Super Mario 3D World: Ranking Each Power-Up

From the very first Super Mario game, the power-up became a staple of the famous platforming series. Each successive entry in the series saw the addition of new power-ups that gave the Italian plumber new ways to defeat Bowser and his minions.

Whether giving Mario the ability to play, throw fire, or grow, this mechanic is just as iconic as Mario’s red hat and overalls. Super Mario 3-D world took nearly every power-up from previous games, as well as some new additions, to give players one of the most exhilarating experiences the series has to offer. However, not all power-ups are equal. Some are more useful than others.

14 Super Mushroom

The Super Mushroom is arguably one of the most iconic power-ups in the entire franchise, appearing in every entry since this the original Super Mario. Both enlarging the character and giving them the ability to survive one additional hit from enemies, this mushroom is useful at any stage of the game.

However, the mushroom is underwhelming when compared to the power-ups that grant Mario so much more. The Super Mushroom may be iconic, but its lack of abilities put it at the bottom of this list.

13 Kuribo’s Skate

One of the trickiest levels in any Super Mario title is the ice levels that put players on slippery footing. These levels make the platforming especially difficult because one wrong move could lead to the game being over. Kuribo’s Skate fixes this issue by letting players skate along the ice with the grace of an Olympic skater. Unfortunately, this is the skate’s only benefit, and it falls off if a character crashes into a wall.

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12 Propeller Box

This power-up gives characters the ability to fly up into the air. This ability lets players reach the hard-to-reach areas of a level so that they may get all of the collectibles in a given region. However, the propeller does fall off once a level is completed. This power-up also offers little in combat, thus lowering its ranking in overall usefulness.

11 Goomba Suit

The Goomba Suit function is similar to the Monster Masks found in Breath of the Wild. Once a character acquires this suit, enemies will no longer notice the character or become hostile if approached.

This suit is great because it lets players forgo combat and quickly reach their goal (a must-have for speedrunners). This benefit aside, the Goomba suit does little else for players.

10 Boomerang Flower

Finding this flower lets players throw boomerangs at enemies while dressed as a Koopa. The boomerang can ricochet off walls when thrown, letting a smart player hit multiple enemies at once. These projectiles do have some drawbacks. Firstly, their range is not that great compared to other power-ups. Secondly, characters can only throw one boomerang at a time, limiting the amount of damage a player can do.

9 Fire Flower

The simple yet effective Fire Flower has been with Super Mario since the beginning. When a character gets this power-up, they gain the ability to throw fireballs that damage enemies. These fireballs bounce slowly across the ground in a straight line, which can sometimes be difficult to aim with. The tried and true form is still useful in Super Mario 3D World, but forms with more utility outclass it.

8 Cannon Box

Using this power-up turns players into living tanks, shooting cannonballs at enemies. This addition outclasses the other two power-ups because the cannonballs have a much greater range, rate of fire, and fire in a straight line. These factors combine to make the cannon box the best power-up in terms of dealing with enemies at a distance. The rest of the power-ups in this list, unfortunately, offer far more utility for players.

7 Super Leaf

 

This power-up puts characters in the Tanooki suit. Once in the suit, players can use their tails to attack enemies in a powerful spin attack.

The Tanooki suit also allows characters to float during long jumps, making challenging areas much easier to traverse. This suit’s previous additions allowed characters to fly once they reached enough speed, making the current iteration a step down in usefulness.

6 Double Cherry

Using this power-up clones the player and allows them to take multiple hits from enemies. On its own, this ability is not too powerful, but the Double Cherry’s true power lies in its ability to be multiplied with other power-ups. Acquiring an additional power-up exponentially increases the possible damage and survivability of a player. This is a must-have for boss battles.

5 Super Bell

One of the Super Mario story’s newest additions, the Cat suit lets players attack enemies with their claws. These claws can also let players climb along walls. This suit’s abilities give players a wide array of utility and offense useful in almost all of the game’s stages. The combination of powerful attacks and traversal options this suit provides make it the most powerful permanent power-up in the game.

4 Super Star

Another of the original power-ups, the Super Star greatly enhances a character’s speed and makes them invincible to all attacks for a limited time.

Players can run headlong into a group of enemies without fear because the Super Star will make them come out victorious. The only thing this power-up does not offer protection from falls. The Super Star is powerful but other invincibility granting power-ups outclass it.

3 Invincible Super Leaf

This lead offers the same benefits as the regular Super Leaf and grants invisibility for a brief amount of time. The Invincible Super Leaf offers more options than the Super Star because of the Tanooki suit’s mobility. Like the Super Star, however, the Invincible Super Leaf does not offer protection from falling off ledges. This drawback aside, the power-up can really come in handy for players.

2 Lucky Bell

The improved version of the Super Bell, this power-up allows players to turn into an even more powerful version of the Catsuit. Players become invincible to enemies for a short time like with the previous two entries. What separates this power-up from the rest is its ability to produce coins while increasing the player’s score and the possibility of extra life. These abilities give it the penultimate spot in this list.

1 Mega Mushroom

 

This power-up is without a doubt the most powerful in the game. Once acquired, the player grows to a gigantic size and can crush anything that crosses their path. Neither the forces of Bowser nor any obstacle can stop players from reaching their goals in a short period of time. The invisibility mixed with the sheer amount of destruction the Mega Mushroom offers players makes this the most powerful in 3-D World.

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