Meat

Meat is a common food item in the Mario franchise.

History

Paper Mario series

Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door

Meat appears in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door during Bowser's special sidescrolling levels. Like the Mushrooms that make Mario grow when he is in Small Mario form, meat makes Bowser larger. Meat can be found by hitting certain ? Blocks. If Bowser takes a hit from an enemy, he will shrink down by one level. Getting enough pieces of meat in one level will make Bowser gigantic, allowing him to smash through everything in the level, similar to Mega Mario. The meat used in the game resembles a leg of lamb.

Paper Mario: Color Splash

In Paper Mario: Color Splash, Mario is given the task of preparing a steak for Larry at the Tangerino Grill. To perfectly tenderize, season, and cook the steak, Mario must use a Hammer, Salt and Pepper, the Charcoal Grill or two Big Fire Flowers, and a lemon, respectively.

Super Mario series

Super Mario Galaxy

Giant pieces of meat can be found floating in the Ghostly Galaxy's A Very Spooky Sprint mission from Super Mario Galaxy. They will bounce Mario or Luigi away if they come into contact with them.

Super Mario Odyssey

Main article: Meat (object)

In Super Mario Odyssey, a specific slab of meat can be captured. Doing so will initiate a cutscene in which Cookatiel carries it up to the top of Mount Volbono and drops it in the Stupendous Stew.

Mario Kart Arcade GP series

In Mario Kart Arcade GP and Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, Meat is an unlockable item for Bowser. It is a recovery item; upon being used, it removes all bad conditions from the user's kart, such as Square Tires, burst tires, or Thunder Cloud. In addition, the Meat provides a shield for approximately half a second upon being used. With good timing, this can be used to block incoming items or be immune to the explosion of a Time Bomb. In Mario Kart Arcade GP, a variant of the Meat known as the Meat+ can be unlocked. This variant greatly increases the duration of the shield the item provides.

Mario & Luigi series

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

In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and its remake, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, meat appears in the forms of Hot Drumsticks, Fiery Drumsticks, and TNT Drumsticks, which can be consumed by Bowser to restore his HP. In the remake, a type of drumstick known as a Cheesy Drumstick appear, which completely restore Bowser's HP and BP, replacing the role of Star Candies from Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story. In the battle with Bowser and Bowser X, when he reaches his Fury status, he will eat a drumstick, fully restoring his HP.

Meat can also be thrown at Midbus from the audience during the battle against him at Fawful Theater whenever Bowser does not dodge his attacks. Midbus will eat it later on and restore 50 HP. However, Bowser can punch or burn before he has a chance. Bowser can also inhale the meat, which will give him a POW boost.

During the "victory feast" after the battle, some of the food included at the banquet features meat, which include large drumsticks, hot dogs with sauce, steaks of both flatiron and ribeye variants, fish, and ham (although only the hot dogs and drumsticks are actually able to be eaten at the player's prompting).

Later on, a type of enemy known as Tenderlings resemble pieces of meat. They are battled by Mario and Luigi inside Bowser's body.

In the game's remake, in the Bowser Jr.'s Journey mode, Bowser Jr. can eat HP, POW, DEF, SPEED, SPIRIT, and EXP Drumsticks. Morton also supplies Bowser Jr. with a burned drumstick as a peace offering, which he later eats.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team

In Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Bowser inhales a lot of meat in Dreamy Neo Bowser Castle in an attempt to grow gigantic. As Dreamy Bowser, he can heal his arms 200 HP and his body 150 HP every turn by eating endless piles of meat until the minions are destroyed.