Just make the Blue Shell available to 2nd and 3rd place only

While most people fire it straight away, you can save it to line its path up with someone else. Maybe you are almost rear-ending them, but something to get one place higher. Since it can also often hit another player or 2 near you, along with destroying items, it is better than a Red Shell and sometimes better than Triple Red Shells. Though, the fact that it destroys everything that first place has, leaving them very vulnerable is its real problem.

My guess as to what to do about the Blue Shell? Well..., one idea I had was to give everyone behind you, along with yourself, a Mushroom, Triple Mushroom or Golden Mushroom. (probably randomly the latter 2) That would close the gap. Still, first place is probably way too far ahead for it to matter in the cases where you really need the Blue Shell.
Another idea is to have the Blue Shell as it is in this game, but instead of crashing into first place, it goes in front of first place (with a warning) and basically force first place to keep turning to avoid crashing into it. (This would probably last 8 seconds or so) This would probably require the Blue Shell to shrink upon reaching first place.
Trying to think of something simpler, I thought of having an item that warps the person ahead of you to being just above you. To make sure that no one can force the next player into a pit, it would probably have to both have a warning and put the player in the direction of the track.

However, regardless of the many ideas one can come up with, I think Nintendo is just going to stick with what they have. It is simple, effective and exemplifies the party aspect of the game.
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