power-ups...

[Super Luigi]

I don't think Mario/Luigi eat the power-ups...

Because they are Mushroomian, they probably absorb them to get the ability to grow and/or shoot fireballs etc.

In Super Smash Bros. Luigi and Mario shoot fireballs without the help of the infamous red and orange flower, so maybe they have adapted to it, and the magical Mushroom Land fire courses through their veins!

Or..maybe not..

Anyone wonder why Mario didn't shoot fireballs in Mario 64? The left that out, along with Super Mushrooms and...Toad was a ghost...

SM64 was just wrong..

and.....pasta......

-Luigi

I'm-a Luigi, number-a one!

[Super Mario]

I think when they  touch the Mushroom or Fire Flower that they absorb the ability that that item contains..or something. I also think that SM64 was good but that they could've added more to it-a. They should have-a put those a reverse mushrooms from SMB3 in SSB also-a. Thats just what-s I think though. Oh and, did you say pasta? *mouth waters*

-Mario

Here we gooo!!!

[Mega 2]

The illusion that the Mario brothers eat powers is caused by the limited graphics of the 8-bit games, just like their hitting blocks with their heads and spitting fire balls.

[Fryguy64]

In SMB, it looked more like Mario was flicking the fireballs from his nose. And it was hilarious in the original SMB3 in Toad's house when the fireballs went a delightful shade of green. Oh the fun we used to have back in the old days "sneezing" on Toad...

Fryguy - summoned from the flame

[Kirby]

Thats funny. In Super Smash Brother's however, if you pause it at the right time it shows Mario/Luigi throwing a fireball sraight from their hand. Kirby does, too! heh...Maximum Tomato Tasty....yeh..anyway. For those of you who have played as Kirby in SSB, don't you wish you could walk after you inhaled someone? I know I do. Anyway..I'm off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of....$%&!@ it never mind. Heehee...

-Kirby

Kirby Forever!
<(=^_^=)>