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:''For fighter info, see [[Bowser (SSBM)]] and [[Bowser (SSBB)]].''
{{ArticleIcons|melee=y|brawl=y|ssb4=y|ultimate=y}}
 
{{forfighter|SSBM=y|SSBB=y|SSB4=y|SSBU=y}}
{{redirect|King Koopa|the smasher originally known as King Koopa|Smasher:Gold}}
{{Infobox Character General
{{Infobox Character General
|name        = Bowser
|name        = Bowser
|image        = [[Image:BowserArtwork.png|250px|Bowser]]
|image        = [[File:Bowser.png|300px]]
|caption      = Official promotional image of Bowser.
|caption      = [[File:MarioSymbol.svg|50px|class=invert-dark]]
|universe    = ''[[Mario (universe)|Mario]]''
Official artwork of Bowser from ''{{s|mariowiki|Mario Party 10}}''.
|firstgame    = ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' (1985)
|firstgame    = ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' (1985)
|games        = ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee|SSBM]]''<br/>''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl|SSBB]]''
|games        = ''[[Melee]]''<br>''[[Brawl]]''<br>''[[SSB4]]''<br>''[[Ultimate]]''
|lastappearance = ''{{s|mariowiki| Mario & Luigi: Brothership}}'' (2024)
|console      = Nintendo Entertainment System
|console      = Nintendo Entertainment System
|gender      = Male
|gender      = Male
|homeworld    =  
|homeworld    = [[mariowiki:World 6 (Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island)|Koopa Kingdom]]<ref>'''Kamek's words''': "''You can, ah, will, aaah, never enter the Koopa Kingdom! I banish you to forever twinkle in the heavens, BE GONE!!''" - ''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island''</ref> (birthplace)<br>{{s|mariowiki|Bowser's Castle}} (surrogate home)
|hair        =
|species      = [[mariowiki:Koopa (species)|Koopa]]
|eyes        =  
|creator      = [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]
|height      =
|voice actor  = <!-- Do not add Eric Newsome or Kenneth W. James; he uses grumbles in ''Melee''-->
|weight      =  
|interwiki    = mariowiki
|creator      =  
|interwikiname= Super Mario Wiki
|artist      =  
|interwikipage= Bowser
|voiceactor  =  
|japanactor  =  
}}
}}
'''Bowser''' ('''Koopa'''; {{ja|クッパ}}, ''Kūpā'') is the main and most consistent series nemesis in the ''[[Mario (universe)|Super Mario]]'' video game empire. Since his debut in the world-famous ''Super Mario Bros.'' for NES as the arch-rival of main hero [[Mario]], Bowser is easily one of the most recognizable of all villain figures in the game industry. He has therefore appeared in the second and third games in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series as a playable fighter, and due to his size and strength, an alternative, powered-up and enlarged version of him called [[Giga Bowser]] also appears in ''Melee'' as a final boss figure in Adventure mode.
'''Bowser''' ({{ja|クッパ|Kuppa}}, ''Koopa'') is the King of the {{iw|mariowiki|Koopa|species}}s, and the supreme leader of {{s|mariowiki|Bowser's Minions}}. He is the main antagonist of the {{uv|Mario}} series. Since his debut in the world-famous ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' for the Nintendo Entertainment System as the archenemy of main hero [[Mario]], Bowser is easily one of the most recognizable of all villain figures in the video game industry. He has therefore appeared in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' in the ''{{b|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series as a playable fighter. A gargantuan, powered-up version of Bowser created specifically for ''Smash'', named [[Giga Bowser]], also appears in ''Melee'' as the final boss of [[Adventure Mode]], in ''Ultimate'' as one of the bosses of [[World of Light]], and as his [[Final Smash]] in ''Brawl'', ''SSB4'', and ''Ultimate''.
 
==Origin==
[[File:Bowser (Lost Levels).png|thumb|left|200px|Bowser, as he appears in ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels}}''. His appearance since this game (designed by Yoichi Kotabe) inspired his look in ''Melee.'']]
Bowser was introduced in the seminal ''Super Mario Bros.'' for the NES, with most of his traditional character traits introduced along with it: his storyline role as a comically monstrous villain who always goes out of his way to kidnap the Mushroom Kingdom's [[Princess Peach]], his gameplay role as a boss enemy for [[Mario]] to defeat, his [[Fire Breath|fire-breathing]] abilities, his immeasurable army of henchmen (such as the mushroom-like [[Goomba]]s and turtle-like [[Koopa Troopa]]s), and so on.
 
''Super Mario Bros.'' holds the Guinness World Record for best-selling video game at 40 million copies, essentially guaranteeing worldwide fame for all characters who appeared in the game, Bowser included. He has appeared in some form in almost every ''Mario'' game to date, along with additional members of his "family": his only child, [[Bowser Jr.]], and his subordinates, the seven [[Koopalings]]. He also has a helper named [[Kamek]], who has raised him since birth and serves as his mentor and father figure.


==Character description==
Bowser is a heavyset and chimeric reptilian creature who combines traits of various real and mythological animals. Like his Koopa Troopa underlings, he features elements of a turtle or tortoise (albeit with qualities of dragons or dinosaurs) with his spike-covered shell and tail. However, Bowser deviates from most Koopa variants by having a distinctively-constructed face that features a muzzle filled with sharp teeth, ox-like horns, and red hair arranged like a mohawk. Despite his monstrous and chimeric appearance, Bowser and the Koopas are ultimately viewed as a diverse group of turtles.
Bowser was introduced in the seminal ''Super Mario Bros.'' for NES, with most of his traditional character traits introduced along with it: his storyline role as a comically monstrous villain who always goes out of his way to kidnap the Mushroom Kingdom princess, [[Peach]] Toadstool, his gameplay role as a boss enemy for [[Mario]] to defeat, his fire-breathing abilities, his immeasurable army of henchmen such as mushroom-headed [[Goomba]]s and turtle-like [[Koopa Troopa]]s, and so on. ''Super Mario Bros.'' holds the Guinness World Record for best-selling video game, at 40 million copies, essentially guaranteeing worldwide fame for all characters who appeared in the game, Bowser included. He has appeared in some form in almost every ''Mario'' game to date, along with more members of his "family", mainly his son, Bowser Jr. (and possibly the seven "Koopalings" who may or may not be his children as well).


Like Bowser's Koopa Troopa underlings, he features elements of a tortoise, albeit a giant mutant tortoise with qualities of a fire-breathing dragon, with his shell and tail covered with spikes and a pair of almost demonic-looking horns, as well as a very distinctively-constructed face and red hair arranged like a mohawk, both very unlike a typical Koopa Troopa. Bowser, at times, is depicted in vastly different sizes, somewhat resembling Mario's tendency to grow or shrink in size during games starring him; he's a colossus in his appearance as the final boss of ''Super Mario Sunshine'', while in other appearances he is only slightly larger than the average person. The fact that Bowser has offspring would suggest he had a wife at some point, but this character has never been seen or referred to in the series. The UK version of Nintendo Power magazine has stated that Bowser's wife is named Clawdia, however.
At times, Bowser is depicted in vastly different sizes, somewhat resembling Mario's tendency to grow or shrink in size during games starring him; he is a colossus in his appearance as the final boss of ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario Sunshine}}'', while in other appearances, he is only slightly larger than the average person. Generally, his size is reduced for spin-off titles, and increased for games where his role as a major antagonist is emphasized.


Bowser is the primary villain in many ''Super Mario''-themed platformers, and therefore usually not a playable character. Bowser has appeared as a playable character, however, in a large percentage of ''Mario'' games nonetheless, such as in the long-running ''Mario Party'' series. Whereas Mario is consistently the most balanced character in the character line-up of any competitive ''Mario''-themed game, Bowser traditionally fits the "big, slow, and strong character" archetype to the extreme in any game he is playable. In the various ''Mario''-themed sports games, for example, Bowser performs relevant actions more powerfully than others but more slowly as well, while in the ''Mario Kart'' games, Bowser as a selectable racer features the heaviest weight and the highest top speed of the racers, but who is offset by low acceleration and handling talent. This archetype is faithfully preserved in Bowser's appearance as a playable fighter in both ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' and ''Brawl''.
Bowser is the primary villain in many ''Mario'' platformers, and therefore he is usually not playable. Bowser has appeared as a playable character, however, in several ''Mario'' spinoffs nonetheless, such as in the ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario Kart|series}}'' series. Whereas Mario is consistently the most balanced character in the roster of any competitive ''Mario'' spin-off, Bowser traditionally fits the "big, slow, and strong" archetype to the extreme. In these games, Bowser is typically classified as a "power" type, who performs relevant actions with more strength but less speed than others. This archetype is faithfully preserved in Bowser's appearance as a playable fighter in both ''Melee'' and ''Brawl''.


Since ''Super Mario'' games typically do not feature epic and emotionally involved storylines and character development like an RPG, opting for more straightforward, cheery, and colorful atmospheres whose starring characters are essentially meant to represent gaming personalities more than anything else, Bowser has not had much change in personality and role over the years: he is consistently shown to be brutish, oafish, and sarcastically witty at times, and a "traditional" ''Super Mario'' game plot is usually some variation of him kidnapping princess Peach within one of his lava and trap-filled castles and Mario coming to save her from his clutches. It is indicated by several games that this is because Bowser may have genuine feelings for Peach. Bowser is generally a threat to Mario in games that place him in the role of a boss, though more often than not he is more of a bumbling and comical character when trying to come across as "evil". There are ''Super Mario'' games, particularly the RPGs, that feature stories that showcase other ''Super Mario'' master villains who prove more of a legitimate threat to Mario and the land than Bowser can ever hope to achieve; Bowser grows very jealous whenever that happens, so in several of the RPGs Bowser reluctantly allows himself to work ''with'' Mario and friends to battle that villain.
In contrast, Bowser's actual agility greatly varies in each of his appearances; as another example, Bowser features the highest top speed and heaviest weight of the racers in the ''Mario Kart'' games, offset by low acceleration and handling abilities. This aspect of his character is more represented in ''SSB4'' and ''Ultimate'', which feature him with a more active and athletic moveset.


Bowser remains a "regular" in the ''Super Mario'' empire of video games, though he only really held the image of a consistently threatening menace in his early game appearances. Nowadays, when he is not on seemingly equal grounds with the other ''Super Mario'' characters in competitive games like sports and kart racing or even helpful to the characters in RPG roles, he is an antagonist who is depicted as bumbling, comical, and almost slightly incompetent, but he works hard to come across as "bad" and supposedly has been doing so from a young age as [[Baby Bowser]] (which is different from Bowser Jr., his son, though they look so similar their names are often confused). Compared to a supreme dark lord character like [[Ganondorf]], Bowser comes across as merely hulking and pompous character whose heart is partially in the right place at times.
Bowser remains part of the regular cast in the ''Super Mario'' series of video games, though his level of menace has fluctuated throughout his various game appearances. In many spinoffs, Bowser is on seemingly good terms with the other ''Mario'' characters in competitive scenarios like sports and kart racing, and has even allied himself with the protagonists of some games (albeit typically to serve his own purposes). In particular, some of the RPG titles feature Bowser as a playable party member, to the point of being a central protagonist in ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story}}''. When in antagonistic roles, Bowser has occasionally been depicted as bumbling, comical, and slightly incompetent. He works hard to come across as "bad" in spite of this, and has been doing so [[mariowiki:Baby Bowser|from a young age]], as seen in the ''{{iw|mariowiki|Yoshi's Island|series}}'' series.


Most current ''Mario'' games return Bowser to his previous status of a legitimate threat, as can be seen in the transition from ''Super Mario Sunshine'' to ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario Galaxy}}'', and his character development throughout the ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario & Luigi|series}}'' RPG subseries. In these appearances, the Koopa King is more cunning and sinister than his brutish appearance would suggest, but still boisterous and somewhat whimsical. In ''{{s|mariowiki|The Super Mario Bros. Movie}}'', Bowser is portrayed as somewhat of a middle ground between these two personalities, being able to take down entire kingdoms and nearly incapacitate Mario, but having a comically-portrayed motivation of relentless romantic pursuit. Additionally, ever since the introduction of Bowser Jr. in ''Sunshine'', one of Bowser's defining traits has been his love and support for his son (regardless of how evil or competent either of them may be).


==In ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''==
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''==
Bowser does not appear in the original ''Super Smash Bros.'' in any way. However, according to [[Masahiro Sakurai]] on ''[[Smabura-Ken]]'' (the Japanese ''Super Smash Bros.'' site), Bowser was planned to be included as a playable character, before being cut for space/time constraints.<ref>https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/PostReturn075.html</ref><ref name=smash2poll>http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/PostResult2.html</ref> [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] even listed Bowser among the playable characters in a ''Nintendo Power Source'' interview in 1998, during development of the game.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20071005172351/http://www.miyamotoshrine.com/theman/interviews/111998.shtml November 19, 1998 ''Nintendo Power Source'' interview - Miyamoto Shrine: Shigeru Miyamoto's Home on The Web]</ref> In the end, Bowser would end up being completely scrapped.<ref>[https://sourcegaming.info/2016/04/29/duflupdate/ The Definitive List of Unused Fighters in Smash - Source Gaming]</ref> This was mostly a result of the Nintendo 64's hardware limitations, as well as time constraints.{{fact}}
 
In an official poll held on ''[[Smabura-Ken]]'' regarding characters for a potential sequel, Bowser placed first with 169 votes.<ref name=smash2poll/>
 
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''==
===As a playable character===
===As a playable character===
:''Main article: [[Bowser (SSBM)]]''
{{Main|Bowser (SSBM)}}
[[Image:Bowsermelee.jpg|150px|right|thumb|A Japanese image of Bowser, as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''.]]Bowser makes his ''Smash'' series debut as a default playable character in the GameCube installment, and is billed as staying true to his archetype in normal competitive ''Mario'' games: the heftiest and strongest character, but also the most sluggish. He is actually one of two characters that can be said to best fit this role, the other being [[Ganondorf]].
[[File:Bowser SSBM.jpg|150px|thumb|A Japanese image of Bowser, as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''.]]
Bowser makes his ''Smash Bros.'' series debut as a default playable character in the [[Nintendo GameCube|GameCube]] entry, and is depicted as staying true to his archetype in normal competitive ''Mario'' games: he is among the heaviest and strongest characters in the game, but also among the most sluggish. Like Mario and Luigi, his appearance is based on his appearance in Nintendo 64-era artwork, such as ''Mario Party'', except he has a noticeably more muscular frame and darker skin tones.


Bowser's B move is the [[Fire Breath]], which is a continuous stream of fire breathed from his mouth into the area in front of him for up to several seconds until it weakens in power and size. His B-forward move, the [[Koopa Klaw]], can be a good-range claw swipe attack, but can also grab onto enemies that are very close to him, and the move has the unique ability to grab onto enemies when both combatants are in midair. His B-up move, the [[Whirling Fortress]], is a third jump consisting of him withdrawing into his damaging spiked shell which is now spinning wildly upwards, and his B-Down move, the [[Bowser Bomb]], causes a midair Bowser to crash down to earth vertically with great force. If Bowser is on the ground when doing this, he will leap up a shortways in front of him diagonally before performing the crashing down maneuver.
Bowser's [[neutral special move]] is [[Fire Breath]], a continuous stream of fire breathed from his mouth into the area in front of him for several seconds until it weakens in power and size. His [[side special move]], the [[Koopa Klaw]], can be a good-range claw swipe attack, but can also grab onto enemies that are very close to him, and the move has the unique ability to grab onto enemies when both fighters are in midair. His [[up special move]], the [[Whirling Fortress]], is a [[third jump]] consisting of him withdrawing into his damaging spiked shell which is now spinning wildly upwards, and his [[down special move]], the [[Bowser Bomb]], causes a midair Bowser to crash down to earth vertically with great force. If Bowser is on the ground when doing this, he will leap up and in front of him diagonally before performing the crashing down maneuver.


Bowser's setup does not translate well in the fast-action world of ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''. His powerful, damaging attacks with good range are good only when it manages to connect with opponents, for they have long wind-up and wind-down, and such a lack of alacrity seriously harms any fighter's ability to fight. His dash speed is slow, his jumping and landing animations are very slow, and his [[wavedash]] is very slow and nearly useless. He is also not able to combo opponents, and his great size makes himself perhaps the easiest opponent to land combos on. Bowser players must therefore be able to read their opponents extremely well and must successfully pressure their opponents in battle, and make use of his good edge-guarding game, to have a chance at competitive play, though even an expert Bowser player will be severely disadvantaged against an expert [[Fox]] player.
Bowser's archetype does not translate well in the fast-paced metagame in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''. His powerful, damaging attacks with average range are good only when it manages to connect with opponents, for they have large amounts of startup and endlag, and such flaws detriments his combat capabilities. His dash speed is slow, his jumping and landing animations are very laggy, and his [[wavedash]] is very slow and nearly useless. He is also not able to reliably combo opponents, and his great size renders him combo fodder against the vast majority of the cast. Bowser players must therefore be able to read their opponents extremely well and must successfully pressure their opponents in battle, and make use of his good edge-guarding game, to even have a chance at competitive play, though even an expert Bowser player will be severely disadvantaged against a regular {{SSBM|Fox}} player. As a result, his humongous deficiencies have resulted in him placing 26th out of 26 characters in the F tier at the very bottom of the tier list.


===In Single-player===
===Trophies===
Bowser appears as the general "final boss" of the Adventure mode, and he will be slightly larger, heavier, and stronger than normal. If you defeat him, the Adventure Mode would normally be complete, but if you defeat him on Normal difficulty or harder on with the elapsed time under 18 minutes, the [[Giga Bowser]] fight will initiate.
{{main|List of SSBM trophies (Super Mario Bros. series)}}
Bowser also makes several appearances in the Event matches:
Bowser is a playable character, so he is featured on three trophies that can be obtained by beating each Regular Match with him on any difficulty. His first trophy is earned by defeating the Classic mode as him on any difficulty, his second from the Adventure mode, and his third from the All-Star mode. There is also a trophy of Bowser at a younger age, "Baby Bowser", who is often confused with his son [[Bowser Jr.]]
*'''[[Event 1: Trouble King]]''': Bowser is the first opponent of the Event mode. You play as Mario, and Mario and Bowser have 2 stock each in an untimed match on the [[Special Stages: Battlefield]] stage. KO Bowser twice to win, which is an easy objective because Bowser is lighter than usual and has less competent AI.
 
*'''[[Event 10: All-Star Match 1]]''': Bowser is the last of five opponents you must fight in this series of staged battles. Your character battles him on the [[Mushroom Kingdom: Rainbow Cruise|Rainbow Cruise]] stage, and your character has 2 stock while Bowser has 1. With a timer of four minutes, you must defeat him and the other four characters one-by-one with the overall time and life you have: [[Mario]], [[Donkey Kong]], [[Yoshi]], and [[Peach]] beforehand.
Bowser's Classic trophy plays a large, symbolic role in ''Melee''{{'}}s "[[Adventure Mode|story]]", so to speak; the trophy is shown near the end of the opening FMV, getting struck by lightning. At the end of Adventure mode, after K.O.ing Bowser, the trophy is seen plummeting into the darkness. If the right conditions are fulfilled, however, the trophy will rise back up onto the stage, land, and get struck by that special lightning, which will cause it to break apart and reveal [[Giga Bowser]] breaking out of it, and the Giga Bowser battle begins. If Giga Bowser is defeated, the trophy will be seen plummeting into the darkness again, where it will now shatter like a little firework, signifying the player's ultimate victory.
*'''[[Event 17: Bounty Hunters]]''': In this original scenario, you play as [[Samus]] teamed up with [[Captain Falcon]] (with Friendly Fire turned off), and your shared opponent is Bowser on the [[DK Island: Jungle Japes|Jungle Japes]] stage. With everyone receiving one stock and 2:00 as the time limit, your aim is to be the one to K.O. Bowser; you fail if Captain Falcon delivers the finishing blow.
 
*'''[[Event 19: Peach's Peril]]''': A scenario designed in homage to the standard plot of traditional ''Super Mario'' games of Bowser being after Peach and Mario saving her. You play as [[Mario]] teamed with [[Peach]] whose AI is set on walking to each end of the stage aimlessly, and you each have 1 stock while the enemy Bowser has infinite stock. Bowser is especially strong and durable in this match, and he will attack either of you in the area on the [[Special Stages: Final Destination|Final Destination]] stage. The objective is to last a full minute with both Mario and Peach surviving by the end, and high score is determined by how many times Mario can K.O. Bowser.
{{Trophy
*'''[[Event 25: Gargantuans]]''': A scenario designed in homage to old, campy monster movies like Godzilla and King Kong: On the [[Eagleland: Fourside|Fourside]] stage with unlimited time, you play as a giant-sized Bowser (as "Godzilla") with 1 stock against a giant-sized [[Donkey Kong]] (as "King Kong'') with two stock. Two other characters on the match are a tiny [[Mario]] and a tiny [[Peach]], who will be K.O.'d within seconds of the battle between the two main monsters.
|name=Bowser
*'''[[Event 42: Trouble King 2]]''': This tough event takes place in [[Kanto Skies: Poke Floats|Poké Floats]]. You control Luigi against a giant Bowser in an untimed match where the two of you have a stock of two each.
|image=Bowser Trophy Melee.png
|mode=Classic
|desc=Bowser has a long history of kidnapping Princess Peach to lure his nemesis, Mario, into traps. He leads an enormous group of mischievous creatures, not the least of which are his seven children. With outrageous strength, flammable breath, and more spikes than you can shake a Star Rod at, Bowser is a constant threat.
|gamelist={{Trophy games|game1=Super Mario Bros.|release1=10/85}}
|game=Melee
}}
{{clrl}}
 
{{Trophy
|name=Bowser
|image=Bowser Trophy (Smash).png
|mode=Adventure
|desc=In many ways, Bowser is the toughest character around. Not only does he have near-impervious hide, but his great mass makes him almost impossible to hurl offscreen. Of course, his weight also makes him rather slow to maneuver, so when facing him in battle, it's best to press your attack and not give him a chance to counter.
|gamelist=:B: Fire Breath
:Smash B: Koopa Klaw
|game=Melee
}}
{{clrl}}
 
{{Trophy
|name=Bowser
|image=Bowser Trophy (Smash 2).png
|mode=All Star
|desc=Bowser's Fire Breath strikes continually, but it grows gradually smaller over time until it's barely smoldering. The Koopa Klaw rakes enemies at a distance and pulls nearby foes in close for a good gnawing. Bowser's Whirling Fortress moves laterally over the ground; it works in midair as a recovery. The Bowser Bomb is powerful and paves the way for more attacks.
|gamelist=:Up & B: Whirling Fortress
:Down & B: Bowser Bomb
|game=Melee
}}
{{clrl}}
 
{{Trophy
|name=Baby Bowser
|image=Baby Bowser Trophy Melee.png
|desc=Even as a youngster, Baby Bowser was already playing pranks and causing trouble for Baby Mario and his pal Yoshi. Even at this early age of his evil career, Baby Bowser had tons of henchmen at his disposal. Many experts speculate that Mario and Bowser have some sort of connection that can be traced back to their mutual births.
|gamelist={{Trophy games|game1=Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island|release1=10/95}}
|game=Melee
}}
{{clrl}}
 
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
===As a playable character===
{{Main|Bowser (SSBB)}}
[[File:Bowser SSBB.jpg|200px|thumb|Bowser, as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.]]
Bowser is another returning playable character in ''Brawl'', but with an updated look with more realistic textures, though with a design more akin to the ''Mario'' series rather than his more muscular appearance in ''Melee''. All but one of his special moves from ''Melee'' return in ''Brawl''-- his side special move, Koopa Klaw, has been replaced with a new move called [[Flying Slam]]. His appearance is based on his current appearance in the later ''Mario'' games, starting with ''Luigi's Mansion'' and ''Super Mario Sunshine''. As [[Masahiro Sakurai]] previously mentioned on the [http://www.smashbros.com''Smash Bros. DOJO!!'' website], Bowser now comes in a "slightly different flavor this time around", like all the other characters; this can be taken as indication of Sakurai's claim that ''Brawl'' was designed with balance in mind.
 
Bowser's moveset and running speed are slightly faster than in ''Melee''. His forward smash now has a chance to hit twice, once for the head, and again for his body, doing anywhere from 36 to 48 percent damage, and being by far the most damaging smash attack in the game. While he has been [[buff]]ed from ''Melee'', Bowser still retains a multitude of gaping flaws, rendering him to still be a bottom-tier character with meager tournament results in ''Brawl'', ranking 33rd on the current [[tier list]].


===Trophies===
===Trophies===
Bowser is a playable character, so he is featured on three trophies that can be acquired by beating each Regular Match with him on any difficulty. His first trophy is earned by defeating the Classic mode as him on any difficulty, his second from the Adventure mode, and his third from the All-Star mode.
{{main|List of SSBB trophies (Super Mario Bros. series)}}
 
{{Trophy
|name=Bowser
|image=Bowser - Brawl Trophy.png
|desc-ntsc=The king of the Koopas and Mario's eternal rival. He breathes fire, hurls hammers, attacks from vehicles like the Koopa Clown Car, and uses all sorts of weapons in hopes of taking out Mario. As his size suggests, he's immensely powerful. His son Bowser Jr. is a chip off the old block who spends his time creating trouble for Mario.
|desc-pal=The king of the Koopas and Mario's eternal rival. He breathes fire, hurls hammers, attacks from vehicles like the Koopa Clown Car, and uses all sorts of weapons in the hope of taking out Mario. As his size suggests, he's immensely powerful. His son Bowser Jr. is a chip off the old block who spends his time creating trouble for Mario.
|gamelist={{Trophy games|console1=NES|game1=Super Mario Bros.|console2=GCN|game2=Super Mario Sunshine}}
|game=Brawl
}}
{{clrl}}
 
{{Trophy
|name=[[mariowiki:Paper_Mario_(series)#Bowser|Paper Bowser]]
|image=Paper Bowser - Brawl Trophy.png
|desc=The great king of the Koopas who plots to rule the land with a firm fist. In a change of events, Bowser goes from being Mario's rival to adventuring side by side with him. Bowser's special skill is breathing fire and he has nearly twice the attack power of Mario or Peach, which allows him to take out foes from a distance or multiple enemies with a single blow.
|gamelist={{Trophy games|console1=Wii|game1=Super Paper Mario}}
|game=Brawl
}}
{{clrl}}
 
{{Trophy
|name=[[mariowiki:Super Paper Mario#Story|Wedding Bowser]]
|image=Wedding Bowser - Brawl Trophy.png
|desc=The great Koopa king in a sharp, white tuxedo. Bowser is forced into marriage with Princess Peach by Count Bleck, who plots to wipe out the universe with the {{iw|mariowiki|Chaos Heart}}. Although it's all part of Count Bleck's plan, Bowser doesn't seem to be displeased with the prospect. This might just be the last time we ever see Bowser in a tuxedo.
|gamelist={{Trophy games|console1=Wii|game1=Super Paper Mario}}
|game=Brawl
}}
{{clrl}}
 
===Stickers===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Name
! Game
! Effect
! Fighter(s)
|-
| {{s|mariowiki|Bowser}}
| ''{{s|mariowiki|Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix}}''
| {{SortKey|AttackThrowing+020}}{{TypeIcon|Throwing}} Attack +20
| {{StickerHead|Mario|Yoshi|Luigi|Bowser|Peach}}
|-
| {{s|mariowiki|Bowser}}
| ''{{s|mariowiki|Mario Kart 64}}''
| {{SortKey|AttackWeapon+013}}{{TypeIcon|Weapon}} Attack +13
| {{StickerHead|Mario|Yoshi|Luigi|Bowser|Peach}}
|-
| {{s|mariowiki|Bowser}}
| ''{{s|mariowiki|Mario Power Tennis}}''
| {{SortKey|AttackDarkness+021}}{{EffectIcon|Darkness}} Attack +21
| {{SortKey|Ganondorf}}{{Head|Ganondorf|g=SSBB|s=16px}}
|-
| {{s|mariowiki|Bowser}}
| ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Paper Mario}}''
| {{SortKey|AttackArm+023}}{{TypeIcon|Hand|l=Arm}} Attack +23
| {{StickerHead|Mario|Yoshi|Luigi|Bowser|Peach}}
|-
| Super Mario Bros.
| [[Super Mario Bros.]]
| {{SortKey|AttackArmLeg+015}}{{TypeIcon|Hand|l=Arm}}{{TypeIcon|Foot|l=Leg}} Attack +15
| {{StickerHead|Mario|Yoshi|Luigi|Bowser|Peach}}
|}
{{StickerPicBox|Bowser|DDR: Mario Mix}}
{{StickerPicBox|Bowser|Mario Kart 64}}
{{StickerPicBox|Bowser|Mario Power Tennis}}
{{StickerPicBox|Bowser|Super Paper Mario}}
{{StickerPicBox|Super Mario Bros.}}
 
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
===As a playable character===
{{Main|Bowser (SSB4)}}
[[File:Bowser SSB4.png|thumb|Bowser as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''.]]
Bowser returns as a playable character in ''SSB4'', with a more upright posture and increased mobility. Like Mario, Luigi and Peach, his design is based on his appearance from recent ''Mario'' games, such as ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario 3D Land}}'' and ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario 3D World}}''.
 
Bowser ranks 24th out of 54 characters on the [[tier list]]. He has been considerably buffed from ''Brawl'' to ''Smash 4'', having been granted increased speed and faster attacks. The general changes to ''Smash 4'' improve Bowser further, as he no longer has to contend with the likes of [[chain-grab]]bing, and the new [[rage]] mechanic brings more benefit to his great survivability. Unfortunately, he still suffers from combos and a lack of defensive options, courtesy of his large size and high weight. Such benefits resulted in him having stronger tournament presence and a larger playerbase.
{{clr}}
 
===Trophies===
{{main|List of SSB4 trophies (Super Mario Bros. series)}}
 
{{Trophy
|name=Bowser
|image-3ds=BowserTrophy3DS.png
|image-wiiu=BowserTrophyWiiU.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}}
 
{{Trophy
|name=Bowser (Alt.)
|image-3ds=BowserAltTrophy3DS.png
|image-wiiu=BowserAltTrophyWiiU.png
|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
|name=[[mariowiki:Bowser#Mario Kart series|Bowser]] + {{iw|mariowiki|Standard Kart}}
|image=StandardBowserTrophy3DS.png
|desc-ntsc=Bowser has tricked out his kart exactly like Mario's. With a level playing field, it all comes down to the driver's skill. Well, and luck. And if the driver got a good night's sleep... Only the goddess of victory knows who will win. That's part of the fun of Mario Kart!
|desc-pal=The kart Bowser has here isn't unique to him. You can use the same parts with any racer – even Mario! Of course, even if everyone has the same kart, the race still won't come down to pure skill – luck always plays a part. It's that unpredictability that makes Mario Kart so exciting, after all!
|game=ssb4-3ds
}}
{{clrl}}
 
{{Trophy
|name=[[mariowiki:Bowser#Paper Mario series|Paper Bowser]]
|image=PaperBowserTrophy3DS.png
|desc-ntsc=Bowser's defense team argues that, considering his latent savageness and the promises of wish-granting power, it could only be expected that Bowser would try to grab the Sticker Comet. Who could resist something like that? Bowser was just a victim of circumstance!
|desc-pal=The Sticker Fest looked super fun, so he thought he'd get up on stage. And with the Sticker Comet looking all sparkly and stuff, how could he NOT touch it?! And that's when the evil, evil Royal Sticker brought out poor Bowser's dark side. You see? Bowser was just a victim of circumstance!
|game=ssb4-3ds
}}
{{clrl}}
 
{{Trophy
|name-ntsc=[[mariowiki:Bowser#Paper Mario: Sticker Star|Paper Bowser (Second Form)]]
|name-pal=Paper Bowser (2nd Form)
|image=PaperBowserSecondFormTrophy3DS.png
|desc-ntsc=The Royal Stickers can grant wishes, both good and bad. One sticker enhanced Bowser's natural greediness and rage, making him so powerful that Mario had to beat him twice in a row—the recycled Bowser even bigger and more powerful than before!
|desc-pal=The Royal Stickers grant wishes, and in the wrong hands, they can wreak all kinds of havoc. When one of them landed on Bowser, he ran riot through the Mushroom Kingdom, and even when Mario managed to beat him, he came back in an even more destructive form than before! Yikes!
|game=ssb4-3ds
}}
{{clrl}}
 
{{Trophy
|name-ntsc=[[mariowiki:Bowser#Mario Kart series|Bowser]] + {{iw|mariowiki|Flame Runner}}
|name-pal=Bowser + {{iw|mariowiki|Bowser Bike}}
|image=FlameRunnerTrophyWiiU.png
|desc-ntsc=Now THIS is a monster of a bike! It was obviously designed with Bowser in mind, since they both weigh a ton and both have trouble accelerating. Once you get up to top speed, though, these two really come into their own! Incidentally, Bowser is known as Koopa in Japan, but the Japanese name for this bike is Super Bowser. How rare.
|desc-pal=Now THIS is a monster of a bike! It was clearly designed with Bowser in mind, but since they both weigh a ton, they might have trouble accelerating. Once they get to top speed, though, they're a practically unstoppable team! Incidentally, although Bowser is known as Koopa in Japan, this bike still uses his English name there.
|gamelist={{Trophy games|console1=Wii|game1=Mario Kart Wii|release1=04/2008}}
|game=ssb4-wiiu
}}
{{clrl}}
 
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''==
===As a playable character===
{{Main|Bowser (SSBU)}}
[[File:Bowser SSBU.png|thumb|200px|Bowser as he appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''.]]
Bowser returns as a playable character alongside the entire playable roster of the series. His design is based on his appearance in ''Super Mario Odyssey''. This is Bowser's first appearance in ''Super Smash Bros.'' where he is not a starting character. As the first character in {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}'s unlock tree, he can potentially be the first character to be [[Unlockable character|unlocked]].
{{clr}}
 
===Spirits===
====Fighter spirits====
<center>
<gallery>
SSBU spirit Bowser.png|7. '''''Bowser'''''
</gallery>
</center>
====Primary spirits====
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! No. !! Image !! Name !! Type !! Class !! Slots
! Base [[File:Equipment Icon Power Badge.png|20px|Power]]
! Max [[File:Equipment Icon Power Badge.png|20px|Power]]
! Base [[File:Equipment Icon Brawn Badge.png|20px|Attack]]
! Max [[File:Equipment Icon Brawn Badge.png|20px|Attack]]
! Base [[File:Equipment Icon Protection Badge.png|20px|Defense]]
! Max [[File:Equipment Icon Protection Badge.png|20px|Defense]]
! Ability !! Series
|-
| 30 || {{SpiritTableName|Bowser (Wedding)}} || {{SpiritType|Grab}} || ★★★ || 2 || 2824 || 8516 || 1836 || 5536 || 988 || 2980 || No Effect || ''Super Mario'' Series
|-
| 63 || {{SpiritTableName|Dry Bowser}} || {{SpiritType|Shield}} || ★★★★ || 1 || 4854 || 12137 || 1831 || 4579 || 2582 || 6455 || Fire Attack ↑ || ''Super Mario'' Series
|-
| 95 || {{SpiritTableName|Paper Bowser}} || {{SpiritType|Attack}} || ★★★ || 2 || 2986 || 9005 || 1717 || 5178 || 1269 || 3827 || {{Rollover|Can Be Enhanced at Lv. 99|Paper Bowser (Paper Mario: Sticker Star)|y}} || ''Paper Mario'' Series
|-
| 96 || {{SpiritTableName|Paper Bowser (Paper Mario: Sticker Star)}} || {{SpiritType|Attack}} || ★★★★ || 2 || 4655 || 11640 || 2307 || 5768 || 1887 || 4719 || Mouthful of Curry || ''Paper Mario'' Series
|-
| 301 || {{SpiritTableName|Baby Bowser}} || {{SpiritType|Neutral}} || ★★★★ || 2 || 4224 || 10562 || 1816 || 4542 || 2408 || 6020 || No Effect || ''Yoshi'' Series
|-
| 1,471 || {{SpiritTableName|Fury Bowser}} || {{SpiritType|Attack}} || ★★★★ || 2 || 4796 || 11990 || 2834 || 7085 || 1526 || 3815 || Fire Attack ↑ || ''Super Mario'' Series
|}
 
====Support spirits====
{|class="wikitable"
! No. !! Image !! Name !! Class !! Cost !! Ability !! Series
|-
| 1,301 || {{SpiritTableName|River Survival}} || ★★ || 1 || Falling Immunity || ''Super Mario'' Series
|}
 
==Names in other languages==
{{langtable
|ja={{ja|クッパ|Kuppa}}, ''Koopa''
|en=Bowser
|fr=Bowser
|de=Bowser
|it=Bowser
|es=Bowser
|nl=Bowser
|pt=Bowser
|ru={{rollover|Боузер|Bouzer|?}}
|ko={{rollover|쿠파|Kupa|?}}, ''Koopa''
|zh_cn={{rollover|酷霸王|Kùbàwáng|?}}, ''Koopa'' (lit. King Koopa)
|zh_tw={{rollover|庫巴|Kùbā|?}}, ''Koopa''
}}
 
==Trivia==
*While Bowser has had a voice actor in his own series since ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario Sunshine}}'', with his current voice actor being {{s|mariowiki|Kenneth W. James}}, neither ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', nor ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' gives Bowser a voice actor, instead giving him realistic roars, similar to his appearances in some ''Mario'' games such as ''{{s|mariowiki|New Super Mario Bros.}}'' for the Nintendo DS.
*Since his debut in ''Melee'', Bowser is the heaviest fighter in the ''Smash'' series.
*In ''Smash 4'', Bowser is the only returning character to have a different victory theme.


Bowser's Classic trophy plays a large, symbolic role in ''Melee''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s "story", so to speak; the trophy is shown near the end of the opening FMV, getting struck by lightning. At the end of Adventure mode, after K.O.ing Bowser, the trophy is seen plummeting into the darkness. If the right conditions are fulfilled, however, the trophy will rise back up onto the stage, land, and get struck by that special lightning, which will cause it to break apart and reveal [[Giga Bowser]] breaking out of it, and the Giga Bowser battle begins. If Giga Bowser is defeated, the trophy will again be seen plummeting into the darkness, where it will now shatter like a little firework, signifying the player's ultimate victory.
==References==
{{reflist}}


==In ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''==
:''Main article: [[Bowser (SSBB)]]''
[[Image:BowserBrawl.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Bowser, as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.]]Bowser is another returning playable character in ''Brawl'', but with an updated look with more realistic textures. All but one of his special moves from ''Melee'' return in ''Brawl''-- his side special move, Koopa Klaw has been replaced with a new move called [[Flying Slam]]. As [[Masahiro Sakurai]] previously mentioned on the [http://www.smashbros.com''Smash Bros. DOJO!!'' website], Bowser, now comes in a "slightly different flavor this time around", and like all the other characters; this can be taken as indication of Sakurai's claim that ''Brawl'' was designed with balance in mind.
{{Characters}}
{{Characters}}
[[Category:Characters]]
{{Mario universe}}
[[Category:Mario universe]]
[[Category:Bowser| ]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSBM)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSBB)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-3DS)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-Wii U)]]
[[Category:Stickers]]
[[Category:Spirits]]
[[es:Bowser]]

Latest revision as of 20:23, November 6, 2024

For fighter info, see Bowser (SSBM), Bowser (SSBB), Bowser (SSB4), and Bowser (SSBU).
"King Koopa" redirects here. For the smasher originally known as King Koopa, see Smasher:Gold.
Bowser
Bowser.png
MarioSymbol.svg

Official artwork of Bowser from Mario Party 10.

Universe Mario
Debut Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Smash Bros. appearances Melee
Brawl
SSB4
Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance Mario & Luigi: Brothership (2024)
Console/platform of origin Nintendo Entertainment System
Species Koopa
Gender Male
Place of origin Koopa Kingdom[1] (birthplace)
Bowser's Castle (surrogate home)
Created by Shigeru Miyamoto
Article on Super Mario Wiki Bowser

Bowser (クッパ, Koopa) is the King of the Koopas, and the supreme leader of Bowser's Minions. He is the main antagonist of the Mario series. Since his debut in the world-famous Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System as the archenemy of main hero Mario, Bowser is easily one of the most recognizable of all villain figures in the video game industry. He has therefore appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. 4, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in the Super Smash Bros. series as a playable fighter. A gargantuan, powered-up version of Bowser created specifically for Smash, named Giga Bowser, also appears in Melee as the final boss of Adventure Mode, in Ultimate as one of the bosses of World of Light, and as his Final Smash in Brawl, SSB4, and Ultimate.

Origin[edit]

Bowser, as he appears in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. His appearance since this game (designed by Yoichi Kotabe) inspired his look in Melee.

Bowser was introduced in the seminal Super Mario Bros. for the NES, with most of his traditional character traits introduced along with it: his storyline role as a comically monstrous villain who always goes out of his way to kidnap the Mushroom Kingdom's Princess Peach, his gameplay role as a boss enemy for Mario to defeat, his fire-breathing abilities, his immeasurable army of henchmen (such as the mushroom-like Goombas and turtle-like Koopa Troopas), and so on.

Super Mario Bros. holds the Guinness World Record for best-selling video game at 40 million copies, essentially guaranteeing worldwide fame for all characters who appeared in the game, Bowser included. He has appeared in some form in almost every Mario game to date, along with additional members of his "family": his only child, Bowser Jr., and his subordinates, the seven Koopalings. He also has a helper named Kamek, who has raised him since birth and serves as his mentor and father figure.

Bowser is a heavyset and chimeric reptilian creature who combines traits of various real and mythological animals. Like his Koopa Troopa underlings, he features elements of a turtle or tortoise (albeit with qualities of dragons or dinosaurs) with his spike-covered shell and tail. However, Bowser deviates from most Koopa variants by having a distinctively-constructed face that features a muzzle filled with sharp teeth, ox-like horns, and red hair arranged like a mohawk. Despite his monstrous and chimeric appearance, Bowser and the Koopas are ultimately viewed as a diverse group of turtles.

At times, Bowser is depicted in vastly different sizes, somewhat resembling Mario's tendency to grow or shrink in size during games starring him; he is a colossus in his appearance as the final boss of Super Mario Sunshine, while in other appearances, he is only slightly larger than the average person. Generally, his size is reduced for spin-off titles, and increased for games where his role as a major antagonist is emphasized.

Bowser is the primary villain in many Mario platformers, and therefore he is usually not playable. Bowser has appeared as a playable character, however, in several Mario spinoffs nonetheless, such as in the Mario Kart series. Whereas Mario is consistently the most balanced character in the roster of any competitive Mario spin-off, Bowser traditionally fits the "big, slow, and strong" archetype to the extreme. In these games, Bowser is typically classified as a "power" type, who performs relevant actions with more strength but less speed than others. This archetype is faithfully preserved in Bowser's appearance as a playable fighter in both Melee and Brawl.

In contrast, Bowser's actual agility greatly varies in each of his appearances; as another example, Bowser features the highest top speed and heaviest weight of the racers in the Mario Kart games, offset by low acceleration and handling abilities. This aspect of his character is more represented in SSB4 and Ultimate, which feature him with a more active and athletic moveset.

Bowser remains part of the regular cast in the Super Mario series of video games, though his level of menace has fluctuated throughout his various game appearances. In many spinoffs, Bowser is on seemingly good terms with the other Mario characters in competitive scenarios like sports and kart racing, and has even allied himself with the protagonists of some games (albeit typically to serve his own purposes). In particular, some of the RPG titles feature Bowser as a playable party member, to the point of being a central protagonist in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. When in antagonistic roles, Bowser has occasionally been depicted as bumbling, comical, and slightly incompetent. He works hard to come across as "bad" in spite of this, and has been doing so from a young age, as seen in the Yoshi's Island series.

Most current Mario games return Bowser to his previous status of a legitimate threat, as can be seen in the transition from Super Mario Sunshine to Super Mario Galaxy, and his character development throughout the Mario & Luigi RPG subseries. In these appearances, the Koopa King is more cunning and sinister than his brutish appearance would suggest, but still boisterous and somewhat whimsical. In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Bowser is portrayed as somewhat of a middle ground between these two personalities, being able to take down entire kingdoms and nearly incapacitate Mario, but having a comically-portrayed motivation of relentless romantic pursuit. Additionally, ever since the introduction of Bowser Jr. in Sunshine, one of Bowser's defining traits has been his love and support for his son (regardless of how evil or competent either of them may be).

In Super Smash Bros.[edit]

Bowser does not appear in the original Super Smash Bros. in any way. However, according to Masahiro Sakurai on Smabura-Ken (the Japanese Super Smash Bros. site), Bowser was planned to be included as a playable character, before being cut for space/time constraints.[2][3] Shigeru Miyamoto even listed Bowser among the playable characters in a Nintendo Power Source interview in 1998, during development of the game.[4] In the end, Bowser would end up being completely scrapped.[5] This was mostly a result of the Nintendo 64's hardware limitations, as well as time constraints.[citation needed]

In an official poll held on Smabura-Ken regarding characters for a potential sequel, Bowser placed first with 169 votes.[3]

In Super Smash Bros. Melee[edit]

As a playable character[edit]

Main article: Bowser (SSBM)
A Japanese image of Bowser, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Bowser makes his Smash Bros. series debut as a default playable character in the GameCube entry, and is depicted as staying true to his archetype in normal competitive Mario games: he is among the heaviest and strongest characters in the game, but also among the most sluggish. Like Mario and Luigi, his appearance is based on his appearance in Nintendo 64-era artwork, such as Mario Party, except he has a noticeably more muscular frame and darker skin tones.

Bowser's neutral special move is Fire Breath, a continuous stream of fire breathed from his mouth into the area in front of him for several seconds until it weakens in power and size. His side special move, the Koopa Klaw, can be a good-range claw swipe attack, but can also grab onto enemies that are very close to him, and the move has the unique ability to grab onto enemies when both fighters are in midair. His up special move, the Whirling Fortress, is a third jump consisting of him withdrawing into his damaging spiked shell which is now spinning wildly upwards, and his down special move, the Bowser Bomb, causes a midair Bowser to crash down to earth vertically with great force. If Bowser is on the ground when doing this, he will leap up and in front of him diagonally before performing the crashing down maneuver.

Bowser's archetype does not translate well in the fast-paced metagame in Super Smash Bros. Melee. His powerful, damaging attacks with average range are good only when it manages to connect with opponents, for they have large amounts of startup and endlag, and such flaws detriments his combat capabilities. His dash speed is slow, his jumping and landing animations are very laggy, and his wavedash is very slow and nearly useless. He is also not able to reliably combo opponents, and his great size renders him combo fodder against the vast majority of the cast. Bowser players must therefore be able to read their opponents extremely well and must successfully pressure their opponents in battle, and make use of his good edge-guarding game, to even have a chance at competitive play, though even an expert Bowser player will be severely disadvantaged against a regular Fox player. As a result, his humongous deficiencies have resulted in him placing 26th out of 26 characters in the F tier at the very bottom of the tier list.

Trophies[edit]

Main article: List of SSBM trophies (Super Mario Bros. series)

Bowser is a playable character, so he is featured on three trophies that can be obtained by beating each Regular Match with him on any difficulty. His first trophy is earned by defeating the Classic mode as him on any difficulty, his second from the Adventure mode, and his third from the All-Star mode. There is also a trophy of Bowser at a younger age, "Baby Bowser", who is often confused with his son Bowser Jr.

Bowser's Classic trophy plays a large, symbolic role in Melee's "story", so to speak; the trophy is shown near the end of the opening FMV, getting struck by lightning. At the end of Adventure mode, after K.O.ing Bowser, the trophy is seen plummeting into the darkness. If the right conditions are fulfilled, however, the trophy will rise back up onto the stage, land, and get struck by that special lightning, which will cause it to break apart and reveal Giga Bowser breaking out of it, and the Giga Bowser battle begins. If Giga Bowser is defeated, the trophy will be seen plummeting into the darkness again, where it will now shatter like a little firework, signifying the player's ultimate victory.

Bowser's Classic Mode trophy in Melee
Bowser
Bowser has a long history of kidnapping Princess Peach to lure his nemesis, Mario, into traps. He leads an enormous group of mischievous creatures, not the least of which are his seven children. With outrageous strength, flammable breath, and more spikes than you can shake a Star Rod at, Bowser is a constant threat.
Super Mario Bros. (10/85)
Bowser's Adventure Mode trophy in Melee
Bowser SMASH
In many ways, Bowser is the toughest character around. Not only does he have near-impervious hide, but his great mass makes him almost impossible to hurl offscreen. Of course, his weight also makes him rather slow to maneuver, so when facing him in battle, it's best to press your attack and not give him a chance to counter.
B: Fire Breath
Smash B: Koopa Klaw
Bowser's All-Star Mode trophy in Melee
Bowser SMASH
Bowser's Fire Breath strikes continually, but it grows gradually smaller over time until it's barely smoldering. The Koopa Klaw rakes enemies at a distance and pulls nearby foes in close for a good gnawing. Bowser's Whirling Fortress moves laterally over the ground; it works in midair as a recovery. The Bowser Bomb is powerful and paves the way for more attacks.
Up & B: Whirling Fortress
Down & B: Bowser Bomb
Baby Bowser's trophy in Melee
Baby Bowser
Even as a youngster, Baby Bowser was already playing pranks and causing trouble for Baby Mario and his pal Yoshi. Even at this early age of his evil career, Baby Bowser had tons of henchmen at his disposal. Many experts speculate that Mario and Bowser have some sort of connection that can be traced back to their mutual births.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (10/95)

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]

As a playable character[edit]

Main article: Bowser (SSBB)
Bowser, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Bowser is another returning playable character in Brawl, but with an updated look with more realistic textures, though with a design more akin to the Mario series rather than his more muscular appearance in Melee. All but one of his special moves from Melee return in Brawl-- his side special move, Koopa Klaw, has been replaced with a new move called Flying Slam. His appearance is based on his current appearance in the later Mario games, starting with Luigi's Mansion and Super Mario Sunshine. As Masahiro Sakurai previously mentioned on the Smash Bros. DOJO!! website, Bowser now comes in a "slightly different flavor this time around", like all the other characters; this can be taken as indication of Sakurai's claim that Brawl was designed with balance in mind.

Bowser's moveset and running speed are slightly faster than in Melee. His forward smash now has a chance to hit twice, once for the head, and again for his body, doing anywhere from 36 to 48 percent damage, and being by far the most damaging smash attack in the game. While he has been buffed from Melee, Bowser still retains a multitude of gaping flaws, rendering him to still be a bottom-tier character with meager tournament results in Brawl, ranking 33rd on the current tier list.

Trophies[edit]

Main article: List of SSBB trophies (Super Mario Bros. series)
Bowser's trophy in Brawl
Bowser
NTSC The king of the Koopas and Mario's eternal rival. He breathes fire, hurls hammers, attacks from vehicles like the Koopa Clown Car, and uses all sorts of weapons in hopes of taking out Mario. As his size suggests, he's immensely powerful. His son Bowser Jr. is a chip off the old block who spends his time creating trouble for Mario.
PAL The king of the Koopas and Mario's eternal rival. He breathes fire, hurls hammers, attacks from vehicles like the Koopa Clown Car, and uses all sorts of weapons in the hope of taking out Mario. As his size suggests, he's immensely powerful. His son Bowser Jr. is a chip off the old block who spends his time creating trouble for Mario.
NES: Super Mario Bros.
GameCube: Super Mario Sunshine
Paper Bowser's trophy in Brawl
Paper Bowser
The great king of the Koopas who plots to rule the land with a firm fist. In a change of events, Bowser goes from being Mario's rival to adventuring side by side with him. Bowser's special skill is breathing fire and he has nearly twice the attack power of Mario or Peach, which allows him to take out foes from a distance or multiple enemies with a single blow.
Wii: Super Paper Mario
Wedding Bowser's trophy in Brawl
Wedding Bowser
The great Koopa king in a sharp, white tuxedo. Bowser is forced into marriage with Princess Peach by Count Bleck, who plots to wipe out the universe with the Chaos Heart. Although it's all part of Count Bleck's plan, Bowser doesn't seem to be displeased with the prospect. This might just be the last time we ever see Bowser in a tuxedo.
Wii: Super Paper Mario

Stickers[edit]

Name Game Effect Fighter(s)
Bowser Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix AttackThrowing+020Throwing (type) Attack +20 Mario Yoshi Luigi Bowser PeachMario (SSBB)Yoshi (SSBB)Luigi (SSBB)Bowser (SSBB)Peach (SSBB)
Bowser Mario Kart 64 AttackWeapon+013Weapon (type) Attack +13 Mario Yoshi Luigi Bowser PeachMario (SSBB)Yoshi (SSBB)Luigi (SSBB)Bowser (SSBB)Peach (SSBB)
Bowser Mario Power Tennis AttackDarkness+021Darkness (effect) Attack +21 GanondorfGanondorf (SSBB)
Bowser Super Paper Mario AttackArm+023Hand (type) Attack +23 Mario Yoshi Luigi Bowser PeachMario (SSBB)Yoshi (SSBB)Luigi (SSBB)Bowser (SSBB)Peach (SSBB)
Super Mario Bros. Super Mario Bros. AttackArmLeg+015Hand (type)Foot (type) Attack +15 Mario Yoshi Luigi Bowser PeachMario (SSBB)Yoshi (SSBB)Luigi (SSBB)Bowser (SSBB)Peach (SSBB)
Brawl Sticker Bowser (DDR Mario Mix).png
Bowser
(DDR: Mario Mix)
Brawl Sticker Bowser (Mario Kart 64).png
Bowser
(Mario Kart 64)
Brawl Sticker Bowser (Mario Power Tennis).png
Bowser
(Mario Power Tennis)
Brawl Sticker Bowser (Super Paper Mario).png
Bowser
(Super Paper Mario)
Brawl Sticker Super Mario Bros..png
Super Mario Bros.

In Super Smash Bros. 4[edit]

As a playable character[edit]

Main article: Bowser (SSB4)
Bowser as he appears in Super Smash Bros. 4.

Bowser returns as a playable character in SSB4, with a more upright posture and increased mobility. Like Mario, Luigi and Peach, his design is based on his appearance from recent Mario games, such as Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World.

Bowser ranks 24th out of 54 characters on the tier list. He has been considerably buffed from Brawl to Smash 4, having been granted increased speed and faster attacks. The general changes to Smash 4 improve Bowser further, as he no longer has to contend with the likes of chain-grabbing, and the new rage mechanic brings more benefit to his great survivability. Unfortunately, he still suffers from combos and a lack of defensive options, courtesy of his large size and high weight. Such benefits resulted in him having stronger tournament presence and a larger playerbase.

Trophies[edit]

Main article: List of SSB4 trophies (Super Mario Bros. series)
Bowser's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Bowser's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Bowser
NTSCSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS 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!
NTSCSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U 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!
NES: Super Mario Bros. (10/1985)
N64: Super Mario 64 (09/1996)
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!
NES: Super Mario Bros. (05/1987)
N64: Super Mario 64 (03/1997)
Bowser (Alt.)'s trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Bowser (Alt.)'s trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Bowser (Alt.)
NTSCSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS 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.
NTSCSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U 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.
NES: Super Mario Bros. (10/1985)
N64: Super Mario 64 (09/1996)
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.
NES: Super Mario Bros. (05/1987)
N64: Super Mario 64 (03/1997)
Bowser + Standard Kart's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Bowser + Standard Kart
NTSC Bowser has tricked out his kart exactly like Mario's. With a level playing field, it all comes down to the driver's skill. Well, and luck. And if the driver got a good night's sleep... Only the goddess of victory knows who will win. That's part of the fun of Mario Kart!
PAL The kart Bowser has here isn't unique to him. You can use the same parts with any racer – even Mario! Of course, even if everyone has the same kart, the race still won't come down to pure skill – luck always plays a part. It's that unpredictability that makes Mario Kart so exciting, after all!
Paper Bowser's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Paper Bowser
NTSC Bowser's defense team argues that, considering his latent savageness and the promises of wish-granting power, it could only be expected that Bowser would try to grab the Sticker Comet. Who could resist something like that? Bowser was just a victim of circumstance!
PAL The Sticker Fest looked super fun, so he thought he'd get up on stage. And with the Sticker Comet looking all sparkly and stuff, how could he NOT touch it?! And that's when the evil, evil Royal Sticker brought out poor Bowser's dark side. You see? Bowser was just a victim of circumstance!
Bowser's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
NtscPaper Bowser (Second Form)
PalPaper Bowser (2nd Form)
NTSC The Royal Stickers can grant wishes, both good and bad. One sticker enhanced Bowser's natural greediness and rage, making him so powerful that Mario had to beat him twice in a row—the recycled Bowser even bigger and more powerful than before!
PAL The Royal Stickers grant wishes, and in the wrong hands, they can wreak all kinds of havoc. When one of them landed on Bowser, he ran riot through the Mushroom Kingdom, and even when Mario managed to beat him, he came back in an even more destructive form than before! Yikes!
Bowser's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
NtscBowser + Flame Runner
PalBowser + Bowser Bike
NTSC Now THIS is a monster of a bike! It was obviously designed with Bowser in mind, since they both weigh a ton and both have trouble accelerating. Once you get up to top speed, though, these two really come into their own! Incidentally, Bowser is known as Koopa in Japan, but the Japanese name for this bike is Super Bowser. How rare.
PAL Now THIS is a monster of a bike! It was clearly designed with Bowser in mind, but since they both weigh a ton, they might have trouble accelerating. Once they get to top speed, though, they're a practically unstoppable team! Incidentally, although Bowser is known as Koopa in Japan, this bike still uses his English name there.
Wii: Mario Kart Wii (04/2008)

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]

As a playable character[edit]

Main article: Bowser (SSBU)
Bowser as he appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Bowser returns as a playable character alongside the entire playable roster of the series. His design is based on his appearance in Super Mario Odyssey. This is Bowser's first appearance in Super Smash Bros. where he is not a starting character. As the first character in Donkey Kong's unlock tree, he can potentially be the first character to be unlocked.

Spirits[edit]

Fighter spirits[edit]

  • 7. Bowser

    7. Bowser

Primary spirits[edit]

No. Image Name Type Class Slots Base Power Max Power Base Attack Max Attack Base Defense Max Defense Ability Series
30
SSBU spirit Bowser (Wedding).png
 Bowser (Wedding)
Grab
 ★★★ 2 2824 8516 1836 5536 988 2980 No Effect Super Mario Series
63
SSBU spirit Dry Bowser.png
 Dry Bowser
Shield
 ★★★★ 1 4854 12137 1831 4579 2582 6455 Fire Attack ↑ Super Mario Series
95
SSBU spirit Paper Bowser.png
 Paper Bowser
Attack
 ★★★ 2 2986 9005 1717 5178 1269 3827 Can Be Enhanced at Lv. 99 Paper Mario Series
96
SSBU spirit Paper Bowser (Paper Mario Sticker Star).png
 Paper Bowser (Paper Mario: Sticker Star)
Attack
 ★★★★ 2 4655 11640 2307 5768 1887 4719 Mouthful of Curry Paper Mario Series
301
from the game's files
 Baby Bowser
Neutral
 ★★★★ 2 4224 10562 1816 4542 2408 6020 No Effect Yoshi Series
1,471
SSBU spirit Fury Bowser.png
 Fury Bowser
Attack
 ★★★★ 2 4796 11990 2834 7085 1526 3815 Fire Attack ↑ Super Mario Series

Support spirits[edit]

No. Image Name Class Cost Ability Series
1,301
SSBU spirit River Survival.png
 River Survival ★★ 1 Falling Immunity Super Mario Series

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name
Japan Japanese クッパ, Koopa
UK English Bowser
France French Bowser
Germany German Bowser
Spain Spanish Bowser
Italy Italian Bowser
China Chinese (Simplified) 酷霸王, Koopa (lit. King Koopa)
Taiwan Chinese (Traditional) 庫巴, Koopa
South Korea Korean 쿠파, Koopa
Netherlands Dutch Bowser
Russia Russian Боузер
Portugal Portuguese Bowser

Trivia[edit]

  • While Bowser has had a voice actor in his own series since Super Mario Sunshine, with his current voice actor being Kenneth W. James, neither Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. 4, nor Super Smash Bros. Ultimate gives Bowser a voice actor, instead giving him realistic roars, similar to his appearances in some Mario games such as New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS.
  • Since his debut in Melee, Bowser is the heaviest fighter in the Smash series.
  • In Smash 4, Bowser is the only returning character to have a different victory theme.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Kamek's words: "You can, ah, will, aaah, never enter the Koopa Kingdom! I banish you to forever twinkle in the heavens, BE GONE!!" - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
  2. ^ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/PostReturn075.html
  3. ^ a b http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/PostResult2.html
  4. ^ November 19, 1998 Nintendo Power Source interview - Miyamoto Shrine: Shigeru Miyamoto's Home on The Web
  5. ^ The Definitive List of Unused Fighters in Smash - Source Gaming


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Fighters Mario (SSB · SSBM · SSBB · SSB4 · SSBU) · Luigi (SSB · SSBM · SSBB · SSB4 · SSBU) · Peach (SSBM · SSBB · SSB4 · SSBU) · Bowser (SSBM · SSBB · SSB4 · SSBU) · Dr. Mario (SSBM · SSB4 · SSBU) · Rosalina & Luma (SSB4 · SSBU) · Bowser Jr. (SSB4 · SSBU) (Koopalings) · Daisy (SSBU) · Piranha Plant (SSBU)
Assist Trophies Hammer Bro · Waluigi · Lakitu & Spinies · Chain Chomp · Thwomp · Flies & Hand
Bosses Metal Mario and Luigi · Petey Piranha
Stages Peach's Castle · Mushroom Kingdom (SSB) · Princess Peach's Castle · Rainbow Cruise · Mushroom Kingdom (SSBM) · Mushroom Kingdom II · Delfino Plaza · Mushroomy Kingdom · Figure-8 Circuit · Luigi's Mansion · Mario Bros. · 3D Land · Golden Plains · Rainbow Road · Paper Mario · Mushroom Kingdom U · Mario Galaxy · Mario Circuit · Super Mario Maker · New Donk City Hall
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Enemies Banzai Bill · Bill Blaster · Bullet Bill · Chain Chomp · Flame Chomp · Goomba · Giant Goomba · Hammer Bro · Koopa Paratroopa · Koopa Troopa · Lakitu & Spinies · Magikoopa · Shy Guy · Spike Top
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Trophies, Stickers and Spirits Trophies (SSBM · SSBB · SSB4) · Stickers · Spirits
Music Brawl (Mario Kart) · SSB4 · Ultimate (Mario Kart)
Masterpieces Super Mario Bros. · Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels · Super Mario Bros. 2 · Dr. Mario · Super Mario World · Super Mario Kart
Related universes Donkey Kong · Yoshi · Wario · Wrecking Crew
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