Editing History of Bowser

Bowser is both the main antagonist and final boss in ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', ''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels]]'', and their [[reissue]]s included in ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Bros. Deluxe]]''. Bowser's role in the backstory is identical in both games: He and his [[Bowser's Minions|army]] invade and conquer the [[Mushroom Kingdom]], using a spell to transform the citizens into inanimate objects as well as kidnapping the only person who can reverse the effects of the curse, [[Princess Peach|Princess Toadstool]].<ref>{{cite|date=1985|url=www.nintendo.co.jp/clv/manuals/en/pdf/CLV-P-NAAAE.pdf|title=''Super Mario Bros.'' instruction booklet|format=PDF|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|page=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite|date=1994|title=''Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World'' instruction booklet|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|page=5}}</ref> Bowser is fought on a bridge at the end of the World 8-4 in each game. He is fought identically in both games. His actions include jumping, throwing hammers, and spitting [[fireball]]s, like some of the later [[Impostor Bowser|impostors]] in earlier worlds. Bowser falls into the lava in defeat if either the [[axe|ax]] is touched on the other side or if he is hit by five [[fireball]]s. All 8-bit sprites have only three colors, but Bowser's sprite appears to have four, which is because the black background makes Bowser's spiked collars around his wrists appear to be black in his sprite.

Bowser is both the main antagonist and final boss in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''. Bowser has a more elboarate plot than before where he enlists the [[Koopalings]] to help him take over the [[Mushroom World]] entirely.<ref>{{cite|quote=Ha! Ha! Ha! These are my 7 children that are going to help me take over the Mushroom World!|author=Bowser|date=1990|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en}}</ref> After Mario and Luigi defeat [[Ludwig]] in [[Pipe Land]], Bowser informs them in a letter that he has kidnapped the princess.<ref>{{cite|quote=Yo! I kidnapped the princess while you were running around. She's here in my castle, if you dare to try and rescue her. Ha ha ha... King of the Koopa.|author=Bowser|date=1990|publisher=Nintendo|language=en}}</ref> Bowser is encountered in the final room of [[Bowser's Castle]], where the battle begins when he falls in. Bowser's attacks include breathing two [[fireball]]s at the player character, then leaping into the air to perform a [[Ground Pound]], destroying the blocks upon impact. Bowser is defeated if either he falls into a pit after destroying a column of blocks, or being hit by either 35 fireballs or three [[hammer]]s. Unlike most game, attempting to jump on him causes Mario to harmlessly bounce off rather than be damaged by his horns and spikes. His letter signature varies between versions. In the original American release, he is called King of the Koopa, while the [[Family Computer]] refers to him as Koopa only. The UK version also erroneously calls him "Koopa Troopa" in his letter.<ref>{{cite|author=TCRF|title=[[tcrf:Super Mario Bros. 3/Version Differences#Bowser's Letter|Super Mario Bros. 3/Version Differences § Bowser's Letter]]|publisher=The Cutting Room Floor|language=en|accessdate=September 10, 2024}}</ref>

Bowser is both the main antagonist and final boss in ''[[Super Mario World]]''. His sprite is depicted green with two large fangs, unlike his normal artwork. Bowser's green skin color was the result of a design oversight.<ref>{{cite|url=www.nintendo.com/jp/topics/article/cb34ab17-9135-11e7-8cda-063b7ac45a6d|title=「ニンテンドークラシックミニ スーパーファミコン」発売記念インタビュー 第５回「スーパーマリオワールド ＋ ヨッシーアイランド篇」|publisher=www.nintendo.co.jp|language=ja|accessdate=September 10, 2024|quote=『マリオメーカー』をつくっているときに、クッパの色が間違えていたことに気づいたんです。肌の色が緑になっていて・・・本当はオレンジのつもりだったんですけど・・・。 (''When I was making Mario Maker, I realized that I'd made a mistake with Bowser's color. His skin was green... I actually meant to make him orange...'')|author=[[Shigefumi Hino]]}}</ref> The [[Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2|remake]] rectifies this by giving Bowser's arms their normal color. Bowser kidnaps Princess Toadstool again while she is vacationing with the Mario Bros. in [[Dinosaur Land]].<ref name="smwenmanual">{{cite|language=en|format=PDF|title=''Super Mario World'' instruction booklet|url=www.nintendo.co.jp/clvs/manuals/common/pdf/CLV-P-SAAAE.pdf|page=2|publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref> Several of the native [[Yoshi (species)|Yoshis]] were captured by the Koopalings,<ref name="smwenmanual"/> and [[Yoshi]] was imprisoned by Bowser in an [[Yoshi's Egg|egg]] while on the way to rescuing them.<ref>{{cite|quote=Hooray! Thank [[Mario|you]] for rescuing me. My name is Yoshi. On my way to rescue my friends, Bowser trapped me in that [[Yoshi's Egg|egg]].|author=Yoshi|date=1991|title=''Super Mario World''|publisher=Nintendo|language=en}}</ref> Bowser is seen in the background of [[Valley of Bowser]], flying in his [[Koopa Clown Car]]; only his eyes can be seen in the darkness, and the occasional thunderclap reveals a silhouette briefly. Bowser is fought at the end of the Valley of Bowser, on the roof of [[Bowser's Castle|his castle]]. He sits inside of the [[Koopa Clown Car]] during the entire battle. Bowser attacks by throwing [[Mechakoopa]]s and [[Metal ball|Big Steelies]], as well as trying to ram into the player character as the battle progresses. When Bowser is hit by a Mechakoopa, he retreats into the Koopa Clown Car temporarily while causing flames to rain down from above. When defeated, Bowser loses control of his Koopa Clown Car, which turns upsidedown to release Princess Toadstool, before being knocked into the distance. In the remake, Bowser is absent entirely after his level is cleared.

Bowser is the main antagonist and a recurring boss in ''[[Super Mario 64]]'' and ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]''. He is first fought in [[Bowser in the Dark World]], then in [[Bowser in the Fire Sea]], and lastly in [[Bowser in the Sky]]. At the beginning, Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach, invades the [[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]], and steals the castle's [[Power Star]]s. He gives them to his minions, who are lurking inside the castle's [[painting]]s. To hinder Mario from disrupting his plans, Bowser seals the doors in the castle which require Power Stars or special keys to unlock. ''Super Mario 64 DS'' retains the original game's basic plot, but Bowser ambushes and captures Mario, as well as [[Luigi]] and [[Wario]], and his minions lock them behind special doors in the [[Peach's Room|princess's room]], leaving [[Yoshi]] as the first player character. The remake allows any character to fight Bowser in the first two battles, but he allows only Mario during the final battle.<ref>{{cite|quote=Grr. If I've lost all the Power Stars, Mario is my only rival... No one else matters. Now, scram!|author=Bowser|date=2004|title=''Super Mario 64 DS''|location=Peach's Castle, top floor|publisher=Nintendo|language=en}}</ref>

Bowser is an antagonist and one of the final bosses in ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''. Despite being a final boss, Bowser plays a smaller role in favor of his son being introduced, [[Bowser Jr.]], going by his [[Shadow Mario]] alias during most of the game. Bowser convinced Bowser Jr. that Peach is his mother, which is what motivated Bowser Jr. to kidnap her and try unifying her with Bowser.<ref>{{cite|quote=He said my Mama got kidnapped by a bad man named Mario! So I came here to rescue her!|title=''Super Mario Sunshine''|author=Bowser Jr.|date=2002|location=[[Pinna Park]]|publisher=Nintendo|language=en}}</ref> Bowser is first seen on the top floor of [[Corona Mountain]], relaxing in a giant [[Goop#Hot water|hot tub]]. Bowser is angry at Mario for interrupting his leisure, so he begins fighting him in another battle.<ref>{{cite|quote=Mario! How dare you disturb my family vacation?!|author=Bowser|date=2002|title=''Super Mario Sunshine''|language=en|publisher=Nintendo|location=[[Corona Mountain]]}}</ref> Bowser attacks by either breathing massive flames at Mario or splashing the water in the tub at him. Bowser and the others fall into the vicinity of [[Delfino Plaza]] after Mario ground-pounds every [[stone wheel|flame symbol platform]], ending the battle. Bowser and his son land in the ocean nearby, where he is about to confess that Peach is not his mother,<ref>{{cite|date=2002|quote=Jr., I've got something...difficult...to tell you about Princess Peach...|author=Bowser|publisher=Nintendo|language=en}}</ref> but Bowser Jr. was already aware of it.<ref>{{cite|quote=I know, she's not really my Mama.|author=Bowser Jr.|date=2002|publisher=Nintendo|language=en}}</ref> Bowser expresses pride when Bowser Jr. shows eagerness to challenge Mario again, though he wants them to rest for a while.

Bowser is one of the main antagonists and a recurring boss in ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'' He is first fought in [[World 1-Castle (New Super Mario Bros.)|World 1-Castle]], where his attacks include shooting fireballs and leaping into the air. Bowser is defeated when the [[skull switch]] is activated, causing the bridge to disappear and for him to fall into the lava, much like in ''Super Mario Bros.'', though a difference is that Bowser becomes [[Dry Bowser]], as a result of being burnt. Bowser is revived by Bowser Jr. for a final battle at the end of {{world link|8|bowsern|World 8-Bowser's Castle (New Super Mario Bros.)}} after his bones are thrown into a cauldron. Bowser attacks by approaching Mario, leaping, and shooting fireballs, as well as shooting several blasts of blue fire in later parts of the battle. Both of them are defeated when the player character activates the skull switch on the other side, or alternatively from [[fireball]]s or a [[Mega Mushroom]], also doable in the first battle. The epilogue shows an unconscious Bowser being dragged by Bowser Jr.

Bowser is the final boss of ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''. He is encountered at the end of [[World 6 (New Super Mario Bros. 2)|World 6]]. Bowser attacks using fire and iron mallets in a battle similar to ''Super Mario Bros.'', and he falls into the pit below the bridge after Mario activates a switch to get rid of it. After Bowser is defeated, he is transformed into '''Super Bowser'''<ref>{{cite|author=von Esmarch, Nick|title=''New Super Mario Bros. 2'' [[Prima Games|Prima]] Official Game Guide|publisher=[[Prima Games]]|location=Roseville|language=en-us|isbn=978-0-307-89552-3|page=169}}</ref> when magic falls onto him from the Koopalings' wands. Super Bowser gets back up and knocks the Koopalings away. He attacks by swiping his claws at Mario as he travels upwards. Two segments of the battle involve Super Bowser breathing fire at Mario on a full platform. Super Bowser is defeated when the player character activates a massive [[! Switch]]. Bowser is later seen at normal size during the ending, while the Koopalings carry him by the tail outside of the Koopa Clown Car. The combined weight of Bowser and the Koopalings could not support the Koopa Clown Car, causing it to crash into the ground and scatter the eight of them everywhere. Bowser's head is seen stuck in the ground.

For every other outfit, or before fighting him for the first time regardless of which outfit Mario is wearing,<ref>{{cite|author=Shirrako|date=October 29, 2017|url=youtu.be/y8U3hEwMLzM|title=Super Mario Odyssey - Final Boss & Ending (Wedding Dress Mario Costume)|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=February 26, 2022}}</ref> Bowser says, "''Also, your outfit isn't halfway fancy enough for the occasion!''"

Bowser, though only commonly referred to by the name of King Koopa (very rarely was he called Bowser Koopa), is featured as the main antagonist of all three of [[DIC Entertainment]]'s ''Super Mario'' cartoons, ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!]]'', ''[[The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' and [[Super Mario World (television series)|''Super Mario World'']]. He later gets his own show in ''[[King Koopa's Kool Kartoons]]'', a live-action DIC production. Bowser's appearance in the shows is based on elements from his in-game sprite in ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' and the design of [[Wart]] from ''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]''. Wart's army, the [[8 bits]], is loyal to Koopa in the first show, as are the minions of the character's original counterpart in all three. In all the shows, Bowser was voiced by Harvey Atkin, who also starred in other shows such as ''{{wp|Goosebumps (TV series)|Goosebumps}}'' as Mr. Malik, ''{{wp|The Adventures of Sam and Max: Freelance Police}}'' voicing Sam, and in ''{{wp|Cagney & Lacey}}'' as Sergeant Ronald Coleman. According to an interview with writer [[Perry Martin]], King Koopa's portrayal was based on comedian {{wp|Don Rickles}}.<ref name="Perry">{{cite|author=Brett Homenick|date=September 11, 2018|url=vantagepointinterviews.com/2018/09/11/do-the-mario-perry-martin-on-scripting-the-cartoon-adaptations-of-the-super-mario-bros|title=DO THE MARIO! Perry Martin on Scripting the Cartoon Adaptations of the Super Mario Bros.!|publisher=Vantage Point Interviews|accessdate=October 5, 2018}}</ref>

==''White Knuckle Scorin{{'}}''==

Bowser is a playable character in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]''. He has one of the best speed and weight boosts. His Koopa Clown Car also has an appearance as the Koopa Clown, an unlockable kart body. The staff ghosts using Bowser are Ret*Matt M on Bowser's Castle, with the standard kart body, [[Monster (tire)|Monster]] tires, and the [[Super Glider]] with a time of 02:34.815; the expert staff ghost also uses Bowser in the [[Blue Seven]] with [[Red Monster]] tires and the [[Beast Glider]], the time being 02:15.244. He is also both ghosts on {{classic link|GBA|Bowser's Castle 1|Bowser Castle 1}}; the normal ghost, Nin*Hayata, uses the [[Kart|Pipe Frame]] with [[Standard (tire)|Standard]] tires and the Beast Glider and has a time of 01:31.030, while the expert, Nin*hokwai, uses the Koopa Clown with the [[Roller]] tires and the Super Glider, and has a time of 01:22.221. If using a glider with a stem (Super Glider, Flower Glider etc.) while playing as Bowser, the stem of the glider is bent to go around his shell; for the other characters it is straight.

Thanks to the efforts of Luigi and Daisy, the dimensions are split again, and Mario is joined by Luigi, who hands him a de-evolution gun. He attempts to have his accompanying troops shoot him, but the Goombas end up failing to obey the order by dancing thanks to Toad playing the harmonica, exploiting an earlier weakness of the Goombas, causing Koopa to angrily punch them down dominoes-style. The brothers then fire the guns at him after he attempts to strike them with his now functioning fireball gun (the latter missing them and instead hitting a Koopa propaganda poster depicting him kissing a baby), which began de-evolving him, granting him definite saurian features just as the Bob-omb arrives right beneath Koopa and explodes, sending him flying into the empty vat. After a moment of silence, he emerges from the vat, having de-evolved into a semi-humanoid ''Tyrannosaurus'', having some distorted traits (uneven teeth, bigger arms, and overall exaggerated features). The brothers then defeat him by continuously blasting Koopa again as his ''Tyrannosaurus'' form briefly becomes more recognizable, until he finally de-evolves into primeval slime.

Bowser is Mario's ally in ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'' and its [[Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)|Nintendo Switch remake]], making this game the first time they have teamed up. However, Bowser begins with his usual antagonistic role, where he, in his Koopa Clown Car, flies to [[Mario Bros.' House|Mario's Pad]] to kidnap Princess Peach and take her back to his keep. However, Mario, hearing Peach scream, is on his tail. Bowser and Mario face each other atop a pair of chandeliers in the throne room. After Mario wins the battle, [[Exor]] crashes into [[Bowser's Keep]], sending Mario, Peach, and Bowser flying in different directions.

Upon arriving at [[Booster Tower]], Bowser is once again sighted; this time, however, he is sulking because all his remaining minions have abandoned him. After noticing Mario behind him and Peach on the balcony, he leaves, but returns after Mario finds the door is locked. Realizing that Mario needs his assistance, Bowser rams the door in and joins Mario, naming him, Mallow, and [[Geno]] honorary members of Bowser's Minions. After returning her to [[Mushroom Kingdom (Super Mario RPG)|Mushroom Kingdom]], the [[Chancellor]] and fellow Toads are surprised to see that Mario is working with Bowser. Although he is nervous to tell the truth, he is able to stretch it to some extent with the others when they explain what is happening.

Bowser's weapons are mostly variations of [[Chain Chomp]]s and his claw, as well as tossing Mario at enemies using the [[Hurly Glove]]; Bowser's weapons themselves are [[Chain Chomp (weapon)|Chain Chomp]], [[Fake Chomp]], Hurly Glove, [[Spiked Chomp]], and [[Drill Claw]]. Bowser's special attacks are [[Terrorize]], in which he summons a Big Boo to attack; [[Poison Gas]], in which he summons a [[Gassox]] to poison enemies; [[Crusher]], in which he creates a large column of earth that emerges from the ground and strikes enemies; and [[Mechakoopa Stomp]], which involves Bowser summoning a giant Mechakoopa to attack enemies. Additionally, while fighting the enemies in Bowser's Keep, having Bowser as an active party member can scare away some of the monsters. If he is not, his mood can instead confuse them.

Bowser targets also appear in the minigame [[Hot Shots]]. Hitting one gives one hundred points.

Bowser is fought twice in the game. He is first fought in the [[Glitz Pit]] after Mario reaches Rank 5 during Chapter 3. Bowser can attack by breathing fire, ground-pounding, and biting Mario. This fight can either result in Bowser's defeat or victory, but no matter the outcome he leaves [[Glitzville]] afterward. He is fought again alongside Kammy Koopa in the [[Palace of Shadow]] after he accidentally falls on top of [[Grodus|Sir Grodus]]. His attacks are the same as when he is fought in the Glitz Pit.

Bowser appears in the [[Mario Bros. (Game Boy Advance)|''Mario Bros.'' minigame remake]] included in the [[Super Mario Advance (series)|''Super Mario Advance'' series]] and ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]''. He is situated on the central [[floor]] in every fourth round of the Battle mode. He breathes fire and cannot be defeated, but can be stunned by hitting him from below.

Although Bowser himself does not appear in ''[[Luigi's Mansion]]'' or [[Luigi's Mansion (Nintendo 3DS)|the remake]], he was mentioned by [[Madame Clairvoya]], where she says that Bowser had been defeated soundly by Mario a while back. However, Luigi does eventually fight what appears to be Bowser when [[King Boo]] sends him into a painting with his image on it (in reality Mario's). However, when Luigi beheads him using the explosive spiked balls that Bowser throws, King Boo comes out; revealing "Bowser" to be nothing more than a mecha suit controlled by him.<ref>{{cite|quote=Wait a minute! That isn’t Bowser at all! It’s a mechanical puppet controlled by the cunning King Boo! When a successful strike knocks ”Bowser’s” head off, King Boo wobbles out of his Bowser suit while Bowser’s head fires shards of ice at you|author=Hinckley, Jill|date=March 12, 2002|title=''Nintendo GameCube Collection: 4 Guides for the Price of 1'' Prima's Official Strategy Guide|publisher=[[Prima Games]]|language=en-us|isbn=0761539166|page=80}}</ref> Eventually, Luigi defeats King Boo and traps him in the [[Poltergust 3000]], leading to the Bowser suit and its unattached head falling to the ground motionless. During the battle, Luigi must throw [[Spike Ball|spiked ball]]s at the suit, which beheads it and causes King Boo to come out. During that, the floating Bowser head fires icy flames at Luigi until it puts itself back on its body. When King Boo's HP is down to two hundred, the Bowser head reattaches itself backwards when he returns to the body, which causes the suit to run around aimlessly, but it soon puts its head in the right position.

Bowser was [[List of Super Smash Bros. pre-release and unused content#Early ideas|originally planned]] appear ar a playable character in the previous games, ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', but was scrapped due to time constraints.<ref>{{cite|date=April 29, 2016|url=sourcegaming.info/2016/04/29/duflupdate/|title=The Definitive List of Unused Fighters in Smash|publisher=Source Gaming|language=en|accessdate=July 11, 2024}}</ref>

Bowser has made several cameos in the [[WarioWare (series)|''WarioWare'' series]]. In ''[[WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!]]'', the [[microgame]]s [[Classic Clash I]], [[Classic Clash II|II]], and [[Classic Clash|III]] each feature a kaiju-like Bowser as an obstacle. Controlling a Mario substitute known as Nintenman,<ref>{{cite|quote=It's our brave hero-Nintenman! Press the correct buttons to put a stop to the monstrous attacker!|author=Classic Clash info|date=2018|title=''WarioWare Gold''|publisher=Nintendo|language=en}}</ref><ref>Name given in [[Wario Kard]]</ref> the player must either dodge Bowser's attacks, force him backwards, or destroy him with a beam attack, depending on the game. All three microgames reappear unchanged in ''[[WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!]]'' In ''[[WarioWare Gold]]'', Classic Clash III returns, now simply named Classic Clash. In this version, Bowser has been redesigned to more closely resemble his original sprite from ''Super Mario Bros.''

In the [[Nintendo 3DS]] remake, ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]'', in addition to appearing in the game's main story mode with the same role as the original game, Bowser plays an integral part in the new ''Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser'' mode. Here, a group of Bowser's minions, led by [[Captain Goomba (Mario & Luigi series)|Captain Goomba]], venture the Beanbean Kingdom with the intent of reuniting with Bowser and freeing other minions from Fawful's hypnosis. Captain Goomba and the recovered minions also discover Bowser, or rather Rookie, nearby and try to help him, although due to his amnesia, he doesn't recognize them and even declares disgust towards them. After making it to the castle, Bowser seemingly is present and orders them to take on Mario as usual. However, Captain Goomba seemed suspicious of "Bowser" due to him using language that seemed far too harsh on Mario even with his hatred of him (namely, stating they should "destroy" Mario and finish their feud), which they eventually confirm with a Lakitu (who made the discovery directly) that "Bowser" was in fact possessed as [[Bowletta]]. After defeating Fawful and his robot underlings, the group of minions ultimately find Bowser after his possessed form is defeated and cleansed by Mario and Luigi. However, the reunion is short-lived, as the castle they are in soon explodes, launching Bowser and the minions out of it. The minions then look on as Bowser is being returned via airplane to the Mushroom Kingdom. Later, inside Bowser's Castle, Bowser is slowly recovering from his amnesia. Through his words, it is revealed that Bowser's memory loss was actually caused by Captain Goomba when he landed on Bowser from above. The mode ends with Bowser angrily chasing after Captain Goomba, with it also being implied that Bowser had Captain Goomba demoted not just his then-newly promoted position of leading the Bowser's Minions into direct battle, but also his rank of Captain itself for his inadvertent role in giving him amnesia.<ref>{{cite|author=TwinGamer|date=October 1, 2017|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbKcKjdsUQ8|title=Bowser's Minions - All Major Bosses + Credits|publisher=YouTube|language=en|accessdate=July 11, 2024}}</ref>

Bowser only enters the story in [[Mushrise Park]], though it is never said how he found out about Mario, Luigi and Peach being at Pi'illo Island. While his initial goal is to capture Peach, Antasma convinces Bowser to join him and leave Peach alone for the time being. This alliance prompts the first boss battle. Bowser and Antasma successfully steal the [[Dream Stone]], and [[wish]] upon the stone to create [[Neo Bowser Castle]]. They later capture Peach too, though this happens offscreen.

Bowser appears in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]'' as one of two main antagonists, the other being [[Paper Bowser|his paper counterpart]].

Bowser appears in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Brothership]]'' as a supporting antagonist. In the beginning of the game, he was aboard an airship in the vicinity of Peach's Castle (presumably to attack the locale as usual). However, before he had a chance to do anything, he and his minions were sucked into a portal created by the [[Great Conductor]] alongside the inhabitants of Peach's Castle as well as the Mario Bros., and sent to [[Concordia]]. Bowser takes over [[Offandon Island]] and turns the locals against Mario and Luigi, and he builds a castle on [[Wayaway Island]]. Bowser and his army are engaged in an aerial battle against the [[Zok Troops]], wanting to simply conquer Concordia while [[Zokket]] and his forces are bent on destroying it. As [[Mario]], [[Luigi]], [[Snoutlet]], [[Connie]], and their friends on [[Shipshape Island]] enter the [[Gulchrock Sea]], they witness the battle. Bowser spots Mario and Luigi on Shipshape and decides to take the opportunity to attack his two nemeses via his airship's cannons and Airtubs, forcing the brothers overboard as well as severing [[Twistee Island]] and [[Heatfreeze Island]] from Shipshape in the process. Some of his minions also start to feel the effects of [[Glohm]], with Bowser proceeding to hoard [[Ampberry|Ampberries]] and raid neighboring islands for more of them as a result. While Mario and Luigi are disguised on Offandon Island, they witness Bowser giving a speech to his minions ordering the downfall of Zokket and the Mario Bros.

Mario and Luigi infiltrate Bowser's Castle, meeting Bowser and hoping to get some of the Ampberries he has stored away to help cure the Glohmed Concordians. Bowser, overcome by his hatred toward the brothers, picks a fight. This leads to [[Bowser Jr.|his son]] getting kidnapped due to the [[Extension Corps]] taking advantage of the battle. Bowser storms Fortress Zokket, where he smashes his way past Zokket's troops and demands the safe return of his son. Instead, Zokket activates his Glohmatic Quad-Ray and blasts him with it, turning him into [[Glohm Bowser]]. Mario and Luigi defeat the Koopa King in his Glohmed state, reverting him to his normal self. He escapes as he is later seen recovering in his castle. During the side quest [[How's Bowser's Health?]], [[Starlow]] (who Bowser still calls Chippy following the events of ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'') visits him with Mario and Luigi to see how he's doing. Bowser becomes annoyed by Starlow, especially since she brought his two nemeses with her. After messing with Bowser a little, Starlow puts some of his favorite [[Hot Drumstick|spicy chicken]] on his head, irritating Bowser enough to where he orders his minions to escort the trio out of the room. He then tells his minions to give back his chicken after it drops onto a Goomba.

When Mario and Luigi breach the [[Soli-Tree]] and are trapped in a dream world made by [[Reclusa]], a friendly copy of Bowser appears within the fake Mushroom Kingdom, which the Bros. find odd due to Bowser usually being at odds with them. When the Bros. attempt to escape, Reclusa believes they do not want Bowser and recreates the dream world without him in it, but this fails to deter the Bros. from escaping.

Bowser, having fully recovered, is later seen saving Mario and Luigi from Reclusa's minions after he attempts to overwhelm the brothers with a large swarm. However, he clarifies that him saving the two brothers was an accident and he was simply trying to get revenge on Zokket (unaware that Zokket was defeated and ignoring Kamek's attempts to inform him of this) and resumes his attack, though he does suggest to Mario and Luigi to tread carefully regarding his line of fire. He is ultimately taken out by Reclusa after he [[Weeping Reclusa|merges]] with the [[Soli-Tree]], although he and his army recovered in time to return to the Mushroom Kingdom. Bowser himself stays behind long enough to retrieve two Goombas who nearly came close to being left behind before entering the portal. At the very end, Bowser attacks Peach's Castle in his airship, prompting Mario and Luigi to face him again.

Bowser is fought twice in this game, with his first battle taking place in his fortress on Wayaway Island, and many of his attacks use his minions. For one of his attacks, Bowser can send [[Koopa Troopa]]s at the Bros., who have to use hammer strikes to repel the enemies. This is followed by Bowser himself performing a shell dash, and the Bros. have to repel him with a hammer strike. If his shell dash hits, Bowser will send [[Spiny|Spinies]] at the Bros., who have to again use hammer strikes to repel the Spinies. Afterwards, he will use another shell dash. Successfully repelling the shell dash with both Bros. will knock Bowser onto his back for one turn, causing jump attacks to deal critical damage. Another attack has him perform a [[Ground Pound]], creating a tremor that must be jumped over. In a third one of his attacks, the Koopa King's minions charge at the Bros. and have to be jumped over (unless they are flying at a sufficient height or jump the target). Spinies charge more slowly, while Bob-ombs charge more quickly. These must be jumped over. After the Bros. dodge his minions, Bowser will use his sliding haymaker from ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', which must be jumped over or jump countered. Failing to avoid this will knock away the targeted Bro. for a few turns,<ref>[https://youtu.be/P95b6Gpb64s&t=497 Mario and Luigi Brothership Bowser Boss Fight - YouTube]</ref> and if the other Bro. is knocked down before or within those few turns, this results in a [[Game Over]], regardless of the remaining HP of the knocked away Bro.<ref>[https://youtu.be/3Qe50qhDQdM&t=674 Fewest Level Ups and NONE FOR LUIGI in Mario & Luigi Brothership - YouTube]</ref> He can also attack by swiping with his claws and tail, which must be jumped over. In another attack, the Koopa King will charge up his fire breath, and Mario and Luigi must jump onto the Cannonballs provided by [[Shy Guy]]s, then jump Bowser's fire breath. Bowser can chain his claws, tail swipes, and tremor attacks on the same turn. After half his health is depleted, Bowser becomes more powerful and glows for the rest of the fight. During this fight, Bowser is aided by his minions (Koopa Troopas, Goombas, etc.).

As Glohm Bowser, he has a different attack pattern. The Koopa King retains his ground pound, tail swipe, and claw swipe attacks, but now uses his fire breath and his ground pound creates slower shockwaves that must be jumped over. These four attacks can be performed on the same turn, forcing the Bros. to dodge him more than once. Additionally, his fire breath now has a chance to [[Frozen|freeze]] a Bro that is hit by it. He can also perform a shell dash and slide around the Bros., who have to use hammer strikes to block his shell dash. Another attack of his has him trap the Bros. in pipes and send his fireballs down into those pipes; Mario and Luigi have to repel these fireballs with their hammer. He can also breathe fire in a strafing motion. If the fire stream fails to kill the Bros., Bowser will charge at them; his charge can be dodge by jumping. Occasionally, a [[Shy Guy Airtub]] will come into the fight, which [[Luigi]] can hijack with his [[Luigi Logic]]; if the hijacking is successful, the player will play a shooter segment where Mario and Luigi can shoot Bowser; however, the Koopa King will try to down the ship with his fireballs and a punch attack.

In the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack in ''[[Minecraft]]'', Bowser is a playable {{iw|minecraftwiki|skin}}. Bowser's emblem appears as a painting. The pre-made map included with the Mash-Up Pack also includes a large statue of Bowser, which can be found by entering a recreation of the [[Valley of Bowser]] entrance.

Dr. Bowser skill has him breathe fire<ref>{{cite|quote="Breathing fire? That can't be sanitary..."- [[Virus|Blue]]|author=Nintendo Mobile|date=June 4, 2019|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY0TBNkC2Ww|timestamp="0:50"|title=Doctors & Assistants #1|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=Nov 2, 2024}}</ref> on random row(s) of the stage, clearing objects. <ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo Mobile|date=June 17, 2019|url=youtu.be/8b4DNKfs_tU|title=Welcome to Dr. Mario World|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=June 20, 2019}}</ref> Viruses affected shown to be burnt. In Stage Mode, this affects two adjacent rows, while in Versus Mode, it affects one, two or three adjacent rows. The number of rows cleared in Versus Mode depends on Dr. Bowser's skill level. The row(s) affected by this skill are required to have at least one object that can be cleared, but unlike other doctors whose skills target randomly, viruses are not prioritized meaning that rows that do not have viruses are potentially targeted even though there are still viruses in the stage. In the case this skill clears two or three rows, if the topmost row(s) are empty or has unclearable objects and there are at least two rows of clearable objects next to each other, this skill might target the unclearable row(s) near the top alongside the clearable row(s) even if there are enough rows for this skill to clear.

Bowser reprises his role as the main antagonist yet again in 2023's ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]''. His goal is marrying Princess Peach through coercion, using the Super Star that he stole from the Snow Kingdom as a bartering chip, while he and his army move to conquer the entire world, including not only the Mushroom Kingdom but also various surrounding lands, including the Jungle Kingdom. [[Kamek]] is his assistant, who helps Bowser with his wedding speech and other plans. Throughout the film, he also captures Luigi, who is lost in the Dark Lands. He also tries to stop Mario, who arrives with Princess Peach to save the world and rescue Luigi. He is voiced by [[Jack Black]] in the English version of the film, who provides a slightly deepened voice to portray the character. His voice actors in the film's dubs in other languages include [[Kenta Miyake]] in the Japanese version. The film features a dedicated [[Peaches|song]] to Bowser, who plays a piano and serenades about his love for Peach.<ref>{{cite|author=@JoeMoor01284044|date=March 10, 2023|url=x.com/GameXplain/status/1634263510715891712|title=The Super Mario Bros. Movie Got A Brand New TV Spot And Had New Footage. We’re So Close To April 5th!|publisher=X|accessdate=March 10, 2023}}</ref>

For the Wii U port of ''{{wp|Bayonetta}}'' and its sequel, ''{{wp|Bayonetta 2}}'', [[Bayonetta]] is able to summon Bowser while wearing the [[Princess Peach]] costume, although only Bowser's arm and legs are visible during the summon.<ref>{{cite|author=pgblogeditor|date=June 20, 2014|archive=web.archive.org/web/20160322004927/http://platinumgames.com/2014/06/20/wii-u-bayonetta/|title=Wii U Bayonetta!|publisher=PlatinumGames Inc.|accessdate=April 1, 2024}}</ref>

During the {{wp|E3 2019}}: Nintendo Direct presentation, Bowser, wearing a red necktie, walks onscreen when [[Yoshiaki Koizumi]] announces "Bowser" as the new president of [[Nintendo]]'s North American branch. Mr. Koizumi points out that Bowser is the "wrong" Bowser, much to his shock, as [[Doug Bowser]] walks onscreen next to the two. Mr. Koizumi and Mr. Bowser both point out that the latter is the "right" Bowser, much to the Koopa's confusion, and he is ushered out. The Japanese,<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo 公式チャンネル|date=June 11, 2019|title=Nintendo Direct<nowiki>|</nowiki> E3 2019|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck-xovsqTUc|timestamp=4:57|publisher=YouTube|language=ja|accessdate=July 28, 2024}}</ref> Korean, and Chinese versions of this presentation included on-screen text explaining the joke, due to Bowser having different names in those languages.