Editing Bowser (SSB4)

|name = Bowser

|image = [[File:Bowser SSB4.png|250px]]

|game = SSB4

|ssbgame1 = SSBM

|ssbgame2 = SSBB

|tier = C

|ranking = 24

'''Bowser''' ({{ja|クッパ|Kuppa}}, ''Koopa'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. His return to the series was indirectly announced during the [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3]] [[Nintendo Direct]] on June 11th, 2013.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13D1I5s236o Nintendo Direct@E3 2013]</ref> Instead of using his voice actor Kenny James who has voiced Bowser since ''Super Mario Galaxy'' in 2007, Bowser retains his realistic roaring effects from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', although they have been heavily altered.

Bowser is ranked 24th out of 54 on the [[tier list]], placing him in the C tier, a significant improvement over his bottom-tier placement in ''Brawl'', where he was ranked 33rd out of 38, and is the first time in the series that Bowser has not been ranked as a bottom-tier character, thus resulting in his best placement in the series yet. This is due to his substantially enhanced mobility, in addition to much more effective combo and grab games, all of which were among his biggest weaknesses in ''Melee'' and ''Brawl''. Aside from his new benefits, he retains his excellent endurance, overall high damage output, and very strong KOing options. Lastly, the implementation of [[rage]] supplements his already considerable power.

 

However, Bowser retains an extremely poor defensive game. Despite the addition of universal [[armor]] in [[Tough Guy]], Bowser's disadvantage state is considered to be among the worst in ''SSB4''; his only effective [[out of shield]] option is [[Whirling Fortress]], and both his [[roll]]s and [[sidestep]]s are short-distanced and grant a minimal amount of intangibility frames. His large size and status as a super heavyweight also make him extremely susceptible to combos, which is further compounded by his lack of effective combo breakers. Although Bowser retains [[Fire Breath]] as a projectile, his large size nevertheless makes him vulnerable to [[camp]]ing. Bowser's recovery is also unimpressive, as Whirling Fortress' general linearity and predictability make him vulnerable to [[gimp]]ing.

 

Bowser's perception in the metagame has fluctuated over ''SSB4''{{'}}s lifespan. He was initially considered a poor character in the first year of release for ''SSB4'', but after update [[1.1.3]] re-purposed his [[up throw]] into a potent combo starter, even leading into kills at certain percentages when comboed into up aerial, Bowser began to experience greater tournament success and a larger playerbase. {{Sm|Greward}} has won a few regional and national tournaments, while {{Sm|LordMix}} and {{Sm|Nairo}} have been able to win difficult matchups against high-level players of top-tier characters; LordMix has defeated {{Sm|Vinnie}}'s {{SSB4|Rosalina & Luma}} and {{Sm|VoiD}}'s {{SSB4|Sheik}}, while Nairo has defeated {{Sm|ZeRo}}'s {{SSB4|Diddy Kong}}, {{Sm|Tweek}}'s {{SSB4|Cloud}}, {{Sm|Zinoto}}'s {{SSB4|Diddy Kong}}, and {{Sm|Mr.E}}'s {{SSB4|Marth}}. However, Bowser’s current tier placement is debatable, as his representation and results noticeably declined after Nairo stopped using the character.

Unlike in ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'', Bowser boasts a respectable level of speed to go alongside his renowned power. While he retains slow [[Walk|walking speed]] and [[air acceleration]] and the slowest [[jumpsquat]], and while his [[air speed]] and [[falling speed]] are much lower relative to the cast compared to ''Brawl'', his [[Dash|dashing speed]] and [[double jump]]'s height have both been significantly increased, and he also retains high [[gravity]]. This grants him mobility that is average overall, yet fairly balanced compared to most other heavy characters. As the [[Weight|heaviest]] character in the game, Bowser has the best horizontal endurance of them all, although due to his slow falling speed, his vertical endurance is not the best, but rather the third best, being surpassed only by his fellow super heavies {{SSB4|King Dedede}} and {{SSB4|Donkey Kong}}.

 

Bowser's greatest strength is his immense power. Since most of his attacks are highly damaging, Bowser has an easy time racking up damage, especially when compared to combo-oriented characters like {{SSB4|Luigi}} and {{SSB4|Sheik}}. In addition, most of his moves have high knockback, granting him numerous (if not the largest number of) KOing options. Some of his moves are among the strongest of the cast, including the one of the strongest [[meteor smash]]es in his down aerial, one of the strongest [[semi-spike]]s in his back aerial and the second-strongest forward smash, which is surpassed only marginally by King Dedede and maximum [[Aura]] {{SSB4|Lucario}}'s. The introduction of [[rage]] further amplifies the power of his moves without reducing the efficiency of his combos. Bowser's great endurance can also allow him to take full advantage of it, as it is very difficult to KO him without a strong attack. Furthermore, Bowser has great [[range]] in many of his attacks, allowing him to [[space]] opponents more easily than many other characters. Combined with the aforementioned perks, Bowser is proficient at [[edgeguarding]].

 

Bowser also has a formidable grab game. While not particularly fast, his grabs have among the longest ranges in the game, with his [[pivot grab]] being notoriously effective, making it easy for him to grab opponents that are not right next to him. His [[pummel]] and his forward, back and down throws deal respectable damage. His up throw's low damage output is counterbalanced by its low knockback, which grants Bowser many reliable follow-ups until around 75%, depending mostly on the opponent's falling speed. His down throw is the optimal choice for either forcing opponents off-stage for an edgeguard or preventing his other throws from becoming [[stale]]. His back throw is among the strongest, being surpassed only by {{SSB4|Ness}}, {{SSB4|Toon Link}}, {{SSB4|Mewtwo}}, {{SSB4|Villager}}, {{SSB4|Lucas}}, {{SSB4|Dr. Mario}}, and {{SSB4|Mario}}'s, and can KO at 180% from center-stage. His forward throw is the strongest of its kind in the game, reliably KOing any character at 180% from center-stage.

 

Lastly, Bowser has a versatile special moveset. [[Fire Breath]] is Bowser's only [[projectile]], which can be used to fend off opponents or [[gimp]] recoveries due to it ability to be angled, while the nerf to [[SDI]] makes it quite difficult to escape when caught up close. [[Flying Slam]] is a grab, allowing it to ignore shields and [[counterattack]]s. Upon a successful grab, Bowser is [[invincible]] up until he jumps to perform a flipping [[Wikipedia:Suplex#Belly-to-belly suplex|belly-to-belly suplex]] that deals enough knockback to KO around 120% or even earlier if he lands on a platform. After getting grabbed, the opponent cannot do anything other than slightly alter the move's trajectory. [[Whirling Fortress]] is Bowser's primary means of [[recovery]], granting below average vertical distance but good horizontal distance; [[button mashing]] increases the move's vertical distance if done close to the end of the move, while shortening it if done at the start. [[Whirling Fortress]] is also a phenomenal [[out of shield]] option, as well as Bowser's fastest attack. Lastly, [[Bowser Bomb]] is very powerful and can be used as an alternative to [[fast-falling]], making it useful for grabbing the ledge while at the same time threatening edgeguarders. It also deals additional [[shield damage]], meaning that a [[shield break]] will occur if both of its hits connect.

 

However, Bowser has some glaring flaws. One of his biggest problems is air-to-ground transitioning. All of his aerials have at least 20 frames of landing lag, with his back and down aerials having 40 frames each, which is exacerbated by his jumpsquat being the slowest in the game. As none of his aerials have favorable [[autocancel]] windows, returning to the ground is very difficult for him, or even impossible without [[Air dodge|air dodging]] and/or fast-falling, due to his slow aerial mobility. As a result, Bowser is quite vulnerable to combos and heavily susceptible to [[juggling]], making it easy for opponents to rack up damage on him, further worsened by his large size. His down aerial is his only move that can help mitigate these issues, but its aforementioned landing lag and [[stall-then-fall]] status can make it quite unreliable most of the time. His moveset, while fast compared to most heavyweights, is slow when compared to the rest of the cast, limiting his combo starters to only up throw and [[jab cancel]]ed neutral attack, and making it difficult for him to keep up with faster opponents, such as {{SSB4|Sonic}}. This also compounds another noticeable problem: his ability to escape pressure. Due to his slow [[roll]]s and [[sidestep]], with the former also being short-distanced, Bowser's only real method of dealing with pressure is Whirling Fortress, which can be [[punish]]ed if executed too late. Some of his moves are also inevitable KOs if used off-stage, namely his two stall-then-falls, down aerial and Bowser Bomb, as well as Flying Slam. Lastly, despite his recovery being rather long-distanced, it is among the slowest of the cast, making aggressive edgeguarding more than enough to KO Bowser.

 

Bowser benefits greatly from [[Character customization|custom moves]]. Compared to Fire Breath, Fire Shot is slower and has noticeable intervals between each fireball, but has more range and deals consistent damage, which make it better for Bowser's [[neutral game|neutral]] and edgeguarding games. Dash Slam is drastically weaker, but has a lower launch angle and propels Bowser forward, making it easier for him to grab opponents. Dash Slash deals less damage, but deals high knockback, hits throughout most of its animation and maintains the default version's autocanceling, granting Bowser a very reliable move for [[approach]]ing and setting up combos. Both Flying Slam alternatives can also improve his recovery. Lastly, Flying Fortress is less viable as an out of shield option, due to having more start up lag, but it grants twice as much vertical distance at high speed, significantly improving Bowser's vertical recovery.

 

Overall, Bowser is a surprisingly speedy powerhouse who relies on a defensive, bait and punish-oriented playstyle. As such, he requires timing his attacks carefully or focusing on punishing his opponents' mistakes in order to avoid serious punishment himself. While Bowser's overall representation in high-level and top-level play has been smaller than higher tiered characters, players such as {{Sm|LordMix}} and {{Sm|Nairo}} have managed to achieve notable results, with many players arguing his tier placement should be higher. The most notable instance of this is {{Sm|ZeRo}}, who considers Bowser to be a high-tier character.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The changes to this single move have immensely helped Bowser as it further solidifies the buffs some of his other moves have received (as with the case with his neutral and up aerials) and it means that he does benefit from the changes to [[hitstun canceling]] and the changes to [[Directional Influence]] as without the throw, Bowser still possesses a rather poor combo game and the two mentioned universal changes noticeably increase his vulnerability to combos. While the latter point is true regardless, his up throw acts as an extremely potent compensation, allowing him to make use out of the changes to hitstun canceling/DI, which he otherwise would not be able to.

The changes to gameplay physics and mechanics (as well as the aforementioned changes to hitstun canceling/DI, along with the introduction of rage) also aid aid Bowser. With many projectiles being nerfed, it is much easier for Bowser to approach projectile users, especially with his increased running speed and his faster air dodge (although his is still vulnerable to projectiles due to his large size). The removal of [[chain grab]]bing eliminates the [[zero-to-death]] or otherwise heavily damaging combos that multiple characters possessed against him, greatly improving his endurance against certain characters. The changes to shield mechanics also help his as the increased shield damage multiplier and the increased [[shieldstun]] makes his attacks safer and harder to punish, as well as allowing him to shatter a shield more easily (particularly with [[Bowser Bomb]]).

Bowser has however, received a few nerfs. As mentioned before, Bowser is now much more vulnerable to combos due to the changes to hitstun canceling/DI, which is further exacerbated with the changes to weight dependent throws. Weight dependent throws are now faster on Bowser in spite of his increased weight, which makes it harder for him to DI weight dependent throws and it gives them less ending lag against him, making him more susceptible to combos out of weight dependent throws.

Bowser's [[grab release]] animation now has 10 extra frames of ending lag to match the rest of the cast. When combined with the general changes to grab releases (particularly aerial grab releases) and the removal of chain grabbing, this completely removes his grab release's utility (although his improved up throw largely compensate for this).

Bowser also has inferior frame data on some of his moves. Some moves such as up tilt and forward aerial have increased startup lag (although the former has decreased ending lag and more range in front of Bowser) while others such as down smash and Flying Slam have increased ending lag. Some of Bowser's moves also have reduced KO potential, such as his up tilt, up aerial (although it comes out much faster to compensate) and his grounded Whirling Fortress. Many of his attacks also have reduced range, with many of his attacks having smaller hitboxes which are not positioned as far away from Bowser, although some of his new animations can compensate for this on certain moves.

Bowser's specials have also seen some nerfs. [[Fire Breath]] is inferior at racking up damage (due to its lower damage), its late hit no longer causes hitstun and Bowser cannot turn his head as quickly while using it. While Flying Slam is stronger and Bowser has more control over his trajectory, the move now causes Bowser to be KO'd first while the opponent survives and some characters can even make it back to the stage, making [[Sacrificial KO#Grab-based sacrificial KOs|Bowsercide]] a less viable tactic to KO an opponent. In addition to this, the move has less range, more ending lag (as stated before) and [[Koopa hopping]] has been removed, making Flying Slam harder to land and decreasing its utility. Grounded Whirling Fortress has seen the most significant nerfs however. The move is now a weaker, multi-hitting move, with no intangibility on startup, less range, more ending lag, Bowser moves slower while using it and Bowser can no longer slide off edges while using it. This hinders its use as an Out of Shield option and it is overall a less effective attack (with reduced power, reliability and range) with less utility, although it is still an effective Out of Shield option.

Bowser's nerfs however, are notably offset by the very useful buffs Bowser has received (particularly to up throw). Overall, Bowser has seen some rather significant buffs, which work excellently with the game's universal changes. Bowser not only has greater endurance, is overall faster and has a much better recovery but he also has greater KO potential and excellent combo potential, due to his greatly improved up throw. This has resulted in him faring much better than he ever did in ''Brawl'' and especially ''Melee''.

In earlier versions, Bowser was still considered to be a low tier character (particularly as time went on, as people figured out the game and realised that Bowser's improvements were not as drastic as initially though). Besides his recovery and improved KO potential, Bowser still suffered from the same flaws he had in ''Brawl'', and he had lost some of his more effective tools (notably his shorter grab release, which noticeably hurt his grab game at the time). Bowser did receive buffs over time though, with his most drastic buffs being introduced in version [[1.1.3]], which greatly improved his up throw. In earlier versions, up throw was an unimpressive spacing throw much like it was in ''Brawl'' (as it dealt more knockback and had more ending lag) but in 1.1.3, it became the devastating combo throw it is known for today. While its combo potential was toned down in version [[1.1.4]] (and {{SSB4|Bayonetta}} was introduced in the same patch), he received other useful buffs in the same patch, along with the next patch (where some of the top tiers were also toned down), and it still remained an excellent combo tool.

The changes to this one move were enough to push Bowser from low tier to high tier, subsequently improving his results and player base. A consequence this had though is that Bowser became a rather controversial pick. Because his up throw was so much better, Bowser's gameplan suddenly became overcentralised by his grab, as his main goal would be to fish for grabs, up throw and build damage from there (or KO depending on the opponent's percent). This resulted in Bowser's reputation being rather negative, as he was essentially a low tier character, but with one incredibly powerful gimmick (his grab/up throw), which largely carried him, making him a rather one dimensional and predictable character.

Nevertheless, while Bowser is still a giant punching bag, who has really poor frame data and struggles to approach, he is now widely agreed to be a viable character in the latest version of ''Smash 4'' (even if it is largely due to one move), and is overall one of the characters to be buffed the most in the transition from ''Brawl'' to ''Smash 4'', alongside {{SSB4|Mario}}, {{SSB4|Luigi}}, {{SSB4|Captain Falcon}}, {{SSB4|Sheik}}, and {{SSB4|Mewtwo}}.

*{{change|Due to the aesthetic used in ''SSB4'', Bowser has a sleeker design, his shell is noticeably more detailed, his pupils are smaller and his overall color scheme is significantly more vibrant, much like his appearance in ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario 3D Land}}''.}}

*{{change|Bowser's charcoal-colored [[alternate costume]] has been slightly updated. His hair is now orange instead of red. Bowser has also received five new alternate costumes, one of which is based on {{s|mariowiki|Blue Bowser}}.}}

*{{change|[[Dash]], [[roll]], [[air dodge]], [[Crouching|crouch]], and [[Crawling|crawl]]'s animations have changed. Bowser now dashes on both legs instead of shuttling along the ground, and he remains upright instead of retreating into his shell when rolling, jumping, or air dodging. Bowser's crouch also appears similar to his crouching defensive stance from ''{{s|mariowiki|Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story}}''.}}

*{{change|A shadow has been added to the interior of Bowser's shell, which obscures his face (except for his eyes) whenever he withdraws into his shell.}}

*{{change|Bowser is significantly less vocal. He no longer vocalizes when jumping or performing his dash attack, any tilt attack, and any aerial attack.}}

*{{change|Bowser's body now faces the screen regardless of whether he's facing left or right.}}

*{{change|Bowser's victory theme is now changed into a rock-based remix of the Course Clear Fanfare used in Super Mario Bros.}}

*{{change|Bowser is smaller (size multiplier: 1x → 0.82x). This makes his hurtboxes smaller, making him harder to hit but this also reduces his range.}}

*{{buff|Bowser now stands upright, which is also reflected in his new walking and dashing animations. This makes him harder to hit horizontally and while this would make him easier to hit vertically, this is offset by Bowser's smaller size, making him no easier to hit vertically overall.}}

**{{change|Bowser's new upright posture has also been translated into his moveset, be it through a tweaked animation or a completely new move.}}

*{{buff|Bowser now has a unique attribute, [[Tough Guy]]. It is universal [[armor]] against attacks that deal less than 19 units of knockback, such as the first hit of many neutral attacks, or numerous neutral infinites. It is amplified if he is crouching (due to the changes to [[crouch canceling]]).}}

*{{buff|Bowser [[dash]]es much faster (1.527 → 1.792), going from the 16th fastest out of 39 in ''Brawl'' to the 17th fastest out of 58 in ''Smash 4''.}}

*{{buff|Like all characters returning from ''Brawl'', Bowser's [[Fast fall|fast-falling]] speed is faster (1.946 → 2.224). This improves his aerial mobility and leaves him less susceptible to juggling.}}

*{{buff|Bowser is noticeably [[Weight|heavier]] (120 → 130), significantly improving his endurance and making him suffer less from the removal of [[momentum canceling]] than other returning veterans.}}

*{{nerf|Bowser's [[air speed]] is slower (1.034 → 1.0), especially relative to the cast, going from the 11th highest out of 39 to the 31st highest out of 58.}}

*{{change|Bowser has a new double jump animation where he stays upright. This allows him to grab ledges from further below but it also makes him a much larger target.}}

*{{buff|Bowser's [[item throw]] is stronger (1 → 1.1).}}

*{{change|The changes to [[hitstun canceling]] both help and hinder Bowser. They significantly improve his combo potential (particularly out of up throw), but make him more susceptible to combos.}}

*{{buff|The removal of [[chain grab]]bing significantly improves Bowser's endurance against certain characters.}}

*{{nerf|The changes to weight dependent throws hinders Bowser, as it makes weight dependent throws faster against him despite his significantly increased weight.}}

*{{buff|[[Roll]]s have less startup (frame 5 → 4) and ending lag (FAF 40 → 34).}}

*{{nerf|Rolls travel less distance due to Bowser's smaller size.}}

*{{buff|[[Air dodge]] has less ending lag (FAF 50 → 35).}}

*{{buff|[[Spot dodge]] has less ending lag (FAF 33 → 29), no longer being the slowest.}}

*{{nerf|Spot dodge has more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 3-24 → 4-19).}}

*{{buff|The 1.19x damage multiplier to shields and the increase to [[shieldstun]] make some of Bowser's attacks much better at pressuring shields, as they are safer and deal more shield damage.}}

*{{nerf|Bowser's [[grab release]] has more ending lag (FAF 20 → 30), now matching the rest of the cast. When combined with the changes to grounded and aerial grab releases, Bowser now has no frame advantage out of a grounded grab release and only a 10 frame advantage out of an aerial grab release (compared to 11 and 31 frames (against most characters) respectively). This removes all of his guaranteed followups out of a grab release which is further exacerbated by the removal of chain grabbing.}}

**{{buff|The first hit's far hitbox launches opponents slightly higher (83° → 85°), making it connect more reliably into the second hit.}}

**{{nerf|The first hit's near hitboxes are smaller (5u/4.5u → 3u/4u).}}

**{{buff|The second hit deals more damage (5% → 6.5%).}}

**{{nerf|The second hit's near hitboxes are smaller (6u/5.5u → 3u/4u).}}

**{{nerf|The second hit's far hitbox has been moved closer to Bowser (x offset: -8 → 5), while its nearest hitbox has been moved further away from hit (x offset: 8 → -6), reducing its range.}}

*[[Forward tilt]]:

**{{change|Forward tilt has an altered animation where Bowser now closes his fist when performing the move.}}

**{{buff|Forward tilt deals more damage (11% → 12%), improving its KO potential.}}

**{{nerf|Forward tilt has smaller hitboxes (5.7u/5u/4u → 5.5u/4u/4u) and the hand hitbox has been moved closer to Bowser (x offset: 7 → 5.1), reducing its range.}}

**{{nerf|The down angled version no longer has a 40% [[trip]] chance, although this does not affect the move under a competitive ruleset.}}

*[[Up tilt]]:

**{{buff|Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 51 → 41), making it safer and improving its ability to set up juggles.}}

**{{nerf|Up tilt deals less damage (12% → 9%), hindering its KO potential.}}

***{{buff|However, this also improves its ability to set up juggles.}}

**{{nerf|Up tilt has more startup lag (frame 8 → 11).}}

***{{buff|However due to its new animation, up tilt's hitboxes now start right in front of Bowser, allowing the move to hit opponents in front of him.}}

**{{nerf|Up tilt has smaller hitboxes (6u/5.5u/5u → 5.5u/5u), the body hitbox has been removed and the hand hitbox has been moved closer to Bowser (x offset: 8 → 6.9).}}

**{{change|Down tilt has an altered animation. It is now an alternating pair of [[wikipedia:Hook (boxing)|hooks]] rather than an alternating pair of claw swipes.}}

**{{buff|This new animation properly matches its hitboxes' placements, with the move now fully covering Bowser's hand, despite the far hitboxes being moved closer to Bowser (x offset: -7 (hit 1)/7 (hit 2) → 6 (both)).}}

***{{buff|This new animation is also shorter (51 frames → 45), allowing Bowser to crawl earlier after performing the move.}}

***Despite its altered animation and hitbox placements, down tilt still roughly has the same amount of lateral range it had before.

*[[Dash attack]]:

**{{change|Bowser has a new dash attack, a side kick, similar to Meta Knight’s dash attack.}}

**{{buff|Compared to the previous dash attack, it deals more damage (11% (clean)/8% (late) → 12%/10%) and its clean hit deals more knockback (120 (base)/30 (scaling) → 110/35), improving its KO potential.}}

**{{nerf|Dash attack has more startup lag (frame 10 → 11).}}

***{{buff|However, its total duration was unchanged, giving it slightly less ending lag.}}

**{{nerf|Dash attack's far hitboxes have been moved closer to Bowser (x offset: 18 (clean)/15 (late) → 12/10), reducing its range relative to Bowser.}}

**{{nerf|Dash attack's near hitboxes are smaller (7u (clean)/5u (late) → 4u/3.8u) and the late near hit has also been moved further away from Bowser (x offset: 3 → 4).}}

*[[Forward smash]]:

**{{change|Bowser has a new forward smash: a single hitting dropkick with a clean hit and a late hit, rather than two separate hits.}}

**{{buff|Forward smash has less startup lag (frame 26 → 22).}}

***{{nerf|However, it starts charging much sooner (frame 12 → 4), giving it more startup lag out of a charge release despite this change (frame 15 → 19).}}

**{{buff|Forward smash now grants [[invincibility]] to Bowser's feet.}}

**{{buff|The clean hit deals more knockback (25/22 (base)/81 (scaling) → 25/98), improving its KO potential.}}

**{{buff|The clean hit's sourspot launches opponents at a more favourable angle (60° → [[Sakurai angle|361°]]), improving its KO potential (unless when used near the upper blast zone) and making DI less effective against it.}}

**{{buff|Due to its new animation, forward smash has significantly more range and it can be used to low profile under certain attacks.}}

***{{nerf|However, as this new animation moves Bowser forward, it leaves him in a more vulnerable spot if forward smash is shielded.}}

**{{buff|The clean hit now has [[transcendent priority]]. When combined with Bowser having feet intangibility, this allows the move to ignore any hitbox, while still being able to cancel out projectiles.}}

**{{buff|Forward smash now has a late hit which deals 17%/14% depending on where it lands and decent knockback (10 (base)/103 (scaling). This new late hit extends forward smash's duration (frame 26 (hit 1)/28-31 (hit 2) → 22-23/24-27).}}

***{{nerf|However, the clean hit has a shorter duration (frames 28-31 → 22-23).}}

**{{change|The new late hit has [[Priority#Moves that cannot rebound|anti-rebounding priority]].}}

**{{nerf|Forward smash now only hits once, reducing its maximum damage potential (33% → 23%).}}

***{{buff|However, this also makes forward smash more reliable.}}

**{{nerf|The clean hit has smaller hitboxes compared to the previous second hit (7.3u/6.3u → 7u/5.5u), with the new late hit having even smaller hitboxes (6u/5u).}}

**{{nerf|The sourspot deals less damage (21% → 20%).}}

**{{nerf|Forward smash has more ending lag (FAF 66 → 70).}}

*[[Up smash]]:

**{{buff|Up smash's main hit has increased knockback scaling (80 (sweetspot)/90 (sourspot) → 90/100), improving its KO potential.}}

**{{buff|The main hit has a longer duration (frames 16-21 → 16-23).}}

**{{buff|Up smash has an altered animation where Bowser has a more upright posture. This makes it easier for the sweetspot to connect against grounded opponents.}}

**{{nerf|The landing hit has more startup lag (frame 31 → 37), with up smash's total duration being subsequently increased (FAF 52 → 58).}}

**{{nerf|The clean hit has smaller hitboxes (8u/6u/6u → 7u/5.5u/5.5u) and the sourspots have been moved closer to Bowser (z offset: 6/-6 → 5/-5).}}

**{{nerf|The landing hit deals less damage (12%/10% → 6%) with it only seeing an increase to its base knockback (60 → 80), hindering its KO potential.}}

**{{nerf|The landing hit uses one smaller extended hitbox (6u/6u/6u → 5.5u), decreasing its overall range.}}

*[[Down smash]]:

**{{buff|Down smash has a new first hit that is active right before Bowser starts spinning, giving it less startup lag (frame 14 → 10).}}

**{{buff|The weakening of [[SDI]] makes down smash significantly more difficult to escape from.}}

**{{buff|The final hit has less startup lag (frame 32 → 31).}}

***{{nerf|However, there is a longer gap between the sixth and final hit (1 frame → 3).}}

**{{change|The final hit's angle was altered (65° → 48°).}}

***{{buff|This improves its KO potential near the horizontal blastzone, as well as making it less susceptible to DI.}}

**{{nerf|Down smash has more ending lag (FAF 67 → 72).}}

**{{nerf|Hits 2-6 deal less damage (2% → 1%), reducing down smash's total damage output (21% → 16%).}}

**{{nerf|Hits 2-6 have smaller hitboxes (5.5u/5.5u/4.4u/4.4u → 4.2u/4.2u/3.7u/3.7u), they have been moved closer to Bowser (z offset: -9/9/-6/6 → -7.2/7.2/-5/5) and the upper hitboxes have been moved lower down (y offset: 11 → 9), reducing their range.}}

**{{nerf|The final hit's hitboxes have been moved closer to Bowser (z offset: -9/9/-6/6 → -7.2/7.2/-5/5) and the upper hitboxes have been moved lower down (y offset: 12 → 9), reducing its range.}}

*{{nerf|All aerials except down aerial have a shorter initial [[auto-cancel]] window (frames 1-7 (neutral)/1-8 (forward/back)/1-9 (up) → 1-3 (neutral/forward)/1-2 (back/up).}}

*[[Neutral aerial]]:

**{{change|Bowser has a new neutral aerial: an aerial cartwheel. Bowser's hands and feet consist of hitboxes (which slowly appear as time goes on) which deal 6% each and launch opponents vertically (361° → 75°)}}

**{{buff|All four of neutral aerial's hitboxes can connect, greatly increasing its maximum damage potential (13% → 24%).}}

**{{buff|Neutral aerial has more range overall, as the move now has four hitboxes which circle around Bowser.}}

**{{buff|Neutral aerial has a longer duration (frames 8-13 (clean)/14-23 → 8-29 (hit 1)/14-29 (hit 2)/18-29 (hits 3 & 4).}}

**{{buff|Neutral aerial has less landing lag (24 frames → 20).}}

***{{buff|Altogether, these changes combined with the changes to hitstun cancelling/DI, improves neutral aerial's damage racking and combo potential, as the move launches opponents vertically.}}

**{{nerf|Each hit of neutral aerial deals less damage (13% → 6%) and their knockback was not fully compensated (20 (base)/80 (scaling) → 20/50 (hit 1)/20/100 (hit 2)/60/90 (hits 3 & 4), hindering its KO potential.}}

***{{buff|However, this does improve its combo potential.}}

***{{nerf|In addition to this, the move's vertical launch angle significantly hinders its edgeguarding potential.}}

**{{nerf|Due to its multi-hit nature (along with each hitbox having different knockback), neutral aerial is far less consistent and reliable to use (especially outside of lower percents), making it difficult to effectively utilise.}}

**{{nerf|Neutral aerial's hitboxes are smaller compared to the previous hitbox (8u → 5.5u).}}

***{{nerf|In addition to this, the move now has a large blindspot in the middle of Bowser's body.}}

**{{nerf|Neutral aerial auto-cancels later (frame 40 → 45).}}

**{{nerf|Neutral aerial has a longer animation (49 frames → 66), increasing the amount of time Bowser cannot grab ledges after performing the move.}}

**{{change|Forward aerial has an altered animation.}}

***{{buff|This new animation more accurately represents the move's hitboxes, with the move now always covering Bowser's hand.}}

***{{nerf|However, this new animation is longer (45 frames → 53).}}

**{{change|The sweetspot has been moved slightly higher up (z offset: 0 → -0.7).}}

**{{nerf|Forward aerial has more startup lag (frame 8 → 11).}}

***{{buff|However, its total duration was unchanged, giving it less ending lag.}}

**{{nerf|The sweetspot has been moved closer to Bowser (x offset: 5 → 4.4), reducing its range.}}

*[[Back aerial]]:

**{{change|Bowser has a new back aerial, a dropkick.}}

**{{buff|Back aerial deals more damage (15% (clean)/7% (late) → 19%) and knockback (25 (base)/83 (scaling) → 20/88), significantly improving its KO potential.}}

**{{buff|Back aerial has less ending lag (FAF 50 → 45).}}

**{{buff|Back aerial auto-cancels much earlier (frame 45 → 31), now being able to do so in a short hop.}}

**{{change|As with most back aerial's, back aerial now always launches opponents behind Bowser.}}

**{{nerf|Back aerial has a smaller hitbox (9u/5u → 7u) which is now static, decreasing its range. The move has gone from being disjointed, to now failing to fully cover Bowser's feet, especially during its first active frame.}}

**{{nerf|Back aerial no longer has a late hit, shortening its duration (frames 9-11 (clean)/12-16 (late) → 9-11) and reducing its utility.}}

**{{nerf|Back aerial has more landing lag (35 frames → 40).}}

**{{nerf|Back aerial no longer grants [[invincibility]] on Bowser's shell or even on his feet.}}

*[[Up aerial]]:

**{{buff|Up aerial has much less startup lag (frame 16 → 9), making it much easier to land and overall improving its utility.}}

***{{nerf|However, its total duration was unchanged, giving it more ending lag.}}

**{{buff|Up aerial has a marginally shorter animation (47 frames → 46).}}

**{{change|Up aerial's hitbox is now displaced horizontally rather than vertically (y offset: 2.4 → x offset: 2.4). When combined with up aerial's new animation, this makes the hitbox more accurately cover Bowser's head but it also decreases the move's vertical range.}}

**{{nerf|Up aerial deals less damage (17% → 15%) and has decreased knockback scaling (93 → 85), hindering its KO potential, although it is still one of the strongest up aerials in the game.}}

**{{nerf|Up aerial has a smaller hitbox (7u → 6u).}}

*[[Down aerial]]:

**{{buff|Down aerial is now a single hitting [[stall-then-fall]] which compared to the previous final hit, deals more damage (3% → 16%) and has increased base knockback (10 → 30), drastically improving its KO potential.}}

***{{buff|Down aerial's stall-then-fall attribute combined with its increased strength makes it a much more effective and devastating landing option, especially near the ledge due to the clean hit's meteor smash hitbox.}}

***{{nerf|However, its stall-then-fall properties also make it even more dangerous to use off stage.}}

**{{buff|Down aerial has a larger hitbox (4u/4u → 7u), increasing its range despite only having one hitbox now.}}

**{{buff|Down aerial has a longer duration (frames 14-15, 17-18, 20-21, 23-24, 26-27, 29-30, 32-33, 35-36, 38 → 17-24 (clean)/25-49 (late)).}}

**{{change|Down aerial's angles have been altered (270° (hit 9) → 275° (clean)/56° (late)).}}

***{{buff|This prevents the landing hit from cancelling out the knockback from the main attack.}}

***{{nerf|However, this also hinders down aerial's damage racking potential.}}

**{{nerf|Due to consisting of one hit instead of nine, down aerial's maximum damage potential is much lower (27% → 18%).}}

***{{buff|However, its total duration was unchanged, giving it less ending lag.}}

**{{change|Bowser's grabs have new animations where Bowser only grabs with one hand, as opposed to both. He also no longer topples over during his dash grab.}}

**{{buff|Bowser's grabs have more range inside of him, especially dash grab (z offset: 8 (standing)/10 (dash)/-8 (pivot) → 5/2/-5).}}

**{{buff|Standing and pivot grabs have larger grabboxes (5.5u → 6u).}}

***{{buff|Pivot grab has additionally been positioned further out (z offset: -23 → z stretch: -26.5), further increasing its already disjointed range.}}

**{{nerf|Standing and dash grab have been moved closer to Bowser (z offset: -18 (standing)/-22 (dash) → z stretch: -14, -15.5), reducing their range.}}

**{{nerf|Pivot grab has more startup (frame 9 → 11) and ending lag (FAF 40 → 46).}}

**{{change|In order to reflect his new grab animations, Bowser now holds the opponent with only one arm, after grabbing them.}}

**{{buff|Pummel deals slightly more damage (3% → 3.1%).}}

**{{buff|Forward throw deals more damage (10% → 12%) and has increased knockback scaling (50 → 66), now being a viable KO option at higher percents.}}

**{{change|Forward throw's animation has slightly changed. Bowser now rears his head to the side and sways it upward to throw the opponent, instead of rearing his head downward and then whipping it upward.}}

**{{change|Back throw has a new animation where Bowser performs a one-armed throw, similar to Donkey Kong's back throw.}}

**{{buff|Up throw has less ending lag (FAF 70 → 64).}}

**{{buff|The eighth hit deals much more knockback (0 (base)/100 (scaling) → 80/200), making the throw much more potent against bystanders.}}

**{{nerf|The eighth hit has a shorter duration (frames 49-52 → 49-51).}}

**{{buff|Up throw launches opponents at a higher angle (70° → 82°).}}

**{{buff|Up throw deals less knockback at lower percents (120 (set)/100 (scaling) → 25 (base)/180). When combined with its reduced ending lag, higher launch angle and the changes to hitstun canceling/DI, this drastically improves its combo potential. It can easily lead into moves such as up tilt and neutral aerial at lower percents while at higher percents, it can lead reliably into an up aerial for an early KO (especially with rage), now making Bowser's up throw his most useful move.}}

***{{nerf|However, the move's lack of set knockback hinders its combo potential at higher percents while still being too weak to KO.}}

**{{buff|Down throw's hitbox has a longer duration (frame 45 → 45-46).}}

**{{nerf|The hitbox deals less damage (12% → 10%).}}

**{{buff|Down throw's throw now deals damage (0% → 2%) and has significantly increased knockback (75 (base)/30 (scaling) → 90/80).}}

**{{buff|Floor attacks deal more damage (6% → 7%) and [[shield damage]] (1 → 8) per hit, with minimally compensated knockback scaling (50 → 48).}}

**{{nerf|Floor attacks launch opponents at a higher angle (361° → 48°).}}

**{{change|Bowser has a new edge attack, an inward slash similar to his previous over 100% edge attack, albeit faster.}}

**{{nerf|Compared to the previous under 100% edge attack, this new edge attack has much more startup with a shorter duration (frames 8-17 → 22-24), no longer being the fastest in the game.}}

**{{nerf|Trip attack has decreased intangibility (frames 1-8 → 1-7).}}

*[[Fire Breath]]:

**{{buff|Fire Breath's flames are larger when it is at full charge.}}

**{{buff|Fire Breath's flames travel faster (1.9 (speed)/2.8 (horizontal momentum) → 3.5/4.0).}}

**{{buff|Fire Breath's far hitbox deals more damage (1% → 1.2%).}}

**{{buff|Fire Breath has a lower SDI multiplier (1.25x → 0.8x) which along with the weakening of the mechanic, makes Fire Breath more difficult to escape from.}}

**{{change|Fire Breath now slightly pushes Bowser back while slightly pushing the opponent away (45 units per hit, after 3 hits).}}

***{{buff|This can make the move safer as it makes it more difficult for Bowser's opponent to punish him.}}

***{{nerf|However, this also significantly hinders Fire Breath's damage racking potential and Bowser can slide off edges during this backwards push, hindering its safety when used near the ledge when facing away from it.}}

**{{nerf|Fire Breath's flames shrink in size at a faster rate, with the move reaching minimum charge much sooner.}}

**{{nerf|Fire Breath takes longer to recharge.}}

***{{buff|However, this does make the clean hit safer if the opponent manages to SDI out of it.}}

*[[Flying Slam]]:

**{{buff|Grounded Flying Slam is now capable of grabbing aerial opponents, although the move has much smaller grabboxes (2u/2u) against aerial opponents.}}

**{{buff|Upon grabbing an opponent, Flying Slam now grants Bowser 16 frames of intangibility after he grabs his opponent, making it harder to intercept.}}

***{{nerf|However, the move has more lag before Bowser jumps (22 frames → 25), theoretically making it easier to DI.}}

**{{buff|Bowser and his opponent have greater initial aerial acceleration when Bowser jumps (0.15 → 0.21 (Bowser), 0.18 → 0.19 (Opponent)). This gives Bowser more control over Flying Slam's trajectory.}}

**{{buff|When Bowser lands with Flying Slam after grabbing an opponent, he jumps higher, falls faster and retains much more momentum. This allows him to control his trajectory when he lands and he can now land on platforms above him to reduce its ending lag.}}

***{{nerf|However, Bowser now lands before he can double jump when used on a flat surface. This makes it more difficult for Bowser to utilise his aerial followups if he is at center stage, away from platforms.}}

***{{nerf|However, this increases its ending lag as its total duration was unchanged.}}

**{{nerf|Flying Slam's grab has a shorter duration (frames 8-10 (grounded)/17-19 (aerial) → 8/17).}}

**{{nerf|Flying Slam's grabboxes are smaller (6u/4u → 5u/4u (grounded), 9u/8u/8u → 6u/4.5u (aerial) and the far grabbox does not reach as far (z offset: 20 → 17.5 (grounded), 18 → 15.5 (aerial)), reducing its range, especially the aerial version.}}

**{{nerf|Flying Slam's grab has more ending lag (FAF 38 (grounded)/44 (aerial) → 43/49).}}

**{{nerf|When Bowser lands with Flying Slam, he now immediately lands, rather than going into an animation transition frame before landing. This removes Bowser's ability to double jump or use his specials the moment he lands, removing [[Koopa hopping]].}}

**{{nerf|[[Bowsercide]] now always KOes Bowser first and the opponent is released from Flying Slam when this occurs, significantly hindering its utility.}}

*[[Whirling Fortress]] (grounded):

**{{nerf|The grounded version no longer grants intangibility on frames 1-5 upon start up, hindering its use as a defensive move to stuff out approaches, or as an Out of Shield option.}}

**{{nerf|The grounded version can no longer slide off edges. While this does make the move safer to use, it also hinders its use as a movement option on platforms and it prevents Bowser from using it to grab the edge and reduce its ending lag.}}

**{{nerf|The grounded version is now a multi-hit move, rather than a move with two hits, with the first hit being powerful, while the second hit is weaker. The first seven hits are semi-spikes (180°), with set knockback (50/70 (set)/100 (scaling)) and a below average SDI multiplier (0.8×), making the first seven hits much weaker and making the move less reliable overall.}}

***{{buff|However, the move's multi hitting properties does make it safer on shield if the move is landed early.}}

**{{nerf|The grounded version's loop hits have very small hitboxes (5.8u/5.8u → 2.5u/2.5u/2.5u) in comparison to the previous second hit.}}

**{{nerf|Compared to the grounded version's previous first hit, the last hit launches at a lower angle (80° → 60°), and its knockback scaling was not fully compensated (80 → 150), hindering its KO potential.}}

**{{nerf|The grounded version's final hit has smaller hitboxes compared to the previous first hit (9.5u/9.5u → 8u/8u).}}

**{{buff|Aerial Whirling Fortress grants much more height (1.85 → 2.3), and mashing the special move button can now further increase its height, significantly improving its recovery potential, despite its increased gravity (0.05 → 0.055).}}

**{{buff|The aerial version can now grab edges from behind much sooner (frame 48 → 8), now matching grabbing edges from the front.}}

**{{change|The aerial version has smaller hitboxes (10u (hit 1)/9u (hits 2-6)/8.2u (hits 7-11) → 7u/6u/5u) although they are now extended.}}

***{{buff|This gives them more horizontal range.}}

*[[Bowser Bomb]]:

**{{buff|Bowser Bomb has less landing lag (60 frames → 55).}}

**{{buff|The rising hit has decreased set knockback (110 → 90), which along with the changes to hitstun canceling, allows it to reliably lead into the second hit, which is now guaranteed.}}

**{{buff|The 1.19x damage multiplier to shields drastically improves Bowser Bomb's shield pressuring ability, as due to its shield damage, it can now break full shields in a single use if both the drop and landing hitbox connect.}}

**{{nerf|Bowser Bomb has smaller hitboxes (8.2u (rising)/9.7u (falling) → 8u/8.3u) and the rising hit has been moved closer to Bowser (z offset: 19 → 17), reducing its range.}}

*{{B|Giga Bowser|Final Smash}}:

**{{change|Giga Bowser has naturally seen some buffs and nerfs to his attributes and attacks although unlike his normal self, Giga Bowser's moveset and animations remain largely unchanged.}}

Bowser has received numerous buffs from game updates. However, he received one major nerf in update [[1.0.4]], as Flying Slam no longer KOs the opponent first if a [[Sacrificial KO#Grab-based sacrificial KOs|Bowsercide]] is performed. On the flipside, Flying Slam has been significantly compensated for, as Bowser now has more control of its trajectory, it transitions faster, has a larger grab range, and now has invincibility frames before he leaves the ground. His up tilt, neutral aerial and Fire Shot have also been improved to varying degrees, while he significantly benefits from the changes on shield mechanics in updates [[1.1.0]] and [[1.1.1]]; the changes grant his attacks even more chances of breaking a character's shield and give him an open attacking opportunity, but weakens his [[out of shield]] punishes with his Whirling Fortress. Update 1.1.3 heavily buffed his grab game by re-purposing his up throw into a very reliable combo starter, though this was toned down somewhat in update [[1.1.4]].

{{UpdateList/1.0.4|char=Bowser}}

**{{nerf|Up tilt deals 1% less damage|10%|9%, slightly hindering its KO potential.}}

**{{buff|Up tilt's start-up|frame 12|11 and ending lag decreased: frame 51 → 41.}}

**{{buff|Neutral aerial deals more damage|5% (hits 1-4)|6%}}

**{{buff|Neutral aerial's landing lag has decreased|24 frames|20.}}

**{{buff|Fire Shot deals 1% more damage|5% (clean)/4% (late)|6%/5%}}

**{{buff|Fire Shot's base knockback increased: 25 → 35}}

**{{buff|Fire Shot's hit radius increased: 4u (clean)/3.5u (late) → 5u (both)}}

**{{buff|Fire Shot's late hit's duration increased: 15 frames → 20}}

**{{buff|Fire Shot has less ending lag, now matching [[Fire Breath]]'s.}}

{{UpdateList/1.1.3|char=Bowser}}

{{UpdateList/1.1.4|char=Bowser}}

*Bowser has a unique attribute called Tough Guy. It is universal [[armor]] against attacks that deal less than 19 units of knockback. This is most apparent when Bowser has low damage, and it can be amplified by [[crouching]], but not while [[crawling]] or attacking. It will decrease as Bowser starts taking more damage.<ref name="ToughGuy">[https://smashboards.com/threads/all-things-bowser-can-tough-guy.430851/ All things Bowser can Tough Guy]</ref>

*Bowser can crawl, although it has no practical use because of his large hurtbox.

''For a gallery of Bowser's hitboxes, see [[/Hitboxes|here]].''

|neutralname=Koopa Palm Strike ({{ja|クッパ掌打|Kuppa Shōtei}}) / Koopa Pursuit Attack ({{ja|クッパ追い打ち|Kuppa Oiuchi}})

|neutraldesc=Two alternating punches. Both hits render Bowser's arms are [[Intangibility|intangible]] throughout their durations. The first hit has set knockback and can be [[jab cancel]]ed into other moves, such as a dash grab or [[Bowser Bomb]]. Conversely, the second hit deals more damage, and is strong enough to KO around 140% near the edge. This is similar to his defense punches from {{s|mariowiki|Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story}}.

|ftiltname=Koopa Back Fist ({{ja|クッパ裏拳|Kuppa Uraken}})

|ftiltdesc=A backhanded punch. Fairly powerful with fast start-up and good range, it also renders Bowser's arm intangible throughout its duration. It is based on the second hit of his {{s|mariowiki|Drill Claw}} attack in ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars}}''. Can KO at around 110% near the edge.

|utiltname=Ceiling Scratch ({{ja|天井ひっかき|Tenjō Hikkaki}})

|utiltdesc=An overhead arcing swipe. It has respectable utility, as it can be a good combo option at low percentages either by starting and then chaining into itself, acting as a follow-up from up throw, or acting as a KOing option around 150%. It also renders his arm intangible throughout its duration. However, it has a blind spot right next to his torso.

|dtiltname=Spoiled Brat Punch ({{ja|だだっ子パンチ|Dadakko Panchi}})

|dtiltdesc=Lays in a prone position and throws two alternating [[wikipedia:Hook (boxing)|hooks]]. Both hits render his arms intangible throughout their durations. It has a chance to [[trip]] at low percentages, but the first hit does not connect into the second hit past medium percentages. The first hit has slightly higher base knockback, whereas the second hit has slightly longer range, making it a decent KOing option near the edge, with the first hit KOing under 100% at the edge, and even hitting players hanging on the edge.

|dashname=Jumping Kick ({{ja|ジャンピングキック|Janpingu Kikku}})

|dashdesc=A side kick, similar to {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}'s dash attack. Good for hitting prone or tumbling opponents and has high base knockback.

|fsmashname=Megaton Drop Kick ({{ja|メガトンドロップキック|Megaton Doroppu Kikku}})

|fsmashdesc=A dropkick. It is the third strongest forward smash in the game, being surpassed only by {{SSB4|King Dedede}} and maximum [[Aura]] {{SSB4|Lucario}}'s. Its outstanding damage output also threatens shields, as they will receive severe damage from it. When spaced properly, it can even hit opponents hanging on an edge or lingering just below it. Its clean hitboxes render his legs intangible, whereas its late hitboxes have [[Priority#Moves that cannot rebound|anti-rebounding priority]]. Even from the center of the stage, it can KO at 70% uncharged.

|usmashname=Rising Spike ({{ja|ライジングスパイク|Raijingu Supaiku}})

|usmashdesc=Lays in a prone position and then hops to thrust his shell's spikes upward. It renders his shell [[Invincibility|invincible]] and grants anti-rebounding priority throughout its duration, which make it all but impossible to challenge from above. However, it will still clank against a move that has invincibility frames. It also hits on both sides when Bowser lands from his hop, but these hits lack KO potential because of their significantly lower damage outputs. When sweetspotted, it can KO at 90% uncharged.

|dsmashname=Buzzsaw ({{ja|バズソー|Bazusō}})

|dsmashdesc=Withdraws in his shell and then spins around rapidly. It hits multiple times, and is strong enough to function as a fairly reliable KOing option under 150% and while near the edge.

|nairname=Koopa Wheel ({{ja|クッパホイール|Kuppa Hoīru}})

|nairdmg=6% (hits 1-4) (occasionally, 2 or more of the hits can combine, dealing their combined damage in one attack)

|nairdesc=An {{s|wikipedia|aerial cartwheel}}. It can combo into forward and up aerials at low to medium percentages. It is a mechanically unusual attack, as both its third and fourth hits are present at once (on Bowser's top and bottom half respectively). As such, connecting with the fourth hit before the third hit will result in the third hit missing the opponent. Despite this quirk, it is the third most damaging aerial attack in the game, being surpassed only by maximum Aura Lucario's back aerial and {{SSB4|Yoshi}}'s down aerial.

|fairname=Jump Scratch ({{ja|ジャンプひっかき|Janpu Hikkaki}})

|fairdesc=Swipes downward with his claws. It has quick start-up, a respectable damage output, and great range, as it can even hit opponents below him. It can also autocancel from a short hop. Altogether, these traits make arguably Bowser's most useful aerial.

|bairname=Rocket Kick ({{ja|ロケットキック|Roketto Kikku}})

|bairdesc=A dropkick. It is very powerful, as it can either KO around 100% from center-stage and as low as 60% at the edge, though it does not have much vertical range. The second strongest and most damaging back aerial in the game behind maximum Aura Lucario's back aerial. Autocancels from a short hop.

|uairname=Heading ({{ja|ヘディング|Hedingu}})

|uairdesc=An upward headbutt. Although it is not as strong as in ''Brawl'', it is still a viable KOing option due to KOing around 100% while near the upper blast line. By extension, it is a [[Combo#Types of combos|KO confirm]] follow-up from up throw at high percentages.

|dairname=Scrub Brush ({{ja|スクラブブラシ|Sukurabu Burashi}})

|dairdmg=16% (drop), 2% (landing)

|dairdesc=Withdraws into his shell, turns upside down, and propels himself downward. A [[stall-then-fall]], it emits a small shockwave on both sides when he lands. It [[meteor smash]]es during the first few frames and deals respectable diagonal knockback during its later frames. Due to its large hitbox, its meteor smashing hitbox can effectively edgeguard when near the edge. Like other stall-then-falls, it will almost certainly cause a [[self-destruct]] if used off-stage. Resembles an attack used by Spinies and Buzzy Beetles where they withdraw into their shell and drop from the ceiling.

|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})

|grabdesc=Reaches out. Bowser has a fairly large grab range for a non-disjointed or non-tether grab, especially when pivot grabbing, as his pivot grab can cover the entirety of a [[Battlefield (SSB4)|Battlefield]] [[platform]].

|pummelname=Grab Headbutt ({{ja|つかみヘッドバット|Tsukami Heddobatto}})

|pummeldesc=A headbutt. Moderately slow, but one of the most damaging pummels in the game.

|fthrowname=Slingshot ({{ja|スリングショット|Suringushotto}})

|fthrowdesc=Places the opponent in between his horns, rears his head back, and then powerfully sways his head forward to launch the opponent. It is the strongest forward throw in the game, KOing around 120% near the edge. However, its throw hitbox is not active until frame 36, which results in it taking longer to throw opponents than back throw.

|bthrowname=Back Throw ({{ja|バックスルー|Bakku Surū}})

|bthrowdesc=Throws the opponent backward in a sideways motion. It has the exact same damage output and knockback values as his forward throw, which make it a viable KOing option around 120% near the edge. However, its throw hitbox is active on frame 19, enabling it to throw opponents earlier than forward throw.

|uthrowname=Flesh Mixer ({{ja|フレッシュミキサー|Furessu Mikisā}})

|uthrowdmg=0.5% (hits 1-7), 1% (hit 8), 2% (throw)

|uthrowdesc=Throws the opponent slightly upward, withdraws into his shell, and then spins rapidly in order to repeatedly stab them with his shell's spikes. While it is Bowser's least damaging throw (dealing up to 6.5% damage), it is also his best combo starter, as it can combo into up tilt, up smash, neutral aerial, up aerial, forward aerial, back aerial, and even Flying Slam. Its aerial combos are especially effective against fast-fallers, although its Flying Slam combo requires a hard read. The final hit before the throw deals very high semi spike knockback to fighters who are caught in the crossfire. On a side note, unlike in ''Brawl'', instead of always dealing fixed knockback, the throw hitbox's knockback now grows stronger as the target's damage increases.

|dthrowname=Heavy Press ({{ja|ヘビープレス|Hebī Puresu}})

|dthrowdesc=Places the opponent on the ground and [[Wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks#Big splash|splash]]es them. Its high base knockback, low knockback scaling, and high ending lag prevent it from having any follow-ups. Despite this, it actually has KO potential unlike in ''Brawl'', thanks to its throw hitbox now dealing damage. Its first hit can also damage nearby bystanders. It KOs around 150% near the edge, and can be used as an alternative to his forward and back throws for setting up an edgeguard.

|floorfdesc=Swipes his claws behind himself and in front of himself while stumbling to his feet.

|floorbdesc=Swipes his claws around himself while getting up.

|floortdesc=Swipes his claws around himself while getting up.

|edgedesc=Swipes inward while climbing up. One of the longest ranged edge attacks in the game.

|nsdefdmg=1.2% (loop)

|nsdefdesc=[[mariowiki:Fire Breath|Expels a stream of fire from his mouth]]. It gradually loses strength and range, but will slowly regain its strength when not in use. It can be angled upward or downward, which can potentially gimp recovering opponents, although the flames at the very end of the stream do not cause [[flinch]]ing.

|nsc1desc=Expels a large {{s|mariowiki|Fireball}} from his mouth instead of a stream of fire. The Fireball pierces opponents, similarly to [[Super Dragon]]'s. Unlike Fire Breath, it will not weaken over time when used in succession.

|nsc2desc=Deals more damage and has longer range, but its flames shrink in size at a drastically quicker rate and take longer to recharge.

|ssdefdmg=18% (throw), 15% (collateral)

|ssdefdesc=Grabs an opponent, jumps with them into the air and backflips repeatedly before [[Wikipedia:Suplex#Belly-to-belly suplex|belly-to-belly suplexing]] them onto the ground. It deals immense vertical knockback that can KO at 120%, making it a very reliable KOing option. Its power and launching angle makes it difficult to properly DI, especially if the user has high gravity. The suplex can also hit other opponents on the ground that it lands into for similarly powerful knockback. It can be used to dive off-stage with the opponent for a potential [[sacrificial KO]].

|ssc1dmg=12% (throw), 10% (collateral)

|ssc1desc=Dashes forward before performing the belly-to-belly suplex with less vertical distance, but deals less damage. Its angle is more horizontal than vertical.

|ssc2desc=A dashing slash that covers a lot of ground, even in mid-air. It deals moderate knockback, but noticeably less than Flying Slam, along with being weaker, and can be blocked or [[counter]]ed. Despite this, it is considered one of the most useful special custom moves in the game, due to its complete autocancel property and pseudo-[[wavedash]], which makes it a fairly safe approaching option and grants it combo potential. It is comparable to [[Koopa Klaw]], albeit without the grab.

|usdefdmg=1% (grounded hits 1-7), 4% (grounded hit 8)<br>10% (aerial hit 1), 3% (aerial hits 2-6), 2% (aerial hits 7-11)

|usdefdesc=Withdraws into his shell and spins around rapidly, similarly to his down smash. It is capable of moving forward or backward while doing so, which makes it a very useful [[out of shield]] option. In the air, it propels Bowser diagonally upward, while button mashing enables it to cover more vertical distance. It can travel a deceptively long distance, but can be intercepted quite easily in the air.

|usc1desc=Covers more vertical distance, but at the cost of horizontal distance. It deals less damage due to only hitting once (contrary to the in-game description saying it deals none), but its single hit launches opponents. If used immediately out of knockback, the move may not offer any vertical movement at all, drastically hindering Bowser's recovery. The move goes straight up on the ground.

|usc2desc=Covers more horizontal distance, but at the cost of vertical distance. It only hits once, deals less knockback, and has increased ending lag. Isn’t as effective in the air as on the ground.

|dsdefdmg=4% (hop), 20% (Ground Pound), 11% (landing)

|dsdefdesc=A {{s|mariowiki|Ground Pound}}. It deals immense vertical knockback to anyone hit and can KO under 100%, making it one of Bowser's most reliable KOing options. On the ground, Bowser performs a weak headbutt that drags opponents into the main attack. If performed in the air, Bowser performs the Ground Pound after a brief pause instead of leaping first. Emits a shockwave upon landing and will break full shields if all of its grounded hitboxes connect. It will almost certainly cause a [[self-destruct]] if used off-stage due to its ending lag, though it can grab ledges if Bowser directly faces one while falling, and starts the move at a full-hop height.

|dsc1dmg=4% (hop), 9% (Ground Pound), 9% (landing)

|dsc1desc=The Ground Pound emits a [[Windbox|gale]] instead of a shockwave at its impact, pushing away any opponents next to where Bowser lands instead of damaging them. It deals less overall damage and knockback. Bowser also leaps lower, but it covers more horizontal distance, making it useful for gimping opponents with poor recoveries, such as {{SSB4|Little Mac}} and {{SSB4|Captain Falcon}}.

|dsc2dmg=18% (Ground Pound), 13% (landing), 2% (shockwave)

|dsc2desc=The Ground Pound [[trip]]s any opponents standing near Bowser at its impact, although its high ending lag means it can still be punished by those who trip near Bowser. Bowser also leaps higher, covering more vertical distance, but at the cost of horizontal distance and its leaping hitbox.

|fsdesc=Transforms into [[Giga Bowser]], the final boss of ''Melee''{{'}}s Adventure Mode. Giga Bowser has total flinch resistance during his transformation. Instead of using the moves that Bowser gained in ''SSB4'', Giga Bowser reuses all of Bowser's moves and animations from ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'', complete with his smash attacks inflicting elemental [[effect]]s. The transformation lasts for 480 frames, but some of Giga Bowser's attacks are actually inferior to Bowser's attacks in terms of damage or knockback dealt, and the attacks are far less potent when compared to a Bowser who acquires a [[Super Mushroom]], or is made giant-sized by a [[Lightning Bolt]].

|desc=Emerges from a wall of flames.

|desc-up=Throws his head back and spins it in a circle while roaring and with steam billowing out of his mouth.

|desc-side=Leans forward and furiously snaps his jaws five times.

|desc-down=Bounces precariously on one leg, as if he were [[teetering]].}}

|desc-1=Sways his head around and back while exhaling steam from his mouth and pretending to roar.

|desc-2=Clenches his fists and bashes them together, then bends over slightly and pretends to roar.

{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1"

|-

|-

! scope="row"|Cheer

|[[File:Bowser Cheer English SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]]||[[File:Bowser Cheer Japanese SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]]||{{NTSC}} [[File:Bowser Cheer Spanish NTSC SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]] <br> {{PAL}} [[File:Bowser Cheer Spanish PAL SSB4.ogg|center]]

|-

! scope="row"|Description

|Bow - ser! || Koo - pa! *claps 3 times* || Boooow - ser!

|-

|-

! scope="row"|Cheer

|{{NTSC}} [[File:Bowser Cheer French NTSC SSB4.ogg|center]] <br> {{PAL}} [[File:Bowser Cheer French PAL SSB4.ogg|center]]||[[File:Bowser Cheer German SSB4.ogg|center]]||[[File:Bowser Cheer Italian SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]]

|}

|victory-desc=A rock-based remix of the Course Clear Fanfare used in ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario Bros.}}''

|desc-1=Takes a step forward while swiping his right hand's claws, then takes another step forward while swiping with his left hand's claws.

|desc-2=Leans forward and then rears back triumphantly.

|desc-3=Repeatedly spins around in his shell, similarly to his down smash, before emerging to strike a pose while grinning.

*{{Sm|Boozer|Australia}} - The best Bowser player in Australia. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Expand Gong 2}}, 5th at both {{Trn|DI Another Day 2}} and {{Trn|Battle Arena Melbourne 9}}, and 13th at both {{Trn|Battle Arena Melbourne 8}} and {{Trn|Battle Arena Melbourne 10}}. Ranked as high as 4th on the [[Australian Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Deluxemenu|USA}} - Placed 9th at both {{Trn|DreamHack Austin 2017}} and {{Trn|Low Tier City 5}}, 13th at {{Trn|Austin's Really Feeling It 16}}, 17th at {{Trn|Clutch City Clash 2}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|CEO 2017}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Zinoto}}, {{Sm|Javi}}, and {{Sm|Dark Wizzy}}.

*{{Sm|Greward|Spain}} - Co-mained Bowser alongside {{SSB4|Mega Man}}. Placed 2nd at {{Trn|Tech Republic 2}}, 3rd at {{Trn|Sonic Boom 2016: Summer Edition}}, and 9th at both {{Trn|Smash Valley}} and {{Trn|Syndicate 2016}}.

*{{Sm|Kisha|Japan}} - Co-mained Bowser alongside {{SSB4|Mega Man}} and is the best Bowser player in Japan. Placed 5th at {{Trn|Sumabato Tokaigi Qualifier}}, 7th at {{Trn|Sumabato 25}}, 9th at {{Trn|Umebura 28}}, and 17th at both {{Trn|Umebura S.A.T.}} and {{Trn|Umebura Japan Major 2017}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Ranai}}, {{Sm|Nietono}}, and {{Sm|ikep}}.

*{{Sm|LordMix|USA}} - One of the best Bowser players in the United States. Placed 4th at {{Trn|MomoCon 2016}}, 13th at {{Trn|Clutch City Clash}}, 25th at {{Trn|MomoCon 2017}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|DreamHack Atlanta 2017}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|VoiD}}, {{Sm|Fatality}}, and {{Sm|ScAtt}}. Ranked as high as 3rd on the [[Georgia Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Nairo|USA}} (#2) - Uses Bowser as a secondary alongside {{SSB4|Zero Suit Samus}} and is the best Bowser player in the world. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2017}}, 4th at {{Trn|UGC Smash Open}}, 5th at {{Trn|2GGT: ZeRo Saga}}, and 17th at {{Trn|GENESIS 4}}.

*{{Sm|Rizeasu|Japan}} (#68) - Uses Bowser alongside a variety of characters. Placed 2nd at {{Trn|Sumabato Tokaigi Qualifier 2}} and 9th at both {{Trn|Sumabato 12}} and {{Trn|Sumabato 17}}. Ranked as high as 20th on the [[JAPAN Power Rankings]].

In All-Star Mode, Bowser is fought in Stage 2 in the 3DS version or Stage 6 in the Wii U version alongside {{SSB4|Link}}, {{SSB4|Samus}}, {{SSB4|Peach}}, {{SSB4|Zelda}}, {{SSB4|R.O.B.}}, and {{SSB4|Duck Hunt}}.

==={{GameIcon|SSB4-U}}[[Event Match]]es===

*'''[[A Battle of Scale]]''': As a tiny {{SSB4|Olimar}}, the player must defeat a giant Bowser.

*'''[[All-Star Battle: Melee]]''': Bowser is one of the opponents fought in this event. All opponents debuted in ''Melee''.

*'''[[Family Ties]]''': As Bowser Jr., the player is aided by a giant Bowser and must defeat {{SSB4|Mario}} and {{SSB4|Luigi}}.

*'''{{SSB4|The Final Battle}}''': The player must defeat Bowser, Ganondorf and {{SSB4|King Dedede}}.

*'''[[The Original Heavyweights]]''': As Mario, the player must defeat Bowser and {{SSB4|Donkey Kong}}.

*'''[[A Lurking Menace]]''': Mario and Luigi must defeat Bowser Jr., but if the match lasts too long, they must also defeat a giant Bowser.

*'''[[A Royal Errand]]''': {{SSB4|Robin}} and {{SSB4|Marth}} must collect 500G from Bowser and {{SSB4|Wario}} in a [[Coin Battle]].

*'''[[Final Battle Team-Up]]''': Bowser appears as an opponent to be defeated.

*'''[[Peach in Peril]]''': Bowser and Bowser Jr. must defeat all opponents except Peach, where KOing her results in a failure.

*'''[[Solidarity]]''': Olimar and Rosalina & Luma must defeat Mario and Luigi, and then they must defeat Bowser and Bowser Jr.

SSB4-Wii U Congratulations Classic Bowser.png|Classic Mode

SSB4-Wii U Congratulations All-Star Bowser.png|All-Star Mode

==[[Trophies]]==

Bowser's default trophy is obtained by clearing Classic Mode as Bowser. His alternate trophy is obtained by clearing All-Star Mode as Bowser in the 3DS version or purchasing it in the Trophy Shop for 1000G in the Wii U version (the latter can only appear after clearing Classic or All-Star as Bowser). The Giga Bowser trophy is obtained only in the Wii U version by clearing All-Star Mode as Bowser.

{{Trophy/Fighter

|name=Bowser

|image-3ds=BowserTrophy3DS.png

|desc-3ds-ntsc=The archenemy of Mario and the reason Peach spends more time kidnapped than in her own castle. His plans aren't always the best, and occasionally he even finds himself on Mario's side. In Smash Bros., he's a serious heavyweight who laughs off weaker attacks. Hit him hard to send him flying!

|desc-wiiu-ntsc=Mario's archnemesis and the reason Peach spends more time in "another castle" than in her own. His plans almost never work out, and he occasionally even finds himself on Mario's side. In Smash Bros., he's a serious heavyweight who laughs off weaker attacks. You've gotta hit him hard to send him flying!

|desc-pal=Mario's princess-kidnapping arch-enemy. Yes, he's quite the villain, but he can also be a bit of a buffoon, too. And sometimes, he even ends up on Mario's side! As a serious heavyweight, he's tough to launch, and using standard attacks on him will only make him laugh. If you want to send him flying, make sure to whack him really hard!

|gamelist-ntsc={{Trophy games|console1=NES|game1=Super Mario Bros.|release1=10/1985|console2=N64|game2=Super Mario 64|release2=09/1996}}

|gamelist-pal={{Trophy games|console1=NES|game1=Super Mario Bros.|release1=05/1987|console2=N64|game2=Super Mario 64|release2=03/1997}}

}}

{{clrl}}

|name=Bowser (Alt.)

|image-3ds=BowserAltTrophy3DS.png

|image-wiiu=BowserAltTrophyWiiU.png

|mode=Alt

|desc-3ds-ntsc=Bowser makes good use of his heavy physique with his down special Bowser Bomb, slamming down with his bottom. If he's on the ground, he'll jump into the air before crashing down. Also, he can gain a bit of altitude if you press the special button repeatedly while executing Whirling Fortress, his up special.

|desc-wiiu-ntsc=Bowser makes good use of his heavy physique with his down special Bowser Bomb slamming down with his backside. If he's on the ground, he'll jump into the air before crashing down. Also, he can gain a bit of altitude if you press the special button repeatedly while executing his up special Whirling Fortress.

|desc-pal=Down special Bowser Bomb makes good use of Bowser's bulky physique to crush opponents. If you use it on the ground, he'll jump first, hitting anyone on the way up with his horns, then hit for a combo on the way down. When you use his Whirling Fortress up special in the air, press the button repeatedly to climb higher.

|gamelist-ntsc={{Trophy games|console1=NES|game1=Super Mario Bros.|release1=10/1985|console2=N64|game2=Super Mario 64|release2=09/1996}}

|gamelist-pal={{Trophy games|console1=NES|game1=Super Mario Bros.|release1=05/1987|console2=N64|game2=Super Mario 64|release2=03/1997}}

}}

{{clrl}}

 

{{Trophy/Fighter

|name=Giga Bowser

|image=GigaBowserTrophyWiiU.png

|desc-ntsc=Prepare to behold Bowser in all his Koopa glory. This fearsome form first appeared all the way back in Melee. While transformed, Bowser deals extra damage, is better at launching foes, and even gains special effects on some of his attacks. He won't flinch and can't be thrown, but he does still take damage.

|desc-pal=The definitive way to prove that Bowser's the king. This fearsome form made its debut all the way back in Melee. While transformed, Bowser deals more damage, launches foes further, and certain attacks have extra effects like freezing opponents. He won't flinch, and he can't be thrown either, but he will still take damage.

|game=ssb4-wiiu

}}

{{clrl}}

|colspan=8|[[File:Bowser Palette (SSB4).png|link=Palette swap (SSB4)#Bowser]]

BowserDropKick.jpg|Using his new forward smash on {{SSB4|Mario}}.

Bowser3DS.jpg|Using [[Flying Slam]] on {{SSB4|Link}} in {{for3ds}}.

BowserShieldSSB4.png|[[Shield]]ing against Mario's up smash.

WhirlingFortressSSB4.png|Using [[Whirling Fortress]] against {{SSB4|Fox}}'s [[Blaster (Fox)|Blaster]].

Flying Slam 3D.png|Using Flying Slam against Mario in {{for3ds}}.

Smash4 Bowser Flying Kick.jpg|Bowser and {{SSB4|Samus}} on [[Arena Ferox]].

Mario & Bowser Battlefield 3DS.jpg|Bowser and Mario on Battlefield.

Sonic kicks Bowser SSB4.jpg|Bowser being damaged by the last hit of {{SSB4|Sonic}}'s neutral attack.

Mario Pikachu Bowser Pit On Pilotwing.jpg|Bowser, Mario, {{SSB4|Pikachu}}, and {{SSB4|Pit}} fighting on [[Pilotwings]].

Mega Man Bowser Wii Fit.jpg|Bowser, {{SSB4|Mega Man}} and {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}} on [[Wii Fit]].

Fairy In Bottle.jpg|Using his down [[taunt]] alongside {{SSB4|Peach}} and a [[Fairy Bottle]].

Diddy SSB4 Overcharge Blast.jpg|Bowser being damaged by {{SSB4|Diddy Kong}}'s overcharged [[Peanut Popgun]].

*Although Bowser was the last [[veteran]] confirmed during the E3 2013 event, he was the first veteran to debut in ''Melee'' to be confirmed.

*Bowser is the only veteran in ''SSB4'' who has a new victory theme.

*Bowser's alt. trophy in {{forwiiu}} resembles his All-Star Mode trophy in ''Melee''.

*Bowser, {{SSB4|Dr. Mario}}, and {{SSB4|Lucina}} are the only characters who are not playable in a Solo Event unless selected.