Street Fighter Alpha Anthology

The Top 7... inanimate objects

They're nothing without you

Words: Brett Elston, GamesRadar US


 

You know something is beloved when, after 18 years and only one appearance in one level, people still remember it vividly. Kuribo's Shoe, an oversized boot found in World 5-3 in Super Mario Bros. 3, commands such a following. It's just a green boot with a wind up key. Mario jumps around in it, just like he always does. There's barely any use for it at all other than safely traversing spikes.

Yet here we are, in 2008, and just about anyone who played SMB3 will admit an irrational fondness for Kuribo's Shoe. Part of its allure is its rarity - we've played through the game more than once just to hop in the lifeless, meaningless shoe, and we're sure plenty of other gamers have too. It has this intangible, novel feeling that etches a little piece of your brain away and replaces it with green boot. Plus, whose boot is this? Why haven't we seen the true owner of this mammoth piece of footware? How many other 18-year-old, one-game, one-level items have affected people this much?

 

PixelBlock creation by NeoGaf user keiichi.

 

The same, only created with beads. See foglera's many other creations here.

 

Some Kuribo fan art, as seen on Tyler Ohlew's blog.

 

An adorable stocking sent in to Kotaku.



You know the shoe is big time when people use it as the basis of an entire video. It's stuck in everyone's mind and has become one of the few things that every single gamer can agree on: Kuribo's Shoe rocks, and that's that.

Want more misty-eyed recollections about the past? We've got plenty of other Top 7 lists for your nostalgia-devouring mind. And if that's not enough to keep you busy, head on over to our forums for exciting good times.

Apr 7, 2008

 
5 Comments
Burn - 1 month 9 days ago
Love that shoe...
Nin10DOH - 1 month 9 days ago
the box was the most important Metal Gear Solid item ever
VoodooPanda - 1 month 9 days ago
Hate the Companion Cube. My friend is obsessed with it. "It takes hits for you like a good friend would, you can use it as a step, and it will go anywhere with you without complaining." Thats his reasons why its awesome. But I think if it doesnt explode or shoot something then its useless to me.
iiscody - 15 days 8 hours ago
only the completely useless items are any good. WCC is my favorite. i played portal multiple times just to use it for 10 minutes. but all of the other objects made a huge impact on my life too...
NullG7 - 11 days 11 hours ago
I love that giant shoe I have played the game a few times just to hop around in it like the guy in the video
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