Dry Bowser

Dry Bowser
Dry Bowser in Mario Kart Wii.
Information
First Appearance	Mario Kart Wii (2008)
Latest Appearance	Mario Kart Tour (2019)
Total Appearances	Mario Kart Wii Mario Kart Arcade GP DX Mario Kart 8 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Mario Kart Tour
Weight Class(es)	Heavy

Dry Bowser is a skeletal version of his living counterpart, Bowser. He originally appeared as the World 8 Boss in New Super Mario Bros. In that game, Dry Bowser is simply a skeletal form of Bowser that was created after Bowser fell into lava following the deadly battle. However, in the Mario Kart series, as well as several later mainstream games such as Super Mario 3D Land and New Super Mario Bros. 2, Dry Bowser is an entirely separate entity from Bowser.

Dry Bowser makes his first appearance as a large playable character in Mario Kart Wii as an unlockable character. His signature vehicle is the Spear, which is unlockable as well. He reappeared in the Animal Crossing DLC pack for Mario Kart 8 and in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and he is now a default character for the first time in the Mario Kart series. He is also a Downloadable Skin for Bowser in Mario Kart Arcade GP DX in the Japanese version only.

Characteristics

Dry Bowser is the skeleton version of Bowser, as you might have guessed from looking at the picture of him above. He is reminiscent to Dry Bones, who is the skeletal counterpart of Koopa Troopa. Dry Bowser's legs are made out of a lot of small little bones. His arms are a little less detailed, but still have the same frightful white-gray shade of the rest of his ghastly body. His rib cage is visible, and Dry Bowser's shell has turned a dark, black color. His tail, along with his feet, hands and shell, are still covered in deadly claws. His bands around his arms, wrists, and neck are now a maroon color, and they too are covered in sharp, spiny spikes. His face is still in the same shape as classic Bowser, but it too has been burned to only a skull. He has jagged teeth, and threatening black eyes with small, yellow pupils. Dry Bowser has horns sticking out of his head, and even though he has no skin, his flowing, red hair remains intact. Also, he got tired of his old hairstyle, so he decided to change it up and now wears his mane in a ponytail (similar to Bowser Jr.). His roar is now a rasping, hoarse growl. You wouldn't have much of a voice either if your vocal cords were exposed to red-hot lava.

Unlocking Criteria

• Obtain at least a one-star rank for the Wii 150cc cups.
• Play 4,350 races/battles.

Game appearances

Mario Kart Wii

Dry Bowser makes his Mario Kart series debut in Mario Kart Wii as a playable heavyweight character. He must be unlocked before playing as him, though. His signature vehicle is the Spear.

Mario Kart 8/Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

After being absent in Mario Kart 7, Dry Bowser returns to Mario Kart for the first time in Mario Kart 8 as DLC. He later on reappears in its enhanced remake, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, being a playable character available from the start for the first time in the series. As a CPU, he is seen riding in the Bone Rattler, which is said to be his signature vehicle

Vehicle gallery

Mario Kart Wii

His Standard Kart L.

His Standard Bike L.

His Offroader.

His Flame Runner.

His Flame Flyer.

His Wario Bike.

His Piranha Prowler.

His Shooting Star.

His Jetsetter.

His Spear.

His Honeycoupe.

His Phantom.

Staff Ghost Tracks

• Grumble Volcano (Wii)
• GBA Bowser Castle 3 (Wii*)
• 3DS Neo Bowser City (Wii U*, Switch*)
• Bowser's Castle (Switch* 200cc)

* - Retro track

Trivia!

• According to the official guide for Mario Kart Wii, Dry Bowser is the king of the Dry Bones similar to how Bowser is the king of the Koopas, this is further expanded on in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games where Dry Bowser is shown leading a team of Dry Bones in Ice Hockey.
• Despite originally being depicted as a skeletal form of Bowser in his debut New Super Mario Bros., Dry Bowser has been shown to appear seperately from Bowser in several games outside the Mario Kart series such as Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Super Mario 3D Land, New Super Mario Bros. 2, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, and Mario Party: Island Tour, the last of which reveals Dry Bowser to be a close family friend to Bowser.
• Dry Bowser is first character in the series to have been a starter, unlockable, and downloadable character all at once, with the second being Birdo.
• Dry Bowser was originally intended to be an unlockable character in Mario Kart 8 like in Wii, but he was replaced by Pink Gold Peach, and was saved for the Animal Crossing x Mario Kart 8 DLC due to time constraints.
• In Mario Kart Wii, obtaining at least a one-star rank for the Wii 150cc Grand Prix cups makes him very hard to unlock. This is really, really time consuming and requires lots of practice. This is the hardest according to a majority of people because he is the hardest character to unlock in the entire game.
  • You can also play 4,350 races to make him easier to unlock.
• You'll respectively unlock both him and Daisy in Mario Kart Wii if you obtain at least a one-star rank for the Wii 150cc cups and winning the 150cc Special Cup.

Gallery

Dry Bowser artwork in Mario Kart Wii

Dry Bowser in his Flame Flyer.

Dry Bowser in his Shooting Star.

Dry Bowser in his Offroader.

Dry Bowser icon in Mario Kart 8.

Dry Bowser in his ATV.

Dry Bowser racing in Wild Woods.

Dry Bowser gliding in Super Bell Subway.

Dry Bowser in Mario Kart Tour

Dry Bowser with the other characters in Mario Kart 8.