There is nothing more dreadful in Mario Kart World than losing your lead because of a Spiny Shell, a.k.a. the dreaded Blue Shell. The potential threat of a power-up item that specifically targets the driver in first place ensures you never feel quite safe. Thankfully, avoiding them isn’t as impossible as their reputation would lead you to believe. Here are some ways to dodge Blue Shells and not end up in sixth place.
Slow down to 2nd Place
A lot of these methods are going to require having certain items on hand. But one easy, item-less way that will work as long as you’re not too far in the lead is to put the brakes on and let someone else get first place. Do this fast enough and the Blue Shell will zip past and hit the new front-runner.
Jump Off the Track
Getting hit by the blue menace sucks, but it can also be followed by other opponent projectiles or power-ups. It’s a Mario Kart rite of passage to get hit by a slew of items one after the other. That’s what makes jumping off the track a potential solution. While you’ll still be slowed down, Lakitu picks you up pretty quickly in the new game. The few seconds of invulnerability when you’re placed back on track is another useful reason for drifting off it.
Boost out of the way with Mushrooms
Dodging shells with a Mushroom boost might be the most common way to avoid game-changing Blue Shells. Once it’s reached you and circles around, wait until it stops and rears back. Using a Mushroom at the final moment will see you boost out of the way as the Blue Shell crashes behind.
Read More: The Best Uses Of Rewind In Mario Kart World
In the same vein, the boost from a Golden Mushroom can avoid Blue Shells as well. The only problem is that the timing still matters. Even though spamming the item for continuous boosts is the right way to use it, you can still get hit midway through mashing the button.
Gain invulnerability with the Mega Mushroom or Bullet Bill
Items that transform your character typically provide some nice defenses at the same time. Both the Mega Mushroom and Bullet Bill items, which respectively enlarge your character or turn them into the eponymous hazard, give protection against even Blue Shells. Granted, you’re not likely to still be holding onto these items by the time you reach first place, but it’s something worth keeping in mind.
Turn invisible with Boo
The Boo item has multiple uses. It’s pretty great. Not only does it steal an item from another driver, but it makes you both invisible and invulnerable to other items. Yes, that includes Blue Shells too.
Have some Super Star safety
Sometimes you need an OP item to counter another one. Besides the helpful speed boost, the Super Star’s invincibility keeps you unfazed by anything that gets thrown your way. Keeping one of these handy once you’ve reached the front is a smart idea, so long as you’re not hit by that annoying Lightning power-up.
Blast them with a Super Horn
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Gif: Nintendo / Samuel Moreno / Kotaku
Avoiding a Blue Shell doesn’t always mean you need to take a defensive action. Thanks to the Super Horn, returning from Mario Kart 8, you can straight up destroy them. Use this when the shell is circling above you to shatter it and continue on your way.
Use the Rewind mechanic
That brings us to the final method and one new to Mario Kart World. Exclusive to offline single-player modes and when you’re playing with two Joy-Cons or a Pro Controller, pressing down on the directional buttons will activate the Rewind feature. Rewind only affects you, so triggering it right before a Blue Shell crashes down will safely take you a couple of seconds behind.
Keep these methods in mind and those Blue Shells should feel a little less intimidating. If you’re in need of some other tips to help sharpen your skills, we’ve got you covered.
Mario Kart World is available now on Switch 2.