
{{MK8}}
{{M&SATROG}}
{{MKT}}}}
[[de:Item-Box]]
[[it:Cubo Oggetto]]
[[Category:Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games items]]
[[Category:Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 64 objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 7 objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 8 objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Arcade GP VR]]
[[Category:Mario Kart: Double Dash!! objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart DS objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart: Super Circuit objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Tour objects]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Wii objects]]
[[Category:Mario Party: Star Rush]]
[[Category:Mario Power Tennis items]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. Brawl stickers]]

Latest revision as of 12:38, August 29, 2024

Item Box
Item Box in Mario Kart 8
The Item Box in its Mario Kart 8 appearance
First appearance Mario Kart 64 (1996)
Latest appearance Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (2020)
Effect Gives an item when broken
“Touch an Item Box to break it open!”
Lakitu, Mario Kart Tour

Item Boxes (or item boxes) are boxes featured mainly in the Mario Kart series. Item Boxes look like ? Blocks but are transparent and often multicolored, and in more recent games, they have an iridescent checkerboard pattern. When a character passes through them, they get a random item. These blocks also appear in Mario Tennis and Mario Power Tennis. They have appeared in all the Mario Kart games, except Super Mario Kart, where ? Panels are used instead. Fake Item Boxes appear as items from the real Item Boxes and can be used in a similar way to Bananas, but they have a bigger impact by making racers flip over instead of spinning out. As seen in Toad's Factory in Mario Kart Wii, Item Boxes can be made out of Brick Blocks.

The positions in which players are in a race determine what kinds of items they will get. For example, someone in first place may get a Green Shell or a Banana, while someone in last place may get a Super Star, a Golden Dash Mushroom, Lightning, or a Bullet Bill.

By holding and not releasing the "use item" button on a controller, players can hold some items behind them, such as Bananas and shells, referred to as "dangling."[1] This allows players to protect themselves from rear attacks or collisions with other racers.

History[edit]

Mario Kart series[edit]

Mario Kart 64[edit]

Item Box
The octahedron shape of an item box in Mario Kart 64
A sideways item box from Mario Kart 64
A sideways item box from Luigi Raceway

Mario Kart 64 is the first game to utilize Item Boxes, replacing ? Panels from Super Mario Kart. Instead of being flat, square, and yellow like ? Panels, they have an octahedron shape with a ? in the center, and are multicolored and translucent. Colliding with an Item Box will provide the character with a random item; the item received is determined based on the place of the character - the farther back they are, the more powerful items they will get. Unlike ? Panels, Item Boxes respawn almost immediately after being used.

Throughout the game, there are two item boxes that provide only Spiny Shells; they are marked with a sideways "?" and appear hanging from the Luigi Raceway balloon and atop a large rock on Koopa Troopa Beach.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit[edit]

Mario shortcutting in Mario Circuit 1
An item box in Mario Kart: Super Circuit in an isolated location of Mario Circuit 1
Mario Kart: Super Circuit promotional artwork: Item Box.

Item Boxes take on a different appearance in Mario Kart: Super Circuit. Here, they look like cubes that change color instead of their previous octahedron shape. Most are found in groups of 3 but some boxes are isolated in uncommon locations in the track. Other than appearance and location changes, no functional changes have been made. Item Boxes in this game usually rotate, but in Single-Pak Multiplayer they simply shrink and extend slightly without rotating.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]

Artwork of a Double Item Box in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
The Double Item Box, which first appeared in Mario Kart Double Dash!!

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Item Boxes make a reappearance, along with a new variety named Double Item Boxes. Unlike regular Item Boxes, Double Item Boxes grant both the driver and the thrower items. Item Boxes in Mario Kart Double Dash!! take on a different appearance from their previous appearances: they are still shaped like cubes, but they have a checkerboard texture, similar to a race flag.

Double Dash!! is the first game where Item Boxes can move independently around the track - some in Mushroom Bridge or Mushroom City will follow the track like the other cars, while some in Peach Beach or Sherbet Land will move back and forth along a piece of track. Moving Item Boxes respawn where they were last broken, except in Mushroom Bridge and Mushroom City, where they respawn in the pipe shortcut and in alleyways, respectively.

In split-screen mode except for Battle Course stages, Item Boxes are brighter checkerboard texture than the normal checkerboard texture. In the mini-game Bob-omb Blast, Item Boxes and Double Item Boxes only grant players the Bob-omb item, and have their "?" replaced with a Bob-omb to show this.

Any Double Item Boxes are replaced with single Item Boxes when a Mario Kart: Double Dash!! course appears in a later game.

Mario Kart Arcade GP subseries[edit]

Toad holding a Basin from Mario Kart Arcade GP 2
The hexagonal item boxes from Mario Arcade GP 2

Item Boxes in Mario Kart Arcade GP and its sequel, Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 have an identical function. However, they are depicted with a honeycomb-like hexagonal structure instead of cubic.

Mario Kart DS[edit]

ItemBoxMKDS.png

In Mario Kart DS, the boxes have a similar appearance to the boxes in Mario Kart Double Dash!!, though they are slightly more square with white borders and including transparent areas. They serve a similar function, though Double Item Boxes do not return and characters return to not physically holding them. Like in the previous games, they still grant the player an item depending on the player's place.

In DK Pass, there is an item box sitting on top of a large hill that gives the player, regardless of their current standing, a Star, Triple Mushrooms, a single Mushroom, or (rarely) a Red Shell. This is the only location of such in the entire game, but it also appears in missions where the player must beat an opponent (like Yoshi, a Chain Chomp or a red car).

In multiplayer battle mode, defeated players have an unlimited supply of item boxes (though there is a delay time for each use) and can deploy them similar to a banana. These help other players get items. The ghost item boxes disappear after a while.

To match the theme of Waluigi Pinball, the item roulette sound in that course has an arcade-like sound to it.

Mario Kart Wii[edit]

Artwork of an Item Box, from Mario Kart Wii.
Artwork of an item box in Mario Kart Wii

In Mario Kart Wii, the item boxes lose their checkerboard textures and gain rainbow dot textures. They act in a similar manner as in the previous games and nothing has been changed relating to function when an item is received. However, they do reappear at a slower rate than its precedents. It is seen that Item Boxes are created out of Brick Blocks in Toad's Factory.

In Chain Chomp Wheel, some item boxes float in the center of a large ring, bearing in shape of a star. If players can aim correctly and touch the item boxes, they mostly receive a Star or the occasional Mushroom.

In multiplayer modes, Item Boxes have spinning question marks inside them as opposed to being static in single-player mode.

Mario Kart 7[edit]

A Current in Wario Shipyard in Mario Kart 7
Item Boxes in Mario Kart 7

Item Boxes return in Mario Kart 7 with the same design and purpose as Mario Kart Wii, with a rainbow-colored texture slightly less biased against the red area. Unlike in Mario Kart DS, they do not appear on the bottom screen's map.

While the "super Item Box" of DS DK Pass remains intact, the Spiny Shell-only Item Boxes from N64 Luigi Raceway and N64 Koopa Troopa Beach have been replaced with a regular Item Box and a Coin respectively. DS Waluigi Pinball also retains its unique item roulette sound.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]

Item Boxes reappear in Mario Kart 8, holding the same function as in previous encounters. The appearance remains about the same from Mario Kart 7, except it is a crystalline grey instead of a rainbow color and the ? is slightly larger. One difference between the games is that players can no longer hold two items at once (like in Super Mario Kart), and items will appear in the drivers' hands (like in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!), or in the case of the triple items and the Crazy Eight, automatically activate by themselves. Unlike previous games, it now has a new sound effect, for both the Item Box itself and the item roulette. In Mario Kart 8, the items players can receive are solely determined by their distance behind the leader, rather than position. In Animal Crossing, there are Item Boxes after the glider segment that are held up by balloons, which can be obtained by either gliding through the Item Box or by breaking the balloon. The Item Boxes in certain stages have special sound effects from their respective games, as opposed to the normal sound; Animal Crossing's play a variant of the music when a profile is loaded or saved, Hyrule Circuit's play the chest opening jingle from The Legend of Zelda games, and Urchin Underpass's play the stat slot sound from Splatoon. DS Waluigi Pinball also retains its unique item roulette sound.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features the return of Double Item Boxes. Like in Double Dash!!, players can once again hold up to two items at once, even if they do not equip the first item. However, unlike in Double Dash!!, Deluxe uses the same arrangement as previous games in that the second item is merely held in reserve while the first item is in play, and the player can get a second item from a standard Item Box if they have one in their main slot. Additionally, Double Item Boxes are no longer randomly generated; rather, they appear in the same spot every time. There are two courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe that do not have Double Item Boxes: GCN Baby Park and DS Shroom Ridge. In this game, the item given is now determined by both distance and position.

Mario Kart Tour[edit]

Mario Kart Tour Bob-omb Frenzy Item Box, Valentine's Tour, Toad Cup, Goomba Takedown challenge
A Frenzy Item Box found in a Mario Kart Tour Goomba Takedown challenge, giving the player a Bob-omb Frenzy

Item Boxes return once again in Mario Kart Tour with similar design and functionality to Mario Kart 8. Replacing the Double Item Box is a feature allowing each character to hold two or three items on certain courses. When the racer drives through an Item Box, an item will be rolled in all empty item slots; if the Auto-Item feature is turned on, the remaining items will be used and all slots will be rolled. When all three item slots (if available) show the same item, Frenzy mode is activated, granting the player invincibility and allowing infinite uses of that item for a short time.

In general, if a racer drives through a spot where an Item Box that was broken by another driver is supposed to be, they will still obtain items even if the Item Box has not respawned yet; this is contrary to previous appearances, where racers would miss getting an item from an Item Box in the time it took to respawn. A Mario Kart Tour feature on the App Store stated that players can miss an Item Box if it has not physically reappeared after breaking;[2] this is only true for Item Boxes found within Clampies, which do not reappear until a Clampy closes and reopens its valves to produce another Item Box, or when traffic breaks the Item Boxes.

Some bonus challenges contain Item Boxes with the question mark replaced by the image of an item, such as a Bob-omb. These will immediately give the player one of that item, regardless of how many item slots the driver has. The player also cannot activate a Frenzy with such Item Boxes, even if three are collected. Another special type of Item Box introduced in the Valentine's Tour has a pink appearance with a rainbow outline on the question mark, and immediately activates a Frenzy of a given item. This special Item Box appears in the Goomba Takedown bonus challenges held at SNES Mario Circuit 2, SNES Vanilla Lake 1 and Wii Mushroom Gorge, as well as the Take them out quick! bonus challenge held at N64 Frappe Snowland.

Like in previous appearances, DS Waluigi Pinball retains its unique item roulette sound.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit[edit]

Item Boxes appear once again in Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, where they act identically to Mario Kart 8. Here, they act as a gate customization option. Any racer who drives through the customized gate will trigger an item roulette.

Mario & Sonic series[edit]

An Item Box in Dream Race, a Dream Event in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
An Item Box in Dream Race, a Dream Event in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

In the Mario & Sonic series, Item Boxes appear in various Dream Events, functioning identically as in the Mario Kart games, but the items that they give vary, depending on the event or even position of the player. In the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Item Boxes only appear in the Dream Race and Dream Platform events. In the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Item Boxes appear in the Dream Race, Dream Canoe, Dream Shooting and Dream Long Jump events. The items that can be obtained from these boxes vary depending on the event being played and in some events, the position of the player when they collect the Item Box. In the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Item Boxes appear in Ski Cross Racing, Rocket Ski Jumping, Extreme Snowboarding and Ski Shooting. In the game's Wii version, Item Boxes appear in both the Individual and Team versions of Dream Alpine, the Individual and Team versions of Dream Ski Cross, the Individual and Team versions of Dream Snowboard Cross, Dream Short Track, Dream Bobsleigh, Dream Ice Hockey, Dream Curling and Dream Snowball Fight. Additionally, in Dream Ice Hockey, one of the events that may occur when collecting a Wild Ball is a large number of Item Boxes appearing on the rink.

Mario Party: Star Rush[edit]

Bowser's Shocking Slipup from Mario Party: Star Rush
Item Boxes in Bowser's Shocking Slipup, a minigame in Mario Party: Star Rush

Item Boxes make an appearance in the minigame, Bowser's Shocking Slipup in Mario Party: Star Rush. Here, depending on the timing hit, they can deliver Lightning Bolts to Bowser or cause Banana Peels to spawn, which can stun players. Double Item Boxes appear and give out twice the number of items. During the second phase of the battle, Item Boxes spin faster.

Profiles and statistics[edit]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]

Sticker
Item Box
Item Box Sticker in the game Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Artwork from: Mario Kart Double Dash!!
Effects in The Subspace Emissary: [Freezing] - Attack +8
Usable by: Anyone

Mario Kart Wii[edit]

The Item Box card from the Mario Kart Wii trading cards

Trading card information: Usually found strung out in a single line across the track, Item Boxes contain all of the Power-Ups, offensive and defensive items that make the Mario Kart series so interesting and enjoyable. From Bananas to Bob-ombs, don't miss your chance to hit an Item Box because you're definitely going to want what's inside. And if you use the Items to your advantage, they'll help you win!

  • Game Tip!
    Item Boxes aren't always found in obvious locations. On some tracks you'll find them being pulled behind moving objects. Grab them anywhere you can!

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Item Box.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese アイテムボックス[?]
Aitemu Bokkusu
Item Box
Chinese 道具箱[?]
Dàojù Xiāng
Item Box
问号方块[3]
Wènhào Fāngkuài
Question Block Chinese release of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Dutch Voorwerpdoos[?] Item Box
Voorwerpkist[?] Mario Kart 8 electronic manual
French Boîte à objets[?] Item box
Boîte à bonus[?] Bonus box Mario Kart 64 instruction booklet
German Itembox[?] Item Box
Italian Cubo oggetto[?] Item cube
Riquadro Oggetti[?] Item Square Mario Kart 64 instruction booklet
Blocco "?"[?] "?" block Mario Kart: Double Dash!! website
Scatola[?] Box Mario Kart DS website
Scatola oggetto[?] Item box Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7 websites
Korean 아이템박스[?]
Aitem Bakseu
Item Box
Portuguese Caixa de itens[?] Item box
Spanish Caja de objetos[?] Item box
Swedish Objektlåda[?] Item box

References[edit]

  1. ^ Mario Kart DS English instruction booklet. Page 10.
  2. ^ 5 Speedy Tips for Mario Kart Tour. apple.com (United States). Archived February 12, 2022, 16:31:55 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 12, 2022. (ScreenshotMedia:App Store screenshot story 5 Speedy Tips for MKT.png.) "If a racer in front of you gets an Item Box, you'll miss it before it respawns."
  3. ^ 腾讯NintendoSwitch (March 27, 2020). 想在《马力欧卡丁车8 豪华版》中占据上风?这些游戏小技巧值得一试. Bilibili. Retrieved March 27, 2020. (Archived November 24, 2020, 22:41:47 UTC via Wayback Machine.)