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

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. He retains the voice clips that he had in Super Smash Bros. 4, though these can potentially be placeholder sound clips.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

Aesthetics

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, 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 Brawl. His model and textures otherwise appear unchanged.
• Bowser's side taunt animation has been updated to match his upright stance.
• Bowser has new victory poses, with one involving him running forward before swiping his claws twice, one showing him breathing fire towards the screen before posing similar to his SSB4 artwork, and one showing him stomp the ground before letting out a skyward roar.
• Bowser had been made more expressive than previous installments with facial expressions reminiscent of his appearances in the Mario series, although not to the same extent as other fighters.

Attributes

• Bowser seems to benefit the most from the universal implementation of the 3-frame jumpsquat, vastly improving his ground-to-air transitioning.
• 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.

Ground attacks

• The first attack in Bowser's neutral combo is now a Sumo-style palm strike. The second, however, is still the same punch as in SSB4.
• Down tilt can now trip opponents.
• Down smash has been altered to a grounded claw swipe that hits forward, then backward.

Throws/other attacks

• Pummel is faster.
• Up throw's animation has been modified, with Bowser now hitting opponents upwards inside his shell. This new throw deals significantly more damage (6.5% → 14.5%).
• Due to up throw's changes, it has lost its most of its followup potential.
• Down throw has quicker start-up and more damage.

Aerials

• Forward Air comes out quicker with more active frames and half the landing lag.
• All other aerials have reduced landing lag.

Special moves

• Fire Breath is more vibrant in color as opposed to the more realistic flame in SSB4.
• Flying Slam now spins Bowser around more dramatically on the way down and was also given an explosion effect.
• Whirling Fortress spins more at an angle than in previous entries.
• Giga Bowser's functionality has drastically changed: rather than utilizing Bowser's Brawl moveset, he teleports to the background of the stage as a giant, and aims a single punch that can potentially force a Screen KO on its victims or do massive knockback upon them.

Gallery

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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.
• Like in SSB4, 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.