Super Mario Kart
Image: Nintendo

When it comes to ranking the most annoying items in Mario Kart history, the blue shell is pretty much always at the top of the list.

Since it was first introduced in Mario Kart 64, it has appeared in every subsequent game, relentlessly pursuing whoever is in first place and causing them to spin out wildly upon impact. Because of this, it often feels a little bit unfair when experienced Mario Kart players are on the receiving end of it.

One game where this historically wasn't the case, though, was the original Super Mario Kart for the SNES, where the blue shell didn't make an appearance. But now thanks to the efforts of two nefarious romhackers called MrL314 and ScouBsmk, you will soon be able to patch it back into the game, if you'd like to introduce a little frustration and anarchy into your Mario Kart sessions.

This feature is part of a new romhack that the duo is developing together, called Super Mario Kart Deluxe, which aims to introduce new items, characters, tracks, battle modes, and more to the original game.

According to MrL314, the blue shell feature can apparently be toggled on or off if you so wish, and will only be available to real players who are in the positions 5th-8th on laps 2-5. You can also use a feather or a well-timed mushroom to escape the blast if you're skilled enough to pull it off.

As for the other promised features coming to Super Mario Kart Deluxe, here are a few we've taken from the description of the teaser trailer:

  • Works on original hardware
  • 8 Additional Characters (16 Total) Wario, Daisy, Bowser Jr, Kamek, Waluigi, Birdo, Dixie Kong, and Toadette
  • 8 Additional Track Themes (16 Total)
    Daisy Garden, Desert Land, Hazy Cavern, Fiery Volcano,
    Wario Rally, Stormy Jungle, Poison Swamp, and Star Road
  • 6 Additional Cups (10 Total), with unique Podium Scenes
  • 50 Race Tracks + 10 Battle Tracks
  • Mirror Mode
  • Mission Mode, with 81 Mission Levels and Custom Bosses
  • Settings Menu
  • New Battle Modes: Shine Thief, and Gate Battle
  • 6 Speed Classes: 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, 200cc, 250cc, and 300cc!!
  • New Music
  • New Items
  • Staff Ghosts
  • More TBA Game Modes
  • And Custom Credits

MrL314 tells Time Extension:

"For a general 'goal', we’re aiming to provide a 'deluxe' Super Mario Kart experience for players old and new, and breathe new life into the game. We’d like to answer the questions 'What if SMK was made today?', 'How far can we push the game?', and 'What can we learn about how SMK is made?'. It’s a love letter from us fans expressing our appreciation of the game, and we’re working hard to make sure it’s fun for all levels of players!"

Obviously, all of these additions will be exciting news to anyone who loves the original Mario Kart and wants to mix things up a bit. We'll try and bring you updates when they are available, but for now, you can follow MrL314 or ScouBsmk on Twitter and watch the teaser below:

What's your opinion on the blue shell? Is it a nuisance or an integral part of Mario Kart's identity? Comment to let us know!

[source twitter.com]