Super Leaf

Mario in his raccoon form.
Super Leaf
Type	Power-Up
Debut	Super Mario Bros. 3

The Super Leaf is a Power-Up featured in Super Mario Bros. 3 that turns Mario into Raccoon Mario, the game's token image.

Information

The Super Leaf is used to turn Mario and Luigi into raccoons, giving them pointy ears and bushy tails. Using their tails, they can hit enemies or blocks by spinning, or, with a running start, they can use their tails to fly by wagging them rapidly. They can also glide after jumps by doing the same thing.

Super Leaves are as common as Fire Flowers in Super Mario Bros. 3, though ? Blocks do specifically hold either a Fire Flower or a Super Leaf, usually based on which is more helpful for the following area.

Aside from Super Leaves, P-Wings can turn Mario into Raccoon Mario (with the running meter constantly full), and the Tanooki Suit is the same as the Super Leaf, save that Mario can transform into a statue to hide from enemies.

Other Appearances

• The Super Leaves appeared in the The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 cartoon, where they had similar effects on Mario and Luigi, as well as Princess Peach and Toad. King Kooopa also used one in one episode.
• It also appeared in the Nintendo Comics System, where one issue revealed that Super Leaves grew on a plant called the Magic Leaf Raccoonius.

Trivia

• Raccoon Mario, like his Tanooki form, is based off of the tanuki, a Japanese myth that was said to look like a large raccoon. The tanuki was known to transform leaves into money; hence, leaves turn Mario into a raccoon.
• The Super Leaf is used as the symbol for the Leaf Cup in Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii.
• A trophy of Raccoon Mario appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee, as well as a trophy in Brawl, although the item itself remained unrepresented.
• The Raccoon Tail can kill a firesnake, if properly timed.
• The Super Leaf/Raccoon Mario image makes a slight comeback in Mario & Luigi, where Tanoombas are goombas with raccoon ears and tails, and can transform at will.