When it comes to Mario Kart, we can’t help but talk about one of the main aspects of the game: the collectible items on the tracks. Being a part responsible for the entertainment and purpose of the game, these items can both help those who collect them and harm their opponents. However, one item that hasn’t been seen since 2008 vanished during that time and has never returned. But with the various games and announcements made this month, including by Nintendo, the absence of this item has started to be discussed by the older and more attentive fans.
What item are we talking about?
The mysterious item in question is the Fake Item Box. It first appeared in Mario Kart 64 and made its final appearance in Mario Kart Wii, which was released in 2008. As its name implies, the Fake Item Box was designed to trick players by closely resembling the regular item boxes, which are normally sought after to gain helpful power-ups. Instead of providing an advantage, however, the fake version acted as a trap, punishing unsuspecting racers who couldn’t tell the difference at high speeds.
Unlike the standard box that provides resources to help those who collect it, like the Super Star or Bullet Bill, the Fake Item Box aims to hinder the performance of drivers who collect these items, causing their cars to crash. The main difference is the ‘question mark’, which is oriented upside down, but sometimes the colors also end up in different shades.
The idea, however, is brilliant. Although the symbols are different, the use of the Fake Box brings a level of dynamics that is more challenging. In the urgency of the game, it was very easy for the player to get confused and end up picking up the item before realizing that it was actually the fake item.
Why did it disappear from the game?
The absence of the Fake Item Box in all recent games has never gone unnoticed over the years. With the releases of Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart 8, which did not feature the Fake Item, many fans raised rumors about possible causes for this.
There are those who say that Nintendo chose to permanently remove the item to move towards a more straightforward gameplay proposal with fewer trickery approaches. The goal, according to this perspective, is to streamline the gameplay experience, reducing frustration and confusion, especially for newer or younger players who might struggle to differentiate complex mechanics.
By focusing on clarity and fairness, Nintendo may be aiming to create a more inclusive and universally enjoyable game for all skill levels, and besides that, newer items, such as the boomerang flower or the super horn — have been introduced to provide new dynamics, leaving the False Item Box out of the current arsenal.
Nostalgia and some missed opportunities
With the recent releases in the gaming universe this month of June, the questions about missing items come back to the forefront. New releases are great opportunities to bring back, as a novelty, something that has been used before and has marked the gaming experience of many people. It is a strategy that plays with the nostalgia of players, taking them to a moment and feeling in the past that made them love the game even more.
The Fake Item Box is just a good example of the impact that a simple item has on players’ memories. It is unknown whether a future re-inclusion of this item is in Nintendo’s plans, but we can say that if this happens, many fans will be pleased to see and experience it again.
