Top 20 Mario Power-Ups

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20. Mini Mushroom (New Super Mario Bros.)
We all know the normal Mario rule. Mushrooms make you grow. Not the Mini Mushroom though. This blue and white spotted fungi makes Mario shrink to the size of a fly, allowing him to jump really high and run across the surface of water.

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19. Carrot (Super Mario Land 2)
You’ve got to feel sorry for Mario. When other people eat carrots, not much happens. They get a bit less hungry and maybe it helps their vision, but that’s all. Instead, Mario grows a pair of giant rabbit ears which somehow help him float in the air. Poor lad.

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18. Blue Koopa Shell (New Super Mario Bros.)
It’s impossible to count how many Koopa Troopas have been kicked across the floor by Mario over the years. At least the Blue Koopa Shell lets him see how it feels. After building up speed Mario can hide inside the shell and skid along, hurting anyone in his path.

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17. Spring Mushroom (Super Mario Galaxy)
Either you love the Spring Mushroom – which wraps a huge coil around Mario and lets him bounce around stages while jumping ridiculously high – or you hate it. It’s certainly one of the trickiest power-ups to control, but awesome once you “get” it.

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16. Invisibility Cap (Super Mario 64)
Never mind all this Harry Potter cloak rubbish: Mario was doing the invisibility thing when Harry was still in nappies. The Invisibility Cap breaks Mario up into loads of tiny pieces, allowing him to safely walk through fences that he couldn’t otherwise get past.

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15. Hammer (Donkey Kong)
All hail the original Mario power-up! Donkey Kong’s chucking barrels at you so what do you do? Grab a hammer and start swinging for dear life. It comes complete with nifty music, but awesomeness comes at a price – you can’t jump or climb ladders with it.

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14. Boo Mushroom (Super Mario Galaxy)
If Mario turns his back to a Boo, the Boo comes towards him. If Mario looks at a Boo, the Boo hides. But if Mario IS a Boo, then… well, we’re confused. What happens if he looks in a mirror? Will he hide from himself? Either way, what’s important is that this power-up is ruddy mint.

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13. Ice Mushroom (Super Mario Galaxy)
He’s been able to throw fireballs ever since the ’80s, but Mario never really embraced the colder side of life until Super Mario Galaxy came along. The Ice Mushroom lets him throw ice balls at enemies and also allows him to walk on water, freezing it under his feet.

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12. Starman (Super Mario Bros.)
On paper, it seems that the Starman power-up should be the best by far. Imagine if you could just run through everyone and defeat them with a single touch, while awesome music plays in the background. So why is it not even in our top ten? Because it’s all over so painfully quickly!

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11. Mega Mushroom (New Super Mario Bros.)
There are times when growing twice your size just won’t quite do the trick. For moments like that, the Mega Mushroom is what’s needed. This absolutely ridiculous power-up makes Mario grow to almost the full size of the screen, causing massive destruction wherever he goes. Awesome.

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10. Metal Mario (Super Mario 64)
What do you get when you cross Mario with the T-1000 from Terminator 2? Why, Metal Mario of course. Made entirely of chrome, Metal Mario can walk underwater and is completely invincible. You’ll only find him in Super Mario 64, but we’d like to see a comeback for this suit!
[See the Top 10 on ONM]



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