Bowser (SSBU)

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Bowser in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	Mario
Other playable appearances	in Melee in Brawl in SSB4
Availability	Unlockable
Final Smash	Giga Bowser Punch

“	Who's the greatest nemesis of all!? It's King Bowser! In Super Smash Bros. his power and weight make him a reliable fighter. Use his Fire Breath to keep opponents at bay, then use his damaging attacks to launch them off the stage! He transforms into Giga Bowser for his Final Smash and delivers a super powerful punch!	”
—Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site

Bowser (クッパ, Koopa) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was teased in a trailer released on March 8th, 2018 before being fully confirmed as playable on June 12th, 2018. 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 clips.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

Most of Bowser's changes are to make him better at defensive play through the amplification of Super Armor on tilts and smash attacks and having increased grounded and aerial mobility. In exchange, some of Bowser's heavier hitting moves were nerfed, such as up air, and his infamous up throw combos.

Aesthetics

• As with all veterans returning from Smash 4, Bowser's model features a more subdued color scheme. His colors overall are slightly darker and more monotone, similar to his appearance in Melee, while his scales, hair, horns, and spikes exhibit simple detailing, similar to his design in Brawl.
• Bowser has been made more expressive than previous installments with facial expressions reminiscent of his appearances in the Mario series.
• Bowser has a new victory pose. He now breathes fire towards the screen before striking a pose that is similar to his Smash 4 artwork. It replaces his shell spinning victory pose.
• Bowser's roaring victory pose now shows him performing a headbutt with his horns before rearing his head back to roar. His body also faces more towards the screen during said animation.
• Bowser's claw slashing victory pose now shows him running up to the victory area before slashing the air with his claws.
• Up and side taunts have been shortened, the latter also updated to match his upright stance.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Bowser's jumpsquat animation now takes three frames to complete (down from eight).
• Bowser's universal heavy armor (officially known as "Tough Guy") seems to be amplified, to the point where he can resist attacks like Villager's slingshot, and the linking hits of Mewtwo's up smash.
• Bowser dashes much faster. Standardized initial dash speeds vastly improves Bowser's ground mobility even further as his initial dash speed has gone from the slowest in Smash 4 to among the fastest in Ultimate.
• Bowser's air speed is faster.
• Bowser's falling speed is much faster, going from 42nd fastest in Smash 4 to tied for 16th in Ultimate, giving him much better vertical endurance but making him easier to combo.
• Bowser is heavier, improving his already excellent endurance but making him easier to combo.

Ground attacks

• Bowser now has super armor during the startup of all his tilt and smash attacks.
• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack is now a sumo-style palm strike followed by a punch.
  • Both hits of neutral attack deal slightly less damage (5%/6.5% (hits 1/2) → 4%/6% (hits 1/2)).
  • The first hit of neutral attack has fewer arm intangibility frames (frames 7-9 → frames 7-8).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt is now a swung backhand punch with the arm slightly bent. The fist is enlarged while the hitbox is out, so its range appears unaltered.
• Up tilt
  • Up tilt deals more damage (9% → 11%).
  • Up tilt now has arm intangibility (frames 11-16).
• Down tilt:
  • The second hit of down tilt comes out faster (frame 20 → 15), allowing both hits to link more reliably.
  • Despite each hit of down tilt dealing less individual damage (14%/11% (hits 1/2) → 7%/8% (hits 1/2)), both hits combined now deal more overall damage than the first hit in Smash 4 (14% → 15%).
  • Down tilt's second hit can now trip at low percents.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has slightly less endlag.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash deals slightly more damage (20%/15%/15% → 22%/16%/16%).
• Down smash:
  • Bowser has a new down smash: a grounded claw swipe that hits forward then backward, similar to Wolf's. This improves the range of Bowser's old down smash and deals much more knockback. The animation is also much faster.
  • Down smash has fewer active frames and slightly increased start up (frame 10 → 12).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have much less landing lag (Neutral: frame 20 → 15, Forward: 24 → 14, Back: 40 → 23, Up: 28 → 17, Down: 40 → 34).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial's hits connect less reliably.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial now has full body (minus the shell) intangibility starting from frame 14, which last until 27 frames of the move's landing animation have passed.

Throws/other attacks

• Grab has slightly quicker startup (frame 9 → 8) but also longer endlag.
• Pummel is faster but deals significantly less damage (3.1% → 1.6%).
• Up throw:
  • Up throw deals more damage (0.5%x7/1%/2% → 0.5%x7/2%/6%) and knockback.
  • Up throw has more endlag, which, combined with its increased knockback, severely hinders its combo potential.
  • Bowser now hops on the final hit of up throw.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has faster startup and deals more damage (10%/2% → 10%/4%).

Special Moves

• Fire Breath:
  • Fire Breath is more vibrant in color as opposed to the more realistic flame in Smash 4.
• Flying Slam:
  • Flying Slam's grounded variant has reduced startup (frame 8 → 6), while the aerial variant now has the same amount of startup as the grounded one (frame 17 → 6).
  • Flying Slam has a longer jumpsquat animation (25 frames → 33 frames).
  • Flying Slam's grounded variant has more endlag and its aerial one no longer autocancels upon landing.
  • Flying Slam now has Bowser spin around more dramatically on the way down and now has an explosion effect on landing.
• Whirling Fortress:
  • The final hitbox of grounded Whirling Fortress deals more damage (4% → 6%).
  • The final hitbox of aerial Whirling Fortress has significantly improved knockback, making its ending much harder to punish.
  • Aerial Whirling Fortress has less landing lag.
  • Aerial Whirling Fortress now has full body (minus the shell) intangibility starting from frame 80, which last until 13 frames of the move's landing animation have passed.
  • Aerial Whirling Fortress travels a shorter distance.
  • Aerial Whirling Fortress deals overall less damage.
  • Aerial Whirling Fortress now has Bowser spin more at an angle toward the camera.
• Bowser Bomb:
  • Bowser Bomb now meteor smashes at the beginning of its descent.
• Giga Bowser's functionality has drastically changed: rather than utilizing Bowser's Brawl moveset, he teleports to the background of the stage in giant form, and aims a single punch that can cause an instant Screen KO at high percents or launch opponents at low percents. It is now called Giga Bowser Punch.

Classic Mode: The Red One, Every Red One!

Bowser's opponents are all wearing attire that is red, which is a reference to his mortal enemy (Mario) wearing red clothing. Bowser unlocks Pokemon Trainer as a playable fighter at completion.

Round	Opponent	Stage
1	2 Mii Brawlers, Mii Gunner, and Mii Swordfighter	Find Mii
2	Ken	Suzaku Castle
3	Samus	Norfair
4	Giant Charizard and Giant Incineroar	Pokemon Stadium 2
5	Diddy Kong	Kongo Jungle
6	Rathalos	?
Bonus Stage
Final	Mario, then Metal Mario	New Donk City Hall (Ω form)

Note: When fighting the Mii Fighters, they all wear Mario Caps.

Role in World of Light

Bowser was among the fighters that were summoned to fight the army of Master Hands.

During the opening cutscene, Bowser was present when Galeem unleashed his beams of light. Bowser attempted to fight back against the beams, using his Fire Breath alongside the 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 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.

Alternate costumes

Gallery

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  Bowser's fighter card.

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  Bowser idling on the Umbra Clock Tower.

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  Attacking Ness and Ike with Bowser Bomb on Gaur Plain.

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  Attacking Little Mac with his down smash on Mushroomy Kingdom.

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  Swiping at Peach on 3D Land.

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  Striking Yoshi with his up smash on Super Mario Maker.

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  Performing Whirling Fortress with a Blue Shell on Palutena's Temple.

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  Taunting next to a Fire Flower on The Great Cave Offensive.

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  Jumping next to Mario and Peach on Princess Peach's Castle.

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  Struck by Meta Knight on Smashville.

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  With Simon on Hyrule Castle.

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  With Toon Link on Bridge of Eldin.

• BowserVictoryUltimate.jpg

  Breathing fire in one of his victory poses.

Character Showcase Video

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Trivia

• Bowser's official artwork resembles a pose he commonly makes for Mario games, being almost identical to official art for Super Mario 64 DS, Fortune Street and Mario Party 10 (albeit mirrored in Mario Party 10).
• Like in Smash 4, he was the first Melee newcomer to be confirmed.
• During the segment of the E3 2018 Nintendo Direct focusing on Bowser, Sakurai states that the changes made to his Final Smash are an allusion to the boss fight with Baby Bowser at the end of Yoshi's Island.
• Bowser is the only fighter to be fought in a form other than their regular appearance to recruit them in World of Light.