Editing Bowser (SSBU)

'''Bowser''' ({{ja|クッパ|Kuppa}}, ''Koopa'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. He was suggested to appear in the then unnamed ''Ultimate'' in its first [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3Gt42kVgCw teaser trailer] at the end of the March 8th, 2018 [[Nintendo Direct]], and officially announced in ''Ultimate''{{'}}s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L93H7YC-83o E3 2018 trailer] As opposed to being a starter character like in previous ''Smash'' games, Bowser is now an unlockable character. Bowser is classified as fighter #14.

Bowser retains the realistic roar voice clips that he had in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', along with additional new, less bestial-sounding clips, instead of using his voice actor, Kenny James.

Bowser is considered to be the all-rounder of [[Weight|super heavyweights]]. He is the heaviest character in the game, and this is reflected by some of his attributes, which fit in the mold of his archetype: he has a slow [[walk]]ing speed (the 14th slowest in the game), very quick [[falling speed|falling]] and [[Fast-Falling|fast falling]] speeds (tied with {{SSBU|Bayonetta}} for the 18th fastest), slow [[air acceleration]], high [[gravity]], and immensely powerful attacks. However, Bowser sports otherwise excellent mobility, as his [[air speed]] is well above average (tied with {{SSBU|Sheik}}, {{SSBU|Duck Hunt}}, {{SSBU|Lucas}}, {{SSBU|Cloud}}, and {{SSBU|Mega Man}} as the 19th fastest in the game), his initial dash is extremely quick, and he also boasts a surprisingly fast [[dash]]ing speed (the 21st fastest in the game) that surpasses most of his fellow heavyweights, even outrunning {{SSBU|Marth}}, {{SSBU|Inkling}}, {{SSBU|Toon Link}} and {{SSBU|Pichu}}. Due to his above average dashing speed and initial dash, Bowser sports a respectable [[dash-dance]].

Bowser's most notable trait is his impressive endurance, being the best in the game alongside {{SSBU|King Dedede}} and {{SSBU|King K. Rool}}. His aforementioned massive weight and fast falling speed make him very difficult to launch and KO, while also letting him stay glued to the ground. Further bolstering this is damage-based percentage [[armor]] on the start-up of all his tilts and smash attacks, as well as limb [[intangibility]] during their active hitboxes. Unique to Bowser is an attribute called "[[Tough Guy]]," which is universal heavy armor that allows Bowser to withstand a handful of weak attacks, like rapid jabs and weak projectiles. This lets him tank and approach effectively while at low percents, and allows him to simply break through any rapid jab with a powerful attack, acting as a hard punish.

Another of Bowser's greatest strengths is the insane power his moveset provides. Almost all of his moves have KO potential, being most notable in his smash attacks, back aerial, [[Flying Slam]], and [[Bowser Bomb]]. His forward smash is the 2nd strongest in the game, with even the uncharged attack killing at around 60% from center-stage only. His up smash is fast despite its power, killing at around 75% uncharged and has [[invincibility]] on his entire shell and a hitbox on landing that provides safety, making it an excellent anti-air option. His down smash is fast for its power as well, being able to KO at 70% at the edge of Final Destination. Back aerial, thanks to its extremely high knockback growth, KOs at around 100% from center stage and as early as 60% by the ledge, and is very fast for an aerial of its caliber. It also autocancels in a short hop, making it a good coverage tool against the ledge. Flying Slam is the fastest command grab in the game, and it too has incredible power if it grabs an opponent, killing them at around 120%, and even earlier if he lands on a platform. Lastly, Bowser Bomb [[meteor smash]]es near the start of the move, which gives it huge edgeguarding potential at the ledge; otherwise, it still deals very high knockback, and will break even a full [[shield]] if all hits land. Some other notably powerful moves he has (although these are not quite as impressive as the aforementioned) are his forward and up tilts, as well as his up aerial, all of which are among the strongest of their type. Overall, the sheer strength of his moves grants him excellent kill power, among the best in the game, as well as a formidable edgeguarding game. With hard-hitting and relatively laggy moves like these, Bowser is not a character to string together long combos; rather, he usually just needs four or five good hits in order to score KOs.

Even some of Bowser’s attacks that have little KO potential still have utilities that make them useful. [[Down tilt]], despite dealing less knockback than his forward tilt, deals a good amount of damage for its speed, while still being able to 2-frame most recoveries. Neutral aerial does very high damage if all of its hits connect (although this is extremely difficult to accomplish), being the second most damaging aerial in the game, and using it to land lets it combo into many things, most notably his [[up tilt]] and [[forward aerial]]. At high percentages, its looping hits open up KO confirms, most notably into his back aerial. [[Fire Breath]] is Bowser's only projectile move, but it deals massive damage and shieldstun. It can also 2-frame punish if angled correctly, making it a good edgeguarding tool. [[Whirling Fortress]] is Bowser's primary recovery move; while it travels a below average vertical distance, the horizontal distance it travels is above average, and it has decent KO potential in the air. It is also tied with Flying Slam as Bowser's fastest attack, with its first hitbox coming out on frame 6, and this combined with its multi-hit nature makes it an effective "get-off-me" and [[out of shield]] option. As such, even in areas where Bowser cannot outright KO, his moveset is overall very well-rounded and versatile.

Bowser also has a noteworthy grab game. While his grabs are rather slow, they are among the longest reaching non-tether grabs in the game. His forward and back throws are among the strongest in the game and are thus viable kill moves. Up throw can set up combos at low percentages, and create 50/50 KO setups at high percentages. His down throw is one of the most damaging throws in the game and puts the opponent in an unfavorable position offstage, which allows Bowser to utilize his powerful kit to set up edgeguards. Lastly, his aforementioned Flying Slam move can be [[B-reverse]]d, allowing Bowser to bypass shields unexpectedly, even in midair.

However, despite Bowser's numerous strengths, he has noticeable flaws. One of his biggest issues is his inability to effectively break out of combos; due to his massive weight, large frame, and fast falling speed, opponents can easily combo him if he makes one small mistake. Compounded with his overall below-average frame data, this makes him easy to punish if his attacks are whiffed, shielded, or dodged. Tying into this is his poor defensive game: despite having armor on his grounded attacks and his signature Tough Guy heavy armor, he is still heavily susceptible to zoning and pressure, especially due to the faster, more offensive-based playstyle of ''Ultimate''. Furthermore, his [[roll]]s are short-distanced, and his [[tech]]s are slow and have low durations, which makes him very prone to tech-chasing. Whirling Fortress is Bowser's only consistently viable out-of-shield option, as other options can be punished.

Overall, Bowser is the epitome of a bait-and-punish character. To fully utilize his moveset, Bowser may have to rely on baits and pressure in order to gain the upper hand. Once he does, he can continue to dish out large amounts of damage in a short amount of time. However, if Bowser makes one wrong move, he can be easily zoned out and comboed by his opponent, leaving him with little to no options to break out of them.

Bowser has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in his transition from ''Smash 4'' to ''Ultimate''. Although some of his biggest strengths from the previous game has been toned down, he has nevertheless received much more improvements which drastically toned down his most severe weaknesses, and he also benefits from the new engine. As a result, Bowser has been greatly buffed overall.

Among Bowser's largest buffs are to those to his character attributes, his KO potential, and to his [[Flying Slam]]. Both Bowser's grounded and aerial mobility have improved (along with the rest of the cast), sporting a faster [[jumpsquat]] as well as faster [[dash]], [[air speed|air]] and [[falling speed]]s, improving his ground-to-air transitioning, which makes him now more adept at [[punish]]ing, while allowing him to land and escape juggles with less difficulty than before. He also received an increase on his defensive game through a higher amplification of heavy [[armor]] on his [[tilt attack|tilt]] and [[smash attack]]s, which tones down one of the issues his [[Tough Guy]] armor had in ''Smash 4'', and his higher [[weight]], which not only keeps his status as the heaviest character in the game, but also generally improves his [[Tough Guy]] armor in general. Despite his already high power and damage racking abilities, both have been improved even more in the transition (most notably on moves such as his tilt attacks, [[down throw]], [[Fire Breath]] and [[Whirling Fortress]]), which supplements his higher weight and improved adeptness at punishing. Finally, Flying Slam has significantly faster startup overall, now being on par with other characters' grabs such as {{SSBU|Mario}}, which heavily improves his options against shielding opponents.

Some of the universal gameplay changes have additionally benefitted Bowser. The universal reduction to [[landing lag]] has significantly improved Bowser's atrociously unsafe landing options, now having less trouble landing than ever before, which combines well with his fast falling speed and his streamlined jumpsquat. The ability to [[Run cancel|use any attack out of a run]] has also improved his ground game further, as it gives Bowser more reliable ways to punish the opponent due to his powerful, heavy armored tilt and smash attacks.

However, Bowser has also gained a few noteworthy nerfs, with the biggest of them being to his grab game. Like {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}, Bowser's main nerf is his infamous up throw; previously a fearsome combo starter with a myriad of followups and KO setups, it has lost its combo potential past mid-percentages due to its increased knockback and ending lag, which in turn removes its KO setups. Additionally, his pivot grab, infamous for its massive range in ''SSB4'', now has shorter range. Although Bowser's heavier weight and faster falling speed make him much more resilient, they now also render him even more susceptible to combos than ever before.

A few of the universal changes have also hampered Bowser. While the universally decreased landing lag makes him less trouble at landing, it has also allowed several characters to combo him with much more ease. The universal nerfing of grabs further compounds some of the hindrances his respectable grab game has received as well. The changes to [[air dodge]]s both help and hinder Bowser, as they make him slightly less susceptible to horizontal combos and general juggling since he can use one to escape, but they also make him more vulnerable to [[edgeguarding]]. Of note is that Bowser still retains some flaws from the previous game, like being heavily susceptible to general pressure, such as to combos (as he remains a big target), zoning (due to not having any reliable projectiles), juggling (as a few of his landing options remain slow and/or reactable) and tech-chasing (as his techs are still slow and short-distanced).

Overall, Bowser's new traits have given him more options and further enhanced his survivability and speed, and despite the removal of his infamous combo throw's KO setups, he has been generally compensated in terms of damage while keeping his incredible power mostly intact. These changes have made him an "all-rounder" of the game's super heavyweights, and have repurposed his playstyle from a "mighty glacier" with great mobility and grappler capabilities, to more of a "lightning bruiser" with all-around effective options for different situations. Thanks to this, despite remaining slightly rare in competitive play, Bowser has earned great tournament results thanks to players such as {{Sm|LeoN}}, who has taken sets off of many notable top players in tournament play. As a result, Bowser has retained his viability in ''Ultimate'', and is universally regarded as a lower-high/upper-mid tier character, in addition to being unanimously considered the best super heavyweight in the game.

Bowser has been slightly buffed by game updates so far. Update 2.0.0 made forward tilt and down smash better KO options. [[Whirling Fortress]] was made better in both 2.0.0 and 3.0.0, with the former update allowing the move to work better as a multi-hit and the latter making it better as a out of shield option, now not allowing opponents to tech the grounded version. 4.0.0 changed his down aerial to fit the universal changes made to [[stall-then-fall]]s, fixing its downward descent from stalling if the move is used out of hitstun.

*Bowser has universal [[armor]] against attacks with low knockback, known as [[Tough Guy]]. 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.

*Bowser can [[crawl]], but because it barely lowers his hurtboxes and doesn’t amplify Tough Guy, his crawl is practically useless.

|neutralname= 

|neutraldesc=Bowser performs a sumo-style palm strike, then a straight punch. Both hits of neutral attack have decent speed and deal decent damage in total. Bowser's arms each have [[intangibility]] (frames 7 and 8, and frames 9-11, respectively). Unlike most neutral attacks, Bowser's has enough knockback to become a reliable KO move at high percentages.

|ftiltname= 

|ftiltdesc=Bowser does a swung backhanded punch with his arm slightly bent. The punch may be angled up or down, but doing so does not affect damage or knockback.  Has damaged-based armor (frames 7-9) and intangibility on his arm (frames 10-14). The downward-angled version can very reliably 2-frame most recoveries, and can KO most characters at around 90%.

|utiltname= 

|utiltdesc=A 180-degree overhead arcing claw swipe. It comes with a wide range and average ending lag, allowing it to combo into itself at low percents. At slightly higher percents, it can combo into neutral air and back air. The attack will almost always send the opponent directly above Bowser. It also boasts a respectable amount of kill power, being one of the strongest up tilts in the game and KOing at around 120%. Has damage based armor (frames 8-10) and makes Bowser's arm intangible (frames 11-16). However, it has noticeable startup lag, coming out on frame 11.

|dtiltname= 

|dtiltdesc=Does an alternating pair of hooks. Both hits deal 15% in total, only slightly higher than the first hit's damage output in ''SSB4'', being 14%. Down tilt's second hit comes out five frames earlier, and gains the ability to trip opponents. It also grants damaged-based armor on the first hit (frames 7-9), and intangibility on his arms for both (frames 10-12, and 10-14, respectively). It can still hit many ledge hangs, although the first hit having set knockback can cause the second hit to whiff if a ledge hang is low enough.

|dashname= 

|dashdesc=A side kick, similar to Meta Knight's dash attack. Good for hitting prone or tumbling opponents and has high base knockback. However, its knockback scaling is poor, preventing it from killing under 200%, along with having high ending lag, making it very punishable.

|fsmashname= 

|fsmashdesc=A dropkick. Its outstanding damage output threatens shields, being able to inflict significant damage to them. When spaced properly, it can even hit opponents hanging on an edge or lingering just below it. It grants damaged-based armor (frames 17-21), and the clean hitboxes render Bowser's feet [[invincible]] (20-25), whereas its late hitboxes have anti-rebounding priority. It is tied with {{SSBU|Ganondorf}}'s forward smash as the second strongest in the game, as it can KO opponents at 63% from center stage. However, due to coming out on frame 22 and having 43 frames of ending lag, it's very punishable if whiffed or shielded.  

|usmashname= 

|usmashdesc=Hops to thrust his shell upwards while spinning. Deals the most damage to opponents who come into contact with Bowser's shell spikes, while other opponents get hit by the sourspots on his head and tail or the landing hitbox instead. The sweetspot KOs at around 80% uncharged, making it the strongest up smash in the game. Grants damaged-based armor (frames 11-15) and invincibility on his shell (frames 14-27), making it an excellent anti-air tool that is hard to compete with.

|dsmashname= 

|dsmashdesc=Does two grounded claw swipes, hitting opponents in front of him, then behind him, similarly to {{SSBU|Wolf}}'s down smash. Active on frame 12, making it Bowser’s fastest smash attack. Deals high knockback, with the front hit being slightly stronger than the back hit. Grants damaged-based armor (frames 5-11), but unlike his other smashes, it possesses no invincibility. It can hit many characters' ledge hangs and is useful for covering rolls, although it has extremely high ending lag, so it is punishable.

|nairname= 

|nairdesc=An aerial cartwheel. While its looping hits are hard to connect all, it is incredibly damaging for an aerial, and it can even open up KO confirms on landing, such as into forward aerial, back aerial, and up aerial. This makes it Bowser's best combo starter when landing with it, as even at low percentages it can combo into up tilt and up smash. It comes out on frame 8. However, the hits after the first don't connect very reliably due to their knockback scaling and the attack has poor range, with the hitboxes for each hit appearing on specific points on Bowser's hands and feet. It also has a noticeable landing lag (15 frames) and cannot autocancel in a short hop.

|fairname= 

|fairdesc=Swipes downward with one claw. It has fairly quick start-up (frame 11), a respectable damage output, can pseudo-wall of pain with [[Whirling Fortress]] as a finisher, and has great range, as it can even hit opponents below him. It can also auto-cancel in a short hop. Altogether, these traits make for, arguably, Bowser's most versatile aerial.

|bairname= 

|bairdesc=A dropkick. It is very powerful, one of the strongest of its type in the game, 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. It can [[auto-cancel]] in a short hop, making it somewhat safe when retreating. However, it incurs a respectable amount of landing lag (24 frames), making it risky to use when close to the ground. Active on frame 9.

|uairname= 

|uairdesc=An upwards arcing headbutt. Deals great knockback, enough to KO at around 100% near the upper blast line, thus being one of the strongest up aerials in the game. Grants intangibility to his head (frames 3-13), which, when combined with its quick startup (frame 9) and its power, makes it an effective juggling tool.

|dairname= 

|dairdesc=A [[stall-then-fall]] attack that involves Bowser retreating into his shell while turning upside-down, then propelling himself towards the ground while spinning on a vertical axis. The first few active frames being able to [[meteor smash]] opponents, in combination with the move's large hitbox and respectable diagonal knockback during the later active frames, making it a moderately effective [[edgeguarding]] tool. The move emits a small shockwave on both sides when Bowser lands, which makes the move slightly harder to punish. Should Bowser use the move while he's off stage, it is almost guaranteed to cause a [[self-destruct]]. Bowser will hover in the air for a brief period before the active frames begin, allowing this move to stall Bowser’s landing. Grants intangibility on his arms and legs in midair (frames 14-60) and upon landing (frames 1-27).

|grabname= 

|grabdesc=Reaches out. Bowser’s grab range is above average, especially for having non-tether grabs. However, his grabs are rather slow.

|pummelname= 

|pummeldesc=Headbutts the opponent.

|fthrowname= 

|fthrowdesc=Places the opponent in between his horns, then proceeds to slowly rear his head back and powerfully lunge it forward to launch the opponent. Not counting the back, up, or down variations of {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}'s forward throw, it is the strongest forward throw in the game, killing around 120% near the edge. However, it doesn't release until frame 36, which results in it taking longer to throw opponents than back throw, making it more susceptible to [[DI]].

|bthrowname= 

|bthrowdesc=Throws the opponent backwards in a sideways motion with one arm, akin to Donkey Kong's regular back throw. It has the exact same damage output and knockback values as his forward throw, which makes it a viable kill move around 120% near the edge. However, its throw hitbox is active on frame 19, enabling it to throw opponents earlier than forward throw, and thus making it more consistent and harder to DI.

|uthrowname= 

|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. He hops up on the final hit to launch the opponent upwards. Can combo into forward or up aerial at low percents. Furthermore, the latter becomes a 50/50 KO setup at high percentages.

|dthrowname= 

|dthrowdesc=Places the opponent on the ground and body slams them. Its high base knockback, low knockback scaling, and high ending lag prevent it from having any follow-ups. However, the very high damage and base knockback make it a good mix up and an option to send opponents offstage.

|edgedesc=Bowser slowly climbs up from the ledge and then swipes at the ground in front of him. It has by far the longest reach out of any edge attack.

|nsdesc=[[mariowiki:Fire Breath|Expels a stream of fire from his mouth]]. It gradually loses strength and range the longer it is used, but it will slowly regain its strength when not in use. It can be angled up or down, which can potentially gimp recovering opponents, although the flames at the very end of the stream do not cause [[flinch]]ing. It deals notoriously high damage; at close ranges it can potentially deal over 30% in a matter of seconds.

|ssdmg=18% (throw),<br>15% (collateral)

|ssdesc=Grabs an opponent jumps with them into the air and backflips before [[Wikipedia:Suplex#Belly-to-belly suplex|belly-to-belly suplexing]] them onto the ground, causing an aesthetic explosion. Bowser spins around dramatically during the descent. It does immense vertical knockback that can KO at 120%, making it a very viable kill move. Its power and launching angle also makes it difficult to properly DI, especially if the grabbed opponent 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]], although it is possible to recover if the opponent has a good vertical recovery. The ascent grants intangibility (frames 1-23), and can launch opponents significantly far when falling, although the explosion has no hitbox.

|usdesc=Withdraws into his shell and spins around rapidly. It starts up on frame 6 and is capable of moving forward or backward while doing so, which makes it an extremely effective [[out of shield]] option, launching opponents vertically and easily putting them into a disadvantage. In the air, it propels Bowser diagonally upwards. In the air, it travels a below average distance vertically but an above average distance horizontally. As such, it is a good horizontal recovery but a mediocre vertical one. It can also gain a small chunk of vertical distance via button mashing.

|dsdesc=A {{s|mariowiki|Ground Pound}}. It deals immense vertical knockback to anyone hit and can KO under 100%, making it one of Bowser's best and most powerful kill moves. On the ground, Bowser performs a weak headbutt that drags opponents into the main attack, which is impossible to avoid if hit by it. 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 is near one. The startup can meteor smash, although it is rather weak in knockback despite its high damage. It resembles the attack he uses during his boss fight in ''Super Mario Bros. 3''.

|fsdesc=Bowser transforms into [[Giga Bowser]] and teleports into the background, where he becomes impervious to attacks. Red crosshairs will appear on screen to indicate where Giga Bowser will aim his punch, which can be moved around with the control stick; the crosshairs also contains a depleting green gauge around their circumference to indicate how much time is left until the attack will activate automatically, though the attack can be activated manually before the gauge fully depletes. If the opponent's damage percent is 60% or greater before they are punched, they are instantaneously screen K.O.d.}}

*'''Side Taunt''': Leans forward and angrily chomps his jaws three times.

*Sways his head around and back while roaring and exhaling steam from his mouth.

*Clenches his fists and bashes them together, then bends over and roars.  

SSBUBowserIdle1.gif|Bowser's first idle pose

SSBUBowserIdle2.gif|Bowser's second idle pose

==In competitive play==

In the E3 demo build, Bowser was viewed very negatively much like in ''Melee'' and ''Brawl''. While he had much better mobility, it appeared that his KO power was significantly decreased, on top of that he completely lost his KO setups via up throw. Many players predicted that he would be non-viable, or at least weaker than his previous iteration.

Upon the game's initial release however, Bowser was immediately viewed as a viable character. This was because of his improvements to his KO power and mobility, the addition of super armor to his tilts and most of his smash attacks, as well as the universal changes to landing lag and jumpsquats that had toned down his greatest weakness. Unfortunately, players also took notice of the other super heavyweights, such as {{SSBU|Ganondorf}} and {{SSBU|King Dedede}}, who were thought to have received even more improvements than him. Bowser was generally considered to be an upper mid tier character, a very slight downturn from his low high tier placement in ''Smash 4''.

However, the overall perception of Bowser's viability has continuously improved as the metagame progressed. As players such as {{Sm|LeoN}}, {{Sm|King Koopa}}, {{Sm|DarkThunder}}, and {{Sm|Lunamado}} have achieved strong results from tournaments, Bowser's improvements were realized to be a lot more significant than it originally seemed. People noticed that most of Bowser's best strengths from ''Smash 4'' were not only maintained, but also improved. The sudden decline of other super heavyweights has also greatly benefited Bowser in the long run, due to the fact that he lacks most weaknesses that basically all of the other super heavyweights have that have drastically hampered their results and representation. As such, Bowser is almost universally considered to be both a high tier character and the best super heavyweight in the game, making him a popular choice across all levels of play.

===Notable players===

''Any number following the Smasher name indicates placement on the [[Fall 2019 PGRU]], which recognizes the official top 50 players in the world in [[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]] from July 13th, 2019 to December 15th, 2019.''

<!--If you are planning to add a player you consider to be notable, please provide tournament results in some shape or form in the edit summary (be it a link to a results thread or bracket of placing high in a tournament of other notable players or a video of them beating a notable player). Winning tournaments without notable players present is generally not enough to warrant a spot.-->

*{{Sm|DarkThunder|Germany}} - The best Bowser player in Europe. Notably won {{Trn|DreamHack Leipzig 2020}} where he defeated {{Sm|quiK}}, {{Sm|iStudying}}, and double eliminated {{Sm|Tarik}}. He also placed 1st at {{Trn|Calyptus Cup Fusion}}, 5th at {{Trn|Calyptus Cup Inkstrike}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Valhalla III}}. He has taken additional sets off of {{Sm|Light|p=Germany}}, {{Sm|Tru4}}, and {{Sm|Purple~H}}.

*{{Sm|Deluxemenu|USA}} - One of the best Bowser players in the United States. Placed 5th at {{Trn|Smashpoint}} and 7th at {{Trn|Standoff 2019}}, with wins over players such as {{Sm|Goblin}} and {{Sm|Pandarian}}.

*{{Sm|D.POLLO|Mexico}} - The second best Bowser player in Mexico. Placed 13th at {{Trn|ChillHouse}}, 17th at {{Trn|WeTecThose 9}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Smash Fest to the Sky}}. Has taken a set from {{Sm|Pollo|p=Monterrey}} in the Bowser [[mirror match]].

*{{Sm|King Koopa|USA}} - The best Bowser player in California and among the best in the United States. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Who's Your Pappy 16}} and 17th at {{Trn|Super Smashed Fest}}, {{Trn|2GG: Nightmare on Smashville}}, and {{Trn|GENESIS 7}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Cosmos}}, {{Sm|Myran}}, and {{Sm|Lui$}}. Currently ranked 5th on the [[NorCal Power Rankings#Super Smash Bros. Ultimate|NorCal Ultimate Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|LeoN|USA}} (#28) - The best Bowser player in the world. Placed 1st at {{Trn|2GG: Run it Back}}, 4th at 2GG: Nightmare on Smashville, 5th at {{Trn|Suplex City Smash}}, 9th at {{Trn|Smash 'N' Splash 5}} and {{Trn|Shine 2019}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Collision 2019}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Dabuz}}, {{Sm|Nairo}}, {{Sm|Light|p=Connecticut}}, {{Sm|Cosmos}}, {{Sm|Marss}}, {{Sm|Rivers}}, {{Sm|WaDi}}, and {{Sm|Tea}}.

*{{Sm|Lunamado|Japan}} - The best Bowser player in Japan. Placed 4th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 3}}, 5th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 5}}, 17th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 2}}, 25th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|Umebura Japan Major 2019}}. He has defeated {{Sm|Abadango}}.

*{{Sm|Mew2King|USA}} - Placed 9th at both {{Trn|Smash Ultimate Summit}} and {{Trn|Smashpoint}}, 33rd at both {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}} and {{Trn|Shine 2019}}, and 49th at {{Trn|EVO 2019}} using Bowser as one of his characters.

*{{Sm|NBD|Philippines}} - The best Bowser player in the Philippines. Placed 3rd at both {{Trn|Doriyah!}} and {{Trn|Smash That Ash}}, 7th at {{Trn|Gamebookr's Mid-Year Smash Tournament}}, and 9th at {{Trn|REV Major 2019}} as one one of his characters. Has defeated {{Sm|Regerets}} and {{Sm|BunnyC}} with Bowser.

*{{Sm|Pollo|p=Monterrey|Mexico}} -The best Bowser player in Mexico. Placed 4th at {{Trn|BIT MASTER MTY Round 4}}, 5th at {{Trn|Guerras Regias!}}, 7th at both {{Trn|BIT MASTER MTY 3rd IMPACT}} and {{Trn|BIT MASTER MTY 7}}, 9th at {{Trn|BIT MASTER MTY 5}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Best Taco}}, {{Sm|Daige}}, {{Sm|Ang}}, {{Sm|Nanon}}, and {{Sm|Hitman}}.

*{{Sm|Rafi|USA}} - Placed 7th at both {{Trn|SIEGE 2019}} and {{Trn|Get in the Game! 2020}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|2GG: SwitchFest 2019}}. Has wins over {{Sm|AlexDisC}}, {{Sm|ShiNe}}, and {{Sm|Leo D. Haki}}.

*{{Sm|ShiNe|USA}} - Has a strong Bowser secondary. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Taipei Major 2019}} and 97th at {{Trn|EVO Japan 2020}} as one of his characters.

*{{Sm|Them Bones|USA}} - One of the best Bowser players in the United States. Placed 13th at {{Trn|Overlords of Orlando: Ultimate Edition}} and 17th at {{Trn|Come to Papa 3}}. Has a win over {{Sm|Samsora}}.

 

*{{Sm|WiiASE|Norway}} - Placed 2nd at {{Trn|Vivaldi Spring 2019}}, 17th at {{Trn|Phoenix Blue 2}}, and 33rd at both {{Trn|Valhalla II}} and {{Trn|Albion 4}}. He has defeated players such as {{Sm|Lancelot}} and {{Sm|Greil}}. He has since dropped Bowser for {{SSBU|Terry}}.

Bowser's opponents are all wearing attire that is red, which is a reference to his mortal enemy (Mario) wearing red clothing. Bowser also fights [[Rathalos]] as the penultimate boss. The final battle is against [[Mario]], who transforms into [[Metal Mario]] upon defeat.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

|1||{{SSBU|Mii Brawler}} {{Head|Mii Brawler|g=SSBU|s=20px}} (×2), {{SSBU|Mii Gunner}} {{Head|Mii Gunner|g=SSBU|s=20px}} and {{SSBU|Mii Swordfighter}} {{Head|Mii Swordfighter|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Find Mii]]|||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|Airship Theme - Super Mario Bros. 3}}''||{{SSBU|Mii Fighter}} costume combinations:

*Mario's Cap and Builder Mario's Outfit

*Mario's Cap and Wild West Gear

*Mario's Cap and Ninja Suit

*Mario's Cap and [[Toad]] Outfit

|2||{{SSBU|Ken}} {{Head|Ken|g=SSBU|s=20px}}|||[[Suzaku Castle]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Street Fighter|Ken Stage}}''||

|3||{{SSBU|Samus}} {{Head|Samus|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Norfair]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Metroid|Brinstar (Melee)}}''||

|4||Giant {{SSBU|Charizard}} {{Head|Charizard|g=SSBU|s=20px}} and Giant {{SSBU|Incineroar}} {{Head|Incineroar|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Pokémon Stadium 2]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Pokémon|Victory Road - Pokémon Ruby / Pokémon Sapphire}}''||{{SSBU|Pokemon Trainer}} is absent from the battle.

|5||{{SSBU|Diddy Kong}} {{Head|Diddy Kong|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||{{SSB|Kongo Jungle}}||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Donkey Kong|Stickerbush Symphony}}''||

|6||[[Rathalos]]||Forest Hill||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Other|Roar/Rathalos}}''||

|Final||{{SSBU|Mario}} {{Head|Mario|g=SSBU|s=20px}}, then [[Metal Mario]] {{Head|Mario|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[New Donk City Hall]] ([[Ω form]])||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|Ground Theme (Band Performance) - Super Mario Bros.}}'' <small>(Against Mario)</small><br> ''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Smash Bros.|Metal Battle}}'' <small>(Against Metal Mario)</small>||Mario transforms into Metal Mario upon defeat.

During the opening cutscene, Bowser was present on the cliffside when [[Galeem]] unleashed his beams of light. Bowser attempted to fight back against the beams, using his Fire Breath alongside the {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} and his [[Pokémon]]. This effort ended up being fruitless, however, as Bowser was vaporized and placed under Galeem's imprisonment alongside the other fighters (except for {{SSBU|Kirby}}). Presumably, it was during this time that he ended up transformed into [[Giga Bowser]] and later dispatched to a molten castle to guard it. Eventually, several fighters fought Bowser in his Giga Bowser form and, upon defeating him, he joined the group.

Unlike most fighters, Bowser does not have a Fighter Battle and is simply unlocked after defeating Giga Bowser within the [[Molten Fortress]] in the Light Realm.

Bowser's Fighter Spirit can be obtained by completing [[Classic Mode]]. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 500 coins. Unlocking Bowser in World of Light allows the player to preview the first spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a Fighter Spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. Each Fighter Spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in ''Ultimate''.

Additionally, Bowser makes an appearance in various Primary and Support Spirits.

Bowser Fighter Spirit.png|7. '''''Bowser'''''

SPI-Bowser (Wedding).png|30. Bowser (Wedding)  

Dry Bowser (Spirit).png|63. Dry Bowser  

Paper Bowser Spirit.png|95. Paper Bowser  

Paper Bowser Sticker Spirit.png|96. Paper Bowser (Paper Mario: Sticker Star)  

Baby Bowser Spirit.png|301. Baby Bowser  

River Survival Spirit.png|1,301. River Survival  

==In Spirit battles==

|{{anchor|Bowser (Wedding)}}[[Bowser]] (Wedding)

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{anchor|Mechakoopa}}[[Mechakoopa]]

|•Tiny {{SSBU|Bowser}} {{Head|Bowser|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Yellow}} Team (×4)

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{anchor|Dry Bowser}}Dry [[Bowser]]

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|•Defense ↑<br>•[[Curry]]-Filled<br>•Hazard: Lava Floor

|•The floor is lava<br>•The enemy breathes fire after a little while<br>•The enemy has increased defense after a while

|{{anchor|Paper Bowser}}Paper Bowser

|•{{SSBU|Bowser}} {{Head|Bowser|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Orange}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|{{anchor|Moosh}}Moosh

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{anchor|Baby Bowser}}Baby Bowser

|•Giant {{SSBU|Bowser}} {{Head|Bowser|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Orange}}<br>•Tiny {{SSBU|Bowser}} {{Head|Bowser|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Orange}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeNeutral.png|20px|center|Neutral]]

|{{anchor|Blargg}}Blargg

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|{{anchor|Sandshrew}}Sandshrew

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|{{anchor|Kangaskhan}}Kangaskhan

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{anchor|Tauros}}Tauros

|[[File:SpiritTypeNeutral.png|20px|center|Neutral]]

|{{anchor|Heracross}}Heracross

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|[[Distant Planet]] ([[Battlefield form]])

|{{anchor|Groudon}}[[Groudon]]

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|{{anchor|Volcanion}}Volcanion

|•Giant {{SSBU|Bowser}} {{Head|Bowser|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{anchor|Pico}}{{s|fzerowiki|Pico}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{anchor|River Survival}}River Survival

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|•Survive until the timer runs out<br>•Bob-ombs will rain from the sky after a little while

|{{anchor|Lakitu & Spiny}}[[Lakitu and Spinies|Lakitu & Spiny]]

|•[[Bowser Jr. (SSBU)|Iggy]] {{Head|Bowser Jr.|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Iggy}}<br>•Tiny {{SSBU|Bowser}} {{Head|Bowser|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}} (×8)

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{anchor|Geno}}[[Geno]]

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|•Defeat the main fighter to win<br>•Timed battle<br>•The enemy's FS Meter charges quickly

|{{anchor|Turtle Bridge}}Turtle Bridge

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{anchor|Satoru}}Satoru

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Worthy Rival Battle}}

|

|{{anchor|Nibbles}}Nibbles

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Battle Start - Fossil Fighters: Frontier}}

|{{anchor|Olivia}}Olivia

|•{{SSBU|Pikachu}} {{Head|Pikachu|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=}}<br>•{{SSBU|Mario}} {{Head|Mario|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=}}<br>•Tiny {{SSBU|Bowser}} {{Head|Bowser|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|•The enemy has increased attack power when the enemy's at high damage<br>•The enemy has increased defense when the enemy's at high damage<br>•The enemy favors air attacks<br>''•Reinforcements will appear after an enemy is KO'd (*)''

===Character Showcase Video===

*In World of Light, Bowser is the only villain that is unlockable in the Light Realm. The others are unlocked in the Dark Realm, with the exception of {{SSBU|Dark Samus}}, who is unlocked in the Final Battle, though she is still affiliated with [[Dharkon]].

**{{SSBU|King Dedede}} is also a recurring antagonist in his game series that can be found on the Light Realm, making him and Bowser the only two recurring antagonists found under Galeem's control. Unlike Bowser, King Dedede is more of an anti-hero although Bowser is an anti-hero in some ''Mario'' spin off games like ''Super Paper Mario'' and ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story''.

*Bowser's Classic Mode is one of only three to feature a fight against a boss (in this case, Rathalos) outside of the boss round, the others being {{SSBU|Mega Man}} & {{SSBU|Hero}}, and one of the few whose boss round does not feature a designated boss, instead fighting characters who are otherwise playable (in this case, Mario and Metal Mario).