Dry Bones Kart 8

Dry Bones Kart 8
Creator(s)	IggyKoopa408
Publisher(s)	Fantendo
Platform(s)	Wii U
Release Date(s)	Japan: May 15, 2017 Europe: May 26, 2017 America: June 15, 2017 Australia: July 14, 2017
Mode(s)	1-4 Player 1-12 (WiFi)
Age Rating(s)	Everyone
Genre(s)	Racing
Media Included	Wii U Gamepad Wii Remote Wii Remote and Nunchuck Wii Classic Controller Wii U Pro Controller Wii Wheel

Dry Bones Kart 8 is the eighth installment in the Dry Bones Kart series released for the Wii U. It came out on May 15, 2017 for Japan, May 26, 2017 for Europe, June 15, 2017 for North America, and is set to come out on July 14, 2017 for Australia. Elements from Dry Bones Kart Wii and Dry Bones Kart 7 are reused, such as 16-racer fields, Bikes, half pipes, and 2-Player online from Dry Bones Kart Wii; and gliding, underwater driving, and kart customizing from Dry Bones Kart 7. In addition, ATVs join the returning karts and bikes as a new class of vehicle.

Gameplay

The gameplay maintains the traditional elements of previous Dry Bones Kart games, mostly from the two recent installments on the Wii and Nintendo 3DS respectively. Players pick a character of three weight classes and drive vehicles of varying stats, strengths, and weaknesses around an obstacle course-like racetrack, in an attempt to finish first of the sixteen racers, the number of racers used in Dry Bones Kart Wii.During the race, racers can pick up items from Item Boxes, where the probability of receiving items is dependent on the racers' placement; for example, first place typically receives defense items such as Bananas and Green Shells, while racers in 6th to 12th from the lead receive more powerful offense items such as Spiny Bombshellss and POW Blocks and racers near 16th place receive items that lead to an increase in speed or the possibility of going off-road without losing speed, such as the Starman or Bullet Bill, to help compensate their distance. Players receive an amount of points depending on the position they end up with. Whichever player has the most amount of points wins the entire race.

Karts, which feature similar designs from Dry Bones Kart 7, can be customized once again, alongside the returning bikes, which handle similar to the karts now and can only perform a wheelie via a boost, and the newly introduced ATVs. The hang-glider and underwater mechanics also return from Dry Bones Kart 7, as well as Coins, with the player being able to collect up to ten in one race. Tricks and the ability to look behind also return in this game.

The newest feature for the series is anti-gravitational segments that not only allow for more dynamic track design, but also for racers to drive across walls, ceilings, and other seemingly unusual places. When in anti-gravity, if a racer bumps into another racer, the kart spins rather than just bumping and both racers receive a speed boost. This is called "spin boosting.

Inside drifting bikes from Dry Bones Kart Wii return also in this game and, unlike all other vehicles, their drifting has the bikers leaning instead, which leads to them losing less speed, but having a lower turning capability with respect to karts and outside drifting bikes, the latter being a feature seen in Dry Bones Kart Wii as well. Like in Dry Bones Kart 7, the automatic drifting returns and is activated by steering in a direction for a certain amount of time, with a turning capability that, unless a Wii Remote without motion controls is used, matches the one while drifting (and even surpasses that in the case of inside drifting bikes) and the addition of the ability to slowly charge Mini-Turbo and Super Mini-Turbo boosts.

The game also features Wii U GamePad integration. In addition to the standard Off-TV Play, players also have the option of displaying the course map, and when neither the television gameplay nor the map are being displayed, the GamePad can be used as a horn button. Players have the option to toggle between these features at will. The GamePad can also be used to toggle on and off the gyroscopic steering, and in its default display and when displaying the map the GamePad also displays the current rankings.

There is also Miiverse integration, which allows players to share their replay videos and comment on others' videos, in a feature called Dry Bones Kart TV. Another change is that in 2-player mode, the screen splits vertically instead of the horizontally in the other console Mario Kart games, a feature that was originally intended to be in Dry Bones Kart 64 but was removed from the final game. Additionally, if the player falls off the edge of the track, Lakitu will pick them up and drop them back on to the track more quickly when compared to how he did this in past installments. This makes glitches involving falling into areas impossible.

Grand Prix

In Grand Prix mode, players must race in a cup of their choice, containing four cups. Points are awarded depending on the places that the player places in, and the person with the largest number of points at the end of all four races, wins. This is the mode where almost everything is unlocked.

This mode can not be played with two or more players.

Time Trials

Players race against time on a course of their choice. Racing against no one, or a ghost (of a "staff ghost" - Nintendo employee, another player on the same system, or an "expert staff ghost" - another Nintendo employee). Beating the normal "staff ghost" by more than 7 seconds, will unlock the expert staff ghost for that course.

Versus

Versus Mode is a returning mode from previous installments of the series. Like in Mario Kart Wii, Versus Mode is the main playable mode for multiplayer, and includes the ability to customise the races in various ways, being able to choose how tough the computers are, should there even be computers, the number of laps, the number of computers, should hazards be on, the items that can be obtained (either balanced, strategic, aggressive or none, though there is a custom option as well), Classic Versus mode and Elimination Mode.

Battle Mode

Battle Mode, a somewhat popular game mode present in all incarnations of Dry Bones Kart, returns in Dry Bones Kart Wii, and introduces a new game type to choose from. Both battle modes are won in teams.

Balloon Battle

In Balloon Blast, racers must use items to pop the balloons of the other racers. Popping a balloon earns the team/person a point. The higher the number of points one has, the less common rare items become. Additionally, the Lightning Bolt - only available to people with 0 points - will pop on balloon from everyone, and acts as the "Golden Snitch" of the game. Getting all of your balloons popped will result in the person popping the final balloon getting 2 points instead of one, and the racer will respawn with three new ones.

Coin Runners

In Coin Runners, racers must race around the battle arena collecting coins. Hitting other players will result in them losing half of their coins, with them either spilling out of them, or flying away to respawn somewhere else on the map. In the beginning of the game, there are 50 coins that are spawned, meaning the most coins a person/team can get is 50. The number of coins is totalled for the entire team in team battles.

Items

To know the probability of getting each item when an Item Box is opened, see Dry Bones Kart 8/Item Probabilities.

As in all Dry Bones Kart games, Dry Bones Kart 8 keeps the use of items during the races. Four new items have been added to the list, being the Boomerang Flower, the Potted Piranha Plant, the Super Horn, and the Crazy Eight.

Dry Bones Kart 8 also features changes to the Fake Item Box's mechanics. The Fake Item Box now tosses players into the air again (hasn't been seen since the Fake Item Box's first appearance) and can also block items behind the user (first used in Dry Bones Kart 64 and Dry Bones Kart: Super Circuit, but dropped from Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!! to Dry Bones Kart Wii, and returned in Dry Bones Kart 7.)

Items found on the track
Item Box	Gives the player a random item. Items given are based on the player's position.
Coin	Gives the player a small boost and increase top speed when more are collected, up to a maximum of ten.
New Items
Boomerang Flower	Can be thrown up to three times, hitting racers forward and when it returns.
Potted Piranha Plant	Automatically chomps on obstacles and other racers, giving a short speed boost for each bite.
Super Horn	Emits a radial shockwave hitting racers, as well as destroying all obstacles, including the Spiny Bombshell.
Crazy Eight	Generates eight items (Fake Item Box, Bob-omb, Mushroom, Star, Blooper, Green Shell, Red Shell, and a Banana) that circle around the player for them to use.
Returning Items
Fake Item Box	Imitates an Item Box, but is colored red and has an upside down question mark. It blasts any kart into the air that touches it.
Super Leaf	Gives the player's kart a tail that can be used to deflect items, knock over opponents and collect coins. The tail will disappear after a moment or if the player is hurt.
Lucky Seven	Surrounds the player with seven items that rotates around its kart. The player receives a Mushroom, Banana, Green Shell, Red Shell, Blooper, Bob-omb, and a Star. CPU players can't get this item.
Green Shell	Travels in a straight line and knocks over a kart it hits.
Triple Green Shell	Three green shells that orbit the player's kart, protecting them from incoming attacks.
Red Shell	Homes in on the closest kart in front of the player and knocks it over.
Triple Red Shell	Three red shells that orbit the player's kart, protecting them from incoming attacks.
Banana	Protects the player from incoming items, and spins out other racers that hit it.
Triple Banana	Three bananas that appear behind the player's kart, protecting them from incoming attacks.
Mushroom	Provides the player's kart with a small speed boost.
Triple Mushroom	Orbits the player's kart, providing them with three separate speed boosts.
Golden Mushroom	Provides the player's kart with continuous speed boosts for a short time.
Fire Flower	Allows the player to throw fireballs for a short time that cause other karts to spin out on impact.
Starman	Provides the player invincibility from all terrain and items, and also giving a speed boost.
Blooper	Sprays ink on all racers ahead and reduces their visibility. The racers hit also lose some of their traction while sprayed.
Bob-omb	Explodes after a short time when thrown or dropped, tossing any kart into the air that gets caught in its blast radius.
Spiny Bombshell	Flies to the racer in first place, tossing him into the air.
Lightning Bolt	Causes all opponents to drop their items, shrink, and drive slowly for a short time.
POW Block	Causes all opponents on the ground in front of the user to spin out and drop their items if used. Players can get a midler version by pressing the tricks button. Players will also avoid the POW Block by being in the air.
Lightning Cloud	Appears above the recipient's kart and gives him a decent speed boost. Shrinks the recipient to a tiny size after ten seconds, causing him to lose his items and drive slowly for a short time.
Bullet Bill	Transforms the player into a Bullet Bill, rocketing through the track with auto-pilot, and providing invincibility from all terrain and items.

Characters

Many characters return from previous installments. There are also some new characters, like Baby Thunder Daisy, the rest of the Koopalings, and Lakithunder.

Default Characters

Lightweight Characters:
Dry Bones File:Baby Thunder Rosalina.png Baby Thunder Rosalina File:Baby Thunder Peach.png Baby Thunder Peach File:Baby Thunder Daisy.png Baby Thunder Daisy Lakithunder Hammer Bro. Koopa Troopa Lakitu Red Koopa Troopa Yellow Koopa Troopa Blue Koopa Troopa Paratroopa Green Paratroopa Yellow Paratroopa Blue Paratroopa File:Lemmy Koopa 3D.png Lemmy Koopa File:Wendy O Koopa 3D.png Wendy O. Koopa
Middleweight Characters:
File:KoopaKid-MiniBowser.png Koopa Kid File:MetalMarioMK7Solo.png Metal Mario File:Pink Gold Peach.png Pink Gold Peach File:600px-Blooper.PNG Blooper File:Monty Tank.png Monty Tank File:Iggy Koopa.png Iggy Koopa File:NSMBULarry.png Larry Koopa
Heavyweight Characters:
Bowser Dry Bowser File:508px-MP8Wario.png Wario File:Waluigi DBKWii.png Waluigi File:The True King Boo by evilwaluigi.png King Boo File:DarkBowserSMW3D.png Dark Bowser File:Ludwig Von Koopa 3D.png Ludwig von Koopa File:Roy Koopa.png Roy Koopa File:Morton Koopa Jr 3D.png Morton Koopa Jr.
Other Characters:
File:Miis.png Mii

Racecourses

Nitro Courses

Mushroom Cup

Paratroopa Circuit {{{2}}} Moo Moo Plains {{{2}}} Mushroom Canyon {{{2}}} Wet Bone's Factory {{{2}}}

Flower Cup

Dry Bones Circuit {{{2}}} Donut Mall {{{2}}} Spiny Summit {{{2}}} Buster Beetle's Silver Cave {{{2}}}

Star Cup

Lakithunder Circuit {{{2}}} Chain Chomp Island {{{2}}} Wiggler Forest {{{2}}} Shake Shake Volcano {{{2}}}

Special Cup

Goomba Desert {{{2}}} Bullet Bill City {{{2}}} Bowser's Castle {{{2}}} Rainbow Road {{{2}}}

Retro Courses

Shell Cup

N64 Paratroopa Raceway {{{2}}} Wii Mushroom Canyon {{{2}}} GBA Dry Bowser Castle 1 {{{2}}} DS King Boo's Mansion {{{2}}}

Banana Cup

SNES Ghost Bridge 2 {{{2}}} GBA Luigi Beach {{{2}}} DS Delfino Harbor {{{2}}} GCN Buzzy Beetle Stadium {{{2}}}

Leaf Cup

N64 Pink Gold Peach Snowland {{{2}}} DS Desert Dunes {{{2}}} N64 Spiny's Jungle Parkway {{{2}}} GCN Dry Bones Circuit {{{2}}}

Lightning Cup

SNES Dry Bones Circuit 4 {{{2}}} DS Lakitu Gardens {{{2}}} GCN Spiny Volcano {{{2}}} N64 Dry Bowser's Castle {{{2}}}