Power-Up #20: Frog Suit (Super Mario Bros. 3)

Between the cat suit, raccoon suit and bee suit, Mario sure does like dressing up as animals. I'm sure there's a name for people who like dressing up as animals, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe this episode of the 29 Questionable Power-Ups of Christmas will help shed some light on Mario's addiction.



Purpose: After making so many land-based power-ups, it makes sense for Mario to get something he can use underwater. Unfortunately, the frog suit was probably not the way to go. While this costume may make Mario swim faster, it's completely useless in all other situations. Forget about beating one of Bowser's kids, the frog suit makes regular activities (like walking and jumping) a chore.

Legacy: Originally found in Super Mario Bros. 3, the frog suit made cameos in a number of Nintendo comic books and cartoons. And then it disappeared for twenty years. In 2012, Nintendo brought the frog suit back in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. Thankfully, players weren't forced to move around on dry land with the suit on.

In Real Life: After seeing the success of Furry and BronyCon, it wouldn't surprise me if the next big thing involved people dressed up like frogs. If nothing else, that would be entertaining to watch.