Cow (Mario)

Cows (Japanese: ウシ, Hepburn: Ushi), also referred to as Moo Moos (Japanese: モーモー, Hepburn: Mō Mō), are a species in the Mario Kart series, a sub-series of the Mario franchise. They resemble real-world cows, and typically walk on all four legs. They originally appeared in the 1996 game Mario Kart 64 as a non-playable character on the track Moo Moo Farm, and later on the track Moo Moo Meadows in the 2008 game Mario Kart Wii. Outside of the Mario Kart series, they also appear in the Mario Party series and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. A Cow is a playable character in the 2025 game Mario Kart World, with its inclusion inspiring the addition of other previous Mario series non-playable characters as racers.

The Cows have been received positively by video game journalists and fans since their inception, with a significant popularity spike following their appearance in Mario Kart World. The Cows' playable appearance in that game inspired a large amount of fan works featuring the character, but also resulted in pushback by animal rights group PETA, as well as by critics regarding the Cows' ability to eat presumed beef products in the game.