The Fish Bone (alternatively spelled Fishbone and also named Wet Bones) is a skeletal variant of a Cheep Cheep introduced in Super Mario World, with their relationship being a direct comparison of how Dry Bones are an undead variant of Koopa Troopas.
Profile[]
Physical description[]
Fish Bones have large teeth and a singular rib cage, something which is not at first evident with Cheep Cheeps. Fish Bones have hollow, glowing yellow eye sockets that shine in the dark.
Behavior[]
Unlike Cheep Cheeps, Fish Bones will purposely go after Mario or another playable character and attack them. When a character is within a Fish Bones' view, its eyes turn red, indicating that it has locked on to its target. Like other skeletal enemies, Fish Bones are invulnerable to fireball attacks.
In Super Mario series[]
Super Mario World[]
Fish Bones swim in straight lines sharply in hopes of hitting Mario. They are commonly found in Vanilla Fortress and Bowser's Castle. The only way for Mario or Luigi to defeat a Fish Bone is by touching it while under the effects of a Starman or, in Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, by spinning their cape on one while in their Cape form.
Super Mario Galaxy[]
Although Fish Bones do not appear, a similar enemy called Bonefin does. They can be encountered in the Bonefin Galaxy during the battle with the colossal Kingfin.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii[]
Fish Bones are enemies first encountered in World 4-Castle, during the underwater sections of the level. This time, whenever they see Mario, their eyes glow, then they attack by charging at Mario (and then crumbling apart upon hitting the wall). Instead of homing in on him, the Fish Bone will simply continue going the path they started (even if you move out of the way) until the get destroyed by crashing into another object, such as a wall. They can be frozen with the Ice Flower. Several Fish Bones are also seen in the fish-tank in the background of Wendy O. Koopa's boss fight. Many more Fish Bones later appear in World 5-Ghost House in the room with the second Star Coin in the pool below.
New Super Mario Bros. 2[]
Fish Bones appear in levels such as World 3-Tower, World Star-3, and World Star-6. They behave the same as they did before. In this game, they can also be defeated with the use of the Raccoon Tail or the Gold Flower.
New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe[]
Fish Bones reappear in all three games, behaving identically as in did in previous New Super Mario Bros. titles. A Fish Bone can be defeated either from the effects of a Starman or an Ice Flower, or by luring it into hitting a wall. Fish Bones commonly appear in levels such as Haunted Shipwreck.
Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS[]
Fish Bones appear in both games. Fish Bones are not directly accessible from the parts menu. Instead, a Dry Bones must be placed in an underwater course, and it will turn into a Fish Bone when you play the level. Fish Bones behave the same as in Super Mario World. Because of Fish Bones having to be placed underwater, they are not accessible in other course themes in the first game.
Super Mario Run[]
Fish Bones do not appear as enemies, although can be seen inside the ground in desert levels.
Super Mario Maker 2[]
Fish Bones have their own slot in the parts menu, and therefore can be used in all course themes, including on land. When placed on land, a Fish Bone is immediately be defeated when it touches the ground, and it can also be stomped on to be defeated. It is also possible to attach a parachute to a Fish Bone, which still collapses when it parachutes down to the ground. A Fish Bone can also break upon reaching the surface of the water from below. A Fish Bone can properly survive outside of water if placed in either a Koopa Clown Car or on tracks. In the nighttime sky and airship themes, Fish Bones can swim around in the air, and can still be defeated from a stomp attack.
In the Super Mario 3D World style, a Fish Bone can additionally be defeated from either Cat Mario's Claw Swipe, a Boomerang Flower's boomerang, or a Cannon Box's cannonball. If the player's character is wearing a Goomba Mask, exclusive to the Super Mario 3D World style, Fish Bones do not lock onto them.
In Mario Party series[]
Mario Party 4[]
A Fishbone makes a cameo in the minigame Mushroom Medic, which has a poster in the background with a Cheep Cheep and its Fishbone X-ray.
Mario Party 9[]
In the Captain Event of Blooper Beach, they will attack any players that land on the Unlucky Spaces on the way up causing them to lose 5 of their Mini Stars, if a player loses all their Mini Stars (by landing on 2/3 Unlucky Spaces), they are out and win 0 Mini Stars from the Captain Event.
Mario Party 10[]
Fish Bones can be seen swimming around Whimsical Waters in clusters alongside other sea creatures, Fish Bones can also appear during the Dragoneel events where opening a Treasure Chest with Fish Bones will cause them to attack the player thereby causing them to lose some Mini Stars.
Super Mario Party[]
In Absent Minded, a Fish Bone appears as one of the options.
In Mario & Luigi series[]
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story[]
Fish Bones are briefly seen during Junker's boss fight where they are among one of the enemies/particles that can be released from the Junker Cans upon defeat. They will circle the Mario bros. and must be knocked back with a Hammer. They can poison the Mario Bros. if they are not careful.
Fish Bones do not appear in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, in which Scutlets take over their role instead.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team[]
Although Fish Bones do not physically appear, Driftwood Shore features rock carvings with images of them.
In Mario Kart series[]
Mario Kart 7[]
Several Fish Bones can be seen traveling through the waters of Wario Shipyard as minor obstacles. They do very little to impede a racer's speed. A Fish Bone can be knocked aside by hitting it with either a Bullet Bill, a Bob-omb, or a Starman. Some Fish Bones can be seen swimming around unreachable higher areas of the track. Additionally, the underwater tunnel's entrance is carved to be the head of a Fish Bone.
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[]
Fish Bones appear in the underwater section of Twisted Mansion, although they cannot be interacted with. In N64 Choco Mountain, differently sized Fish Bones are depicted on the walls of the falling boulder section. In GBA Boo Lake, Fish Bones are included in the underwater section, not present in the course's original iteration.
Mario Kart Tour[]
Like in Mario Kart 8, Fish Bones of varying sizes can be seen in the walls of the falling boulder section in N64 Choco Mountain. Fish Bones are obstacles in the returning 3DS Wario Shipyard. In addition, Fish Bones are also retained in GBA Boo Lake, where interacting with a Fish Bone in any way causes it to collapse and reward points.
A Mii Racing Suit and two karts based on Fish Bones, both of the latter being called the Fish Bone Ferry and the Gold Fish Bone Ferry, all debut in the Night Tour.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit[]
Since the version 1.1.0 update, fossilized Fish Bones can be found in the Mario Cup, similarly as to how they appear in Mario Kart Tour. Fish Bones also appear on the gates in Fossil Fields.
In Paper Mario: Sticker Star[]
Fish Bones only appear in the level Jungle Rapids, where they charge and bite on Mario's raft attempting to break off a piece. Mario has to hammer them away in order to get rid of them. Note that Fish Bones are the only enemy in this game where Mario can physically attack but doesn't get into a battle with them.
Crossover appearances[]
AR Games[]
In the Fishing minigame, a Fish Bones can be caught if lightning strikes the water.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- In the game files for Paper Mario: Sticker Star, there are battle sprites of Fish Bones, revealing that they originally would have appeared as regular enemies instead of just a basic obstacle in Jungle Rapids.