Banana

A Banana from the Donkey Kong Country series.

The Banana is an item that has appeared in many games in a number of different series. The Banana either appears as the whole fruit or simply as a Banana Peel.

Donkey Kong Series

The Banana is the most common item featured in the Donkey Kong series of games. This fruit appears in every single Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Land title. In these games, collecting one hundred bananas will give a Kong an extra life. It is possible for the Kong Family to collect every single banana that appears in the games. Additionally, bananas often point in the direction of secret areas, hidden items, and the end of a level. A Banana Bunch is worth ten regular bananas. In Donkey Kong 64, there were five colors of bananas - each color could only be collected by a specific Kong. Bananas were needed to feed Scoff in order to allow Troff to open the door to the level's boss.

Mario Kart Series

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A Banana from Mario Kart Wii.

The Banana (also known as the Banana Peel) is one of the most common items in the Mario Kart series. A Banana Peel causes a karts to spin-out if the vehicle touches the slippery item. Its only purpose in life is to make the other karts spin, causing them to slow down. Banana Peels can either be placed behind a kart, or be thrown forward down the track. Like many other items in the Mario series, the Banana has eyes.

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Banana Peel from the Mario Kart series.

There is also a larger variant exclusive to Mario Kart: Double Dash!! called the Giant Banana. When a driver hits a Giant Banana, the fruit will split into three normal Bananas. This gigantic special item can only be used by Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong (as well as King Boo and Petey Piranha, who can use any special item).

Mario Power Tennis

In Mario Power Tennis in the mode where you can hit the balls through blocks similar to the Mario Kart series, one of the items is a Banana peel and when you hit the ball a banana peel will bounce to the other player's side. However, if the other player hits a volley, the Banana peel bounces right back to the original player's side.

Mario Strikers Series

In Mario Strikers games, the Banana acts as an item that players can collect. Once used, the player will drop three or five banana peels behind him/her, which will proceed to knock over any player who runs into them. This includes both the opponent, and the user. If used near an edge, only a few banana's will stay on the field, as the other banana's will fall off the stadium. A similar item is the Giant Banana.

During Diddy Kong's ground entrance, he pulls out a Banana, and whacks it on his hand, which is used to say that he is going to crush his opponent.

Super Smash Bros. Series

A Banana Peel from Super Smash Bros. Brawl

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Kirby slipping on the Banana Peel.

The Banana Peel appeared as a new item in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Once thrown, anyone who walks over it will trip and fall onto their back and damaging the fighter slightly. It can be compared to a much more powerful Motion-Sensor Bomb.

Trophy Information from Super Smash Bros. Brawl

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The peel from a Japanese fiber banana of the Musaceae plant family. It contains a high volume of vegetable oil, which oozes out when the peel is stepped on, making things slippery. In Smash Bros., the peel fulfills its destiny as a comedic prop by making passersby slip. Characters who land on their backsides will be defenseless until they recover their footing.

Other Appearances

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A Banana bunch from Yoshi's Story.

• The Banana is a popular item that shows up in many mini-games in the Mario Party series. They are mainly featured in Donkey Kong mini-games, where bananas are worth one, two, or three coins depending on a random multiplayer. The banana also appears in many Mic Minigames.
• Bananas are the favorite fruit of Yellow Yoshis in Yoshi's Story, along with the universally loved Melons.
• In Luigi's Mansion, Garbage Can Ghosts will throw Banana Peels on the floor. Luigi can slip on these peels, damaging the plumber.
• In Super Mario Sunshine, the Banana is one of the Fruits the Yoshis can eat. If a Yoshi eats this fruit, it will become a Pink Yoshi.