Green Shells

While Dan's weapon of choice is often the peel (for its novelty if not its success as a weapon), I find myself drawn to the green shell. As Dan pointed out, I tend to discard weapons I do not want. There are other reasons for this, though. If I have a tiny suspicion that I will hit, I will fire. I burn through green shells pretty quickly (not just red boxes, mushrooms, and banana peels), on vague assumptions that one of the many shots I see in my head will land.

Basic usage is simple. Aim yourself so you are pointing at your opponent and fire. If they are not moving in roughly your direction, you must track them, and shoot where you think they will be when the shell reaches their future position (enter, calculus).

Reverse Shot

As shown in the banana peel discussion, we have developed strategies to use weapons in all ways possible. Likewise, the green shell can be used in multiple ways. The reverse shot is performed generally after passing your opponent, where a good shot could not be made, and aiming so that the back of your kart faces your opponent. No cookies for already knowing this: it's pretty obvious. However, this skill takes practice. Aiming from reverse is difficult. Often it is better to look on the opponent's screen to better judge their vector, making aiming easier. This can lead to problems since your kart is still driving forward (since you cannot turn while stopped), and since unattended by your view, can run into set obstacles. In addition, after aiming and shooting, your position is ofttimes poor (at a wall, corner) since you have sacrificed it for a good aim, making you an easy target. If successful, however, the reverse shot is unexpected and impressive (like the frontal banana peel attack).

Surprise

Next on the list is the surprise shot. Like the banana peel blind trap, this is performed using the multilevel facets of the course, and has a number of methods.

1. Enter a pipe from the ground, exiting on the upper grid. Opponents, knowing where you will end up, may drive up the ramp to your pipe. Firing a shell as soon as you exit the pipe can result in a hit near the top of the ramp, since the opponent was not able to see the shell coming towards them, and thus did not dodge it. Caution, however: if you miss, you must quickly turn. The shell will hit the wall and come back up the ramp, hitting you.
2. This can similarly be used when coming up a ramp, with an opponent coming down.
3. One of my favorites is the sideways ramp shot. While coming up a ramp, fire the shell before the top, but after the guard rails. This shot must obviously be done while turning and not parallel with the ramp, and so is unexpected.
4. The rebound-wall-from-above qualifies as a surprise, also. You are on top, your opponent is on the ground. Fire the shell toward the wall. It will rebound off and into your opponent.

Triple

Perhaps the most successful weapon (by which I mean frequency of intended hit success) is the special triple shell weapon, the racing special of the koopas. In general, do not save all three for separate attacks. Use them all at once. This allows for a much broader attack range that is harder to dodge. If your opponent has some defensive weapon (green shell, banana peel), it will not be enough. If you have bad aim, you can still hit. Best usage is to shoot one in front, one at, and one following. Take care to not shoot too quickly, or their full potential will not be utilized.

Rebound

Many other rebound shots work, too. My favorite is the off-the-wall-up-the-ramp rebound shot. Your opponent is going up the ramp. You are on the ground, but in the same plane as the top of the ramps, possibly under the bridge (section between the tops of the ramps). [Note to us: make a diagram of the level for more accurate description.] Face the wall behind the ramp entrance and angle yourself so a shot will bounce off the wall and up the ramp. Your opponent has assumed they are safe and will not be expecting, and thus not trying to dodge. Easy pickings.

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These have not been thrilling revelations, I know. Mostly they are ways to use what I believe to be the classic weapon in many possible manners. I must attest to the quality of this weapon. I would take it over any other always. Not a star, not a red shell, not anything else. The green shell has a long attack range and can serve as front and rear defense. With practice it can be used for attacks in almost any direction that are near impossible to dodge.