Editing Ludwig

{{About|the [[Koopalings|Koopaling]]|the musician he is named after|[[Ludwig van Beethoven]]}}
{{character infobox
|image=[[File:LudwigNSMBU.png|230px]]<br>Artwork from ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''
|full_name=Ludwig von Koopa
|species=[[Koopa (Bowser's species)|Koopa]]
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' ([[List of games by date#1988|1988]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition]]'' ([[List of games by date#2024|2024]])
|latest_portrayal=[[David J. Goldfarb]] ([[List of games by date#2014|2014]]-present)
|member_of=[[Koopalings]]
}}
{{quote|Whatever. I'm not impressed! Time for a real leader to step to the plate!|Ludwig|Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam}}
'''Ludwig von Koopa''' (known as '''Kooky von Koopa''' in the [[DIC Entertainment|DIC]] cartoons) is the eldest<ref name=Age>{{cite|quote=Bowser's oldest Koopaling and second in command, he's a real monster!|title=''Nintendo Power'' Volume 13|date=June 1990|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|page=9}}</ref> of the [[Koopalings]], a clan of seven siblings<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130620090224/http://newsupermariobrosu.nintendo.com/characters/#/koopalings As explained on the Koopalings' profile on the ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' official site], as well as [[List of trophies in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U|Larry's ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' trophy]].</ref> that act as leaders of the [[Bowser's Minions|Koopa Troop]] under [[Bowser]] ([[Koopalings#Family relationship|originally considered his children with Ludwig as heir to the throne]]).<ref name=Second/> He is also their self-proclaimed leader, and is hinted in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]'' to be of a high enough rank to directly receive orders from and give status reports to Bowser. As shown since the ''Super Mario Picture Books'', Ludwig is a conceited show-off, with the recent official bios also underlining his intelligence. In terms of physical appearance, his most notable traits are his large, wild, blue hair, his overbite on the upper snout from which a single tooth is protruding, and his eyebrows that are kept at a peculiar angle, conferring a serious, mature look. He resembles and was named after composer [[Ludwig van Beethoven]].

==History==
===''Super Mario'' series===
====''Super Mario Bros. 3''====
[[File:SMB3 LudwigVonKoopa.jpg|left|thumb|Ludwig from ''Super Mario Bros. 3'']]
{{quote|Vee shall see if you can defeat me, Mario. I combine all the attacks ov my younger brothers and sister-I am the ultimate Koopaling!|Ludwig|''[[Nintendo_Power#Player's Guides|Nintendo Power Strategy Guide: Super Mario Bros 3]]''<ref>''[https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Power_Strategy_Guide_Super_Mario_Bros_3_Nintendo_Power_013_1990/page/n47/mode/1up Nintendo Power Strategy Guide: Super Mario Bros 3]'' page 72</ref>}}
In ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', Ludwig is the boss of [[Pipe Land]]. He is the eldest of the Koopalings<ref name=Age/> and Bowser's second in command.<ref name=Second>{{cite|title=''Nintendo Power'' Volume 13|page=9 and 72|date=June 1990|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|author=Tilden, Gail, et al.}}</ref> He steals the blue [[magic wand]] of Pipe Land's [[Kings|king]], whom he turns into a [[Piranha Plant]] or [[Yoshi (species)|Yoshi]] in the original and ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' versions of the game, respectively. Ludwig can generate earthquakes that stun Mario after landing from jumps; furthermore, he attacks generating magic blasts with his magic wand and retreats in his shell both after being hit by Mario and as a form of attack among the others, this being his unique trait in the game.

The [[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3|Game Boy Advance version]] expands Ludwig's role slightly with the (originally Japanese-only) e-reader level [[Koopaling Confusion]], where he hides out at a docking area for maritime vessels. If the player takes the bottom route to fight Ludwig, he will fight Mario or Luigi in a flat cabin, and will end up being defeated in one stomp by either of the Mario Bros. However, if the player goes to the end of the armada, they will fight Ludwig in a cabin with an uneven floor, and he will require the usual three stomps to be defeated. His level acts as the penultimate level to the final e-reader level card (counting [[Bowser's Airship 1]] and [[Bowser's Airship 2]] as one level).

====''Super Mario World''====
Ludwig occupies the [[4 Ludwig's Castle|fourth castle]] of [[Dinosaur Land]], located in the [[Twin Bridges]], in ''[[Super Mario World]]''. This is the only time in the ''Super Mario'' series where he is not the last Koopaling to be fought.

During his battle with Mario, Ludwig utilizes a unique combat strategy: spitting [[fireball]]s, sliding around in his spiked shell, and occasionally making huge leaps. Mario or Luigi can stomp on him three times, hit him with twelve fireballs, or use a combination of the two methods. Due to a glitch, Ludwig can be hit with two fireballs and then stomped to be quickly defeated, just like [[Morton]] and [[Roy]]. After defeating Ludwig, Mario destroys his castle by detonating explosive charges near the bottom of the building, sending it flying into a nearby hill which is subsequently bandaged in the spot where it gets hit. The text that accompanies this suggests that he isolated himself to compose "[[Koopa (species)|Koopa]] symphonies", at least until Mario showed up to ruin his work; however, this was added by the localizers, as the original Japanese version uses uniform text for the defeat of all seven Koopalings and does not even use individual names for them.

Ludwig is the only Koopaling whose style of battle is not reused for another Koopaling. Like the other Koopalings, his in-game design does not match official artwork: in his case, he uses the palette intended for the yellow Koopa Troopas, despite the existence of more appropriate palettes in the game's graphics, such as that used for the green [[Koopa Troopa]]s and [[Morton]], or the teal palette used by [[Buzzy Beetle]]s and Morton in the cast roll, the latter of which would have matched up with his ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' palette. Furthermore, in the game's cast roll Ludwig uses an alternate color palette, a pinkish-purple palette with [[Bowser]]'s skin tone. This palette also roughly matches Roy's ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' palette. Possibly by mistake, his cast roll sprite depicts him with identical teeth to Morton.
{{br}}

====''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''====
[[File:NSMBW Ludwig Tower Battle.png|thumb|Ludwig being fought in his tower level in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'']]
Ludwig and the other Koopalings reappeared in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', after six years of absence, now alongside Bowser Jr. His physical appearance remains relatively unchanged, though Ludwig's shell is now blue instead of green, and he is depicted with blue hair in-game.

He first appears in the opening scene, where Ludwig, Bowser Jr. and the other Koopalings [[jump]] out of a [[cake]] at [[Princess Peach]]'s birthday party. They trap her inside it by throwing the cake on her. They then flee on their Airship. Mario, Luigi, [[Yellow Toad (New Super Mario Bros. series)|Yellow Toad]], and [[Blue Toad (character)|Blue Toad]] travel through the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] to defeat them, as well as [[Kamek|Magikoopa]] and Bowser, and save Princess Peach. He appears as both the [[fortress]] and [[castle]] boss of [[World 7 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 7]].

The stage for the fortress battle is a straight ground with a pit on both sides. When he sees Mario, he will look away and snicker. When battling him at his tower, before reaching him, he conjures a blue fireball from his wand which slowly homes into the players. He is the fastest to cast a spell out of all the Koopalings. After that, he then jumps really high and [[Flutter Jump]]s in the air for a short period of time. After landing, Ludwig then conjures another homing fireball if he is not stomped on. When jumped on, Ludwig retreats back to his shell and spins it to the left and right of the stage in an attempt to hit the players (accompanied by his homing fireballs if it has not made contact with anything yet). When he is stomped on three times, he is defeated and retreats to his castle. 

The stage for the castle battle consists of three separate, rising platforms which Magikoopa activated with his magic. The platforms rise up and down during the fight and the sides move in unison while the middle does not. Falling between the spaces between the platforms results in losing a life. The characters do not get affected by the platforms rising (the players jump normally as if the platforms are not even rising at all, only the background moves).

In the castle, unlike the tower battle, his fireballs no longer home in, but instead they split into four and it takes more time to cast them. He uses his Flutter Jump ability to get to another section of a platform. Players can tell in which platform he is going to land due to his legs being visible on the screen, Flutter Jumping for a few seconds before landing. When Ludwig is hit, he slides around in his shell, but he will only slide on the platform he is on, rather than sliding to another platform. He also spends a very limited amount of time in his shell. When he is hit two times, he shoots out another four fireballs after he casts his first set of fireballs. When finally defeated, Ludwig falls off-screen and Mario gets the key to [[World 8 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 8]]. If Mario hits Ludwig at a certain angle the third time, both Mario and Ludwig fall into the abyss, causing Mario to lose a life.

Although Ludwig fell during his castle battle with Mario, he later is seen along with the other Koopalings getting Bowser back up, only to have Bowser's castle fall on top of all of them.

Ludwig is one of the only two bosses fought in the same order as ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' (the other being Larry, who was the first one Mario fought in both games). Unlike in that game, Ludwig no longer causes tremors when landing; this ability is instead given to Morton, alongside Roy.

Ludwig has an audible voice in-game for the first time. He is portrayed by Mike Vaughn, who gives Ludwig a much deeper voice than the cartoon series' actor.

====''New Super Mario Bros. 2''====
Ludwig, alongside the other Koopalings, reappears in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''. He first shows up at the end of {{world link|5|towern2|World 5-Tower (New Super Mario Bros. 2)}}, coming down with a chain to taunt at Mario. He is then the boss of {{world link|5|castlen2|World 5-Castle (New Super Mario Bros. 2)}}. He once again looks away and snickers before battling Mario. In his battle, Ludwig uses his Flutter Jump ability to grab one of the five chains hanging from the ceiling to attack Mario with three blue fireballs, while Mario has to use the five gray pipe cannons on the floor to blast himself against Ludwig fast enough. After that, Ludwig falls onto the floor and gets dizzy. Then Mario can jump on his head. After stomping him once, he starts to shoot four fireballs. After two stomps, the chain Ludwig hangs on starts to swing, making it harder for Mario to hit him but still shoots four fireballs. After another stomp, Ludwig is defeated, leaving the key to [[World 6 (New Super Mario Bros. 2)|World 6]].

Ludwig rejoined his companions at Bowser's castle, where they attempted to petrify Mario with their Koopa Clown Car's petrification device. He also aided Bowser alongside the rest of the Koopalings by causing him to grow larger, but it resulted in him and the others being knocked into a lava pit by Bowser due to his increased size. He and the other Koopalings survived, however, and attempted to help Bowser by airlifting him with the Koopa Clown Car, but this resulted in it crashing due to it being unable to handle the combined weight of both them and Bowser. Ludwig was some distance away from the crash site with his head down, apparently sulking.

====''New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe''====
[[File:MarioLudwigNSMBU.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Mario fights Ludwig on his airship in ''New Super Mario Bros. U'']]
Ludwig, along with the rest of the Koopalings, [[Bowser Jr.]], and [[Bowser]], appears in the [[Wii U]] game ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'' and [[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe|its Nintendo Switch port]], and once again serves as the final Koopaling boss to be fought, specifically in the world [[Meringue Clouds]]. He once again turns and snickers before battling Mario. His boss battle, like [[Larry]] and [[Iggy]]'s, involves him using his magic wand, and like [[Roy]], his battle takes place in the crow's nest.

In battle, he levitates in the air while making two clones of himself, and all three Ludwigs will blast fireballs at Mario before dropping onto the ground. If one of the clones is jumped on, it will simply disappear. There are four ways to find out which is the real one. The one that is the real one fires three fireballs, while the clones fire two. The clones keep their eyes half-open, and tend to assume the real Ludwig's pre-battle idle pose while not levitating. The real Ludwig will also drop to the ground last, after the clones, as well as laugh while dropping. Finally, Mario always looks at the real Ludwig if he can see him directly, just as he does with the other bosses. When the fight starts off, after shooting their fireballs, the clones disappear before landing. After the first stomp, the clones do not disappear. After the second stomp, not only do all three Ludwigs shoot faster, but swap positions, though the real Ludwig still shoots three fireballs. After being stomped on three times, Ludwig falls out of the crow's nest and off-screen, and his airship is destroyed by Mario. He is last seen hanging from Bowser's tail along with the other Koopalings as they all fly away on Bowser Jr.'s heavily damaged airship at the conclusion of the game.

Ludwig has his own personalized airship, with his face as the bow, and his blue-colored shell at the top. The stern of his ship has a green color design, similar to his former shell color from past appearances. Like most of the airships, Ludwig's airship is equipped with a propeller at the back of his ship as well as another one placed just beneath the crow's nest. The airship is equipped with two cannons, one on each side. There are also orange lids on top of the cannons used for closing and opening the cannons. The airship has a unique feature. The hull is rimmed with green, and there is a balcony-like platform at the base of its mast. Like Roy, the interior of Ludwig's ship is unknown since the player never gets the chance to enter the cabin and instead fights Ludwig at the crow's nest.

Additionally, Ludwig is the only Koopaling that needs to be fought through the fastest way to beat the game.

Strangely, one of Ludwig's laughs is higher-pitched than his normal voice.

Ludwig and the other Koopalings return in ''[[New Super Luigi U]]''. Like the other bosses, Ludwig is fought in the same way and the same world as in ''New Super Mario Bros. U''. He is the boss of [[Ludwig's Block-Press Castle]].

====''Super Mario Maker 2''====
{{multiple image
|align=left
|direction=horizontal
|image1=SMM2-SMB-Ludwig.png
|width1=50
|image2=SMM2-SMW-Ludwig.png
|width2=50
|footer=Ludwig's new sprites in ''Super Mario Maker 2''
}}
Ludwig appears alongside the other Koopalings as a placeable enemy in the final update for ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'', being available in every game style except the ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'' style. Ludwig receives an original sprite for his appearance in the ''Super Mario Bros.'' style, as well as a new ''Super Mario World'' sprite. Ludwig attacks by shooting three beams at once (five after being hit twice), then flutter-jumping. When given wings, Ludwig can float in the air for longer and shoot two waves of magic.

===''Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros.''===
[[File:Koopalings Amada Anime series.png|thumb|upright=0.85|Ludwig as he appears in ''Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros.'' (bottom right)]]
The Koopalings are featured in the ''[[Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros.]]'', a set of three Japanese OVAs. In ''[[Super Mario Momotarō]]'', Ludwig and the other Koopalings appear as minions of Bowser, aiding him in abducting [[Princess Peach|Princess Toadstool]]. In ''[[Super Mario Shirayuki-hime]]'', the Koopalings also appear in similar roles; Ludwig ends up being beaten by Mario like the other Koopalings.
{{br}}

===''Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land''===
Ludwig appeared in the interactive Anime adaptation of ''Super Mario World''. On Chocolate Island, he, alongside [[Lemmy]], [[Wendy]], [[Larry]], [[Morton]], and [[Roy]], ambushed Mario and Luigi at a fortress. He alongside his brothers fought Mario after Wendy nearly fell into lava, but Mario broke open a red block to get a Cape Feather and sent them flying.
{{br}}

===DIC cartoons===
[[File:Kooky von Koopa.png|thumb|upright=1.1|Kooky as he appears in ''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3'' episode "[[Up, Up, and a Koopa]]".]] 
Ludwig also appears prominently in ''[[The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' and the [[Super Mario World (television series)|''Super Mario World'']] cartoons produced by [[DIC Entertainment]] and [[Nintendo]]. Here, Ludwig is portrayed as having a mad scientist-like personality, inventing various gadgets for his father. In the cartoons, Ludwig von Koopa is renamed '''Kooky von Koopa''' and has very messy hair, is smaller in size, has only one spike on his shell, has a usually twisted or crooked tail, possesses an unusual laugh, his eyes are larger and has a vague Germanic accent.

In the ''Super Mario World'' cartoon, Kooky appeared exactly the same with the exception of the episode [[The Wheel Thing]], where his snout was colored the same as the rest of his body. His silent appearance in [[Rock TV]] colors his snout a lighter shade, as in ''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''.

Kooky is voiced by [[Michael Stark]].

Kooky von Koopa is featured in the following episodes:

*[[Sneaky Lying Cheating Giant Ninja Koopas]]
*[[Reptiles in the Rose Garden]]
*[[Princess Toadstool for President]]
*[[Never Koop a Koopa]] (cameo)
*[[Reign Storm]]
*[[Toddler Terrors of Time Travel]]
*[[Oh, Brother!]]
*[[A Toadally Magical Adventure]]
*[[Misadventures in Babysitting]]
*[[Do the Koopa]]
*[[Mush-Rumors]]
*[[Crimes R Us]]
*[[Up, Up, and a Koopa]]
*[[7 Continents for 7 Koopas]]
*[[True Colors]]
*[[Super Koopa (episode)|Super Koopa]]

===Comics===
{{quote|That's music to my ears!|'''Ludwig'''|''Super Mario Adventures''}}
[[File:Ludwig playing videogame.jpg|left|thumb|120px|Ludwig, playing video games in ''Super Mario Adventures'']]
Ludwig appears in the [[Nintendo Comics System]]'s story ''[[Bowser Knows Best]]'', and the ''[[Super Mario Adventures]]'' comic, where he and his siblings aid Bowser in his attempt to marry [[Princess Peach]]. Here, he is portrayed as the most cynical of the Koopalings, disbelieving that Princess Peach would ever agree to marry his father. He is also in charge of communication with Bowser through their television.

He makes another short appearance in the [[Club Nintendo (magazine)|Club Nintendo]] comic "[[Super Mario: Erholung? Nein, danke!]]", where he works as a mechanic for [[KoopAir]]. The plane he is working on takes off before he even finishes his work.

===''Nintendo Adventure Books''===
In ''[[Leaping Lizards]]'', either Ludwig or Larry compete alongside five of their siblings in the International Mushroom Games.

In ''[[Koopa Capers]]'', Ludwig and his brothers have their wands stolen by Wendy, who disappears with them shortly afterward, intent on overthrowing their father with her own army, and a super wand she intends to create by fusing her own wand with her brothers'. If Luigi, who had been coerced by Bowser into searching for Wendy, tracks her down to her hideout, Bowser and the male Koopalings, who had been following him, will barge in after Luigi, but decide to stave off punishing Wendy for her mutiny if she helps search for the hiding Luigi. When Luigi finally decides to reveal himself, Ludwig is the first of the family to discover him and rush him. If Luigi had acquired [[Boom Boom]]'s socks earlier in his adventure, he can toss them into Wendy's simmering wand combination potion, which will release magical fumes that knock the entire Koopa family and their minions out for at least a week.

In ''[[Pipe Down!]]'', Ludwig appears as the main antagonist, having set up a base in a chamber within [[Pipe Land|Pipe World]], complete with a giant, magical pipe organ filled with coins, a performance stage and a [[Piranha Plant]] string quartet. After his family refuses to have any part in his new basketball-themed opera, ''Dribbling Beauty'', Ludwig sends a pair of enchanted sneakers to Princess Toadstool, disguised as a gift for her ninety-ninth birthday (in mushroom years). Once the princess puts the sneakers on, Ludwig has them bring her to his lair by playing his organ; with Princess Toadstool in his clutches, Ludwig then forces her to take the starring role of the Prima Slamdunkerina in his opera, which he intends to show all over [[Dark Land|Dark World]] as part of a nine-year tour. In the book's best ending, Mario and Luigi track Ludwig and the princess down, destroy his organ, and cause most of his lair to collapse in the process, which manages to somehow cure Ludwig's partial deafness (an homage to the actual deafness of his real-life namesake, the composer Ludwig van Beethoven). While distracted by his newfound ability to hear with perfect clarity for the first time in fifteen years, Ludwig is knocked out when the princess throws a basketball at his head.

===''Mario is Missing!''===
Ludwig appears in the ''[[Mario is Missing! (PC)|PC and]] [[Mario is Missing! (Super Nintendo Entertainment System)|SNES versions of ''Mario is Missing!'']]. He, along with a few of the other Koopa Kids, invade [[Earth]] with Bowser as part of a plot to flood the world by melting [[Antarctica]]. Guarding a corridor of [[Bowser's Castle|Bowser's castle]], Ludwig battles [[Luigi]], who plans on stopping Bowser's plot and saving the kidnapped Mario. He is the last Koopa Kid encountered in the MS-DOS release, while he is the first in the SNES release. In the former, he is also referred to as "'''Ludwig van Koopa'''" by [[Mario]]. In the latter, Ludwig appears when Luigi arrives back at the castle after clearing the last of the first floor's cities. Ludwig runs around the castle like mad; however, like the other bosses in the game, he cannot harm Luigi, simply running past him instead. Once Luigi jumps on Ludwig a total of six times, he disappears in a puff of smoke. Defeating Ludwig in combat enables Luigi to move on. In the former, he obstructs Luigi's path while conducting a baton to an unheard beat. Like the others, all he can take is a [[fireball]].

===''Yoshi's Safari''===
[[File:Safari Ludwig Robot.png|frame|left]]
Ludwig occupies the [[Mushroom Land]] region of Jewelry Land in ''[[Yoshi's Safari]]''. In battle, Ludwig uses a large robot brontosaurus with four legs, a spiked shell, and a retractable head (in which Ludwig himself is stationed). Two cannons are attached to the head. The robot's weak spot is a large red area which Ludwig normally guards with the robot's head. However, as he has to move while he shoots, the red spot often becomes temporarily visible, allowing Mario to destroy it. After the robot explodes, the pieces salvage themselves together into a fighter-style mech, which has fists that fly off to attack Yoshi and Mario. Once this robot is also destroyed, Ludwig concedes defeat.

===''Hotel Mario''===
In ''[[Hotel Mario]]'', Ludwig appears as the boss in [[Ludwig's Thump Castle Hotel]] in [[Ludwig's Frantic Lab]]. In this game, Ludwig has the ability to teleport and shoot blasts of lightning from his hands. Ludwig is slow and primarily changes floor via teleportation, though like some other bosses, he will devour Mario or Luigi whole if he comes across them in an elevator. Unlike other bosses with this ability, he does not spit their cap out after doing so. Ultimately, Ludwig is defeated by the Mario Bros.

===''Mario & Luigi'' series===
====''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga''====
[[File:MLSSKoopaling4.png|thumb|Ludwig facing [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] in ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'']]
After years of absence, the Koopalings finally made a reappearance in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]'', acting as guards in [[Bowser's Castle]] during [[Bowletta]]'s invasion of the [[Beanbean Kingdom]]. He is the fourth Koopaling to be fought, like in ''Super Mario World''.

Once the Mario Bros. enter his room, Ludwig attacks them by moving inside his shell, which they have to jump over quickly, or else they will have to start over from the beginning. However, Ludwig sometimes fakes the brothers out. Afterwards, Ludwig jumps into the air. Mario and Luigi, confused, attempt to leave the room, only for Ludwig to return, roar angrily at the Mario Bros., and proceed to rush into them to attack them.

Like in ''Super Mario World'', Ludwig attacks Mario and Luigi by shooting balls of fire and zooming around in his shell in battle, as well as a spinning attack like [[Iggy]]. Defeating him lowers the spikes preventing Mario from hitting a switch, raising a platform and allowing the Mario Bros. to continue to [[Roy]].

====''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam''====
[[File:MLPJ Ludwig Angry.png|frame|left]]
Ludwig reappears in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]''. He first appears in [[Doop Doop Dunes]] with [[Larry]], [[Wendy]] and [[Roy]] where they capture Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario. In the Twinsy Tropics Dungeon, as Mario & co. head to the pipe that leads them to Bowser's Castle, they are stopped by Larry and Ludwig, telling them they need a pass to enter. Ludwig and Larry then briefly attack the Mario gang inside the pipe until Starlow unleashes a "Supernova Sparkle" attack. Afterwards, Ludwig and Larry exit out of the pipe and proceed to fight Mario & co. Ludwig and Larry are quickly defeated and forced to retreat. Ludwig is encountered one last time on top of [[Neo Bowser Castle]], alongside the rest of the Koopalings. Ludwig briefly claims that he is a leader, to which the other Koopalings deny and as Ludwig attempts to explain what they are as a group, he realizes that he should be focused on beating Mario and gets ready for combat. Ludwig and Larry then battle Mario & co. one last time. After the battle, Ludwig utters some last words, saying that he has been dethroned, just before exploding.

In both of the boss battles against Ludwig and Larry in the main story, Ludwig draws [[Battle Card (Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam)|Battle Card]]s from his deck, one at a time. In order to use them, he and Larry must collect Dark Star Points by successfully damaging Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario. The Battle Cards are drawn in a specific order; when the last card is used, Ludwig begins the cycle again by drawing the first card. Ludwig will never use Battle Cards consecutively; at least one attack must occur for a Battle Card to be used.
{{br}}
'''First battle'''<br>
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
!width="70%"|Effect
!width="30%"|Dark Star Points needed
|-
|Raises the Koopalings' SPEED.
|2
|-
|Nullifies the damage dealt to each Koopaling two times.
|4
|-
|Raises the Koopalings' POW.
|3
|-
|Deals 60 damage to Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario.
|5
|}
'''Second battle'''<br>
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
!width="70%"|Effect
!width="30%"|Dark Star Points needed
|-
|Raises the Koopalings' SPEED.
|2
|-
|Shrinks Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario.
|4
|-
|Raises the Koopalings' POW.
|3
|-
|For one turn, causes damage to a Koopaling to heal him instead.
|5
|-
|Deals 180 damage to Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario.
|6
|}
When both Koopalings attack, Ludwig always makes the first move. They either retreat in their shell and attack the Mario Bros. first and then Paper Mario, or they try to hide behind a giant bomb that some Shy Guys try to deliver to the Bros., or they attack with their magic wand. In the latter case, Ludwig always attacks the Mario Bros. First, one brother must hammer the fireball that Ludwig shoots, then the wand when Ludwig gets close enough for it to hit him, before the brother gets hit by the fireball. When both of them are defeated, he does not attack and sticks to using his Battle Cards.<br>
Like Larry, Roy and Wendy, he creates giant magic fireballs with his wand when he is fighting alone and does not gain Dark Star Points anymore.

Ludwig and Larry are also summoned by [[Dry Bowser]] in the [[Arcade (Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam)#Boss Battle Ring|Boss Battle Ring]] after Wendy and Roy have been defeated; in this case, the two Koopalings do not gain Dark Star Points, and Ludwig no longer uses Battle Cards.
{{br}}

====''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions''====
{{quote|Bwahaha! You should’ve known I’m more than you can handle! I’m going all-out right from the start! It’s max-power Ludwig time, baby!|'''Ludwig'''|''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions''}}
In the remake of ''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'', ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]'', Ludwig's battle is changed significantly, in addition to him now having dialogue. The battle itself is similar to that of [[Shrowser]] from ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]'' and [[Thunder Sass]] from ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]'', as Ludwig does not let the bros. attack. Ludwig will create a giant ball of magic and shoot it into the air, which slowly comes down on a brother. As the orb falls, Ludwig will fire smaller blasts from his wand, which need to be blocked by hitting them with the bros.' hammers. Once the giant ball gets low enough, the targeted brother must hammer it to make it fly back into Ludwig, instantly knocking him out, ending the fight; failure to do so will result in a [[Game Over]] as both Bros. will get KO'd instantly with a fixed 999 damage (or 1998 if one already got KO'd before then).

Ludwig also appears in the added on alternate story mode ''Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser'' as a Ranged-type ally. He first appears on the [[Hoohoo Mountain]] where he and Lemmy try to find Bowser together after [[Fawful]] attacked the flying [[Koopa Cruiser]] and made it explode. Later, he and the other Koopalings get brainwashed by Fawful and try to conquer the [[Beanbean Kingdom]] afterwards. Ludwig is returned to normal after [[Captain Goomba (Mario & Luigi series)|Captain Goomba]] defeats him in [[Bowser's Castle]]. His stats spread includes having high POW and DEF, but his strength mostly lies in DEF.
{{br}}

====''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey''====
{{quote|But enough talk. It's time to face the music, [[Kaley|lady]]. And my piano's all tuned up.|'''Ludwig'''|''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey''}}
[[File:BISDX Artwork - Ludwig.png|thumb|left|Artwork of Ludwig from ''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey''.]]
Along with the other Koopalings, Ludwig appears in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]'', in the game's new side story ''Bowser Jr.'s Journey''. He is one of two Koopalings to not be fought, the other being Lemmy. In the beginning, as a test to see Bowser Jr.'s fighting abilities (largely due to Bowser Jr. deciding to just travel with a [[Mechakoopa]] over finding the actual ingredients for the [[blorbs]]), has [[Captain Goomba (Mario & Luigi series)|Captain Goomba]], [[Captain Koopa Troopa|Captain Koopa]], [[Captain Boo]], and [[Captain Shy Guy (Mario & Luigi series)|Captain Shy Guy]] fight Bowser Jr. After Bowser Jr. passes his tests, Ludwig and the rest of the Koopalings (besides Lemmy) go with to find the ingredients for Skeletone Formula:D. At [[Dimble Wood]], Ludwig grew suspicious that someone was watching him, and also had gnawing concerns that something bad was happening at Bowser's Castle, and departed the group to investigate, although he was also annoyed with Bowser Jr. not listening to him.

It is eventually implied that [[Beef]] had disposed of Ludwig; however, Ludwig managed to pose as Beef after tricking him with a decoy and then locking him in a Bob-omb storage room while crafting his disguise afterward, consequentially also learning key details about the BFF's plans, though he was forced to help knock [[Iggy]] off a cliff to remain in-character in front of his "allies.", and silently felt remorseful for attacking Iggy. He eventually reveals himself, with his admitting he deliberately used himself as bait to lure [[Kaley]] into a trap. Ludwig apologizes to Bowser Jr. for leaving his side, but becomes proud of him when he learns that he has started to mature and seeks to help the minions, at which point Ludwig rejoins Bowser Jr.'s side for the rest of the game. 

As the team closes in on Bowser's Castle, they are ambushed by the Best Fitness Friends, now alongside the real Beef, which shocks Ludwig. Ludwig gets into a pose-off with [[Dieter]], although he along with Bowser Jr. then get badly beaten up by the group, who also threatened to throw Wendy into the lava. Luckily, the four flag captains come to the rescue and they help Ludwig and the others drive off the Best Fitness Friends.

In the ending, Ludwig and Bowser Jr. proceeded to pose with each other during the resulting festivities of the defeat of Fawful's forces.

Ludwig has a unused sprite of him with a Clown Car, like Iggy.
{{br}}

===''Super Smash Bros.'' series===
{{SSB fighter infobox
|color=yellow
|title=Ludwig
|image=Ludwig SSBU.png
|emblem=Mario Emblem.png
|games=''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' (unlockable)<br>''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' <br>''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' (unlockable)
|standard=[[Clown Cannon]]
|side=[[Clown Kart Dash]]
|up=[[Abandon Ship (move)|Abandon Ship!]]
|down=[[Mechakoopa (move)|Mechakoopa]]
|final=[[Shadow Mario Paint]]
|entrance=Appears from the background in his Junior Clown Car and gives a mocking gesture.
}}
====''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''====
Ludwig appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' as a [[Sticker (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)|sticker]] using his artwork from ''Super Mario Bros. 3''. When equipped, it increases the power of explosive attacks by 8. This makes him the only member of the Koopalings to appear in the series prior to ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]''.

====''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' / ''Wii U''====
Ludwig (alongside the other Koopalings) appears as a playable character accessible via Bowser Jr.'s alternate costumes in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]''. He is unlockable in the former game and available from the start in the latter. His attacks and statistics are identical to Bowser Jr.'s, though he is referred to by his own name by the announcer and has his own voice clips. Ludwig can also appear in place of Bowser Jr. in All-Star mode (like the other Koopalings). Like the other Koopalings, he is actually driving a mass-produced version of the Junior Clown Car (as noted by the yellow light bulbs that serve as its eyes). The rim and propeller of his Junior Clown Car are colored blue (his signature color). He also reuses his voice clips from his appearance in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''. The title given to Ludwig in the [[Boxing Ring]] is "Pompous Prodigy"<ref>{{cite|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgZzlL6k3II|title=Smash Bros. Wii U: All Character Aliases on Punch-Out Stage|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=May 20, 2024|date=November 9, 2024|author=GameXplain|language=en}}</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcNehbSwQAo Super Smash Bros. Wii U - All PAL Boxing Ring Aliases]</ref>{{dead link}} in the Wii U version.

====''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''====
In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', Ludwig (alongside the other Koopalings) returns as a playable character accessible via Bowser Jr.'s alternate costumes. He is once again an unlockable character, like in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS''. Just like in the previous game, his attacks and statistics are identical to Bowser Jr.'s, though he is referred to by his own name by the announcer and has his own voice clips. Unlike in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U'', all seven Koopalings (Ludwig included) now use their magic wands for any occasion where Bowser Jr. would use his hammer. These occasions include all corresponding attacks, their side taunt, and one of their victory poses.

Ludwig von Koopa's [[Spirit (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)|fighter spirit]] uses his artwork from ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''. Unlike other Koopalings, as well as Bowser Jr., Ludwig is fought in only one Spirit Battle (Toy-Con Car).

===''Mario & Sonic'' series===
In the [[Mario & Sonic (series)|''Mario & Sonic'' series]], Ludwig has a [[Mii]] costume based on him in the [[Wii]] version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games]]'', ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games]]'', and ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)|Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]''.

Ludwig makes his first playable appearance in the series in only the [[Nintendo 3DS]] version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]'',<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo|date=November 12, 2015|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLLQNnc9c2U|title=マリオ＆ソニック AT リオオリンピック™ トレーラー |publisher=YouTube|accessdate=May 20, 2024|language=ja}}</ref> exclusively in [[Table Tennis (Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for Nintendo 3DS)|Table Tennis]]. Ludwig's second and only other playable appearance in the series is in the [[Fencing]] event of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020]]'',

In the story mode of ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020'', when Luigi and Tails run into Ludwig at Makuhari Messe Venue B, Ludwig steals the battery they earned from Larry and Wendy retrieves it. Ludwig demands a fencing match where the winner earns the battery. [[Waluigi]] accepts the match, leaving Ludwig impressed by his "flair". After Ludwig is beaten, the battery gets charged from the excitement of the spectators, allowing Luigi and Tails to receive it. Afterwards, Ludwig and Wendy allow them to have the battery.

===''Mario Kart'' series===
====''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''====
[[File:TwistedMansionMarioKart85thTrailer.png|thumb|left|Ludwig in ''Mario Kart 8'']]
Ludwig, alongside the rest of the Koopalings, debut as playable characters in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'', where he is an unlockable character. This time, he is voiced by [[David J. Goldfarb]]. His nickname in a Japanese Nintendo Direct for ''Mario Kart 8'' is ｢目立ちたがりの悪役ヒーロー」,<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-I4diarSU0 "New Drivers!" in the Japanese Nintendo Direct, April 30, 2014.] YouTube. (Retrieved May 2, 2014)</ref>{{dead link}} or "Showoff Villain-Hero" (localized as the "Conductor of Chaos"<ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20140430145006/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flpfRzP2ONU|title=Mario Kart 8 Direct Presentation - 30.04.2014|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=May 20, 2024}}</ref> or "Showy Anti-Hero".<ref>{{cite|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbuJZP0_8iQ|author=Nintendo of America|title=Wii U - Mario Kart 8 Direct 4.30.2014|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=May 20, 2024|language=en-us}}</ref> Just like Bowser and the other Koopalings, Ludwig's [[emblem]] is shown to be a deep blue silhouette of his own head on a black background. Ludwig is a middleweight racer, giving him relatively balanced attributes for most of his stats. He is used for the Staff Ghost for {{classic link|3DS|Piranha Plant Slide}}, making it a reference to Ludwig being the boss of [[Pipe Land]] in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''. Ludwig also has a business which appears as a sponsor in this game called [[Ludwig Painting]]. Ludwig's main color for his [[Standard]] parts and [[Pipe Frame]] is his signature blue, and his secondary color is green. The color scheme selection of his other parts is also based on blue, making it similar to that of Blue [[Mii]]s. Exceptions to this are his [[Sneeker]] and [[Sport Bike]].

Ludwig returns in the [[Nintendo Switch]] port ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'', this time available from the start. He shares stats with only Mario and medium Miis.

====''Mario Kart Tour''====
Ludwig appears in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' as a Normal character, being very easy to unlock. His special item is the [[Dash Ring]]. In the closed beta test, however, his special item was the [[Double Bob-ombs]].

====''Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit''====
Ludwig appears alongside the other Koopalings and [[Bowser Jr.]] as one of the racing opponents in the augmented reality game ''[[Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit]]''. He is seen using his personalized [[Koopa Clown]] from ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''.<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo of America|date=September 3, 2020|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2mCqUSDCJE|title=Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit - Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=September 4, 2020}}</ref>

===''Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition''===
[[File:LudwigVonKoopa-PDSMBE.png|thumb|Ludwig in ''Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition'']]
Ludwig appears in ''[[Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition]]'' as a Fire attribute character, appearing as the boss of both the World 7 Castle and Airship. Ludwig joins the player when ★World 7-Airship is completed. His Skill when allied is '''Ludwig's Volcano''', which changes all Orbs into Fire Orbs, and his Awoken Skill is "Skill Boost", reducing the number of turns required to use Skills when entering a course.

As of the 2.0 update, Ludwig can also transform into two different variations with enough Transformation Items, each with their own unique Awoken Skills. Ludwig & [[Dry Bones]] has the "Fire Boost" Awoken Skill which raises the attack power of Fire attribute allies if a horizontal line of Fire Orbs are cleared, while Ludwig & Yellow [[Koopa Paratroopa]] has the "Twin Target" Awoken Skill which raises attack power and attacks two foes for a given ally's attributes that has four Orbs cleared for.

===''Minecraft''===
In the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack in ''[[Minecraft]]'', Ludwig is a playable [[minecraftwiki:Skin|skin]] along with the rest of the Koopalings.

===''Monopoly Gamer''===
Ludwig is included (along with the other Koopalings) as a Boss in the Boss Deck of ''[[Monopoly Gamer]]''. He is the seventh Boss in the deck.

===''Paper Mario: Color Splash''===
[[File:PMCS Ludwig.png|thumb|left|Ludwig's introductory pose in ''Paper Mario: Color Splash'']]
{{quote|I’ve been waiting, Mario! I designed this weapon specifically for you. I think you’re gonna LOVE it. Gaze upon its glory! Cower in fear of its might!|'''Ludwig'''|''Paper Mario: Color Splash''}}
Ludwig makes his [[Paper Mario (series)|''Paper Mario'' series]] debut in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''. He appears in [[Fort Cobalt]], where he battles Mario on his warship, the [[Super Ludship]]. In the battle against him, the projectiles fired by the warship's cannons can be tossed back using the Tail Card. After the first hit, Ludwig orders two [[Koopa Paratroopa]]s to come and help him; if they are defeated but the ship is not further damaged, two more Paratroopas come at the beginning of each turn. After the ship is damaged two times, Ludwig orders two [[Spike]]s to help him; those Spikes immediately draw out spiked balls to be thrown at Mario and stay on the ship. This means they cannot be directly attacked by Mario, who must instead use the Tail Card to toss the spiked balls back at them. Furthermore, the damaged cannons fire a projectile with a low trajectory, causing it to roll on the floor before reaching Mario.

When Ludwig’s warship is hit three times by its projectile, it sinks and leaves Ludwig in the water. He then enters his submarine, the [[Super Ludsub]], which can fire missiles. Using the Balloons Thing Card, the submarine can be carried out of the water and onto the fort’s floor. However, if a Replica of the Balloons is used, Ludwig will fire a missile at the Balloons Replica, rendering it useless. If Mario does not use the Balloons, Ludwig will attack with one missile. On the next turn, Ludwig will not attack. On the turn after that, Ludwig will instantly defeat Mario with a "Meteor Missile Storm", sending out 6 missiles, each dealing 35 HP of damage if the attack connects. The first one can be blocked or deflected with the Tail, but the rest are unavoidable.

If Mario uses the Balloons but does not attack the Super Ludsub, the balloons will eventually pop, the submarine will fall on the floor and Ludwig will start attacking again with missiles, although this time he will not resort to a Meteor Missile Storm, instead attacking with one missile at a time. When Mario destroys the submarine, Ludwig takes a lot of damage, and proceeds to fight on his own by performing a shell spin; sometimes he will attempt to hit Mario on the rebound from the first attack. After the battle, he admits defeat and his [[Shy Guy|minions]] hand over the blue [[Big Paint Star]].

In the game code, it is revealed that the Super Ludship too is supposed to have a final attack that instantly defeats Mario, the Lud-Cannon Blast,<ref>As indicated by the ''BB_BossBattle_Ludwig_10'' line of dialogue, that states ''Not even you could withstand my power, Mario... Now, meet your doom. Lud-Cannon Blast!''</ref> that is hinted by Ludwig, likely a few turns before, with a sentence that implicitly suggests the player to use the Tail Card.<ref>Said sentence is the ''BB_BossBattle_Ludwig_09'' line of dialogue that states ''Gweheh! You're going to fight my Super Ludship with THOSE cards? You'd best turn tail and run!''</ref> According to the game's data, the Super Ludship would fire many projectiles dealing 25 HP of damage each;<ref>As shown by the ''LDW_BULLET_KILL_ATTACK'' in the [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12jSeMI6-xEia0ocOrG_ykpCXNoEmX5pGitHnfsuf9ag/pubhtml Weapon Data Table of the game].</ref> in the final game, there does not seem to be a way to trigger the event that leads to said final attack.

Among the Koopalings in ''Paper Mario: Color Splash'', Ludwig is the only one who specifically says that he has operated on his own: desiring to fight the “world-famous Super Mario” at least once, he used the blue Big Paint Star to lure Mario in his base.

Ludwig's appearance in the game is largely based on his artwork used in the ''[[Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia]]'' and in other material released for the Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary. As such, not only does he have black eyes, like many other paper characters, but his eyebrows are black instead of blue. His initial pose while he introduces himself is also derived from said artwork. At the beginning, when he is in the dark, his eyes also display eyeshine.
<gallery>
PMCS Ludwig Eyeshine.png|Ludwig in the dark; note the eyeshine
LudwigColorSplash.png|Ludwig on his Super Ludship
</gallery>
{{br}}
===''Mario Tennis Aces''===
While Ludwig and the other Koopalings do not appear in ''[[Mario Tennis Aces]]'', their [[airship]]s can be seen in the background of the [[Savage Sea]] court.

===''Dr. Mario World''===
[[File:DrMarioWorld - Icon Ludwig.png|thumb|Ludwig's icon in ''Dr. Mario World'']]
Ludwig takes on the role of a doctor in ''[[Dr. Mario World]]'', where he is known as '''Dr. Ludwig'''. Dr. Ludwig is available as a special stage reward in [[World 26]]. Dr. Ludwig's skill involves [[ice (Dr. Mario World)|ice]], where in stage mode it breaks them from up to 10 different objects one time, while in versus mode it hides a number of [[virus]]es in the opponent's play area in ice. Viruses already covered in ice will not be affected by this skill even though they are only partially covered in them. The amount of viruses affected by this skill differ based on level, where it is two at level 1 and ten at level 5 (the latter with the added effect of filling the skill meter faster). In stage mode, using this skill when there are no more ice left will eliminate a random virus or object (if there are no viruses left), although [[capsule]]s cannot be removed by this skill.

===''Mario Golf: Super Rush''===
While Ludwig does not appear physically in ''[[Mario Golf: Super Rush]]'', he and the other Koopalings make a cameo as names competing in the Bonny Greens Open tournament.

===''The Super Mario Bros. Movie''===
Though Ludwig is absent from ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'', his full name can be seen on the piano that Bowser plays while singing "[[Peaches]]".

===Unused appearances===
====''Super Princess Peach''====
[[File:LudwigSpriteSheet.png|thumb|125px|Unused ''Super Princess Peach'' sprite sheet]]
Ludwig was originally going to appear in ''[[Super Princess Peach]]'', although he was [[List of Super Princess Peach pre-release and unused content|taken out of the final game]] with the rest of the Koopalings. It appears that he could breathe fire like in ''Super Mario World'', and that he could cackle haughtily.
{{br}}

==General information==
===Physical appearance===
[[File:Ludwig colouring book.png|thumb|150px|The current appearance of Ludwig in the ''[[Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia]]'']]
Like the other Koopalings, Ludwig has yellow and tan skin and a green head. He also has a four-ribbed, plated belly and padded feet, wears the same metal, spiked cuffs as the other male Koopalings and he is average in height, being taller than Lemmy, Larry and Wendy but shorter than Roy, Iggy and Morton. With earlier official material showing him as shorter than Mario,<ref>{{cite|url=pressthebuttons.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83452033569e201b8d0b43f5b970c|title=1993 Nintendo Character Guide Comparison Chart|publisher=Press The Buttons|accessdate=May 20, 2024}}</ref> ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' shows that he is still shorter than most of the other middleweight characters, but, much like the other Koopalings, varies in height between games. Ludwig's shortest modern appearance is in the ''[[Mario & Sonic]]'' series, and his tallest is in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''. His facial features are defined, having shaped cheeks, a high nose, a low jaw, and deeply curved lips with a complete set of teeth as revealed by ''Super Mario Adventure Game Picture Book 2: Mario and Baby Yoshi'' (「スーパーマリｵぼうけんゲームえほん 2 マリオとチビヨッシー」),<ref>{{file link|SMAGPB2 Yoshi Squishing Ludwig.png|A red, yellow and blue Baby Yoshi growing into adults, squishing Ludwig, in ''Super Mario Adventure Game Picture Book 2: Mario and Baby Yoshi'' (「スーパーマリｵぼうけんゲームえほん 2 マリオとチビヨッシー」)}} Ludwig has a full set of teeth along with the overbite.</ref> ''[[Super Mario World]]'', when leaping during his boss fight, ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]''<ref>NintenU (December 8, 2015). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3TxwtAasoA Mario & Luigi Paper Jam Walkthrough Part 35 Ludwig & Larry Boss Battle]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved December 13, 2015.</ref>, and in the ''Super Mario Bros'' rendition of ''Super Mario Maker 2''. He has a round head and small, circular gray eyes, like Morton. ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]'' also reveals that his eyes present the {{wp|tapetum lucidum}}, as eyeshine can be seen when he is partially in the dark while entering the room on his Super Ludship. The traits that differentiate Ludwig from all the other Koopalings are his single overbite on the upper center of his snout and large, wild, dark blue hair, with a hairstyle similar to that subsequently used for [[Flurrie]]. He also has small, blue eyebrows, typically kept at an angle to confer him a serious tone. His sole fang is right in the middle (generally a characteristic of rodents and lagomorphs).

Ludwig's sprites in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' and ''[[Super Mario World]]'' show him with white hair due to technical limitations. Similarly, the NES version of the former depicts him with slightly darker skin than the other Koopalings, though nowhere near as dark as Roy and Morton. Similarly, his shell in ''Hotel Mario'' is gray-colored. His redesign in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'' brought minor changes to his appearance. The eyebrows became blue instead of black and Ludwig's shell became blue with light orange rings surrounding the multiple, short spikes instead of green without rings around the spikes. In the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, Ludwig's appearance is mostly unaltered compared to the other ''Super Mario'' characters, including Bowser. In ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', however, Ludwig receives a slightly darker and subdued color scheme, while his hair, spikes, and shell receive simple detailing, though his scales remain undefined. These traits are shared with Bowser Jr. and the other Koopalings.

===Personality and traits===
[[File:SMWGPB3 Ludwig Ignored Enraged opt.png|thumb|left|150px|upright=1.4|Ludwig angry at [[Mario]] ignoring him]]
Ludwig is known to be the eldest<ref name=Age/> of the Koopalings; he is said to be precocious and conceited.<ref>[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/smnj/story/index.html nintendo.co.jp - ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' character pages] (Click on the blue circle with the arrow to reach the Koopaling page and click on the pictures to see the short bio of each of the Koopalings.) 「大人びて」 ''otona bite'' roughly means "adult-like", while 「ナマイキな」 ''namaikina'' means "conceited". The rest of the biographical info amounts to a tentative suggestion that he is "the brains of the group" (which was later confirmed a description for ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS''). (Retrieved November 17, 2011)</ref> In ''Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga'', he gets enraged when ignored by Mario and Luigi, a trait also seen in ''Super Mario Wisdom Games Picture Book 3: Luigi's Secret'' (「スーパーマリオちえあそびえほん 3 ルイージの ひみつ」). The same book also displays him as being somewhat of a show-off, both when he introduces himself<ref name="OreSama">{{file link|SMWGPB3 Ludwig OreSama.png|Ludwig challenging Mario in ''Super Mario Wisdom Games Picture Book 3: Luigi's Secret''}}.</ref> and when he chases Mario.<ref>{{file link|SMWGPB3 Ludwig Proud.png|Ludwig chasing Mario in ''Super Mario Wisdom Games Picture Book 3: Luigi's Secret''}}.</ref> This latter trait can be also noted when he introduces himself in ''Super Mario Adventure Game Picture Book 2: Mario and Baby Yoshi'',<ref name="OreSamaBabyYoshi">{{file link|SMAGPB2 Ludwig OreSama.png|Ludwig von Koopa challenging Mario and Yoshi in ''Super Mario Adventure Game Picture Book 2: Mario and Baby Yoshi''}}.</ref> as well as when he performs an impressive display of flips and twirls when riding in bikes or karts in ''Mario Kart 8'', and has been eventually confirmed in his trophy description in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]''. In the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series, Ludwig laughs off the threat posed by the Mario Bros. when they face him in his castle, suggesting he underestimates Mario, a trait he himself starts to acknowledge after being defeated in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''. In ''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam'', after Wendy and Roy's defeat on top of [[Neo Bowser Castle]], Ludwig stated that he was not impressed by their battle. His next words suggest that he thinks of himself as the Koopalings' leader, although the other Koopalings deny this.<ref>{{cite|author=BeardBear|date=December 3, 2015|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlBs_Qspg6c|title=Mario & Luigi Paper Jam Walkthrough Part 27 {{!}} Neo Bowser Castle #5 & Bosses Koopalings|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=December 4, 2015}}</ref> He also stated himself to have been "dethroned" after losing to Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario. In the English localization of ''Paper Mario: Color Splash'', he is the only Koopaling to be referred to by his minions as "Your Evilness," a title similar to the ones given to [[Bowser#Nicknames and aliases|Bowser]]; in the Japanese version, however, such a title is absent. Regardless of his title, in both versions, Ludwig is the only Koopaling explicitly stating to have worked just to fight Mario at least once rather than to fulfill Bowser's plans and shows a more humble and respectful attitude when suffering defeat, contradicting previous arrogant depictions as well as the fact that Ludwig has fought Mario many times before already. This tendency to act on his own and his secretly humble and respectful attitude slightly matches his Japanese and US blurbs in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' that call him a "Showoff Villain-Hero" and "Showy Anti-Hero" respectively,<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo of America|date=April 30, 2014|url=youtu.be/JbuJZP0_8iQ|title=Wii U - Mario Kart 8 Direct 4.30.2014|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=May 20, 2024}}</ref> and is further confirmed in ''Bowser Jr.'s Journey'' where all alone he defeats Beef, one of the [[Best Fitness Friends]], and disguises as him, setting up a trap that nobody else is aware about, not even [[Kamek]] or Bowser Jr., only to then say to Bowser Jr., after having revealed his deeds, that he accepts any punishment for what he has done.

On the other hand, he has also been portrayed as the most cynical of his siblings, as he expresses disbelief that Princess Peach would ever agree to marry his father in the ''[[Super Mario Adventures]]'' comic. In the DOS version of ''Mario is Missing!'', he cracks a joke about light bulbs and darkness at Mario's expense after Bowser discovered the hero's fear of the dark. He also had a horror-themed hotel in ''Hotel Mario''.

Another aspect of Ludwig, not found both in Japanese in-game text and Japanese bios, is his love of classical music and his interests in composing. He waves a conductor's baton in ''Mario is Missing!'' and his UK blurb in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' calls him the "Conductor of Chaos". His bio from the ''Mario Kart 8'' Prima Guide says that he plans to compose his own victory theme should he win the race, and both the [[Nintendo Comics System]] and the English version of ''Super Mario World'' reveal that he enjoys composing "Koopa Symphonies", although the former goes on to state that they sound horrendous. The book ''[[Pipe Down!]]'' implied that he was at least partially deaf for a time, as he claims he can finally hear after an explosion "shook something loose in [his] brain". In the 3DS version of ''Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games'', his victory animation when he ends up in 2nd or 3rd place has him performing a stationary march, revealing his sense of rhythm.<ref name="3DSRio2nd3rdanimations">{{cite|author=Zephiel810|date=February 25, 2016|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtAS9Ve453g|title=Mario and Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (3DS) - All Character 2nd/3rd Place Animations|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=February 26, 2016}}</ref> The first game that has lines of dialogue from him specifically related to classical music is the English localization of ''Paper Mario: Color Splash'', where he says that "the first movement begins," as the battle begins, and calls the cannons of his warship "Cannon in Sea Major," with the Italian localization stating in a more direct way that he is a composer.<ref>{{cite|author=stratussina|date=October 31, 2016|url=youtu.be/c1ShokOB5cg?t=2246|timestamp=32:23|title=Mario paper color splash ITA #23 Base Cobalto Boss Ludwig Megavernistella Blu|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=November 24, 2016|language=it}} Ludwig says, ''"Che lo scontro abbia inizio! Mettetevi comodi per ammirare il concerto con assolo di cannone che ho composto io stesso!"'', which means, ''"May the fight begin! Take a comfortable seat to admire the concert with cannon solo that I myself composed!"''</ref> In ''Bowser Jr.'s Journey'', after revealing he had defeated Beef and locked him in the Bob-omb storage room, he tells [[Kaley]] that it's "time for [her] to face the music" and that "[his] piano is all tuned up", after which Kaley notes that he has switched to musical metaphors and questions what that means. According to graffiti of his hair and the list of the points of interests in Super Bell Subway, Ludwig might also be into art, as there's a place called "Ludwig Painting," also mentioned in the graffiti.<ref name="SBSmap">[[Media:MK8 dSBS City Map.png|The map of the city where the Super Bell Subway course is found]]. Ludwig Painting is among the "A" list of points of interest.</ref><ref>[[Media:MK8 dSBS Graffiti.png|The graffiti found in Super Bell Subway]].</ref>

In Ludwig's trophy description in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' / ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U|Wii U]]'', he is considered the most intelligent of the Koopalings, in ''Paper Mario: Color Splash'' he even designs his own warship to fight Mario, that he does not manage to fully produce before the latter arrives. He has been given the role of an inventor also in other media, such as the Club Nintendo comic ''Super Mario: Erholung? Nein, danke!'', where he works as the mechanic for the KoopAir airline service. In ''[[The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' and the ''[[Super Mario World (television series)|Super Mario World]]'' cartoon, Ludwig's name was changed into Kooky, and was portrayed as a stereotypical mad scientist, whose main purpose was to invent new doomsday weapons and gadgets for his [[Bowser|father]]. He would commonly burst out into maniacal laughter or raise his voice by shouting in the middle of talking and seemed to be very aggressive towards the Mario Bros. Kooky did not also care much about his hygiene, never washing or combing his hair. By contrast, the comics give him a more refined personality and vocabulary. In ''Bowser Jr.'s Journey'', Ludwig is shown to be somewhat serious and astute regarding sensing off elements, as evidenced by his sound suspicions that someone was watching and stalking them, something very bad has happened to Bowser's Castle, and his promptly leaving the party to investigate. His intelligence and knack for strategy was further showcased when he defeated Beef: knowing full well he did not stand a chance against him in a fair fight, he instead outsmarted Beef by leaving behind a mannequin in Ludwig's likeness and tricked him into shoving it into lava while promptly disposing of Beef from behind via shoving him into the same lava pit, and then creating Beef's costume to replace him.

Ludwig was given a stereotypical German accent in both the official ''Nintendo Power'' strategy guide for ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' and the ''CD-ROM Deluxe'' edition of ''Mario is Missing!'', along with maniacal laughter not indicated in the speech bubbles in the latter source. In the Italian version of ''Paper Mario: Color Splash'' he even leaves Mario speaking in German.<ref>{{cite|author=stratussina|date=October 31, 2016|url=youtu.be/c1ShokOB5cg?t=2246|timestamp=37:26|title=Mario paper color splash ITA #23 Base Cobalto Boss Ludwig Megavernistella Blu|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=November 24, 2016|language=it}} Ludwig says ''Auf Wiedersehen!'' which means ''goodbye!''.</ref> Interestingly, he seems to have a very laid-back tone in the original Japanese ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' manual, having some eccentric "cool musician" mannerisms and even using the first-person pronoun 「おいら」 ''oira'' (highlighted in katakana as 「オイラ」), a version of 「おれ」 ''ore'' with rural connotations. In the ''Super Mario Picture Books'', he uses the arrogant term 「おれさま」 ''ore-sama'' to refer to himself;<ref name="OreSama"/><ref name="OreSamaBabyYoshi"/><ref>{{file link|SMAGPB2 Ludwig OreSama Challenge.png|Ludwig showing his first challenge in ''Super Mario Adventure Game Picture Book 2: Mario and Baby Yoshi''}}.</ref> said term, along with the strong but less arrogant 「オレ」 ''ore'', is also used in the ''[[Super Mario-Kun]]'' manga. He usually uses as his second-person pronoun 「オマエ」 ''omae'', however, in ''Paper Mario: Color Splash'', he instead uses 「キミ」 ''kimi''.

===Powers and abilities===
[[File:SMWGPB3 Ludwig Fireballs.png|thumb|150px|upright=1.4|Ludwig spitting fireballs]]
{{quote|I combine all the attacks ov{{sic}} my younger brothers and sister - I am the ultimate Koopaling!|'''Ludwig'''|Nintendo Power Strategy Guide for ''Super Mario Bros. 3''<ref name="npv13p72"/>}}
Ludwig is usually portrayed as the most talented and powerful of the Koopalings. In ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', Ludwig shared his attack pattern with Roy; Ludwig could fire projectiles from his [[magic wand]], pound the ground to stun the Mario Bros., and retreat in his shell for both defensive and offensive purposes. Although all the Koopalings in ''Super Mario Bros 3'' frequently retreated into their shells when stomped on by the Mario Bros. Ludwig was the only one of the Koopalings to demonstrate doing so at will, without having to be hit by the Mario Bros. He was given a completely unique attack pattern in ''Super Mario World'', which none of the other Koopalings shared; Ludwig could spit three fireballs in a row and spin around the room in his shell, after which he could perform a long jump to the other side of the room. Ludwig was given even more new powers in ''Hotel Mario'': he can fire electricity from his hands and teleport in a flash of lightning. In ''Superstar Saga'', Ludwig retained his previous abilities of breathing fire (though not as furiously as the previous time) and spinning around in his shell, but also learned the new ability of spinning like a tornado to attack the Mario Bros., which was also done by Iggy. 

In ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', Ludwig learned even more new abilities. He can either blast four fireballs from his wand at time or fire a single fireball, each homing in on the player, and has even mastered the ability of [[Flutter Jump]]ing, being able to stay in the air for several seconds. His appearance in ''New Super Mario Bros. 2'' has him also expanding on these abilities, utilizing the Flutter Jump to grab a chain, and then move between the two, and in addition, he can also increase his rate of fire. In ''New Super Mario Bros. U'', similar to Lemmy and Wendy in ''Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga'', he was also revealed to create fake duplicates to fake out the Mario Bros. He is also shown with the ability to levitate without needing to Flutter Jump. He has also proven to be more acrobatic than most of the other Koopalings being able to jump large horizontal distance with several flips in ''Super Mario World''. While his appearance in ''Mario Kart 8'' and ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'' does not show his abilities, it is shown he can do a double-flip in the air while performing a stunt. Most of his tricks involve him jumping out of his kart, something he does more than any other characters. His agility is further confirmed in the 3DS version of ''Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games'' when he ends up in 2nd place or 3rd place, as in his victory animation he is able to stand on his right hand and spin, spanning two complete circles with his spinning<ref name="3DSRio2nd3rdanimations"/>. 

''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' / ''Wii U'' has Ludwig in his own version of the Koopa Clown Car, as he is a "palette swap" of Bowser Jr., just like the other Koopalings. He can shoot cannonballs, use drills, boxing gloves, wrecking balls, and can even jump out of his Clown Car. ''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam'' shows that he has some decks of Battle Cards that are used in the battle against the Mario Bros. and Paper Mario thanks to Dark Star Points that he and Larry collect by dealing damage to their opponents, showing how ingenious Ludwig is. ''Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games'' shows that Ludwig is very skilled in Table Tennis, which has been known to be a patient and strategic game, perfectly suited to him. In ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020'', Ludwig is shown to be a skilled fencer, implying skills in swordplay. In ''Super Mario Maker 2'', he retains his Flutter Jump and magic spread-shots from the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series, but can now cast his spread shots near-instantaneously like his single magic shot spells in his tower battle in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', no longer requiring a short charge time.
{{br}}

==Profiles and statistics==
{{main|List of Ludwig profiles and statistics}}
===''Paper Mario: Color Splash''===
{{:Paper Mario: Color Splash bestiary|transcludesection=Ludwig|image=[[File:PMCS Ludwig Idle Animated.gif|100px]]|align=horizontal}}

===''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions''===
{{:Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions bestiary|transcludesection=Ludwig|align=horizontal}}

==List of appearances==

{|class="wikitable sortable"width=100%
|-
!width=50%|Title
!width=20%|Description
!width=20%|Original Release Date
!width=10%|System/Format
|-
|''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''
|Boss 
|Japan:<br>October 23, [[List of games by date#1988|1988]]
|[[Family Computer]]/[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
|-
|''[[Super Mario World]]''
|Boss 
|Japan:<br>November 21, [[List of games by date#1990|1990]]
|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]
|-
|''[[Mario is Missing!]]''
|Boss 
|North America:<br>[[List of games by date#1992|1992]]
|PC, SNES
|-
|''[[Yoshi's Safari]]''
|Boss 
|Japan:<br>July 14, [[List of games by date#1993|1993]] 
|SNES
|-
|''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]''
|Boss
|Japan:<br>July 14, 1993
|SNES
|-
|''[[Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World]]''
|Boss
|North America:<br>December, [[List of games by date#1994|1994]]
|SNES
|-
|''[[Hotel Mario]]''
|Boss 
|North America:<br>December 31, 1994
|[[Philips CD-i]]
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''
|Mentioned
|Japan:<br>November 21, [[List of games by date#2001|2001]]
|[[Nintendo GameCube]] 
|-
|''[[Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2]]''
|Boss
|Japan:<br>December 14, 2001 
|[[Game Boy Advance|GBA]]
|-
|''[[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]''
|Boss 
|Japan:<br>July 21, [[List of games by date#2003|2003]]
|GBA
|-
|''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]''
|Boss 
|North America:<br>November 17, 2003 
|GBA
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''
|Sticker
|Japan:<br>January 31, [[List of games by date#2008|2008]]
|[[Wii]]
|-
|''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''
|Boss 
|Australia:<br>November 12, [[List of games by date#2009|2009]]
|Wii
|-
|''[[Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition]]''
|Boss 
|Japan:<br>October 21, [[List of games by date#2010|2010]]
|Wii
|-
|''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''
|Boss 
|Japan:<br>July 28, [[List of games by date#2012|2012]]
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|-
|''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''
|Boss 
|North America:<br>November 18, 2012
|[[Wii U]]
|-
|''[[New Super Luigi U]]''
|Boss
|Japan:<br>June 19, [[List of games by date#2013|2013]]
|Wii U
|-
|''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]''
|Cameos on banners
|Japan:<br>July 25, 2013
|[[Arcade]]
|-
|''[[Mario Kart 8]]''
|Unlockable Playable Character
|Japan:<br>May 29, [[List of games by date#2014|2014]]
|Wii U
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]''
|Unlockable Playable Character (Palette Swap)
|Japan:<br>September 13, 2014
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]''
|Playable Character (Palette Swap)
|North America:<br>November 21, 2014
|Wii U
|-
|''[[Nintendo Badge Arcade]]''
|Cameo as Badge
|Japan:<br> December 17, 2014
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition]]''
|Boss (playable afterwards)
|Japan:<br>April 29, [[List of games by date#2015|2015]]
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]''
|Boss
|Japan:<br>December 3, 2015
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]''
|Playable Character
|Japan:<br>February 18, [[List of games by date#2016|2016]]
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: Wii U Edition]]''
|Playable skin in the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack
|North America:<br>May 17, 2016
|Wii U
|-
|''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''
|Boss
|North America:<br>October 7, 2016
|Wii U
|-
|''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]''
|Playable Character
|Japan:<br>April 28, [[List of games by date#2017|2017]]
|[[Nintendo Switch]]
|-
|''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition]]''
|Playable skin in the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack
|North America:<br>May 11, 2017
|Nintendo Switch
|-
|''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''
|Ally and Boss
|Japan:<br>October 5, 2017
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition]]''
|Playable skin in the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack
|North America:<br>June 5, [[List of games by date#2018|2018]]
|[[Nintendo 3DS#New Nintendo 3DS/New Nintendo 3DS XL|New Nintendo 3DS]]
|-
|''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: Bedrock Edition]]''
|Playable skin in the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack
|North America:<br>June 21, 2018
|Nintendo Switch
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''
|Unlockable Playable Character (Palette Swap)
|Japan:<br>December 7, 2018
|Nintendo Switch
|-
|''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]''
|Ally
|Japan:<br>December 27, 2018
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]''
|Boss
|Japan:<br>January 11, [[List of games by date#2019|2019]]
|Nintendo Switch
|-
|''[[Dr. Mario World]]''
|Unlockable Playable Character
|Worldwide:<br>July 9, 2019
|iOS, Android
|-
|''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''
|Unlockable Playable Character
|Worldwide:<br>October 9, 2019
|iOS, Android
|-
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020]]''
|Unlockable Playable Character
|Japan:<br>November 1, 2019
|Nintendo Switch
|-
|''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'' (version 3.0.0)
|Enemy
|Worldwide:<br>April 22, [[List of games by date#2020|2020]]
|Nintendo Switch
|-
|''[[Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit]]''
|Non-Playable Character
|Japan:<br>October 16, 2020
|Nintendo Switch
|-
|''[[Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition]]''
|Boss
|Worldwide:<br>July 18, 2024
|Nintendo Switch
|}

==Portrayals==
This is a list of all voice actors of Ludwig.
*[[Michael Stark]] in ''[[The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' and ''[[Super Mario World (television series)|Super Mario World]]'' cartoons.
*Rob Wallace in ''[[Mario is Missing! (PC)|Mario is Missing!]]''
*[[Mike Vaughn]] in the ''[[New Super Mario Bros. (disambiguation)|New Super Mario Bros.]]'' games, the ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' series, ''[[Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition]]'', and ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]''.
*[[David J. Goldfarb]] in most games as of ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' in 2014.

==Gallery==
{{main-gallery}}
<gallery>
SMWGPB3 Ludwig.png|''Super Mario Wisdom Games Picture Book 3: Luigi's secret''
NSMBW Ludwig Artwork.png|''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''
PDSMBE-Ludwig-TeamImage.png|''[[Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition]]''
MKL Ludwig Artwork.png|''[[Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit]]''
SMB3 F40A Ludwig Artwork.png|''Super Mario Bros. 3'' ([[Family Computer|Famicom]] 40th Anniversary)
</gallery>

==Quotes==
{{main|List of Ludwig quotes}}
*"''Yeehaaaw!''" - ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' (winning 1st place)
*"''I...I've been dethroned…''" - ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]''
*"''Incoherent insect!! Idiotic imbecile! [[Captain Goomba (Mario & Luigi series)|You]] and everyone you care for will pay dearly for making a fool of me!!''" - ''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions]]''
*"''The first movement begins! I hope you enjoy my Cannon in Sea Major!''" - ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]''
*"''I guess this goes to show [[Beef|you]], meathead… Never skip brain day!''" - ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]''
*"''You think YOU'RE in the dark, friend? Just imagine poor Mario without any lightbulbs!''" - '' [[Mario is Missing! (PC)|Mario is Missing!]]

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jpn=ルドウィッグ
|JpnR=Rudowiggu
|JpnM=Ludwig, from the English name
|Alb=Kooky
|AlbN=''Super Mario World'' television series
|AlbC=<ref>[https://www.cda.pl/video/22246404af Bota e Super Marios - Episoda 2 | Paisja me rrotë (Dublimi Shqip, Çufo)]</ref>
|Ara=كوكي
|AraN=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|AraR=Kuki
|AraM=Kooky
|AraC=<ref>[https://archive.org/details/super-mario-spacetoon-arabic-cartoon/Super+Mario+08+Arabic+dub.mkv سوبر ماريو - سبيس تون]</ref>
|ChiS=路德维格
|ChiSR=Lùdéwéigé
|ChiS2=洛德威格
|ChiS2N=since ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''
|ChiS2R=Luòdéwēigé
|ChiSM=Ludwig
|ChiS2M=Ludwig
|ChiSC=<ref>{{cite|url=tieba.baidu.com/photo/p?kw=ique&flux=1&tid=2560204606&pic_id=63028fd4b31c8701ca06d026267f9e2f0608ff2b&pn=1&fp=2&see_lz=1|title=iQue's localization of ''Super Mario Advance 2''|publisher=Tieba Baidu|language=zh-hans}}</ref>
|ChiT=洛德威格
|ChiTR=Luòdéwēigé
|ChiTM=Ludwig
|Cro=Kooky
|CroN=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|CroC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAuqnSn2Fk4 Super Mario Bros 3 - Epizoda 7 - Vladavina Oluja]</ref>
|Dut=Ludwig
|Dut2=Kooky
|Dut2N=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|Dut2C=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ85O3yNh0k The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 Dutch Dub - Bedonder nooit een Koopa DVD (Part 1)]</ref>
|Fin=Kooky
|FinN=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|FinC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvBrSy_jG0I The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 | Episode 01-08 In Finnish [2013 DVD Version]]</ref>
|Fre=Ludwig
|FreC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlr1zq91RDw&list=PLaFoLvczabwbb5ANoo18Mvytk_HLBN74Z Les aventures de Super Mario Bros 3 001 Les koopas ninjas géants]</ref>
|Ger=Ludwig van Koopa
|GerC=<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo of Europe GmbH|title=''Super Mario Bros. 3 Spielanleitung''|language=de|location=Großostheim|publisher=Nintendo of Europe GmbH|date=1991|page=4}}</ref><ref>{{cite|author=Menold, Marcus, Claude M. Moyse, and Andreas G. Kämmerer, editors|title=''Der offizielle Nintendo Spieleberater "Super Mario World"''|language=de|location=Großostheim|publisher=[[Nintendo|Nintendo of Europe GmbH]]|date=1993|page=20}}</ref>
|Ger2=Kooky
|Ger2N=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|Ger2C=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMmY3CkK39Y&list=PLysMAMA5mZDPK7uUkp94zheRNEtn_WQDG&index=6 Die Abenteuer von Super Mario Bros. 3 - Ninja Koopas]</ref>
|Gre=Κούκι
|GreN=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|GreR=Koúki
|GreM=Kooky
|GreC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc7QQYEZlcs&list=PLXEMWYZPBYovAg5DGRisttsCxVzhZ3prh&index=1 The Adventures of Super Mario Bros 3 Greek [Επεισόδια 1-2]]</ref>
|Hun=Kuksi
|HunN=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|HunM=Kooky
|HunC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX41JXbYOsA Super Mario kalandjai 1990 VHSRip]</ref>
|Ita=Ludwig
|Ita2=Kooky
|Ita2C=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3ZYO7Huez8&list=PLWzo2ShQRIik_9vJAjpCtOYPKTMiWfQMb Le avventure di Super Mario 2x01 - I terribili guerrieri ninja]</ref>
|Ita2N=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|Kor=루드윅
|KorR=Rudeuwik
|KorM=Ludwig, from the English/Japanese name
|Kor2=쿠키
|Kor2N=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|Kor2R=Kuki
|Kor2M=Kooky
|Kor2C=<ref>[https://archive.org/details/smb3-kr-dub/3+-+%EC%8A%88%ED%8D%BC%EB%A7%88%EB%A6%AC%EC%98%A4+3+3%ED%8E%B8.mp4 The Adventures of Super Mario Brothers 3 Korean Dub 슈퍼마리오 3 VHS Volumes 1 - 6.]</ref>
|Nor=Smiske
|NorN=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|NorM=Ingratiate
|NorC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GBG-CcHioI Super Mario Bros 3 VHS#1 - Norsk tale]</ref>
|Pol=Kooky
|PolN=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|PolC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqa8-FPjBLk Nowe Przygody Braci Mario Odcinek 01 - Wielkie podliwe i klamliwe Koopa Ninja]</ref>
|Por=Ludwig<ref>https://www.nintendo.com/pt-pt/Assistencia/Nintendo-Switch/Atualizacoes-para-jogos/Como-atualizar-Super-Mario-Maker-2-1586745.html</ref>
|Por2=Kooky
|Por2N=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|Por2C=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6uzQZCyUJY&list=PLwzf4mOPE8Bmhgll2-ndwQWhRpiCUMR6G Super Mario Bros. 3 - Ninjas Gigantes (Dublagem Herbert Richers) INCOMPLETA]</ref>
|Rom=Kooky
|RomN=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|RomC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asqAp6PjjrA&list=PLeOrS3o_v-TeLtJgZ4RimHmKsX1KsUiaH&index=3 Aventurile Fraților Super Mario | Episodul1- Ninja Koopa Uriași, Ticăloși, Vicleni Și Trișori]</ref>
|Rus=Людвиг
|RusR=Lyudvig
|RusM=From international name
|Rus2=Куки
|Rus2N=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|Rus2R=Kuki
|Rus2M=From international name
|Rus2C=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBNlrdjayCE&list=PLsSyf51DZDU1IGgYh2-p18Z0PEz1jW53G&index=2 Мультфильм Супер Марио - 1 серия]</ref>
|Snh=කුකී
|SnhN=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|SnhR=Kukī
|SnhM=Kooky
|SnhC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IbGNB1XSOs Super Mario Sinhala Cartoon]</ref>
|SpaA=Ludwig von Koopa
|SpaA2=Chiflis von Koopa
|SpaA2N=DIC cartoons
|SpaA2M=''Chiflis'' comes from ''chiflado'' ("daft")
|SpaA2C=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34-jBYrJhhc&list=PL9SW0yG7n_bnpxH7s64Qgh_Wa4ycVmNpt Las Aventuras de los Super hermanos Mario: 02 - Los Tramposos Mentirosos Koopas Ninjas Gigantes]</ref>
|SpaA3=Kooky von Koopa
|SpaA3N=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''; alternate dub
|SpaE=Ludwig von Koopa
|SpaE2=Kooky von Koopa
|SpaE2N=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''; original dub
|SpaE2C=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysYn8ebOkaQ&list=PL2lUnuHRmZtzqzUPj5vJysHm-kxWJi2BN&index=2 Super Mario Bros. 3 - El tortuoso, mentiroso y tramposo gigante ninja (Doblaje castellano original)]</ref>
|SpaE3=Chiflis von Koopa
|SpaE3N=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''; re-dub
|SpaE3M=''Chiflis'' comes from ''chiflado'' ("daft")
|SpaE3C=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5iCszuE3S0 Les aventures de Super Mario Bros 3 in Castilian Spanish - Ninja Koopas]</ref>
|Swe=Kaxe
|SweN=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|SweM=Cocky
|SweC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCVx29xN3DA&list=PLxFcguXyn2GqZhdcXT2-4r_KUtNLmRb_H&index=1 The Adventures of Super Mario Bros 3 - Episode 1 - Swedish]</ref>
|Tha=กู๊คกี้
|ThaN=''The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3''
|ThaR=Guuk-gee
|ThaM=Kooky
|ThaC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs3UBiV3udU พี่น้องมาริโอ ตอน คุตตี้สุดสวย]</ref>
|Tur=Kooky
|TurC=<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMdVVao9STg Super Mario (1991) Çizgi Film Türkçe Dublaj 4 Bölüm Birden - NOSTALJİ -]</ref>
}}

==Notes==
*Ludwig is one of only two Koopalings whose placement in birth order was officially confirmed, the other being [[Larry]].
*Ludwig allegedly being deaf in the comics is a reference to his namesake, [[Ludwig van Beethoven]], who was known to have been deaf during his later life, resulting in his aides having to physically turn him around during a standing ovation due to his not hearing the applause.
** Despite him using the German word "von" in his name, the composer who he was named after used the Dutch word "van" in his name. This was because despite Ludwig van Beethoven being born in [[Germany]], his family was said to originate in the Belgian village of Bettenhoven (which in Dutch means "Beet Farms", and is also known by its French name Bettincourt, since the village sits on the border between Flanders and Walonia, the two main regions of Belgium).
*According to the ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' strategy guide for ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', Ludwig is a Baron.<ref>{{cite|quote=Baron Ludwig Von Koopa-The Second Meanest Koopa Around!|title=''Nintendo Power'' Volume 13|page=72|language=en-us|date=June 1990|publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref>
**In this same guide, Ludwig speaks with a stereotypical German accent, based on his namesake's nationality.<ref name="npv13p72">{{cite|quote=Vee shall see if you can defeat me, Mario. I combine all the attacks of my younger brothers and sister - I am the ultimate Koopaling! I see you trembling, Mario. Vy don't you just go home?|title=''Nintendo Power'' Volume 13|page=72|date=June 1990|language=en-us|publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref>
*Ludwig's [[Nintendo Super Secrets cards|Nintendo Super Secrets]] card describes him as "a mad genius known throughout Rhineland". Rhineland has never been shown or mentioned in any other ''[[Super Mario (franchise)|Super Mario]]'' media, but it may be a reference to {{wp|Rhineland-Palatinate}}, a state in western Germany. 
*Ludwig, unlike his siblings, has never been the first Koopaling to be fought, excluding [[Mario is Missing! (Super Nintendo Entertainment System)|''Mario is Missing!'' for the SNES]] due to Iggy and Roy only appearing alongside him in the game.

==References==
<references/>

{{navboxes|
{{Koopas}}
{{Bowser's family}}
{{SMB3}}
{{SMW}}
{{TAOSMB3}}
{{SMW TV}}
{{NCS}}
{{NAB}}
{{Club Nintendo}}
{{MIM}}
{{Yoshi's Safari}}
{{HM}}
{{M&LSS}}
{{NSMBW}}
{{NSMB2}}
{{NSMBU}}
{{MK8}}
{{SSB4}}
{{M&LPJ}}
{{P&DSMBE}}
{{M&SATROG}}
{{PMCS}}
{{SSBU}}
{{M&LBIS}}
{{DMW}}
{{MKT}}
{{M&SATOGT}}
{{SMM2}}
}}
[[Category:Koopalings]]
[[Category:Magicians]]
[[Category:Musicians]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Doctors]]
[[Category:Fire creatures]]
[[Category:Mini-bosses]]
[[Category:Playable characters]]
[[Category:Bowser Jr.'s Journey allies]]
[[Category:Club Nintendo]]
[[Category:Dr. Mario World]]
[[Category:Hotel Mario]]
[[Category:LEGO Super Mario characters]]
[[Category:Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey characters]]
[[Category:Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam bosses]]
[[Category:Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam characters]]
[[Category:Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga bosses]]
[[Category:Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions characters]]
[[Category:Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 characters]]
[[Category:Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games characters]]
[[Category:Mario is Missing! characters]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 8 characters]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Tour characters]]
[[Category:Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser allies]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. 2 bosses]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. U bosses]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. Wii bosses]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. Wii trading cards]]
[[Category:Nintendo Comics System]]
[[Category:Paper Mario: Color Splash bosses]]
[[Category:Pipe Down! characters]]
[[Category:Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition bosses]]
[[Category:Super Mario Bros. 3 bosses]]
[[Category:Super Mario Maker 2 enemies]]
[[Category:Super Mario World bosses]]
[[Category:Super Mario World (television series)]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U fighters]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS trophies]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophies]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighters]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirits]]
[[Category:The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 characters]]
[[Category:UNO Super Mario]]
[[Category:Yoshi's Safari bosses]]
[[de:Ludwig von Koopa]]
[[it:Ludwig]]