Fake Item Box

**First Appearance**
 **Latest Appearance**

The **Fake Item Box** is an item that is in every game. It can easily be mistaken for real Item Boxes because of its similar shape, size, and animation. The effect is usually stronger from a greater distance away. However up close, the Fake Item Box has a ¿ inside and will turn red. They do not move either in some games. In all games from Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!! to Dry Bones Kart Wii, they can't block the items behind the user.

It is one of eight items to appear in every game (the other seven being the Item Box, Red Shell, Green Shell, Banana Peel, Mushroom, Lightning Bolt, and Starman).

## History

### *Super Dry Bones Kart*, *Dry Bones Kart 64*, and *Dry Bones Kart: Super Circuit*

The Fake Item Box's first three appearances are in *Super Dry Bones Kart*, *Dry Bones Kart 64*, and *Dry Bones Kart: Super Circuit*. They appear identical to regular Item Boxes with a key difference: the question mark inside is upside-down (a ¿ instead of a ?). Karts that collide with one are blasted into the air. Like Bananas, they can be used to block incoming shells, though unlike Bananas, they cannot be tossed forward.

If placed midair, the Fake Item Box floats; these are the only games until *Dry Bones Kart 7* where Fake Item Boxes are unaffected by gravity.

### *Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!!*

Fake Item Boxes appear in *Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!!*. Here, they have a ¿ symbol and are also colored red. However, the color cannot be seen from a distance - only when approaching will they turn red. They can be destroyed by running into them with a Starman or picked up with Hearts, as other obstacles pass through them, including all shells, eggs, Fireballs, and Chain Chomps. Unlike the previous games, the Fake Item Box can't block items behind the user and is affected by gravity. They can also be tossed forward starting with this game.

### *Dry Bones Kart DS*

The Fake Item Box's next appearance is in *Dry Bones Kart DS*. They have a new set of differences from a real Item Box: they lack a "¿" entirely, they do not spin around, and they show up as red on the bottom screen's map. Their overall behavior is much the same as the previous game, though they do not bounce when thrown. Additionally, they get knocked away if a racer collides with them instead of exploding as all other iterations do.

Missions 1-1 to 4-8 involve collecting a number of Item Boxes while avoiding Fake Item Boxes. The rest of the missions involve placing Fake Item Boxes to flip over other racers.

### *Dry Bones Kart Wii*

The Fake Item Box return to its *Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!!* look in *Dry Bones Kart Wii*, with a style change to match the new style of the real ones, as well as being larger than in the previous games. While they still have a ¿ sign inside, like in *Double Dash!!*, they can hide their red color at a distance - only on approaching do they turn red. Fake Item Boxes become blue instead if they belong to the blue team in team play. Much like in *Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash!!*, Fake Item Boxes can be destroyed only by colliding into them. This is the last game where the Fake Item Box doesn't block items and is affected by gravity.

### *Dry Bones Kart 7*

The Fake Item Box's next appearance is in Dry Bones Kart 7, with a style change to match the new style of the real ones, as well as being the same size as in Dry Bones Kart Wii. While they still have a ¿ sign inside, like in *Double Dash!!* And *Wii*, they can hide their red color at a distance - only on approaching do they turn red. Fake Item Boxes become blue instead if they belong to the blue team in team play. Unlike *Dry Bones Kart: Double Dash*, *Dry Bones Kart DS*, and *Dry Bones Kart Wii*, where the Fake Item Box is affected by gravity and cannot block items, the Fake Item Box can now block the items behind the user again, like in *Super Dry Bones Kart*, *Dry Bones Kart 64*, and *Dry Bones Kart: Super Circuit*. Also, gravity no longer affects the Fake Item Box.

### *Dry Bones Kart 8*

The Fake Item Box's next appearance is in Dry Bones Kart 8, with a style change to match the new style of the real ones, as well as being the same size as in Dry Bones Kart Wii and Dry Bones Kart 7. While they still have a ¿ sign inside, like in *Double Dash!!*, *Wii*, and *7*, they can hide their red color at a distance - only on approaching do they turn red. Fake Item Boxes become blue instead if they belong to the blue team in team play. The Fake Item Box can still be placed in mid-air block the incoming items behind the user, like in *Super Dry Bones Kart*, *Dry Bones Kart 64*, *Dry Bones Kart: Super Circuit*, and *Dry Bones Kart 7*. Another similarity to its first three appearances is the fact that it now blasts players into the air again.