Blue Spiny Shell

Blue Spiny Shell
Description
A blue Koopa shell with spikes and wings (at times).
First Appearance	Dry Bones Kart 64 (1996)
Latest Appearance	Dry Bones Kart Wii (2010, as an item) Dry Bones Kart 8 (2017, as a playable character)

The Blue Spiny Shell is an item that appears in every game from Dry Bones Kart 64 to Dry Bones Kart Wii (Dry Bones Kart 7 if the game is hacked), though it taks two different forms in its five appearances (six if counting Dry Bones Kart 7). The shell has a distinctive dark blue surface with spikes on top. In the shell's first two appearances, it is wingless, but has a pair of white wings in its more recent appearances. It is hated by many people, and can prove the deciding factor for who wins and loses a race, as many an unfortunate victim have learned the hard way. Because of how much hate this item receives, many people consider this item to be the WORST Dry Bones Kart Item.

The Blue Spiny Shell was originally going to appear in Dry Bones Kart 7, but IggyKoopa408 (the creator of the Dry Bones Kart series) later scrapped it due to how much he hates it. Its code, model, and functions still exist in the game files. If modded, then the Blue Spiny Shell with wings will appear in Dry Bones Kart 7. In Dry Bones Kart 8, the Blue Spiny Shell doesn't appear, but it will return in its port.

History

Dry Bones Kart series

Dry Bones Kart 64

Artwork from Dry Bones Kart 64.

The Blue Spiny Shell is first introduced in Dry Bones Kart 64. In the game, the shell has spikes on it and travels along the ground. It is essentially a blue version of the common Spiny Shell. Any player outside first place can receive this item, but it is the rarest item in the game.

Once fired, the Blue Spiny Shell will travel straight forwards for a second or two. If it hits an obstacle during this time it will be destroyed, so care must be taken to avoid wasting it. After a few seconds the shell will begin traveling along the ground, following the track ahead of the shooter. Any karts that the Spiny Shell hits will be thrown into the air. This can be avoided by moving out of the way, as it will not target anyone except the leader of the race. Once it gets to the leader, it will crash into them and disappear, sending them flying into a fairly long distance (enough to fling them over some barriers that normally cannot be jumped over). The shell makes a highly distinctive siren sound while traveling.

While it normally remains sliding along the track, the Blue Spiny Shell will take to the air if required to continue its chase, soaring over gaps and jumps. A particularly strange case occurs on Haunted Boardwalk: the shell will fall off the edge of the track just before the house, resulting in it making a corkscrew flight to get back on. In other cases, before entering the haunted house, it can circle around the sign that says "WELCOME".

If the Blue Spiny Shell strikes an invincible racer it will be destroyed without the racer being damaged. If the leader is invisible, it will simply pass through them, though it may then simply make another lap of the course and hit them afterwards.

The shell can be dragged behind a kart like other single shells. In this position it will destroy any opposing items it touches, as well as cause opponents to crash. It cannot be fired backwards.

Using the shell while in first place will result in it turning around to hit the thrower after its straight shot.

If a player gets a sideways Item Box, they will get a Blue Spiny Shell each time. However, there are only two of these. One is in Luigi Raceway, where there is a balloon that will dip down with an item box hanging on the bottom. Another is in Mario Beach, there is a large rock with a single item box on its top with a narrow ramp before it. In the Dry Bones Kart 7 remake of both courses, this special item box is no longer present, and is replaced by a regular one in Luigi Raceway, and a single Coin in Mario Beach.

Dry Bones Kart: Super Circuit

Artwork from Dry Bones Kart: Super Circuit.

The item serves the same function as in Dry Bones Kart 64 for Dry Bones Kart: Super Circuit for the Game Boy Advance, although the shell has a darker blue color. Like before, it makes a distinct siren sound when traveling. Like the Red Shells in the game, it can be dropped behind the player and will activate only if the kart in the first position passes directly by it. The Blue Spiny Shell is also easier to avoid; if the player jumps over an abyss or over a previous section in the track (like the jump in Dry Bones Circuit 2) the shell will fall in the abyss or crash into the wall.

The impact of the Blue Spiny Shell still causes the leader to crash and thrown off.

Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!!

Artwork used in Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!!

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the Blue Spiny Shell is changed significantly. It is a standard item that any player in sixth place or lower can obtain. In this game, the shell appears with a pair of wings that allows the item to fly instead of sliding over the ground, which lets it skip any obstacle found in the course. The shell now makes a hissing noise as it launches.

When thrown, the shell flies at incredibly fast speeds to the current head racer, bypassing all of the other positions. After finding its target, the shell hovers over the vehicle to home in on it. Double Dash!! is the first game where the Blue Spiny Shell explodes on impact and throws the racer up into the air, also causing their kart to backflip. The blast is similar to a Bob-omb, and it can leave racers itemless if they're thrown into the air, but it's colored blue and somewhat larger. This trait is kept for subsequent games.

Other racers that are caught in the explosion will spin out and drop certain items onto the road, while destroying any items already on the ground.

The Blue Spiny Shell always goes for the leading player in the race (even if it is the shooter). Therefore, if the player in first already crossed the finish line, any Spiny Shell shot after that point will go to the active leader of the race (in this case the second-place racer). Thus, once the player in second crosses the line, the shell will target the player in third, and so on. Additionally, once a player holds a Bluw Spiny Shell, other racers cannot receive another shell until the player has used it and hit the target. This rule is kept for later games as well.

To avoid the Blue Spiny Shell, the player has multiple possibilities. He or she can either use a perfectly-timed Mushroom, use a Starman to make the item completely harmless, or by skillfully performing a Mini-Turbo by drifting, which will sometimes cause the Blue Spiny Shell to spin around the player and crash into a wall.

Dry Bones Kart DS

Artwork used in Dry Bones Kart DS

In Dry Bones Kart DS, the Blue Spiny Shell has not changed since its redesign in Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!!. The Blue Spiny Shell works in the same manner as in Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!!. It is obtainable from fourth to eighth place. Once fired, a Blue Spiny Shell flies following the road to reach to the leader. Once locating its target, the shell flies around briefly over its target and falls over the vehicle before exploding on impact, sending the vehicle thrown upwards and destroy the items held by the racer. Almost unavoidable, a player can avoid the explosion by using invincibility items like a Starman, a Bullet Bill, or Boo. Tumbling as a result of getting hit by something like a Fake Item Box will also prevent the damage received by the explosion. Finally, the shell can be avoided by skillful use of a Mini-Turbo; karts with a high handling (like the Dry Bomber) can do it by a timed hop right after releasing the Mini-turbo.

Dry Bones Kart Wii

Artwork from Dry Bones Kart Wii.

The Blue Spiny Shell makes its last appearance as an item in Dry Bones Kart Wii for the Wii. Its function is identical to Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!! and Dry Bones Kart DS, and it can be obtained if the racer is anywhere from 5th to 9th place (middle ranked positions, due to 16 racers).

If a player is targeted for attack by a Blue Spiny Shell or is in the vicinity to be hit by the blast, the player can avoid the attack by means of a Starman, Mega Mushroom, Bullet Bill, well-timed Mushroom, or by passing through a Barrel Cannon, Launch Star found on Rainbow Road, or the wide ramp in Spiny's Jungle Parkway. It is even possible to drop a Banana Peel or Fake Item Box at a very precise time during the drop after a jump, which causes the Banana to collide with the shell and spare the target. Doing a trick off a ramp at the perfect time can also result in avoiding a Blue Spiny Shell. Also, if the player is in first when the shell is fired and drops out of that position, the shell will still attack that player.

In team play, the Blue Spiny Shell will aim for whoever on the opposing team is farthest in front, ignoring and not damaging anyone on the user's team (so it will target the racer in fourth if the first three racers are on the user's team). This is the only time where a player can launch a Blue Spiny Shell in first and not get targeted by it. For the first time, the item is also available in Battle Mode, flying straight to the opposing team's highest-scoring player after a short delay. The item is much rarer in Battle Mode than VS and Grand Prix modes, and only appears if there is a very large score difference between the user and the leader.

Dry Bones Kart 7

Artwork from Dry Bones Kart 7.

The Blue Spiny Shell was originally going to appear as an item in Dry Bones Kart 7, but IggyKoopa408 replaced it with the Spiny Bombshell. Its code and model are both still in the game's files. If hacked, then the Blue Spiny Shell will appear in the game, along with the Mega Mushroom from Dry Bones Kart Wii. Despite not appearing as an item, the Blue Spiny Shell appears as a playable character for the first time. His weight and stats are the same as Hammer Bro. and Lakithunder.

Dry Bones Kart 8

Despite not appearing as an item, the Blue Spiny Shell appears as a playable character in Dry Bones Kart 8. He is a lightweight character, and iis available from the start.

Dry Bones Kart 8 Deluxe

Artwork from Dry Bones Kart 8 Deluxe.

Despite its absence from Dry Bones Kart 8 as an item, the Blue Spiny Shell returns Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It once again has wings, but has a brighter, royal blue color. It mainly acts like it does in Dry Bones Kart Wii, but this time it travels at a slightly faster speed, about as fast as ones in previous installments before Dry Bones Kart 7, and it is now the rarest item in the game again, just like in its first appearance. Like in previous games, it can be avoided by using a Mushroom, in the same way as Dry Bones Kart Wii. It can also be avoided by getting hit with another item, outrunning it, which is only possible on 200cc, or by using a new item, the Super Horn, which is capable of destroying Blue Spiny Shells in their path; this item, however, is very rare. A Blue Spiny Shell is also playable in this game.

Like in previous appearances, the explosion throws the players up into the air.

Gallery

Dry Bones Kart Wii

Dry Bones Kart 7 (unused)

Dry Bones Kart 64 and Dry Bones Kart: Super Circuit (early artwork)

Dry Bones Kart 64

Dry Bones Kart: Super Circuit

Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!!

Dry Bones Kart DS

Dry Bones Kart 8 Deluxe