The Mario Universe is vast, with a wide variety of games and characters to choose from. Each game brings new challenges, characters, worlds, adventures, and power-ups. The power-ups vary: some are more unique, while others are popular and used in multiple games.
A power-up is an item that gives Mario a unique ability. He might turn into something like a cat or a frog, or he might gain invincibility, extra strength, or a weapon. Keep reading to discover the best Mario power-ups of all time.
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Over 15+ Mario Games
The Super Star is one of the more common power-ups in the Mario Universe, but that doesn’t make it any less powerful. This shining star temporarily makes Mario invincible. This means that nothing can hurt him, and he can run through his enemies to destroy them.
The big downside to this power-up is that it works for a limited time only. In most games, it lasts exactly seven and a half seconds before disappearing. So, if you’re able to grab one of these, act fast and drive headfirst into enemy territory.
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
The Boo Mushroom isn’t used in as many games, but it’s one of the cutest power-ups out there. The mushroom is completely white with a boo face sprawled on the front. When it’s eaten, Mario transforms into Boo Mario: a version of boo that has a red hat and white mustache.
Boo Mario can float, move through walls, turn invisible, and read Booish. It’s great because it gives you multiple powers and is unlimited, so you’re able to only lose it by gettinghit by an enemy, or finishing a level.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
The Double Cherry is a cool item that gives you clones. It looks like two cherries attached by a stem, with a pair of eyes on each piece of fruit. Eating one of these turns Mario into Double Mario, which is a clone of him. You can have up to five clones per character.
There are a few downsides to this power-up. If one of your duplicates takes any damage, it disappears. It can also be hard to maneuver multiple Marios, and the more you get, the harder it is to keep track of.
New Super Mario Bros. 2
The Gold Flower is up there as one of the best power-ups in the entire Mario Universe. When Mario eats this, he becomes golden and can launch golden fireballs at enemies. Not only will it destroy the enemy it hits, but it gives you gold.
The best part of this power-up is that if you take damage, you revert to Flower Mario instead of just Mario with a mushroom. There is no downside to the Gold Flower; it’s perfection, and maybe even the best one out there.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Paper Mario: Color Splash
Frog Mario is on this list because it’s the cutest power-up out there. Mario becomes Frog Mario, which looks like Mario in a great big frog suit with big, semi-crossed eyes. This lets him swim in water (in all directions) and jump much higher. Depending on the game, the Frog Mario is either red or green.
This power-up also allows Mario to run over water, but only in certain games. To get rid of it, Mario would have to get hit by an enemy.
This epic power-up turns Mario into Giga Cat Mario, which is a giant version of Cat Mario. It looks very similar to a lion, with a huge mane and a yellow-colored catsuit. This power-up is stronger than the original cat one but contains the same powers.
Giga Cat Mario can climb up walls and goal posts, scratch enemies, spring, and do dive bombs. Since it’s giant, it is much harder to kill. It’s immune to black goop andbest used for battling Fury Bowser.
Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker 2
These ridiculously fun shoes come in four different styles. There’s a dark green boot, a light green boot, a black high heel, and a red high heel. This is one of the strangest power-ups, but its uniqueness only adds to its charm.
These shoes let Mario hop over spikes and spiky enemies. In some games, you’re able to add wings to it or get larger versions that can ground pound. You can only keep this power-up until the end of a level.
Super Mario Maker 2
The Master Sword is a crossover ofThe Legend of Zeldagames with the Mario ones. This epic blue and white weapon turns Mario into Link. Not only is it unique in that it brings over a weapon from another game, but it also gives you a myriad of powers.
With the Master Sword, you get Link’s shield, the ability to drop bombs, a bow and arrow, and the sword itself. It’s an epic power-up that merges two games perfectly.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario Run
The Wonder Flower gives you different effects depending on the level that you’re on. Some examples of these effects are bending powers, spawning flower coins, and transforming the player into something else, such as a spike ball.
Some of these flowers will last until you take damage or finish a level, but others disappear after some time passes. This power-up is one of the most versatile ones, with over thirty different effects. Some are reusable, and some are used in very specific areas.
