Aesthetics
Due to the aesthetic used in Ultimate, Bowser Jr.'s model features a more subdued color scheme. His horns, hair, spikes; bands, and bandana feature greater detailing, but his scales remain undefined and his body is not as monotone. The new detailing is also expressed by the Koopalings.- The Junior Clown Car also features a more subdued color scheme. Its "facial" proportions have been adjusted, and it has a more polished finish. Additionally, the inside of the Junior Clown Car now contains a visible control panel.
- Morton's star mark is now gray instead of dark brown, matching his appearance in Mario Kart 8 onwards.
- Instead of a hammer, the Koopalings pull out their respective wands from Super Mario Bros. 3 and the New Super Mario Bros. games.
- Bowser Jr. is more expressive, he has a shocked expression when hit and scared expression when grabbed. The Junior Clown Car is also expressive, with new facial animations when Bowser Jr. gets hit and when he misses a grab.
- The Koopalings are more emotive than before, with their eyes and mouths animating somewhat differently from Bowser Jr.'s. Previously, only Lemmy had unique expressions.
- Larry, Morton, Lemmy, and Ludwig's hair respectively have less independent physics. On the contrary, Wendy's bow and rings have greater independent physics.
- Air dodge, falling, and ledge-hanging animations have changed.
The Junior Clown Car's propeller now properly rotates during Bowser Jr.'s No Contest screen.- The PAL English version of Palutena's Guidance now uses the term "Koopalings" instead of "Bowser's minions", matching the British English localization in their home series as of Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam.
Attributes
Like all characters, Bowser Jr.'s jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 6).- Bowser Jr. runs faster (1.424 → 1.566).
- Bowser Jr.'s initial dash is faster (1.6 → 1.76).
- Bowser Jr. walks faster (0.88 → 0.924).
- Bowser Jr.'s air speed is faster (1.08 → 1.134)
- Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF: 31 → 30).
Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 4-15).- Back roll has slower startup (frame 4 → 5), grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 5-16) and has more ending lag (FAF: 31 → 35).
- Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF: 28 → 25).
- Spot dodge grants less intangibility (frames 3-18 → 3-17).
- Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-28 → 3-30).
- Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF: 34 → 50).
- The changes to air dodge mechanics both help and hinder Bowser Jr.: he can make use of a directional air dodge to lengthen and mix up his recovery without the need to use Abandon Ship!, but the single air dodge limit makes him more vulnerable to edgeguarding.
- Bowser Jr.'s Junior Clown Car hurtbox takes priority over his body hurtbox, meaning that if the opponent hits the Clown Car and body hurtboxes at the same time, he takes less damage.
Ground attacks
- Neutral attack:
- The first hit has two additional hitboxes, one of which sends towards Bowser Jr. (angle: 180°).
- The second hit has an additional hitbox, and all of its hitboxes keep opponents on the ground (80°/70 → 361° (all)). This allows it to lock.
- The second hit has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 30) and has gained a hitstun modifier of 3, allowing it to connect into the neutral infinite much more reliably.
- The first and second hits have less knockback (hit 1: 10 base/50 scaling → 25/25/20/20 / 25/25/15/15, hit 2: 24 base/50 scaling → 25/25/20 / 25/25/15). This allows them to connect better and jab lock for longer.
- The first and second hits' hitboxes are smaller (hit 1: 3u/4u → 2u/2u/2.2u/2.2u, hit 2: 3.2u/4u → 2.5u/3.2u/3.8u), reducing their vertical range.
- The first and second hits have increased hitlag (hit 1: 1x → 1.5x, hit 2: 1x → 1.2x).
- The first hit and infinite deal less damage (hit 1: 3% → 2%, infinite: 2% → 0.5%).
- The infinite has faster startup (frame 10 → 4), a faster rehit rate (4 → 2), less knockback (20 base/20 scaling → 8/10), reduced hitlag (1x → 0.5x) and SDI (0.8x → 0.5x) multipliers, keep opponents on the ground (74° → 361°), and have a new extended hitbox in front of the Clown Car (size: 5u, Y/Z-offset: 6.5, Z-offset: 21-13). Overall, these changes make it much harder to escape, and compensate for the move's lower damage.
- The infinite's finisher has a new animation: it is an uppercut instead of a jab. It has slightly faster startup (frame 8 → 7) and has three hitboxes instead of one, which have bigger size (5u → 5.5u) and are positioned differently throughout the move (Y-offset: 6 → 6.5, Z-offset: 13 → 13/18/22.5). This gives it much more range, making it a significantly more consistent KO option.
- The finisher has more ending lag (FAF 39 → 44).
- The infinite has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 8×. This allows it to lock opponents into their shields between each hit, and thus pressure them more effectively, but also allows them to cancel shieldstun and punish Bowser Jr. more easily if they shield 10 hits or more.
- Forward tilt:
- Forward tilt has less ending lag (FAF 34 → 32).
- It has a sourspot that deals less damage (8% → 6%).
- It deals less knockback (30 base/110 scaling → 72/70). While this makes it even safer on hit at low percentages, it also worsens its previously respectable KO power.
- Up tilt:
- Up tilt's hitboxes' positions have been adjusted (ID 0: 4-3 X-offset/4 Z-stretch → 8.5-10/0, ID 1: -1-0 X-offset → 0-3.5). This removes the blindspot between the fork's prongs and the Clown Car.
- It has less ending lag (FAF 33 → 31).
- Down tilt:
- Down tilt deals more damage (hits 1-2: 1.5% → 2%, hit 3: 5% → 6%, total: 8% → 10%), with no compensation on the third hit's knockback, slightly improving its KO and edgeguarding potential.
- The first two hits have reduced hitlag (1x → 0.5x), and have gained a hitstun modifier of 4 with a shieldstun multiplier of 1.2x.
- The first two hits no longer deal set knockback (30 set/100 scaling → 20 base/30 scaling), and thus connect worse at higher percents.
- Dash attack:
- The looping hits deal more damage (1.5% → 1.8%, total: 11.5% → 13%).
- It has slightly less ending lag (FAF 50 → 48).
- One of the looping hits' hitboxes is smaller (ID 1: 5u → 4u).
- The looping hits have received several adjustments that allow the move to connect much more reliably:
- One of the hitboxes is larger (ID 0: 2.8u → 4u).
- One of the hitboxes is no longer located in the buzzsaw, being separate from Bowser Jr. (ID 1: bone 1041 → 0, 0 Y-offset/0 Z-offset/stretch → 8/13-8). While this results in around the same range, this means the hitbox no longer moves around the Z-axis.
- One of the hitboxes is positioned differently (ID 0: 9 Y-offset/8-13 Z-offset → 8/9-8). This is made up by the other hitbox's new position.
- The two previous hitboxes send at different angles (25° (all) → 30°/34°).
- There is a new hitbox (ID 2, angle: 65°, size: 4u, 8 Y-offset/18-8 Z-offset), which temporarily gives the attack more range.
- There is a "late" hit on frames 13-20, comprised of two hitboxes which have the same size as the new ones, but are positioned differently (ID 1: 8 Y-offset/9-8 Z-offset, ID 2: 8 Y-offset/14-8 Z-offset) and send at different angles (25° (all) → 32°/65°).
- All hits have reduced hitlag (1x → 0.6x), making the move less prone to SDI.
- The final hit launches at a more horizontal angle that is more desirable for edgeguarding (60° → 50°).
- The final hit has increased hitlag (1.5x → 1x). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.
- Forward smash:
- The looping hits' closest hitbox to Bowser Jr. is larger (ID 1: 1u → 2.5u), which allows the attack to connect better up close.
- The looping hits' hitboxes are positioned differently and don't extend as much (ID 0: 7-13 Y-offset/18 Z-offset → 8-12.5/16.5 (non-angled), 10-16 Y-offset/18-17 Z-offset → 12-16.5/15-14.5 (angled up), 4-10 Y-offset/17-18 Z-offset → 3.5-7.5/16-17; ID 1: 5-11 Y-offset/12.2 Z-offset → 7-12/9.7 (non-angled), 8-14 Z-offset/12.2-11.2 Z-offset → 10-15/8.3-7.8 (angled up), 2-8 Y-offset/11.2-12.2 Z-offset → 4.5-9/9.1-10.5 (angled down)), while the farthest hitbox to Bowser Jr. is smaller (ID 0: 5u → 4.5u). This reduces the looping hits' range.
- However, this somewhat fixes the blindspot in front of Bowser Jr., making the looping hits connect slightly more reliably.
- The final hit has slightly faster startup (frame 36 → 35) making it connect more reliably from the looping hits.
- The final hit's hitbox is smaller (7u → 6u) and does not extend as far (non-angled: 8-12 Y-offset/18 Z-offset → 9-12/17; angled up: 11-15 Y-offset/18-17 Z-offset → 13-16/16-15; angled down: 5-9 Y-offset/19-18 Z-offset → 4.5-6.5/16.5-17). This noticeably reduces its range and, combined with the changes to the looping hits above, causes opponents to potentially fall out more frequently.
- Up smash:
- The move's hitboxes have shorter durations (hit 1: frames 7-9 → 7-8, looping hits: frames 10-24 → 9-18, second to last hit: frame 25 → 18, last hit: 30-31 → 22-23), and the looping hits have a faster rehit rate (4 → 3).
- As a result, the move hits six times instead of seven. However, the second to last hit has been merged with the looping hits on frame 18, leaving the move's total damage unchanged (1.3% hits 2-5/1% hit 6 → 1.3% hits 2-4/2.3% hit 5).
- The move has a green visual trail that matches the Junior Clown Car's propeller. Strangely, the color does not change for the Koopalings.
- The faster gap between hits allows the move to connect more reliably.
- However, this gives the move more ending lag as a result, despite its faster interruptibility (FAF 57 → 54).
- It has larger hitboxes (2.5u/2.5u/4u → 3.2u/3.2u/4.7u (clean loop), 4.6u → 5.1u (late loop), 5.5u → 6.5u (last hit)) that stretch farther horizontally (Z offset: -4u—7u → -6.5u—7u (loop), -4u—5u → -5u—5u (last hit)), with the last hit placed lower (Y offset: 24.5u—22.5u → 23u—21u). The looping hits also launch at different angles (120°/190°/140° → 105°/175°/140°), and their hitbox with the lowest priority deals more knockback (base: 0 → 30). Altogether, these changes allow the move to connect more reliably.
- The looping hits are positioned higher up from Bowser Jr. (17-15 ID 0/20-18 ID 1/17-15 ID 2 (Y-offset) → 18-16/21-19/18-16). This improves their upwards range and allows them to connect slightly more reliably, but makes it slightly harder to hit smaller/crouching targets on the ground.
- Except for the second to last hit, the looping hits have reduced hitlag (1x → 0.6x). Combined with the move's improved upwards range and faster gap between hits, this makes the move harder to escape.
- The final hit deals more base knockback (32 → 38).
- The final hit has a smaller hitbox (6u → 5.5u), reducing its vertical range, although its horizontal range was mostly compensated (23-21 Y-offset → 24.5-22.5).
- Down smash:
- Down smash has less startup (frame 15 → 12), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 60 → 57).
- Its hitboxes have a slightly longer duration (frames 15-16 → 12-14).
- It deals slightly more knockback (40 base/89 scaling → 41/91).
Aerial attacks
- All aerials have less landing lag (neutral: 18 frames → 9, forward: 27 → 16, back: 24 → 14, up: 15 → 9, down: 25 → 15).
- Neutral aerial:
- Neutral aerial deals more damage (6% clean/5% mid/3% late → 8%/7%/5%), with knockback scaling mostly compensated (100 → 83/81/80).
- It has hitboxes on the Clown Car's arms (size: 4u clean/3.5u mid/3.0u late, X-offset: -3), which removes the blindspots in front of Bowser Jr. They deal less damage than the sweetspots, but more than the move's previous damage (6.5% clean/5.5% mid/3.5% late).
- However, the new sourspots outprioritize the sweetspots. Since their knockback was not compensated, this makes the move weaker if the sourspots connect.
- Back aerial:
- Back aerial's sourspot extends into the Clown Car (X-offset: 0 → 0—-6), removing its blindspot.
- Down aerial:
- The looping hits have a faster rehit rate (4 → 3), making the move hit up to nine times instead of seven.
- The looping hits have reduced hitlag (1x → 0.8x).
- It deals more damage (1.3% looping hits/2% last hit → 1.5%/2.5%). Combined with the move's faster rehit rate, this makes the move deal more damage if all hits connect (9.8% → 14.5%), though with the last hit's knockback scaling compensated (130 → 124).
- One of the looping hits' hitboxes is extended and positioned further up (Y-offset: 2 → 4, Z-offset/stretch: 0 → -2—2), giving it more range.
- However, since the last hit is not extended, this can cause it to fail to connect into the last hit.
- One of the looping hits' hitboxes (ID 2) has been removed, while the old one (ID 1) detects both aerial and grounded opponents. However, the hitbox no longer sends at an autolink angle (366° → 96°). Combined with the above change, this causes the looping hits to connect less reliably, despite their reduced hitlag and faster rehit rate.
- The looping hits have altered knockback (30 set/100 scaling (ID 0), 30 base/100 scaling (ID 1) → 30 base/10 scaling (both)). This allows them to connect more consistently at low percentages, but since all of its hitboxes no longer use set knockback, it still connects less consistently at very high percentages.
- The landing hitbox extends further (Z-offset: -2—2 → -2.5—2.5), improving its range.
- The hitbox has also been moved upwards (Y-offset: 3.2 → 4).
Throws and other attacks
- Grabs:
- Bowser Jr. preemptively pulls out his toy hammer in his grab animation and holds it while the opponent is grabbed.
- The color of the claw matches each Koopaling's Clown Car.
- Standing grab has faster startup (frame 12 → 11).
- Dash and pivot grabs have slightly more startup lag (dash/pivot: frame 13/12 → 14/15).
- All grabs have more ending lag (Standing/dash/pivot: FAF 36/45/42 → 41/49/44).
- Standing grab's grabbox has been moved forwards (Z-offset: 4-13 → 6.5-14), improving its notoriously poor range despite being less extended.
- Dash and pivot grab's grabboxes are less extended, especially pivot grab (dash: 4-15.5 Z-offset → 6.5-15, pivot: 4—-21.5 Z-offset → 6.5—-16.4), reducing their range.
- Pummel:
- Its animation is slightly different.
- It deals less damage (2% → 1.3%).
- It has faster startup (frame 6 → 1), deals more hitlag (4 → 14 frames) and has less ending lag (FAF 18 → 6), shortening its duration and increasing the number of times Bowser Jr. can pummel the opponent before throwing them or before they break out.
- Forward throw:
- Forward throw's second hit deals more damage (6% → 7%, total: 9% → 10%) and has more knockback scaling (70 → 92), significantly improving its KO potential.
- Back throw:
- Back throw deals less damage (12% → 11%) with knockback scaling not fully compensated (65 → 70), slightly hindering its KO power.
- Up throw:
- Up throw has less ending lag (FAF 45 → 38) and deals less knockback (55 base/85 scaling → 65/60), granting it combo potential.
- Down throw:
- Down throw has seven looping hits instead of five that deal significantly more damage (0.5% hits 1-5 → 1.2% hits 1-7, total: 6.5% → 12.4%).
- It sends at a more horizontal angle (55° → 30°), allowing it to set up edgeguards.
- It deals less knockback overall (80 base/110 scaling → 90/55).
- Edge attack:
- Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 10%).
Special moves
- Clown Cannon:
- Clown Cannon has faster startup (frame 43-103 → 37-97) and less ending lag (FAF 81-141 → 73-133).
- Bowser Jr. can have up to two cannonballs in play at once.
- A cannonball's hitbox is bigger (3.2u → 3.8u).
- A cannonball travels in a spiraling path (similar to King K. Rool's Blunderbuss and ones fired by Shotzos in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS's Smash Run), instead of flying straight. Combined with the above change, this noticeably increases a cannonball's effective range.
- A cannonball keeps an active hitbox after it starts to fall in midair, allowing the move to be used for edgeguarding. However, this does not apply for cannonballs that have already landed, and cannonballs can only hit non-shielding opponents once.
- An uncharged cannonball deals more damage (8.5% early/5.9% late → 10%/7%).
- A cannonball deals shield damage (0 → 8), capable of doing more than half a shield's health when fully charged.
- An uncharged cannonball travels slower, letting Bowser Jr. follow it. This makes cannonballs easier to dodge, but grants new setups based around them.
- Combined with the above change, an uncharged cannonball can hit shields twice before it drops at maximum distance, dealing extreme shield damage.
- A cannonball deals significantly altered knockback (40 base/82 scaling → 90/52). This makes them safe on hit at any percentage, but significantly worsen their KO power, only having KO power if one is fully charged.
- Clown Kart Dash:
- The Clown Car moves faster and reaches its maximum speed immediately after beginning to move, therefore no longer needing to accelerate to deal maximum damage with the collision.
- Its armor resists more damage (9% → ~10.2%).
- The collision deals more damage (4%-7% → 5.2%-8.8%).
- The collision has more knockback scaling (80 → 95). This improves its combo ability from low-mid to mid percentages, but reduces it at high ones.
- The spinout deals more damage (8%-12% → 10%-16.3%) with knockback scaling not fully compensated (80 → 75), noticeably improving its KO power.
- The spinout has faster startup (frame 5 → 3).
- If the move is canceled it in the air, Bowser Jr. keeps his double jump. This significantly improves Bowser Jr's recovery, giving it more mix-ups.
- It can no longer be air dodged out of.
- It makes Bowser Jr. jump higher on sloped platforms.
- Abandon Ship!:
- The Clown Car no longer respawns when Bowser Jr. grabs onto a ledge after using Abandon Ship!. While this results in him always receiving 1.15x damage if he gets hit, it also means that his hurtbox is considerably smaller.
- The initial launch and explosion have less startup (frame 21/60 → 17/56), which also allows Bowser Jr. to swing his hammer 4 frames earlier.
- The hammer swing has a longer hitbox duration (frame 8/13 → 8-9/13-14), and the hitboxes are even larger (6.5u/3.0u → 7.0u/3.5u).
- Like with regular air dodges, Bowser Jr. can only use a single air dodge out of Abandon Ship!. This makes him easier to edgeguard.
- Mechakoopa:
- Mechakoopas start walking earlier (frame 54 → 48), and no longer bounce.
- They cling onto the opponent they make contact with, detonating on them even if they are being knocked away. This makes them connect into the second hit reliably, and allows for more reliable kill setups.
- They explode upon hitting a shield if thrown.
- They deactivate and lie on the ground when they walk into a shield, no longer crossing them up. They can still be picked up and used before they completely disappear after a second passes. This makes them easier to use against Bowser Jr.
- Shadow Mario Paint:
- Shadow Mario Paint is active for a shorter amount of time.