Mario Power-Up Mushrooms: Mario Kart World Devs Confirm How Mario Uses Them

In the world of Nintendo's iconic platformers and racing games, few items are as instantly recognizable as the power-up mushrooms found in the Super Mario series.

These mystical fungi have granted Mario a variety of abilities since the original Super Mario Bros., spawning decades of speculation regarding their actual use in-game lore.

With the release of Mario Kart World for the Nintendo Switch, developers at Nintendo have now provided an official answer, finally settling the debate about how Mario uses these power-ups. The question arose during development of Mario Kart World—a title that continues Nintendo's tradition of innovation for the Mario Kart franchise—after the team introduced a new mechanic called Dash Food.

In a recent Ask the Developer interview, Nintendo producer Kosuke Yabuki described how this feature prompted surprising internal discussions around core Mario lore.

Yabuki admitted that the addition of the Dash Food mechanic led the team to ponder, "Does Mario, in fact, eat mushrooms?" Notably, Mario Kart World's development for the Nintendo Switch began before the release of The Super Mario Bros.

Movie, which also touched on this question in its narrative. Seeking the definitive answer, the team reached out to Takashi Tezuka, one of Nintendo's most influential figures and a longtime collaborator on the Super Mario franchise.

According to planning lead Shintaro Jikumaru, the developers asked Tezuka directly to clarify whether Mario actually consumes the power-up mushrooms.

As recounted by Yabuki and Jikumaru, Tezuka provided a clear and simple answer: "Yes, he does." This direct confirmation from Takashi Tezuka settles years of ambiguity that even long-time fans and developers have held regarding Mario's interactions with these items.

Until now, explanations ranged from Mario "absorbing" mushroom powers to magically acquiring abilities upon touching or collecting them.

Tezuka’s response confirms that, in the canon established by Nintendo's development team, Mario physically eats the power-up mushrooms he finds throughout his adventures. The Dash Food mechanic in Mario Kart World stands as a testament to Nintendo’s continued evolution in gameplay design, while also paying homage to the rich lore and quirks of the Super Mario universe.

Mario Kart World further strengthens the legacy of the franchise, which has seen numerous sales milestones and critical acclaim since its debut on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. As Nintendo continues to innovate on the Nintendo Switch platform and beyond, fans can rest assured knowing they now have an official answer straight from the source.

Mario does indeed eat those power-up mushrooms—solidifying a quirky but essential piece of gaming history.

Mario Kart Mario Kart World Mario Takashi Tezuka Tezuka Kart Nintendo Switch Nintendo Super Mario Dash Food Kosuke Yabuki Shintaro Jikumaru