Shell Mario

Shell Mario
Shell Mario in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
Applies to	Mario, Luigi
Item needed	Blue Shell
Power(s) given	Swim faster and more accurately, dodge attacks, slide through enemies
First appearance	New Super Mario Bros. (2006)
Latest appearance	Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey (2018)

Shell Mario and Shell Luigi (also known as Koopa Mario and Koopa Luigi) are the forms of Mario and Luigi that they take by wearing a Blue Shell. The form debuted in New Super Mario Bros. It is the only power-up introduced in said game that does not appear in any of its sequels.

History

New Super Mario Bros.

Shell Mario in New Super Mario Bros.

Shell Mario is a form in New Super Mario Bros. It allows Mario to swim faster and with more accuracy, and gives him the Hammer Suit-like ability to dodge the attacks of enemies when he crouches. As long as he keeps ducking, he is safely protected from most enemies, but it will not protect him from Bob-omb explosions, Spiked Balls, hammers thrown by Hammer Bros. or Sledge Bros., boomerangs from the Boomerang Bros., and the volcanic debris from World 8-8. If Mario runs for a short time, or crouches while on a downward slope, he slides in the shell through a maneuver titled the shell dash, allowing Mario to defeat enemies such as Thwomps and Boos while along the way. However, the shell dash mechanics also make it almost impossible to Triple Jump, while Double Jumping becomes harder to perform, because Mario goes into the shell to slide shortly after he begins to run.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

Shell Mario returns in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and its 3DS remake. The power-up is first acquired in the skies of Toad Town, where it was introduced by the Koopa Paratroopa Trio. Mario can turn into Shell Mario by striking shell blocks (which were spread around the Mushroom Kingdom when Mario and Luigi hit a giant version of them back in Toad Town). Luigi can then hit Mario using his hammer, and this makes Mario go into the shell, spinning straight in the direction he was facing. This can be used to hit blocks and platform-moving levers in areas which Mario and Luigi cannot directly go into, and hit enemies in the field to stun them. However, because the shell is so heavy, Mario is unable to jump in it. If he does, he loses the shell. It serves a similar purpose to Kooper and Koops's field abilities in the Paper Mario series.

Gallery

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  Shell Mario doing a shell dash

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  Shell Mario about to touch a Red Ring

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  Shell Luigi swimming quickly

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  Animation of Luigi hitting Shell Mario with his hammer in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

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  Luigi hitting Shell Mario with his hammer in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	コウラマリオ[?] Kōra Mario	Shell Mario
	コウラルイージ[?] Kōra Ruīji	Shell Luigi
Chinese (simplified)	龟壳马力欧[?] Guīké Mǎlì'ōu	Shell Mario
	龟壳路易吉[?] Guī ké lùyì jí	Shell Luigi
Chinese (traditional)	龜殼瑪利歐[?] Guīké Mǎlì'ōu	Shell Mario
	龜殼路易吉[?] Guī ké lùyì jí	Shell Luigi
Dutch	Schild Mario[?]	Shield Mario
	Schild Luigi[?]	Shield Luigi
French	Mario Koopa[?]	Koopa Mario
	Luigi Koopa[?]	Koopa Luigi
German	Panzer-Mario[?]	Shell Mario
	Panzer-Luigi[?]	Shell Luigi
Italian	Tarta Mario (New Super Mario Bros.) / Mario guscio (Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey)[?]	Turtle Mario / Shell Mario
	Tarta Luigi[?]	Turtle Luigi (tarta is short for tartaruga, turtle; guscio is shell)
Korean	등껍질마리오[?] Deungkkeopjil Mario	Shell Mario
	등껍질루이지[?] Deungkkeopjil Ruiji	Shell Luigi
Portuguese (NOE)	Mario Carapaça[?]	Shell Mario
	Luigi Carapaça[?]	Shell Luigi
Spanish	Mario Koopa[?]	Koopa Mario
	Luigi Koopa[?]	Koopa Luigi

Trivia

• In Super Mario 3D World and its Nintendo Switch port, the player can crouch while holding a Koopa Shell to shell dash with it similar to Shell Mario.