Koopa Clown Car
- This article is about the helicopter-like vehicle often piloted by Bowser. For the kart part from Mario Kart 7, see Koopa Clown. For Bowser Jr.'s single-seat, personal airship, see Junior Clown Car.
The Koopa Clown Car (sometimes called the Koopa Clown Copter[citation needed] or Koopa Copter) is Bowser's usual mode of transportation. It is a helicopter-like vehicle with a large clown face on the front, which has the ability to change its expression. A petite version of the Koopa Clown Car named the Junior Clown Car is often piloted by Bowser Jr.
History
Super Mario series
Super Mario World
The first appearance of the Koopa Clown Car was in Super Mario World; in the Valley of Bowser, Bowser can be seen flying around his castle in it. After making his way through Bowser's Castle and onto the rooftop of it, Mario proceeds to battle Bowser, who rides around in the Koopa Clown Car. Attacking Mario by dropping Big Steelies and Mechakoopas on him, Bowser can only be injured by having a jumped-on Mechakoopa thrown at him when he stuck his head out of the Koopa Clown Car. After being hit by Mechakoopas several times, Bowser tries to use the Koopa Clown Car, whose face grows more sinister and manic, to crush Mario. Bowser also begins dropping fireballs from the Koopa Clown Car. Princess Toadstool tosses Mario a Super Mushroom. After being hit several more times by flung Mechakoopas, Bowser and the Koopa Clown Car are beaten. Bowser can be seen over his castle in it. After being beaten, he relinquishes Princess Peach from it and retreats. The Koopa Clown Car here is able to blink and show other facial expressions with its eyes.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Bowser Jr. gets his own version of the Koopa Clown Car (later named the Junior Clown Car). It is encountered in World 4-
Airship and World 6-Airship, but in World 8-Airship, Bowser Jr. kicks it out of the boss room in favor of the original Koopa Clown Car. He attacks Mario and friends with fireballs and spiked bombs, which can be used to defeat him with a well-timed Ground Pound.
New Super Mario Bros. 2
The Clown Car re-appears in the 3DS game New Super Mario Bros. 2. The Koopalings can be seen riding in it together. In the corridors of the final castle in World 6 (and World Star), the Koopalings are seen "flashing" with the Koopa Clown Car's eyes. Mario can evade said "flash" by passing between the castle's pillars. If the flash touches Mario, he will be turned into stone. After Mario defeats Bowser for the first time, the Koopalings use their magic to enlarge Bowser, but in doing so they and the Clown Car get knocked into the lava. The Koopa Clown Car was used one final time in the ending, where the Koopalings attempted to carry Bowser with it. However, because Bowser's size exceeded its capacity, the Koopalings and Bowser were scattered throughout the trees and floor. The Koopa Clown Car was also revealed to have an autopilot function, as demonstrated when the Koopa Clown Car delivered a caged Princess Peach to Bowser's castle shortly after Ludwig von Koopa's defeat at the hands of Mario in the game.
Super Mario 3D World
While the Koopa Clown Car doesn't appear at all in Super Mario 3D World, its face can be seen on a Ferris wheel in World Bowser and also in the final level.
Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
The Koopa Clown Car makes an appearance in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, where it can be placed multiple times in levels. It can be used in all four styles, where it will simply bob up and down in place when not in use. Mario or any enemy can ride the Koopa Clown Car, including Bowser and Bowser Jr. themselves. When the player rides it, it functions similar to Lakitu's Cloud, though it is a bit slower and less soft than the cloud, but can be used indefinitely. If Mario is riding it, he can attack most enemies by hitting them with the car's propeller, which will have the same effect as a jump, however, an enemy cannot hurt Mario through the car, and only pushes him back. Fire Mario can throw fireballs from inside the car. When the car hits something, including another car, it will bounce against it. If it hits spikes, the Clown Car will become dizzy and uncontrollable for a limited period of time. The Clown Car is defeated if it is crushed by more than one Bill Blaster or Muncher. The Clown Car takes the form of the Junior Clown Car in the New Super Mario Bros. U style.
A software update released in December 2015 introduces a new variant, called the Fire Koopa Clown Car, which can be spawned by shaking a regular Clown Car. Its exterior shell is colored a kind of yellow or orange, its propeller is red, it has a flame design on its cheeks, and its mouth takes a circular form. This variant acts similarly to the normal Koopa Clown Car, but the player is able to shoot fireballs when riding in it, in a similar manner to Fire Mario. The car shoots fireballs horizontally from near its mouth. Unlike Fire Mario's fireballs, these do not fall, but will continue moving horizontally until it encounters a block or an enemy or simply remains off the screen for too long. If the player holds the button, it will shoot larger fireballs that can destroy blocks. If Mario has a Fire Flower equipped, it will shoot two extra balls which won't take the same path as the main one but will move diagonally, respectively up and down. If Mario has a Big Mushroom, the clown car will have a Peach design on it, shoot a fireball capable of destroying a block, and gain the ability to shoot a charged flame that will destroy all the bricks and enemies in its path without stopping (this also works if Mario is riding a Giant Goomba's Shoe or the stiletto version). If an enemy or item is riding it, it randomly shoots fireballs while moving like with a regular Koopa Clown Car. If a giant-sized enemy is riding it, it will shoot larger fireballs capable of destroying blocks.
Super Mario Run
Bowser uses the Koopa Clown Car in the introduction cutscene and artwork for Super Mario Run. He also uses it in the "Bowser's Bob-ombing Run" stage.
Super Mario Odyssey
In Super Mario Odyssey, the Koopa Clown Car can be seen when Mario captures Bowser, using its appearance from Super Mario World.
Super Mario World television series
"Send in the Clown"
The Koopa Clown Car appeared in the Super Mario World cartoon episode "Send in the Clown." In "Send in the Clown," King Koopa uses the Koopa Clown Car to announce to the cave people inhabitants of Dome City that they could go to the "Koopaling Bros. Circus" free of charge. Near the end of the episode, after Mario has destroyed King Koopa's fake circus, an enraged King Koopa, having taken Princess Toadstool hostage, begins to attack Mario in the Koopa Clown Car in a manner similar to the final boss battle from the game the series was based on. Attacking Mario by dropping a Big Steely and Mechakoopa on him, King Koopa and his Koopa Clown Car were defeated when Mario hurled a Mechakoopa at it, damaging its controls and causing it to fly off upside-down. Also, in the DVD Koopas Stone Age Quest it is called the "Floating Clown Head".
"Rock TV"
In "Rock TV", a later episode of Super Mario World, a flower pot resembling the Koopa Clown Car can be seen in King Koopa's throne room.
Super Mario Adventures
In the Super Mario Adventures comic, Bowser appears riding in his Koopa Clown Car (called a Koopa Copter by Luigi) after Mario and Luigi defeat all the monsters he sent to rampage through Princess Toadstool's Castle. After proceeding to tell Princess Toadstool his plans of marrying her and turning dozens of bystanders to stone, Bowser flees the scene in the Koopa Clown Car, with Princess Toadstool and several dozen Toads after him.
Much later in the comic, after Bowser's wedding to Princess Toadstool is crashed by Mario, Luigi, Yoshi and several hundred Yoshis, Bowser tries to flee in the Koopa Clown Car. Using a rope, Mario manages to lasso the Koopa Clown Car and cause it to crash into Bowser's giant wedding cake, apparently destroying it.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Bowser briefly uses the Koopa Clown Car in the Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. In this game, Bowser uses the Koopa Clown Car to abduct Princess Toadstool from Mario's yard. Bowser then uses the Koopa Clown Car to transport himself and Princess Toadstool to Bowser's Keep.
The Koopa Clown Car is seen again during the ending of the game, with a Shy Guy riding inside while Bowser and his troops are repairing the damage done to the castle by the Smithy Gang. The Koopa Clown Car makes a final appearance during the credits, emerging from a float made in the likeness of Bowser's Keep when Croco and his flunkies are attempting to loot it. Bowser, from within the Koopa Clown Car, gives chase to Croco until Booster hijacks the Koopa Clown Car from him.
Paper Mario series
Paper Mario
At the start of Paper Mario, Bowser uses a gigantic, stone version of the Koopa Clown Car to raise Princess Peach's Castle into the atmosphere. This version of the Koopa Clown Car also had several spiked balls hanging off it; it also makes a cameo appearance in Mario Kart: Super Circuit, where it can be seen in the background of the Rainbow Road track.
Also in the beginning of Paper Mario, Bowser uses the regular Koopa Clown Car to invade Star Haven and burst through a window in Princess Peach's Castle. Bowser also uses the Koopa Clown Car to temporarily escape after being beaten in Princess Peach's Castle.
Also of note, the platform used by Bowser to power himself up during his final battle against Mario resembles a long, flat version of the Koopa Clown Car, while several smaller versions of the Koopa Clown Car can be found in the hangar of Bowser's Castle.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
After learning from Kammy Koopa that the X-Nauts have kidnapped Princess Peach, Bowser sets off after the Princess in his Koopa Clown Car.
Later on in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Bowser, after failing to get a ride on the Cheep-Cheep Blimp, uses his Koopa Clown Car to get to Glitzville. Unfortunately, the Koopa Clown Car breaks-down in mid-flight and crashes into the ocean, where Bowser apparently left it.
Paper Mario: Color Splash
Right after its absence in Super Paper Mario and Paper Mario: Sticker Star (Junior Clown Car nonwithstanding regarding the latter game), the Koopa Clown Car makes a cameo appearance in Paper Mario: Color Splash during the end credits where Bowser rides it, attached to the airship float. The Junior Clown Car also can be seen in the storage room behind the Emerald Circus tent, but concept art shows that it was originally going to be the Koopa Clown Car.
Super Smash Bros. series
A trophy of the Koopa Clown Car can be obtained in the game Super Smash Bros. Melee. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, in the Subspace Emissary, Bowser uses this car twice. The first time it is used, Bowser uses it to escape from Mario, Pit, Yoshi, Link, and Kirby while taking the princess (Peach or Zelda). It is later used to escape from Falco, Diddy Kong, and Fox. After that, it is not seen again.
Mario Golf series
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
In the introduction clip of Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Bowser uses the Koopa Clown Car, which is equipped with two Bullet Bill Blasters, to chase down Wario and Waluigi, who have ticked him off severely. Hole 11 of Bowser Badlands takes place on a giant Clown Car.
Mario Golf: World Tour
The Koopa Clown Car appears as the green for Hole 7 in Bowser's Castle in Mario Golf: World Tour, noticeably larger than any other Koopa Clown Car seen before.
Mario Party series
The Koopa Clown Car has appeared in several installments of the Mario Party series, most notably in Mario Party 5, Mario Party 6, Mario Party 7, and Mario Party 8. In Mario Party 8, it is depicted as having thicker lips and a green extension attached to its propeller; in addition to summoning cannons, it also has the ability to open its mouth, revealing a laser gun. However, these weapons are not all revealed in the beginning of the battle. The battle starts out with just laser gun blasts, and for approximately every four times Bowser is hit with blasts from the Star Rod, he becomes angrier and summons additional weapons, eventually progressing to a full-scale assault, with laser gun blasts and Bullet Bill cannons being fired simultaneously. In Mario Party 9, Bowser appears in the Koopa Clown Car at the end of a stage. Bowser and Bowser Jr. also ride their vehicles together in the ending. In Mario Party: Island Tour, Bowser uses the Koopa Clown Car for transportation and during Bowser's Ballistic Blowout. The Koopa Clown Car is used by Bowser for all three of the Bowser's Gauntlet minigames in Mario Party: Star Rush. The Clown Car makes a minor appearance in Mario Party: The Top 100 where it replaces Bowser's unnamed hovercraft in The Final Battle!
In its early appearances, the Koopa Clown Car has a similar appearance to its Paper Mario depiction. Starting from Mario Party 9, it has since used its usual appearance.
Mario & Luigi series
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
After gaining the cure for Mario's Bean Fever, Luigi returns to Little Fungitown, only to encounter Bowletta, who has captured Princess Peach and is rapidly escaping with her in the Koopa Clown Car.
Later in Joke's End, Bowletta uses the Koopa Clown Car to capture Luigi, whom Bowletta believed to be Princess Peach, as Luigi was disguised as the Princess.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
At the end of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Baby Bowser can be seen returning to his castle with Kamek in the Koopa Clown Car. He also uses it after swiping the two Cobalt Star shards after the Mario Bros. and babies destroy Swiggler and he and Kamek get away. Incidentally, the Koopa Clown Car Baby Bowser uses is exactly the same as the one Bowser uses later in life, which may be the reason it has a clown face.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Machines similar to the Koopa Clown Car make an appearance in Neo Bowser Castle as Dreampoints, and the actual machine appears in the ending, where Bowser and his minions use it to escape Pi'illo Island, only for it to start losing altitude due to Private Goomp and Sergeant Guy shaking it in an attempt to catch the raining coins.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Both the normal and the paper versions of the Koopa Clown Car make a reappearance in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. They are used by the Bowsers as they kidnap the two versions of Princess Peach and later to escape from Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario. The normal Koopa Clown Car is later used in Neo Bowser Castle where Bowser attacks the bros to prevent them from taking one of the two Fire Ores. Additionally, faceless variants are used by Roy, Iggy, Wendy and Morton during various quests. The paper Koopa Clown Car has had a slight redesign, resembling the normal Koopa Clown Car and both versions of the Junior Clown Car.
Mario Kart series
Mario Kart DS
In Mario Kart DS, Bowser's third choice kart is the Hurricane, a kart that resembles his Clown Car but with a plane motif.
Mario Kart 7
In Mario Kart 7, an unlockable kart part called the Koopa Clown is modelled after the Koopa Clown Car. The kart part features a handling boost, but it hinders acceleration and off-road during the process. Actual Koopa Clown Cars appear in the retro battle stage, N64 Big Donut, and in the tracks Wuhu Loop and Neo Bowser City, blowing wind for drivers flying above with gliders.
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
In Mario Kart 8 DLC, jack-in-the-boxes shaped like Koopa Clown Cars are hazards on the glider portion of GBA Ribbon Road. The Koopa Clown Car on 3DS Neo Bowser City returns, but has been slightly redesigned.
In the Nintendo Switch port, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the Koopa Clown returns from Mario Kart 7 as an additional kart body. The Koopa Clown Car appearances from the Mario Kart 8 DLC are also present in the base game.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
In Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, stained glass windows showing the Koopa Clown Car can be seen behind Bowser's throne during the final battle.[1]
Trophy information from Super Smash Bros. Melee
| Name | Image | Game | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koopa Clown Car | File:Trophy210.PNG | Super Mario World 8/91 |
Bowser's single-seat, personal airship doesn't exactly handle like a dream, but it wasn't designed to be sporty. The Koopa Clown Car was made to carry Bowser's huge weight, not to mention a logic-defying arsenal of massive bowling balls. In Super Mario World, Mario busted the Koopa Clown Car by pelting it with Mechakoopas. |
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | クッパクラウン[?] Kuppa Kuraun |
Koopa Clown, or Bowser Clown | |
| Dutch | Koopa-clown (Mario Kart 7)[?] | Koopa Car | |
| German | Koopa-Kopter[?] | Koopa Copter | |
| Italian | Auto Clown Koopa[?] | Koopa Clown Car | |
| Portuguese | Palhaço Koopa[?] | Koopa Car | |
| Spanish (NOA) | Koopayaso (Mario Kart 7)[?] | From Koopa and "yaso" ("clown") | |
| Spanish (NOE) | Helikoopa[?] | From hélice ("propeller") and Koopa |
Trivia
- In Super Mario Maker, there are unused sprites for a Big Steely and a tear. These were likely intended for a further replication of Bowser's behavior in Super Mario World, while in the final game, he simply chases the player and throws Bob-ombs.
References
- Aircraft
- Koopa Troop Weapons
- Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Objects
- Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Objects
- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time Objects
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Objects
- Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
- Mario Kart 7 Objects
- Mario Kart 8 Objects
- Mario Party 8
- New Super Mario Bros. 2 Objects
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii Objects
- Paper Mario Objects
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Objects
- Super Mario Maker Objects
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
- Super Mario Run Objects
- Super Mario World Objects
- Super Smash Bros. Melee Trophies
- Yoshi's Safari
