Lightning
This article is about the item in the Mario series. For the attack, see Thunder
Thunderbolts (also called Lightning or Lightning Bolts) are attack items found in the Mario Kart and Paper Mario series. These special items summon lightning from the sky, causing various effects. Thunder has often been thought to be Luigi's counterpart to Mario's fire, but Luigi has also been seen to fire green flames, discrediting these theories.
Mario Kart
In the Mario Kart series, Thunderbolts are extremely powerful items that racers usually receive when they are in (or near) last position in a race. When used, a Thunderbolt will temporarily shrink all the other racers, making them slower and weaker.
In Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64, if a shrunken player is driven over, they will be squashed and unable to move for a few seconds. Strangely, if two shrunken players ran into each other in Mario Kart 64, they would both crush each other.
In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the Thunderbolt can also let drop to the racers their items on the road. However, the item does not show effects to players that are currently indisposed (such as having just been hit by another item, or fell over a cliff).
In Mario Kart DS, the effect of being hit by a Thunderbolt wears off quicker the lower in the rank the player is. For example, someone hit by one while in 7th place will return to normal almost immediately, while those in 1st or 2nd place will remain shrunk for up to six seconds.
In Mario Kart Wii, as in Mario Kart DS, the effect of the Thunderbolt disappears in a less time when the player is in a lower rank.
Paper Mario series
In the Paper Mario series, the attack item is known as a Thunder Bolt. This item summons a bolt of lightning that inflicts five damage to one enemy.
Also in the series is the much more powerful Thunder Rage. This item summons a lighting storm that inflicts five damage to all enemies.
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, the Thunder Rage can also be cooked by mixing a Shooting Star and a Point Swap (though not the best deal).
Sport Appearances
In Mario Hoops 3 on 3, the Thunderbolt played much the same purpose, stunning all players and making the ball drop out of one's grasp. In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games it appears in the Dream Races where it also makes characters shrink and slow down. In Mario Power Tennis, the thunderbolt appeared as an item in the Item Battle in Exhibition Mode. It has the same effect as it does in the Mario Kart series. It shrinks the player's opponent(s), making them unable to run faster to get the ball.
Other Appearances
A Thunderbolt cameos on the wrapper of Cashzap Candy in Mario Party 8. Thunderbolt will also appear as an item in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, as confirmed by the E for All demo and it will appear as a sticker. Some characters like the Sumo Bro. and Lakithunder use thunderbolts to attack.
Trophy Information from Super Smash Bros. Brawl
An item that goes off the moment you touch it. It may shrink every other character on the screen. Tiny players suffer a reduction in their attack power and become easier to send flying. After a set amount of time, all the characters will return to their normal sizes. In the Mario Kart series, all players but the item user shrunk, and got flattened when run over.
