Summary

  • Mario Kart: Double Dash introduced the iconic double item box design, combining vibrant colors with an unobtrusive white outline.
  • Mario Kart 7 cranked up the saturation of item boxes, featuring a gorgeous neon palette that ensures they stand out.
  • Mario Kart World's item boxes cycle through vibrant colors with a satisfying shiny texture, elevating the classic design.

One central aspect has set Mario Kart, and indeed all kart racers, apart from a typical driving game since its inception. Ironically, it's the same thing that sets people who play Super Smash Bros. apart from people who you probably don't want to play Super Smash Bros. with: items.

But who cares about the variety and chaos provided by items like the Lightning Bolt and relationship-ending Blue Shell? That stuff is way too interesting. Let's get pedantic and talk about the item boxes themselves instead. Which ones are the best? Which ones fall short? How quickly can you get people to leave you alone at a party?

12 Super Mario Kart

Super Mario Kart

Like Racing Systems Released September 1, 1992 ESRB E For Everyone Developer(s) Nintendo EAD Publisher(s) Nintendo Multiplayer Local Multiplayer 6 Images Close
Where to play Close

WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL
Franchise Mario Kart Platform(s) SNES, Wii, Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Switch Genre(s) Racing Powered by Expand Collapse
  • Honorable mention
  • Not even really a box

As largely an honorable mention, Super Mario Kart kicked things off with plenty of the conventions the series is still known for. Its roster of characters is still largely intact (R.I.P. generic Koopa Troopa), drift boosting was already a thing, and you'll hate the computer players by the time you're done.

But one key difference is how you obtain items. Rather than dashing through some crystalline cube, you drive over '?' panels in the road, and unlike every later entry, they don't regenerate. It adds a bit of strategy since you may have to adjust your trajectory on later laps, but that's pretty much all they've got going for them.

11 Mario Kart Arcade GP (All)

  • As unique as the games it's in
  • A coin is not a box

Along with being the Mario Kart entry you've probably never even heard of, the Mario Kart Arcade GP games also just had to stand out in another key way: their item boxes. They aren't even boxes. They're more like coins. Come on, respect the legacy, Namco.

Enjoyability of the games themselves aside (and they're fantastic options in any arcade you can find them), the item 'boxes' just lack the heft and satisfying shatter you get from most of the other Mario Kart series. It's a wonder so many reviewers completely ignored this definitely crucial factor.

10 Mario Kart: Super Circuit

Mario Kart: Super Circuit Like Follow Followed Racing Systems Released August 11, 2001 ESRB E For Everyone: Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Simulated Gambling Developer(s) Intelligent Systems Publisher(s) Nintendo Engine miyamoto Multiplayer Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer Franchise Mario Kart Number of Players 1-4
Where to play Close

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Platform(s) Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Switch, 3DS, Nintendo Wii U Genre(s) Racing Powered by Expand Collapse
  • Admirable 3D effort from a 32-bit handheld
  • Still kind of basic

The Game Boy Advance's bold leap into the Mario Kart series did a lot of things right. For one, Mario Kart: Super Circuit started the now indispensable trend of including tracks from past Mario Kart games, with every track from Super Mario Kart present in this one along with the originals. For another, it used actual item boxes.

Related

Every Game Boy Advance Game On Nintendo Switch Online, Ranked

We're counting down the best GBA games on Nintendo Switch Online.

Posts By  Kyle Chamaillard

And boxes they are, as Super Circuit's item boxes are as box-like as you can possibly get. Unlike later entries, they're simply portrayed as 3D cubes rotating on the track with some flashing colors for flair. It's a step up from the original, but a far cry from the series' best.

9 Mario Kart 64

Mario Kart 64 Like Racing Systems Released December 14, 1996 ESRB e Developer(s) Nintendo EAD Publisher(s) Nintendo Engine miyomoto 6 Images mario-kart-64-in-game-screenshot-1.jpgmario-kart-64-in-game-screenshot-4.jpgmario-kart-64-in-game-screenshot-2.jpgmario-kart-64-in-game-screenshot-3.jpgmario-kart-64-in-game-screenshot-5.jpgmario-kart-64-in-game-screenshot-6.jpgClose
Where to play Close

WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL
Franchise Mario Kart Platform(s) N64 Genre(s) Racing Powered by Expand Collapse
  • One of the most unique designs
  • Poorly-defined and easy to miss

Things immediately started getting interesting with the second entry in the Mario Kart series. The Nintendo 64 wasn't the first 3D console, but it had a lot of power to play with and plenty to prove. So Nintendo took a big swing with Mario Kart 64, introducing fully-3D tracks and yes, fully-3D item boxes.

Mario Kart 64 is perhaps the only time the series went for something truly unique with its item box design. They're not flat cubes, but more crystalline with an almost ethereal nature. The downside is they lack any real definition, mostly appearing as jagged blobs from a distance. Plus, without any borders, they're very easy to miss on tracks like Rainbow Road.

8 Mario Kart Tour

3.5/5 Mario Kart Tour Like Follow Followed Racing Systems Released September 25, 2019 ESRB e Developer(s) Nintendo EPD Publisher(s) Nintendo Engine Unity Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Franchise Mario Kart
Where to play Close

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
Platform(s) Android, iOS Genre(s) Racing Powered by Expand Collapse
  • Elegant design
  • Lacking color

Following Super Circuit, Mario Kart's item box designs had basically decided on a theme and stuck with it, going for a slowly tumbling cube with a vague checkerboard pattern and well-defined edges, but a subtle and satisfying rounded look. Still, there's some variety to be found.

Mario Kart Tour's item boxes, for example, are a bit muted in color compared to most other games. They're definitely easier to notice on any given track than in Mario Kart 64, but without that pop of color (and Tour's less tactile feel in general as a mobile game), they aren't sitting at the cool kids' table.

7 Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit Like Follow Followed Racing Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 74/100 Critics Rec: 44% Released October 16, 2020 ESRB E For Everyone due to Mild Cartoon Violence Developer(s) Velan Studios Publisher(s) Nintendo Engine viper Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Franchise Mario Kart
Where to play Close

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Platform(s) Switch Genre(s) Racing Powered by Expand Collapse
  • Works well in augmented reality
  • Lacking color

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is still kind of that one family member that the rest aren't quite sure about. It has everything it needs to be a true member of the group, but it's also got some bizarre quirks like acting way too interested in the square footage of your house.

Still, the novelty of setting up a Mario Kart course in your own living room can't be denied, and the visuals really make it feel right. The item boxes may lack some color, but they're exactly what they need to be in this augmented reality dreamscape.

6 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Like Follow Followed Racing Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 92/100 Critics Rec: 99% Released April 28, 2017 ESRB E Developer(s) Nintendo EAD, Nintendo EPD Publisher(s) Nintendo Engine Unreal Engine 4 Franchise Mario Kart
Where to play Close

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Platform(s) Switch Genre(s) Racing Powered by Expand Collapse
  • Slightly more color than Home Circuit and Tour
  • Still feels rather muted

There's not much difference between the boxes from Home Circuit and Mario Kart 8, but it's there. Much like differentiating between two popular and nearly identical colas, it mostly comes down to personal preference and whatever the restaurant has.

In this case, the restaurant offers a very slightly more vibrant color to its item boxes than in Home Circuit. The translucent effect plays well with the environments, basically taking on the color palate of whichever track it's in and compounding that on the double boxes of 8 Deluxe. But again, that color is still a bit lacking.

5 Mario Kart DS

Mario Kart DS Like Racing Systems Released November 14, 2005 ESRB E Developer(s) Nintendo EAD Publisher(s) Nintendo Multiplayer Local Multiplayer 6 Images mario-kart-ds-in-game-screenshot-1.jpgmario-kart-ds-in-game-screenshot-3.jpgmario-kart-ds-in-game-screenshot-4.jpgmario-kart-ds-in-game-screenshot-2.jpgmario-kart-ds-in-game-screenshot-5.jpgmario-kart-ds-in-game-screenshot-6.jpgClose
Where to play Close

WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL
Franchise Mario Kart Platform(s) Nintendo DS Genre(s) Racing Powered by Expand Collapse
  • Clever merging of checkerboard pattern with lots of color
  • Clear white outline makes them pop
  • A little too low-fi

The effectiveness of a simple outline can't be overstated, and Mario Kart DS understands this. Its item boxes aren't flashy. They enjoy a similar design to most entries in the series. But take a second to really admire them up close, and don't worry about the looks your coworkers are giving you.

These item boxes are much more blocky than their contemporaries, and they merge the checkerboard pattern with the colors themselves, which is an oddly brilliant touch. But it's the white outline that really works, ensuring the boxes always stand out from any track. They don't have any fancy shaders, but they're clean and very pleasant to look at.

4 Mario Kart World

4.0/5 Mario Kart World Like Follow Followed Racing Open-World Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 87/100 Critics Rec: 97% Released June 5, 2025 ESRB Everyone // Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact Developer(s) Nintendo Publisher(s) Nintendo 7 Images Close
Where to play Close

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
Franchise Mario Kart Platform(s) Nintendo Switch 2 Genre(s) Racing, Open-World Powered by Expand Collapse
  • Cycles through vibrant colors
  • Satisfying shiny texture

It seems Nintendo really wanted to raise the bar with Mario Kart World, and not just by including random enemies as drivers like Venom Snake is running their recruitment program. While it adds a ton of new content, there's still a lot of love for the classics, and that includes the item boxes.

Unlike the mostly clear variants in Mario Kart 8 and Tour, Mario Kart World's item boxes give off their own colors, cycling through them like the sign at your local vape shop. They've also got a super satisfying smooth sheen to them, like something you'd enjoy fidgeting with.

3 Mario Kart Wii

Mario Kart Wii Like Racing Systems Released April 27, 2008 ESRB E For Everyone due to Comic Mischief Developer(s) Nintendo EAD Publisher(s) Nintendo Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Franchise Mario Kart
Where to play Close

WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL
Platform(s) Wii Genre(s) Racing Powered by Expand Collapse
  • Ethereal rainbow color scheme
  • Cozy, soft pastel vibes

What's better than cycling solid colors? Cycling rainbow colors. Mario Kart Wii's item boxes go for the vibrant look like World, but with a less-defined palette that covers a range of colors at a time.

This oddly fits perfectly with Mario Kart Wii's own rather low-fi look, with the item boxes offering an interesting, almost soft pastel accent to each track. Even a haunted boardwalk needs a splash of color.