Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Items Guide will break down all the usable items in the game and the best way for players to use each one of them to gain an edge on the track. The use of items in MK8 Deluxe is paramount to victory in races and other game modes.
Using an item simply requires players to press the correct button on their controller and the enemy racers which get hit by these items have three Coins removed from their stash as well as lose their top speed.
There are two categories of items in MK8 8 Deluxe, Equipable and Tactical, with both of them further divided into offense and defense.
As the name suggests, the Equipable can be picked up and then fired upon or used as traps against other racers. Tactical items on the other hand can’t be equipped for defense and instead once players use them, they initiate an effect which lasts for a short while before disappearing completely.
For more help on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Edition, check out our Coins Farming Guide, Essential Tips to Win the Races, and Best Karts Combinations Guide.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Items
In our Items Guide, we have detailed every usable item in the game and the best ways for players to use them in the game.
Equipable Items
Banana
Banana is one of the most common defensive items as it can cause racers to spin out of control. Players can either throw it behind them or in front of them to slow down other racers. Alternatively, it can also be dragged behind the player to absorb incoming enemy attacks.
Triple Banana
This surrounds the player with a rotating barrier of three Bananas that can absorb up to three enemy attacks. These can also be thrown ahead or behind to slow down others.
Green Shell
This can be fired in a straight line forward or backward to hit an enemy. Similar to Banana, it can also be dragged behind the vehicle to absorb attacks from behind. Once fired, the green shell will bounce around the track if it misses it target so it still has a chance to hit someone if they are not careful.
Triple Green Shells
Similar to triple Bananas, the triple green shells surround the player, providing defense and offensive capabilities. However, firing all three shells at the same time can be trouble because if they miss, all those bouncing shells can be bad for everyone on the track.
Red Shell
These are just like Green Shells but don’t bounce off of walls and instead shatter immediately. Red Shells also home in on the nearest target in front of the racer so players should always have something to protect themselves from an incoming red shell attack
Triple Red Shell
Just like all the other triple items, Triple Red Shell behaves the same as a normal Red Shell just more in numbers
Bob-omb
This can be thrown just like a Banana but after the fuse burns out, the Bob-omb explodes in a large area either spinning out or throwing racers upwards in the air. Players can also drag it behind themselves and then use their turbo to get away after dropping the Bob-omb
Tactical Items
Mushroom
These provide a lengthy and highly useful speed boost, even over rough terrain. Players can also use this to shove aside heavier cars when at full speed. A mushroom is essential for some shortcuts on the race track as well as being one of the few ways to escape a Spiny Shell
Triple Mushrooms
Just like other triple items, players get Three Mushrooms which can be used one after another to keep the speed boost going. The speed boosts don’t exactly stack so players should not fire them all at once
Golden Mushroom
This is a rare item that usually appears when players are losing a race and are near the back of the pack. It can be used as many times as player wants as long as it is in their possession and hasn’t expired so a Golden Mushroom is a great way to gain some ground and get a better score.
Coins
This adds two Coins to the player’s total and doesn’t really have any other use besides improving the overall score
Bullet Bill
Similar to a Golden Mushroom, this can appear for those who are far behind the other players. This morphs the player into Bullet Bill and players dart forward at incredibly high speed, automatically turning around bends and ramming other players in the way.
Blooper
This sends a squid to all other players on the race track and after a short delay, sprays ink over their screens and obscures vision, potentially causing them to lose control and hit obstacles. While the ink fades away on its own, use of a Mushroom, a dash panel or driving through water will also instantly remove it and clear the vision
Boomerang Flower
Similar to a shell, it can be fired forwards and backwards and then returns to the player twice before it is consumed. However, it can be shattered by certain objects while it is travelling
Fire Flower
Allows players to throw Fireballs at enemies for a short while although they have a really short range
Piranha Plant
This automatically bites any racer or item in the player’s path, even picking up things like Coins. With every bite of the plant, players get a small speed boost
Super Horn
This is a rare item that can be used to counter an incoming Spiny Shell. It releases a shockwave around the player that spins out other racers in the area and pushes away an incoming spiny shell so it is highly useful for those leading the race
Super Star
These are given to players near the back of the pack and using it gives them a short window of a massive speed boost as well as total invincibility against anything on the track. Using this, players can quickly gain a better position in the race without having to worry about obstacles
Lightning
This strikes every enemy racer on the track with a blast of electricity and shrinks them, allowing the user to gain a few spots. The shrinking effect eventually wears off
Spiny Shell
Once fired, it moves along the race track pushing everything out of its path until it reaches its target, jumps into the air and then dives down with a huge explosion, throwing the target into air and spinning out anyone nearby. Items like Mushroom, Super Star and Super Horn can be used to avoid this with a bit of timing and practice.
Feather
This is a new addition to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, making a return for the first time since SNES. The feather can only be used in Battle Mode and allows players to perform a spinning super jump to avoid cars and items
Boo
Another new addition to the game, Boo can steal a random opponent’s items and add them to the user’s own inventory.
