Bowser
It has been requested that this article be rewritten and expanded to include more information.
It has been requested that this article be rewritten. Reason: the article needs an overall trimming. Also, the "Other appearances, cameos, and references" section needs to be incorporated into the main article, with some of these appearances needing expansion
- Not to be confused with Bowyer.
- This article is about King Bowser Koopa, the main antagonist from the Mario franchise. For the character that represents Bowser in the Super Mario Bros. film, see President Koopa. For the character from the film who is erroneously named "King Bowser", see here. For the kart from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, see .
- "Lord Bowser" redirects here. For the sponsor and team of the same name, see Lord Bowser (team).
- King Koopa redirects here. For the article about the kart, see Koopa King.
- “Hear this! I will kidnap Peach OVER and OVER until I pull it off! And no one can stop me! Losing is not an option! And neither is giving up!”
- —Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
- “Great, just great. Now I look like the huge, mighty King of GUYS WHO TALK TO POSTERS!.”
- —Bowser, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
- “SHUT UP! I swallowed a Blooper!”
- —Bowser, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
- “Bwah ha ha! Will I marry Peach? Are you kidding me? The answer's YESSSSSSSS!”
- —Bowser, Super Paper Mario
- “Like the moon over the day, my genius and brawn are lost on these fools.”
- —Bowser, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
- “MAAARIO! Are you seriously trying to start with me again?! I hear about this big meeting, and I'm all ready to act nice... But man, the second I see your face, Mr. Nice Bowser is GONE. Yeah, forget your dumb meeting! I'll pummel you and grab Peach!”
- —Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
"I'm the biggest, baddest brute around, and don't you forget it."
-King Bowser, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
King Bowser Koopa (sometimes known as King Bowser, King Koopa (Japanese: 大魔王クッパ, Daimaō Kuppa, which translates into "Great Demon King Koopa" or "Great Sorcerer King Koopa", the latter being used in the manual of Super Mario Bros.[1]), Lord Bowser, Great Demon Koopa (Japan), or recently simply just Bowser) is the supreme leader of the Koopa Troop, king of the Koopas and is Mario and Luigi's most frequent arch nemesis of them all. Repeatedly he kidnaps or tries to kidnap Princess Peach and take over the Mushroom Kingdom. Occasionally, the Koopa King on other occasions has attempted to conquer the entire Mushroom World many times, as well as the entire universe. King Bowser is Mario's nemesis, and is usually responsible for trouble in the Mushroom Kingdom. In this game, Bowser has many cut scenes where he is a playable character. These scenes are often quite humorous, and involve the music from the original 1985 Super Mario Bros. game sample. Bowser, sometimes known as King Koopa, is a major character and the main antagonist of the Mario franchise. He is a large, powerful, fire-breathing Koopa who leads the Koopa Troop, an antagonistic organization of turtle-like creatures, and has been the archenemy of Mario since his debut in Super Mario Bros. He has repeatedly kidnapped or attempted to kidnap Princess Peach with the ultimate goal of defeating Mario and taking over the Mushroom Kingdom. Despite his villainous nature, he has on occasion helped the heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom against other threats, and frequently socializes with them peacefully in their numerous sporting events.
Since his debut, Bowser has been appearing in almost nearly every main stream Mario game, including the main series, appearing in spin-offs and crossover games. Bowser is one of video games' most recognizable villains, and is known for his aggressive nature. Due to his role as the primary villain of the Mario series, his roles in games have been mostly as the final or penultimate boss, if not as the main antagonist (an example being Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga). Besides being a primary villain, Bowser is also at times an anti-hero villain. An example is Super Paper Mario. Bowser is also at times an anti-hero, usually in the Mario RPGs, excluding Paper Mario, Paper Mario: Sticker Star, and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, where he is the main villain and final boss. The Guinness Book of World Records 2013: Gamer's Edition put Bowser in first place on the pages called “Top 50 Video Game Villains”.
Koopa Family
Bowser has had eight "children" under his wing in the Mario series.
The original Koopalings seem to have been phased out for Bowser Jr., but they have made a reappearance as bosses in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga as bosses. Rumor has it that all eight will show up in New Super Mario Bros. together.
Many believe Bowser's Koopalings are simply his hired hands or even his adopted children which he uses for him schemes. Others believe Bowser could of had children asexually.Template:Fact
According to Nintendo Power in the United Kingdom, Bowser's wife's name is Clawdia Koopa. However, since she has not appeared in any medium whatsoever related to Mario, she may have just been a joke written by the editors. The well-known Mario fan site Lemmy's Land likes to use Clawdia Koopa as a normal character, however.
Game Appearances/Gaming Biography
The Tiny Tyrant
Main Article: Baby Bowser
- Main article: Baby Bowser
Bowser's first appearance in-universe chronologically was as [[Baby Bowser]|a child]] in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. His baby form was quickly shown to have similar powers of his adult form. This was also his first meeting with Mario (as Baby Mario). When Baby Mario and Yoshi enters his room in his castle, Baby Bowser is unintentionally and forcibly awakened from his nap by Kamek (who was trying to demand that Yoshi hand over Mario), and pounds him flat in retribution. Bowser then notices Yoshi, and decides he wants to ride the "green donkey." However he notices that Baby Mario is riding Yoshi so he attacks them to get Baby Mario off. Yoshi ends up defeating Baby Bowser, even when Kamek turns him into a giant. Yoshi's Island was also his first meeting with Mario chronologically. Baby Bowser later stole the Super Happy Tree from the Yoshis and turned Yoshi's Island into a pop-up book in Yoshi's Story, but he was defeated again by a newborn Yoshi. Both incidents quickly define the young Bowser as a selfish character lacking empathy. In Yoshi's Island DS, he teams up with the heroes to defeat future Bowser after being betrayed, but betrays them at the end of the game. Baby Bowser is also one of the Star Children. In Yoshi's New Island, he plans to turn Egg Island into his vacation home, but this plan is ultimately thwarted by the Yoshis.
Baby Bowser was abducted by Kamek where he met his older self a second time (The first was in Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, elaborated on below). Bowser from the future used a scepter to bring him back to the past and invaded Baby Bowser's castle. Later Bowser kicked Baby Bowser out of the castle when he insulted him. Baby Bowser later teamed up with Baby Mario, Baby Wario, Baby Donkey Kong, Baby Peach, and Yoshi to save Baby Luigi and the other babies from the future Bowser. At the end of the game Baby Bowser turned on his team because he accused them of trying to steal his treasure after defeating him. Bowser grew in size when Kamek zapped him changing him to Giant Bowser (similar to Giant Baby Bowser in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island). Giant Bowser later is defeated and changed back to his normal self and went back to the present. In Yoshi's Island DS, Bowser traveled to the past to find the Star Childre], which were said to have the power necessary for Bowser to conquer the universe. Among the many children he took or attempted to kidnap are Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Baby Peach, Baby Donkey Kong, Baby Wario, and even Baby Bowser. Bowser from the future used a scepter to bring him back to the past and invaded Baby Bowser's castle. Later Bowser kicked Baby Bowser out of the castle when he insulted him.
Baby Bowser later teamed up with Baby Mario, Baby Wario, Baby Donkey Kong, Baby Peach, and Yoshi to save Baby Luigi and the other babies from the future Bowser out of revenge since his future self had betrayed him. Later in the game, Baby Bowser turned on his team because he accused them of trying to steal his treasure after defeating him. Outnumbered, Baby Bowser was defeated. Kamek then enchanted the future Bowser to become a giant in the final battle against Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Baby Donkey Kong, and Baby Wario. During the battle with the giant Bowser, the Yoshis must threw Giant Yoshi Eggs in such a way that they all collide and explode in front of Bowser's face. In the end, Bowser was defeated and it turns out the heroic babies were six of the Star Children, as well as a Baby Yoshi that was born soon after Bowser left the past. Baby Bowser later teamed up with Baby Mario, Baby Wario, Baby Donkey Kong, Baby Peach, and Yoshi to save Baby Luigi and the other babies from the future Bowser out of revenge, since his future self had betrayed him. Near the end of the game when they reached Baby Bowser's castle, Baby Bowser turned on his team because he thought they'd come to try and steal his treasure. Outnumbered, Baby Bowser was defeated. The future Bowser then showed up and attacked them for being mean to his past self (even though he'd booted him out of his castle earlier), but was defeated also. Kamek then enchanted the future Bowser to become a giant in the final battle against Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Baby Donkey Kong, and Baby Wario. During the battle with the giant Bowser, the Yoshis threw Giant Yoshi Eggs in such a way that they all collided and exploded in front of Bowser's face. In the end, Bowser was defeated, and it turned out that the heroic babies were six of the Star Children, as well as a Baby Yoshi that was born soon after Bowser left the past.
Yoshi's Island would once again become the target of Bowser's conquests during the events of Yoshi Topsy-Turvy. The Koopa King and his forces attacked the island, causing chaos and disorder. A spirit named Hongo encased the entire island in a storybook to contain Bowser and his armies, mirroring what Bowser did the to Yoshi's Island as a baby. Fortunately, Yoshi managed to convince the powerful spirit to restore Yoshi's Island if the green dinosaur could personally trap Bowser. If the threat of Bowser was contained, there would be no need to keep the island as an isolated storybook. As such, Yoshi set off through the chapters of the storybook version on Yoshi's Island.
In Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, Baby Bowser once again appears. At the beginning of the game he attempts to kidnap Baby Peach, but ends up evacuating everyone when the Shroobs attack. However, they are shot down by the Shroobs after intercepting a transmission. He later shows up and steals the Cobalt Star Shards the Mario bros have collected, and flees to Yoshi's Island, where he is found by the brothers causing "mayhem" (he is eating Yoshi Cookies he stole from the islanders). After he eats the shards, Baby Bowser, along with everyone else, is eaten by Yoob, though everyone later escapes. After leaving Yoshi's Island he heads to Thwomp Volcano to build a new castle, where he finds future Bowser, and they team up to defeat Mario and Luigi, though are defeated. Later on, he reunites the Cobalt Star Shards, resurrects and unintentionally reawakening Elder Princess Shroob, and is turned into a Shroob Mushroom, but is later transformed back and flees.
Bowser's New Adventure
In the upcoming Mario and Luigi game, Mario & Luigi 3, Bowser is playable. It might be possible that he's on Mario's side later in the game. In a screenshot, he was shown fighting tree enemies. In another screenshot, it shows Mario and Luigi in his stomach and he is drinking from a fountain, but it is because he purposely had inhaled the Bros., a new character, Toadbert, and Peach that they are in his stomach (after Mario beat him in a battle). It's unknown if this is for good or evil. Not much has been revealed about the Koopa King's role in the game, however it is known that after Mario defeats him in a battle, Bowser uses an item known as a Lucky Mushroom to inhale the Bros., a new character named Toadbert, and Peach. One screenshot shows Bowser drinking from a fountain while Mario and Luigi are in his stomach; another shows him fighting tree enemies.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
In the newest Mario and Luigi game, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Bowser is a playable character. He tries to kidnap Peach, but fails. He then eats an item called the Vacuum Mushroom and becomes under Fawful's control. Afterwards he inhales Mario, Luigi, Toadsworth, Toadbert, Princess Peach and several Mushroom Retainers, during that Fawful takes control of Peach's and Bowser's castles. Bowser, not aware that he has living people in his belly, is very mad about it and chases Fawful.
Mario and Luigi venture inside Bowser's insides for most of the game. Bowser, on the other hand, ventures in the Mushroom Kingdom for all of his time. Bowser can also call upon his minions once he rescues them and swallow enemies as well. When he swallows enemies, good things can happen, like he could get healed. Sometimes, the enemies are fought inside by Mario and Luigi.
In the third Mario and Luigi game, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Bowser's playability is a major plot point, and the namesake of the game. At the beginning, Bowser attempts to once again kidnap Peach, but fails, courtesy of Mario. After being given a strange Mushroom from a cloaked merchant, he eats it, but comes under Fawful's control. Afterwards, he inhales Mario, Luigi, Toadsworth, Toadbert, Princess Peach], and several Toads, passing out afterwards. After disposing of Bowser and with Peach and the Mario Bros. out of the way, Fawful takes control of both Peach's and Bowser's castles. After being woken up by Mario and Luigi, Bowser, not aware that he has living people in his belly, is extremely angered by the series of events and chases after Fawful, only to find that his castle has been taken over by the latter.
Mario and Luigi venture inside Bowser's insides for much of the game. Bowser, on the other hand, ventures in the Mushroom Kingdom for all of his time (the player cannot play as Bowser while Mario and Luigi are not in his body with the exception of the tutorial on his punch and fire in Dimble Wood). Bowser can also call upon his minions once he rescues them, and swallow enemies as well. When he swallows enemies, good things can happen; for example, certain enemies carry healing or power-up items. Sometimes, small enemies are actually inhaled and fought inside of Bowser by Mario and Luigi. He eventually defeats a dark version of himself named Dark Bowser, ridding the Mushroom Kingdom of the evil of the Dark Star forever.
Bowser gets trapped multiple times during the game (such as eating so much food that he gets stuck in the ground) and it's usually up to Mario & Luigi to change something in his body so that he can proceed.
In one event, Bowser is fought by playing as Mario & Luigi, using his learned moves (except the Vacuum). However, you cannot play as the opposite.
Note: In that fight and you did not get "Shy Guy Squad" as Bowser, he won't use it in the battle.
- HP: 1238-1250
Bowser X
- Main article: Bowser X
An enemy boss called Bowser X appears in the Challenge Node in Bowser's body, and can be fought by Mario and Luigi. To get to him, the player will need to beat all the X bosses, and then run the Marathon to the end. Bowser X will also be unlocked with Boss Rush Mode. He is, by far the strongest boss in the game. He is also the only X boss without a color change from the original. While this is clearly not the real Bowser, such an entity existing inside of him may have been the result of the Emoglobins at the Gauntlet within creating it to challenge the Bros. further, after besting all of the other X bosses.
Like all the other X Bosses in the Challenge Node, Bowser X has upgraded stats and additionally, he is capable of performing all of the original Bowser's attacks, plus three new ones. However, Bowser X does not use the remaining troops later on in the battle. Attacks Bowser X performs during battle include:
- Punch - A variant of Bowser's fist attack which is slightly faster than the original one. Mario and Luigi must jump to avoid taking damage. Every once in a while, his nostrils will smoke out. When he does this, he'll completely miss the punch and jump over the Bros. in clumsiness. Mario and Luigi shouldn't jump during this attack.
- Fire Breath/Flame - A fire-based combat technique. It can be avoided by grabbing onto Starlow before Bowser X launches the attack. If the player misses, the attack will deal massive damage to the Bros.
- Goomba Storm - This attack has two phases. At first, Goombas will run after the player, while Bowser X sets some of them on fire. After that the burning Goombas will fall from the sky and the player needs the hammer attack to hit them back. They move at a much faster speed than the original.
- Shy Guy Squad - This attack is similar to Bowser's attack. It can be countered by a timed hammer attack.
- Fire ball - Bowser X will initiate this attack with a fireball, and will then curl up into a spike ball to produce more fireballs. The fireballs can be hit back. Bowser X will then execute a ram attack. The attack will continue until it is countered. Bowser X will shoot a simple fireball at one of the Bros. The attack doesn't do much damage, but he'll continue to execute this attack over and over. The Bros. must hammer the fireball back at Bowser X to damage him. Doing this will cause Bowser X to curl up into a ball and head for the upper portion of the screen. There a rain of fireballs will drop from Bowser X at random. The Bros. must hammer the fireballs when it's above them directly. The final part of this attack is when Bowser X, still curled up, will try to ram himself onto one of the Bros. heavily damaging him. This part is tricky since once the first Bro. deflects the attack from Bowser X, he'll go for the other Bros. Deflect this portion of this attack with both Bros. once to end the attack.
- Giant Bowser X - Bowser X will grow into his giant form for this attack, and then spit three fireballs, of which the last one will hit the brothers. This fireball can be hit back. A scene follows where Bowser X chases the brothers and the player has to dodge obstacles. When the brothers reach a spring, A and B should be pressed to return to the start. Bowser X will grow twice in size and attack the bros. with a barrage of fireballs. The Bros. should jump only when the fireballs head toward the Bro. directly. The Bros. should not jump when the fireball passes overhead. After Bowser X finishes that, he will proceed to chase the Bros. They must jump over the fiery obstacles and head for the two springs waiting at the end without taking major damage.
- Vacuum - A counter move used every time when the player uses a special attack. Bowser X will inhale the used move and it will be inaccessible for five turns.
Creation
The character Bowser was created by Shigeru Miyamoto as the villain of Super Mario Bros. Miyamoto stated that they considered naming him either Kuppa (국밥), Yukke (육회), or Bibinba (비빔밥), which are all Korean dishes as they are known in Japanese. At the end, "Kuppa" was chosen[2]. For the later North American release of the game, which also introduced the anglicized spelling Koopa, the character was renamed "Bowser."
During the development of Super Mario Bros., Miyamoto was thinking about and considered asking a manga artist or illustrator to do the art for the game. However, time was running short, so the creator of Mario drew the game's original box-art himself. This artwork included a depiction of Bowser, whom Miyamoto depicted notably different from later designs that is significantly different than later designs, the most obvious anomalies being his grey-blue skin and lack of horns on Bowser's head. For the character's appearance, Miyamoto drew inspiration from an anime film adaptation of the Chinese novel Journey to the West, renamed Alakazam the Great during the film's American localization. He liked the film's main antagonist Gyū-Maō (lit. "Ox Demon King," King Gruesome in the dub), so he depicted loosely based Bowser on an ox as a homage.[3] The depiction of Bowser on the Super Mario Bros. package loosely resembled an ox.
At a later point, Yoichi Kotabe, an animation artist, who had later joined Nintendo and was asked to do new illustrations for the Mario series. The only reference was the package illustration for Super Mario Bros., so Kotabe asked its artist Miyamoto many questions on how to draw the characters. This worked well for Mario, since Miyamoto had been drawing him for a while. However, designing Bowser caused problems, since Miyamoto hadn't drawn him that much often before. He brought up that he liked the Ox King from the film, and this was how he imagined Bowser. Bowser's creator told Kotabe how he liked the ox king from the anime film. That was how Miyamoto imagined Bowser, but Nintendo designer Takashi Tezuka pointed out that Bowser should be a turtle. Through the discussions of the people, Bowser's appearance eventually came together. Since he was now in the same turtle family with the Koopa Troopas, they saw similar lines between the two and partly based Bowser's new appearance on them. Finally, Bowser's new design was created, and Miyamoto congratulated himself by saying "Wow, I can really make Bowser look cool now!"[3]
History
It has been requested that this article be rewritten. Reason: The background and history section is not in the correct order outlined by the Manual of Style
Background
- Main article: Baby Bowser
Bowser's first chronological appearance in-universe is as Baby Bowser in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, which was also his first time meeting with Mario. When Baby Mario and Yoshi enter his room in his castle, Baby Bowser is accidentally awakened from his nap by Kamek, who is trying to demand Yoshi to give Baby Mario, and pounds him flat in retribution. Baby Bowser then notices Yoshi, referring to him as a "green donkey", and tries to ride him. However, he notices Baby Mario already riding Yoshi, leading to him attacking the two to get Baby Mario away. At this age, he is shown to have similar powers to the ones he currently possesses as an adult, such as ground-pounding and breathing fire. Yoshi eventually defeats Baby Bowser, even when Kamek turns him into a giant. Later, Baby Bowser steals the Super Happy Tree from the Yoshis and turns Yoshi's Island into a pop-up book in Yoshi's Story, though he is defeated again by a newborn Yoshi. Both incidents quickly define the young Bowser as a selfish character who lacks empathy. In contrast, during the events of Yoshi's Island DS, he at first teams up with the heroes to defeat future Bowser after being betrayed, and is revealed to be one of the star children. In Yoshi's New Island, he plans to turn Egg Island into his vacation home, but this plan is ultimately thwarted by the Yoshis.
Baby Bowser once again appears in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. At the beginning of the game, he attempts to kidnap Baby Peach, but ends up having his crew evacuate when the Shroobs suddenly attack and later shoot them down. He later steals the Cobalt Star shards the Mario Bros. have collected and flees to Yoshi's Island, where he is found eating Yoshi Cookies he stole from the islanders. After eating the shards, he, along with everyone else, is eaten by Yoob, though everyone later escapes with the help of Mario and Luigi. After leaving Yoshi's Island, he heads to Thwomp Volcano to build a new castle, where he finds future Bowser. They team up to fight Mario and Luigi, but are both defeated. Later on, in Shroob Castle, he reunites the Cobalt Star shards, which inadvertently awakens Elder Princess Shroob. She transforms him into a Shroob Mushroom, but after being defeated by Mario and Luigi, returns back to normal.
Super Mario series
The First Mushroom Wars/Super Mario Bros./First Appearance
Bowser's first appearance (release-wise) was Super Mario Bros.. In this game the now fully grown tyrant has fully emerged as the leader of the Koopa Troop, and is attempting to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. He turns many of the Kingdom's defenders into weeds, and kidnaps Princess Peach and her seven Mushroom Retainers, the only ones who know how to break the spell. He then sent turned seven of his minions into Fake Bowsers, and sent them to guard the Mushroom Retainers in seven different castles. He goes to personally guard an eighth castle where he hides the Princess. He turned many of the Kingdom's defenders into inanimate objects, and kidnapped the only person who could undo his black magic: Princess Peach (and seven Mushroom Retainers alongside her). Possessing the knowledge that the only one who can undo the curse is Princess Toadstool, the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser kidnaps her, as well as seven of her Mushroom Retainers. He then turned seven of his minions into False Bowsers, and sent them to guard the Mushroom Retainers in seven different castles while he personally saw to Peach's captivity in an eighth castle.
Bowser had not counted on Mario and Luigi to show up. Fortunately for the Mushroom Kingdom, the Mario Bros. unexpectedly appeared via a Warp Pipe, and immediately set out to end Bowser's reign of terror. The heroes traversed through the Mushroom Kingdom, freeing the Mushroom Retainers and eventually reaching the eighth castle and fighting with Bowser himself. The Koopa King attacks by spitting Fireballs and throwing Hammers at the duo. He can be defeated by Mario or Luigi running under (or Jumping over) him and hitting an Axe behind him, taking away his platform and causing him to fall into the lava. At the end of the game, Bowser is defeated and the Mushroom Kingdom is saved. Thus Peach was liberated and her kingdom restored.
Undeterred by his preliminary defeat, Bowser did the exact same thing in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, only to be vanquished once more by Mario and Luigi. Bowser first appeared in Super Mario Bros. for the NES. In the game, Bowser conquered the Mushroom Kingdom and kidnapped Princess Toadstool, the only one capable of reversing the spell he cast over the land, and took her to the kingdom's eighth castle. The other seven castles contained Bowser decoys. Captured Mushroom Retainers were imprisoned in these castles. He then distributed seven Bowser Clones to the other seven castles in the kingdom and put them in charge of guarding the Princess's seven Mushroom Retainers, including Toad. One way to distinguish the Fake Bowsers from the real Bowser is that Bowser can breathe fire and throw hammers at the same time. Mario had two options as to how to defeat Bowser. He could throw Fireballs at him, or run under him when he jumped up and hit the Axe thats on the other side of the bridge. This would make the bridge disappear, sending Bowser or his Clones into the lava. When battling Bowser or one of his clones, Mario had two options: He could throw Fireballs at him, or he could grab an axe and cut the rope the held the bridge in place. This would destroy the bridge, sending Bowser into the lava. Release-wise, Bowser first appears in Super Mario Bros.. Bowser and his army invade and conquer the Mushroom Kingdom, using a spell to transform the citizens into inanimate objects as well as kidnapping the only one capable of undoing the curse, Princess Toadstool. Bowser's attack pattern is similar to that of his impostors; he sits on the bridge spitting fireballs and tossing hammers, as well as leaping into the air. Grabbing the axe on the other side of the bridge causes him to fall into the lava beneath, defeating him and saving Princess Toadstool.
Bowser's first appearance (release-wise) is in Super Mario Bros. In this game, Bowser and the Koopa Troop are jealous of the Mushroom Kingdom, and it is because of these feelings of jealousy that they decide to invade it, conquering the land and transforming the kingdom's inhabitants into inanimate objects. He also kidnaps the seven Mushroom Retainers, as well as the only person who can reverse the black magic cast over the land: Princess Toadstool. He then transforms seven of his minions into [False Bowser]]s and sends them to guard the retainers in seven different castles while he personally holds Toadstool captive in an eighth castle. Knowing that the only one who can undo the curse is Princess Toadstool of the Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser kidnaps her as well as seven of her Mushroom Retainers. He then transforms seven of his minions into False Bowsers and sends them to guard the retainers in seven castles while he holds Toadstool captive in an eighth castle.
However, Mario and Luigi then unexpectedly appear and immediately set out to end Bowser's reign. They traverse the Mushroom Kingdom, freeing the Mushroom Retainers and eventually reaching the eighth castle to fight Bowser himself. He waits for them on a bridge, attacking them by spitting Fireballs and throwing Hammers, as well as leaping around. The player can defeat him using the the same methods as the False Bowsers: by using the Ax placed at the far end of the bridge to destroy it or by shooting him multiple times with fireballs; both send him careening into the lava. Mario and Luigi then liberate Princess Toadstool, and she restores her kingdom to its previous state. However, Mario and Luigi suddenly appear, and must traverse the Mushroom Kingdom to free the Mushroom Retainers from the seven castles and eventually reach the eighth castle to fight Bowser himself. He waits for them on a bridge, attacking them by spitting Fireballs and throwing Hammers, as well as leaping around. To defeat Bowser, the player must reach the Ax on the other side of the bridge to destroy it and send him careening into the lava. He or she can also do this by shooting Bowser with fireballs multiple times. Once Bowser is defeated, Princess Toadstool is liberated, and she restores her kingdom to its previous state.
In addition to the original game, Bowser also appears in all of the game's variations, including Super Mario Bros. Special, All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros., VS. Super Mario Bros., Super Mario All-Stars, and Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, being remakes of the original.
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Undeterred by this defeat, Bowser repeated his original plan in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Without any delay after he got defeated by Mario and Luigi, Bowser have reused his black magic, kidnapped Princess Toadstool and took her to his castle, sending more and more soldiers of the Koopa Troop all over the Mushroom Kingdom, with the increased numbers of False Bowsers imprisoning the captured Mushroom Retainers in the other castles. Mario and Luigi must once again traverse through the Mushroom Kingdom, fight the Koopa Troop, free the Toads from the False Bowsers, and eventually reach the eighth castle to fight Bowser himself.
Despite Bowser's entirely similar, but improved plan almost as impossible to stop, Mario and Luigi, who didn't give up hope, went to travel through various unknown new lands of the Mushroom Kingdoms until they reach the castle to save the princess and defeat Bowser once again. The both Mario Bros. traversed through the new lands of the Mushroom Kingdom, fighting the Koopa Troop, freeing the Toads from False Bowsers and eventually reaching the eighth castle and fighting with Bowser himself. Even though he got defeated once, Bowser has to be fought again so Mario and Luigi has to save the real Princess Toadstool in the fifteenth castle. Additionally, despite the arena being aesthetically different, the basic concept of the fight is not; the player must grab the ax at the end of the bridge to destroy it, and Bowser falls into the lava below as a result. However, when he is defeated once, it is revealed that Mario and Luigi must fight him again, so they can save the real Princess Toadstool in the fifteenth castle.
In the end, located in World D, the brothers once again find Bowser, who fights them with the same attacks as before. Additionally, nothing has once again changed between the two castles, meaning that Bowser can be sent plummeting to his death once more by using the Ax on the other side of the bridge. However, the brothers still pass by him, grab the Ax on the other side of the bridge, and send Bowser plummeting to his death once more. Bowser is finally defeated, the Mushroom Kingdom is completely safe and Princess Toadstool is rescued by the Mario Bros. in the same way as the predecessor. Bowser again resides in the eigth castle, with attacks in this game are the same as the original: throwing hammers and breathing fireballs at Mario and Luigi; however, the arena is aesthetically different. Grabbing the Ax at the end of the bridge once again causes Bowser to fall into the pit of lava. Bowser is later found in the castle located in World D, using the same attacks against Mario, and the ax collapses the bridge over the lava, with Bowser on it. With his defeat, Princess Toadstool is once again rescued by the Mario Bros. in the same way as the game's predecessor.
Bowser repeats his original plan in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, reusing black magic to transform the kingdom's inhabitants and kidnapping Princess Toadstool. He holds her in his own castle while the Mushroom Retainers are held by his impostors in the other castles. Bowser again resides in the eighth castle, with the same attacks as the original: throwing hammers and breathing fireballs at Mario and Luigi. The arena, however, is aesthetically different, having two pillars of blocks on the ceiling, the second having a Fire Bar on the end. Also in this final castle is a mysterious dark-shaded look-alike of Bowser, sometimes identified as his brother. Grabbing the ax at the end of the bridge once again causes Bowser to fall into the pit of lava, allowing Mario to rescue the princess. Bowser is later found in the castle located in World D, and the same strategy is used to defeat him. Undeterred by this defeat, Bowser repeated his plan in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Without any delay after he got defeated by Mario and Luigi, Bowser have reused his black magic, kidnapped Princess Toadstool and took her to his castle, and begins sending more and more soldiers of the Koopa Troop all over the Mushroom Kingdom, with the increased numbers of False Bowsers imprisoning the Mushroom Retainers in other castles.
Super Mario Advance
Although Bowser himself never appeared in the original Super Mario Bros. 2, he did appear in the GBA port Super Mario Advance as a boss enemy in the game's Mario Bros. mode.
The Koopalings/The Conquest of the Lands/Super Mario Bros. 3/Super Mario Advance 4
Bowser's second (third in Japan) appearance was in Super Mario Bros. 3. This game gave gamers quite a surprise by introducing Bowser's children, Lemmy Koopa, Iggy Koopa, Ludwig Von Koopa, Roy Koopa, Wendy O. Koopa, Larry Koopa, and Morton Koopa Jr. Bowser's children acted the same way that the Fake Bowsers did in Super Mario Bros.; each one conquered a different land and turned the king of said land into a generic enemy, while Bowser resided in the eighth and final land. Mario and Luigi once again set out to defeat Bowser and his family. Throughout the game the heroes would receive helpful letters from Princess Peach. However after freeing the seventh land they get a letter from Bowser, which reveals that while they were saving the different lands Bowser had kidnapped the Princess. Mario and Luigi boldly make their way towards Bowser's Castle, for the final showdown. In the end the Koopa King is defeated once again and the Princess is saved. Bowser's next appearance was in Super Mario Bros. 3, which notably introduced his children, Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig. Each Koopaling conquered a different land in the Mushroom World and turned the king of said land into a generic enemy; Bowser resided in his home territory Dark Land. Mario and Luigi set out to free the kingdoms, all the while receiving helpful letters from Princess Peach. However, after freeing the seventh land they get a letter from Bowser, informing them that he had kidnapped the Princess while they were on their quest. The Mario Bros. boldly made their way towards Bowser's Castle for the final showdown, defeating him once again and saving the Princess. After his hiatus during the events of Subcon in Super Mario Bros. 2, in Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser returned for one more invasion with his henchman Boom Boom and his children, the Koopalings: Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig in Super Mario Bros. 3. Each Koopaling conquered a different land in the Mushroom World and turned the King of their respective lands into a generic enemy while Bowser resided in his home territory of Dark Land. Mario/Luigi set out to free the Kingdoms, all while receiving helpful letters from Princess Toadstool throughout his journey.
After freeing the seventh land and restoring its king to normal, he received a letter from Bowser, informing them that he had kidnapped the Princess while he was on his quest and while they were saving the seven kingdoms. After reaching and traversing Bowser's castle, the brothers find the room Bowser is located in, where he descends from above to begin the final battle. The Mario Bros. boldly made their way towards Bowser's Castle for the final showdown, defeating him once again and saving the Princess. To defeat him the bros had to avoid his attacks and wait for him to Ground Pound the blocks underneath him to eventually make him fall in the Bottomless Pit below. After traversing Bowser's castle, the brothers reach the Koopa King at last, who descends from above to begin the fight. He will attack the brothers by breathing fireballs at them, then leap into the air and ground pound. However, this attack also leads to his defeat; whenever Bowser ground pounds the brick block-appearing blocks, he will smash them.
After liberating Pipe Island from Ludwig and restoring its king, Mario and Luigi receive a letter from Bowser, informing them that he has kidnapped Princess Toadstool while they were saving the seven kingdoms. When Mario reaches the final room of Bowser's Castle, Bowser himself falls in from above to start the battle. Bowser's attack pattern involves breathing two fireballs at the player, then leaping into the air and and attempting to ground-pound him or her from above. Whenever Bowser ground pounds a pair of blocks, they are destroyed beneath him. After destroying an entire column of blocks on the floor, he will plummet down the massive pit below and seconds later hit the ground. Bowser could also be defeated with 35 fireballs. Hammers can cause multiple damage so depending on the angle of impact, Bowser can be defeated with as little as three hammers. The door at the back of the room will then open, allowing Mario to rescue Princess Toadstool.
In Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser's appearance in the main game is largely the same as the original (besides the fact that shooting him with fireballs causes him to turn red and quickly change back), but his first appearance in the e-Reader levels is in the twenty-seventh level, Kakushi Kuppa Jō, (Hidden Koopa Castle) which is a compilation of obstacles from the previous Bowser's Castles, ending with a Super Mario Bros. 3-style Bowser fight. However, a set of blocks are placed above the ground that Bowser must smash through before he can reach the ones before on the floor. He later appears in the thirtieth and final e-Reader level Kuppa no Hikōsen Kōhen (Koopa's Airship Part 2), in which he is fought at the end of the airship. However, this time, the entire room is composed of the blocks seen in the original room and blocks that he cannot break.
Bowser did not appear in the American version of Super Mario Bros. 2 - however, he returned for Super Mario Bros. 3. Bowser's second appearance was in Super Mario Bros. 3. This game was notable in that it introduced Bowser's seven children, the Koopalings composed of: - Ludwig von Koopa, Lemmy Koopa, Roy Koopa, Iggy Koopa, Wendy O. Koopa, Morton Koopa Jr., and Larry Koopa. Each Koopaling conquered one of the kingdoms of the greater Mushroom World by transforming the king of each kingdom into an animal, and Mario had to defeat each one individually in order to obtain the Magic Scepter to return the Mushroom Kings back to their normal state. Bowser kidnapped the princess in this game as well, and of course, Mario rescued her.
While Mario saved the Mushroom World, Bowser kidnapped the princess, and Mario rescued her again. Bowser returns, along with newcomers such as Boom Boom and the Koopalings, in Super Mario Bros. 3. While the Mario Bros. are scrambling to save the Mushroom World from the Koopalings, Bowser kidnaps Princess Toadstool and takes her to his homeworld, Dark Land. He will inform Mario and Luigi of this via personal letter if the player frees Pipe Land from Ludwig, but they can also warp directly to Dark Land and skip this. Upon reaching the final room of Bowser's Castle, Bowser falls in to start the battle. His attack pattern involves breathing two fireballs at Mario, then leaping into the air and attempting to Ground Pound him. Whenever Bowser ground pounds a pair of blocks, they are destroyed, and after destroying an entire column of blocks, Bowser plummets to the massive pit and hits the ground.
In the remake Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser's appearance in the main game is largely the same as the original, although he will also send a letter revealing he kidnapped Princess Peach if the player managed to warp to Dark Land as if the player had already beaten Pipe Maze. Besides the main game, he also appears in the World-e levels, with his first appearance being the twenty-seventh level, Bowser's Last Stand. This level is a compilation of obstacles from the previous Bowser's Castles, ending with the Super Mario Bros. 3 Bowser fight; however, a set of blocks that Bowser can break through are placed in the air. The description for the card implies that he was guarding a secret treasure room from intruders. He also appears in the thirtieth and final e-Reader level, Bowser's Airship 2, where he is fought again at the end. This time, however, the entire room is composed of the blocks seen in the original room, as well as blocks that he cannot break. Although he does not appear in the preceding level, Bowser's Airship 1, he is mentioned in the level, and the card's commentary has him alluding to his Airship's size not being the only thing that made it impressive. He also was in the Mario Bros. remake that's included in the game.
The War for Dino Land/Super Mario World/Super Mario Advance 2/The Koopaling's Revenge
Bowser and the Koopalings reappeared in Super Mario World. Bowser kidnapped Princess Toadstool (who was on vacation there in Dinosaur Land, along with the Mario Bros.) yet again, and he also kidnapped several Yoshis, friendly natives of the island who resisted his rule. Mario, Luigi, and a particularly heroic Yoshi (who was, oddly, named Yoshi) saved the princess and the captured Yoshis by defeating the Koopalings and King Bowser. Bowser and the Koopalings reappeared in Super Mario World in which Bowser kidnapped Princess Toadstool, who was on vacation in Dinosaur Land along with the Mario Bros. He also captured several of the native Yoshis, turning them into eggs and giving one to each of the Koopalings, who guarded them in castles scattered around the continent. Predictably, Mario, Luigi and a particularly heroic Yoshi head off and saved the princess and the imprisoned Yoshis by defeating the Koopalings and their father.
The boss-fight to this game was unique in that Bowser and Mario had battled on the roof of Bowser's castle while Bowser was fought in his Koopa Clown Car, throwing Mecha Koopas and Big Steelies at the hero. Mario could use the Mecha Koopas to his advantage by tossing them back at Bowser. After two hits, Bowser disappeared for a while, casting flames at Mario. However, his attack was countered by Princess Toadstool would then throw Mario or Luigi a Mushroom, in an attempt to help him. After all this, Bowser would return and attempt to ram into Mario with his Koopa Clown Car before resting to throw out things some more. Eventually he loses control of the Clown Car, allowing Peach to float down to the roof and her rescuers while Bowser himself spirals away into the distance, Peach descending to the rooftop before. The cycle of attacks would then repeat. After this happened three times, Bowser was defeated, thrown off the roof of his castle, and the princess was rescued. Bowser and the Koopalings reappeared in Super Mario World. Not only did Bowser kidnap Princess Toadstool yet again, but he also kidnapped the Yoshis, who Mario, Luigi, and a few Yoshies, freed by the brothers, had to free the Princess and the captured Yoshies by defeating each Koopaling. At the end of the game, the Yoshi Eggs the baby Yoshis were trapped in hatched. Bowser and the Koopalings reappear in Super Mario World, in which he kidnaps Princess Toadstool while she is on vacation in Dinosaur Land with the Mario bros. He also captures several of the native Yoshis, trapping them in eggs and giving each one to one of the Koopalings to guard in the seven castles scattered around the continent. One Yoshi named Yoshi attempts to go after them, but Bowser traps him in an egg as well. Predictably, Mario, Luigi, and a particularly heroic Yoshi head off to save the Princess and the imprisoned Yoshis by defeating the Koopalings and their father. Bowser reappears in Super Mario World. Here, he kidnaps Princess Toadstool while she is vacationing with the Mario Bros in Dinosaur Land. His Koopalings also capture several of the native Yoshis, trapping them in eggs guarded by them in one of their seven castles. Yoshi himself attempts to stop them, but Bowser traps him in an egg as well. Bowser's boss fight in Super Mario World has him on the roof of his castle, riding in his Koopa Clown Car. He throws Mechakoopas and Big Steelies at the player, and tries to ground pound him as the battle progresses. After hitting Bowser with a Mechakoopa, he will sink into his car for a short time, while casting flames in the air and having them rain down. Bowser will also attempt to ram into Mario with his Koopa Clown Car before returning to his previous tactics some more. At Bowser's Castle, Mario will eventually reach the roof of the large fortress, in which the final battle will take place. Bowser will then appear in his Koopa Clown Car from above, and the battle with commence. During the battle, he will move back and forth in his car, and then throw Mecha-Koopas at the hero. However, Mario can use the Mecha-Koopas to his advantage by tossing them back at Bowser, which will damage him if they hit his head. After two hits, Bowser disappears for a while, casting flames at Mario. If he hits one of the flames, the attack will be "negated" by Princess Peach, who throws a Super Mushroom to Mario or Luigi. Bowser will then return and first tries to fly around above Mario or Luigi and drop Big Steelies and later Mecha-Koopas at them, and after having Mecha-Koopas thrown at him a second time attempts to ram into Mario with his Koopa Clown Car before resting to throw two Mecha-Koopas. After being hit again, he loses control of the Clown Car, allowing Peach to float down to the roof and her rescuers while Bowser himself spirals away into the distance.
While his art is similar to his normal appearance, his in-game sprite appears differently, making him primarily green in color with two large fangs. The Super Mario Advance 2 sprite corrects this, making his arms their normal color. In a 2017 interview, the game's graphic designer, Shigefumi Hino, confessed that Bowser's green skin color here was merely a design oversight.[4]
Aside from his role in the game, he also was in the Mario Bros. remake included in the GBA remake Super Mario Advance 2. While his art is similar to his normal appearance, his in-game appearance is different. He is primarily green, being more similar to his cartoon appearance.
Super Mario Advance 3
Bowser appeared as a baby in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. For more information, see Baby Bowser. Although he never appeared in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (his younger self Baby Bowser nonwithstanding), he does appear in the Mario Bros. remake included in the same game, with the same role as before. Baby Bowser called Yoshi a 'funny gween donkey' and tried to ride Yoshi.
The Attack on the Castle/Stolen Power Stars/Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS
- “Welcome. No one's home! Now scram--and don't come back! Gwa ha ha ha!”
- —Bowser, Super Mario 64
- “I cannot believe you've beaten me, Mario! My troops, worthless! They've turned over all the Stars! Wait, uh, say that again. 150 STARS!?!? EVEN SOME I MISSED?!? Just you wait! Until next time, keep that Touch Screen smokin'! Gwa ha ha ha...!”
- —Bowser, Super Mario 64 DS
In both of these games, Bowser did not technically "kidnap" the princess, but invaded her castle and trapped the princess, along with many Toads in the paintings of the castle. In this game, Mario defeated Bowser by grabbing his tail and throwing him into one of several bombs surrounding the battle arena. Mario had to fight him thrice in order to save the princess. In Super Mario 64 and its remake, Super Mario 64 DS, Bowser returned to his antagonistic relationship with Mario. In both of these games, Bowser did not technically "kidnap" the princess, but invaded her castle and trapped the Princess, along with many of her Toads in the paintings of the castle, in which Mario could jump into, leading him into the world of the painting portrayed.
Bowser stole the Power Stars that protect the castle and is using them to give him incredible new powers, which would help him realize his plans to seize control over the entire kingdom by building up his army to unlimited numbers. To do this, he creates his own worlds inside many of the paintings and walls in the castle and is using the stars' power to convert the residents of those worlds into monsters for his army. When enough of the residents have been converted, Bowser plans on using his built up army to take over the rest of the Mushroom Kingdom.
Bowser also took enjoyment in causing havoc in these new found worlds and used the stars to give his troops power and create further chaos. To insure that Mario does not disrupt his plans again, Bowser seals off the doors in the castle with the stars and even created doors that only open with his keys. Unfortunately for Bowser, he forgot to seal one door and this led to his undoing as Mario was able to collect stars from the painting beyond this door and unseal many others, thus opening other doors and systematically sweeping through the castle towards Bowser.
In these games, Bowser was able to be battled three times; Once in the Dark World, once in the Fire Sea, and once in the Sky. Every single time, Mario defeats Bowser by grabbing his tail and throwing him into one of several bombs surrounding the battle arena. In the DS version, during the Fire Sea battle, Bowser also warps from one section of the platform to another, and pounds the platform to make it go off balance. In the third and final battle, Mario had to throw Bowser into a bomb three times before he was defeated. Bowser even managed to double Mario's load by breaking apart the vast platform they were on into the shape of a star, making tossing him a difficult venture. He also attacked Mario by chasing him. Bowser was able to escape, but Mario saved Princess Peach and restored peace to the castle with the power of the stars.
In Super Mario 64, Bowser was solely defeated by the efforts of Mario, however, the remake differed in that it took the combined efforts of four heroes- Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Wario- to overthrow the tyrant and free Peach, the Toads, and the Castle from his scaly grasp. But, keeping true to his rivalry with the red-clad plumber, Bowser would not accept any challengers but Mario himself for the final battle, although a glitch allowed him to be fought by anyone.
In these games, Mario defeated Bowser by grabbing his tail and throwing him into one of several spiked-bombs surrounding the battle arena. In the third and final battle, Mario had to throw Bowser into a spiked-bomb three times before he was defeated. Bowser even managed to double Mario's load by breaking apart the vast platform they were on into the shape of a star, making tossing him a difficult venture. Mario had to fight him thrice in order to save the princess. Bowser, unfortunately, was able to escape, but Mario saved Princess Peach and restored the stars power and peace to the castle with the power of the stars. In Super Mario 64 and its remake, Super Mario 64 DS, Bowser invaded Princess Peach's Castle and stole the Power Stars. He used them to create little worlds filled with monsters for his army inside many of the paintings and walls in the castle. Peach and many of her Toads were also trapped in the paintings of the castle and required a certain number of Power Stars to be freed and could only be freed by Mario regaining all the Power Stars.
To ensure that Mario did not disrupt his plans again, Bowser sealed off the doors in the castle with the stars and even created doors that would only open with his keys. Unfortunately for Bowser, he forgot lock one door and this led to his undoing as Mario was able to collect stars from the painting beyond the door, thus opening other doors and systematically sweeping through the castle towards Bowser.
In Super Mario 64, Bowser was solely defeated by the efforts of Mario. However, the remake Super Mario 64 DS differed in that it took the combined efforts of four heroes - Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Wario - to overthrow the tyrant and free Peach, the Toads and the Castle from his scaly grasp. But, keeping true to his rivalry with the red-clad plumber, Bowser would not accept any challengers but Mario himself for the final battle (although a glitch allowed him to be fought by anyone).
In these games, Mario defeated Bowser by grabbing his tail and throwing him into one of several bombs surrounding the battle arena. In the third and final battle, Mario had to throw Bowser into a bomb three times before he was defeated. Bowser even managed to double Mario's load by breaking apart the vast platform they were on into the shape of a star, making tossing him a difficult venture. Bowser was able to escape, but Mario saved Princess Peach and restored peace to the castle with the power of the stars.
Bowser did not "kidnap" the princess, per se, but invaded her castle and trapped her, along with many Toads, in the paintings on the walls of the castle. In this game, Mario defeated Bowser by grabbing his tail and throwing him into one of the several bombs surrounding the battle arena. Mario had to fight him three times before he would be beaten. The first two times Mario got a key from him, the third time he saved the princess. Bowser kidnaps the princess once again in Super Mario 64, and as usual, Mario stopped him. He did the same thing in the second Mario RPG, Paper Mario (Nintendo 64). In Super Mario 64 and its DS remake, Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach, invades Princess Peach's Castle, and steals the castle's Power Stars. He gives them to his minions, who are lurking inside the castle's paintings. To try to stop Mario from disrupting his plans, Bowser seals off the doors in the castle by forcing Mario to fight for the stars, which are needed to unlock the doors. Additionally, he creates doors that open only with his keys. In Super Mario 64, Bowser was solely defeated by the efforts of Mario. However, the remake Super Mario 64 DS differed in that the player was required to be both Yoshi and Mario to prove victorious. Luigi and Wario were available to be unlocked in Big Boo's Haunt and Chief Chilly Chalenge respectively. But, keeping true to his rivalry with the red-clad plumber, Bowser would not accept any challengers but Mario himself for the final battle (although a glitch allowed him to be fought by anyone).
Super Mario 64 DS retains most of the original game's basic plot, but parts of it have been changed. In Super Mario 64 DS, Mario, as well as Luigi and Wario, the latter two having heard that she baked a cake for Mario, enter the castle and chase after Bowser into a painting with a Bob-omb on it. However, the trio are ambushed and Bowser's minions lock them behind special locked doors. He then locks the castle entrance.
In both versions, Bowser is battled three times: once in the Dark World, once in the Fire Sea and once in the Sky. When Bowser is defeated the first two times, he drops a special key, allowing them to open the door to another area of the castle. When he is defeated the third time, Bowser surrenders and flees, allowing Mario to collect the Jumbo Star.
During each battle, Bowser can only be attacked by grabbing his tail, spinning him around, and tossing him into one of several mines surrounding the arena. Tossing Bowser off the platform causes him to leap up out of the abyss, landing onto the center of the arena; during the battle in the Fire Sea, Bowser tilts the platform upon landing, and during the battle in The Sky, he unleashes a shockwave. In the Dark World battle, Bowser has three attacks: his fire breath, leaping up and pounding the ground, and occasionally clawing Mario if he is close enough. During the Fire Sea battle, Bowser can warp from one section of the platform to another, and can also pound the platform to tilt it; he can also spit single balls of fire, as opposed to a continuous stream. During the final battle, Bowser leaping out of the abyss can result in part of the platform breaking, and after taking two hits, he causes the entire outer edge of the platform to break off, creating a star-shaped arena. He also attacks Mario by dashing in his direction. Bowser also has various fire-based attacks: one involves breathing fire into the air, causing several small fireballs to fall before disappearing; another involves Bowser spitting a number of fireballs that disappear after a while; and the third involves shooting a continuous stream of fire for a short time.
In Super Mario 64, Bowser is defeated solely by Mario. In Super Mario 64 DS, however, both Yoshi and Mario are required to reach him. Luigi and Wario are unlocked in Big Boo's Haunt and Chief Chilly Challenge respectively and can also face off against Bowser, but Bowser accepts only Mario as his opponent for the final battle.In Super Mario 64 and its DS remake, Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach, invades Princess Peach's Castle, and steals the castle's Power Stars. He gives them to his minions, who are lurking inside the castle's paintings. To try to stop Mario from disrupting his plans, Bowser seals off the doors in the castle by forcing Mario to fight for the stars, which are needed to unlock the doors. Additionally, he creates doors that open only with his keys. In Super Mario 64, Bowser was solely defeated by the efforts of Mario. However, the remake Super Mario 64 DS differed in that the player was required to be both Yoshi and Mario to prove victorious. Luigi and Wario were available to be unlocked in Big Boo's Haunt and Chief Chilly Chalenge respectively. But, keeping true to his rivalry with the red-clad plumber, Bowser would not accept any challengers but Mario himself for the final battle (although a glitch allowed him to be fought by anyone). In Super Mario 64 and its remake, Super Mario 64 DS, Bowser invades Princess Peach's Castle and steals the Power Stars, and uses them to create worlds inside many of the paintings and walls of the castle. Peach is then stolen, and the Toads are held hostage inside the castle. To ensure that Mario did not disrupt his plans again, Bowser seals off the doors in the castle with the stars and even creates doors that will only open with his keys. Unfortunately for Bowser, he did not lock one door, leading to his undoing, as Mario is able to collect stars from the painting beyond that door. Using the stars collected from that painting, he is able to open the other doors and systematically sweep through the castle towards Bowser.
The remake retains most of the original story's basic plot, but parts of it have been changed. Bowser steals the stars, hides them in paintings, kidnaps the princess, and seals everyone in the castle. Mario, as well as Luigi, and Wario, having heard that she baked a cake for Mario, head inside the castle and chase after Bowser, leaping into a painting with a Bob-omb on it. However, the trio are ambushed, and Bowser's minions throw them into locked doors. He then locks the door to the castle entrance, places the key in the hands of a rabbit. Afterward, Yoshi, sleeping on the castle's roof, is able to enter the castle and, using the one room Bowser did not seal, collects Power Stars from the painting in that room, and then uses those stars to unlock more doors and collect more stars, as well as free Mario, Luigi, and Wario.
In these games, Bowser is battled three times: once in the Dark World, once in the Fire Sea and once in the Sky. Every single time, Mario can only defeat Bowser by grabbing his tail and throwing him into one of several spiked-bombs surrounding the battle arena. Tossing him off the platform results in him leaping out of the abyss below seconds later. During the Fire Sea battle, Bowser also warps from one section of the platform to another, and pounds the platform to make it go off balance. In the third and final battle, Mario has to throw Bowser into a spiked-bomb three times before he is defeated. However, during the battle, Bowser even manages to double Mario's load by breaking apart the vast platform they are on into the shape of a star, making tossing him a difficult venture. He also attacks Mario by chasing him. In the end once Mario finally defeats him for good, Bowser surrenders to Mario, and hands him the Giant Power Star before fleeing. During each battle, Bowser can only be attacked by grabbing him by the tail, and can only be defeated by tossing him at one of several spiked-bombs surrounding the arena. In the first two battles, Bowser is defeated after being thrown into one bomb; during the final battle, the player must throw Bowser into three bombs to defeat him. When Bowser is defeated the first two times, he gives the player a special key, allowing them to open the door to another area of the castle; when he is defeated the third time, Bowser surrenders, giving Mario the Giant Star before retreating.
During each battle, Bowser can only be attacked by grabbing his tail with 
, spinning him around by circling 
, and then releasing to toss him at one of several spiked-bombs surrounding the arena. Tossing Bowser off the platform results in him leaping out of the abyss below seconds later; during the battle in The Sky, he uses a shockwave attack when doing so. During the Fire Sea battle, Bowser can warp from one section of the platform to another, and can also pound the platform to force it off balance. During the final battle, Bowser leaping out of the abyss can result in part of the platform breaking, and after taking two hits, he causes the entire platform to brake apart, creating a star-shaped arena. He also attacks Mario by dashing in his direction. Bowser also has various fire-based attacks: one involves breathing fire into the air, causing several small fireballs to fall from the sky that after a while disappear; another involves Bowser spitting a number of fireballs that disappear after a while; and the third involves shooting a continuous stream of fire for a short time.
The physics of throwing Bowser were changed slightly between Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. In the original game, grabbing Bowser's tail and immediately letting go without spinning him would cause Bowser to move slightly forward, allowing Mario to lure Bowser close to a bomb, grab him, and then immediately blow him up. In Super Mario 64 DS, Bowser no longer moves forward when let go from a stationary position, rendering this trick impossible to perform and making the fights with Bowser slightly more difficult. In Super Mario 64, Bowser is solely defeated by the efforts of Mario. However, the remake Super Mario 64 DS differs in that the player is required to be both Yoshi and Mario to prove victorious. Luigi and Wario are available to be unlocked in Big Boo's Haunt and Chief Chilly Challenge respectively, but, keeping true to his rivalry with the red-clad plumber, Bowser will not accept any challengers, but Mario himself for the final battle.
Island Takeover/Mario-Wanted!/Super Mario Sunshine
- “Mario! How dare you disturb my family vacation?!”
- —Bowser, Super Mario Sunshine
Bowser masterminded yet another evil plan to kidnap the Princess in Super Mario Sunshine, this time stooping so low as to use his son, Bowser Jr., as a pawn in capturing Princess Peach. Bowser told his son that Princess Peach was his mother and that Mario was a bad man who stole her. Bowser Jr. took on the disguise of Shadow Mario, graffitied and vandalized the Isle Delfino, framing Mario as a graffiti criminal. Mario, determined to prove his innocence, cleaned up the mess with the aid of F.L.U.D.D. Bowser Jr. kidnapped Peach during this time and was pursued by Mario. Bowser Jr. revealed his true identity disguise, but Mecha Bowser distracted Mario so Jr. could get away and allowed Bowser Jr. to get away to Corona Mountain. He urged him to take Peach back. Bowser Jr. took on the disguise of Shadow Mario, filled Isle Delfino with graffiti, and framed Mario. Mario, determined to prove his innocence, cleaned up the mess with FLUDD. While Mario was washing away the graffiti, Bowser Jr. kidnapped the princess. While Mario is busy cleaning the island, Bowser Jr. kidnaps Peach, using a Bowser-shaped boat to flee to Pinna Island. After defeating Mecha Bowser, Bowser Jr. reveals his true identity to be Shadow Mario, but he uses Mecha Bowser's head to escape to Corona Mountain. Once Bowser Jr. kidnaps Princess Peach, he heads to Pinna Park; after Mecha Bowser loses to Mario there, Bowser Jr. uses the head to flee to Corona Mountain. Bowser, his son, and Peach (who is sitting on a massive rubber duck) are then relaxing in a floating, sun-shaped, slime-filled bathtub just above the peak of Corona Mountain before Mario arrives. Angered by his sudden intrusion during their "family vacation," Bowser decides to attempt to destroy him. He is made giant during this battle, attacking Mario by breathing enormous gusts of flame over the section Mario is traversing and splashing the slime in the tub at him, while Bowser Jr. assaults him with Bullet Bills. The player must use F.L.U.D.D.'s Rocket Nozzle to deliver massive Ground Pounds to the edges of the tub, which, when done, will cause the bowl to tip over, sending its occupants falling to the world below, the Koopas to fall onto the flipped tub, which lands in the ocean near Isle Delfino. During the ending, it is shown that Bowser and Bowser Jr. land on the flipped tub, which is in the ocean near Isle Delfino. While out at sea, Bowser attempts to confess to his son that he had used him as a pawn, but Bowser Jr. then reveals to his father that he knew all along that Peach is not his mother, and that he is eager to challenge Mario again sometime in the future, which fills Bowser with pride. They then decide to continue their vacation together.
Bowser Jr. and Bowser fought together against Mario in the end, although they inevitably lost. Bowser even created a robotic likeness of himself, operated by his son, bent on terrorizing the local Delfinian theme park. Bowser and Bowser Jr. fought together against Mario at the end of the game in a sun-shaped bowl just above the peak of Corona Mountain, with Bowser bathing in the giant bowl of slime and Jr. operating a small boat. He tried to kill Mario by breathing enormous gusts of flame at the plumber, while Bowser Jr. assaulted him with Bullet Bills. Mario used FLUDD's rocket nozzle to produce a few massive ground pounds in order to tip the bowl over, sending Bowser and Bowser Jr. to fall to a miniatue islan adjacent to Isle Delfino. Later, Bowser Jr. then revealed to his father that he knew all along that Peach was not his mother, and that he couldn't wait for another chance to take Mario down. Bowser couldn't have been more proud of his son.
Mario reached Bowser and his son at the end of the in a floating, sun-shaped, slime-filled bathtub just above the peak of Corona Mountain. Bowser tried to kill Mario by breathing enormous gusts of flame at the plumber, while Bowser Jr. assaulted him with Bullet Bills. Mario used F.L.U.D.D's Rocket Nozzle to produce a few massive ground pounds that tipped the bowl over, sending Bowser and Bowser Jr. to fall to a miniature island adjacent to Isle Delfino. Bowser confessed to his son that he had used him as a pawn, but Jr. then revealed to his father that he knew all along that Peach was not his mother, and that he couldn't wait for another chance to take Mario down. Bowser couldn't have been more proud of his son. He was eager to challenge Mario again some time in the future, when he would be bigger, which filled Bowser with pride. They then decided to continue their vacation together. Bowser and his son Bowser Jr. appeared in Super Mario Sunshine. Bowser Jr. was at first disguised as Shadow Mario, but he is later revealed to be Bowser Jr, Bowser's 8th son. Note that Bowser Jr. is not Baby Bowser or Koopa Kid (Please note that Bowser Jr. is not Baby Bowser nor is he a Koopa Kid (see Bowser Jr. for more information). Bowser did not appear in this game until the very end, taking a nice boiling hot goo bath. This is one of the few times Bowser had a voice-over, which many fans thought was horrible as they preferred his roars. A strange being named Shadow Mario has filled Isle Delfino with graffiti and kidnapped Peach. for more information). Bowser Jr. vowed for revenge and posed as Shadow Mario so when Mario came to Isle Delfino to enjoy a vacation, Mario was framed and sentenced to jail. Bowser Jr. figures Bowser did not appear himself in the game until the very end, taking a nice boiling hot slime bath. This is one of the few times Bowser had a voice-over, which many fans thought was horrible as they preferred his roars. Bowser masterminded yet another evil plan to kidnap the princess in Super Mario Sunshine, this time stooping so low as to use his son, Bowser Jr., as a pawn. Bowser told his son that Princess Peach was his mother and that Mario was a bad man who stole her. He urged him to take Peach back. Bowser Jr. took on the disguise of Shadow Mario, filled Isle Delfino with graffiti, and framed Mario. Mario, determined to prove his innocence, cleaned up the mess. While Mario was washing away the graffiti, Bowser Jr. kidnaped the princess.
Bowser Jr. and Bowser fought together against Mario in the end, although they inevitably lost. Later, Bowser Jr. revealed to his father that he knew all along that Peach was not his mother, and that he couldn't wait for another chance to take Mario down. Bowser couldn't be more proud of his son. In Super Mario Sunshine, Bowser's son Bowser Jr. is introduced, with Bowser only appearing along with him in the last boss fight of the game. Bowser convinces his son that Peach is his mother and that Mario has kidnapped her. Taking on the disguise of Shadow Mario, Bowser Jr. covers Isle Delfino with graffiti and frames Mario to put him in prison and return Peach to Bowser.
After Bowser Jr. flees from Pinna Park, Bowser (seen much larger than he normally is), his son, and Peach (who is sitting on a massive rubber duck) are seen relaxing in a floating, sun-shaped, slime-filled tub over the top of Corona Mountain]as Mario arrives. Angered by his intrusion during their "family vacation," Bowser attempts to defeat Mario again. Bowser attacks Mario by breathing massive flames at him, and by splashing the slime in the tub at him. Ground-pounding the five sections of the tub using F.L.U.D.D.'s Rocket Nozzle causes the entire tub to flip over, causing everyone to fall down to the world below.
During the ending, it is shown that Bowser and Bowser Jr. landed on the flipped tub, landing in the ocean near Isle Delfino. While out at sea, Bowser tries to confess to his son that he had used him as a pawn, but Bowser Jr. then reveals to his father that he knew all along that Peach is not his mother. However, he also mentions that he is eager to challenge Mario again sometime in the future. Filled with pride for his son, Bowser decides that they rest for a while.
Mario reached Bowser and his son at the end of the mountain at the top of the volcano in a floating, sun-shaped, slime-filled bathtuub just above the peak of Corona Mountain before Mario arrives. Bowser tried to kill Mario by breathing enormous gusts of flame at him and splashing slime at him, while Bowser Jr. assaulted him with Bullet Bills. Mario used F.L.U.D.D's Rocket Nozzle to produce a few massive ground pounds that tipped the bowl over, sending Bowser and Bowser Jr. to fall to a miniature island adjacent to Isle Delfino. Bowser confessed to his son that he had used him as a pawn, but Jr. then revealed to his father that he knew all along that Peach was not his mother, and that he couldn't wait for another chance to take Mario down. Bowser couldn't have been more proud of his son. Mario eventually reaches Bowser and his son at the top of the volcano in a floating, sun-shaped, slime-filled bathtub just above the peak of Corona Mountain. Bowser tries to kill him by breathing enormous gusts of flame and splashing slime at him, while Bowser Jr. assaults him with Bullet Bills. Mario uses F.L.U.D.D.'s Rocket Nozzle to produce a few massive Ground Pounds to the edges of the tub that tip the bowl over, sending the Koopas to fall onto the flipped tub, which lands in the ocean near Isle Delfino. While out at sea, Bowser attempts to confess to his son that he had used him as a pawn, but Bowser Jr. then reveals to his father that he knew all along that Peach is not his mother, and that he is eager to challenge Mario again sometime in the future, which fills Bowser with pride. They then decide to continue their vacation together. This is not the first game where Bowser is given voice acting. However, along with many other characters, it is the first game to give Bowser voice acting with distinguishable words.
Back to his Roots/New Super Mario Bros./Bowser Jr. Returns
Also see Dry Bowser. Bowser and Bowser Jr. devised a new play to kidnap Peach in this game, New Super Mario Bros.. First, they distracted Mario by sending a thunder cloud (most likely via Lakithunder) to strike Peach's castle with lightning. (This may have been the doing of Lakithunder.) While Mario was taking care of the castle, Bowser Jr. made off with the princess. Mario fought Bowser as the first boss. This boss fight was similar to the ones from Super Mario Bros.. Shockingly, Bowser died in the first world when he fell into the lava, becoming an undead monster with an appearance similar to that of a huge Dry Bones. Bowser Jr. then ran from Mario's pursuit for the rest of the game.
His undead form (known as Bowser Bones) was the next-to-last boss. At the end of the game, Bowser Jr. revived his father in a giant pot of magic potion, and the duo fought Mario one last time. During this battle, Bowser eventually started to shoot out multiple barrages of blue fire, making it harder for Mario to dodge. He and his son fall off of the bridge into the vast depths of the pit where we can later see Bowser Jr. dragging his unconscious father by the tail, disgruntled by their loss. Despite this, Mario triggered a Skull Switch, sending the dastardly duo into a pit of lava. Despite this, Mario triggered a Skull Switch, sending both of his enemies into a pit. In addition to the normal way of defeating him, Bowser can also been thrown into the lava if the player hits him with a Blue Shell while Shell Mario, or if they use enough fireballs. Bowser will then still do his defeated animation, but Mario won't do a victory pose until he presses the switch. Bowser was later seen being dragged away by the tail by his disgruntled son. Shockingly (and graphically), Bowser dies in the first world of the New Super Mario Bros. and becomes an undead monster similar in appearance to that of a huge Dry Bones. However, Bowser returns in his bones form as a boss in World 8 and Bowser Jr. revives him at the end of the game for the final boss. In New Super Mario Bros., Bowser is again responsible for the kidnapping of Princess Peach, though this time sends Bowser Jr. to do the job. He first appears as the boss of World 1-Castle, in a fight similar to that of the battle in Super Mario Bros.. He attacks Mario by shooting fireballs at him and leaping into the air. After Mario activates switch on the other side of the bridge, Bowser desperately tries to stop Mario from pressing it, but fails when the player does. Shockingly, Bowser perishes in the first world when he falls into the lava, becoming an undead monster with an appearance similar to that of a Dry Bones, known as Dry Bowser. Bowser Jr. runs from Mario's pursuit for the rest of the game. Mario hits Bowser enough times with fireballs, or defeats Bowser with a Mega Mushroom, Bowser once again falls into the pit of lava; this time, however, the lava causes him to be turned into a Dry Bones version of himself known as Dry Bowser. However, Mario is still able to defeat him by pressing the switch, causing the bridge to fall from him and Dry Bowser to crash to the ground. He can also be defeated by using a Mega Mushroom or as Shell Mario.
Dry Bowser later appears as the boss of World 8-Castle. His attacks are similar to the World 1 battle, but he is also able to throw bones at Mario, a tactic similar to the later boss battles in Super Mario Bros.. He is also immune to fireballs in this form. Pressing the switch on the other end of the room once again causes the bridge to collapse and fall from under him, resulting in Dry Bowser falling and crashing into the ground.
Once Mario reaches the end of Bowser's Castle, Bowser Jr. revives Bowser. Bowser Jr. is present, standing in front of a cauldron with the skeleton of his father. Bowser Jr. throws the bones into the cauldron, and the revived Bowser emerges, destroying the pot. The duo then fight Mario one last time. During this battle, Bowser attacks by approaching Mario, leaping, and shooting fireballs. Later in the battle, he also shoots out multiple barrages of blue fire. He and Bowser Jr. can once again be defeated by pressing the Skull Switch located on the other side of the room, which sends them both falling into the pit below. They can also be defeated from fireballs and use of the Mega Mushroom.
After the credits, Bowser and Bowser Jr. are seen at the bottom of the pit, with Jr. dragging his unconscious father away. Bowser Jr. breaks the fourth wall here by growling at the player.
Bowser had Bowser Jr. kidnap Peach this time while Mario was distracted. But Mario soon caught up with Bowser Jr. and defeated him. But Bowser Jr. escaped to Bowser's Castle. Bowser then fights Mario as the first boss. Shockingly (and graphically), Bowser dies in the first world of the New Super Mario Bros. instead of escaping with Bowser Jr. and becomes an undead monster similar in appearance to a huge Dry Bones. However, Bowser returns in his bones form (Called Skeleton Bowser) as a boss in World 8 and actually "dies". Bowser Jr. then revives him at the end of the game for the final boss.
Bowser and Bowser Jr. devised a new play to kidnap Peach in this game. First, they distracted Mario by sending a thunder cloud to strike Peach's castle with lightning. (This may have been the doing of Lakithunder.) While Mario was taking care of the castle, Bowser Jr. made off with the princess. Mario fought Bowser as the first boss. This boss fight was similar to the one in Super Mario Bros. Shockingly, Bowser died in the first world when he fell into the lava, becoming an undead monster with an appearance similar to that of a huge Dry Bones. Skeleton Bowser was the boss of the eighth world.
At the end of the game, Bowser Jr. revived his father, and the duo fought Mario one last time. In New Super Mario Bros., Bowser and Bowser Jr. distracted Mario by sending a thunder cloud (possibly Lakithunder) to strike Peach's castle with lightning. While Mario was taking care of the castle, Bowser Jr. made off with the Princess. Mario fought Bowser as the first boss, which was similar to the ones from Super Mario Bros. He attacks Mario by shooting fireballs at him and leaping into the air. Once the player reaches the switch on the other side of the bridge, Bowser desperately tries to stop Mario from pressing it, but fails when the player does. Shockingly, Bowser died in the first world when he fell into the lava, becoming an undead monster with an appearance similar to that of a huge Dry Bones. Bowser Jr. then ran from Mario's pursuit for the rest of the game.
After beating the castle, Mario gains access to the second part of World 8. He eventually reaches Bowser's Castle, where Bowser Jr. revives his father by throwing his bones into in a cauldron of magic potion; However, Bowser is slightly bigger than before, making it harder to leap over him. However, they once again can be defeated by pressing the Skull Switch. Dry Bowser, Bowser's undead form, was the next-to-last boss. At the end of the game, Bowser Jr. revived his father in a giant pot of magic potion, and the duo fought Mario one last time. After beating the castle, the second portion of World 8 can be accessed. Once the second Tower in World 8 is celared, Bowser's Castle can be played. Once the player reaches the boss room, he sees Bowser Jr., who revives his father by throwing his bones into in a cauldron of magic potion; However, Bowser is slightly bigger than before, making it harder to leap over him. The then duo fight Mario one last time. During this battle, Bowser attacks by walking and leaping around and shooting fireballs. He eventually started to shoot out multiple barrages of blue fire, making it harder for Mario to dodge. Despite this, Mario triggered a Skull Switch, located on the other side of the room, which sends both of his enemies into the pit below. In addition to the normal way of defeating him, Bowser can also be thrown into the lava if the player knocks into him with a Blue Shell while in Shell Mario form, or if they use enough fireballs as Fire Mario. Bowser will then still do his defeated animation, but Mario won't do a victory pose until he presses the switch. Bowser was later seen being dragged away by the tail by his disgruntled son. After the credits, Bowser and Bowser Jr. are seen at the bottom of the pit, with Jr. dragging his unconscious father away.
Bowser in Space/Super Mario Galaxy/Galactic Chaos on Universal Porportions/The Seven Grand Stars/Castle Kidnap
- “From this galaxy, I'll rule a great galactic empire with Peach by my side. It will last forever! I will rule every pitiful corner of the universe. So, Mario, as you can see, I got big plans. And stomping you is at the top of my list!”
- —Bowser, Super Mario Galaxy
- “That's it, Mario! I'm gonna stomp you into space bits!”
- —Bowser, Super Mario Galaxy
Bowser once again reprises his role as a boss and main villain and antagonist in Super Mario Galaxy, as revealed in an issue of Nintendo Power and in some recently released game footage. In the game, Bowser uses UFOs to lift Peach's Castle into space as a magic comet makes it centennial pass over the Mushroom Kingdom. He will be fought on a planet covered in magma. In the game, Bowser once again attacks the Mushroom Kingdom, but this time, during a festival in which everyone watches a comet, which only passes the planet every hundred years. Taking advantage of this distraction, Bowser attacks Toad Town using his fleet, causing much destruction and freezing almost of the inhabitants. Bowser then approaches the castle and invites Peach to his new galaxy. Bowser then demonstrates that he has gained new powers such as the power to conduct electricity and uses a humongous UFO to cut a perimeter around the castle. The fleet then attaches chains to the cut out land and lifts Peach's Castle into space.
Bowser's plans in this game revolve around the construction of a galaxy in which he can call his own, which he plans to rule with Princess Peach at his side. Prior to the events in the game, Bowser attacked Rosette's observatory and stole the stars that make it operational and is using them to control the galaxies and is causing much havoc on the planets. He has already started construction of his galaxy which is stationed at the center of the universe where Peach is also being held.
His ultimate goal is to use the star's power to create a huge black vortex and use to suck all other galaxies into it where he can then use his own to rule and control all. With his army and his son, Bowser Jr., Bowser spreads havoc all around the universe and keeps each of the stolen stars are being heavily guarded. Bowser will also be responsible for other events throughout the game such as Luigi's imprisonment on a planet inhabited by Boos. Bowser will be fought on a planet covered in magma and will also be battled three times much like in Super Mario 64 and the DS remake.
Bowser once again reprises his role as the primary central villain in Super Mario Galaxy, this time focusing on the domination of not just the Mushroom Kingdom, but the entire universe. In this game, Bowser once again attacks the Mushroom Kingdom, but this time during a festival, in which everyone watches a comet pass by, which only passes the planet once every hundred years and sends off star bits to the kingdom. The festival is held to commemorate this occasion and collect the star bits. Taking advantage of this distraction, Bowser attacks Toad Town using his fleet, causing much destruction of the town and freezing almost all of the inhabitants. The obvious reason for the attack is to capture the Princess, but Bowser also has set his sights on the Luma that Princess Peach had recently found, hoping to take control of its' power for his new scheme.
After destroying the castle and town defenses, Bowser then approaches the castle and invites Peach to the construction of his new galaxy. Bowser then demonstrates that he has gained new powers such as the power to conduct electricity, which summons a humongous UFO that cuts a perimeter around the castle. The fleet then attaches chains to the cut out land and lifts Peach's Castle into space with Peach, numerous Toads, and Mario still in the castle. Mario attempts to save Peach, but Bowser sends Kamek to take care of him. Kamek casts a spell at Mario, which sends him to an unknown galaxy far from the Mushroom Kingdom as the castle and Bowser's fleet disappear into the reaches of space to Bowser's galaxy. Bowser converts the castle into a base of operations and uses it to hold the portal to his galaxy which he is slowly expanding. It is unknown where Peach was being held throughout the events in the game, but it can be assumed that she was kept under heavy guard in the castle by Bowser's followers.
Bowser's plans, which are told gradually throughout the game, revolve around the construction of a galaxy and empire in which he can call his own and plans to rule it with Princess Peach at his side. Prior to the events in the game, Bowser attacked Princess Rosalina's observatory and stolen all the power stars and the seven grand stars that make the observatory operational and is using them to control the galaxies and causing much havoc on the planets. Bowser used these incredible stars to move about space and brought his entire army with him consisting of Koopas, Goombas, Boos, and many others to aid him in the conquest of the universe. The loss of energy from the stars caused the observatory to go into a hibernation like state with no energy to keep the Lumas alive for much longer. Some of the Lumas were already imprisoned at Bowser's bases that were constructed to support his empire along with many Toads.
By the time Mario is able to react to the threat, Bowser has already started construction of his own galaxy, which is stationed at the center of the universe where Peach and her castle are also being held. Bowser's ultimate goal is to use the grand star's power to create a series of black vortexes and use them to absorb all other galaxies into them where he can then use his own to rule and control all of the universe as a Galactic Empire that will last forever with him as its king. He is also using the grand stars to power his army and machines and seems to be using them to give him his own power. With his army and his son, Bowser Jr., Bowser spreads havoc all around the universe and keeps each of the 120 stolen power stars and 7 grand stars under heavy guard. Bowser's plans however weren't simply limited to conquering the cosmos.
Bowser's ultimate goal is to use the grand star's power to create a series of black vortexes and use them to absorb all other galaxies into them where he can then use his own to rule and control all of the universe as a Galactic Empire that will last forever. He is also using the grand stars to power his army and machines and seems to be using them to give him his own power. With his army and his son, Bowser Jr., Bowser spreads havoc all around the universe and keeps each of the 120 stolen power stars and 7 grand stars under heavy guard. Bowser converts the castle into a base of operations and uses it to hold the portal to his galaxy which he is slowly expanding.
In addition to obtaining as much power as possible, Bowser also seeks to extend his already extensive army. Among the galaxies Bowser takes over is the Toy Time Galaxy, which will aid him in building up his army. Bowser's forces seize control of this area, abduct all the residents, and use the galaxy to create mechanical robots in Bowser's image, one of which is a humongous one, and added them to his army. Another galaxy largely affected by Bowser's reign of terror is Battlerock Galaxy. This galaxy was also taken over by Bowser's army and had many of its' rock formations constructed into armed fortresses, making the area a virtual nonstop war zone. This area also held many captured Lumas and stars. The rest of the galaxies were attacked by Bowser's fleet or infested with Bowser's army or frightening monsters created by his new powers.
To further his plans, Bowser consolidated several galactic races into his army such as the mandibugs. These insects assisted Bowser by guarding several power stars and also assisted him in conquering the Honeycomb Hive Galaxy, though this conquest was short lived. His fleet in the meantime was left in charge of Bowser Jr and Kamella, who used it to conquer the galaxies, one at a time. Bowser even went as far as getting the aid of some of the galaxy rulers or may have taken control of them such as King Kaliente and Baron Burr, possibly taking control of them. King Kaliente was given a Grand and Power Star to guard and was temporarily left in charge of a small portion of Bowser's fleet in order to conquer the Good Egg Galaxy. Another ruler who assisted Bowser was Baron Brr who allowed Bowser to have direct control over the FreezeFlame Galaxy. Bowser also had Luigi, who was in Peach's castle when it was uplifted, imprisoned in a Mansion constructed in his image and guarded by Boos who are loyal to him. Bowser also had Luigi imprisoned in a Haunted Mansion, perhaps as a sadistic joke knowing Luigi's reputation with ghosts. The mansion which was constructed in his image and guarded by Boos who are loyal to him.
While Bowser Jr. worked on the conquest of other galaxies, Bowser worked on his scheme of constructing his empire. He created devices that were powered by the grand stars and used them to cause destruction within the cosmos. The first such device was a small space station that utilized the power of a grand star to create fuel for his fleet, which would attach to the energy beams outside the station. The second one was a Star Reactor, which was designed to amplify the power of the Grand Star and add its power to Bowser's. The third device was his dark matter plant, which created fluids of dark matter that ate away at the very fabric of space and created holes and rifts. Other machines included a lava reactor and Megaleg, a three legged robot that was left in the control of Bowser Jr.
During the course of the game, Bowser is fought on planets that are covered in magma, darkness, or a combination of the two and is also battled three times much like in Super Mario 64. He is fought in 3 levels in the game: Bowser's Star Reactor, Bowser's Dark Matter Plant, and Bowser's Galaxy Reactor, all of which are portions of his galaxy. The first two battles show Bowser constructing his galaxy, which becomes more and more complete as the game progresses. The first two battles are fought in the same pattern with the only difference being that Bowser obtains more powers in the second fight. When Bowser is defeated in both battles, he gives up a Grand Star in each one, but is still confident that he will win and rule the universe. Bowser's plans slowly begin to fail as Mario collects many grand and power stars, defeats his son multiple times, rescues Luigi and many Toads, and destroys much of his army. His grip and control over the galaxies are weakened as well as his fleet loses many battles as does his minions. Many of his henchmen and monsters are either destroyed or are never seen again, one being King Kaliente. Regardless of these drawbacks, Bowser's main goal of constructing his own galaxy remains unhindered for a large portion of the game.
Right before the final showdown between Mario and Bowser, Bowser reveals his plans and shows Mario that his galaxy is almost complete. With the galaxy as a seat of power, Bowser will rule a great galactic empire that will conquer and enslave the entire universe. Before he can finish his plans though, Bowser decides to eliminate Mario once and for all. During the final battle, Bowser Jr. holds Peach captive while Mario fights Bowser on multiple planets. Bowser uses all his new and old powers to their full potential, but Mario continues to thwart him. They fall from planet to planet as they get closer to the sun of Bowser's galaxy until they actually enter it and fall on the final planet for the last phase of the battle.
After a long and intense battle, Mario finally defeats Bowser obtains the last grand star and Bowser falls off the final planet, out of its' gravitational pull, and into the magma of his own sun. The final Grand Star is then released from the galaxy reactor, which goes critical as a result and starts destroying Bowser's galaxy. This causes his sun to start exploding while Mario rescues a falling Peach, who was apparently dropped by Bowser Jr. Bowser is shown to be still alive, but extremely weakened, walking on the hardened lava of his sun as his galaxy and plans fall apart in front of him. Bowser is in so much shock that his plans have failed that he makes no attempt to escape and slowly sinks back into the lava as his reactor and sun get bigger and bigger and bigger until It exploded and formed a gigantic black hole that absorbs all of his galaxy as the sun explodes and forms a vortex that absorbs all of Bowser's galaxy. The final Grand Star is then released from the galaxy reactor, which goes critical as a result. Bowser's sun begins to collapse as Mario flies out (using the Grand Star to do so) and rescues a falling Peach while Bowser Jr. for some reason loses control of his airship falls into his father's sun. Bowser is shown to be still alive, but extremely weakened, and walking on the hardened lava of his sun as his galaxy and plans fall apart in front of him. He is in so much shock that his plans have failed that he makes no attempt to escape and slowly sinks back into the lava as his reactor and sun explode and form a humongous black hole that absorbs all of his galaxy and begins sucking in the rest of the universe.
While Mario And Peach Exit his galaxy, the Black Hole sucks the bridge, the airships, Mario, Peach, the castle and the observatory. While all of the airships and the observatory break to pieces. The Lumas use their powers to contain the vortex black hole so that it doesn't spread to other galaxies in the universe. This causes the vortex to seal up and blow up in an incredible explosion in which his galaxy and fleet are completely destroyed. Princess Rosalina uses the restored power of the grand and power stars to bring peace to the galaxy and the Mushroom Kingdom. Rosalina explains to Mario that the nature and fabric of the universe is always unpredictable and always uses different patterns to sustain itself. Bowser tried to control this force for his own nefarious means and for that he almost paid the ultimate price. Mario, Peach, and Bowser are shown back at the kingdom with the castle back in place and peace resumed. Bowser is shown to be somewhat relieved that he is alive, but is angry and disappointed that his plans have failed again. It is assumed that Bowser left to formulate another scheme for the future.
Prior to the events of Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser attacked Rosalina's observatory, and stole all of the Power Stars and the Seven Grand Stars that powered the observatory. Bowser used these incredible stars to bring his entire fleet to the cosmos and took over many galaxies, planning to construct a galaxy reactor, powered by the Grand Stars that would make all the galaxies collapse upon themselves. This would give birth to a new cosmos in which he would use to rule and control all of the universe as a Galactic Empire that would last forever with Peach as his empress. Bowser then kidnapped Peach during the events of the Star Festival, and held her captive at the center of the universe where he was overseeing the construction of his reactor. During this time, Bowser Jr. led most of the Koopa Troop to conquer several galaxies. Prior to the events of Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser attacks Rosalina's observatory and steals all the Power Stars, as well as the Seven Grand Stars that power the observatory. Bowser uses these incredible stars to bring his entire fleet to the cosmos and takes over many galaxies, planning to construct a galaxy reactor powered by the Grand Stars from which he will create his own galaxy at the center of the universe. Using this galaxy, he will then proceed to conquer the entire universe, establishing a Galactic Empire that will last forever with Peach as Bowser's empress. He then kidnaps Peach during the Star Festival, using a UFO and several airships to uproot her castle and taking it to the center of the universe, where he is overseeing the construction of his reactor. During this time, Bowser Jr. leads most of the Koopa Troop to conquer several galaxies.
Mario, helped by Rosalina, collects many Grand and Power Stars and destroys much of the Koopa Troop, encountering and defeating Bowser twice in his attempt to rescue Peach. Regardless of these drawbacks, Bowser remains confident of his victory and the follow-through of his main goal of constructing his own galaxy remains mostly unhindered.
Mario eventually battles Bowser at the almost-completed galaxy reactor. During the final battle, Bowser Jr. held Peach captive in an airship while Mario fought Bowser on multiple planets. Despite his efforts, Mario defeated Bowser, and sent him into magma of his own sun. The final Grand Star was released from the galaxy reactor, which exploded and forming a humongous black hole that begins to suck up the cosmos. The Lumas use their powers to reverse the black hole, creating a new Big Bang and reforming the cosmos. Rosalina then appears to Mario in a vision, explaining to him that the nature and fabric of the universe is always unpredictable and always uses different patterns to sustain itself. Bowser tried to control this force for his own nefarious means, and for that he almost paid the ultimate price; he nearly sacrificed his own life. Mario, Peach, Bowser, and Bowser Jr. are then shown back at a restored Toad Town. Relieved to be alive, Bowser left to plan further schemes.
On the second planet, Bowser's attacks include curling up into two combined shells and rolling around the planet, as well as shockwaves and fireballs. However, if Mario hits him with a sling plant, he begins to roll around the planet on his back. Mario must then spin attack him twice more in order to move on. By hitting him with a Stretch Plant, Bowser is knocked onto his back and begins moving around the planet; he can then be defeated as normal
After defeating him twice, the gravity of the nearby sun then pulls them toward it, and they begin the actual final battle at the core of Bowser's soon-to-be galaxy. Bowser's attacks are simply improved tactics from the previous battles, meaning that he can once again be trumped by ground pounding the glass and burning himself, allowing Mario to spin attack him. The defeated Bowser then flies into into the magma of the sun. Afterward, the final Grand Star frees itself from the galaxy reactor. However, the lack of the Grand Star causes the sun to collapse in on itself, resulting in the formation of a massive Black Hole that begins to devour the universe. Bowser is not dead when he is defeated, as shown before the formation of the black hole, but he most likely is when the sun explodes. The Lumas, however, head into the black hole, and destroy it from the inside. Bowser later awakens in Toad Town, near Mario and Peach. Prior to the events of Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser attacks Rosalina's Comet Observatory and steals all the Power Stars, as well as the Seven Grand Stars that power the observatory. Bowser then uses the power of these stars to unleash his entire fleet onto the cosmos and take over many galaxies, planning to construct a galaxy reactor powered by the Grand Stars to create his own galaxy at the center of the universe. He then kidnaps Peach during the Star Festival, using a UFO and several airships to uproot her castle and taking it to the center of the universe, where he wishes to rule the universe with Peach as his empress.
Mario, with the help of Rosalina, collects the Power Stars and Grand Stars and destroys much of the Koopa Troop, encountering and defeating Bowser twice in his attempt to rescue Peach, once at Bowser's Star Reactor and the second time at Bowser's Dark Matter Plant. At the Star Reactor, before the player can reach him, Bowser attempts to stop Mario by destroying the staircase leading to him by breathing meteors at him. During battle, Bowser's attacks include stomping the ground, which creates a shockwave, and ground pounding the plumber; however, if the player can cause Bowser to ground pound the glass, he will instead break it, striking the magma inside and burning his tail. Mario can then Spin attack him, causing Bowser to spin around the planet inside his shell, much like a normal Koopa. Mario can then spin at him again, causing him to fall unconscious and eventually defeating him. When Mario does this again, he falls unconscious, only to recover seconds later. Bowser is defeated when this is done again. He encounters Bowser twice in his attempt to rescue Peach: once at Bowser's Star Reactor, and the second time at Bowser's Dark Matter Plant.
At the Star Reactor, before the player can reach him, Bowser attempts to stop Mario by destroying the staircase leading to him by breathing meteors at him. During battle, Bowser's attacks include stomping the ground, which creates a shock wave, and trying to ground pound Mario. However, if Bowser ground pounds on any of the glass spots on the arena, they will break, causing him to fall into the lava and run around aimlessly. Mario can then spin attack him, causing Bowser to spin around the planet inside his shell, much like a normal Koopa. When Mario does this again, he falls unconscious, only to recover seconds later. Bowser is defeated when this is done again.
At the Dark Matter plant, Bowser uses the same tactics as before, but can generate more shock waves and even has his own version of the spin attack, but can be defeated by using the same method as the first battle. Regardless of these drawbacks, Bowser remains confident in his victory and the follow-through of his main goal to construct his own galaxy.
Mario eventually battles Bowser at the almost-completed galaxy reactor. During the final battle, Bowser Jr. holds Peach captive in an airship while Mario fights Bowser on multiple planets. On the first planet, Bowser will attack by using his shock waves. Mario can attack his stone form by spin attacking his head, the only exposed part of him, and then defeat him by spinning again. On the second planet, Bowser's attacks include curling up into two combined shells and rolling around the planet, as well as the use of shock waves and fireballs. By hitting him with a rubbery bulb, Bowser is knocked onto his back and begins moving around the planet; he can then be defeated as normal. At this point, the gravity of the nearby sun then pulls them toward it, and they begin the actual final battle at the core of Bowser's soon-to-be galaxy. Bowser's attacks are simply improved tactics from the previous battles, meaning that he can once again be trumped by ground pounding the glass and burning himself, allowing Mario to spin attack him. The defeated Bowser then flies into into the magma of the sun.
Afterward, the final Grand Star frees itself from the galaxy reactor. However, the lack of the Grand Star causes the sun to collapse in on itself, resulting in the formation of a massive black hole that begins to devour the universe. Bowser, however, is on the surface of the sun, on a piece of rock, before it explodes. As the universe is being sucked inside, the Lumas head into the black hole, and destroy it from the inside. Bowser later awakens in Toad Town, near Mario and Peach.
The gravity of the nearby sun then pulls them toward it, and they begin the actual final battle at the core of Bowser's soon-to-be galaxy. Bowser will use improved tactics from the previous battles, but is defeated once again by ground pounding the glass and burning himself, allowing Mario to spin attack him. The defeated Bowser will then fly into into the magma of the sun. Afterward, the final Grand Star will free itself from the galaxy reactor. However, with nothing to stabilize the sun, it collapses in on itself, resulting in the formation of a large black hole that begins to devour the cosmos. Bowser is not dead when he is knocked into the sun's magma, as shown before the black hole is formed, but is most likely killed when it explodes. The Lumas then use their powers to reverse the black hole, creating an explosion that recreates the universe in its entirety.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii/Bowser Jr. Returns
Bowser appears, once again as the final boss, in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Here, he appears together with his eight children, the Koopalings and Bowser Jr. In World 8-Bowser's Castle, the last castle of World 8, Bowser is located in the final chamber, sending out fireballs towards Mario, similarly to his appearance in the original Super Mario Bros.. When Mario begins the battle, Bowser is fought in a similar manner as in Super Mario Bros., as well as in the first and final castles in the original New Super Mario Bros.; attacking by shooting fireballs and leaping into the air. After Mario pressed the switch that caused the bridge to collapse beneath Bowser, sending him falling into a pit once again, a victory fanfare played and Mario rejoiced, believing to have won. However, upon inspecting Princess Peach up above, it turned out that it was, in fact, Kamek, disguised as Peach. Kamek then casted a spell over the chasm that Bowser had fallen down. As a rumbling noise began, Kamek paused to see if the spell had actually worked. To his surprise, Bowser appeared, now at a gigantic size, knocking Kamek off his broom, and proceeded to chase after Mario. Mario rushed through the area beyond the boss room, luring Bowser into launching fireballs at walls so that they were destroyed and he could proceed. After a long and grueling chase, Mario heard Peach's voice, and saw her in a cage up ahead, over a large switch. Jumping on the switch, Mario opened a humongous chasm, right underneath Bowser, that drained the lava from the room and took the Koopa King with it, defeating him for good. He was later seen being helped by his children, having survived the drop and returned to his normal size, but then crushed by his own Castle. His children then use their combined strength to roll him onto his stomach, but the resulting quake causes the castle to fall over onto them.
When the switch is pressed, the floor collapses, and Bowser plummets into the abyss below. However, the Princess Peach in the cage nearby turns out to be Magikoopa in disguise. He escapes from the cage and casts a spell over the chasm that Bowser has fallen down. After several moments, Bowser reappears, now at a gigantic size. He accidentally knocks Magikoopa off his broom and proceeds to chase after Mario. This form is called Super Bowser by the Prima Games strategy guide[5] He attacks by spitting massive fireballs, as well as clawing away at the walls and leaping over to Mario if he is far enough away. After the player presses the switch, the bridge collapses beneath Bowser, sending him falling into a pit once again. A victory fanfare plays and Mario rejoices, believing he is victorious. However, upon inspecting Princess Peach in the cage above, it turns out that it is, in fact, Kamek, disguised (dressed up) as Peach. Kamek then magicly escapes from the cage and casts a spell over the chasm that Bowser has fallen down. The area begins to rumble, and Kamek pauses to see if the spell had actually worked. To their surprise, Bowser reappears, now at a gigantic size, knocking Kamek off his broom, and proceeds to chase after Mario. The player must advance on to the area beyond, luring Bowser into launching fireballs at walls to destroy them so he or she can proceed. After a long and grueling chase, Mario hears Peach's voice, and is spotted in a cage up ahead, over a large orange flashing switch. However, he can hack away at the walls behind him with his claws, as well as jumping to where the player is. By jumping on the switch at the end of the area, a humongous chasm opens up right underneath Bowser that drains the lava from the room, taking the Koopa King with it and defeating him for good. He attacks by spitting massive fireballs, as well as clawing away at the walls and leaping over to Mario if he is far enough away.
After the credits (breakable blocks) roll, Bowser is seen unconscious and outside his castle, having survived the drop and returned to normal size. Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings are trying to push him over, and succeed, resulting in him regaining consciousness. However, pushing him over causes the entire castle to fall over onto them all. During the credits roll, the player can hear various pitched growls from Bowser in a conversation with Peach. After this sequence, Bowser is seen unconscious and outside his castle, apparently having survived the drop and returning to normal size. His children are trying to push him over, and succeed, resulting in him waking up. However, pushing him over causes the entire castle to fall over onto them. The screen is black when it lands, but Bowser can be heard giving two growls of pain.
You fight Bowser like you did in New Super Mario Bros.. However, he can push you back if you try to run through him, so don't bother. If you either have Fire or Ice attacks, they can harm Bowser and make him fall through the ledge as before. If you have the Propeller ability, you can fly over him. If not, wait for him to jump and then rush through it quickly, aiming for the Switch.
When the small Switch is pressed, Bowser will fall through the chasm, but Kamek uses his magic to make him into Giga Bowser. Of course, none of your attacks will do anything, so don't even bother. What you must do is let Giga Bowser fire his flames at the wall, destroying them in the process. As you proceed forward, Giga Bowser will do the same. Eventually you'll reach a pit of Lava, and Bowser still on your tail. Ride the platforms you see to get through. It is strongly noted that when Giga Bowser tries to jump to you, it causes a wave of Lava to fire, so be very cautious. When you get to the end, you'll see Peach and some large Switch. Step on it, and Giga Bowser falls through the floor, and Mario gains triumph over Bowser yet again.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
- “I'm HUUUUGE! Even scarier up close, huh?”
- —Bowser, Super Mario Galaxy 2
Bowser does appear in Super Mario Galaxy 2, once again as the main antagonist. At the beginning of the game, he invades the Mushroom Kingdom again, along with his son, Bowser Jr., but this time at a gigantic size, due to the power of the Power Stars that he stole earlier. He kidnaps Princess Peach and flees into space again, claiming to build a galactic empire to suit his new size and put its capital at the center of the universe. Additionally, he attacks and destroys Lubba's starship prior to the game, stealing all the ship's Power Stars prior to the game, causing the Luma to rebuild it in Mario's image when they team up with him. Using Starship Mario to pursue Bowser, Mario must collect the Power Stars and save Princess Peach as he has done before. Bowser also orders a Magikoopa to get rid of Yoshi as he does not want Mario teaming up with his dinosaur friend.
The player faces Bowser three times in this game. The fights take place on a spherical planetoid, where Bowser, in his gigantic size, will attempt to crush Mario with his fists, and by sending meteors crashing down. When using his fists, Bowser's hand does get stuck in the planetoid briefly, and any meteors on the battlefield will rise and turn yellow. Mario has to ground pound on the meteors, so that they hit Bowser. He'll also use his Fire Breath. At the end of each battle, Bowser coughs up a Grand Star, causing him to shrink back down to his normal size and fall to the ground, but he is not discouraged at all and flees, telling Mario each time that his plan is too far along to stop.
The final battle at Bowser's Galaxy Generator has two phases. After defeating him once, Mario attempts to collect the Grand Star coughed up by Bowser, but the Koopa King will reappear, eat the Grand Star once more, regain his gigantic size, and then the two will fall into a vortex and begin the second phase of their battle. This part requires Mario to send yellow meteors at Bowser before he gets close enough to punch him. After Mario has defeated Bowser for the final time, Bowser is sucked into a black hole vortex, and is not seen again until Mario, Peach, and the Toad Brigade return to Mushroom World near the end of the credits, where it is shown that he has become extremely tiny, smaller than normal, and is unconscious when he is first seen. Mario can jump on top of Bowser or spin him, waking him up and causing him to become angry.
During the ending, Bowser is shown to be tiny, which may likely be a side effect for using the Grand Stars to make himself huge colossal.
Bowser is faced three times in the game. The fights take place on a spherical planetoid, where Bowser attempts to crush Mario with his fists, and by sending meteors crashing down. He also uses his Fire Breath. When using his fists, Bowser's hand gets stuck in the planetoid briefly, and any meteors on the battlefield at the time rise and turn yellow. Mario has to Ground Pound the meteors so that they hit Bowser. After each battle, when Bowser is defeated, he coughs up a Grand Star, causing him to shrink back down to his normal size and fall to the ground. Each time, however, he is not discouraged and flees, telling Mario each time that his plan is too far along to stop.
The final battle at Bowser's Galaxy Generator has two phases. When Bowser is defeated once, Mario attempts to collect the Grand Star coughed up by Bowser, but the Koopa King reappears, eats the Grand Star, regains his gigantic size, and then the two fall into a vortex to fight again and begin the second phase of their battle. This part requires Mario to send yellow meteors at Bowser before he gets close enough to punch him. Bowser advances on Mario as time passes, eventually allowing Bowser to attack with a punch. Mario pushes him back by ground-pounding the meteorites at him. After Mario defeats Bowser for the final time, Bowser is sucked into the vortex, and is not seen again until Mario, Peach, and the Toad Brigade return to their planet near the end of the credits, where it is shown that he has become smaller than normal, and is unconscious when he is first seen. Mario can jump on top of Bowser or spin him, waking him up and causing him to become angry.
Super Mario 3D Land
Bowser appears once again as the main antagonist of Super Mario 3D Land for the Nintendo 3DS. On one day, a storm blows all the Super Leaves off the Tail Tree. When Mario and three Toads check on the tree, they find an envelope containing a picture showing Peach being captured by Bowser.
It is revealed through the letters found after each world that Peach tries to escape, but Bowser's forces eventually overpower her. Bowser then holds her in a cage and keeps her next to his throne. At Bowser's Castle, Mario faces the actual Bowser, though in the same manner as the fake Bowsers. However, Bowser had planned ahead; he set up a wooden cutout of Peach on the top of a tower. After Mario discovers this, Bowser appears from above, holding the real Princess Peach, and heads to his second castle.
Inside Bowser's quarters in the second castle, Mario discovers the princess bound to the flagpole and tries to rescue her. However, Bowser falls out of the sky and attempts to ground pound him from above, which causes the floor beneath them to fall.
During the second battle, Bowser attacks Mario with spiked balls at the beginning, with fireballs for the second portion of the area, and with barrels near the end as he makes his way along. On the bridge before the switch, Bowser's attack pattern is the same as in previous battles. After the switch that collapses the bridge is pressed, however, Bowser reemerges from below. While progressing through a second obstacle course-like area, Bowser leaps across to various platforms, shooting massive white fireballs at Mario. Bowser then chases him again upon reaching a second bridge. When the switch at the end is pressed, Bowser plummets into the lava below, being hit by falling debris. After defeating Bowser, Peach is returned to her castle with the help of Tanooki Mario and three Tanooki Toads. The credits show Bowser trying to reach Mario with the help of a massive Goomba Tower, but failing.
After completing all the special worlds, it is revealed that Bowser has once again captured Peach, and must be beaten again at his castle. Bowser also returns in Super Mario 3D Land as the main antagonist. He once again abducted Princess Peach, along with his henchmens, Boom Boom and Pom Pom. One day, a storm blows off all the Tanooki Leaves on a tree in the Mushroom Kingdom. When Princess Peach goes to check the tree, Bowser catches Peach off guard and grabs her, along with all the Tanooki leaves. He takes her to his castle while he has his minions, some of which he powers up with the Super Leaves, fight Mario on his quest. Peach ultimately tries to escape, but Bowser's forces overpower her. Bowser then imprisons her in a cage and keeps her next to his throne. Soon after defeating Boom Boom, Pom Pom, and the two False Bowsers, Mario reaches Bowser's Castles and fights the real Bowser. Reaching the end of the bridge and pushing the switch, Mario causes Bowser to fall into the lava. However, Bowser had planned ahead; he set up a wooden cutout of Peach on the top of that tower, and, after Mario discovers this, he flees to his second castle with the real princess.
It is revealed through the letters found after each world that Peach ultimately tries to escape, but Bowser's forces overpower her. Bowser then imprisons her in a cage and keeps her next to his throne. Soon after defeating Boom Boom, Pom Pom, and the two False Bowsers, Mario reaches Bowser's castle and fights the real Bowser. Reaching the end of the bridge and pushing the switch, Mario causes Bowser to fall into the lava. However, Bowser had planned ahead; he set up a wooden cutout of Peach on the top of a tower, and, after Mario discovers this, Bowser appears to him, holding the real Princess Peach, and heads to his second castle. It is revealed through the letters found after each world that Peach tries to escape, but Bowser's forces eventually overpower her. Bowser then holds her in a cage and keeps her next to his throne. The player must then get through World 8 to reach Bowser's Castle, where he or she fights Bowser by attempting to pass by him, cross the bridge, and push the button on the other side. When the player does this, Bowser falls into the lava. However, Bowser had planned ahead; he set up a wooden cutout of Peach on the top of a tower, and, after this is discovered, Bowser appears from above, holding the real Princess Peach, and heads to his second castle.
After facing one last level, Mario is able to reach Bowser's other castle. However, rather than fight him, when the player reaches Bowser's quarters, Mario discovers the princess bound to the flagpole, but Bowser falls out of the sky at him and roars, which causes the floor beneath them to fall. Mario then, instead of fighting him, instead has to dodge various obstacles until he reaches the switch at the end of the area. Bowser first tries to hit Mario with fireballs, then with spiked balls, and then throws barrels at him. After all this, Mario must finally get past Bowser in order to push the button. He does so, causing the bridge beneath him to collapse and fall into the lava below. However, he then emerges moments later and continues chasing Mario as he tries to reach a second button. In the end, he reaches it, causing Bowser to fall into the lava once more. While Mario is progressing, Bowser will leap across to various platforms, shooting massive fireballs at him. At the very end is a bridge with the button on the other side; Mario has to run away from Bowser and cross hurdles of Brick Blocks to reach it. Upon pressing it, Bowser falls from his position and into the lava once more. Bowser is defeated, and Peach is returned to her castle with the help of Tanooki Mario and two Tanooki Toads. The credits show Bowser trying to reach Mario with the help of a massive Goomba Tower, but failing. However, when Mario passes on to the next section, Bowser emerges from below and continues chasing Mario as he tries to reach a second button. While Mario is progressing through a second obstacle course-like area, Bowser leaps across to various platforms, shooting massive pink fireballs at him. At the very end is another bridge with the switch on the other side; Here, Bowser chases Mario as he crosses the bridge and various Brick Block hurdles. Upon pressing the button, Bowser falls from his position and into the lava once more. Peach is then returned to her castle with the help of Tanooki Mario and three Tanooki Toads. The credits show Bowser trying to reach Mario with the help of a massive Goomba Tower, but failing.
During the second battle, instead of fighting him, the player has to dodge various obstacles until the switch at the end of the area is reached. Bowser attacks Mario with spiked balls at the beginning, with fireballs for the second portion of the area, and with barrels near the end. After all this, the player must finally pass by Bowser once again in order to push the button. Once this is accomplished, Bowser falls to the lava below.
However, when the player passes on to the next section, Bowser to reemerges from below and continues to chase the player. While progressing through a second obstacle course-like area, Bowser leaps across to various platforms, shooting massive white fireballs at Mario. At the very end of this area is another bridge with the switch on the other side. Once the player reaches this point, Bowser attempts to stop him or her from crossing by chasing the player across the bridge. If the player pushes this button, Bowser is sent careening into the lava once more, truly defeating him.
After defeating Bower, Peach is returned to her castle with the help of Tanooki Mario and three Tanooki Toads. The credits show Bowser trying to reach Mario with the help of a massive Goomba Tower, but failing.
After rescuing Luigi from Dry Bowser, it is revealed that Bowser has once again captured Peach. Mario (or Luigi) must then go to Bowser's Castle and save her once again.
New Super Mario Bros. 2
Artwork of Bowser from New Super Mario Bros. 2]].
Once more, Bowser appears as the main antagonist in New Super Mario Bros. 2. He is the final boss of World 6, and he attacks using fire and iron mallets in a battle reminiscent of the original Super Mario Bros. On the other side of him is a switch, that must be pressed in order to defeat him. The bridge beneath him collapses and he falls into the pit below as soon as it is, which Mario presses to send him into the pit below the bridge. Despite being the final boss, the player, should they acquire the Gold Flower and use it just prior to the final battle against Bowser, can defat Bowser easily via a single gold fireball. However, after he is defeated, the Koopalings appear in the Koopa Clown Car and use their wands' magic on Bowser. This causes him to transform into Super Bowser,[6] also knocking the Koopalings down into the rising lava pit in the process, and making the player have to move upwards via platforms and evade Bowser, who attempts to break them. While Mario is using the platforms to travel upward, Super Bowser swipes at them with his claws. In two segments of the battle, the platforms disappear, and Super Bowser breathes fire at Mario on a full platform. On the roof of Bowser's Castle, there is a massive ! Switch, similar to the one from New Super Mario Bros. When the switch is pressed, Super Bowser plummets to his doom and the game is won.
He and the Koopalings later appear during the credits. Bowser is normal-sized again, and the Koopalings are taking him away in the Koopa Clown Car, Bowser being held outside of the car by his tail. However, the added weight causes the car to plummet to the ground, scattering the occupants around the area. Bowser himself was seen with his head stuck in the ground.
Aside from the main story mode, Bowser is also faced on course three of the Gold Classics Pack, one of the game's downloadable Coin Rush course packs. He is fought and defeated in the same manner as the first portion of the final boss battle in the main game. Unlike the main game, however, he does not grow in size, for the same reasons why Bowser's Castle in World 6 and the World Star Castle are not playable in Coin Rush.
New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Bowser returns in New Super Mario Bros. U and its port, as the main antagonist and final boss. In the game's intro, Bowser, along with his Koopalings, invade the Mushroom Kingdom in their airships. Bowser's ship then uses a mechanical hand to grab Mario, Luigi, Blue Toad, and Yellow Toad (who are having lunch with Princess Peach) and fling them out of the castle. Afterward, he invades Peach's Castle.
The first part of his battle is similar to Super Mario Bros., where the player has to get to the other side and press the switch; alternatively, shooting several fireballs also works. This will cause the axe to fall and make the bridge collapse, making Bowser fall. The gate will then open and Mario will enter, then Bowser Jr. will lower Kamek and order him to make Bowser huge. When Mario reaches the top of the castle, Peach is being held up in the tower. After this, Bowser Jr. will show up in his Junior Clown Car, and Bowser hops on top of the castle while he's huge. Bowser Jr. also fights the player. In order to defeat them, the player must jump on Bowser Jr., causing him to fall out of his Junior Clown Car. This allows the player to jump in and hover over Bowser to harm him. Like the Koopalings, he curls into his shell and spins around when hit. He is defeated after being hit three times by the Clown Car. He'll spin in his shell upon being hit. It is necessary to repeat this three times in order to defeat him. The only other way is to pelt him with multiple fireballs. He then has a dramatic effect of acting very injured and falls off of the castle. Bowser Jr. watches this and is left with Mario, and Bowser Jr. Jumps off on his own.
At the end, the Koopalings and Bowser Jr. are on their wrecked airship (Bowser Jr. had inadvertently damaged the Airship when attempting to crush Mario earlier) and fly away. Bowser notices and climbs on, but his weight causes the airship to crash. Bowser then holds onto Bowser Jr.'s Junior Clown Car to fly away on that, with the other Koopalings holding onto his tail and lined up like a chain.
In any part of the fight, throwing iceballs gets rid of Bowser's fire and slows him down.
Bowser plays the same role and fights the same in the downloadable content New Super Luigi U, except Mario is replaced with Nabbit. The game's add-on content, New Super Luigi U, is also to feature Bowser as the main antagonist, since it shares the same story as New Super Mario Bros. U.
Super Mario 3D World
Bowser is once again the main antagonist and final boss in Super Mario 3D World. At the beginning of the game, Bowser is revealed to have invaded the Sprixie Kingdom, kidnapping six of the seven Sprixie Princesses in the process. Bowser then shows up from a Clear Pipe in the Mushroom Kingdom and captures the last one just after she explains what happened, disappearing back down soon afterward. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad give chase in order to save the Sprixies.
Bowser is the boss of the World 1 castle, Bowser's Highway Showdown. Unlike most of his prior battles, Bowser does not fight Mario or the others in direct combat: instead, he confronts them from the back of the Bowser Mobile, throwing explosive soccer balls that must be knocked back at him to damage him and the occasional residue-producing spitting fireballs at the heroes that leave residue; these soccer balls must be knocked back at Bowser to damage his car. After taking enough hits from the soccer balls, Bowser starts to breathe fire more often, only occasionally throwing bombs at this point.[7] Upon being struck by the final bomb, Bowser's car is sent bouncing forward and causes part of the road to collapse, destroying the car and ejecting Bowser from his own castle.
Mario and/or the others later face Bowser a second time in World Castle's castle, Bowser's Lava Lake Keep, has yet again is in the car, now with a new blue paint job and a much more aggressive attitude. Bowser now spends most of the battle spewing the residue-producing fireballs at Mario and only occasionally throws the soccer balls needed to bring about his undoing: much more dangerous than Bowser himself, though, is the terrain he's driving over - the road is now littered with holes, retractable spikes, and even jets of flame which shoot up from the lava below the stage. When Bowser is struck by the ninth bomb, his car once again destroys the road he was driving on: this time, however, the ensuing fall sends Bowser straight into lava, and he is presumed to be vanquished.
However, just as the heroes clear the level and free the final Sprixie Princess, Bowser jumps out in front of them, re-captures the seven Sprixies in a larger bottle, and takes them to the game's true final world, World Bowser, an amusement park built in his image. Bowser is finally encountered at The Great Tower of Bowser Land, the game's final level. When the heroes finally reach the base of his tower in the center of World Bowser, the Koopa King falls out of the sky and uses a Super Bell to transform himself into Meowser, a much stronger version of himself which utilizes the same abilities that Cat Mario does, and then chases the party all the way to the top of the tower, all the while attacking them. Later, after climbing up the tower and knocking him away with a POW Block, he uses a Double Cherry for the next portion of the battle. At the very top of the tower is a giant POW Block that once hit enough times defeats Meowser and frees the Sprixie Princesses. During the end credits, Bowser can be seen trapped inside a giant bottle. In spite of the fact that Bowser even uses Double Cherries to copy himself into no fewer than five Bowsers, he is beaten via a POW-block, freeing the Sprixie Kingdom from Bowser's influence and undoing all the harm that he had done to their world. Bowser is last seen in the credits, where he is ironically trapped in a bottle.
The game is notable as being one of the few games with Bowser as the main antagonist where he makes absolutely no attempt at abducting Princess Peach (in fact, he largely ignored her outside of considering her an opponent).
Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
Bowser appears as a usable enemy in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS that the player can place onto courses. His behavior changes, depending on the game style that's used, but regardless of the game style, Bowser starts breathing fireballs as Mario gets closer to him. The size of the fireballs are larger if Bowser is given a Super Mushroom.
In the Super Mario Bros. game style, Bowser simply moves left and right while breathing fireballs that vary in altitude. He may also do a small jump during the process.
In the Super Mario Bros. 3 game style, Bowser hops around while breathing fireballs, but he'll also attempt to perform a ground pound that can briefly stun Mario if he's on the ground; the ground pound can also destroy empty Brick Blocks, and can destroy all destruct-able blocks if he is giant-sized.
In the Super Mario World game style, Bowser moves around and jumps while breathing fireballs, but he may also breathe fireballs that rain down on Mario from above. Another trait that Bowser is given in this game style is that he can push back Mario if Mario tries to run through him.
In the New Super Mario Bros. U game style, Bowser simply moves left and right, and he'll either breathe a fireball, jump, or breathe a fireball while jumping. However, unlike with the other game styles, Bowser actually aims his fireballs at Mario, instead of breathing them at random altitudes. Bowser may also breathe multiple fireballs, along with making a huge jump. Much like in the Super Mario World game style, Mario can't run through Bowser in the New Super Mario Bros. U game style. On an additional note, if Bowser is giant-sized in this game style, his fireballs can destroy most block types, and he can also destroy any Brick Blocks that he comes into contact with.
The player can only place up to three Bowsers on a single course layer, and if the player shakes Bowser, he changes into Bowser Jr..
If the player gives Bowser wings, he'll gain the ability to flutter briefly, but he'll end his flutter early if Mario tries to run under him. Unlike with Bowser Jr., however, the wings do not save Bowser from falling into an abyss.
If Bowser is riding in a Koopa Clown Car, he'll pursue Mario while breathing fireballs at him. Bowser can also throw two Bob-ombs at Mario, which will self-destruct after a while; if Bowser is giant-sized, he'll throw up to four Bob-ombs. This behavior is constant for all game styles.
If Mario tries to combat Bowser, Bowser is immune to jump attacks, but he'll fall if the player delivers 20 hits to him, whether it's with fireballs, or with certain items; if Bowser is giant-sized, he'll have to take up to 40 hits before falling.
However, regardless of his size, Bowser gets defeated instantly by the following objects:
- A POW Block.
- A Thwomp, a Muncher, or a solid block lands on top of him.
- Mario runs through Bowser while under the effects of the Super Star.
- Mario ground pounds Bowser while wearing the giant stiletto.
On an additional note, giant-sized items (except for the Goomba's Shoe) deal 2x as much damage to Bowser than normal-sized items; for an example, 10 giant Koopa Troopa shells will defeat normal-sized Bowser.
According to the trailer for the Ver. 1.20 free software update, Bowser offers courses of his own creation under the Official tab in the Makers section of Course World.[8]
Super Mario Run
Bowser appears as the final boss of Super Mario Run, while Fake Bowsers were used at the end of Worlds 1, 3 and 5. During the final battle in World 6-4, Bowser, in his Koopa Clown Car, attacks by spitting out fireballs and shooting a Spiked Ball out of a cannon produced by the Clown Car's mouth at Mario. Sometimes, he will toss Bob-ombs at Mario. If he manages to successfully stomp the Bob-omb, Mario will shoot it back at Bowser. To beat Bowser, the process needs to be repeated three times.
In this game, as the final level only consists of the boss fight, the color coins are present in the battle. When the fifth coin is passed by, the level will recycle through from the beginning until Bowser is defeated.
Super Mario Odyssey
Bowser returns in Super Mario Odyssey, once again as the main antagonist. He invades the Cap Kingdom and kidnaps Tiara to commence his "royal wedding" with Princess Peach, defeating Mario via his wedding hat and shredding the Mario Cap. He then sets up his "wedding", stealing artifacts from various kingdoms to fulfill his desires, and hiring the Broodals to help him against Mario. Although he does not steal anything needed for the wedding from the Metro Kingdom, he does nonetheless cause massive chaos in the kingdom regardless by having Mechawiggler attack the city as well as various tanks, and also proceeded to plaster several ads advertising his wedding (much to the chagrin of the city's mayor, Pauline, who found the posters "tasteless" especially in light of the chaos). Mario and Cappy catch up to Bowser in the Cloud Kingdom, and defeat him. However, he shoots them down with his airship. Later, when the Odyssey is en route to Bowser's Kingdom, he has the Ruined Dragon damage the Odyssey, and also has the Broodals hold off Mario long enough to fully escape from the castle to the Moon Kingdom. Eventually, he "invites" various people around the kingdoms to the wedding at Moon Kingdom by abducting them, including Mayor Pauline, and has a final battle with Mario, only to be soundly defeated, knocking him unconscious. However, due to the Wedding Hall collapsing, Mario is ultimately forced to capture Bowser to get himself and everyone else to safety. Upon regaining consciousness, he attempts to resume his attempt at wooing Peach's hand in marriage, with Mario doing the same, only for Peach to "reject" them both. Bowser then attempts to go home with Peach but gets jumped on by Mario and knocked away from the Odyssey. A segment in the Darker Side in the level "Long Journey's End" involves Mario controlling Bowser to reach the next area.
Shortly before the final showdown with him, Bowser comments on the outfit Mario is wearing at the time, prior to telling him "Not that it matters, since you WEREN'T INVITED!" (with the exception of the fourth comment). His remarks are as follows:
- Black Tuxedo / Explorer Outfit / Builder Outfit / Chef Suit / Painter Outfit / Mario 64 Suit / Mechanic Outfit / Classic Suit / Luigi Suit / Doctor Outfit / Waluigi Suit / Diddy Kong Suit / Wario Suit / Metal Mario Suit / Sunshine Outfit / Topper Suit / Rango Suit / Spewart Suit: "Also, that outfit looks familiar, but I can't place it..."
- Caveman Outfit / Cowboy Outfit / Samurai Armor / Pirate Outfit / Knight Armor: "And hey, what's with the history costume?"
- Swimwear / Golf Outfit / Football Uniform / Baseball Uniform / Racing Outfit: "Also, what's with the sporty look?"
- Boxer Shorts / Clown Outfit / Skeleton Suit / Gold Mario Suit / Zombie Outfit / Santa Outfit / 8-Bit Mario Cap: "And are you trying to scare me with that... totally scary costume? Well, it didn't work, all right?! And y-you WEREN'T INVITED!"
- Bowser's Tuxedo: "Also, I gotta say, great outfit! Very classy!"
- Bridal Gown / Hariet Suit: "Also, you look amazing! Love the outfit!"
- Invisibility Hat: "Huh? Where'd you go?"
- Other: "Also, your outfit isn't halfway fancy enough for the occasion!"
Battle
In battle, Bowser equips boxing gloves on his hat, which resemble the gloves sometimes used by the Junior Clown Car. He will throw the hat and Mario must hit it with Cappy to stop it and flip it over, allowing him to put it on and punch with it using or by shaking the Joy-Con controllers. Once Bowser sees his main weapon disabled, he will ground pound around the arena, sending flaming shockwaves. He may also throw large brick balls, which can be destroyed with the boxing-gloved hat. Mario must repeatedly punch Bowser to send him flying into the spiky barrier surrounding the arena. When Bowser throws his hat again, he will throw it along with purple duplicates of it, which disappear when hit with Cappy. The process of punching Bowser must be repeated to damage him again. For the final throw, there will be five duplicates. Also, after being punched enough the final time, Bowser will spin around, damaging Mario if he is in the way. He must be punched more to defeat him and send him crashing onto his airship.
The second fight is basically the same, but Bowser uses some new tactics. When being attacked, Bowser will always use the spin seen during the final attack in the previous battle, spinning more times depending on how many times he has been hit, and the spins create fiery shockwaves. Like before, he will use duplicates of the hat after being hit once, but he now uses three and eight duplicates, respectively, rather than two and five. He also has two new attacks that he uses while Mario is wearing his hat. Once Bowser is hit once or twice, he may stand in the middle of the arena and breathe a stream of fire around the arena; as he is surrounded by flames during this attack, Mario cannot strike. He may also throw flaming versions of his shell, which cannot be punched away like the bricks. Additionally, for the final hit, Bowser must be punched rapidly again after spinning three times. He will then spin once more and can be attacked to be defeated.
Concept art for the game included in a Japanese artbook indicated that Bowser would have used the capture ability on Princess Peach.[9]
Super Mario Maker 2
This section is referring to a subject in an upcoming or recently released game. When the game is released, or more information about this subject is found, this section may need major rewriting.
This notice should be removed after a month has passed since the game was first released.
Bowser is set to reappear as an enemy in Super Mario Maker 2.
The Great Mission to Save Princess Peach/Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!
Bowser, under his Japanese name of King Koopa, was featured as the main villain of the Japan-exclusive video The Great Mission to Save Princess Peach/Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!, which had Bowser abducting Princess Peach, wanting to force her to love and marry him. He also has the ability of transforming himself into whatever he wants. Near the end of the film, Bowser tries to forcefully marry Princess Peach, only for the wedding to be interrupted by Mario and Luigi. After severely pummeling Mario, Bowser is eventually defeated by Mario who, becoming empowered by a Starman, beats Bowser and throws him over the horizon. In the post-credits sequence of the movie, Bowser, as well as his Koopa Troopa minions, can be seen happily working at Mario and Luigi's grocery store.
King Koopa (as he is known in Japan) is featured as the main villain in the Japanese-exclusive animated film Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!. The plot of the film is similar to that of Super Mario Bros. in that King Koopa is trying to conquer the kingdom and turning its inhabitants into inanimate objects; he even turns Princess Peach's fiancé, Haru-ōji, into a dog going by the name Kibidango. King Koopa is also trying to marry Peach, making this film the first instance in which King Koopa has shown a love interest in her. Also, in this movie, Bowser seems to have the ability to transform himself into various other persons and objects (such as a teddy bear) and it also features a scene, where Bowser gets packed by his tail and thrown out much like in Super Mario 64.
Bowser first appears emerging from Mario's television to capture Princess Peach. Mario tries to stand up to him, but to no avail. Peach tries to fight back, but is grabbed and taken back into the television, where she is held at his castle. At one point, Bowser attempts to make Peach love him, but Peach tricks him by having him transform into various things, eventually ending up as a teddy bear which she locks inside a box. However, Bowser breaks free by transforming back to normal, leaving and locking her in her room.
Later, Bowser commences the wedding ceremony with Peach, but it is interrupted by Mario and Luigi. Taking the princess, Bowser and the minister escape to another room to continue the ceremony, only for the castle to fall apart around them. After emerging from the rubble, Bowser and Mario battle. During the battle, Bowser is easily able to fight him, though after he consumes the three power-ups Mario becomes strong enough to grab Bowser by the tail and send him flying, undoing his black magic over the land.
King Koopa first appears emerging from Mario's television to capture Princess Peach. Mario tries to stand up to him, but to no avail. Peach tries to fight back, but is grabbed and taken back into the television, where she is held at his castle. At one point, King Koopa attempts to make Peach love him, but Peach tricks him by having him transform into various things, eventually ending up as a teddy bear which she locks inside a box. However, King Koopa breaks free by transforming back to normal, leaving and locking her in her room.
Later, King Koopa commences the wedding ceremony with Peach, but it is interrupted by Mario and Luigi. Taking the princess, King Koopa and the minister escape to another room to continue the ceremony, only for the castle to fall apart around them. After emerging from the rubble, King Koopa and Mario battle. During the battle, King Koopa is easily able to fight him, though after he consumes the three power-ups Mario becomes strong enough to grab King Koopa by the tail and send him flying, undoing his black magic over the land. In the end of the film, King Koopa appears at Mario's Grocery, working happily with his minions. Bowser was featured as the main villain in the Japan-exclusive video Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!. In it, Bowser abducts Princess Peach, wanting to force her to love and marry him. He also has the ability of transforming himself into whatever he wants. Near the end of the film, Bowser tries to forcefully marry Princess Peach, only for the wedding to be interrupted by Mario and Luigi. Bowser is eventually defeated by Mario who, on becoming empowered by a Starman, throws him over the horizon. In the post-credits sequence of the movie, Bowser, as well as his Koopa Troopa minions, can be seen happily working at Mario and Luigi's grocery store. The plot of the film is similar to that of Super Mario Bros. in that Bowser is trying to conquer the kingdom, and has turned its inhabitants into inanimate objects; however, he even turns Princess Peach's fiance, Prince Haru, into a dog going by the name Kibidango. He is also trying to marry Peach, making this film the first time Bowser has shown a love interest in Peach. He is introduced in the film after Peach emerges from Mario's television, having been attacked by various enemies from the Mario series. Bowser appears on Mario's television soon after Peach heads through it. He also walks through the screen after Peach explains his motives, and Mario and Bowser have a brief confrontation. Mario and Bowser have a brief confrontation, ending with him knocking Mario through the floor, grabbing Peach, and walking back through the TV.
While she is at Bowser's castle, staying in one of the many rooms in the castle, Bowser attempts to convince Peach to love him. However, Peach uses this as an opportunity to trap him, stating that she would like him if he were cute. He then transforms himself into a scarecrow, a dancer, and then a teddy bear. While in this form, Peach takes him and locks him in a box, which he escapes by transforming to his normal form. He then walks out and locks Peach in her room.
Later, Bowser is commencing his wedding with Peach, though the Mario brothers and their ally Kibidango interrupt. However, he grabs Peach and escapes with the priest, though the trio follow them. After reaching Bowser upon emerging from the rubble, they begin their second fight. However, Bowser is once again easily beating Mario. He attempts to use the power-ups, but before he can eat the star, he drops it. He then continues to beat up Mario, Peach begging him to stop, stating that she will marry him if she spares his life. Luigi then appears, having dug up the starman, but before Mario can eat it this time, Bowser stomps him. However, Mario then lifts Bowser's foot off of him, having been able to eat the item, and uses his super strength to beat him up, taking Bowser by the tail and flinging him far away. Later, Bowser commences his wedding with Peach. However, Peach still refuses to be married to Bowser, and he is surprised to hear that she loves Mario; at that moment, the brothers and Kibidango arrive on a flying ship they found earlier. Angered upon learning that the brothers have arrived, he demands that they destroy the brothers. He then grabs Peach and escapes with the priest. Thinking that the brothers and Kibidango are now dead, Bowser and the priest continue the ceremony, but she once again refuses; she even cries upon hearing Bowser explicitly state that the brothers are dead. However, the castle then falls apart on top of them.
Upon emerging from the rubble, Mario and Bowser begin their second fight, but Bowser is once again easily beating Mario. As they fight, Kibidango attempts to distract Bowser so Mario can use the power-ups by eating them, but before he can eat the star, Bowser notices him and conjures some rice and a flavoring packet in thin air. Mario sees the food and tosses the star away in favor of the rice. However, Mario is not distracted for long, and notices Bowser attempting to step on him and moves away. He then sees the Star fall down a hole in the ground, and Bowser takes the opportunity to try and stomp Mario again; he fails once more, but his enemy falls off the cliff. Peach then begs him to stop the quarell, stating that she will marry him if he spares his life. Luigi then appears, having dug up the starman, but before he can feed it to Mario, Bowser notices and stomps them both. However, Mario, having been able to eat the item, then lifts Bowser's foot off of him and uses his increased strength to beat him up, taking Bowser by the tail and flinging him far away. As Mario's power wears off, Bowser can be seen flying away using a parachute, waving a white flag of surrender. The ending of the movie shows Bowser and several members of the Koopa Troop working at Mario Bros. Grocery, appearing to be happy with their current job.
Mario Bros.
Bowser does not appear in the original Mario Bros., as he was not yet introduced as a character. However, he appears in the Battle Mode in the remake included in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and all four Super Mario Advance games. He moves around on the middle platform, and only attacks by breathing fire. He cannot be defeated; hitting him from underneath only stuns him briefly.
I am a Teacher: Super Mario Sweater
The Japan-only game I am a Teacher: Super Mario Sweater features Bowser as one of the possible designs players could put on their shirt.
Game & Watch series
Bowser's appearances in the Game & Watch games are very minor compared to his roles in other titles, having appeared only in the later Super Mario Bros.-based game as the "Alarm Koopa" and as the one who kidnapped Princess Toadstool in the game's storyline. Bowser has more appearances in the ports included in the four Game & Watch Gallery games. Bowser's first appearance in a game for Game & Watch is the remake of Super Mario Bros.. Because it is a remake of the game, the game has the same plot as the original.
Game & Watch Gallery
Game & Watch Gallery's Modern version of Oil Panic features Bowser dropping oil from the top of a tower. Below, Mario must try to catch the oil and hand the buckets to Yoshi for disposal. Occasionally, Yoshi can knock Bowser away from his position.
Game & Watch Gallery 2
Despite being a playable character, Bowser also has a minor appearance in Game & Watch Gallery 2. The Modern version of Ball features Bowser as one of the four playable characters; the objective of the game is to control him as he attempts to juggle a Goomba, a Boo, and a Koopa Shell, as well as collecting coins and avoiding Bob-ombs.
Game & Watch Gallery 3
Bowser once again has a single appearance in the modern port of Mario Bros. in Game & Watch Gallery 3 and Game & Watch Gallery 4. His role in this game is to hinder the Mario Bros. progress by reversing the directions of the conveyer belts that they are working on; however, he or she can switch the flow of the belts back to normal by flipping a switch.
Game & Watch Gallery 4/Game & Watch Gallery Advance
Game & Watch Gallery 4 also has Bowser in the Modern version of Rain Shower. Here, he is seen in a tree, trying to throw colored water balloons of paint at Mario's friends, who are relaxing on various objects attached to the ropes. Mario is able to help his friends avoid the balloons by using the ropes to move them out of the way. The modern port of Mario Bros. was also included in this title.
Super Mario Bros.: Trapped in the Perilous Pit/Golden Look-Look Books
Bowser only appears in one of the three Mario-based Golden Look-Look books: Super Mario Bros.: Trapped in the Perilous Pit. During the book, Bowser heads down to the basement of Peach's castle to kidnap the princess once more, but is encountered by Mario and Luigi, who are fixing the castle's plumbing, are with her. Mario tries to fight him, but is defeated; it is when Luigi takes a Fire Flower and fights him that Bowser is defeated. Bowser escapes, however, and the bros try to chase after him, but fall down a large pit. Bowser also throws the princess down into the pit, then escapes, locking the basement door behind him. At the end of the book, however, the three escape the basement and force Bowser out of the castle.
Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros./Super Mario anime series
King Koopa Bowser was also featured as the main villain in all the three shorts in the Japanese-exclusive Super Mario anime series, which had him taking on the role guise of various fairy tale villains. In the first story of the Super Mario Amada Series, Momotarō, King Koopa acts as the story's ogre that kidnaps and steals rare treasures from other areas of the galaxy. He hears of the beauty of Princess Peach, and, with the help of his henchman Koopalings, she is kidnapped. Peach's grandparents try to stop him, but fail. During the time that the princess is kidnapped, King Koopa Bowser attempts propose to her, but she refuses and is thrown into a cell as a result; King Koopa then continues to plunder the galaxy as usual. As he is proposing to her again, he hears news that a strange ship is approaching; Mario and his friends, a Para-Beetle, a Spike, and a Boomerang Bro arrive at the city, face King Koopa and the Koopalings and defeat them. Having been beaten, King Koopa vows to never perform another bad deed. Afterward, he holds Peach prisoner in a cave until she accepts. Bowser is eventually defeated and Princess Peach is rescued when Mario defeats him with help from his allies. Afterward, he holds Peach prisoner in a cave until she accepts. Eventually, Mario and his friends, a Boomerang Bro., a Spike, and a Parabeetle], arrive at Bowser's Castle, defeat the Koopa King, and take Peach and his treasure back.
The second story of the Super Mario Amada Series, Issun-bōshi, features King Koopa with a somewhat minimal role, as a bully to both Princess Peach and Mario. While harassing Princess Peach, Mario tries to stand up for her, but King Koopa simply tries to stomp him, which later leads to him eating Mario. However, Mario starts slashing and stabbing at his insides with the makeshift sword he was given by his father. This causes King Koopa to experience a horrific stomachache and regurgitate Mario, falling unconscious. However, when King Koopa wakes up, Mario is on his head, but he slices off his horns and eyebrows as he leaps off. Embarrassed, King Koopa runs away from the two, dropping a magical hammer on the way. This hammer allowed Mario to be grown to a normal size. Bowser plays a somewhat minimal role, appearing to bully both Princess Peach and Mario during the story. While harassing Princess Peach, Bowser eats Mario, who prods Bowser's innards with a needle; this causes Bowser to experience a horrific stomach ache and forces him to regurgitate Mario and run away, yelling. While harassing Princess Peach, Mario tries to stand up for her, but tries stomping him, which later leads to him eating Mario. However, Mario then begins to slash and stab at his insides with the makeshift sword he was given. This causes Bowser to experience a horrific stomachache and regurgitate Mario, falling unconscious. However, when Bowser wakes up, Mario is still on his head, but cuts off his horns and eyebrows. Embarrassed, Bowser runs away from the two.
The third and final story of the Super Mario Amada Series, Shirayuki-hime (Snow White), has King Koopa playing the role of the Wicked Queen. Bowser, oddly, plays the role of the story's Wicked Queen, who wishes to steal the beauty of Princess Peach. After poisoning Princess Peach, who is later cured, Bowser tries to take her as a hostage, only to be defeated by Luigi. She is a selfish tyrant, who often asks her mirror who is the most beautiful in the land, with the mirror's response being an image of herself. However, one day, when asking the mirror the same question, Koopa is shocked to see the image of Princess Peach appearing on the mirror, making him angry. He cannot even sleep because of his anger over the situation. He has four of his Koopalings attack her, but she is saved by Mario, who defeats the Koopalings. However, thinking his minions had succeeded, he asks the mirror his question again, but the response is still the image of Peach. Using various chemicals in a laboratory. After much frustration, she has the Koopalings attack her, but she is saved by Mario, who defeats them. Angered by the failure of the Koopalings, Koopa asks the mirror the question again; this time the mirror tells him that Peach is hiding in Toad's house. In her laboratory in the basement, Koopa creates a poison, which he then injects into several apples. While both the Toads and Mario are gone from the house, Koopa, disguising himself using a cloak, gives Peach a poisoned apple, which causes her to fall into a comatose state, and flies back to her castle. Eventually, he has four of his Koopalings attack her, but she is saved by Mario, who defeats the Koopalings. However, thinking his minions had succeeded, Bowser asks the mirror his question again, but the response is still the image of Peach. He is once again angered by this, and, using various chemicals in a laboratory, Bowser creates a poison, which he injects into an apple. While both the Toads and Mario are gone from their house, Bowser, disguising himself using a cloak, gives Peach a poisoned apple, which causes her to fall into a coma-like state, and flies back to his castle.
Once Mario, Peach, and the Toads arrive at Koopa's castle, she has her Koopalings attack Mario. They succeed with their attack, but the Toads combine with Mario, increasing his strength and allowing him to once again defeat them. Koopa attempts to use this opportunity to escape, but Mario chases after her. However, Mario stops in his tracks when he sees Koopa holding a knife at Peach. At that moment, Luigi unexpectedly enters the scene with a hammer and attacks Koopa. The brothers then take her and throw her face first into her mirror, truly defeating her.
DiC Cartoons
Bowser, though only most commonly referred to by the name of King Koopa (very rarely was he called Bowser Koopa), is featured as the main antagonist of all three of DIC Entertainment's Super Mario cartoons, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. He later gets his own show in King Koopa's Kool Kartoons, a live-action DIC production. Bowser's appearance in the shows is based on his in-game sprite from the original Super Mario Bros. and also bears some resemblance to Wart from Super Mario Bros. 2, whose army, the 8 bits, are loyal to Koopa in the shows along with the original Koopa Troop. In all three cartoons, Bowser was voiced by Harvey Atkin, who also starred in other shows such as Goosebumps as Mr. Malik, The Adventures of Sam and Max: Freelance Police voicing Sam, and in Cagney & Lacey as Sergeant Ronald Coleman.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
- “Koopa Pack, attack!”
- —Bowser, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
Bowser, though most commonly referred to by the name of King Koopa instead of Bowser, was featured as the main villain of all three of DIC Entertainment's Super Mario cartoons, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. Like Princess Toadstool, King Koopa's appearance was based off of his Super Mario Bros sprite rather than official artwork from the title. His shell had yellow unsharp spikes rather than white pointy ones. His spiked collars also had yellow spikes and were colored green instead of white spikes and black collars. Bowser's apperance was partially based of of Wart from Super Mario Bros. 2.
In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Bowser would often take on various aliases and costumes and try to inact a dastardly plot of some sort, most commonly trying to conquer a kingdom or steal an ancient treasure and/or artifact; aiding Bowser in these plots were his Koopa Pack and also a sidekick of sorts, most commonly Mouser. In several episodes, Bowser would capture Princess Toadstool and attempt to blackmail her into giving him the Mushroom Kingdom, although some other episodes implied he already had some measure of control over the kingdom.
In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Bowser often takes on various aliases and costumes and try to enact a dastardly plot of some sort, most commonly trying to conquer a kingdom or steal an ancient treasure and/or artifact; aiding Bowser in these plots are his Koopa Pack and a sidekick of sorts, most commonly Mouser. In several episodes, Bowser captures Princess Toadstool and attempts to blackmail her into giving him the Mushroom Kingdom, although some other episodes imply that he already has some measure of control over the kingdom.
The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser, having seemingly been banished from the Mushroom Kingdom sometime after the events of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, returns to it to cause havoc, with the aid of his seven Koopalings (referred to as the "Koopa Kids"). In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser stopped his use of aliases and costumes and his plans became somewhat odd in nature, such as turning his children into giant, ninja warriors for the sole purpose of kidnapping Prince Hugo, only to end up transforming him into a poodle. Bowser is occasionally referenced as "Bowser Koopa" in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.
Super Mario World television series
In Super Mario World television series, Bowser made only somewhat infrequent appearances in, Bowser, as revealed in the episode "Mama Luigi", he was once again banished from the Mushroom Kingdom. However, he ends up moving to Dinosaur Land, where he, along with his Koopa Kids, began to cause trouble in and extends his trouble along with his Koopalings as well. Bowser's fate at the end of the Super Mario World cartoons is never actually disclosed, as his final appearance in it (not counting "Mama Luigi", which takes place in a flashback excluding the aforementioned, flashback episode "Mama Luigi") in A Little Learning had him trapped in his bedroom, which was rapidly filling with lava.
King Koopa's Kool Kartoons
King Koopa's Kool Kartoons is live-action series in which Bowser gives Nintendo related merchandise to his all-child audience members, as well as showing them old, public domain cartoons. It only aired in the 1989 holiday season. After The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Bowser received his first live-action appearance in King Koopa's Kool Kartoons, a show starring Bowser that only aired for one season between 1989 and 1990. His appearance, as well as his personality and demeanor, is based off of his cartoon appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, but changed to make him look more believable for a live action TV show. Like the cartoons, King Koopa's Kool Kartoons was produced by DIC. His appearance, as well as his personality and demeanor, is based off of his cartoon appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, but changed to make him look more believable for a live action TV show. During the show, Bowser hosts a quiz, to which any viewer can send their answers through the mail, and answers fan mail. He then shows public-domain cartoons unrelated to the Mario series. At the end of each episode, Koopa gives away Nintendo merchandise to the child-exclusive studio audience.
Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi's Adventure Land/Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land
King Koopa appears as the main villain in the Japanese-exclusive interactive OVA Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land. As the plot is the same as the game it is based upon, King Koopa kidnaps Princess Peach while she is on vacation in Dinosaur Land, conquers the Yoshis and sets up fortresses, putting the Koopalings in charge of them. He eventually faces off against Mario and Luigi in his Koopa Clown, and is defeated, spinning out of control into the horizon.
Mario Ice Capades
In the real-life Mario Ice Capades production, Bowser, known as King Koopa (but referred to as Bowser only once), appears while Jason Bateman is explaining Super Mario Bros. to Alyssa Milano. He plans to use the NES they are playing to spread a computer virus and take over the world. He then has his minions head out to infect the system's hardware, then sings about his evil personality and nature. However, his plot is foiled by Mario, Luigi, and children in the audience, when the children attack him with various plumbing tools.
When the Mario brothers show up, Bowser sends his minions after them, but Luigi easily defeats them with a fire-shooting weapon. After most of his minions are defeated, Bowser, accompanied by a Spiny, attempt to attack the Mario bros. and some children from the audience, but they are defeated as well.
Mario Roulette
In Mario Roulette, Bowser appears as one of the only four characters that appears in game.
White Knuckle Scorin'
In the comic included with the White Knuckle Scorin' album released by MCA records, Bowser appears as the main antagonist. He once again kidnaps Princess Toadstool and brings her to his castle, explaining his plan to turn the inhabitant dinosaurs of Dinosaur Land into fossil fuel and join OPEC. The princess tells him that he isn't smart enough to be an oil tycoon, but, however, Bowser informs her that he would rather have "brute force and a bad attitude over smarts and education," informing her (in song) that "ignorance is bliss." His plan is to turn the inhabitants of Dinosaur Land into fossil fuel, and join OPEC as an oil tycoon. As soon as he kidnaps Princess Toadstool and brings her to his castle, he explains his plan to her, but the princess tells Bowser that he is not smart enough to be an oil tycoon; however, Bowser, stating that he would have brawn over brain anytime, simply replies by stating (in song) that "ignorance is bliss."
Later, Bowser's spies tell him that the Mario Bros. and their ally Yoshi are approaching his castle. Bowser selects a spell from his spellbook that he believes to have a nasty effect, and (with help from Lemmy, who wished to show off the reading skills the princess had taught him earlier), they cast the spell (Bowser unable to do it himself due to leaving his reading glasses in the pantry when reading the nutritional label on a bag of "toasted lard chips"), which instead creates an illusion that gives the countryside a medieval motif, also boosting the brothers' confidence. Later, Bowser's spies tell him that the Mario Bros. and their ally Yoshi are approaching his castle. Wishing to show off the reading skills the princess taught him, Lemmy helps Bowser in reciting a spell he believes will have a nasty effect, (he cannot do it himself because he claims to have left his reading glasses in the pantry when he was reading the nutritional label on a bag of "toasted lard chips.") but instead creates an illusion in which the entire countryside is given a medieval motif, and giving Mario and Luigi suits of armor, and use Yoshi as their steed, boosting their confidence.
The illusion spell wears off as soon as Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi arrive at the castle, but Bowser has his Mechakoopas attack them. He also places Toadstool in a cage lowering into a vat of lava; the brothers and Yoshi cannot save her in time, and she disappears into the lava. Mario attempts to fight Bowser still, but his grief allows Bowser to easily beat him. However, Princess Toadstool suddenly appears out of the shadows and strikes Bowser. Revitalized by her sudden appearance, Bowser is able to be defeated by Mario again, while the princess explains that she escaped due to Bowser leaving the operating manual inside the cage (Bowser admitting that his illiteracy caused him to not think about them). Bowser is defeated by the heroes (aided by Lemmy), but he orders all Warp Pipes leading outside Dinosaur Land be severed, supposedly trapping them on the island. However, Princess Toadstool had stolen Bowser's spell book, and Yoshi recites the spell to transport his friends home. The illusion having worn off, Mario and Luigi power themselves up as soon as they reach the castle. However, Bowser's Mecha-Koopas attack, and he then places Toadstool in a cage, which begins to lower into a vat of lava. The bros. cannot save her in time, and the princess is killed. Mario tries to fight Bowser to claim vengeance, but his grief over the situation allows Bowser to easily beat him. However, Princess Toadstool suddenly appears out of the shadows and strikes Bowser. Revitalized by her appearance, Mario is able to take on Bowser again, while she explains that the Koopa King's stupidity allowed him to leave the operating manual inside the cage, allowing her to escape. (Bowser states that he never thought about the instructions, since he is illiterate.) The heroes then work together and defeat Bowser and his Mecha-Koopas; Lemmy even helps them out, telling the princess that the Mecha-Koopas can be used to damage Bowser even more. Despite his defeat, however, Bowser orders that all the Warp Pipes connecting Dinosaur Land to the outside world be severed, leaving the heroes trapped in the land. But Princess Toadstool then reveals that she has Bowser's spell book, and Yoshi recites the spell that will teleport them back home. Finding a spell that can transport them home, Yoshi stays behind to recite the spell.
Super Mario-Kun
Bowser also appears as a prominent character in the Super Mario-Kun Japan-exclusive manga. With several of the novels being based of off several of the Mario games, Bowser's appearances in Super Mario-Kun give him the same role he has in the game each volume is based on. However, Bowser has also appeared in novels based upon games he does not appear in, such as volume 7, which is based upon Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins.
Yoshi franchise
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Bowser's first chronological appearance in-universe is as Baby Bowser in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. At this age, he is shown to have similar powers to the ones he currently possesses as an adult.
When Baby Mario and Yoshi enter his room in his castle, Baby Bowser is unintentionally and forcibly awakened from his nap by Kamek (who was trying to demand that Yoshi hand over Mario), and pounds him flat in retribution. Bowser then notices Yoshi, and decides he wants to ride the "green donkey." However, he notices that Mario is riding Yoshi so he attacks them to get Baby Mario off. Yoshi ends up defeating Baby Bowser, even when Kamek turns him into a giant. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is also his first meeting with Mario.
Although Bowser himself doesn't appear in the game (his younger self nonwithstanding), he does appear in the Mario Bros. remake on the GBA port Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island.
Yoshi's Cookie
In Yoshi's Cookie, Bowser appears as one of the four playable characters in versus mode. He has the highest attack of the four, but his other stats are average. The Nintendo Puzzle Collection version of the game also features a story mode. While Mario and Yoshi are resting as they are delivering Yoshi Cookies, Bowser appears and steals all the cookies from Mario and Yoshi, who are exhausted from delivering them and decides to rest. Mario and Yoshi, upon waking, then head off to retrieve them. When they awake, they go after him. Bowser is faced on stage seven on every difficulty, as the final enemy in the game. He is defeated after beating him three times out of five. Bowser is faced on stage seven as the final boss on every difficulty, in a best-three-out-of-five match. Yoshi and Mario have made Yoshi Cookies and are delivering them, but decide to rest due to the nonstop deliveries they are making. Bowser, however, notices the sleeping pair and gets the idea to steal the Yoshi Cookies for himself. Upon waking, Yoshi and Mario head after Bowser to retrieve the cookies.
Bowser is faced on stage seven on every difficulty, after the player defeats Thwomp and Magikoopa. The player must defeat him three out of five times to win.
Tetris Attack
Bowser also appeared in Tetris Attack, a game that was based on the Japanese Panel de Pon. The remake replaced several characters of the game with characters from the Mario series and the Yoshi series. Bowser takes the role of Cordelia, as the game’s final boss.
During VS. Mode, the game's story mode, Bowser has Kamek cast a spell over the inhabitants of Yoshi's Island, brainwashing them into working for him and his Koopa Troop. He also has a massive rain created, threatening to flood the world. He is faced in Mt. Wickedness on hard mode, on the twelfth and final stage, after Kamek is defeated.
Bowser is also faced on the special bonus stage and final stage on Stage Clear mode. Stringing together combos and chains depletes his health points. The special stage, however, is only meant to test the player; the final stage can be replayed if the player is defeated, and the player can retry the final stage if he or she loses.
Yoshi's Story
Baby Bowser steals the Super Happy Tree from the Yoshis and turns Yoshi's Island into a pop-up book in Yoshi's Story, but is defeated again by a newborn Yoshi. Both incidents quickly define the young Bowser as a selfish character lacking empathy. In Yoshi's Island DS, he teams up with the heroes to defeat future Bowser after being betrayed, but betrays them at the end of the game. Baby Bowser is also one of the Star Children.
When Bowser is damaged enough times, the two fall to a lower platform. Bowser only attacks by leaping and slamming the ground, causing two enemies to fall; other than this, Bowser simply walks toward Yoshi, albeit weaker and slower. Once more, Yoshi must make Bowser walk into the bombs parachuting down from above to damage him. Once this is done enough times, they fall to a pair of even lower platforms over a pit of lava; Bowser's is so small that only one of his feet can fit on it. The player must tilt the screen so that Bowser falls into the lava, which increases in height. Once he falls in, Bowser is defeated. With the threat of Bowser eliminated, Hongo keeps true to his word and releases Yoshi's Island, restoring it to its natural state.
Storybook Crisis/Yoshi Topsy-Turvy/Yoshi's Universal Gravitation
Yoshi's Island has once again become the target of an adult Bowser's conquests during the events of Yoshi's Universal Gravitation. Yoshi's Island would once again become the target of Bowser's conquests during the events of Yoshi Topsy-Turvy. The Koopa King and his forces attacked the island, causing chaos and disorder. In an ironic twist of fate, a spirit named Hongo encased the entire island in a storybook to contain Bowser and his armies, mirroring what Bowser did the to Yoshi's Island as a baby (Bowser did the exact same thing to Yoshi's Island as a baby; however, he did so as revenge against the Yoshi clan). In response to this, a spirit named Hongo tries to contain Bowser and his army by using his magic to place the entire island inside the Forbidden Pop-Up Book, mirroring what Bowser did to Yoshi's Island as a baby. Fortunately, Yoshi managed to convince the powerful spirit to restore Yoshi's Island if the green dinosaur could personally trap Bowser. If the threat of Bowser was contained, there would be no need to keep the island as an isolated storybook. As such, Yoshi set off through the chapters of the storybook version on Yoshi's Island under the conditions that Yoshi trap Bowser himself; if this is done, than Yoshi's Island does not have to be isolated from the rest of the world.
Each course was controlled by a different spirit, and each demanded that the green dinosaur fulfill a specific task before he or she would allow Yoshi to move on. These tasks included destroying a certain number of enemies or acquiring a certain number of coins. Ultimately, after satisfying the task of every spirit, the spirits allowed Yoshi to confront King Bowser. The first part of the battle takes place on a platform. Bowser attacks Yoshi by breathing fire at him, while bombs fall from the sky. Yoshi must lead Bowser into the bombs to damage him; this causes him to fly into the air and fall back onto the ground, which sends two Shy Guys down from above. Of course, the green dinosaur emerged victorious in the end, and Bowser was once again defeated by Yoshi. With the threat of Bowser eliminated, the spirit Hongo released Yoshi's Island, restoring it to its natural state. In Yoshi Topsy-Turvy, Bowser and his minions attack the island. A spirit named Hongo attempts to contain Bowser and his army by using his magic to place the entire island inside the Forbidden Pop-Up Book, mirroring what Bowser did to Yoshi's Island as a baby. After Yoshi satisfies each of the six spirits of Yoshi's Island, the spirits allow Yoshi to confront Bowser. The first part of the battle takes place on a platform. Bowser attacks Yoshi by breathing fire at him while bombs fall from the sky. Yoshi must lead Bowser into the bombs to damage him; this causes him to fly into the air and fall back onto the ground, which sends two Shy Guys down from above. Bowser is damaged if he walks into the bombs. He flies into the air and lands, causing two Shy Guys to fall onto the platform.
When Bowser is damaged enough times, the two fall to a lower platform. Bowser only attacks by leaping and slamming the ground, causing two enemies to fall; other than this, Bowser simply walks toward Yoshi, albeit weaker and slower. Once more, Yoshi must make Bowser walk into the bombs parachuting down from above to damage him. The that parachute onto the arena bombs damage him if he walks into them. Once this is done enough times, he and Yoshi fall to a pair of even lower platforms over a pit of lava; the size of Bowser, however, is so small that it allows only one of his feet on it. Tilting the screen causes Bowser to fall into the lava, which increases in height. Once he falls in, Bowser is defeated. Afterwards, with the threat of Bowser eliminated, Hongo keeps true to his word and releases Yoshi's Island, restoring it to its natural state.
In Search of the Battle of the Star Children/Yoshi's Island DS
Bowser made a surprise appearance in Yoshi's Island DS, having traveled to the past to find the Star Children, which were said to have the power necessary for Bowser to conquer the universe. Among the many children that he took or attempted to kidnap are Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Baby Peach, Baby Donkey Kong, Baby Wario, and even Baby Bowser. Most of these aforementioned babies managed to defeat Bowser, even when he became large with the help of Kamek. It turns that these very babies were six of the Star Children, as well as a Baby Yoshi that was born soon after Bowser left the past. During the battle with the giant Bowser, the Yoshis must throw Giant Yoshi Eggs at his face several times. Actually, the four Yoshis must throw them in such a way that they all collide and explode in front of Bowser's face. In the end, Bowser was defeated and it turns out the heroic babies were six of the Star Children, as well as a Baby Yoshi that was born soon after Bowser left the past. In Yoshi's Island DS, Bowser travels to the past to find the star children, which are said to have the power necessary for him to conquer the universe.
Baby Bowser later teams up with Baby Mario, Baby Wario, Baby Donkey Kong, Baby Peach, and Yoshi to save Baby Luigi and the other babies from the future Bowser out of revenge, since his future self had betrayed him. Later on near the end of the game, while traversing the castle, Baby Bowser turns on his team because he thought they'd come to try and steal his treasure, but he is outnumbered and defeated. The future Bowser then shows up and attacks them for being rude to his past self. During the fight, Bowser attacks Yoshi and the babies by leaping around and blasting them with fireballs. Bowser is knocked off his feet by hitting him with Giant Eggs carried by Baron von Zeppelins as projectiles, the player can knock Bowser off his feet. He or she is then able to attack Bowser by ground pounding him.
When the player defeats Bowser, Kamek intervenes and enchants Bowser using his magic. The magic causes Bowser to become Giant Bowser in the final battle against Baby Mario, Baby Peach, Baby Donkey Kong, and Baby Wario. During the battle, Bowser moves around to the left and right sides of the area and attacks the Yoshis and babies with fireballs, as well as sending down debris. The player must throw the Giant Eggs, once again obtained by Baron von Zeppelins, at Bowser so that they explode in his face. Once he or she defeats him again, the unconscious Bowser is carried away by Toadies while Kamek vows revenge and Baby Bowser follows them. It's revealed that the babies, including Baby Bowser, make up six of the seven star children, with a Baby Yoshi that is born soon after Bowser leaves the past, being the seventh. Later in the game, Baby Bowser turned on his team because he accused them of trying to steal his treasure after defeating him.
Yoshi's New Island
Bowser makes a surprise appearance in Yoshi's New Island as the true main antagonist and final boss. After Baby Bowser is defeated and whisked away by Kamek, Bowser attacks Yoshi and Baby Mario before the two can save Baby Luigi and the Stork, after warping through space and time. His battle involves him jumping and breathing fireballs. Metal Guys appear after Bowser jumps higher than his previous two jumps, thus allowing Yoshi to survive the otherwise ever shrinking space he can walk along, which Yoshi can turn into a Metal Eggdozer to hit Bowser.
When he has been defeated, Kamek hits him with his mallet and turns him giant. This battle is very similar to Baby Bowser's giant fight. When he jumps, Giant Shy Guys fall down and Mega Eggdozers must be thrown at him. However, raining fireballs, Kamek's magic, and Bowser's occasional fire stream may hurt Yoshi. Once Bowser is defeated, he falls through the lava and disappears, with it being implied that he was sent back to his own time afterward. The battle with Bowser is only accessible after beating World 6-8 (as well as all of the other levels) without the use of Flutter Wings.
Club Nintendo comics
Bowser is one of the many characters that appear during the Club Nintendo comics. His appearances are as an antagonist, and are mostly major. His first appearance in one is Wart steht unter Strom (Wart is Tensed Up). During the comic, Bowser, for some reason appearing under the name "Wart", is playing what appears to be "Template:Conjecturaltext" on a Game Boy, when the batteries die. He angrily throws them out, the dead batteries landing at Mario's feet. Mario notices them and tells Bowser that they should be disposed in special containers. Even more infuriated, he attacks Mario, resulting in Bowser being electrified by the dead batteries. Afterward, a still flashing Bowser decides to finally accept Mario's advice and heads off to buy a Battery Set. He angrily throws the batteries out, but Mario shows up and reminds him that they should be properly disposed of. Infuriated, Bowser fights Mario, but the dead batteries end up electrocuting him. In the end, Bowser decides to accept Mario's advice and goes off to buy a battery set.
In Süße Weihnachten (Sweet Christmas), Bowser first appears outside Mario's house, while he is not at home. Bowser also takes advantage of the fact that their door is unlocked and gets inside. He notices several treats inside, and starts to eat them; afterward, however, a somewhat overweight Bowser starts feeling sick. He tries to leave, but falls over. Dr. Mario, being told of Bowser's condition by a Toad doctor, rushes over and, along with Nurse Toadstool, checks his condition, then gives him a prescription. He is later seen in bed, still sick, in the background while Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad sing "Silent Night".
Bowser's appearance in Super Mario: Mario im Wunderland (Super Mario: Mario in Wonderland) is minor. He, along with Wario and Donkey Kong, emerge from a bush in front of Mario, Toad, and Kirby. They claim that the group stole their cookies, and begin to fight. However, they are scared away by Fox McCloud. He also has a minor appearance in Super Mario: Erholung? Nein, danke! (Super Mario: Recreation? No, thanks!), where he works at the front desk of the Gumba Royal Hotel.
In Die Jagd nach dem Nintendo 64: Krawall im All (The Race for the Nintendo 64: Ruckus in Outer Space), Bowser and Wario have teamed up in order to find a special spacecraft on the planet Earth; they are planning to use the spacecraft to rule the universe. Their only opposition on this quest is Mario and Luigi. Upon landing on earth, the duo notice that the Mario bros. landed first, and fly off in their para-gliders. They notice Mario and Luigi in karts, and begin to attack them. Bowser knocks Mario off the road, but he loses control of his glider. Mario, back on the road, grasps the opportunity and throws banana peels in front of him. He slips on one and collides with Wario; the villains are knocked out while the Mario brothers continue.
Even later, in order to reach the island containing the spacecraft, Wario and Bowser use a type of aircraft with rocket boosters. They outrace Mario and Luigi, who are using their karts converted into jet skis. However, Mario tricks them into believing flying straight is boring, and the villains begin to do various midair maneuvers until they run out of fuel and fall into water. They eventually emerge from the water and try to take the craft, shaped like a Nintendo 64, from the Marios, but fail after the brothers put a flag up on top of it. Their friends congratulate them while Bowser and Wario are sulking. Bowser is one of the many characters that appear during the Club Nintendo comics. His appearances are as an antagonist, and are mostly major. His first appearance in one is Wart steht unter Strom (Wart is Tensed Up). During the comic, Bowser, who for some reason, is erroneously named "Wart", is playing what appears to be "Super Bowser Land" on a Game Boy, when the batteries die. He angrily throws the batteries out landing at Mario's feet. Mario notices them and tells Bowser that they should be disposed in special containers. Even more infuriated, he attacks Mario, resulting in Bowser being electrified by the dead batteries. Afterward, a still flashing Bowser decides to finally accept Mario's advice and heads off to buy a Battery Set.
In Süße Weihnachten (Sweet Christmas), Bowser first appears outside Mario's House while he is not at home. Bowser also takes advantage of the fact that their door is unlocked and enters. He notices several treats inside, and starts to eat them; afterward, however, a somewhat overweight Bowser starts feeling sick. He tries to leave, but falls over. Dr. Mario, being told of Bowser's condition by a Toad doctor, rushes over and, along with Nurse Toadstool, checks his condition, then gives him a prescription. He is later seen in bed, still sick, in the background while Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad sing "Silent Night".
Bowser's appearance in Super Mario: Mario im Wunderland (Super Mario: Mario in Wonderland) is minor. He, along with Wario and Donkey Kong, emerge from a bush in front of Mario, Toad, and Kirby. They claim that the group stole their cookies, and begin to fight. However, they are scared away by Fox McCloud. He also has a minor appearance in Super Mario: Erholung? Nein, danke! (Super Mario: Recreation? No, thanks!), where he works at the front desk of the Gumba Royal Hotel.
In Die Jagd nach dem Nintendo 64: Krawall im All (The Race for the Nintendo 64: Ruckus in Outer Space), Bowser and Wario have teamed up in order to find a special spacecraft on the planet Earth; they are planning to use the spacecraft to rule the universe. Their only opposition on this quest is Mario and Luigi. Upon landing on earth, the duo notice that the Mario bros. landed first, and fly off in their para-gliders. They notice Mario and Luigi in karts, and begin to attack them. Bowser knocks Mario off the road, but he loses control of his glider. Mario, back on the road, grasps the opportunity and throws banana peels in front of him. He slips on one and collides with Wario; the villains are knocked out while the Mario brothers continue.
Even later, in order to reach the island containing the spacecraft, Wario and Bowser use a type of aircraft with rocket boosters. They outrace Mario and Luigi, who are using their karts converted into jet skis. However, Mario tricks them into believing that flying straight is boring, and the villains begin to do various midair maneuvers until they run out of fuel and fall into water. They eventually emerge from the water and try to take the craft, shaped like a Nintendo 64, from the Marios, but fail after the brothers put a flag up on top of it. Their friends congratulate them while Bowser and Wario are sulking.
Mario Teaches Typing games
Bowser also makes some minor appearances in the two Mario Teaches Typing games, such as appearing when the letter "B" is typed in the first game's alternate game mode. Additionally, a Bowser portrait also appears in the room where the Koopa Troopas are playing cards in Mario Teaches Typing 2. In both games' story modes, Bowser is not featured, but his castle is, though it is destroyed by Mario and Luigi at the end. In the second game's story mode intro, the Magical Typewriter gives them a message that states it is "the key to beating Bowser." In the second game, Bowser is not featured in the story mode, but his castle is, though it is later destroyed by Mario and Luigi.
Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up
Bowser's appearances in the coloring book-based game Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up include the "attorney and judge" page, in which he is the judge, and the "business executive" page, in which he appears as the business executive. It is interesting to note that Bowser appears with his game and cartoon appearance in this game.
Mario Kart Series
Bowser has appeared as a playable character in virtually all of the games in the massive Mario Kart sub-series, from the original Super Mario Kart, to the more recent Mario Kart 8. Bowser is always a default-unlocked heavyweight character in virtually all of the games in the massive Mario Kart game sub-series, including the original Super Mario Kart, to the more recent Mario Kart 8. He also always has his own course, aptly named Bowser's Castle. In later games, both a new incarnation and at least one past incarnation of the track appear.
In Super Mario Kart, he and Donkey Kong Jr. have the heaviest weight and highest speed, but at the same time suffer from poor acceleration and steering. If controlled by a computer, Bowser can toss fireballs of lava onto the track. In the Japanese release of the game, every character's awards ceremony victory animation involves a bottle of champagne, but part of Bowser's involves drinking it. This was changed for the US release version, in which Bowser simply tosses the bottle into the air and catches it.
In Mario Kart 64, Bowser and the other heavyweight characters have poor speed, acceleration, and steering, but high weight, allowing them to easily ram lighter racers out of their way, making them useful for battle mode.
In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Bowser has the highest weight and speed, but also the lowest acceleration in the game.
In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Bowser's default partner was Bowser Jr. Their shared Special Item was the Bowser Shell, and his Kart was the Koopa King.
In Mario Kart DS, Bowser's Koopa Clown Car appears and cameos as his unlockable kart, the Hurricane. His default karts are a standard kart (Standard BW), like the other racers, and the Tyrant. Once the game is beaten, Bowser can drive any of the thirty-six karts in the game. He also appears as the ghost on Airship Fortress with a time of 2:07:748 on the Hurricane, on Bowser Castle on the Hurricane with a time of 2:19:661, and on GBA Bowser Castle 2 with a time of 1:52:258 on the Standard BW. In Missions Mode, Bowser is the character played as for missions 3-2, 4-5, 5-4, 6-1, 6-8, and 7-7. In addition, he also appears as the opponent to be raced against for mission 7-2. He and R.O.B. are the heaviest characters. Bowser is always a heavyweight character in the Mario Kart games, and he usually has his own course, aptly named Bowser's Castle.
In Mario Kart Wii, Bowser has the highest weight bonus for his class size, which makes vehicles like the Offroader and Piranha Prowler heavier than normal. The Staff Ghosts that use Bowser are Nin*YABUKI at Bowser's Castle in the Piranha Prowler, with a time of 3:04:836 with no Wii Wheel and manual drift. In expert, the staff ghost is Nin*Masa with the same settings, except this time, Bowser is on the Bowser Bike (Flame Runner in North America) with a time of 2:42:098.
In Mario Kart 7, Bowser returns as a heavy racer. He has one of the best speed and weight boosts in the game. His Koopa Clown Car also has an appearance as the Koopa Clown, an unlockable kart body. The staff ghosts using Bowser are Ret*Matt M on Bowser's Castle, with the standard kart body, Monster tires, and the Super Glider with a time of 02:34.815; the expert staff ghost also uses Bowser in the Blue Seven with Red Monster tires and the Beast Glider, the time being 02:15.244. He is also both ghosts on GBA Bowser Castle 1; the normal ghost, Nin*Hayata, uses the Pipe Frame with Standard tires and the Beast Glider and has a time of 01:31.030, while the expert, Nin*hokwai, uses the Koopa Clown with the Roller tires and the Super Glider, and has a time of 01:22.221. Interestingly, when Bowser uses a glider with a stem (Super Glider, Flower Glider etc.) while playing as Bowser, the stem of the glider is bent to go around his shell; while everyone else's glider's stems are straight.
Bowser is a playable character in Mario Kart 8. He is one of the heaviest racers in the game, having the exact same stats as Wario, Morton Koopa Jr., Dry Bowser, and the large Mii, while rivaling the weight of Metal Mario and Pink Gold Peach. In the Nintendo Switch port Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Bowser instead shares stats with only Morton and large Miis. He also runs an oil company called Bowser Oil, which appears as a sponsor in this game, and also has a racing team called Lord Bowser.
Bowser also makes an appearance in the three Mario Kart Arcade GP games; Mario Kart Arcade GP has no weight stat to classify characters by, but Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 classifies him as a power racer, and Mario Kart Arcade GP DX places him in the heavyweight category. The second game also gives him a personal kart in addition to a standard kart; Bowser's resembles his shell, with spikes lining the sides and on the tires. In the first two games, Bowser has four special items: Bowser Shell, which has the same effect as Double Dash!!; Shell Body, which makes him invincible; Flaming Tender, which damages any rival that hits it; and Thwomp, which will squish any driver that gets beneath it. Bowser also receives his own two-course cup in the first two games, both of which consists of Bowser's Castle and Castle Wall, which takes place on the wall surrounding his castle. In the first game, beating the Bowser Cup allows the player to face Bowser in a battle as the challenge stage. The player must leap over the streams of fire Bowser spits at him or her while tossing shells at the supports for his platform. If the player is playing as Bowser for this challenge, they instead face Mecha-Bowser. In Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, the Bowser Cup consists of Bowser Factory and Bowser Castle.
Fighting Luigi/Mario Is Missing!
- “Gee, the penguins kinda look like ants from up here...”
- —Bowser, Mario is Missing!
Bowser finally captured his nemesis during the events of Mario is Missing!, which strangely takes place in the Real World. Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi went to stop all of his Koopalings from stealing valuable landmark artifacts from famous Earth cities, which Bowser needed to fund his plan: he wanted to buy hair dryers to melt Antarctica and flood the world. The Hafta Havit Mail-Order was his source of hair dryers.
Luigi, scared to go into Bowser's Castle, stayed behind with Yoshi, however, Mario then got kidnapped. Luigi saved Mario from Bowser by using the skills of deduction, Mario was saved and Bowser was launched to the center of Antarctica and he split in two (although the game's place in the timeline, if it even happened, is questioned. Also, different versions of the game have different endings, Bowser's death being exclusive to the SNES version). Bowser caused so much trouble on Earth during Mario is Missing!. In the former, Bowser planned to melt Antarctica, flooding Earth. Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi set out to stop him, but Luigi stayed behind with Yoshi because he was too scared to go into Bowser's Castle. However, Mario then got kidnapped, forcing Luigi to save Mario using skills of deduction. The Mario Bros. then launched Bowser to the center of Antarctica, defeating him (or in the case of the PC version, forcefully removing Bowser's shell making him into a beach Bowser, much to his humiliation). Bowser plans to use several hairdryers to melt Antarctica, which would result in the Earth flooding. However, because he cannot afford the amount of hairdryers needed to enact the scheme, Bowser sends his Koopa Troop across the world to steal rare and valuable artifacts to sell.
Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi set out to head to Antarctica to stop him, but Luigi stayed behind with Yoshi because he was too scared to go into Bowser's Castle. However, Mario then got kidnapped, forcing Luigi to save Mario using skills of deduction. The Mario Bros. then launched Bowser to the center of Antarctica, defeating him (or in the case of the PC version, forcefully removing Bowser's shell making him into a beach Bowser, much to his humiliation). Mario's kidnapping, however, differs between the three versions. In the PC version, Luigi remains outside with Yoshi, as he is too scared to go in, so Mario enters by himself; Bowser, disguised as a butler, gives Mario some candy, and he is caught in a net afterward. In the SNES version, Mario falls down a pit trap activated by Bowser. In the NES version, Bowser catches him in a sack. Either way, Mario is kidnapped, forcing Luigi to save Mario using the skill of deduction. Mario's kidnapping, however, differs between the three versions. In the PC version, Luigi remains outside with Yoshi, as he is too scared to go in, so Mario enters by himself, leading to him being kidnapped; In the SNES version, Mario falls down a pit trap activated by Bowser; In the NES version, Bowser catches him in a sack. Either way, Mario is kidnapped, forcing Luigi to save Mario using skills of deduction. The Mario bros. then launch Bowser to the center of Antarctica, defeating him (or, in the case of the PC version, forcefully removing Bowser's shell, making him a beach Bowser, much to his humiliation).
The endings differ from the console as well. When the player saves Mario in the NES version, Luigi and what appears to be Bowser fight, but he flees as a Beach Koopa, but this Bowser turns out to be a fake. The real Bowser is later seen outside his fortress, crying over his defeat in the snow. In the SNES version, Bowser leaps down from above after Mario is saved. Bowser escapes by pulling a lever, but Luigi pulls the same one afterward. However, Luigi pulls a nearby switch that causes Bowser to fall into a hole, into a cannon. He is then shot out of his castle and into the Antarctic snow; he freezes instantly after, then shatters. In the PC version, Bowser advances toward Luigi, but Luigi forcefully removes his shell, making him a "Beach Bowser", much to his humiliation. When Bowser returns, Luigi lies to Bowser by saying that he threw his shell off the balcony. When Bowser looks over the ledge, Luigi kicks him off and he lands in the snow. He then emerges from a pile of snow, dazed, and falls into unconsciousness. After Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi leave, Bowser appears in the corner, looking in that direction before the credits roll.
Of note is that Bowser is extremely off-model in the NES release. There are two sets of sprites used, with the one in the opening being green and hornless, and the one during battle being orange with horns. Both sets appear to use an edited version of Morton, Ludwig, and Roy's body from Super Mario World, along with an edited version of Lemmy's head from the same game. As such, he is uncharacteristically short in this game, being even shorter than Mario and Luigi. When retracted into his shell, the sprites use the normal Koopa Troopa shell sprite from Super Mario World, except with all original detail removed and completely-square spikes added on. Finally, after defeat, he is knocked out of his shell and appears as a Beach Koopa, specifically from a Koopa Troopa. During the credits, however, he appears as normal.
Nintendo Adventure Books
InNintendo Adventure Books, Bowser was featured as the main antagonist of almost every story, where he often tried to commit somewhat bizarre and over-the-top deeds. In Double Trouble, Bowser intends on using Iggy's latest invention, a cloning machine called the GLOM, to overrun the Mushroom Kingdom with duplicates made of sand. After encountering Mario in his Koopahari Desert Fortress, Bowser brags about his scheme before giving chase to the plumber, though he quickly loses him. After Mario causes Fort Koopa to collapse by making the GLOM overload and blow up, he spots Bowser, Iggy, and Wendy limping off after digging themselves out of the rubble.
Bowser has only a cameo appearance in Leaping Lizards, where he threatens the orchestra performing at the International Mushroom Games (which six of his children are competing in) to play the Koopa Anthem.
In Monster Mix-Up, Iggy Koopa builds the Monster Mixer for Bowser, a device that can fuse two or more objects or creatures together. He begins to use it by fusing several of his minions into weird conglomerations of the two creatures that formed it (such as a Goomerang Brother and a Buzz-Bomb). However, in the end, Bowser is stopped and the machine is destroyed.
After Wendy disappears in Koopa Capers, Bowser uses a magic carpet to abduct Luigi from Brooklyn, so he can force the younger Mario brother into searching for the wayward Koopaling after his own minions prove incapable of finding her. In the best ending, Bowser and the male Koopalings confront Wendy, who had planned on performing a coup, in her secret lair by following Luigi, but they decide to stave off punishing the treacherous Koopaling if she helps search for the hiding Luigi. If Luigi has Boom Boom's socks, he can throw them into Wendy's simmering potion, creating fumes which knock Bowser, his family and their minions out for at least a week.
Bowser's appearance in Doors to Doom is as an enemy in the series of worlds created by Dr. Sporis von Fungenstein.
In Dinosaur Dilemma, Bowser has his minions begin abducting all the dinosaurs in Dinosaur Island, so that he can "prove" his theory that the dinosaurs went extinct due to not looking both ways before they crossed the street; once the dinosaurs and all evidence of their existence are gone and his theory is thus "proven" true, Bowser intends to be awarded the Snowbell Prize (feeding the cooked dinosaurs to the committee awarding it) and be named curator of the Mushroom Kingdom Museum of Natural History, conveniently located across the street from Mushroom Palace, which he plans on pelting with garbage. Mario and Yoshi ultimately crash Bowser's award ceremony, defeat his evil Slimosaurs, rescue the dinosaurs and the kidnapped Luigi, and humiliate the Koopa King in front of the Snowbell Prize committee and the rest of the guests, including Wart.
In Flown the Koopa, Bowser can be found hanging out in the Valley of the Koopas by Mario and Luigi; when asked about the whereabouts of Princess Toadstool and Yoshi, Bowser denies having anything to do with their disappearance, but since the Mario Bros. have annoyed him, he sics a quartet of Mechakoopas on them. In the best possible outcome, Luigi bludgeons Bowser with a wrench, sending him running and causing him to drop the remote control needed to disable the Mechakoopas and defeat a Magikoopa, who is Bowser's cousin and the main antagonist of the book.
Disguised as a Toad named Fungus Cap, Bowser crashes Yoshi's birthday in Unjust Desserts, placing a cherry on the dinosaur's cake that, when eaten, causes Yoshi to go on an eating binge that ends when he devours Luigi. After unsuccessfully trying to dissuade Yoshi's friends from calling dinosaur physician Doc Drake, Bowser sheds his Toad disguise and escapes, but returns later after having Magikoopa shrink him and his forces so that he can follow Mario (who intends to rescue Luigi) into Yoshi's body. When Yoshi and Luigi regurgitate everyone that they have eaten, Bowser and his forces try to overwhelm Mario, but are defeated and forced to retreat, with the still tiny Bowser being menaced by an ant.
During the earlier books, Bowser's appearances on the covers of Double Trouble and Monster Mix-Up show him with his cartoon appearance; on the cover of the later book Unjust Desserts, Bowser, albeit only his face being on the cover, is shown with his game appearance.
Super Mario Adventures
Bowser appears as the primary antagonist in Nintendo Power's comic series Super Mario Adventures. Some time prior to the events of the comics, he has hundreds of Yoshi's captured and enslaved. Yoshi tries to go after them, but he is trapped in an egg and left in the forest. Later, pipes begin to pop out of the princess's castle grounds, and several of Bowser's minions emerge from them. Bowser and his children, in his Koopa Clown Car, later appear out of a massive warp pipe. Bowser explains to Princess Toadstool that he wanted to conquer the kingdom, and that he could only do so by marrying her. Toadstool declines his proposal, but Bowser states that he would return for a final answer. He then heads back down the pipe, with the princess and several Toads in pursuit, to, hopefully, compromise with him.
Several of Bowser's Lakitus later captured Toadstool, and she was kept with Bowser's children and Bowser places her in the custody of his kids, telling them to keep a video line between his castle and theirs open. She is kept in a jail cell inside their castle. After interrupting them playing a video game, he begins to tell his kids that he proposed to Toadstool, but is interrupted by a Magikoopa, telling him that the model of his cake is finished. Bowser is shown the model, but wants it bigger, and has to interrupt his children's video game again to tell them to keep Toadstool inside the castle.
After the princess escapes, Bowser is furious at his kids for loosing his "bride," but the Koopalings show him that they have captured Mario. Bowser then sends two Mecha-Koopas across the moat dividing the mainland from the castle, to tell Luigi that, if he wants Mario back, he must give him Princess Toadstool or Mario will be killed. Luigi tricks Bowser and the Koopalings by sending himself in as the princess, and actually says yes to Bowser's proposal when he arrives.
Luigi then convinces the Koopalings to order pizza, which turns out to be from Yoshi and Toad, with the actual princess and Friendly Floyd in the boxes with several bombs; they ask for Mario to be freed, or they will blow up the castle. After much chaos ensues, Mario is freed and the group escapes.
After flying through the warp pipe to send for a rescue party, Toad was captured by Bowser and his minions. He and several Koopas then disguised themselves as Toads and helped the princess and the bros by sending a ladder. However, Bowser then took out a knife and sliced the ladder, separating himself and the princess from Mario and Luigi. He then revealed himself and the ladder was pulled back up the pipe, revealed to be a small airship. Bowser then unleashes his Paratroopas upon the bros.
Having defeated the Koopas, the brothers find a house in the middle of the forest, unaware that Bowser and the Koopalings are watching them and that the house is one of his traps. Bowser prematurely thinks that the brothers will enter the house, but when they don't, he pushes a button, causing the scent of cheese to emanate from the house. Luigi runs into the house, and Mario rushes inside to find him. With Mario out of the way, Bowser can return to planning his wedding. The smell convinces Luigi to head inside, and Mario rushes inside to find him. With the Mario bros. out of the way, Bowser returns to planning his wedding.
At the date of the wedding, Bowser witnesses a Magikoopa command several hundred enslaved Yoshis to drag the enormous cake into the courtyard. He then watches as they are commanded to enter into a special room, where they are forced to enter a machine that places them into eggs. As he is preparing for the wedding, he learns that the princess is still resisting. However, he has the Magikoopa hypnotize her into loving him. Just as the ceremony is taking place, Mario interrupts. Bowser then has his minions charge after Mario, subduing him. As he is about to continue with their marriage, a gigantic pack of Yoshis charges in, instantly defeating all of Bowser's minions. After the Magikoopa is defeated, the princess regains her senses. Bowser tries to escape in his Koopa Clown Car, but Mario lassos the car, causing Bowser to fall out of it and into the cake, which the Yoshis start to consume. Bowser then tries to continue the wedding, but the cake collapses, with him still on it. Bowser appears as the primary antagonist in Nintendo Power's comic series Super Mario Adventures. Some time prior to the events of the comics, he has hundreds of Yoshis captured and enslaved. Yoshi tries to go after them, but he is trapped in an egg and left in the forest. Later, pipes begin to pop out of the princess's castle grounds, and several of Bowser's minions emerge from them. Bowser and his children, in his Koopa Clown Car, later appear out of a massive warp pipe. Bowser explains to Princess Toadstool that he wanted to conquer the kingdom, and that he can only do so by marrying her. Toadstool declines his proposal, but Bowser gives her a week to decide anyway. He then heads back down the pipe, with the princess and several Toads in pursuit, to attempt to compromise with him.
Several of Bowser's Lakitus capture Toadstool, and Bowser places her in the custody of his kids, telling them to keep a video line between his castle and theirs open. She is kept in a jail cell inside their castle. After interrupting them playing a video game, Bowser begins to tell his kids that he proposed to Toadstool, but is interrupted by a Magikoopa who informs him that the model of his cake is finished. Bowser is shown the model, but wants it bigger, and has to interrupt his children's video game again to tell them to keep Toadstool inside the castle.
After the princess escapes, Bowser is furious at his kids for losing his "bride," but the Koopalings show him that they have captured Mario. Bowser then has them send two Mechakoopas across the moat dividing the mainland from the castle to blackmail Luigi; that if he wants Mario back, he must hand over Princess Toadstool or Mario will be killed. Luigi tricks Bowser and the Koopalings by sending himself disguised as the princess, and actually says yes to Bowser's proposal when he arrives.
Luigi then convinces the Koopalings to order pizza, which turns out to be from Yoshi and Toad, with the actual princess and Friendly Floyd in the boxes with several bombs. Once inside, they demand that Mario be released. After much chaos ensues, Mario is freed and the group escapes.
Bowser and his minions later capture Toad when he flies into the Warp Pipe to find Toadstool, Mario, and Luigi a rescue party. He and several Koopas then disguise themselves as Toads and help the princess and the Mario brothers by sending a ladder. However, on the way up Bowser pulls out a knife and severs the ladder, separating himself and the princess from Mario and Luigi. Afterward, he sheds the disguise as the ladder is pulled back up the pipe, revealed to be a small airship. Bowser then sends Paratroopas after Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi.
Having defeated the Koopas, the brothers find a house in the middle of the forest, unaware that Bowser and the Koopalings are watching them and that the house is one of his traps. Bowser prematurely believes that the brothers will enter the house, but when he sees they don't, he pushes a button that causes the scent of cheese to emanate from the structure. The smell convinces Luigi to head inside, and Mario rushes after to find him. Afterward, Bowser returns to planning his wedding.
On the date of the wedding, Bowser witnesses a Magikoopa command several hundred enslaved Yoshis to drag the enormus cake into the courtyard. He then watches as they are commanded to enter a special room, where they enter a machine that traps in eggs. As he is preparing for the wedding, he learns that the princess is still resisting. However, he has the Magikoopa hypnotize her into loving him.
Just as the ceremony commences, Mario interrupts. However, he is shocked to hear that the princess loves Bowser. Bowser then has his minions charge after Mario, subduing him. As he is about to continue with their marriage, a gigantic pack of Yoshis charges in, instantly defeating all of Bowser's minions. After the Magikoopa is defeated, the princess is freed from hypnosis. Bowser tries to escape in his Koopa Clown Car, but Mario lassos the car, causing Bowser to fall out of it and into the cake, which the Yoshis start to consume. Bowser then tries to continue the wedding, but the cake collapses, taking him with it.
In Nintendo Power's Super Mario Adventures comic serial, Bowser, abducts Princess Toadstool from her castle in an attempt to wed her. This causes a mass panic and Bowser turns several Toads into stone statues during the confusion. Bowser also hypnotizes several Yoshis into becoming his slaves. Bowser's plot was ruined when Mario and Luigi led the hypnotized Yoshis to rampage Bowser's wedding. Bowser boarded his Koopa Clown Car to escape, but Mario lassoed it, sending Bowser crashing into his wedding cake. To add insult to injury, the Yoshis then began eating the cake.
Super Mario Bros. film
This article is under construction. Therefore, please excuse its informal appearance while it is being worked on. We hope to have it completed as soon as possible.
- Main article : President Koopa
- Main article: President Koopa
A character named President Koopa appears in the Super Mario Bros. film. He is based on Bowser, but he isn't considered as the same character due to many differences. In the film, he is a military general who conquers what would soon become Dinohatten under him, and de-evolving its former ruler. In the Super Mario Bros., Bowser, here named President Koopa, is the ruler of Dinohattan. Sixty-five million years ago, a meteorite crashed onto earth, somehow isolating a population of dinosaurs in a dimension parallel to Earth, where some eventually evolved into a human form. Koopa is one such humanoid dinosaur, having descended from Tyrannosaurus rex.
Originally serving as a top general, Koopa eventually seized control of Dinohatten from Daisy's father, whom he turned into fungus, with plans to use a shard of the meteorite to reunite the dimensions and allow him to take over Earth as well. However, Daisy's mother manages to take the princess and the shard through a portal to Earth, leaving them at the entrance to a cathedral before trying to return to Dinohatten, only to be captured by Koopa. In the ensuing struggle, Koopa accidentally knocks over a support beam and the tunnel collapses, crushing Daisy's mother and blocking off the portal.
Some time after, Koopa assigns his cousins Iggy and Spike, who are also his minions, to retrieve Princess Daisy so he can use the meteorite shard she carries for his master plan. However, his bumbling cousins continuously deliver him the wrong girls, until finally succeeding in kidnapping Daisy. They barge into a mud bath shared by Koopa and his lover Lena (who are discussing how much better Earth is compared to their barren dimension) to announce the good news, however it turns out that they lost the shard to Mario and Luigi in the process of capturing Daisy.
Later, after Mario and Luigi are arrested, they are taken to see their lawyer, who is actually Koopa under an alias. He tries to trick the brothers into handing over the necklace, which has the shard on it and which they don't have anymore, eventually reaching the point where he physically assaults the brothers and orders them and Toad to be de-evolved. In the de-evolution chamber, Koopa witnesses as Toad is turned from a human like state to a Goomba, a strong, large, and stupid being loyal to Koopa. He then orders the brothers to tell him where the necklace is, or face de-evolution. However, the brothers escape, pushing Koopa into the de-evolution device, defeating all of his minions, and setting the machine for the Jurassic period. While the de-evolution ends prematurely and Koopa remains in his human-like form, his eye briefly becoming more reptilian hints that he had in fact been affected by the machine.
Iggy and Spike later break in on another of Koopa and Lena's mud baths, reporting that Mario and Luigi are in the Koopahari Desert. Koopa orders Lena to bring him Daisy, and has Iggy and Spike taken to the de-evolution chamber. However, instead of de-evolving them, Koopa has his cousins evolved, which results in the pair becoming smarter. He then orders the pair to capture Mario and Luigi and retrieve the shard or be killed.
Koopa is discussing training his Goombas with the de-evolution gun when Lena arrives, telling him that Daisy is ready. He is then finally introduced to Daisy, who is in another room with Yoshi, a Velociraptor-like creature. He surprises Daisy by entering the room and telling her Yoshi is a dinosaur. Ignoring her pleas for the whereabouts of her father, Koopa tells her that she also descended from dinosaurs, and, afterward, his head begins to show dinosaur-like traits. A frightened Daisy then runs away, but is caught by a Goomba, whom Koopa demands to take Daisy away.
At another point, he enters Devo 4, the holding chamber for Daisy's father, where he engages in small-talk with the fungus. He eventually states that his rebellion will have been in vain after the dimensions have been united.
Lena later enters Koopa's quarters, secretly possessing the meteorite shard, with Iggy and Spike as her prisoners. She convinces Koopa that they were now against him, and he orders them to be killed. He then walks off with Lena, who tries to reveal that she has the shard, only to be ignored. She bemoans the fact that Koopa only cares about Daisy now, while he states that he only cares for the future of their species and leaves, whereupon Lena decides to take action on her own.
Koopa is later told by the police chief that the army was ready for the invasion of earth. Alarmed by this, Koopa demands to know who gave the order, to which the chief states that he did, according to Lena. Koopa then figures out that she has the shard, and demands her arrest. He, along with a Goomba entourage, later run into Luigi and Daisy and capture the duo. Afterward, he orders the preparation for the invasion of earth. Eventually, the police chief captures Lena and delivers the shard to Koopa, and he then orders to prepare for the invasion.
Outside, Koopa and a small group of Goombas are distracted as Mario, as well as the missing girls from Brooklyn, fly out of a ventilation shaft on a mattress, allowing Luigi and Daisy to rejoin Mario. However, Koopa then approaches the brothers with a flamethrower, declaring he had won, and gives several commands through a communicator. The distracted Koopa does not notice as Luigi grabing a Banzai Bill from a local shop, which Mario loads into a Thwomp Stomper and activates it. The stomper knocks Koopa into an empty vat above streets. Mario, using some fungus as a vine, leaps onto the bottom of the vat, climbs on top of it, and hits Koopa, knocking the shard out of his teeth. Not being able to locate the shard, Mario is able to trick Koopa into thinking he has it.
They continue the fight on a catwalk, Mario pulling out the Bob-omb the brothers retrieved earlier and winds it, though the bomb falls through a hole. Unaware that the Bob-omb is still on its trek, the two dimensions begin merging before their eyes. Mario, Koopa, and his legion of Goombas appear at the excavation site after Koopa's tower merges with the World Trade Center. Casting aside the flamethrower, Koopa takes a de-evolution gun from a Goomba, which he fires at Mario, though he dodges the blast, which accidentally hits Anthony Scapelli, a business owner, and turns him into a monkey. He tries firing at him again, but Mario pulls out a mushroom the brothers found earlier to absorb the blast. The mushroom starts to grow, eventually becoming really large, and Mario uses it to hit Koopa, knocking the gun out of his hand.
Thanks to the efforts of Luigi and Daisy, the dimensions are split again, and Mario is joined by Luigi, who hands him a de-evolution gun. The brothers then fire the guns at him, just as the Bob-omb arrives right beneath Koopa and explodes, sending him flying into the empty vat. After a moment of silence, he emerges from the vat, having de-evolved into a tyrannosaurus. The brothers then blast Koopa again until he finally devolves into primordial ooze. In the Super Mario Bros. movie, Bowser, only ever called King Koopa here, was portrayed as the sadistic and tyrannical ruler of Dinohattan, an alternate universe version of Manhattan, New York which King Koopa had forcefully overthrown. Not content with simply ruling Dinohattan, King Koopa had planned on conquering Earth, which he needed a meteorite fragment owned by Princess Daisy to do.
After a brief invasion of Earth with his Goomba minions, King Koopa was brought back to Dinohattan where he battled Mario and Luigi. In the end, King Koopa was hit with his own Devolution Gun and regressed to a Tyrannosaurus Rex form and, finally later, a pile of primordial ooze. Although merciless, it was stated that his main motivation for trying to conquer Manhattan had to do with the propegation and survival of his species. Interestingly, in the official novelization of Super Mario Bros. and the Goldenbooks adaptation, Princess Daisy's father is referred to by the name of "King Bowser". In the Super Mario Bros. film, Bowser (known as President Koopa), was portrayed as having evolved into a human-looking dinosaur. He was the tyrannical ruler of Dinohattan, an alternate universe version of Manhattan based on both the Mushroom Kingdom and Dinosaur Land. Not content with simply ruling Dinohattan, Koopa planned to conquer Earth by means of a meteorite fragment owned by Princess Daisy.
King Bowser used to be the king of Dinohattan, an alternate universe version of Manhattan based on both the Mushroom Kingdom and Dinosaur Land. He had an unnamed wife and a daughter, Princess Daisy. However, he was transformed into fungus during a coup d'êtat led by Koopa.
Koopa, portrayed by Dennis Hopper, became the tyrannical ruler and self-proclaimed President of Dinohattan after the coup d'êtat. Not content with simply ruling Dinohattan, Koopa planned to conquer Earth by means of a meteorite fragment owned by Daisy. He also hated mammals, presumably because they were allowed to experience paradise while as his race had to suffer.
After this, both Bowser and Koopa mysteriously returned to their previous forms. In the Super Mario Bros. film, Bowser, here named President Koopa, is the ruler of Dinohattan. Sixty-five million years ago, a meteorite crashed onto earth, somehow isolating a population of dinosaurs in a dimension parallel to Earth, where some eventually evolved into a human form. Koopa is one such humanoid dinosaur, having descended from Tyrannosaurus rex.
Originally serving as a top general, Koopa eventually seized control of Dinohatten from Daisy's father, whom he turned into fungus, with plans to use a shard of the meteorite to reunite the dimensions and allow him to take over Earth as well. However, Daisy's mother manages to take the princess and the shard through a portal to Earth, leaving them at the entrance to a cathedral before trying to return to Dinohatten, only to be captured by Koopa. In the ensuing struggle, Koopa accidentally knocks over a support beam and the tunnel collapses, crushing Daisy's mother and blocking off the portal.
Some time after, Koopa assigns his cousins Iggy and Spike, who are also his minions, to retrieve Princess Daisy so he can use the meteorite shard she carries for his master plan. However, his bumbling cousins continuously deliver him the wrong girls, until finally succeeding in kidnapping Daisy. They barge into a mud bath shared by Koopa and his lover Lena (who are discussing how much better Earth is compared to their barren dimension) to announce the good news, however it turns out that they lost the shard to Mario and Luigi in the process of capturing Daisy.
Later, after Mario and Luigi are arrested, they are taken to see their lawyer, who is actually Koopa under an alias. He tries to trick the brothers into handing over the necklace, which has the shard on it and which they don't have anymore, eventually reaching the point where he physically assaults the brothers and orders them and Toad to be de-evolved. In the de-evolution chamber, Koopa witnesses as Toad is turned from a human like state to a Goomba, a strong, large, and stupid being loyal to Koopa. He then orders the brothers to tell him where the necklace is, or face de-evolution. However, the brothers escape, pushing Koopa into the de-evolution device, defeating all of his minions, and setting the machine for the Jurassic period. While the de-evolution ends prematurely and Koopa remains in his human-like form, his eye briefly becoming more reptilian hints that he had in fact been affected by the machine.
Iggy and Spike later break in on another of Koopa and Lena's mud baths, reporting that Mario and Luigi are in the Koopahari Desert. Koopa orders Lena to bring him Daisy, and has Iggy and Spike taken to the de-evolution chamber. However, instead of de-evolving them, Koopa has his cousins evolved, which results in the pair becoming smarter. He then orders the pair to capture Mario and Luigi and retrieve the shard or be killed.
Koopa is discussing training his Goombas with the de-evolution gun when Lena arrives, telling him that Daisy is ready. He is then finally introduced to Daisy, who is in another room with Yoshi, a Velociraptor-like creature. He surprises Daisy by entering the room and telling her Yoshi is a dinosaur. Ignoring her pleas for the whereabouts of her father, Koopa tells her that she also descended from dinosaurs, and, afterward, his head begins to show dinosaur-like traits. A frightened Daisy then runs away, but is caught by a Goomba, whom Koopa demands to take Daisy away.
At another point, he enters Devo 4, the holding chamber for Daisy's father, where he engages in small-talk with the fungus. He eventually states that his rebellion will have been in vain after the dimensions have been united.
Lena later enters Koopa's quarters, secretly possessing the meteorite shard, with Iggy and Spike as her prisoners. She convinces Koopa that they were now against him, and he orders them to be killed. He then walks off with Lena, who tries to reveal that she has the shard, only to be ignored. She bemoans the fact that Koopa only cares about Daisy now, while he states that he only cares for the future of their species and leaves, whereupon Lena decides to take action on her own.
Koopa is later told by the police chief that the army Is ready for the invasion of earth. Alarmed by this, Koopa demands to know who gave the order, to which the chief states that he did, according to Lena. Koopa then figures out that she has the shard, and demands her arrest. He, along with a Goomba entourage, later run into Luigi and Daisy and capture the duo. Afterward, he orders the preparation for the invasion of earth. Eventually, the police chief captures Lena and delivers the shard to Koopa, and he then orders to prepare for the invasion.
Nintendo Comics System
In the Mario comic's continuation portions of Valiant's Nintendo Comics System, Bowser, known under the name King Koopa at first, was once again featured as the main enemy of the Mushroom Kingdom, which he continued to try and cause chaos in and often tried to commit somewhat bizarre and over-the-top deeds. Though several of his appearances involve him trying to take over the Mushroom Kingdom, he also has a handful of joke comics revolving around him; said comic appearances include shorts such as "Koopa Kola," in which he is advertising the soda of the same name, and "Koopa's Believe It or Else!," in which he gives several obscure but allegedly true "facts" about the Mushroom Kingdom. His appearance in this comic series is exactly similar to his appearance in the DiC cartoons, except in "Just Deserts", which uses his game appearance with DiC's colorations and with a crown instead of a mane. Throughout the comics, it is implied that Bowser, in some way, is affiliated with the Apook Corporation, a large corporation selling most of the Mushroom Kingdom's commercial products, if not the owner. The corporation mainly retails their products at the Koopamart, a store also implied to be owned by Bowser; it is even designed to look like him.
In Nintendo Power's Super Mario Adventures comic serial, Bowser, abducts Princess Toadstool from her castle in an attempt to wed her. This causes a mass panic and Bowser turns several Toads into stone statues during the confusion. Bowser also hypnotizes several Yoshis into becoming his slaves. Bowser's plot was ruined when Mario and Luigi led the hypnotized Yoshis to rampage Bowser's wedding. Bowser boarded his Koopa Clown Car to escape, but Mario lassoed it, sending Bowser crashing into his wedding cake. To add insult to injury, the Yoshis then began eating the cake.
"The Legend"
The short comic "The Legend" explains how Bowser originally kidnapped the princess, and how the Mario brothers went on their quest to rescue her.
"Just Deserts"
In "Just Deserts," Koopa creates a mirage machine, which he uses to create a mirage of the Mushroom King splashing around in an oasis in the middle of the desert Mario and Luigi are trapped in, while he stays at his underground base. However, once they reach the spring, Koopa deactivates the mirage, prompting the bros to search for the king. They eventually arrive at the pyramid Koopa's base is in, and Mario rescues the king and presses a "master mirage" button on the machine, destroying the fortress.
"Piranha-Round Sue"
Bowser also appears during "Piranha-Round Sue." During the comic, the Piranha Plant Piranha Sue starts a revolution amongst the plants from King Koopa, who transforms the Mushroom King into a lizard. The king then sends Mario and Toad to retrieve a magic wand to turn him back, giving them the Green Gecko Gem, which gives its user a forcefield. Mario gets the wand, but eventually loses both it and the gem to Sue, who then claims that she rules the world; however, Bowser appears then, and Sue states that she got them for Bowser. He disregards this and claims both; however, he tosses the gem aside, deeming it worthless, and notices the wand has the words "Brooklyn Plumbing Novelty Company" inscribed upon it. Bowser then punishes Piranha Sue for being duped.
"Beauty and the Beach"
During "Beauty and the Beach," Bowser assumes control of a beach island, giving himself the alias "Ka-Hoopa." His plot is to use bombs to heat up the volcano on the center of the island to the point where it erupts and turns the Toads inhabiting the island into Fryguys. He achieves this by having the residents themselves throw the bombs into the volcano, convincing them that doing so will scare off the Trouters near the island. After Princess Toadstool, Mario, and Toad wash ashore on the island, their boat having been destroyed by the aforementioned Trouters, they eventually encounter Bowser. However, he offers them no trouble, even telling them his plan in its entirety, and leaves, stating the volcano would erupt in a matter of minutes. Out at sea, however, he is shocked to notice that the volcano is not erupting, thanks to Mario's installing of bamboo pipelines to divert the lava.
"Magic Carpet Madness"
In "Magic Carpet Madness," Bowser first prank phone calls King Toadstool while he is tending his garden; however, his trip to the phone causes him to track mud across the castle's carpet. Princess Toadstool scolds him for this, then calls a carpet cleaner. Bowser then sends three Pidgits to the castle under the guise of carpet cleaners, while he fills the cleaner with Flying Carpet Juice. Bowser watches from a window and later the roof as Toadstool flies out of her castle's skylight, then into the air. However, the plan falls apart when the hypnotized Princess Toadstool crashes into Bowser's blimp. He is last seen whining on the ground, having crashed into the ground and formed a hole.
"Bedtime for Drain-Head"
Before the events of "Bedtime for Drain-Head," Bowser kidnaps Toad. However, a sleepwalking Mario, believing himself to be his favorite comic book hero Dirk Drain-Head, breaks in to Bowser's Castle and beats him up; not wanting to be beaten any more, he calls for a truce. They then head back to Peach's Castle, where he is seen serving the king, Wooster, and Toad grape sodas with little umbrellas upon Luigi and Princess Toadstool's arrival. The king then commends Mario by giving him a slap on the back, waking him up; realizing that Bowser is shocked to see that he was defeated by Mario in his sleep, he and the others storm off.
"Betrayal Most Proper"
In "Betrayal Most Proper," Bowser only gets a minor appearance. The king's adviser Wooster apparently commits treason, and is kidnapped by Koopa Troopas. Back at Bowser's Castle, however, he feeds Bowser and his minions so much junk food that they become overweight and enter into a state of hibernation.
"Duh Stoopid Bomb!"
In "Duh Stoopid Bomb!," Bowser, along with several minions and an incognito Toad, attend a meeting in which a Shy Guy presents the Stupid Bomb, a device that releases a gas that makes anyone inhaling it stupid for several hours. A Snifit later tells him that Mario and Luigi set off a Stupid Bomb they took on themselves; Bowser is first displeased by this, but then is happy, explaining that they will probably set off more bombs on the rest of the population. He then presents a Smart Bomb, a bomb that will not only reverse the Stupid Bomb, but make the one who inhales its gas highly intelligent. The Snifit takes the bomb, and it explodes in his hands. Using his newfound intelligence, the Snifit usurps Bowser of his power and dumps him into Fryguy Kindergarten, where he is crowned by a group of over-excited Fryguys.
"Cloud Burst"
Bowser once again is given a minor appearance in "Cloud Burst," where he is seen explaining to a recently amassed army in "World 3" that he has recently been robbed of tons of Koopabits and even his crown, and that they should be on the lookout for the traitor. However, it turns out that that Lakitu and his cloud and partner Fluffy had robbed Bowser and, earlier, Princess Toadstool. While on a mission to reclaim Princess Toadstool's crown, Mario runs into Bowser (who is wearing a hat) and several minions. As Bowser interrogates Mario for the location of his crown and money, Luigi, up above, pulls an escape hatch on Fluffy open, causing himself, the Lakitu, and all the stolen items to fall to the ground, Lakitu bonking Bowser on the head and knocking him unconscious.
"The Buddy System"
In "The Buddy System," Bowser's plan is to blow up the underground's main water pipe. He later explains that he is doing this so he can start up a taxi service to replace the soon-to-be useless underground. However, the plan's main flaw is Lemmy's stupidity; he neither knows how to set up the bombs and where the main water pipe is. On the last section, Lemmy uses four bombs, however; the catastrophic explosion causes Bowser and a nearby Mario to be blown toward a Mouser colony. They capture the pair, chaining them together, and Bowser (after the mice call Mario the more intelligent of the duo) explains his plan. However, the Mousers then show him the real main water pipe, and even blow it up as a demonstration to how they would do it, flooding the underground.
He attempts to escape using a Warp Pipe, but Mario explains that the pipes shut off after the water reaches a certain level. They then head back and work together to shut off the water main, and, once this is done, the emergency drain activates. Upon reaching the above ground, Mario and Bowser fight, using a plunger and a tree branch respectively. However, Lemmy then interrupts the fight by bringing in another bomb, and he clumsily drops it; the bomb misses the duo, but cuts the chain keeping them together. Bowser then angrily chases after Lemmy.
"It's Always Fair Weather"
Bowser later appears in the comic "It's Always Fair Weather." Here, he is seen storming around the Mushroom Kingdom fair grounds, annoyed that he is being mistaken for Luigi inside a Bowser suit at the dunk tank. He then notices a group of hot air balloons, and decides to take out his anger by using his helicopter's propeller blades to blow them away; However, they are then rescued by Mario, who has been transformed for the first time into Raccoon Mario. After landing, Mario is given a kiss by Princess Toadstool; however, the lovestruck plumber stumbles into Bowser, causing him to lose his raccoon abilities. However, Mario is still able to defeat him by activating the cyclone once more, sending Bowser flying into the pool for the "Douse the Bowser" attraction.
"The Revenge of Pipe Ooze!"
Bowser is also in "The Revenge of Pipe Ooze!," where he is supervising Lemmy's ambush test, which they decide to do at The Annual Dirk Drain-Head Role-Playing Game under the disguise of hotdog vendors (their only form of disguise being fake mustaches). The Mushroom King and Toad, cosplaying as Pipe Ooze and Muck respectively, head over to their hotdog stand; it is here that Lemmy and Bowser knock them out with magic wands. They then take the pair's costumes, and Lemmy decides to ambush Mario, who is role-playing as Dirk Drain-Head himself.
Later, he uses a catapult to launch Lemmy at Mario, as Bowser questions why his son isn't paying taking in his "evil villain lessons." However, the ambush fails, and Bowser attacks a Piranha Plant who insulted his son earlier. He then takes Lemmy onto a pipe and orders him to attack, but Lemmy asks if he can role-play first. Bowser yells at him, causing his son to feel sad, and then apologizes, granting him two minutes to have fun. He then assists Mario and Luigi in their attempt to act out comic #287 in Dirk's series by beating up Bowser. After this is over, Luigi (who recognizes Pipe Ooze to be Bowser instead of the king) convinces him to help him get Mario's spirit back by pretending to be afraid of him, since Luigi's being Dirk attracted several fans. The ruse works, and Mario proceeds to beat up Bowser. Lemmy and Bowser then leave their costumes and sneak away. Lemmy asks if attacking his own father counts toward passing the ambush test, and Bowser tells him that it does; he also gives him extra credit for attacking a close family member. The two then head off to get some food and rest.
"Tanooki Suits Me"
In the comic "Tanooki Suits Me," during the grand opening of an art gallery, Mario pushes a button on his Tanooki Suit, turning him into Statue Mario. After the opening party, several Mice steal the art, including Mario as well the rest of the art at the gallery, and then sell it to Bowser for fifty Koopabits, as part of his plan, which also involves selling the art to Wart for a much higher price. Hearing Wart at the door, he sends the mice off, convincing them that it is the police.
As he is about to sell the entire collection for five million Koopabits, Mario transforms back into Tanooki Mario. Not recognizing the plumber in his Tanooki form, Mario convinces Wart that the paintings and statues are actually worthless products from the Apook Corporation, and that they will transform into raccoons as well in a few minutes. Wart is angered by this, and he and Bowser fight while Mario escapes on a forklift with the stolen art.
Bowser's joke comic appearances include shorts such as Koopa Kola, in which he is advertising the soda of the same name, and Koopa's Believe It or Else!, in which he gives several obscure, but possibly true, "facts" about the Mushroom Kingdom.
Japanese Anime
Bowser, under his Japanese name of King Koopa, was featured as the main villain of the Japan-exclusive video The Great Mission to Save Princess Peach, which had Bowser abducting Princess Peach, wanting to force her to love and marry him. Near the end of the film, Bowser tries to forcefully marry Princess Peach, only for the wedding to be interrupted by Mario and Luigi. After severely pummeling Mario, Bowser is eventually defeated by Mario who, becoming empowered by a Starman, beats Bowser and throws him over the horizon. In the post-credits sequence of the movie, Bowser, as well as his Koopa Troopa minions, can be seen happily working at Mario and Luigi's grocery store.
Bowser was also featured as the main villain of all three of the stories in the Super Mario Amada Series anime, which had him taking on the guise of various fairy tale villains. In the first story of the Super Mario Amada Series, Momotarō, Bowser acts as the story's ogre, who kidnaps Princess Peach with the help of his henchmen, the Koopalings. Bowser is eventually defeated and Princess Peach is rescued when Mario defeats him with help from his allies. In the second story of the Super Mario Amada Series, Issun-bōshi, Bowser plays a somewhat minimal role, appearing to bully both Princess Peach and Mario during the story. While harassing Princess Peach, Bowser eats Mario, who prods Bowser's innards with a needle; this causes Bowser to experience a horrific stomach ache and forces him to regurgitate Mario and run away, yelling. In the final story of the Super Mario Amada Series, Shirayukihime (Snow White), Bowser, oddly, plays the role of the story's Wicked Queen, who wishes to steal the beauty of Princess Peach. After poisoning Princess Peach, who is later cured, Bowser tries to take her as a hostage, only to be defeated by Luigi.
Western Television
Bowser, though most commonly referred to by the name of King Koopa instead of Bowser, was featured as the main villain of all three of DIC Entertainment's Super Mario cartoons, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World. Like Princess Toadstool, King Koopa's appearance was based off of his Super Mario Bros sprite rather than official artwork from the title. His shell had yellow unsharp spikes rather than white pointy ones. His spiked collars also had yellow spikes and were colored green instead of white spikes and black collars.
In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Bowser would often take on various aliases and costumes and try to inact a dastardly plot of some sort, most commonly trying to conquer a kingdom or steal an ancient treasure and/or artifact; aiding Bowser in these plots were his Koopa Pack and also a sidekick of sorts, most commonly Mouser. In several episodes, Bowser would capture Princess Toadstool and attempt to blackmail her into giving him the Mushroom Kingdom, although some other episodes implied he already had some measure of control over the kingdom.
In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser, having seemingly been banished from the Mushroom Kingdom sometime after the events of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, returned to it to cause havoc, with the aid of his seven Koopalings. In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser stopped his use of aliases and costumes and his plans became somewhat more odd in nature, such as turning his children into giant, ninja warriors for the sole purpose of kidnapping Prince Hugo the Huge so he could simply transform him into a poodle.
In Super Mario World, which Bowser made only somewhat infrequent appearances in, Bowser, as revealed in the episode "Mama Luigi", had been once again been banished from the Mushroom Kingdom, was forced to move to Dinosaur World, which he began to cause trouble in as well. Bowser's fate at the end of Super Mario World is never actually disclosed, as his final appearance in it (excluding the aforementioned, flashback episode "Mama Luigi") had him trapped in his bedroom, which was rapidly filling with lava.
Oddly, Bowser was featured as the host of his own live-action television series by the name of King Koopa's Kool Kartoons; King Koopa's Kool Kartoons had Bowser giving Nintendo related merchandise to his all-child audience members, as well as showing them old, public domain cartoons.
Other
In the Super Mario Bros. movie, Bowser, only ever called King Koopa here, was portrayed as the sadistic and tyrannical ruler of Dinohatten, an alternate universe version of Manhatten, New York which King Koopa had forcefully overthrown. Not content with simply ruling Dinohatten, King Koopa had planned on conquering Earth, which he needed a meteorite fragment owned by Princess Daisy to do.
After a brief invasion of Earth with his Goomba minions, King Koopa was brought back to Dinohatten were he battled Mario and Luigi. In the end, King Koopa was hit with his own Devolution Gun and regressed to a Tyrannosaurus Rex form and later, a pile of primordial ooze. Interestingly, in the official novelization of Super Mario Bros. and the Goldenbooks adaptation, Princess Daisy's father is referred to by the name of King Bowser.
Bowser was featured as the main villain of the Ice Capades of 1989, which had him trying to cause worldwide chaos by spreading an electronics corrupting virus through Nintendo Entertainment Systems.
Invasion of the Jewelry Land/Yoshi's Safari
Bowser and the Koopalings took over the kingdom of Jewelry Land, kidnapping the rulers King Fret and Prince Pine, and stole twelve magical gems in Yoshi's Safari. This caused a disturbance in the ground and caused and earthquake that splits Jewelry Land into the Light Realm and the Dark Realm. Princess Peach's good friend, Prince Pine and his father, King Fret, were in trouble along with their kingdom because of this. Mario, riding Yoshi, headed for Jewelry Land with the new weapon Princess Peach gave them to defeat Bowser. Mario and Yoshi ended up fighting Bowser in a giant robot, Bowser fought Mario using many cheap tricks such as throwing bombs, but he was still defeated, ending his reign over Jewelry Land.
Mario and Yoshi, rode through many unexplored stages and fought the Koopalings. Mario wasn't the only one with weapons as each of them possessed their own special weapon. Bowser, all geared up, fought Mario using many cheap tricks such as throwing bombs. Nevertheless, Mario and Yoshi beat him and saved another kingdom of the Mushroom World.
After traversing every land, the duo arrive at Bowser's Castle. Once all of the minions inside the castle are defeated, Yoshi and Mario fall down a pit leading to a room with Bowser wearing a robotic suit of armor. Inside the armor, Bowser attacks by shooting projectiles at them with the blasters on the hands. However, the entire robot is invincible except for the hands; attacking these enough times disables them and cause the robot's actual weak point to be revealed. When this is attacked enough times, the robotic suit is destroyed, revealing Bowser himself. In this state, he attacks Mario and Yoshi by tossing Koopa shells at them. Like with the robot, Bowser's hands are the only venerable part of him at first. Once his hands are shot enough, they are disabled (being wrapped in bandages), and Bowser attacks by breathing flames at them. Yoshi and Mario must shoot Bowser's head in order to damage him at this point. Once he is shot at enough, Bowser surrenders (appearing dazed and holding two white flags). The game's credits state that Bowser and the Koopalings return to their home.
After beating the game, a code for the hard mode is unlocked, increasing the difficulty and changing level colors. The text is also changed, to make it appear as though the events of the game are occurring a second time. Mario must once again save King Fret and Prince Pine, as well as reclaim the twelve gems to save Jewelry Land. After defeating Bowser a second time, the game once again states that he and the Koopalings return to their home for good.
A Plan for a Museum/Mario's Time Machine
In Mario's Time Machine, Bowser built a time machine known as the Timulator, a time machine that he used to steal valuable artifacts from the Earth's past in the Real World to build a great "Museum". He plans to destroy the Timulator after he is done, not realizing that messing with the past could drastically alter the present. Mario took back Bowser's stolen artifacts and used his own time machine to return them to their proper places, saving the time stream. He, however doesn't realize that it might alter the present forever if not returned immediately. Mario had to stop Bowser from stealing more artifacts and returned the ones he already has to their proper locations, using his own Time Machine. Note that the game is very different for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. In the Nintendo Entertainment System version, Mario was accompanied by Yoshi to defeat Bowser, but in the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Yoshi didn't appear at all.
Mario first went to Bowser's Museum in Bowser's Castle and took back all the artifacts he has stolen. After meeting many historical figures and returning the artifacts to their proper places, Mario went to stop Bowser. Mario ended up victorious and saved the world. Bowser caused much trouble on Earth during Mario is Missing! and 'Mario's Time Machine. In the former, Bowser planned to melt Antarctica, flooding Earth. Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi set out to stop him, but Luigi stayed behind with Yoshi because he was too scared to go into Bowser's Castle. However, Mario then got kidnapped, forcing Luigi to save Mario using skills of deduction. The Mario Bros. then launched Bowser to the center of Antarctica, defeating him.
If the player fails to return all the artifacts in time, Bowser escapes by using the Timulator and setting it for "Paradise", forcing the player to start over. However, if the task is done, Bowser attempts to use the machine to escape, but it overloads, then self-destructs, and he is teleported to the Cretacious era, where a Tyrannosaurus Rex stomps him. If the player returns at least one of them in the wrong order, Bowser will end up teleported to the Cretacious era as aforementioned, although beyond that nothing else actually happens to him with the narration stating that, while the player did succeed in returning all the artifacts, they did so in the wrong order, thus forcing the player to start over.
In the NES version, Bowser's fight is similar to a fight with a Koopaling in Super Mario Bros 3, in that jumping on him causes him to retract into his shell (barring his head). After he is hit enough times, he flees, and Mario rescues Yoshi. He can be seen crying during the credits.
Mario's Early Years! series
Bowser's appearances in the Mario's Early Years! games are in the various activities in the game, like dancing for the letter D. Because the game is aimed for younger children, his appearance in this series is not as a villain.
Bowser and the Seven Koopa Hotels/Hotel Mario
In Hotel Mario, Bowser and the Koopalings turned the entire Mushroom Kingdom into their own personal hotel chain resorts and retain Princess Toadstool as a "permanent guest" in one of the seven Koopa Hotels. At the beginning of the game, Bowser appears at the entrance to the Mushroom Kingdom after the Mario Bros. enter, and laughs ominously. The brothers then discover a note left by Bowser explaining the situation, and Mario and Luigi set off to retrieve the princess. After destroying most of the Koopaling hotels, Mario fought Bowser in his own hotel and defeated him, rescuing the princess. Mario and Luigi destroyed the hotels of each Koopaling, but Toadstool evaded their possession. Mario fought Bowser in his own hotel and defeated him, rescuing the princess.
After Wendy is defeated and her hotel vanishes, Princess Peach runs over to the Mario Bros., but is teleported away by Bowser, with his laughter being heard by the two. The hotel they find afterward is Bowser's Seizures Palace Hotel. After reaching the final stage, Bowser's Barbecue Room, the player must face a Bowser look-alike (who is actually Iggy in disguise). Once he is defeated, the player moves to the next area to face the real Bowser. He attacks Mario and Luigi by breathing fire and summoning multiple bolts of lightning. Like Iggy, Bowser does not use the elevators, instead changing floors by jumping between them. However, he can be attacked by jumping on him like the Koopalings, and two stomps to the head temporarily sends him off-screen. Like some of his children, he attempts to put a bitter end to their rivalry by savagely dining on them whole. However, when Mario and Luigi shut all the doors in the hotel, the entire building falls to the ground as the brothers and the princess escape.
Bowser also makes a small cameo during a cutscene in the game, in which his name and face appear on the package for Bowser's Sourpuss Bread. His name also appears on the bottle for Bowser's Ghost Cologne.
In the opening cutscene, Bowser has green hands, while his in-game sprite resembles his normal appearance except that his tail is green and has no spikes. At the beginning of the game, Bowser appears at the entrance to the Mushroom Kingdom after the Mario Bros. enter, and laughs ominously. The brothers then discover a note left by Bowser explaining the situation, and Mario and Luigi set off to retrieve her. They destroy the hotels of each Koopaling, but Toadstool evades their possession each time. The Mario Bros. eventually reach Bowser's Seizures Palace Hotel, the hotel run by Bowser himself.
After defeating Iggy, who does not own a hotel but rather works in the Seizures Palace Hotel, the brothers face Bowser. Bowser attacks them by breathing fire and summoning multiple bolts of lightning. He also cannot use elevators due to his size, instead changing floors by leaping between them. However, he can also be attacked by jumping on him like the Koopalings, and two stomps to the head will temporarily send him off-screen. Like some of his children, he will attempt to put a bitter end to their rivalry by savagely dining on them whole. Fortunately, they manage to defeat Bowser, and the entire hotel crumbles to pieces as the brothers and the princess escape.
Mario's Game Gallery
In Mario's Game Gallery, Bowser appears alongside Mario as one of the two possible opponents for the five games; whether he is the character to be faced or not depends on the game
A Brief Alliance/Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars/Bowser and Mario 's rivalry start in 3D
- “I'm the biggest, baddest brute around, and don't you forget it.”
- —Bowser, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Bowser actually served as Mario's ally and joined his team in Super Mario RPG, making this game the first time that they have teamed up. He used variations of Chain Chomps and his claws to attack, as well as tossing Mario at enemies: Hurly Gloves (Described as: "A classic Mario-toss attack" though when Bowser tossed Mario any other time is a mystery). His special moves often involved summoning his minions to attack. His special moves are Terrorize, in which he summons a Big Boo to attack; Poison Gas, in which he summons a Mokura to poison enemies; Crusher, in which he creates a large column of earth that emerges from the ground and strikes enemies; and Bowser Crush, which involves Bowser summoning a giant Mecha-Koopa to attack enemies.
During the events of the game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, at the beginning, Bowser kidnapped Princess Toadstool as she was picking flowers at Mario's Pad. He flew her to his castle, named Bowser's Keep, in his Koopa Clown Copter with the princess. However, Mario was right behind him on his tail. The plumber battles past the castle's guards, and bursts into Bowser's throne room and fought him atop Bowser's chandeliers in what is their one millionth battle. But Bowser seemed to be unbeatable. Attacking with claws and spikes, Bowser was determined not to lose to Mario again. However, with some advice from the princess, Mario attacked the Kinklink chain holding up the chandelier. The chandelier and Bowser were sent plummeting to the ground below. However, Bowser threw Hammers at Mario's chain, sending him falling as well. On the ground, Mario Jumped on top of Bowser, giving him a boost up to the princess and frees her. However, the Koopa King is nowhere to be found. Looking up, Mario is shocked to see Princess Toadstool hanging from the ceiling and Bowser standing on a chandelier. Mario leaps up and the two warriors engage in battle on the chandeliers. However, Bowser seems to be unbeatable. Attacking with claws and spikes, Bowser is determined not to lose the princess again. However, with some advice from the princess herself, Mario attacks the Kinklink chain holding up Bowser's chandelier. The Kinklink releases the chandelier, and Bowser is sent plummeting to the ground below. However, Bowser is not ready to give up yet, and he starts to throw Hammers at Mario's chain. Eventually, Mario is sent falling as well. As they plummet to the floor below, an enraged Bowser attempts to attack Mario again. However, Mario jumps on top of the Koopa King as he swipes his claws, sending Mario flying in the air to Princess Peach, and Bowser crashing to the ground.
After the defeat of Exor, Bowser decides to abandon the group to return to his keep, having finally reclaimed it, and telling Mario that, as a Koopa Troop member, he is required to help with repairs. However, Geno stops him and reminds him that, as long as Smithy is still active, the keep remains at risk. This convinces Bowser to stay with the group. After the battle, a huge sword named Exor crashed into Bowser's Keep, sending Mario, Toadstool, and Bowser flying in different directions, scattering them across the world. Bowser's Keep was taken over by Exor and Smithy's gang. Bowser ended up near Rose Way. His troops fled in panic, and by the time he reached Booster Tower, once there, he decided to join Mario, at least until he could reclaim his castle. Once there, he decided to join forces with Mario (even going as far as naming Mario, Geno and Mallow honorary members of the Koopa Troop), at least until he could reclaim his castle back. Later, at Moleville, Bowser is conveniently there at the same time as Mario once again; however, the two do not notice each other, and the number of minions he had earlier has decreased. However Bowser helps Mario and his Party for a bit longer after his castle is won because (as Geno points out) it would not be truly secure until Smithy was defeated; though the King of the Koopas insisted he only did it because Smithy had insulted him. Even after his castle is rescued he helps Mario and his Party for a bit longer, because (as Geno points out) the castle will not be safe until Smithy was defeated. However, Bowser himself declares he helps out further because Smithy has insulted him, and no one can insult the King of the Koopas.
When Mario reaches Booster Tower, he once more encounters Bowser, but, at this point, all his remaining minions have abandoned. Having no other choice, he decides to join forces with Mario, naming him, Geno and Mallow honorary members of the Koopa Troop. They then break into Booster Tower to get Princess Toadstool back, and, after defeating Grate Guy and Knife Guy, Booster's helpers, they find Booster and the princess are gone. They find out that they have fled to Marrymore, where Booster plans to marry Toadstool. The group then travels to Marrymore, where they not only crash the wedding, but also fight and defeat the living wedding cake Bundt (which Booster eats) and take Toadstool back to the Mushroom Kingdom. However, with the help of her grandmother, she sneaks out of the castle and joins the party. However, he notices Mario behind him, and awkwardly attempts to starts a conversation when he notices Toadstool on the balcony of the tower, then leaves. However, upon noticing the door is locked, Bowser returns, surprised that Mario is still there; realizing that Mario needs him on the team, Bowser breaks down the door and joins the party, naming him, Geno and Mallow honorary members of the Koopa Troop. Later at Marrymore Bowser helps Mario free Toadstool from Booster, who has the intention of marrying her. After returning her to the Mushroom Kingdom, the Chancellor and fellow Toads are surprised to see that Mario is working with Bowser. Although he is nervous to tell the truth, he is able to stretch it some with the others when they explain what is happening. After explaining that, without Star Road, Princess Toadstool may never be saved if Bowser kidnaps her, he wants to forget the mission. But when Toadstool reminds him that he may not regain his keep if he does, this convinces him to stay and help.
For the rest of the game, Bowser follows Mario as a member of his party, helping him in completing his quest of collecting the seven Star Pieces to repair the Star Road. They collect the fourth Star Piece on Star Hill with no opposition; the fifth they claim from Yadrovich, a spear-wielding lieutenant of Smithy's army, at Seaside Town after he gains it from them. Because they do not know where the fourth Star Piece might be, the group decides to ask Frogfucius where it is, per Mallow's suggestion. He tells them that it is at Star Hill, and, sure enough, when the group arrives, they find the fourth Star Piece unguarded.
The group then heads to Seaside Town, where they are told by the town elder that the Star Piece was seen flying into the sea. The group then heads underwater, and find a Sunken Ship. After collecting the sixth Star Piece in Barrel Volcano, it is snatched by the Axem Rangers, five of Smithy's robot minions, who head to the top of the volcano and into their ship, Blade. Once Mario and the group arrive on the ship, they take down the rangers and Blade and claim the sixth Star Piece.
When the player arrives at Booster Tower, Bowser is once again encountered; however, he is sulking because all his remaining minions have abandoned him. However, he notices Mario behind him, and awkwardly attempts to starts a conversation when he notices Toadstool on the balcony of the tower, then leaves. However, upon noticing the door is locked, Bowser returns, surprised that Mario is still there; realizing that Mario needs him on the team, Bowser breaks down the door and joins the party, naming him, Geno and Mallow honorary members of the Koopa Troop. Later at Marrymore Bowser helps Mario free Toadstool from Booster, who has the intention of marrying her. After returning her to the Mushroom Kingdom, the Chancellor and fellow Toads are surprised to see that Mario is working with Bowser. Although he is nervous to tell the truth, he is able to stretch it some with the others when they explain what is happening. After explaining that, without Star Road, Princess Toadstool may never be saved if Bowser kidnaps her, he wants to forget the mission. But when Toadstool reminds him that he may not regain his keep if he does, this convinces him to stay and help.
Twice in Monstro Town Bowser can encounter former minions; one is Jagger, who is training with Jinx, and the other is a Goomba who has opened up a shop. However, Bowser wishes them good luck with their current lives, stating that his new "minions" are helping to reclaim his keep. Later, in Nimbus Land, upon finding the door to King Nimbus's room, Bowser attempts to bust the door down. However, he is stopped when Mallow suggests that King Nimbus may really be sick, and that they should not disturb him. Even later, after defeating Exor, Bowser decides to abandon the group to return to his castle, having finally reclaimed it, and telling Mario that, as a Koopa Troop member, he needs to help with repairs. However, Geno stops him and reminds him that, as long as Smithy is still active, his castle is still at risk. This convinces Bowser to rejoin the group.
Using King and Queen Nimbus' Royal Bus, the group reaches Bowser's Keep. Upon reaching the same room Mario fought Bowser in at the beginning of the game, they are forced to fight the Smithy Gang's swordsman, Boomer, on the chandeliers, this time held up by a pair of Chandeli-Hos. After his defeat, the Chandeli-Ho holding up the Mario group's platform is transported to the highest tower in the castle. It is here that they are forced to fight the living sword Exor. He is shielded from attacks at first, but, after defeating his eyes, the rest of Exor can be defeated. Once that is done, Exor uses the last of his strength to inhale the group, transporting them to Smithy's Factory.
Inside the factory, Mario's group has to face several enemies, including Machine Mades, robot enemies that resemble past bosses, Count Down and the Ding-A-Lings, and Cloaker and Domino. Eventually, they finally reached Smithy himself, and engage him in battle. After defeating him, Smithy begins to pout, pounding the floor with his hammer. However, this causes the floor to be destroyed, plunging them into a dark area beneath the factory. Smithy then transforms into his true form, along with five other forms, and continues the fight, only to be defeated by Mario and his team in the end.
Upon reaching Smithy, the entire party demands that Smithy hand them his Star Piece, Bowser demanding that he leave his keep. He declines, and the group face him in the final battle. After collecting the seventh Star Piece and Smithy is defeated for good, Geno wishes the group goodbye, and they all witness as the spirit possessing the Geno doll, actually named ♥♪!?, but going under the name of the doll for the entire game, leaves the doll and returns to the newly repaired Star Road. At the very end of the game, Bowser has returned to his castle and is supervising its repair. The credits show that Bowser returns to his castle to help in its repair. Additionally, during the end credits parade, Bowser flies after Croco and a Crook in the Koopa Clown Car after they rob his keep. Some time later in the parade, Booster's Snifits have what Croco stole, Croco and the Crook are chasing after them, Booster is chasing them in the Koopa Clown Car, and Bowser is chasing after him, with several beetles behind him.
After the battle, a huge sword named Exor crashes into Bowser's Keep, sending Mario, Peach, and Bowser flying in different directions, scattering them across the world. Bowser's castle is taken over by the Exor and the powerful Smithy Gang, and Bowser's soldiers either turn tail and run or defect to their new master, the mechanical Smithy. King Bowser eventually ends up near Rose Way. Once there, he decides he has to consolidate his forces to strike back at the Smithy Gang and reclaim his castle. Since Smithy had stolen his castle, there was no reason not to help Mario defeat Smithy and his weapons. He used Chain Chomps and his claws as weapons, and his special moves often involved summoning his minions to attack. At the beginning of the Super Mario RPG, Bowser, in his Koopa Clown Car, flies to Mario's Pad to kidnap Princess Toadstool and take her back to his keep. However, Mario, hearing Toadstool scream, is on his tail. Bowser and Mario face each other atop a pair of chandeliers in the throne room. During battle, he attacks Mario by swiping him with his claws and launching his back spikes at him. At first, Bowser seems to be unbeatable, but the princess then advises Mario to attack the Kinklink chain holding up the chandelier. Once the Kinklink is damaged enough, it lets go of the chandelier, and Bowser plummets to the ground below. Not giving up, however, he throws Hammers at Mario's chain, bringing him down as well, but before he can hit the ground, Mario jumps off of Bowser's head, giving him a boost up to the princess to free her.
While traveling through Rose Way, Mario, and Mallow spot Bowser, with a small army of minions consisting of several Terrapins, Magikoopas, and Goombas, headed respectively by Jagger, Magikoopa, and Goomba; he gives them some pep talk, then they head off to reclaim his keep from the Smithy Gang. Later, at Moleville, Bowser is conveniently there at the same time as Mario once again; however, most of the minions he had earlier are now gone, including all of the Terrapins.
Upon arriving at Booster Tower, Bowser is once again sighted; this time, however, he is sulking because all his remaining minions have abandoned him. After noticing Mario behind him and Toadstool on the balcony, he leaves, but returns after Mario finds the door is locked. Realizing that Mario needs his assistance, Bowser rams the door in and joins Mario, naming him, Mallow, and Geno honorary Koopa Troop members. After returning her to the Mushroom Kingdom, the Chancellor and fellow Toads are surprised to see that Mario is working with Bowser. Although he is nervous to tell the truth, he is able to stretch it to some extent with the others when they explain what is happening.
Bowser's weapons are mostly variations of Chain Chomps and his claw, as well as tossing Mario at enemies, using the Hurly Gloves (Described as: "A classic Mario-toss attack," though when Bowser tosses Mario any other time is a mystery); Bowser's weapons themselves are Chomp, Chomp Shell, Hurly Gloves, Spiked Link, and Drill Claw. Bowser's special attacks are Terrorize, in which he summons a Big Boo to attack; Poison Gas, in which he summons a Mokura to poison enemies; Crusher, in which he creates a large column of earth that emerges from the ground and strikes enemies; and Bowser Crush, which involves Bowser summoning a giant Mechakoopa to attack enemies. Additionally, while fighting the enemies in Bowser's Keep, having Bowser as an active party member can scare away some of the monsters. If he is not, his mood can instead confuse them.
In this game, whenever Bowser uses a Special Move, a diamond is superimposed over his body. In the Japanese version, when Bowser is one of the active party members during battle, he does a gesture similar to giving the middle finger for his victory pose[10]. This was changed before the game was released in America. The theme that plays during Mario's battle with him is a cover of the final battle theme in Super Mario Bros. 3.
Brand New Forteress/Wrecking Crew '98
During the events of Wrecking Crew '98, Bowser overran the Mushroom Kingdom with many of his new fortresses. The result of all this construction was a withering Mushroom Kingdom.
Mario decided to stop Bowser by destroying his buildings. Foreman Spike also made a reappearance, this time helping Bowser. The heroic plumber defeated all his foes and the Mushroom Kingdom was saved yet again from the Koopa King. In Wrecking Crew '98, Bowser started the construction of many new fortresses, greatly deforesting the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario decided to save the environment by destroying all of Bowser's fortresses. Bowser sent many of his minions to stop the plumber, but they all fell, even Bowser's right-hand construction worker, Foreman Spike. Mario eventually destroyed Bowser's final fortress, saving the environment. In Wrecking Crew '98, Bowser started the construction of many new fortresses, greatly deforesting the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario decided to save the environment by destroying all of Bowser's fortresses. Bowser sent many of his minions to stop the plumber, but they all fell, even Bowser's right-hand construction worker, Foreman Spike. Mario eventually destroyed Bowser's final fortress, saving the environment.
In Wrecking Crew '98, Bowser begins constructing many new fortresses, greatly deforesting the Mushroom Kingdom. When Mario reaches his house, he notices that one of Bowser's buildings is directly in front of his house, as well as the plants withering due to the lack of sunlight, so he decides to go on a quest to tear them all down. Bowser sends many of his minions to stop the plumber, but they all fall; even Bowser's right-hand construction worker, Foreman Spike, cannot defeat him.
When Mario reaches Bowser's castle, he notices the Koopa King outside, putting the final touches on his fortress. He panics when he notices Mario, but regains his senses and decides to battle him. However, once he is beaten, Bowser is forced to watch as his fortress is destroyed. He is depressed at the sight of his building falling apart, but is then angered at Mario, and vows revenge.
After Bowser is defeated in story mode, both he and Princess Peach are unlocked as playable characters in multiplayer mode.
Mario Party Series
Bowser has appeared as an enemy, and in most cases, as the primary antagonist, in the Mario Party series since the first game, causing chaos and coin-lossage on the players. He is often given his own space, which when landed on by the Player will teleport him/her into Bowser's presence. There are multiple mini-games based around Bowser, from blowing him up (and losing if you do), to a multitude of mini-games where if you lose, Bowser takes your coins or a star. His appearances in the game are mostly to bring misfortune upon the players. In every game he is given his own space, which when landed on by the player causes Bowser to appear and wreak havoc. There are also multiple minigames based around Bowser, where a character's coins, items, or stars are taken if they lose. (In the first game, winning the minigame also results in this.) Throughout the series, Bowser has taken many forms, mostly in Mario Party 2. Bowser was originally only playable in the Beach Volley Folley minigame of Mario Party 4, but he is also a playable character in Mario Party 10. Another feature in almost every installment is Bowser being given his own board, which is almost always the final board to be unlocked. Bowser also receives his own board, which is always the final board to be unlocked.
Mario Party
In the original Mario Party game, Bowser most commonly appears on a random spot on all the boards whenever the player lands on a Bowser space. When the player runs into him, a special event is initiated, in which he gives the player completely useless items that usually cost coins. However, there are two exceptions to this; on Luigi's Engine Room, he gives the player one coin at the cost of twenty, and on Wario's Battle Canyon, he uses his claws to launch the player to a completely random space on the board. Bowser appears during the ending sequence of two boards. At the end of Luigi's Engine Room, he watches as the loser is continuously burnt by the steam generators. In Wario's Battle Canyon, he launches the loser out of his cannon.
When the player lands on a Bowser Space, Bowser appears to the player, then activates a roulette that triggers one of several events. Many of the options on the roulette are simply minigames, but despite the results of the minigame, Bowser always takes someone's coins (or a Star in exchange for ten coins, in some cases). If the roulette stops on "Bowser Revolution", Bowser takes all the competitors' coins and distributes them evenly. If it lands on "Coins for Bowser," Bowser steals some of the player's coins. If the roulette lands on one of the gold-lettered phrases, Bowser will do nothing and leave. Each of the events will always end with one or more players losing coins, except for "Bowser Revolution", in which he will take all the competitors' coins and distribute them evenly. Also, if a player has a star, but not coins, Bowser would take their star in exchange for ten coins. Several of the events are simply revamped minigames. If the roulette lands on one of the gold-lettered phrases, Bowser will do nothing and leave.
Bowser may also appear when the player hits an Event Block. If the result of hitting the block is Bowser's shell, Bowser appears to the player, then takes twenty coins from him or her; if the player does not have that many, Bowser steals all their coins. Bowser will also appear sometimes, in an event known as "Bowser's Bogus Items," in which he gives the player completely useless items that usually cost coins. However, there are two exceptions to this; on Luigi's Engine Room, he gives the player one coin at the cost of twenty, and on Wario's Battle Canyon, he uses his claw to send the player to a random space on the board.
Bowser's board in this game is Bowser's Magma Mountain, consisting of a volcano with one path leading up and can only be unlocked by purchasing it for 980 coins at the shop. The players must collect stars in order to defeat Bowser. Several volcano-head statues, which he speaks through, appear throughout the board. Landing on a green statue results in Bowser asking if the player wishes to take a shortcut to the top for ten coins. If the player selects yes, a roulette activates; landing on a star will allow the player to take the shortcut, and landing on Bowser's face forces the player to continue on the current path, with no refunds. Trying to take an intersection results in Bowser asking if the player wishes to take a shortcut to the top for ten coins. If the player selects yes, a roulette initiates; if the result is a star, the player can take the shortcut, and landing on Bowser's face forces the player to continue on the normal path, with no refunds. Additionally, when the player lands on a Happening Space, Bowser causes the volcano to erupt, turning all Blue Spaces into Red Spaces for two turns; they change back when it is that player's turn. When the player encounters the purple volcano statue, another roulette is initiated. If the result is a star, the player can confront Boo; if the result is Bowser, the player can confront Bowser, who steals a star or twenty coins from the player depending on the result of another roulette.
At the end of the board, the winner's stars form a larger star that destroys the part of the volcano that Bowser is in. He then flies into the air and lands back on the ground, followed by the winner jumping on him.
Once the player has won a total of 100 Stars, Bowser steals them all and challenges him or her to a battle on Eternal Star, the final unlockable board, to win them back. This board is a giant Star, broken into pieces and covered in Graffiti by Bowser. Landing on a Happening Space results in Bowser using his magic to send every player back to the start. Once the player wins on this board, their stars merge into one large star that blasts Bowser and Baby Bowser into space.
It should also be noted that a wanted poster of Bowser appears in the Mushroom Shop, on the bulletin board that briefly appears when the player leaves. Additionally, in the minigame Balloon Burst, the four players are competing to inflate and pop Bowser balloons. The minigame Tug o' War and Bash 'n' Cash feature the solo player in a Bowser suit.
Mario Party 2
During Mario Party 2, Bowser took over Mario Land and its six sub-lands. The characters of the game had a contest to beat Bowser the fastest in order to prove themselves the best. Bowser eventually lost control of five of his lands. Desperate to hold onto the final land, Bowser Land, Bowser utilized his Metal Bowser power-up, but the player used the stars that they obtained to defeat him.
During the event in which a player lands on a Bowser Space, one of many things can happen. In addition to every non-minigame event from the original, several other possible events were added: Bowser's Coin Potluck, Bowser's Multiplying Toads, and Bowser's Appearing Act. Another new option, Stars-Packed to Go, was added, but this is in gold font, and Bowser will leave like in the original if the roulette stops there. During Mario Party 2, while the characters argue over what to call the land they created, Bowser invades Mario Land. Because of this, Toad decides to settle the character's argument, stating that whoever defeats Bowser earns the right to name the land. Like the characters, Bowser also wears a costume and has an alias to fit the theme of each land; in Pirate Land, Bowser becomes Capt. Bowser; in Western Land, he becomes Bowser the Brash; in Mystery Land, he becomes Bowser Sphinx; when the player goes to Horror Land, Bowser becomes Wizard Bowser; and in Space Land, Bowser becomes Black Hole Bowser.
At the end of each board it will show a cutscene featuring the winner of each board defeating Bowser in some way. In Pirate Land, a Koopa Troopa will find the treasure in a cave and attempts to claim it, but Cap'n Bowser then shows up and and attempts to claim it when the winner emerges and challenges him for it. They sword fight, which ends with Bowser being poked in the stomach and running off.
At the end of Western Land, Bowser the Brash is robbing the Koopa Bank when the victor arrives to confront him. Bowser then engages with the winner in a quick-draw. The two draw at the same time, but Bowser misses the character and is hit, then falls over in pain. Depending on the version, he was shot with a different object. In the Japanese version, he had been shot with a bullet, with tense moments before revealing that Bowser ended up shot, while in the overseas version, he was instead shot with a cork from a cork gun, with the visuals making it more obvious as to who was going to be hit. The two pull out pop-guns in a game of quickdraw, but the player draws his or her weapon faster and shoots Bowser. The cork hits him dead-on and Bowser falls over.
The ending of Space Land features Black Hole Bowser attacking Koopa Troopas with lasers. When the winner arrives and blasts him with their own, but to no avail. They try running behind him and attacking, but Bowser blocks their attacks once more. He is attacking a green Koopa by trapping it with the lasers when the player arrives and blasts him with their own, but to no avail. He or she then runs around him in a circle, making him dizzy and open to attack. The winner successfully blasts Bowser, launching him into space.
In Mystery Land, Bowser Sphinx is seen attempting to steal the treasure, a golden Bob-omb statue, from a green Koopa. Bowser Sphinx has him guess what the silhouetted figure is, and the Koopa guesses incorrectly, causing Bowser to put him in a rock. The victor then arrives and correctly guesses the figure: it is Bowser himself. Bowser Sphinx then disappears.
The end of Horror Land features Bowser appearing to a Koopa after it is scared by a Boo. Wizard Bowser offers to help him, but he instead transforms the Koopa into a frog. The player then arrives, reverses Bowser's spell on the Koopa, and engages in a magical duel with him. In the end, Bowser loses, and is turned into a frog by the player's magic. Bowser then hops away.
Having lost control of five of the six lands, Bowser is desperate to hold onto the final land, Bowser Land. The characters then arrive at the territory Bowser conquered, aptly named Bowser Land. After beating this board, Bowser disappears, and the players heads off to search for him. He reappears behind a Koopa and attempts to harm it, but is confronted by the winner before he can. He breathes fire at him or her, which they dodge. He or she tries to throw him by the tail, but Bowser utilizes his Metal Bowser power-up, preventing them from throwing him. Toad then gives the winner's Power Stars to gain him or her strength, giving the character the necessary power to throw Bowser across the world and landing where he started, defeating him.
In addition, during the Last Five Turns Event, Bowser predicts who the winner may be in Bowser Land.
Bowser is also one of the options the player can choose in Rock, Paper, MARIO. In the game, Bowser beats Peach, but Mario beats Bowser. In addition, the minigame Balloon Burst returns, but as a 2-vs-2 minigame. During Mario Party 2, while the characters argue over what they should call their new land, Bowser invades and takes over Mario Land and its six sub-lands. Because of this, Toad decides to settle the character's argument, stating that whoever could defeat Bowser would have the world named after him or her. In Pirate Land, Bowser becomes Capt. Bowser. In Western Land, he becomes Bowser the Brash. In Mystery Land, he becomes Bowser Sphinx. In Horror Land, he is Wizard Bowser. In Space Land Bowser becomes Black Hole Bowser.
During the event in which a player lands on a Bowser Space, one of many things can happen. In addition to every non-minigame event from the original, several other possible events were added: Bowser's Coin Potluck, Bowser's Multiplying Toads, and Bowser's Appearing Act. Another new option, Stars-Packed to Go, was added, but this is in gold font, and Bowser will leave like in the original if the roulette stops there.
Mario Party 3
In Mario Party 3, Bowser attempts to become the Superstar by collecting the seven Star Stamps. However, he was always behind the player and never got any stamps. He attempted to steal the Beauty Star Stamp, but is beaten by Daisy. When the Mischief Star Stamp appears, Bowser unknowingly sends it flying into the castle when he appears and demands the player battle him to gain the stamp, but realizes that Waluigi had stolen it. Waluigi then emerges from the castle with the stamp, and Bowser attacked Waluigi, but is easily defeated. A weakened Bowser then begs the player to defeat Waluigi in his name.
For Bowser Space events, several of the options for events were carried over to this game, with several more being added. Several of the events cause hindrance to the competitors, but there are two events that help the player: Bowser Phone Giveaway and Bowser Suit Giveaway. Bowser Suit Giveaway causes Bowser to give the player a free Bowser Suit, and Bowser Phone Giveaway causes Bowser to give him or her a free Bowser Phone, which allows the person to call Bowser and initiate a Bowser event upon one of the players upon its use. Additionally, during the final five turns event, Koopa Kid occasionally hosts the event, and lets Bowser predict the loser to preform a Bowser event upon calling him.
Mario Party 4
In Mario Party 4, Bowser claims that he stole the player's presents, and that he or she must go win his board to win them back. Upon defeat, however, Bowser admits that he didn't steal the gifts and grudingly gives the player a Bowser gift (although all of these gifts are virtually useless). In Mario Party 4, Bowser claims to have stolen the player's birthday presents, stating that they must win on his board, Bowser's Gnarly Party, to win them back. The final minigame, The Final Battle!, involves chasing Bowser around a cube-shaped arena, until the player finally reached the actual arena. Once there, the player must press the various buttons around the arena to trigger lightning strikes that will electrocute Bowser. Upon defeat, Bowser is in disbelief that he lost to the player and grudgingly leaves, leaving behind something. Koopa Kid then appears and explains that the object is a present from Bowser, as well as that he really didn't take the player's presents. Afterward, as he is trudging away, he wishes the player a happy birthday.
When players land on a Bowser space, he occasionally shows up, flattening the player who landed on his space and triggers an event. Along with Bowser Revolution, Bowser Shuffle, and Bowser Suit Giveaway, a new game was added: Bowser minigame, in which the player plays a minigame with Bowser.
On the board Bowser's Gnarly Party, Bowser is located at a certain point on the board that changes when a Star is collected, waiting for a player to pass by him and do various things to them depending on their current size. If the player is normal size, Bowser breathes fire at him or her, causing the player to lose half their coins. If the he or she is miniature size, Bowser uses his fire to send the player to a different starting point. If the player is mega-sized, Bowser challenges him or her to a game of Bowser Wrestling or Panels of Doom; winning causes Bowser to leave until the next Star is claimed, and losing causes Bowser to take half the player's coins. He also occasionally miniaturizes everyone for one turn.
He also has roles in the three Bowser minigames in the game. In Balloon of Doom, he burns any player that ends up popping the balloon, resulting in them losing. In Fruits of Doom, Bowser demands that the players bring him a piece of fruit in the order he demands one at a time; the players who fail to do so lose. He also announces the loser of Darts of Doom. Additionally, as stated above, Bowser is also an playable character in the Beach Volley Folley minigame; however, he must be unlocked.
Mario Party-e
Bowser makes two appearances in the Game Boy Advance e-reader portion of Mario Party-e. The first is a cameo appearance in Daisy's Rodeo!, in which he is the mechanical bull Daisy has to stay on. The second is in the Wonder Challenge minigame Spinister Bowser, in which he stands atop the roulette.
Mario Party 5
In Mario Party 5, Bowser attempts to take over Dream Land and have his own dream come true. Once defeated, Bowser says that his dream did come true because his dream was to have a worthy opponent. In Mario Party 5, Bowser's plan is to take over Dream Depot and have only his dreams come true. After clearing the five boards, the player must take on the sixth: Bowser Nightmare. In each of the first four dream boards, Bowser attempts to destroy each dream by filling them with his own dreams when the player arrives to stop him. Bowser, however, has his three Koopa Kids (really a Koopa Kid divided into three, distinguished by color) to challenge the player. When the player advances to Bowser, Bowser challenges the player to a duel at his own dream board, Bowser Nightmare. Toward the end, Bowser states that his dream is actually coming true, and that it involves the player.
After defeating defeating the Koopa Kids at that board, the player must defeat Bowser in his final minigame, Frightmare. During the game, Bowser will send various obstacles after the player, and when he or she clears these Bowser takes on the player himself. During this Bowser portion, he attacks by romping around the board in the players direction, sometimes breathing fire, then leaping up and pounding the tile the player is on. He may also charge directly at them. Upon pounding a floor tile three times, he and the player will fall onto another arena, where Bowser will drink an elixir and grow giant in size; however, his increased mass will cause him to fall through the floor. Bowser first sends Mechakoopas after the player, then rings of fire. He then lands on the platform himself, attacking with fire breath, charging at the player, and leaping to slam the ground where the player is; the player must lead Bowser to land on the same spot three times so that the floor collapses. Despite this, he attacks the player with small energy orbs, then with his fire breath that causes them to glow, and finally with another ball of energy that creates an electric shockwave. By using these orbs when heated by the flames as projectiles, the player can defeat Bowser. The player must hit Bowser with the light orbs five times to win the game. Once he has been defeated, Bowser says that his dream did come true because his dream cme true, his dream was to have a strong worthy opponent. Then, the player unlocks Bowser Nightmare for multiplayer.
All of the Bowser Space events in this game were the same as the previous installment, with the exception of Bowser Suit Giveaway, which was replaced with Bowser Bonus. In this event, Bowser had a Ztar steal a star and give it to him. However, sometimes Donkey Kong will intervene, causing Bowser to run off with twenty of the player's coins. Bowser Capsules are also collectable items in the game. Bowser lands on the player that receives one, then throws it on a Red Space, turning it into a Bowser Space. The Last Five Turns Event is also run by Bowser. He will give the standings, and has the last place player spin the roulette, which can cause good and bad things to happen.
Bowser is also given a role in the three Bowser minigames. In Cage-in Cookin', Bowser roasts any players that fail to escape their cage in time. In Rain of Fire, Bowser uses his fire breath to activate the cannon that shoots debris down on the field. Finally, in Scaldin' Cauldron, after all the players jump into one of the three cauldrons, Bowser enters the room and breathes fire upon two of them; players inside the cauldrons he burns lose.
Finally, Bowser is one of the computer-controlled opponents in the game's Super Duel Mode. He only appears as an opponent when playing a tournament on the hard difficulty. His machine, called the Bowser Dozer, consists of the Heart Body, Spiny Tires, E. Gadd Engine, and Bowser Breath as the weapon. Bowser Capsules are also collectable items in the game. If the player receives one, Bowser will squash the player and throw it on a Red Space, which will result in turning that space into a Bowser space.
The Event Spaces on Bowser Nightmare also trigger various Bowser-based events. The ones on the bottom left and right sides cause Bowser to go for a stroll, turning all red spaces into Bowser spaces and flattening every player he runs in to, causing them to lose ten coins. When the player lands on the space on the top right, Bowser appears and forces the player to hit a blue or red block; red causes the player to lose half their coins, and blue sends him or her back to the start. The two spaces near the top center forces the player to warp to a circular area with only Red Spaces and Bowser Spaces. Finally, the one on the top of the board causes Bowser to take control of the flamethrower and burn the player, causing him or her to lose all their capsules. Bowser also seemingly hosts the final five turns event. After giving the standings, the last place player stops a roulette, which causes one of four events to occur. Bowser is also given a role in the three Bowser minigames. In Cage-in Cookin', Bowser roasts any players that fail to escape their cage in time. In Rain of Fire, Bowser uses his fire breath to activate the cannon that shoots several flaming rocks down upon the player. Finally, in Scaldin' Cauldron, after all the players jump into one of the three cauldrons, Bowser enters the room and breathes fire upon two of them; players inside the cauldrons he burns lose.
Mario Party 6
Out of the entire main Mario Party series, Bowser has the least influence in Mario Party 6. He appears as one of the hosts of the quiz mini-game Speak Up, where he changed the rules and the scenery of the game. Bowser also appeared in the rare mini-game Seer Terror, where players can have their "fortune" told by pulling a rope. However, many of the fortunes are spoken after an unfortunate event happens to the player, which greatly amuses him. There is one fortune in which Bowser is sucked into a black hole; the player "wins" the minigame if they happen to get this fortune.
Bowser is also involved in two of his Bowser minigames. The first is Pit Boss, in which players must dodge spiked balls tossed into an arena by Bowser. The second is Dark 'n Crispy, in which the players must avoid Bowser's fiery breath in the dark. He is not involved in Dizzy Rotisserie, the third Bowser minigame, but is watching from a platform overhead.
Bowser Spaces will cause him to appear and perform one of two actions. The first forces the player to play one of three Bowser minigames. The second Bowser space event involves Bowser rolling a die to determine what the player loses. Bowser Spaces can only be landed on at night, with DK Spaces appearing in their place during the day. In Solo Mode, Bowser pits the player against his Koopa Kids in a minigame; losing causes him to take the player's minigames that he or she has earned so far, and winning gives the player the minigame and ten coins. Additionally, in the final five turns event, one of the options the roulette may land on is Bowser Revolution.
Aside from Bowser spaces, Bowser also appears on three boards. The first is Clockwork Castle, in which he only appears at night to replace DK, who appears during the day. Like DK, he travels around the board, and gives Ztars to anyone who reaches him (or vice versa). After all the players take a turn, Bowser gets to take a turn as well, rolling two dice blocks instead of one if he breathes fire. Anybody he encounters during his turn is given a Shadow Star, which deducts the player's current Star total by one. If the player runs into him during their turns, Bowser forcibly gives them a Shadow Star, then leaps to another random space on the board.
The second board is Castaway Bay, in which he can be the boat docked at the Star Space. If the player reaches Bowser's Battle Yacht, he "rewards" the player by giving him or her a Shadow Star, which takes one Star or twenty coins if they have none. Additionally, if DK's Boat is docked at the Star Space while the player is participating in the rafting activity, Bowser fires three cannonballs at him, causing the player to lose five coins if hit.
The third board he appears on is the Bowser-themed board of the game, Infernal Tower, one of the Solo Mode boards. If the player passes the final space, a cage falls on him or her, which Bowser, in his Koopa Clown Car, then carries away.
Mario Party Advance
In Mario Party Advance, Bowser arrives while Toad is explaining the game and scatters the numerous Gaddgets and minigames throughout Shroom City. After completing the first quest, Bowser seals off the eight pipes in the Pipe House. He also has a slight role on the actual game board; whenever Koopa Kid randomly shows up while traveling through Shroom City, he can use lava to fling the player somewhere else in the city. He can also appear and challenge them to rochambeau (rock, paper, scissors). If he wins, Koopa Kid can choose to block the path, which causes Bowser to drop a statue of him similar to the ones he placed on the pipes on top of Koopa Kid, blocking that section of the board.
As the Mario and his friends completes quests, Bowser will destroy one of the statues covering the pipes. These pipes will lead to one of the eight areas that Bowser owns around the city.
In the Bowser Stadium, Bowser challenges the player to a game of soccer, and, after he is defeated, is forced to play Splatterball. After that game is won, the player wins the game Splatterball, to play any time in minigame mode, and the Gaddget Snooze Ewes.
At Mt. Frostbite, Bowser and Koopa Kid are freezing on the mountain top, and require the gang to tell the correct punchlines of his jokes to warm him up. When the player arrives, he believes that he or she can warm him up by answering his jokes with the correct punchlines. Once he feels better, he challenges them to play Crushed Ice. After the game is won, Bowser gives him or her the minigame and the Gaddget Breeze Buddy. At Mt. Frostbite, Bowser and Koopa Kid are freezing on the mountain top. When the player arrives, he believes that Mario and friends can warm him up by answering his jokes with the correct punchlines. After doing so, he challenges them to play Crushed Ice. After the game is won, they will win the game and the Gaddget Breeze Buddy.
At the Bowser Mansion, Bowser has been accused of stealing paintings from the museum, and the Mario, along with Shroomlock, must prove whether Bowser is guilty or not by finding faults in his alibi. Bowser tells them that he stayed home all day that day, that he hadn't even seen the painting due to his hatred of Toads and twilight, and that is impossible to hide the painting in the mansion. The player proves Bowser's alibi false by questioning that nothing in the house is big enough to hide the painting, which he could only know if he had seen it. Bowser then states that he hid the painting somewhere outside, and, once Koopa Kid and Shroomlock leave and solve the mystery, he forces the player to play Mush Rush, and once the game is won, the prize received to him or her is the game and the Gaddget Lip Sync. At the Bowser Mansion, Bowser is accused of stealing a painting from the museum, and the Mario gang, along with Shroomlock, must prove whether Bowser is guilty or not by finding faults in his alibi. Bowser states that he stayed home all day that day, that he hadn't even seen the painting due to his hatred of Toads and twilight, and that there is now way to hide the painting in the mansion. Eventually, it is proven that Bowser did indeed steal the painting; his alibi is proven false when he said that nothing in the house is big enough to hide the painting, which he could only know if he had seen it. Bowser then states that he hid the painting somewhere outside, and, once Koopa Kid and Shroomlock leave, he forces the player to play Mush Rush Once the game is won, the prize received is the game and the Gaddget Lip Sync.
At the Bowser Toy Shop, Mario is challenged by Bowser and Koopa Kid to answer five trivia questions about his favorite show, Toad Force V. If player answers the questions correctly, they must play the minigame Slammer. Once Mario and friends win, they will win the mini-game.
In the Bowser Hideout, Bowser challenges the gang to a game of luck: guessing whether the value on the upside-down card is higher or lower than the one beside it. When Mario wins that game, he is forced into playing Koopa Kappa. Victory results in receiving the minigame and two Gaddgets: Faux Flame and Hourglass.
At the Bowser Pad, Bowser wants the Mario group to get him a gift according to his tastes. The gift either has to be a bracelet, a ring, or a necklace, though the one bought has to be the one that Bowser truly really wants and desires. As a hint, he states that he likes necklaces as much as bracelets, but he likes rings more than bracelets. After retrieving the correct gift and delivering it to him, the gang is challenged to the game Peek-n-Sneak. When the minigame is won, the prize is the game and the Gaddget Shroom Bloom.
In the Bowser Game Hall, Bowser brags about himself being the Game King. At the Pyramid, Kamek states that he gave him the title long ago, but that he became too arrogant because of it afterward. Upon hearing the player state that he or she is the King of Games, Bowser challenges him or her to the minigame Watch 'Em, which he states to have created, to determine the true King of Games. Winning forces Bowser to give the player the title, the minigame, and the Gaddget Jewelry Case.
At the Bowser Lab, Bowser allows the player to select one of the two monsters he created and duel it. Choosing the scary monster challenges Naval Piranha to the game Koopa Kurl; choosing the very scary monster only releases Huffin Puffin, embarrassing Bowser and forcing the player to leave. Once the Piranha is defeated, the minigame is the prize won.
Once after forty-nine quests have been beaten, Bowser will open up the gate behind the Pipe House, revealing his secret lair. After arriving at the house, Bowser will challenge Mario to a showdown for the final Gaddget. The showdown is the minigame Trap Floor. Once the minigame is beaten, the player receives it, as well as the Gaddget Bowser Print. The end credits state that he wants to make a clean slate at defeating Mario.
Bowser also has his own mode, as a part of Challenge Land, known as Bowser Land, which he hosts. The mode involves the player advancing on a roller coaster to get to the end, playing Bowser minigames every time the coaster stops at a designated checkpoint. Once the player reaches the end, Bowser will reward the player coins based upon how long it took him or her to reach him. However, if the player takes too long, Bowser automatically ends the game.
Mario Party 7
In Mario Party 7, Toadsworth invites Mario and Co. friends to go on a vacation around the world. This causes Bowser to be filled with rage due to the fact that they didn't invite him. Bowser then tries to ruin everyone's fun during their time off, but in the end, the player ultimately triumphs over Bowser. This enrages Bowser because they did not invite him. Because of this, Bowser tries to spoil their vacation. Eventually, the players will arrive at Bowser's Enchanted Inferno!, Bowser's own board. Upon obtaining a Star and reaching him, Bowser will take the player to his castle to play Bowser's Lovely Lift!. Here, the player has to use dice blocks to reach the one hundredth floor of the castle while avoiding Bowser's attacks. If the player loses, then he or she loses their Star their turn is over. If the player wins, then Bowser and Koopa Kid are pelted with Stars, their vehicles being destroyed. The pair are then blasted onto an island in the middle of the ocean. After recovering from being dazed, Koopa Kid points out the player on the cruise ship in the distance. Enraged, Bowser demands revenge, but does admit that he had fun before Koopa Kid points this out, causing Bowser to return to his enraged state.
Whenever the player begins a party, Bowser arrives and throws three Koopa Kid Orbs onto three random spaces. During a party, a special Bowser-based event occurs every five turns, named Bowser Time. This event caused Bowser to appear and trigger something that hinders the competitors. Bowser Spaces would cause the player to either play a single or multiplayer minigame, and he would take coins or stars if they lost. He also runs the final four turns event in this game. He spins a roulette, which causes one of many things to happen. The events on the roulette can bring fortune or misfortune upon the competitors. On every board minus his own, one of the possible events that can occur is that he takes a photograph of him and the player and forcibly takes coins from them as payment (without giving them the photo). On most boards, he destroys one of the orb shops, only to replace it with his own. Whenever a player passes by the shop, they are forcibly sold a Koopa Kid Orb for twenty coins or a Bowser Statue for thirty coins.
In addition to these, there are also some board-exclusive events. On Grand Canal, for instance, he can also destroy the bridges and rebuild them, this time with only Bowser spaces on them. Bowser also hosts the final four turns event in the game. He gives the standings, then lets the last place player stop a roulette, which may cause various events to happen.
During a party, a special Bowser-based event occurs every five turns, named Bowser Time. This event causes Bowser to appear and trigger something that hinders the competitors. On every board minus his own, one of the possible events that can occur is that he will take a photograph of him and the player and take coins from them as payment (without giving them the photo). On most boards, he will destroy one of the orb shops and replace it with his own. Whenever a player passes by the shop, they are forcibly sold a Koopa Kid Orb for twenty coins. In addition to these, there are also some board-exclusive events. On Grand Canal, he can also destroy the bridges and rebuild them, but this time with only Bowser spaces. On Pagoda Peak, Bowser can destroy the bridges, ending the turn of any player that reaches them, or slam the mountain and knock the players back several spaces. On Pyramid Park, Bowser can either destroy the bridges for three turns or steal one of the leading player's stars and give it to Koopa Kid. (though it can be claimed back with a Chain Chomp) On for Neon Heights, he can steal all the player's coins or a Star from the first place player and put them in the chest containing twenty coins or the star or put a Ztar in one of the chests for the players to find. On Windmillville, he can destroy one of the windmills, along with all coins deposited, or send Koopa Kid to rob a windmill. As for Bowser's Enchanted Inferno!, Bowser will only do one thing during Bowser Time, and that is to sink the platform currently containing the Star; the Star will move elsewhere, and players on the platform will be sent back to the start of the board .The same event occurs whenever the player lands on an Event Space on the board. Landing on one of the Event Spaces near a Mecha Bowser head causes Bowser to activate it, spreading flames across the surrounding area and causing anyone in the radius to lose ten coins. Bowser also hosts the final four turns event in the game. He gives the standings, then lets the last place player stop a roulette, which may cause various events to happen.
Bowser Spaces cause the player to either play a single or multiplayer minigame, and Bowser takes coins or stars if the game is lost. He also runs the final four turns event in this game. He spins a roulette, which causes one of many things to happen. The events on the roulette can bring fortune or misfortune upon the competitors.
Mario Party 8
In Mario Party 8, after defeating Star Battle Arena, Bowser steals the Star Rod again right as it is about to be rewarded to the player for defeating the other competitors and all of their rivals. Bowser and the player then files off to Bowser's Warped Orbit, where he has either a Hammer Bro. or Blooper face against him or her in order to win the rod back. Once the opponent is defeated, Bowser honors his word and returns the Star Rod, but challenges the player to a battle in the minigame Superstar Showdown. They are defeated, but Bowser challenges the player to a battle in the mini-game Superstar Showdown. During the minigame, Bowser attacks the player with fireballs, then with Bullet Bills, and then with lasers and Bullet Bills. However, despite all his firepower, Bowser was defeated once again by the player and flees.
Landing on a Bowser space will cause an event based on the setting of the board to occur. Bowser was defeated once again by the player and fled. During the minigame, Bowser first attacks the player with fireballs. The player can attack him by using the Star Rod to create and launch projectiles that damage him. When he is hit a certain number of times, Bullet Bill launchers will appear on the sides of his Koopa Clown Car. After causing him more harm, Bowser's car gains the ability to fire numerous lasers. He also gains the ability to shoot a massive fireball when his health reaches two points. When Bowser's health reaches zero, the car, with Bowser in it, flies into the vortex below.
Landing on a Bowser space causes an event based on the setting of the board to occur. On King Boo's Haunted Hideaway and Shy Guy's Perplex Express, where Bowser remains until reached, he can be negated by landing on a DK Space, or, in the case of King Boo's board, by shuffling the mansion. In DK's Treetop Temple, Bowser moves the Star. In Goomba's Booty Boardwalk, Bowser has the player dodge three Podoboos for ten seconds; hitting them causes the player to lose ten coins. In Shy Guy's Perplex Express, he replaces the current train with his Bad Breath Express, which will cause the player who reaches him to lose a Star. In King Boo's Haunted Hideaway, he covers the pitfalls with his own platform; finding him causes whoever does so to lose a Star. In Bowser's Warped Orbit, he steals a Star from the player. On the latter three boards, if the player has no stars when he or she lands on a Bowser Space, Bowser will give them ten coins.
Also on Bowser's Warped Orbit, when the player lands on one of the Happening Spaces, Bowser will come down from his observation tower and chase the player (as well as anyone else he runs in to) across the board. Another set of ? Spaces will make Bowser reverse the flow of the board, causing the players to move in the other direction.
Bowser is also one of the thirty racers in Moped Mayhem.
Mario Party DS
In Mario Party DS, Bowser shows his less goofy and more sinister side when he captures and invits the the Mario gang, Donkey Kong, and Diddy Kong to his castle for a banquet, stating in the invitation that it is an apology for his wrongdoings. When Mario and his friends arrive at the castle, however, they are captured. Bowser then uses his Minimizer to shrink them to the size of chess pieces for the purpose of obtaining Mario's Sky Crystal. Afterward, he has Kamek throw them out. In the end, DK breaks Bowser's Minimizer and the Mario gang return to normal size. After Bowser and his son are captured and bound tightly in ropes, he confesses that he only wanted the Sky Crystals to unlock Triangle Twisters, and that he got a little carried away. Mario understands, and unties Bowser and Bowser Junior. However, Donkey Kong breaks Bowser's Minimizer and the Mario gang return to normal size. Mario fights Bowser, Bowser uses his Megamorph Belt to turn himself into Block Bowser. His first form is a spinning, flaming top which fires fireballs at Mario. Eventually the top will tip and Mario has to kick the golden block that is now exposed. Next, Bowser turns into a cube and tips over slowly again and again, each time he tips, he fires a fireball out of each of his four exposed sides. Mario has to hit the golden block between tips. Finally, Bowser turns into a snake and slithers around the board firing and catching three fireballs on the way. Then the snake cuts through the center and halfway through, the golden block (at the head of the snake) fires three fireballs. Mario has to hit the snake on the golden block as it is going through the center. After, Bowser and Bowser Jr. are captured and bound tightly in ropes, he confesses that he only wanted the Sky Crystals to unlock Triangle Twisters, and that he got a little carried away. Mario understands, and unties Bowser and his son.
Eventually, they get back to Bowser's Castle, and, after defeating his final board, Bowser wants to shrink them more. However, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong then barge into the castle and unintentionally destroy Bowser's Minimizer, causing Mario and friends to grow back to normal size, and they fight Bowser. However, Bowser uses his Megamorph Belt to turn himself into Blockhead Bowser. In this form, Bowser takes on three forms: a Top, a Block, and a Snake. In every form, Bowser will shoot fireballs at the player, as well has having another attack for every form. However, each one also has the one golden block that is Bowser's weak spot; hitting this multiple times will cause Bowser to shift forms and will eventually defeat him. After, Bowser and Bowser Jr. are captured and bound tightly in ropes, and he confesses that he only wants the Sky Crystals to unlock Triangle Twisters, and that he got a little carried away. Mario understands, and unties Bowser and his son. In the minigame Hot Shots, Bowser targets give one hundred points to the player when hit.
At Bowser's Castle, Bowser and Bowser Jr. take the group and place them inside their pinball machine. After collecting enough stars, the player breaks out of the machine to fight him. Bowser wants to shrink them more, but at that moment Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong barge into the castle and ram into Bowser. DK trips on the device and breaks it, causing Mario and friends to grow back to normal size to fight Bowser. Mario fights Bowser. Eventually, they get back to Bowser's Castle, and, after defeating his final board, Bowser wants to shrink them more. However, Donkey Kong breaks Bowser's Minimizer and the Mario gang return to normal size, and they fight Bowser. However, Bowser uses his Megamorph Belt to turn himself into Blockhead Bowser. In this form, Bowser takes on three forms: a top, a cube, and a snake. In every form, Bowser shoots fireballs at the player, as well has having another unique attack for every form. However, each one also has one golden block that is Bowser's weak spot; After hitting this multiple times, Bowser shifts forms, and after three times he is defeated.
When he is beaten, Bowser and Bowser Jr. are captured and bound in ropes. With all five Sky Crystals in their possession, they combine to form a DS to play Triangle Twisters, and that he got a little carried away. Bowser admits that he only wanted the crystals to obtain the game all for himself, but his plans were ruined. However, despite his actions the group offer Bowser the opportunity to play as well. He accepts their offer, and everyone has fun playing the challenge. Mario understands, and unties Bowser and his son. In the mini-game Hot Shots, Bowser targets give one hundred points to the player when hit.
Landing on a Bowser Space in this game results in Bowser appearing and causing havoc to the player landing on it, by choosing an event at random. If he chooses "Gimme Stars!", he steals a number of stars from the player; but if he or she had none, he would give them coins. If the option is "Gimme Coins!", he would steal 10 or 20 coins from the player. If he chooses "Gimme Charity!", he would force the player to give 10 coins to the others (or as many as he or she had if they don't have at least 30, Bowser divides their coins equally amongst the others). If he decides on "Gimme Equality!", he takes all of everyone's coins and redistributes them evenly. Bowser also once again runs the last five turns event, in which he helps the last place player by spinning a roulette. He is also involved in two board events, both on his own board; Landing on one of the ? Spaces near the start of the board causes him to launch the player into the Bowser Zone (though they may occasionally land in the Star Zone). The ? Spaces in the Bowser Zone have Bowser launch his Zero Flame at the player, causing them to lose all their coins and Stars. Landing on a golden-font word causes the roulette to fly back to a random choice.
Bowser targets also appear in the minigame Hot Shots. Hitting one causes the player who does so to earn one hundred points.
Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher
Bowser is one of the characters that appears in the Japanese-exclusive arcade game Mario Party Fushigi no Korokoro Catcher. During Fever Chance, if one of the player's results is Bowser, he appears. With the game being based upon Mario Party 8, Superstar Showdown is also a playable minigame in this game.
Mario Party 9
Bowser appears in Mario Party 9 as the primary antagonist and the boss of his own board, Bowser Station. During the game, he and Bowser Jr. use a device from the station to suck the Mini Stars out of the sky.
Before each board in Solo Mode, there is a cutscene featuring Bowser and Bowser Jr. Bowser is admiring the Mini Stars that he has captured when Bowser Jr. tells him that the player is advancing, and Bowser is shocked by this. He then sends two of his minions to their next destination. However, on Bowser Station, Bowser instead decides to take on the player himself with Bowser Jr.'s help.
When Bowser Jr. is defeated, he flies down in his Koopa Clown Car, creates a Boss Battle Space and Bowser gate at the beginning of the stage, and waits for the players to challenge him there. When the player reach this space, they are forced to face him in his boss minigame, Bowser's Block Battle. He is giant for the whole game. The boss battle involves the players throwing blocks with their faces on them to damage Bowser. He is damaged when the player tosses a block which lands face-up with their heads on them; however, if they land on a Bowser symbol, Bowser can use these to attack by spitting a trio of fireballs a number of times equal to the number of blocks with his logos rolled. Once Bowser's health reaches the midway point, Bowser increases his size again. He still uses the fireball attack, but he spits larger fireballs each time. He also attacks by tossing one large block with the faces of six previous bosses on it, which summons one of said bosses to the battlefield so they can rampage and damage the player; the boss depends on what is rolled when the block lands. If the block lands on Bowser himself, he attacks the players with a barrage of fireballs. Bowser also tilts the battlefield when the competitors are tossing the blocks.
Once Bowser's health reaches zero, he explodes and the ending cutscene reveals that Bowser only wanted the Mini Stars to decorate his castle as he and Bowser Jr. fly off in their Koopa Clown Cars. Out of anger, Bowser chases off the Mini Stars that approach him, but he falls out of his car, with Bowser Jr. flying after him.
After beating the Bowser Station board in Story mode, the competitors are challenged by Bowser, who increases his size. The boss minigame faced against him, Bowser's Block Battle, involves the players throwing blocks with their faces on them to damage Bowser. He is damaged when the player tosses a block which lands face-up with their heads on them; however, if they land on a Bowser symbol, Bowser can use these to attack by spitting a trio of fireballs a number of times equal to the number of blocks with his logos rolled. Once Bowser's health reaches the midway point, Bowser will increase his size again. He still uses the fireball attack, but they are bigger. He also attacks by tossing one large block with the faces of six previous bosses on it, which summons one of said bosses to the battlefield so they can rampage and damage the player; the boss depends on what is rolled when the block lands. Bowser also occasionally tilts the battlefield when the competitors are tossing the blocks.
When he is defeated, the ending cutscene reveals that Bowser simply wanted the Mini Stars to decorate his castle as he and Bowser Jr. fly off in their Koopa Clown Cars. Out of anger, Bowser chases off the Mini Stars that approach him, but he falls out of his car, with Bowser Jr. flying after him.
Landing on a Bowser Space in this game causes one of eight events to happen to the current captain (though the roulette result can also affect other players). Bowser Revolution returns from previous games, but Mini Stars are taken and divided equally since coins were excluded from this game. The seven new events are Lose Half of Your Mini Stars (though if the captain is in last place, Bowser doubles their Mini-Stars); Battle for Half of your Mini Stars, in which half of everyone's Mini Stars are taken, fought in a minigame for, and distributed based on the results; Reverse Minigame, in which the players compete in a minigame, but Bowser gives Mini Stars to the player who places last; Give 5/10 Mini Stars to Last Place, (depending on the event landed on, though Bowser gives the captain Mini Stars if they are in last place) Everyone Loses Special Dice Blocks, and Get 10,000 Mini Stars, in which the player is given ten Mini Stars instead (with Bowser stating that he does not have ten thousand).
Bowser also appears during the "Almost There!" event, in which he asks the captain if he or she wants some "presents." Even if the player selects "no," Bowser still converts several spaces toward the end of the board into Bowser Spaces. On Bowser Station, Bowser changes several spaces without the player's consent.
Bowser is also given his own constellation, known as "Koopa Major".
Mario Party: Island Tour
Bowser is the main villain in Mario Party: Island Tour. In the introduction to Bowser's Tower mode, Bowser is jealous that he was not invited to the party. At that moment, he decides to "make his own party" by creating Bowser's Tower and "lock away the fun" of the Party Islands inside of bubbles.[11] If the player uses Bowser Jr. in Bowser's Tower, he gives his son unique dialogue. Also, Bowser has his very own board called Bowser's Peculiar Peak, which is the only board in the game that he, and not Yellow Toad, hosts.
Mario Party 10
In Mario Party 10, Bowser appears as a playable character in the new Bowser Party mode and amiibo mode. He is controlled by using the Wii U GamePad, and his goal is to deplete the health of the other characters, who move together in a vehicle like in Mario Party 9, via Bowser Minigames before they can reach the end of the board. Bowser is able to move by rolling multiple dice (the number depending on the number of other players), and if he catches up to the other players they must play a Bowser Minigame.
In the normal mode Bowser also returns with the same role as in previous games. Unlike in previous games, however, Bowser is locked behind a cage with six locks, corresponding to the numbers on the die. Rolling all six numbers results in Bowser being freed, the player who rolled the last number losing half of their Mini Stars, and several Bowser Spaces are created ahead. However, he will remain trapped for the rest of the game if he is not freed by the time the characters in the car reach the Almost There! event.
Bowser also appears as the boss at the end of the Chaos Castle board, facing the players in the minigame Bowser's Tank Terror. Bowser controls a large tank that the other players must shoot at in their own tanks, and attacks by firing spiked bombs from the main cannon and jets of fire from the other cannons. When his health is depleted enough he starts charging, and once he reaches half his health Bowser's tank explodes and he falls into the lava, only to emerge as Dry Bowser.
He is finally the character played as in the Bowser Challenge minigame mode, in which the player must play through every Bowser Minigame depleting as many of the opponents' hearts as he can.
Mario Party: Star Rush
Bowser appears as one of the boss characters players can fight against in Mario Party: Star Rush. Here, he is always the final boss of the last board of each world (for example, World 1-3.) Bowser proclaims that he has got a surprise for any players who are the furthest away from him when a player initiates a boss fight with him, where he penalizes them through a roulette, similar to the Bowser Space in earlier installments. He can take 10 coins away from the players, half their coin amount, make them lose an ally character, or make them give up a Star. If the penalized player does not have the items Bowser demands, he either does nothing or rewards them with coins if the player has no coins. Additionally, Bowser has three Boss Battle minigames: Bowser's Space Race, Bowser's Shocking Slipup, and Bowser's Hit-or-Missile Mania, as opposed to bosses having only one Boss Battle minigame. Bowser's Space Race involves having players pilot machines to drop bombs onto Bowser, Bowser's Shocking Slipup uses Item Boxes to damage Bowser, and Bowser's Hit-or-Missile Mania has players shooting missiles at Bowser while Bowser attacks players with missiles and Spiked Balls. Each of those minigames involve Bowser piloting a spaceship modeled after his shell. After half of his health is depleted, Bowser then transforms the spaceship into a Bowser mech, where he mixes up new attacks with older ones.
Bowser owns all the maps in the final world, World 4, where they are all featured after his castle and his likeness can be seen in various areas of those maps, such as rock formations, gates, and flags that have his emblem on them.
Bowser also appears in Coinathlon in matches that have 5 or 7 laps, where he warns players that he is about to appear prior to players playing a minigame. After the minigame is finished, Bowser forces players to play one of his Bowser's Gauntlet minigames, Bowser's Fence Fury, Bowser's Fire Hazard, and Bowser's Power Bomb. Any player who is eliminated from this minigame gets sent back a number of spaces; players who are eliminated earlier get sent further back. If players survive the minigames, they receive no penalty.
The Bowser amiibo can be used as a playable character in the Mario Shuffle mode. However, the Bowser piece cannot be used if players do not own an amiibo of him.
Mario Party: The Top 100
In Mario Party: The Top 100, Bowser reprises his role in the minigame The Final Battle!, where his appearance and fight is largely unchanged from the minigame's original appearance.
Super Mario Party
Bowser appears as a playable character in Super Mario Party, making his first fully playable appearance in the Mario Party series, leaving his role of causing misfortune to player to Kamek whenever players land on the Bad Luck Spaces, which have replaced Bowser Spaces.
In the game's introduction, when Mario and his friends were suggesting who would be the "Super Star", Bowser appears, bringing along Bowser Jr., Goomba, Boo, Koopa Troopa, Hammer Bro, Shy Guy, Monty Mole, Pom Pom, and Dry Bones, suggesting that he or one of his minions could also be "Super Stars". He also brings in Kamek to host the games alongside Toad and Toadette. Bowser's Dice Block is high-risk, high-reward, having two -3 sides, and 1, 8, 9, and 10 in the other sides, respectively.
When spoken to by characters such as Whomp, King Bob-omb, and even Toad, they are more polite towards him. When any of Bowser's playable minions join him as allies, they state their intentions to help Bowser win some stars; Bowser Jr.'s interactions with Bowser are good-natured, reflecting their immense father-son bond, while Kamek fearfully speaks to Bowser when he lands on a Bad Luck Space.
Mario Golf Series
Bowser is usually a default playable character in the Mario Golf games, though in Mario Golf: Advance Tour, he is unlockable and can only be unlocked by transferring data to and from Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. In Mario Golf: Advance Tour, he was present to compete against the characters Neil and Ella. He was very rude towards them and almost got into a fight with Mario. It was interrupted by Peach who reminded them of their manners. Bowser has the longest hit ratio of all the characters, but has low control. He hosts a tournament like Peach in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. He also must be unlocked in Mario Golf, by completing character match seven. In the Game Boy Color version of Mario Golf, Bowser appears as a non-playable character. In the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Golf, hole nine of the Mario's Star course is designed after Bowser. Additionally, beating him or Metal Mario on the course unlocks an alternate credits sequence.
During the opening of Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Bowser is hit in the eye by one of Wario's golf balls. Enraged, he chases Wario and Waluigi across many golf fields. Eventually he traps them and prepares to throw a Bob-omb at them. However, one of Mario's golf shots knock the Bob-omb out of Bowser's hands and the three are caught in an explosion again. During the opening of Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Wario and Waluigi try to outdo Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong when Wario manages to hit his golf ball across the field and into the forest. However, they hear a cry of pain, and, after the golf ball flies back at them, Bowser emerges on the other side of the hole, breathing fire and with a black eye where the ball hit him. He tries to chase after them on foot, but summons his Koopa Clown Car and begins firing Bullet Bills at them as he chases them. After a while, Wario and Waluigi enter a Warp Pipe to escape; Bowser tries following them through, but the car instead jams the pipe. They think they are safe, but Bowser then flies up to them and pulls out a lit Bob-omb. Wario and Waluigi try to escape by opening a massive door, and they do, but the golf ball Mario hits at this point bounces off their heads and knocks the bomb out of Bowser's hands. The bomb then explodes on the three of them.
Bowser returns in Mario Golf: World Tour. His post-hole animations involve him interacting directly with the camera. He also has a new golf course that contains elements such as Bob-ombs, Thwomps, and Chain Chomps, like Bowser Badlands from Toadstool Tour.
Mario Tennis series
Bowser also appeared as a playable character in every title in the Mario Tennis series. He is a power character who can make service and return aces easily; he lacks speed, though. In Mario Power Tennis, Bowser uses his Fire Breath for his Offensive Power Shot and his Defensive Power Shot is Spinning Shell Dash, where, he ducks into his shell and spins around to recover the ball.
In Mario Tennis, Bowser is mistaken for causing trouble when he interrupts a tennis tournament. However, he innocently reveals he simply wants to play tennis, so Mario and the gang invite him in their new tournament. However, in Mario Power Tennis, Bowser has a more dastardly scheme. Bowser takes Wario and Waluigi under his wing after they lose in a tournament against the Mario Bros. Bowser trains the two to become better at tennis and ultimately the triumvate interrupts the final match of the tournament. Wario and Waluigi shoot Bob-ombs at the Mario Bros., but Mario hits it back with his racket. Bowser fire a Bullet Bill from his balloon, but Mario deflects it, causing Bowser's balloon to start to crash. Seeing that his balloon is full of explosive Bob-ombs, Wario and Waluigi attempt to run away, but the balloon crashes on them and the three villains are defeated in a massive explosion. Bowser also appeared as a playable character in almost every title in the Mario Tennis Series, (Mario's Tennis for the Virtual Boy being the lone exception). He is a power character who can make service and return aces easily; he lacks speed, though. For Bowser's super shot he shoots fireballs to distract you then he'll hit the ball at you very hard. In order to recover the ball he ducks into his shell and spins around to hit the ball. In Mario Tennis, Bowser is mistaken for causing trouble when he interrupts a tennis tournament. However, he innocently reveals he simply wants to play tennis, so Mario and the gang invite him in their new tournament. However, in Mario Power Tennis, Bowser has a more dastardly scheme. Bowser takes Wario and Waluigi under his wing after they lose in a tournament against the Mario Bros. Bowser trains the two to become better at tennis and ultimately the triumvate interrupts the final match of the tournament. Wario and Waluigi shoot Bob-ombs at the Mario Bros., but Mario hits it back with his racket. Bowser fire a Bullet Bill from his balloon, but Mario deflects it, causing Bowser's balloon to start to crash. Seeing that his balloon is full of explosive Bob-ombs, Wario and Waluigi attempt to run away, but the balloon crashes on them and the three villains are defeated in a massive explosion. In Mario Power Tennis, Bowser uses his Fire Breath for his Offensive Power Shot and his Defensive Power Shot is Spinning Shell Dash, where, he ducks into his shell and spins around to recover the ball.
In the opening for Mario Tennis, right before Mario and Luigi and Wario and Waluigi are about to fight, a spotlight appears right in the middle of them. Bowser and a Boo then descend from above onto the court. Everyone present thinks they are there to cause trouble, but they reveal that they simply wish to play tennis, which the others let them. However, out of nowhere, a Bob-omb appears, about to explode. Unable to react in time, Wario, Waluigi, Mario, Luigi, Bowser, and the Boo are caught in the explosion.
He is also playable in the Game Boy Color version of Mario Tennis, but can only be unlocked through transfer with the Nintendo 64 game. Additionally, by winning three rounds of Two-on-One matches in the Game Boy Color version, then transferring with the Nintendo 64 version, Bowser Court is unlocked.
In the opening for Mario Power Tennis, Bowser has a more dastardly scheme. Near the beginning, he is watching from an unknown location as Wario and Waluigi lose to the Mario Bros. After vandalizing a poster as revenge, the duo enter a room in the stadium to escape the police; this room turns out to be a pit leading to Bowser's lair. Bowser decides to ally with the two, and he trains them to become better at tennis.
That night, ultimately, the trio interrupt the final match of the tournament. Wario and Waluigi shoot Bob-ombs at the Mario bros., but Mario, along with other players, hit the bombs back with their rackets. Bowser fires a Bullet Bill from his balloon, but Mario deflects it, and it hits the Bob-omb launcher. The launcher, now aimed upward, shoots a Bob-omb at Bowser's balloon, popping it and not only causing it to descend but also exposing several dozen Bob-ombs. Upon seeing this, Wario and Waluigi attempt to run away, but the balloon crashes on them, resulting in a massive explosion.
In both Mario Power Tennis and Mario Tennis: Power Tour, Bowser uses his Fire Breath for his Offensive Power Shot and his Defensive Power Shot is Spinning Shell Dash, where he ducks into his shell and spins around to recover the ball.
Bowser also appears in Mario Tennis Open. In addition, one of the unlockable Mii costumes in the game is a Bowser costume; it can be unlocked either by beating fifty players online, or by earning fifty victory medals. Several Bowser-based accessories can also be purchased to be equipped to the player's Mii.
In Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, Bowser, in addition to being a playable character, appears as a boss in Knockout Challenge mode, where he is permanently mega. If Bowser is played as in the mode, his boss role is filled by Dry Bowser.
Bowser appears as a playable character in Mario Tennis Aces, where he is again a Powerful character. He was also available in the game's online tournament demo to play as, available from the start. Bowser additionally appears in Adventure Mode, where he and Bowser Jr. are seen losing a doubles tennis match against Mario and Peach. Soon after this loss, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi are controlled by an evil tennis racket named Lucien. After Mario and Toad collect three of the five Power Stones to avoid Lucien regaining its full power, then receive the other two from the Lucien-controlled characters after Mario, Peach, and Daisy beat them in tennis matches, Bowser steals Lucien and the five Power Stones, then takes them to the Temple of Bask Shrine so he can restore Lucien back to full power. By the time Mario reaches the shrine, Bowser and Lucien have fused together to form Bowcien. Mario defeats Bowcien, destroying Lucien and returning Bowser to normal.
Paper Mario series
Paper Mario/Paper Bowser
- “Mario defeated me...again... He always defeats me... This time I became invincible! And I STILL couldn't beat him!”
- —Bowser, Paper Mario
- “Oh, don't be such a pill. You're stuck with me for a long, long time, beautiful. You'd better get used to it.”
- —Bowser, Paper Mario
- “Oh, Princess Peach! Your cuddly old Bowser's here!”
- —Bowser, Paper Mario
- “Count Bleck, Floro Sapiens, whatever. Stomping fools is my business! Point me out to a fool, and I'll stomp 'em! I don't even need a reason!”
- —Bowser, Super Paper Mario
Bowser, aided by Kammy Koopa, second in command of the Koopa Troop, invaded Star Haven and stole the the powerful Star Rod, a weapon that can grant any wish of the holder. With this weapon in his control, Bowser imprisoned the Seven Star Spirits in cards and then scattered them in various strongholds and fortresses throughout the Mushroom Kingdom. The next day, Bowser took control of the Princess's castle, which was host to a party thrown by Peach, by using his own to lift it up into the sky and on the verge of outer space. Bowser broke through one of the castle windows and engaged Mario in another battle. But instead of simply attacking the castle, he used his own flying fortress to lift it up into the sky.
For the first time in the series, Bowser defeated Mario thanks to the power of the Star Rod in Paper Mario, which made Bowser invincible. Believing Mario to be dead, Bowser throws Mario's tattered body down to the kingdom and abducts the Princess and all of the guests that were at the party. The guests were locked in the dungeons of Bowser's castle while Peach was put under heavy guard at her castle. Bowser used the Star Rod to create havoc throughout the kingdom and ravged it with beasts and monsters loyal to him. Bowser broke through one of the castle windows and engaged Mario in another battle; and as the Star Rod made him invincible, he defeated Mario for the first time ever in the series. Believing his rival to be dead, Bowser threw Mario's tattered body down to the kingdom, locked the party guests in the dungeons of his castle and put Peach under heavy guard in her castle. Bowser then used the Star Rod to create havoc throughout the kingdom; ravaging it with beasts and monsters loyal to him.
The entire Mushroom Kingdom was turned into a state of fear with every location feeling the result of Bowser's takeover. Creating an army of Huff n' Puff's Bowser gave them a star spirit to guard and ordered them to attack the Flower Fields. They did so and took control of the fields and created a device that created dark clouds to keep the sun out and make the area pitch black. The Koopa Bros. took over the Bomb-omb fortress and enslaved them all under Bowser's orders. Koopa Village was infested with fuzzies and Bowser made Tubba Blubba invincible by removing his heart from his body. In return, the beast guarded a spirit and terrorized the boo community that were not loyal to the tyrant. The Dry Dry Ruins were taken over as well by Tukankoopa who looted the ruins. The Shy Guys attacked and looted Toad Town for Bowser as well while a fire Piranha took over the volcano on Yoshi Island and caused life threatening explosions. Finally, the ice palace was taken over by the ice king while numerous monsters overran the rest of the kingdom. All of these troops were given a star spirit to guard. The effect of Bowser's reign also meant that no star children could ascend to Star Haven as Bowser has stolen the Star Rod and abducted all the star spirits.
Mario, along with his friends Goombario, Kooper, Bombette, Parakarry, Bow, Watt, Sushie, and Lakilester, had to rescue the Seven Star Spirits in order to use the Star Beam, which would deactivate the Star Rod. After rescuing the Star Spirits and storming through Bowser's and Peach's castles, Mario reached Bowser. After the initial fight against Bowser, he retreated to the roof of his castle. Using the Power Platform Kammy Koopa built, where Kammy Koopa boosted his size and power to ensure his victory. The Star Beam failed to work against Bowser. However, Princess Peach discovered that by wishing for Mario's strength to increase, and by Twink granted her wish by giving Mario the Peach Beam. But Mario his first encounter with Bowser, and with his friends Goombario, Kooper, Bombette, Parakarry, Bow, Watt, Sushie, and Lakilester, rescued the Seven Star Spirits in order to use the Star Beam and deactivate the Star Rod. After rescuing all the star spirits, the kingdgom was in much better condition, but as long as Bowser held the Star Rod he could just wish for a reinforced control making the threat no less significant. Mario eventually made his way to the warlord's fortress to give him his due for his nefarious deeds and the attempt on his life. After storming through Bowser's and Peach's castles, Mario reached and battled with Bowser, who then retreated to the roof of Peach's castle. Kammy boosted Bowser's size and power with her Power Platform, thus preventing the Star Beam from working against the Koopa King. However, Princess Peach's Star Kid friend Twink granted her wishes that Mario's strength would increase; thereby giving him the Peach Beam.
Now that Mario was able to negate the Star Rod's effects, he had no problem taking Bowser down and returning everything to the way it once was. Bowser's invincibility was lost and he was damageable once again. Bowser was soon badly defeated and the Star Rod was taken back by the heroes. After the battle, Bowser's device starts malfunctioning due to the intensity of the fight and begins destroying Bowser's castle. Bowser and Kammy try to flee, but a huge explosion sends them falling off the platform as Bowser's device and castle completely explode. The Star Rod was returned to the Star Spirits, Peach's castle was put back in place, and peace returned to Star Haven and the Mushroom Kingdom.
During the events of the game, a robotic version of Bowser that was operated by the Koopa Bros. was fought in chapter one. However, the robot was clearly recognizable as a fake, since the voices of the Koopa Bros. could be heard inside the contraption and it beared several optical distinctions. A remix of the final battle theme of Super Mario Bros. 3 could be heard during the fight with the Bowser fake. During the events of Paper Mario, Bowser and his minion Kammy Koopa invaded Star Haven and stole the Star Rod, which could grant any wish of the holder. With this weapon, Bowser imprisoned the Seven Star Spirits in cards and then scattered them in various strongholds and fortresses throughout the Mushroom Kingdom. The next day, Bowser used his flying fortress to lift Peach's castle up into the sky. Mario attempted to stop him, but Bowser used the Star Rod to make himself invincible, and defeated Mario for the first time ever. Believing his rival to be dead, Bowser threw Mario's tattered body down to the kingdom, locked the party guests in the dungeons of his castle and put Peach under heavy guard in her castle. Bowser then used the Star Rod to create havoc throughout the kingdom; ravaging it with beasts and monsters loyal to him. Bowser gave each one of the Star Spirits to be guarded by his most trusted minions.
Mario eventually defeated Bowser's army and rescued the Seven Star Spirits. After storming through Bowser's and Peach's castles, Mario reached and battled with Bowser again. The Star Spirits used their power to create the Star Beam, making Bowser's invincibility useless. Shocked, Bowser retreated to the roof of Peach's castle. Kammy Koopa boosted Bowser's size and power with her Power Platform, thus preventing the Star Beam from working against the Koopa King. However, Princess Peach and the Star Kid Twink defeated Kammy Koopa and upgraded the Star Beam to the Peach Beam, which was able to make Bowser damageable once again. Bowser was defeated and the Star Rod was taken back by the heroes. After the battle, Bowser's device started malfunctioning due to the intensity of the fight and explodes, sending Bowser and Kammy flying away. The Star Rod was returned to the Star Spirits, Peach's castle was put back in place and peace returned to Star Haven and the Mushroom Kingdom.
Bowser, aided by Kammy Koopa, second in command of the Koopa Troop, took control of the Princess's castle by lifting it into the air with the power of the Star Rod in Paper Mario. Mario, along with his friends Goombario, Kooper, Bombette, Parakarry, Bow, Watt, Sushie, and Lakilester (Spike), had to rescue the Seven Star Spirits, so they could deactivate the power of the Star Rod with the Star Beam in order to defeat Bowser. After Mario and his friends defeat Bowser the first time, the Koopa King retreats to the roof of Peach's Castle and fights Mario and his friends again. This time, Bowser uses a strengthening device created by Kammy Koopa to boost his size and power. During the second battle, Mario and his friends discovered the power of their Star Beam wasn't working because of Kammy Koopa's wicked contraption. After Peach and Twink defeat Kammy Koopa, Mario's Star Beam is upgraded to the Peach Beam, which is able to deactivate the power of the stronger Star Rod. Bowser is eventually defeated and Mario and his friends return the Star Rod to its rightful place in the stars. This game showed that he had a crush on Princess Peach and loved her. In order to use the Star Beam, which would deactivate the Star Rod. After the initial fight against Bowser, he retreated to the roof of his castle, where Kammy Koopa boosted his size and power to ensue his victory. The Star Beam failed to work against Bowser. However, Princess Peach discovered that by wishing for Mario's strength to increase, and Twink granted her wish by giving Mario the Peach Beam.
Now that Mario was able to negate the Star Rod's effects, he had no problem taking Bowser down and returning everything to the way it once was.
Paper Mario was significant because it revealed another of Bowser's motives for kidnapping Peach; he has a crush on her and hopes to steal her away from Mario.
During the events of Paper Mario, Bowser and his minion Kammy Koopa invade Star Haven and steal the Star Rod, which can grant any wish of the holder. With this object, Bowser imprisons the seven Star Spirits in cards and then scatters them in various strongholds and fortresses throughout the Mushroom Kingdom. The next day, Bowser uses his flying fortress to lift Peach's castle up into the sky. Mario attempts to stop him, but Bowser uses the Star Rod to make himself invincible, and defeats Mario for the first time ever. Believing his rival to be dead, Bowser throws Mario's tattered body out the window and to the ground, locks the party guests in the dungeons of his castle, and puts Peach under heavy guard in her castle. Bowser then uses the Star Rod to create havoc throughout the kingdom, ravaging it with beasts and monsters loyal to him. He also places each one of the Star Spirits and then places them under the guard of seven of his minions. The next day, Bowser uses his flying fortress to lift Peach's castle up into the sky. Mario attempts to stop him, but Bowser uses the Star Rod to make himself invincible during their fight. Mario's attacks can no longer harm Bowser, and he is able to defeat Mario, ending the fight with his fire breath. Believing his rival to be dead, Bowser summons lightning using the Star Rod to knock Mario out the window and to the ground, locks the party guests in the dungeons of his castle, and puts Peach under heavy guard in her bedroom.
At some points in the game, Peach can sneak out of her room and, on occasion, overhear conversations between Bowser and Kammy. He will also sometimes enter her room to converse with her. On the first occasion when Bowser enters her room, she is told that he is going to send "the invincible Tubba Blubba" to fight Mario; he is only invincible, however, because his heart has been separated from his body by Bowser at an earlier point. After each chapter, the player has the opportunity to play as Peach. She can sneak out of her room and learn information on where Mario needs to head next. When Peach first escapes her room, she and Twink, the Star Kid with her at the time, find and read Bowser's diary. However, when Bowser enters the room, he sees the he left his diary out and that Peach has read it. Two Koopatrols then enter the room, and Bowser has them take Peach back to her room.
After Mario defeats Tutankoopa, Bowser enters her room. Here, she is told that he is going to send "the Invincible Tubba Blubba" to fight Mario; he is only invincible, however, because his heart has been separated from his body by Bowser at an earlier point. It is at this point that Kammy enters the room and informs Bowser that the Star Spirit escaped from Tubba Blubba's Castle. The two then leave to discuss the matter.
On one occasion when Peach is out of her room, she hears a conversation between Bowser and Kammy. Kammy reports that Tubba Blubba has been defeated, as well as that Mario may be heading to Shy Guy's Toy Box next. Bowser suggests setting something up for him there when he notices Peach. Instead of immediately sending her back to her room, he instead asks her what Mario hates; however, some of the answers she can choose are actually items that benefit Mario. After receiving the answers, Bowser has Kammy place the chosen items in Shy Guy's Toy Box, Mario's next destination, while the guards take Peach back to her room.
At another point after competing in the 64th Trivia Quiz-Off, Bowser enters the room and sees the set, and wishes to participate. However, since the game show is over when he enters, he cannot. He then sees Princess Peach, who was one of the three contestants trying to sneak away from the area, and has the Koopatrol and Hammer Bro. take her back to her room.
Even later, Bowser once again enters Peach's room and attempts to make friendly conversation, though Peach ignores him, stating that Mario will defeat him. However, Bowser denies this when Kammy shows up and informs Bowser that Mario has freed all seven Star Spirits and can use them to get to the castle. In response, Bowser has Kammy inform his minions take up positions across the castle, and has the princess bound to keep her out of trouble. Out of anger for this, Twink, the Star Kid accompanying Peach throughout the entire game, tries to attack Bowser, but the attack proves ineffective and Bowser easily swats him out the window. He then leaves to prepare himself for Mario's arrival.
After reaching the location where Mario was defeated by Bowser when he first uprooted Peach's Castle, Bowser enters the room, and the two battle again. During the battle, Bowser uses the Star Rod, but using the Star Beam allows the player to negate this. Once he is defeated, Bowser takes Peach and retreats to the roof of the castle.
After rescuing all the Star Spirits and storming through Bowser's and Peach's castles, Mario reaches and battles Bowser again. The Star Spirits use their power to create the Star Beam, which is able to negate the powers of the Star Rod and make Bowser venerable again. Shocked, Bowser retreats to the roof of Peach's castle. Once Mario reaches the castle's roof, Kammy activates her Power Platform, which increases Bowser's size and strength and thus rendering the Star Beam useless against him. However, Princess Peach and Twink defeat Kammy Koopa and, by wishing on everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach increases the Star Spirits' power. By doing this, they create an even more powerful Star Beam known as the Peach Beam, which is strong enough to once again cancel the powers of the Star Rod and make Bowser powerless against Mario's attacks once again. At the battle's conclusion, Bowser is defeated and the Star Rod is taken back by the heroes. However, the Power Platform starts to malfunction due to the intensity of the fight and is about to explode; while it is doing so, one of the smaller-scale explosions sends Bowser and Kammy flying away. Bowser, upon learning of this development, attempts to issue an evacuation order, but the earlier explosion prevented him from doing so. The Star Rod is returned to the Star Spirits, Peach's castle is put back in place, and peace returns to Star Haven and the Mushroom Kingdom.
Bowser is also present in the parade at the end of the game, in his Koopa Clown Car. While he is floating on, Kammy and Jr. Troopa are blasting magic at each other around him, which ends with Bowser being caught in the middle and struck by both of them at the same time. Bowser chases them off and roasts the pair with his fire breath.
During the parade at the end of the game, Bowser appears in his Koopa Clown Car after the hammer-juggling Hammer Bros.. While he is floating by, he is caught in the middle of two magic blasts from Kammy and Junior Troopa, who are having a magic fight. This ends up roasting him, and he chases after the two as they run off. Off-screen, he roasts the two with his fire breath.
During the battle at the beginning of the game, Bowser only attacks by hitting Mario with his claws. However, at the end of the battle, he breathes fire on Mario. During their second battle, he once again attacks with a claw swipe, which can poison Mario. He also has the ability to breath fire, as well as attacking by jumping on Mario. During the battle on the Power Platform, Bowser still uses his jumping, claw swipe, and fire breath attacks, and he can also use the Star Rod to recover 30 HP, as well as using it to send out a beam that can damage Mario and his partner. Bowser can also use the rod to summon bolts of lightning to damage Mario.
Paper Mario is also significant because it reveals another of Bowser's motives for kidnapping Peach: he has a crush on her and hopes to steal her away from Mario. Although this had been stated in some Japanese media such as the anime Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!, this is the first instance of such a motive being articulated in overseas releases.
Search for the Crystal Stars/Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
- “”AIRHEAD!!! A picnic?!? You MORON! This is no time for fun! See, THIS is why my evil plans always derail! Because you clods always goof off! AAARGH!“”
- —Bowser, Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door
- “Those Mario Bros. are the most ANNOYING brothers of ALL TIME!!!”
- —Bowser, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Bowser also appeared as a minor villain in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. In this game, Bowser hears news from Kammy Koopa that someone else kidnapped Princess Peach, and makes it his mission to rescue her and kidnap her himself. Accompanied by Kammy, Bowser appeared in many cut scenes in which he was a playable character. These scenes were often quite humorous and involved Bowser traveling through a side-scrolling world similar to the ones in Super Mario Bros.. Bowser tried to collect the Crystal Stars before Mario, but always appeared to be one step behind his nemesis, and ultimately failed to find any of them.
He finally catches up to Mario in the Glitz Pit, where the two enemies fight in front of a large audience, which can result in either Bowser's defeat or victory. He later attempts to return to Glitzville to search for one of the Crystal Stars, but refuses to take the Cheep-Cheep Blimp, and uses the Koopa Clown Car. Unfortunately for him, the the airborne vehicle breaks down during the flight, sending him into the ocean below, and forcing him to swim back to Rogueport. He later appears in Twilight Town where he questions Lord Crump about the whereabouts of the Crystal Stars. The reluctant X-Naut summons his army to deal with the Koopa King, but Kammy calls the Koopa Troop to do battle. The two armies prepare to clash, but Bowser's fire breath sets off the Superbombomb, sending both armies into submission.
After Mario opens the Thousand Year Door, Bowser and Kammy Koopa enter the Palace of Shadow to take Peach and steal the treasure that is rumored to be held behind the door. Sir Grodus threatens to murder Princess Peach after his defeat at the hands of Mario, but Bowser's weight causes him to crash through the ceiling, followed closely by Kammy Koopa. He lands on the X-Naut leader, crushing him into the ground. Bowser and Kammy do battle with Mario and are defeated, leaving them passed out on the floor of the Palace of Shadow. Bowser looks around and admits he has no idea what is going on, but he's going it "end it right NOW!" Bowser and Kammy battle Mario, but are defeated. They are battled before the player gets a chance to save after battling Grodus, and they are the last boss before the final one. Mario leaves them passed out on the floor of the Palace of Shadow. When you leave the room and come back, they are gone, apparently like magic (this is likely, as Kammy is a Magikoopa).
Ironically, Mario and his friends go through a long quest in order to get to the Palace of Shadows, and yet Bowser had simply fell in through the ceiling.
Bowser's short levels partially inspired Super Paper Mario.
Mario and his friends Goombella, Koops, Flurrie, a Yoshi Kid, Vivian, Bobbery, and Ms. Mowz have fought Bowser twice during the game; once in the Glitz Pit, and once before Sir Grodus woke the Shadow Queen in the Palace of Shadow.
Bowser also appeared as a sort-of-minor-villain in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. In this game, Bowser has many cut scenes where he is a playable character. These scenes are often quite humorous, and involve the music from the original 1985 Super Mario Bros.. He tried to collect the Crystal Stars before Mario, but ultimately, he didn't collect any of them. Players controlled Bowser for short periods of time at the end of each chapter (excluding the final one). The only time Mario fought Bowser was in the Glitz Pit after fighting the Armored Harriers for a third time. After Mario, Goombella, Koops, Flurrie,the Yoshi Kid, Vivian, Bobbery, and Ms. Mowz defeat Grodus, Bowser crashes through the ceiling of the Palace of Shadow. Mario's party and Bowser begin to battle, the Koopa King being aided by Kammy Koopa, giving Grodus the opportunity to escape and awaken the Shadow Queen. In this game, Bowser had many cut scenes in which he was a playable character. These scenes were often quite humorous and involved Bowser traveling through a side-scrolling world similar to the ones in Super Mario Bros. Bowser tried to collect the Crystal Stars before Mario, but, ultimately, failed to find any of them.
Mario and his friends Goombella, Koops, Flurrie, a Yoshi Kid, Vivian, Bobbery, and Ms. Mowz fought Bowser twice during the game; once in the Glitz Pit, and once before Sir Grodus woke the Shadow Queen in the Palace of Shadow. Bowser also appears as a minor villain in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. In this game, Kammy Koopa summons Bowser to tell him that Mario his attempting to find treasures known as the Crystal Stars. Bowser decides to find them himself because he believes they are "good world-conquering tools." She also states that Princess Peach has been taken by someone else, after having just been told herself, so he makes it his mission to find and kidnap her himself. Optionally, prior to Kammy Koopa delivering this news, Bowser can also listen in to two Hammer Bros. talking, with one talking about seeing Bowser swooning over a portrait of Princess Peach before realizing that Bowser was right behind him, although Bowser will apparently find it amusing enough to attempt to get him to continue with the story, to the Hammer Bros.' reluctance. Accompanied by Kammy, Bowser appears in many cutscenes, in which he is a playable character. These scenes sometimes involve Bowser traveling through a side-scrolling world similar to the ones in Super Mario Bros. (these levels partially inspired Super Paper Mario). During these segments, Bowser can breathe fire or jump to defeat enemies, and can collect the Meat found in blocks to increase in size, becoming invincible and being able to destroy blocks and pipes after eating three. He also has infinite lives. Throughout these cutscenes, Bowser always appears to be a step behind Mario, and ultimately fails to find a single Crystal Star.
At Petalburg, Bowser finds what he thinks is Peach and talks to her, but eventually finds out that he is really speaking to a poster. Later, when he tries to collect the Crystal Stars before Mario, he always appears to be one step behind his nemesis, and ultimately fails to find any of them.
After Mario defeats the Magikoopa Masters and reaches Rank 5 in the Glitz Pit, Bowser enters the ring, having heard about a man with a mustache fighting in the arena, and faces him in front of the large crowd. Bowser can attack by either breathing fire, ground-pounding the player, or biting them. This fight can either result in Bowser's defeat or victory, but no matter the outcome he leaves Glitzville afterward.
Later, at The Great Tree, Bowser and Kammy find the Puni Elder, who believes that they desire the Crystal Star. Bowser asks where it is, but the elder informs him that Mario took the "legendary treasure" to save Peach. Kammy automatically assumes that Peach and the treasure are connected, and that Mario is going to get them both, prompting Bowser's rage.
He later attempts to return to Glitzville to search for one of the Crystal Stars, choosing his Koopa Clown Car as transportation over the Cheep-Cheep Blimp, the latter of which was flown away by the captain in fear upon realizing who he was. Unfortunately for him, the airborne vehicle breaks down during flight, sending him plummeting into the ocean below and forcing him to swim back to Rogueport. Upon arriving, Bowser is enraged to see that Kammy went to Glitzville without him, and has her obtain information on Peach and the Crystal Stars.
In Twilight Town, Bowser overhears X-Naut second-in-command Lord Crump mention the Crystal Stars after finding the Superbombomb. When Kammy asks him about the stars, Crump demands that Bowser tell him all that he knows about the Crystal Stars, though Bowser demands the same. In response, Crump summons the X-Naut army to deal with the Koopa King, but Kammy summons the Koopa Troop. Crump throws the Superbombomb at Bowser, though it doesn't go off. Bowser, however, then breathes fire at Crump, accidentally detonating the weapon.
After the incident, Bowser returns to Rogueport, and is sulking when Kammy informs him that their scouts found a hidden underground chamber in Rogueport Sewers (Bowser's exact dialogue when recounting his various failures will vary depending on whether Mario or Bowser won their earlier fight at the Glitz Pit). Kammy directs him to the chamber, which turns out to be a workout room, and they find what they believe to be the Gold Star on a belt. Rawk Hawk then enters the room, and is impressed that Bowser was able to infiltrate his workout room, but refuses to let him take his championship belt. Bowser, however, calls him weak, and Rawk Hawk attempts to attack Bowser, but fails when he jumps on him. However, his attack does hit Kammy. She is knocked into to the champ belt, resulting in the star on the belt breaking. They are shocked at first, but Kammy realizes that it is a fake, and Rawk Hawk tells Bowser that the "Great Gonzales" possesses the real one.
Some time later, at Poshley Heights, Bowser and Kammy arrive at Poshley Sanctum after hearing that a Crystal Star is inside. Bowser attempts to enter, but finds the door is locked, but in his rage he breaks the lock, granting him access. Inside, Bowser finds the Garnet Star on a pedestal, and is excited to finally obtain one. However, Pennington then arrives and informs Bowser that what he is holding is a duplicate created to trick thieves, as well as that "Luigi" already obtained the real one. A Paragoomba then flies in and informs Bowser that Mario has collected all seven Crystal Stars and is heading for The Thousand-Year Door. Bowser and Kammy leave to head after him.
After Mario opens the Thousand-Year Door, Bowser and Kammy Koopa enter the Palace of Shadow to take Peach and steal the treasure that is rumored to be held behind the door. Meanwhile, Sir Grodus threatens to murder Princess Peach after his defeat at the hands of Mario, but Bowser's weight causes him to crash through the floor above them and landing on the X-Naut leader. Bowser admits that he has no idea as to what is going on, but that he is going to "end it right NOW!" Bowser and Kammy are battled before the player gets a chance to save after battling Grodus, and thus wind up supplanting Grodus as the penultimate bosses. His attacks are the same as when he is fought in the Glitz Pit. When the two are beaten, they are left dazed on the floor of the Palace of Shadow. If the player leaves the room and re-enters, they are gone.
Bowser also appeared as a minor villain in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. In this game, Bowser heard from Kammy Koopa that Mario his attempting to find the Crystal Stars; Bowser then decides to find them himself to conquer the world. He is also told that someone else kidnapped Princess Peach, and makes it his mission to rescue her and kidnap her himself. Accompanied by Kammy, Bowser appeared in many cutscenes in which he was a playable character. These scenes were often quite humorous and involved Bowser traveling through a side-scrolling world similar to the ones in Super Mario Bros. (these levels partially inspired Super Paper Mario).
At Petalburg, Bowser finds what he thinks is Peach and talks to her, but eventually finds out that he is really speaking to a poster. Later, when he tries to collect the During these segments, Bowser can breathe fire to defeat enemies, and can collect the Meat found in blocks to increase in size. He also has infinite lives. Bowser also tried to collect the Crystal Stars before Mario, but always appeared to be one step behind his nemesis, and ultimately failed to find any of them.
Bowser finally catches up to Mario in the Glitz Pit, where the two enemies fight in front of a large audience, which can result in either Bowser's defeat or victory. He later attempts to return to Glitzville to search for one of the Crystal Stars, but refuses to take the Cheep-Cheep Blimp, and uses the Koopa Clown Car. Unfortunately for him, the airborne vehicle breaks down during the flight, sending him into the ocean below, and forcing him to swim back to Rogueport. He later appears in Twilight Town where he questions X-Naut second-in-command Lord Crump about the whereabouts of the Crystal Stars. The reluctant X-Naut summons his army to deal with the Koopa King, but Kammy calls the Koopa Troop to enforce in battle. The two armies prepare to clash, but Bowser's fire breath sets off a Superbombomb, forcing both armies into submission.
Bowser later learns that one of the Crystal Stars is in a secret passage in the Rogueport Sewers. He finds a workout room and claims what he believes to be the star, but is actually the star emblem on Rawk Hawk's belt. Rawk Hawk then enters the room and is enraged at Bowser for stealing his belt buckle. The two fight, but Bowser defeats him.
After Mario opens the Thousand-Year Door, Bowser and Kammy Koopa enter the Palace of Shadow to take Peach and steal the treasure that is rumored to be held behind the door. Sir Grodus threatens to murder Princess Peach after his defeat at the hands of Mario, but Bowser's weight causes him to crash through the ceiling. He lands on the X-Naut leader, crushing him into the ground. Bowser looks around and admits he has no idea what is going on, but he's going to "end it right NOW!" Bowser and Kammy battle Mario, but are defeated. They are battled before the player gets a chance to save after battling Grodus, and they are the last bosses before the final one. Mario leaves them passed out on the floor of the Palace of Shadow. When the player leaves the room and comes back, they are gone.
Bowser also has a cameo appearance in the game; his face is used for the item Fright Mask. As the name states, its use will instantly scare any enemies away.
Teaming with a Big Enemy... Again/Super Paper Mario
- “Count Bleck, Floro Sapiens, whatever... Stomping fools is my business! Show me a fool, I'll stomp it! I don't even need a reason!”
- —Bowser, Super Paper Mario
- “Nooooo! I HATE Mario! It's... It's not fair!”
- —Bowser, Super Paper Mario
- “If any problem comes up, I'll stomp it into next week. I'll Bowserize it!”
- —Bowser, Super Paper Mario
Bowser then appears in Super Paper Mario. Mario and Luigi rush to Bowser's castle thinking he has Princess Peach, but he doesn't. Then a mysterious figure named Count Bleck abducted Bowser. Count Bleck then forces Bowser and Peach to get married in order to open The Void. Later Bowser joins Mario, and Peach in their attempt to stop Count Bleck. Bowser can be playable when you either switch Mario and Peach with him. During the beginning of the story, Mario and Luigi find Princess Peach missing and rush to Bowser's Castle thinking that he was the perpetrator. Oddly, he is surprised as well, fore he was only preparing to kidnap Peach and wasn't ready yet. While talking to each other, a mysterious figure named Count Bleck abducts the plumbers, Bowser, and his minions, leaving Mario behind on the ground, unconscious in Bowser's castle. Tippi finds Mario and takes him to Flipside. While Count Bleck then forces Bowser and Peach to get married in order to open The Void to end all worlds, unknowingly to Bowser. Later Bowser joins Mario, and Peach after learning the true purpose of him and Peach's marriage. Bowser can be playable when you either switch Mario, Peach, or Luigi with him. He leaves Mario unconsious on the floor of Bowser's Castle, but Tippi finds Mario and takes him to Flipside. Count Bleck forces Bowser and Peach to get married in order to open The Void to end all worlds, although Bowser is unaware of his plans. After the wedding, Bowser is removed from Count Bleck's Castle and wakes up in a field not far from one of the Pure Hearts. Along with a handful of his minions that had not been brainwashed by Nastasia, Bowser establishes a stronghold in an abandoned castle, and fortifies the defenses by stationing his forces throughout the area. He eventually encounters Mario and Peach, and chooses to battle his arch nemesis one-on-one. After the battle, Bowser is soundly defeated by the plumber, prompting him to listen to what they have to say. After a brief conversation, he learns the true purpose behind his marriage to Princess Peach. While he initially refuses to help them, Bowser realizes that he can't take over the world if it is destroyed, and agrees to come with them. From this point onward, Bowser becomes a playable character where the player can switch him between Mario, Peach, or Luigi.
Bowser fought many bosses if you put him playable. Bowser's main final boss is O'Chunks in Castle Bleck. After the battle is over, O'Chunks admits defeat and stops the ceiling from crushing the others by holding it up. Bowser helps O'Chunks by helping him stop the the ceiling, and tells Mario and Luigi to take Peach to safety. At the end of the battle against Super Dimentio, Bowser witnessed the marriage of Count Bleck and Tippi in order to stop The Void. Bowser joins forces with Mario in Super Paper Mario. During the beginning of the story, Mario and Luigi find Princess Peach missing and rush to Bowser's Castle thinking that he was the perpetrator. Oddly, he is surprised as well, for he was only preparing to kidnap Peach and wasn't ready yet. While talking to each other, a mysterious figure named Count Bleck abducts Luigi, Bowser, and his minions. He leaves Mario unconscious on the floor of Bowser's Castle, but Tippi finds Mario and takes him to Flipside. Count Bleck forces Bowser and Peach to get married in order to open The Void to end all worlds, although Bowser is unaware of his plans.
The theme that could be heared during the boss fights with Bowser is notable for being a remix of both the Super Mario Bros. 3 Dark World map music and his boss theme from the first two fights with him in Super Mario 64.
Princess Peach and Bowser got married at the begining of Super Paper Mario, and never showed them get divorced. However, many people believe that their marriage wasn't official since Peach was forced to say yes. Also Peach and Bowser (named Princess Toadstool and King Koopa back then) were going to get married in the Super Show! episode "Do You Princess Take This Koopa...?". However before they got married Mario and Luigi stopped the wedding.
It is unknown how Bowser has kids. Many people have theories that he adopted his kids. Super Mario Sunshine had Bowser tricking his son, Bowser Jr., that Peach was his mother. However the ending revealed Bowser Jr. wasn't Peach's son.
Bowser joins forces with Mario in Super Paper Mario as one of the four heroes destined to save all dimensions from destruction. During the opening for the game, Mario and Luigi hear from Toad that Princess Peach has been kidnapped, and they head to Bowser's Castle, thinking that he is the perpetrator. However, when they accuse him for this, he surprised as well, for he is still only preparing to kidnap Peach at the time. A mysterious figure named Count Bleck then appears, knocks Mario unconscious, and abducts Luigi, Bowser, and his minions. Count Bleck warps everyone to Castle Bleck, his base of operations, where he forcefully marries Bowser and Peach in order to have the Chaos Heart formed. The heart's purpose is to open The Void, which would proceed to end all the worlds, although Bowser is unaware of his plans.
After the wedding, most of Bowser's minions are brainwashed by Nastasia, Bleck's secretary. Bowser is removed from Count Bleck's Castle and wakes up in a field in The Bitlands. With a handful of his few remaining minions at his side, Bowser establishes a stronghold in an abandoned castle and fortifies the defenses by stationing his forces throughout the area. He eventually encounters Mario and Peach, and chooses to battle Mario one-on-one. Bowser is soundly defeated by the plumber, and he learns the true purpose behind his marriage to Princess Peach. While he initially refuses to help them, Bowser realizes that he can't take over the world if it is destroyed, and agrees to come with them. However, the fortress is destroyed when Mario and Peach, while on the way to Fort Francis, use their Pixl Boomer to blast the red "X" on the side of the castle. Enraged that Mario has once again ruined his plans, Bowser engages Mario in combat, putting up two barriers so that he cannot escape. Bowser attacks Mario by breathing fire, as well as trying to jump on him. Normal attacks do not affect him; the only way to damage Bowser is by using Boomer or by using attack items like the Ghost Shroom or Fire Burst. Enraged that Mario has once again ruined his plans, Bowser chooses to battle Mario one-on-one, putting up two barriers so that he cannot escape. He will attack Mario by breathing fire, and then trying to jump on him, but he is soundly defeated by the plumber, with the help of Boomer. It is after the battle that he learns the true purpose behind his marriage to Princess Peach. While he initially refuses to help them, Bowser is told by the pair that he can't take over the world if it is destroyed and that his minions are serving under Count Bleck, and agrees to come with them. (However, he states that he is only doing so for the purpose of one day conquering the world himself.) They later claim the fourth Pure Heart when Tippi's show of emotions summons it, the fifth from Squirps in the Whoa Zone, and the sixth from King Croacus IV in the Land of Cragnons; however, before they can claim the seventh from King Sammer at Sammer's Kingdom, the Void consumes the entire dimension, though the heroes survive.
It is after the battle that Bowser learns the true purpose behind his marriage to Princess Peach. While he initially refuses to help them, Bowser is told by the pair that he can't take over the world if it is destroyed and that his minions now obey Count Bleck, and agrees to come with them. (However, he states that he is only doing so for the purpose of one day conquering the world himself.) With Bowser as a party member, the group continues to Fort Francis.
Before the group can claim the sixth Pure Heart at Sammer's Kingdom, the entire dimension is destroyed by the Void. Afterward, they return to the dimension, but find that it has been reduced to an empty world. Upon claiming the rock-like Pure Heart of that dimension from Mr. L, Luigi's hypnotized alter-ego, they return to Flipside, where Dimentio appears and "kills" Mario, Princess Peach, and Bowser. They return to the dimension, though it is now nothing more than a blank world. After claiming the rock-like Pure Heart of that dimension from Mr. L, they return to Flipside, where Dimentio appears and "kills" Mario, Princess Peach, and Bowser in front of Merlon and Tippi. Mario and Bowser both end up in the Underwhere, while Peach goes to the Overthere.
In the Underwhere, Bowser is found by some of Queen Jaydes' D-Men. Thinking him to be a highly deadly and horrific creature that escaped its prison earlier, they subdue him and throw him in a room along the Underwhere Road. When Mario and Luigi, who is also sent to the Underwhere by Dimentio, while escorting Luvbi, a Nimbi, to the Overthere due to the actual creature that escaped, are traveling along the Underwhere Road, they encounter three D-Men, and Mario and Luigi offer to handle the "monster" that they contained for them. They head into the room, and find Bowser, asking himself about his current situation, inside. He asks where Peach is, and Mario, Luigi, and Tippi tell him they do not know where she is, but Bowser immediately assumes Mario and Luigi are going to ditch him and take Peach for themselves. Angry, Bowser once again engages them in battle. During this fight, he uses the same attacks he uses in the earlier fight. He also charges directly at the player. It is when he is defeated a second time that Mario and Tippi are able to explain that they are in the Underwhere and that Peach's location truly is unknown to them, and he rejoins Mario's party. When Mario and Luigi, who is also sent to the Underwhere by Dimentio, while escorting Luvbi, a Nimbi, to the Overthere due to the actual creature that escaped, are traveling along the Underwhere Road, they encounter three D-Men, and Mario and Luigi offer to hand the "monster" that they contained for them. They head into the room, and find Bowser, asking himself about his current situation, inside. He asks where Peach is, and Mario, Luigi, and Tippi tell him they do not know where she is, but Bowser immediately assumes Mario and Luigi are going to ditch him and take Peach for themselves. Angry, Bowser once again engages them in battle. He attacks Mario with the same attacks he uses earlier: jumping around and breathing fire. He will also use another attack: running straight at Mario and Luigi. However, he is defeated again, and Mario and Tippi are able to explain that they are in the Underwhere and that Peach's location is unknown, (though Bowser, ironically, chastises them for not telling him in the first place stating, "Well why didn't you say so, idiot?!") and rejoins Mario's party afterword. Eventually, they find Peach asleep on the Overthere Stair, but wake her up with a Black Apple. After an adventure in the Overthere, Luvbi reveals to them that she is the eight Pure Heart.
Bowser, Mario, Peach, and Luigi finally arrive at Castle Bleck after claiming the Pure Hearts. After passing through the massive entrance to the castle, the group encounters O'Chunks once more, who transforms into Super O'Chunks; instead of fighting together, however, Bowser wishes to fight him alone. After being defeated, O'Chunks wishes to be killed when the ceiling begins to fall on them. As they prepare for the worst, Bowser and the others are shocked to see that O'Chunks is stopping the ceiling from crushing them by holding it up; he explains that, because Bowser defeated him, the heroes have earned the right to move on, and is taking matters into his own hands to make sure they do. However, instead of passing, Bowser decides to help lift the ceiling as well, telling Mario and Luigi to take Peach to safety. After claiming the eight Pure Hearts, the group arrive at Castle Bleck. When they encounter O'Chunks, Bowser opts to fight him alone, though O'Chunks powers himself up into Super O'Chunks. After he is defeated, the ceiling begins to fall on them, but O'Chunks holds it up before everyone present is crushed; he explains that his defeat earned the heroes the right to pass, and he is taking matters into his own hands to make sure this is possible. Despite this, Bowser assists him in holding the ceiling, urging Mario and the others to pass on. He also attempts to get O'Chunks out of there as well, sparking an argument between them as to who should leave and who should remain (with both stating they should stay and that the other should leave), resulting in both apparently being crushed, although Tippi and Luigi suspect that Bowser might have survived, the latter also pointing out that Bowser has "survived far worse." Interestingly, this causes Bowser to be conveniently left behind during two crucial scenes, the first one being the part where Mimi disguises herself as Merlee and asks Mario and company about their weak-points, and the second being when Dimentio asks Mario and company to join him, stating that they can rule every world with the Chaos Heart in their possession.
It is later revealed that Bowser is still alive while Count Bleck is preparing an attack to destroy Mario. Bowser reveals that he (and apparently O'Chunks as well) fell through a hole in the floor before they could be crushed by the ceiling. The uniting of the four Heroes of Light, however, causes the barrier surrounding Count Bleck to be destroyed. He, Peach, and Luigi then interrupt Count Bleck as he prepares an attack to kill Mario, the uniting of the four heroes causing the eights Pure Hearts to appear and negate the effects of the Chaos Heart, making Count Bleck venerable. Having claimed all the Pure Hearts, Bowser, Mario, Peach, and Luigi finally arrive at Castle Bleck. After passing through the massive entrance to the castle, the group encounters O'Chunks once more, who transforms into Super O'Chunks; instead of fighting together, however, Bowser wishes to fight him alone. Bowser defeats him once again, and O'Chunks demands that he finally finish him, but the victory cannot be relished, as the ceiling starts to fall. As they prepare for the worst, Bowser and the others are shocked to see that O'Chunks is stopping the ceiling from crushing them by holding it up; he explains that, because he beat him, the heroes deserve the right to move on, and is taking matters into his own hands to make sure they do. However, instead of passing, Bowser instead decides to help lift the ceiling as well and he tells Mario and Luigi to take Peach to safety. He also attempts to get O'Chunks out of there as well, causing an argument between them as to who should leave and who should remain, (with both stating they should stay and that the other should leave) resulting in apparently both getting crushed. Interestingly, this causes Bowser to be conveniently left behind during two crucial scenes. The first one being the part where Mimi disguises herself as Merlee, and asks Mario and company about their weak-points. The second scene is when Dimentio asks Mario and company to join him, stating that they could rule every world with the Chaos Heart in their possession. It is later revealed that Bowser is still alive because he (and apparently O'Chunks as well) fall through the floor before they could be crushed. He, Peach, and Luigi then interrupt Count Bleck as he prepares an attack to kill Mario, the uniting of the four heroes causing the eights Pure Hearts to appear and negate the effects of the Chaos Heart and making Count Bleck venerable.
Once Count Bleck is defeated, Bowser witnesses as Dimentio appears and, after knocking out and supposedly killing Nastasia, takes control of the Chaos Heart for himself, then fuses himself with Luigi, whom he enslaves with a Floro Sprout while he is unconscious after Dimentio's "last ditch effort", and the Chaos Heart to form Super Dimentio, who makes himself invincible and teleports Nastasia, Bleck, and Tippi. However, from within the dimension, Dimension D, Bleck and Tippi's love for each other allows the Pure Hearts to power up the heroes. After defeating the powered-up Dimentio, Bowser witnesses as Bleck and Tippi conduct their own marriage ceremony to permanently destroy the Chaos Heart and the Void. The heroes and Bleck's minions are then teleported to Flipside, where they are given a congratulatory feast by Saffron.
Mario cannot jump on Bowser when battling him without getting hurt due to his horns and spikes like he can in the other RPGs. The theme that can be heard during the boss fights with Bowser is notable for being a cover of both the Super Mario Bros. 3 Dark World map music and his boss theme from the first two fights with him in Super Mario 64. When Piccolo is the active Pixl, Bowser's jump sound effect, as with the other characters, is the same as the Mario jump sound effect from Super Mario Bros., and his fire breath sound effect is the one from Super Mario Bros. as well. His theme heard whenever Piccolo's ability is activated is a metal song.
As a playable character, he moves slower than the others; however, he can not only jump but also breathe fire if the player pushes 
on the Wii Remote, and his attack stat is double the stat of the other heroes and higher than the other three. The fire attack is especially useful on the Underwhere Road, in which it can light the torches along the path. Also, unlike the other characters, Bowser cannot climb ladders or vines; he grows tired if the player tries. Bowser joins forces with Mario in Super Paper Mario. During the beginning of the story, Mario and Luigi find Princess Peach missing and rush to Bowser's Castle thinking that he was the perpetrator. Oddly, he is surprised as well, for he was only preparing to kidnap Peach and wasn't ready yet. While talking to each other, a mysterious figure named Count Bleck abducts Luigi, Bowser, and his minions. He leaves Mario unconsious on the floor of Bowser's Castle, but Tippi finds Mario and takes him to Flipside. Count Bleck forces Bowser and Peach to get married in order to open The Void to end all worlds, although Bowser is unaware of his plans.
After the wedding, most of Bowser's minions are brainwashed by Nastasia, Bleck's secretary. Bowser is removed from Count Bleck's Castle and wakes up in a field in The Bitlands. With a handful of his few remaining minions, Bowser establishes a stronghold in an abandoned castle and fortifies the defenses by stationing his forces throughout the area. He eventually encounters Mario and Peach, and chooses to battle Mario one-on-one. Bowser is soundly defeated by the plumber, and he learns the true purpose behind his marriage to Princess Peach. While he initially refuses to help them, Bowser realizes that he can't take over the world if it is destroyed, and agrees to come with them.
Later in the game, when Dimentio "kills" Mario, Princess Peach, and Bowser, Mario and Bowser both end up in the Underwhere, while Peach goes to the Overthere. Mario and Luigi, who was also killed by Dimentio earlier, find Bowser while trying to get out of the Underwhere to find Peach. Mario and Luigi try to explain to Bowser what has happened, but Bowser immediately assumes Mario and Luigi were going to ditch him and take Peach for themselves. Bowser once again engages them in battle, but is defeated again, and rejoins Mario's party afterwards.
Bowser, Mario, Peach, and Luigi traveled through many dimensions to stop The Void, eventually coming to Castle Bleck. Here, Bowser defeated O'Chunks in battle. However, the ceiling starts to fall and O'Chunks stops the ceiling from crushing the others by holding it up. Bowser helps lift the ceiling as well and he tells Mario and Luigi to take Peach to safety. However, he also attempted to get O'Chunks out of there as well, causing an argument between them as to who should leave and who should remain (with themselves stating they should stay and that the other should leave) resulting in apparently both getting crushed. Interestingly, this causes Bowser to be conveniently left behind during two crucial scenes. The first one being the part where Mimi disguised herself as Merlee, and asked Mario and company about their weak-points (just as Bowser and Kammy did to Peach in the first Paper Mario). The second scene is when Dimentio asked Mario and company to join him, stating that they could rule every world with the Chaos Heart in their hands. Chances are, if Bowser had been around for either of those scenes, then he would have caught onto Mimi's scheme right away, and/or he would have accepted Dimentio's offer. It is later revealed that Bowser survived because he (and apparently O'Chunks as well) fell through the floor before they could be crushed. Bowser returned to help in the defeat of Super Dimentio and witnessed the marriage of Count Bleck and Tippi in order to stop The Void. After defeating Count Bleck, Bowser witnesses as Dimentio appears and, after supposedly killing Nastasia, merges with Luigi to form Super Dimentio, who makes himself invincible and teleports Nastasia, Bleck, and Tippi to Dimension D. However, from withing the dimension, Bleck and Tippi's love for each other allows the Pure Hearts to activate and power up the heroes. After defeating the powered-up Dimentio, Bowser also witnesses as Bleck and Tippi conduct their own marriage ceremony to permanently destroy the Chaos Heart and the Void. The heroes and everyone else, minus Bleck and Tippi, are then teleported to Flipside, where they are given a congratulatory feast by Saffron.
Strangely, Mario cannot jump on Bowser when battling him without getting hurt due to his horns and spikes, but he could in the previous titles. The theme that could be heard during the boss fights with Bowser is notable for being a remix of both the Super Mario Bros. 3 Dark World map music and his boss theme from the first two fights with him in Super Mario 64. When Piccolo is the active Pixl, Bowser's jump sound effect, as with the other characters, is the same as the Mario jump sound effect from Super Mario Bros., and his fire breath sound effect is the one from Super Mario Bros. as well. His theme heard whenever Piccolo's ability is activated is a metal song.
Statistics
First Encounter
Unknown — Tippi was not present in this battle.
Second Encounter
HP: 80
Attack: 8
Defense: 2
Tattle: That's Bowser, the king of the Koopas and archenemy of Mario... Max HP is 80. Attack is 8. Defense is 2. He has spikes, so you can't stomp him. As you'd imagine, his fiery breath and stomp attack do a lot of damage. You'll need to use Pixls and items to win this battle...
Wife
The UK Nintendo Power once said that Bowser had a wife named Clawdia. However she has never been seen in any Mario game, or has ever been mentioned in any book, comic, or game. Lena from the Super Mario Bros. movie was once rumored to be Bowser's wife, and some people still believe that.
Princess Peach and Bowser got married at the begining of Super Paper Mario, and never showed them get divorced. However, many people believe that their marriage wasn't official since Peach was forced to say yes. Also Peach and Bowser (named Princess Toadstool and King Koopa back then) were going to get married in the Super Show! episode "Do You Princess Take This Koopa...?". However before they got married Mario and Luigi stopped the wedding.
It is unknown how Bowser has kids. Many people have theories that he adopted his kids. Super Mario Sunshine had Bowser tricking his son, Bowser Jr., that Peach was his mother. However the ending revealed Bowser Jr. wasn't Peach's son.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Bowser appears in Paper Mario: Sticker Star as the main antagonist. At the beginning of the game, Bowser invades Decalburg on the night of the Sticker Fest to claim the Sticker Comet for himself. Several Toads attempt to pull him away as he moves toward it, but they lose their grip, sending Bowser flying into the comet; his touching the star results in it splitting into several pieces that are spread across the Mushroom Kingdom. One of the Royal Stickers that is split off falls onto Bowser's head, amplifying his power. Mario appears on stage to combat him when he attempts to kidnap Peach, but Bowser is able to defeat him and kidnap her.
He is not seen again until World 6-3, aptly named Bowser's Sky Castle. At the end of the level, Mario and Kersti find Princess Peach, stuck to a chain with Bowser Tape, but Bowser appears right as they are going to save her. At the start of the battle, Bowser summons three random enemies to assist him, and when they are defeated, he can summon more unless the doors are barred. Some turns after they are defeated, Bowser heads to another area, where he is defended by a Whomp. After retreating again, Bowser has no minions defending him, but he uses the Podoboos leaping out of the lava to attack. Finally, at the last section, Bowser is assisted by a Chain Chomp, which Bowser also uses to attack but also assists him in battle. Bowser's other attacks include jumping directly on Mario, breathing fire, or folding up into his shell and ramming Mario. Additionally, before each section of the battle, Bowser heals himself.
After being defeated, Bowser falls off a nearby ledge, but soon after emerges in the form of a giant cardboard version of himself. In this form, Bowser attacks with his hands and can be damaged only very little. Bowser attacks Mario by slamming either one of his hands directly onto him, by slamming both onto him multiple times, or by smacking him with one. In addition, the Royal Sticker he possesses prevents him from being heavily damaged. His head also cannot be attacked with a normal jump. To counter the Royal Sticker's power, Kersti, Mario's partner throughout the game, sacrifices herself to be used as a sticker to give Mario enough power to stand up to him. When Bowser is damaged enough, one or both of his arms fall off. At this point, he attacks by either breathing fire) or ground-pounding, which causes several boulders to fall onto Mario. After he is defeated, Bowser returns to his normal state, and is left flat on the ground as Mario frees Peach and uses the combined power of the seven Royal Stickers to return everything to normal. Back at the Sticker Fest, Bowser attempts to steal the Sticker Comet again by sneaking over to it, but Kersti appears, having been revived with Mario's wish, and scolds him. Bowser also appears in the parade during the credits sequence. He is seen on an airship float with Bowser Jr.
In an odd first for the Paper Mario series, Bowser does not have any lines of dialogue in this game, presumably because Miyamoto was not satisfied with the way he was portrayed in the previous installments, either in the beginning cutscene or in the final battle/ending, presumably because Miyamoto was not satisfied with the way he was portrayed in the previous installment.[12]
Paper Mario: Color Splash
Bowser appears in Paper Mario: Color Splash as the main antagonist. He is covered by black paint, altering his physical appearance to a degree that he has red eyes with yellow sclera. It is also implied that the paint also possessed him.
Prior to Mario's arrival on Prism Island, Bowser accidentally created the black paint while attempting to coat his shell in a rainbow color scheme. He was promptly possessed by the paint, and proceeded to lay waste to Port Prisma. After this, he hurled the Big Paint Stars to various locations, draining the island of its color.
After Mario and Huey return the red Big Paint Star to Port Prisma, it prompts a flashback showing Bowser throwing the Big Paint Stars away. After, Bowser shows up to announce his intentions to "share the gift of black paint with the world". When he leaves, he takes Princess Peach with him.
As the Big Paint Stars are collected, flashbacks continue to show what happened at Port Prisma. Once the last one is collected, the following flashback shows Bowser's attempt to paint his shell. He spins around in the Prisma Fountain and mixes the paints together into black paint. As it possesses him, he screams in surprise.
Bowser appears once more during the final sequence at Black Bowser's Castle as the final boss of the game. Once Mario and Huey arrives, he taunts the duo with the now-colorless Peach before initiating a battle. After a tough battle, Mario drains some black paint from Bowser, allowing him to come to his senses. This is short-lived, though, as the black paint possesses him once more. He grows to a larger size, and the true battle begins. Bowser quickly proves to be too much for Mario, but Huey allows himself to be used as a card. Mario successfully returns him to a 3D form. Together, they drain the black paint from Bowser and lock it away. After the battle, Bowser admits to having no idea what's going on before floating away, like the Koopalings before him.
During the ending, Bowser and the Koopalings try to escape on their airship. A celebration firework hits the airship, causing it to crash. Peach then notes that she hopes Bowser learned his lesson this time.
Bowser returns to a speaking role in this game, having a similar personality to his appearances in the first three Paper Mario games. In the scenes where Bowser is in control, he does not hold animosity towards Mario, flat-out asking if Mario is there because of a scheduled kart race.
In battle, Bowser uses a wide variety of heavy-hitting attacks. His fire breath hits several times for small amounts of damage, as the sole exception. He will also summon Black Lava Bubbles to aid him. If they are not defeated, Bowser will absorb them to heal himself. When the second phase starts, Bowser can take damage, but will heal all of it with his following attack. Once Huey is made 3D again, Bowser's attacks can be blocked without him healing. He starts off with a hammer attack and a ball of black paint. As the fight goes on, he starts using stronger attacks that are harder to block. Once he takes enough damage, he uses a last-ditch attack in the form of his "last breath", a huge black paint ball. If the attack is not blocked, Bowser will recover half of his health. If the attack is blocked, Bowser will be left completely defenseless. Any attack from here will finish the battle.
Bowser's Ghost "Sound" Defeat/The Bowser Suit/Luigi's Mansion
Bowser didn't appear in Luigi's Mansion for the Nintendo GameCube - instead, King Boo used a Bowser Suit disguise to fight Luigi during the battle of the game. It is unknown if King Boo actually possessed Bowser's corpse (according to Madame Clairvoya, the fortune-teller ghost) -- but Bowser was indeed "soundly defeated" before the events of Luigi's Mansion. Another possibility is that King Boo simply used a Bowser disguise. Information on this debatable subject can be found on the King Boo article. After a spiked ball was thrown at the head, King Boo was exposed and Luigi could suck him up with his Poltergust 3000. During battle, the Bowser disguise could only be defeated after a spiked ball was thrown at the Bowser head. Once that happened, King Boo would be exposed and Luigi could suck him up with his Poltergust 3000. Another fact that proves that it was a suit, and not the real Bowser was that when King Boo's energy got low and retreated to the body, he screwed the head on backwards! Eventually, Luigi captured King Boo, and the Bowser suit fell. Although Bowser himself doesn't appear in Luigi's Mansion, he was mentioned by Madame Clairvoya, where she says that Bowser had been defeated soundly by Mario a while back. In addition, King Boo uses a Bowser suit in the final battle with Luigi. During the battle, Luigi must throw Spiked Balls at the suit, which will behead it and cause King Boo to come out. During that, the floating Bowser head will fire icy flames at Luigi until it puts itself back on its body. When King Boo's HP is down to two hundred, the Bowser head will reattach itself backwards when he returns to the body, which will cause the suit to run around aimlessly, but it will soon put its head in the right position. After Luigi defeats King Boo, the Bowser suit and its head still unattached will fall to the ground motionless. In Luigi's Mansion, King Boo fought Luigi in a giant Bowser mech (presumably a False Bowser) during the final battle of the game. During battle, the robotic Bowser decoy could only be defeated after a spiked ball was thrown at the Bowser head. Once that happened, King Boo would be exposed and Luigi could suck him up with his Poltergust 3000. When King Boo's energy got low and retreated to the body, he screwed the head on backwards. Eventually, Luigi captured King Boo, and the fake Bowser robot duplicate fell. It's interesting to note that while the original Bowser is not in the events of the game, he is mentioned. He is said to have been soundly defeated at the hands of Mario by Madame Clairvoya, a fortune telling ghost, though this is but a red herring on her part. His face also appears on some doorhandles. This is highly unlikely, however, as Professor E. Gadd who first appeared in the game has made subsequent appearances in other games that were made afterwards, and has brought with him a variety of upgraded inventions based off of his earlier creations.
Super Mario Advance series
Bowser appears in the 2-player battle mode in the remake of Mario Bros. included in all four Super Mario Advance games. He moves around on the middle platform, and only attacks by breathing fire. He cannot be defeated; hitting him from underneath only stuns him briefly.
Super Smash Bros. series
- Main articles: SmashWiki:Bowser (SSBM), SmashWiki:Bowser (SSBB)
Bowser was originally going to be playable in Super Smash Bros., but was taken out of the final version due to data limitations. Template:SSB Infobox
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Bowser is a recurring playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series. He was originally planned to be included as a playable character in Super Smash Bros., but was scrapped due to time constraints; however, he made his Super Smash Bros. debut in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Bowser is very strong, with some of the most powerful attacks out of any character. He is also the heaviest character in the game, making it particularly difficult to send him flying, though he is very slow as a result. Bowser is a very big, strong, and slow character; making him a key character to deliver strong attacks. His massiveness also makes him incredibly hard to launch out of the arena, though it also puts him on the slow side. His amazing bulk allows him to do his somewhat signature move, the body crushing, belly-to-belly Body slam. Though slow in walking speed, his throwing ability is on par with the faster characters. He is also one of the few who can crawl and is also a good edge guarder. The fourth installment, however, shows Bowser with a more upright stance rather than his more hunched appearance in the past games, as well as being able to move and attack faster. Melee also introduces Giga Bowser, a more monstrous version of Bowser. Bowser transforms into Giga Bowser with his Final Smash in Brawl.
Bowser is given more realistic, animal-like voice clips in the Super Smash Bros. series, with his voice in this game being similar to his voice effects from the Nintendo 64-era Mario games (such as Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64). Most of Bowser's attacks are original, though his forward tilt resembles the first hit of his Drill Claw move from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Bowser is given a more realistic animal voice in the Super Smash Bros. series, with his Melee voice being similar to his voice effects from the games before Melee's release (such as Mario Kart 64). Bowser's voice effects in Brawl are different than in Melee, but are still more realistic than his cartoonish voice. Although Bowser does have his own emblem (his face), in the Super Smash Bros. series, his emblem is a mushroom.
Bowser's standard special move is Fire Breath, his standard flame-spewing attack. His side special is Koopa Klaw, a claw swipe that grabs enemies. His up special is Whirling Fortress, which has him retract into his shell and spin rapidly. Finally, his down special move is Bowser Bomb, a Ground Pound-type move based on his attack from Super Mario Bros. 3.
Super Smash Bros. Melee also introduces Giga Bowser, a more powerful form of Bowser, as the hidden final boss of Adventure Mode, as well as in Event Mode.
Bowser is a very big, strong, and slow character; making him a key character to deliver strong attacks, but even though having a shell, he has terrible defensive abilities. His amazing bulk allows him to do his somewhat signature move, the body crushing, belly-to-belly Body slam (Grab with Z, down).
Giga Bowser is a Smash Bros.-exclusive creation, but the concept of Bowser growing in size is not unheard of. In several games, including Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Super Mario Sunshine, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, and New Super Mario Bros. and its Wii sequel, he has changed his size at different points. The method of this, though, varies from game to game, from the magic of Kamek, to an adrenaline rush, to some sort of reviving liquid concocted by his son, and sometimes not even being explained, like his inexplicable shrinking back to a more commonly-seen size at the end of Super Mario Sunshine after making his first appearance in a gargantuan form, as well as his only slightly-larger size in the final cutscene of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Template:SSB Infobox Template:Main-external
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Bowser is still among the heaviest fighters, being heavier in this game than in Super Smash Bros. Melee (weighing 120 units as opposed to 118), though he is slightly faster and weaker. He is also now one of the few characters who can crawl. He has been given a new side special move for this game: Flying Slam, which has Bowser grab a nearby opponent, leap into the air and slam into the ground on top of them. His Final Smash transforms him into Giga Bowser, which makes him giant, prevents him from taking knockback, and gives his attacks increased power. Bowser's forward smash is no longer a single-hitting headbutt that induces an explosion; it is now a standard headbutt that can hit twice for huge damage. His Final Smash, Giga Bowser Transformation, allows him to transform into Giga Bowser for a short while. In the Subspace Emissary, Bowser orders his minions to steal Donkey Kong's Banana Hoard. After Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong have recovered it, he faces them himself. His further role in the story is unknown.
For this game, Bowser's voice effects are more realistic animal growls and grunts. Bowser now replaces Luigi in the How to Play tutorial from this game onwards.
The Subspace Emissary
In the Subspace Emissary storyline of Brawl, Bowser, a leader of the Subspace Army, orders his minions to steal Donkey Kong's Banana Hoard. After Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong have recovered it, he faces them himself. He reveals his Dark Cannon and turns Donkey Kong into a trophy, though not before Diddy is sent to safety with Donkey's Giant Punch. Bowser claims Donkey Kong's trophy as a prize, then pursues Diddy, who enlisted the aid of Fox McCloud, with the assistance of a Shadow Bug clone and the Koopa Troop as well as capturing the princess rescued by Kirby's Dragoon, creating a false copy of her to assist in capturing heroes. After his clone is defeated by them, he attempts to blast them with the Dark Cannon, but misses and his targets flee off a cliff. After his clone is defeated by them, he attempts to blast them with the Dark Cannon, but misses.
Later, he encounters the princess Kirby saved (either Peach or Zelda), having been left behind when Kirby heads off to check out an ominous noise. Bowser blasts her with his Dark Cannon after catching the princess by surprise, and his shadow bug clone dissolves and forms into one of the princess, while he makes off with the trophy of the real princess off-screen. Bowser blasts her from behind using his Dark Cannon, and his shadow bug clone dissolves and forms into the princess, while he retreats with the trophy of the real princess.
It is later shown that Bowser is working closely with Ganondorf in running the Subspace Army (along with Wario to a minor extent), though he dislikes him and prefers Master Hand. He reluctantly follows his orders, however, and heads to King Dedede's castle upon receiving info from the dark ruler that Dedede has trophies he stole from Wario there, though he was briefly attacked by Mario's team as he is returning to the Halberd. He then attacks Diddy and Fox again, this time managing to turn Diddy into a trophy and cloning him. However, his Dark Cannon is destroyed as a result of Falco Lombardi's intervention, forcing him to retreat. Bowser arrives at the castle by falling through the ceiling, chunks of which knocking Dedede out cold and burying him along with the Luigi and Ness trophies. However, Bowser instantly finds the trophy of the other princess, and takes it. Mario, Link, Pit, Kirby, and Yoshi catch up to him at this point, and Mario attempts to punch Bowser, but he intentionally misses when he holds up the princess trophy as a shield. Pit fires an arrow, which Bowser dodges, but falls off the cliff nearby and into his Koopa Clown Car, flying off to the Halberd.
He later appears a third time to Fox and Diddy Kong, this time turning the unsuspecting monkey into a trophy. He tries to blast Fox, but misses. Shadow Bugs then crawl over it upon his command and assume the form of Diddy. He once again attempts to blast Fox with his Dark Cannon, but cavalry arrives in the form of Falco Lombardi, who kicks his weapon out of his hand and destroys it with multiple blasts from his blasters. Vexed at this, Bowser then retreats in his Koopa Clown Car, leaving the Diddy Kong clone to grow at mega proportions and deal with Falco, Fox, and the restored Diddy Kong, but it is defeated.
Eventually, Bowser and Ganondorf are able to fly a Subspace Gunship into the other world from the Subspace explosion created on the Isle of Ancients and use it's massive primary cannon to start bringing pieces of the world into the Subspace. They see the recently liberated Halberd flying toward the ship and use the gunship's defense system weapons to destroy it, but are unable to hit the smaller, more maneuverable ships and aircrafts that emerge from the wreckage until the Subspace Gunship is destroyed by Kirby's Dragoon. The duo then deport into Subspace to report their failure to Master Hand, but Ganondorf betrays Bowser by blasting him from behind with a Dark Cannon and transforming him into a trophy. Master Hand then appears to them, but it is revealed that Master Hand is being controlled by the being Tabuu; Master Hand breaks free afterward, thanks to the livid Ganondorf's attempt to attack Tabuu, and attempts to attack him, but is defeated easily and left unconscious.
Upon being revived by King Dedede, Bowser awakens still enraged by Ganon's treachery, and fights the hammer king out of anger, but is soundly defeated. He is turned back to normal once more, and (after Dedede humorously flicks him across the nose to calm down) learns the truth behind the Subspace mission and, upon taking in the situation, joins the heroes in the fight against Tabuu. Upon finding Ganondorf's trophy (just after Kirby's discovery of it), he furiously attacks it, as retribution for the treason of which he was victim earlier.
Eventually, Tabuu is defeated by the combined power of the heroes, and they all return to the World of Trophies. The credits depict the entire group on a cliff, looking out at sea towards a large "X" formed out of light, the location of what once was the Isle of Ancients.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
Bowser reappears as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and has received a number of changes. For one, Bowser's stance has been made upright, compared to his more hunched appearance in previous games, making him the largest character in the game. He has also been made faster and can jump higher in this game, and now has full armor against moves that deal minor knockback. His weight has been greatly increased, now weighing 130 units. While Bowser's special moves are unchanged, a number of his other moves in the previous games, such as his neutral attack, down tilt, forward smash, neutral and back air attacks, and dash attack, have been replaced with new attacks, while even more have been given changed or new animations; for example, he now actually runs instead of sliding across the ground when dashing, and doesn't retreat into his shell while double jumping, air dodging, or rolling; this also extends to his helpless and reeling animations.
Bowser and Bowser Jr. also share a victory theme different from the other Mario characters: a rock cover of the standard Mario series fanfare.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Template:Main-external Bowser makes an appearance as an unlockable playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Bowser's moveset and attributes remain mostly the same, though he now has greater resistance to stronger attacks such as Villager's Pocketed projectiles. Bowser also receives super armor on all of his tilts and smash attacks, making them safer to use. Additionally, Bowser's down smash is now a claw swipe that hits in front and behind himself. Bowser's forward tilt and first hit of his neutral attack are now sumo-style punches instead of backhanded punches or hooks. Bowser also hops at the end of his up throw. Bowser, like all other characters, receives improvements to his mobility, while his short hop timing is reduced; additionally, his aerials have less landing lag. Bowser can directionally air dodge once again, and can now use any ground attack out of a run and use his aerial attacks on ladders. Lastly, Bowser's weight has been further increased to 135 units, while some of his attacks deal more damage.
Bowser is unlocked by completing Classic Mode as Donkey Kong, or by playing a VS match after unlocking Ness and Zelda. In World of Light, the player is required to beat Bowser as Giga Bowser in order to recruit him, making him the only character to not be fought in his standard form to be recruited.
Classic Mode route
| The Red One. Every Red One! | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Opponent(s) | Stage | Song | |
| 1 | Mii Brawler ×2, Mii Gunner, Mii Swordfighter | Find Mii | Airship Theme - Super Mario Bros. 3 | |
| 2 | Ken | Suzaku Castle | Ken Stage | |
| 3 | Samus | Norfair | Brinstar (Melee) | |
| 4 | Giant Charizard, Giant Incineroar | Pokémon Stadium 2 | Victory Road - Pokémon Ruby / Pokémon Sapphire | |
| 5 | Diddy Kong | Kongo Jungle | Stickerbush Symphony | |
| 6 | Rathalos | Roar/Rathalos | ||
| Final | Mario Metal Mario |
New Donk City Hall (Ω) | Ground Theme (Band Performance) - Super Mario Bros. Metal Battle | |
Mario & Luigi series
The Journey to the BeanBean Kingdom/Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga / Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
- “Attacking me when my back is turned, huh? Well, that's typical! C'mere, Super Coward Bros.!”
- —Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Bowser helped Mario again in the third Mario RPG, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga - but not for long. Bowser takes the brothers on the Koopa Cruiser to Beanbean Kingdom, but the Koopa Cruiser is brought down by Fawful and Bowser is shot out of a cannon by a toad. Bowser ended up falling in a large cannon, and a troublemaker named Tolstar of the Beanbean Kingdom promised to embarrass Bowser by telling the humiliating incident slip to the entire kingdom unless Mario and Luigi could provide him with a hundred coins. Eventually, the StarShade Bros. came along and shot Bowser out of the cannon. The next time the Mario Bros. see him, he has amnesia and is working for Popple, the Shadow Thief, by the name of Rookie. Mario and Luigi fight Rookie and Popple twice in the game before he regains his memory just in time for Cackletta to possess his body and become Bowletta. Bowletta kidnaps Peach, which leaves Mario and Luigi with the task of rescuing her by defeating Bowletta, who has teamed up with the Koopalings. After defeating Bowletta, the bros. are taken into her stomach to fight Cackletta's spirit for the final battle. With her destruction, Bowser returns to normal. When she is completely destroyed, Bowser returns to normal. In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Princess Peach's voice is replaced with a literally explosive vocabulary by the evil witch Cackletta and her minion Fawful. Some time after this, Bowser arrives at the castle to kidnap the princess. However, Mario and Luigi enter soon after, and Mario engages in battle with Bowser (with the latter being irritated at Mario allegedly attacking him while his back was turned). However, once the fight is over Bowser did, and the two engage in battle. However, once the fight is over, Bowser states that this isn't the time for a battle, and a Toad tells the two that Peach's voice was removed. Realizing that, if he kidnapped Peach now, her voice would destroy his castle, he and the Mario Bros. venture to the Beanbean Kingdom to recover Peach's voice on Bowser's Koopa Cruiser. Bowser states that it isn't the time for a battle, and a Toad explains the situation. Bowser realizes that if he kidnaps Peach now, her voice will destroy his castle. He and the Mario Bros. venture to the Beanbean Kingdom to recover Peach's voice on Bowser's Koopa Cruiser, Bowser only wanting to kidnap her afterward. On the way that night, however, Fawful, Cackletta's minion, and Cackletta herself show up, the latter ordering Fawful to destroy the group. One of Fawful's attacks from his helmet defeats Bowser, leaving the brothers to fight him. Nonetheless, Bowser gives the Mario Bros. some hints on how to evade/counter Fawful's attacks. After Fawful is defeated, he uses his helmet to attack the cruiser once more, sending it plummeting to the ground, specifically Stardust Fields. Bowser is defeated by him easily, but the brothers fight Fawful afterward and beat him. Despite this, Fawful uses his helmet in order to send the cruiser plummeting to the ground, specifically Stardust Fields. Bowser falls into a large cannon, where he is mocked by Tolstar and later found by Mario and Luigi. Tolstar demands 100 Beanbean Coins in order to free Bowser and keep the incident a secret. Even after the brothers, along with the Starshade Bros., gather the coins, they are attacked by Tolstar, but he is subsequently defeated. However, Bowser manages to annoy Sergeant Starshade, one of the Starshade Bros., enough to the point where he is shot out of the cannon by him. Bowser ends up in the mountains with amnesia, where he is rescued by Popple, the Shadow Thief. Popple decides to take him under his wing starts training Bowser to become a Shadow Thief, renaming him Rookie.
Bowser falls into a large cannon, where he is mocked by Tolstar. He is later found by Mario and Luigi, but Tolstar, the cannon's owner, appears and demands 100 Beanbean coins to free Bowser and keep the incident a secret. Even after gathering the coins, Tolstar does not uphold his end of the bargain and attacks Mario and Luigi. When he is defeated, however, Bowser's griping has annoyed Sergeant Starshade, one of the Starshade Bros., enough to the point where he appears and shoots him out of the cannon. He hurriedly requests that the Mario Bros. continue their journey to save Peach's voice before he is fired into the mountains, the impact giving him amnesia. He is later found by Popple, the Shadow Thief. Popple decides to take him under his wing, renaming him Rookie. Realizing that if he kidnapped Peach, her voice would destroy his castle, he and the Mario Bros. journeyed Beanbean Kingdom to recover Peach's voice on Bowser's Koopa Cruiser. On the way, the Koopa Cruiser was shot down by Fawful, Cackletta's minion. Bowser fell in a large cannon and was shot out by the Starshade Bros. Bowser ended up in the mountains with amnesia, where he was rescued by Popple, the Shadow Thief. Popple started training Bowser to become a Shadow Thief, training Bowser to become a Shadow Thief and renaming him Rookie.
As Rookie, Bowser and Popple fought the Mario Bros. twice, not remembering them, but seeming familiar to him that they enraged him for some reason. Rookie's attacks, which involve throwing hammers and breathing fire, are a reference to Super Mario Bros., where Bowser performs both of those moves during later boss battles. Rookie ends up remembering who he is, but he is then possessed by Cackletta, becoming Bowletta. Bowletta kidnaps Peach, which leaves Mario and Luigi with the task of rescuing her. Bowletta takes command of the Koopa Troop and launches a massive military strike against the Beanbean Kingdom from Bowser's Castle. After Mario and Luigi defeat Bowletta, the brothers are taken into her stomach to fight Cackletta's spirit for the final battle. Bowletta's stomach is full of flames. When Cackletta is completely destroyed, Bowser returns to normal. Still a bit bedazzled, Bowser gets no break as his castle exploded shortly afterward. They are first fought at Chateau de Chucklehuck, Popple wanting the Chuckola Reserve for himself, and later at Woohoo Hooniversity, after the Beanstar randomly lands right in front of Popple. After the Beanstar battle, a Peach-bot head falls in front of the group, the noise that it is making disturbing the Beanstar. The four Mario, Luigi, Popple, and "Rookie" all grab onto the star before it flies up into the air, each of them falling off in different directions before it splits into four pieces. However, before he falls off, Bowser recovers from his amnesia. It is later revealed that Bowser's earlier attempt at kidnapping Peach forced her to not reveal to Mario her earlier plan of evading Cackletta's attempt at stealing her voice via the use of a decoy. Rookie ends up remembering who he is, but some time after, he is then possessed by Cackletta, becoming Bowletta. Bowletta kidnaps Peach, which leaves Mario and Luigi with the task of rescuing her. Bowletta takes command of the Koopa Troop and launches a massive military strike against the Beanbean Kingdom from Bowser's Castle. After Mario and Luigi defeat Bowletta, the brothers are taken into her stomach to fight Cackletta's spirit for the final battle. Bowletta's stomach is full of flames. When Cackletta is completely destroyed, Bowser returns to normal. Still a bit bedazzled, Bowser gets no break as his castle exploded shortly afterward (literally flying to the screen of the Game Boy). Bowser fell into Oho Ocean, but was resuced by Prince Peasly. He then awoke with a cold inside a present box (attached to Peach's Plane) given to Peach and the Mario Bros by Prince Peasly. He was dropped off to his ground castle while his minions eagerly watch him.
Bowser lands near the border between the Beanbean and Mushroom Kingdoms. Fawful, who is carrying around Cackletta's soul inside a helmet, releases her spirit to possess the unconscious Bowser, transforming him into Bowletta. Bowletta takes command of the Koopa Troop, kidnaps Princess Peach, and launches a massive military strike against the Beanbean Kingdom from Bowser's Castle. After Mario and Luigi defeat Bowletta, the brothers are taken into its stomach to fight Cackletta's spirit for the final battle. When Cackletta is completely destroyed, Bowser returns to normal. Still a bit bedazzled, Bowser gets no break, as his castle explodes shortly afterward (sending him literally flying toward the screen of the Game Boy Advance). Bowser falls into Oho Ocean, but is rescued by Prince Peasley. He later awakens with a cold, inside a present box (attached to Peach's Plane) given to Peach and the Mario Bros by Prince Peasley. During their flight back to the Mushroom Kingdom, he is dropped off at his castle while his minions watch.
- “What's your PROBLEM? You make me sick!”
- —Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
In the Nintendo 3DS remake, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, in addition to appearing in the game's main story mode with the same role as the original game, Bowser plays an integral part in the new Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser mode. Here, a group of Bowser's minions, led by Captain Goomba, venture the Beanbean Kingdom with the intent of reuniting with Bowser and freeing other minions from Fawful's hypnosis. After making it to the castle, Bowser seemingly is present and orders them to take on Mario as usual. However, Captain Goomba seemed suspicious of "Bowser" due to him using language that seemed far too harsh on Mario even with his hatred of him (namely, stating they should "destroy" Mario and finish their feud), which they eventually confirm with a Lakitu (who made the discovery directly) that "Bowser" was in fact possessed as Bowletta. After defeating Fawful and his robot underlings, the group of minions ultimately find Bowser after his possessed form is defeated and cleansed by Mario and Luigi. However, the reunion is short-lived, as the castle they are in soon explodes, launching Bowser and the minions out of it. The minions then look on as Bowser is being returned via airplane to the Mushroom Kingdom. Later, inside Bowser's Castle, Bowser is slowly recovering from his amnesia. Through his words, it is revealed that Bowser's memory loss was actually caused by Captain Goomba when he landed on Bowser from above. The mode ends with Bowser angrily chasing after Captain Goomba, with it also being implied that Bowser had Captain Goomba demoted not just his then-newly promoted position of leading the Koopa Troop into direct battle, but also his rank of Captain itself for his inadvertent role in giving him amnesia.[13]
With Popple as Rookie
- Main article: Rookie (Bowser)
The next time that the Mario Bros. see him, the great Koopa King has amnesia and is working for Popple, the Shadow Thief. While accompanying Popple, Bowser adopts the name 'Rookie'. Mario and Luigi fight Rookie and Popple twice in the game before Bowser regains his memory.
Rookie's attacks (which involve throwing hammers and breathing fire) may also be a reference to Super Mario Bros., where Bowser could perform both of those moves.
Possessed as Bowletta
- Main article: Bowletta
However, as soon as Bowser remembers who he is, Cackletta possesses his body and becomes Bowletta. Bowletta kidnaps Peach, which leaves Mario and Luigi with the task of rescuing her. Bowletta takes command of the Koopa Troop, including the Koopalings, and launches a massive military strike against the Beanbean Kingdom. After Mario and Luigi defeat Bowletta, the brothers are taken into her stomach to fight Cackletta's spirit for the final battle. Interestingly, Bowser's stomach is full of flames. When she is completely destroyed, Bowser returns to normal, only to be put in a package later on by Prince Peasley.
Blast To The Past/Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
It has been requested that this article be rewritten.
- “Mario! Green 'Stache! And you brats, too! NO MERCY FOR YOU!”
- —Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
In this game, Baby Bowser appears in the beginning, kidnapping Baby Peach. Baby Mario and Luigi fight and defeat him. Baby Bowser frequently returns (swallowing two Cobalt Star shards, stealing a huge pile of Yoshi Cookies, etc.). Eventually, after Princess Shroob (disguised as Princess Peach) is brought to the present, Bowser pops in, grabs Princess Shroob, and flees. However, he falls off the balcony and into a time hole, where he meets his younger self (which he mistakes to be some bratty kid, not realizing who he really was). They team up and fight Mario and Luigi and their younger selves inside Thwomp Volcano. When they're defeated, a Thwomp flings them into the air, where Bowser falls back into another time hole. When they're defeated, they all get abducted by Shroobs, but Bowser falls out and lands in a time hole back to the present. When Mario and Luigi defeat the Elder Princess Shroob, she turns into a small mushroom. Back in the present, Bowser eats it and becomes Shrowser, which fights Mario and Luigi (which doesn't allow them to attack). After this, Bowser explodes. However, Mario and Luigi did find a way to attack by reflecting Shrowser's own attacks and using them against Elder Princess Shroob. After this, the Elder Shroob is completely destroyed, and Bowser faints with the brothers doing a victory pose on him. Bowser first appears in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time after the recently-rescued Princess Peach. In Peach's bedroom, he easily defeats the Toad guarding the princess and is about to take her when Mario and Luigi show up. As they are about to battle, a part of the Shroob Mushroom covering her face separates and flies into Bowser's face, and he eats it, the awful taste causing him to spew a gas that dazes Mario and Luigi. As he is escaping with the princess, Toadsworth the Younger charges at him on Baby Peach's stroller, but Bowser jumps over them, leading to the bridge they are on collapsing under Bowser, and ironically helping the Mario Bros, as revealed later in the game. He and the princess fall into a Time Hole below, which leads to Thwomp Volcano. Inside the volcano itself, he declares it the perfect place to build another castle when Baby Bowser suddenly falls down into the area, stating the same thing. The two then spot each other and argue over ownership of the volcano, claiming that the other is an imposter while failing to realize that they are the same being.
When Mario, Luigi, and the babies reach the bottom of Thwomp Caverns, Bowser and Baby Bowser appear before they can save the princess and challenge them, revealing that they have teamed up. They're the fourth boss of the game, Bowser can attack by jumping, which creates a shockwave, which can either be slow or fast moving. If it is the fast shockwave, it also sends down debris to be jumped over; normal rocks hit both bros., red Thwacks hit Mario, and green ones Luigi. He can also breath a stream of fire, though he sometimes fakes it and does it a second later; the player can tell if he is when Bowser laughs before he attacks (In the Japanese version, Bowser will automatically use this attack after being attacked, and is one of three bosses that will counterattack no matter whose turn it currently is.[14]). Some of Baby Bowser's attacks also involve Bowser. One attack involves ground pounding Bowser to have him spit flames at them, and another involves Bowser retreating into his shell, and Baby Bowser using his hammer to smack him at Mario and Luigi; if the attack is deflected enough Bowser spins off-screen and does not return for another turn. Finally, Baby Bowser can restore 100 HP to Bowser (60 HP in the Japanese and European versions[14]) with a Mushroom. When the duo are defeated, a lava geyser sends the Thwomp they are on flying out of the volcano. Bowser is knocked off by a Shroob UFO, telling his baby self to grow up and become stronger and more evil before falling into the Time Hole back to the present.
Meanwhile, the dual heroes realize that Princess Peach had been an imposter the whole time. The masquerade had been part of the Shroobs' plot to infiltrate the Mushroom Kingdom's future and take over, which would have succeeded if not for Bowser's unforeseen intervention. In the game Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Baby Bowser appears in the beginning, kidnapping Baby Peach. Baby Mario and Luigi fight and defeat him. Baby Bowser frequently returns (swallowing two Cobalt Star shards, stealing a huge pile of Yoshi Cookies, etc.). Eventually, after Princess Shroob (disguised as Princess Peach) is brought to the present, Bowser pops in, grabs Princess Shroob, and flees. However, he falls off the balcony and into a time hole, which sends him to Thwomp Volcano, where he meets his younger self. (which he mistakes to be some bratty kid) They team up and fight Mario and Luigi inside Thwomp Volcano. When they're defeated, they all get abducted by Shroobs, but Bowser falls out and lands in a time hole back to the present. Bowser first appears in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time after Princess Shroob (disguised as Princess Peach) is brought to the present. Mistaking her for Princess Peach, he grabs her, and flees. However, he falls off the balcony and into a time hole, which sends him to Thwomp Volcano. Here, he meets his younger self (which he mistakes to be some bratty kid, not realizing who he really was). They team up and fight the Mario Bros. and their younger selves, though are beaten by the group. When they are defeated, a Thwomp flings them into the air, and Bowser falls back into another time hole. In Peach's room, he easily defeats the Toad guarding the princess and is about to take her when Mario and Luigi show up. As they are about to battle, a part of the Shroob Mushroom covering her face separates and flies into Bowser's face. He plies it off his face and eats it, though it tastes awful, and he begins to spray a purple gas out of his mouth, which incapacitates Mario and Luigi. Using this to his advantage, he grabs the princess and runs off. As he is fleeing, he stops upon hearing Toadsworth the Younger behind him, and turns to see him charging toward him in Baby Peach's carriage, but he avoids them by jumping over them. However, Bowser's landing causes the chunk of the balcony he is standing on to break, and they both fall into the Time Hole underneath.
The time hole sends him and the princess to Thwomp Volcano. At the bottom of the volcano's inferior, he decides that the volcano is the perfect place to build another castle when Baby Bowser suddenly falls down into the area, and decides that he wants to build a castle there. However, the two then spot each other and both state that the volcano is theirs, then argue by telling the other that he is a Bowser copy, and continue to argue after that (neither of them realizing that they are both Bowser, but from different points in time), stating the same thing. The two then spot each other and argue over ownership of the volcano, claiming that they are both the real Bowser and that the other one is an imposter (neither of them realizing that they are both the same being but from different time periods).
When Mario and Luigi defeat the Elder Princess Shroob, she turns into a small mushroom. Back in the present, Bowser, who's been resting unconscious in Peach's throne room, eats it and becomes Shrowser, who fights Mario and Luigi (and doesn't allow them to attack). After this defeat, the Elder Shroob is completely destroyed, and Bowser faints with the brothers doing a victory pose on him. However, he falls off the balcony and into a time hole, which sends him to Thwomp Volcano. Here, he meets his younger self (which he mistakes to be some bratty kid, not realizing who he really was). They team up and fight the Mario Bros. and their younger selves, though are beaten by the group. When they are defeated, a Thwomp flings them into the air, and Bowser falls back into another time hole.
When Mario and Luigi and their baby forms reach the bottom of the volcano, Bowser and Baby Bowser appear before they can save "Princess Peach", reveal that they have teamed up, and challenge them. Bowser can attack the four heroes by jumping, which both creates a shockwave and sends down debris to be avoided. He also attacks by breathing bursts of flame at them, though he may sometimes fake it; the player can tell if he is when Bowser laughs before he attacks. Baby Bowser's attacks also involve Bowser. His first attack involves ground pounding Bowser to have him spit flames at them, and his second involves Bowser retreating into his shell, and Bowser Jr. using his hammer to smack him at Mario and Luigi; once Baby Bowser misses, Bowser does not return for another turn. When the duo are defeated, a geyser of lava emerges from under the Thwomp they stand on at the beginning of the battle, sending the past and present Bowsers flying out of the volcano. Bowser is then knocked off the Thwomp by a Shroob UFO, and is sent into another Time Hole.
After defeating Elder Princess Shroob and returning to the present, the two Toadsworths lead Mario and Luigi to an unconscious Bowser in Peach's throne room; present Toadsworth explains that they found him unconscious in the castle's backyard after emerging from the Time Hole. While trying to wake him up, Elder Princess Shroob, in the form of a mushroom which was claimed by the Mario Bros. that Baby Luigi claimed, floats toward Bowser and forces him to eat her, her spirit now inhabiting his body as Shrowser. Bowser awakens, feeling revitalized, and engages the four in battle again. However, he does not give the Mario bros. any opportunity to attack, instead constantly attacking with fireballs. Dodging or countering results in Elder Princess Shroob, whose spirit emerges from Bowser at the beginning of the fight, being damaged. Once her health is depleted, Elder Princess Shroob is destroyed and Bowser once again falls into a state of unconsciousness. He awakens, feeling revitalized, and engages Mario, Luigi, and their past selves in battle. However, he does not give the Mario bros. any opportunity to attack, instead barraging them multiple times with fireballs. The fireballs can either be jumped over or deflected back at Bowser with the hammer, whichever is indicated, though both counters result in Elder Princess Shroob, whose spirit emerges from Bowser at the beginning of the fight, being damaged. Once her health is depleted, Shrowser is defeated, Elder Princess Shroob is destroyed, and Bowser once again falls into a state of unconsciousness.
In addition, it should also be noted that one of the signs that the Handfake enemy can hold up depicts The Present Bowser, based upon his Super Mario World artwork.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
- “Did somebody page the king of awesome?”
- —Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
- “Taste defeat? You're going to be tasting my fist, you little piglet!”
- —Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
- “You got THAT right buddy! I'm Bowser, the Koopa king!”
- —Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
- “What am I, a taxi? Want a coffee? Maybe a massage?!”
- —Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
In the third Mario & Luigi game, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Bowser is the main protagonist, and his playability is a major plot point, as well as him being the namesake of the game; much of Mario and Luigi's side of the plot takes place inside Bowser's body. At the beginning of the game, Bowser barges into the Conference Hall to once again kidnap Peach, partly out of not being invited to the emergency blorbs conference beforehand, but Mario stands in his way. During the resulting battle, Bowser only attacks by spitting small fireballs at Mario. After he is defeated, Bowser is flung to Dimble Woods by Princess Peach and Starlow. When the player defeats him, Bowser is surprised to see that he has fallen to Mario so easily; Starlow explains that she and Peach used their power to weaken him. Peach and Starlow then use their power to fling him out of the castle and into Dimble Wood. After he recovers and explores the woods, he finds a stand owned by a cloaked person that gives him a "Lucky Mushroom", claiming it will allow him to defeat Mario. Bowser carelessly eats the mushroom, which causes him to start inhaling his surroundings and places him under Fawful's control. Returning to the castle, he inahles the occupants of the conference room before passing out and being dragged to Cavi Cape Cave, where he is awakened by Mario and Luigi. After leaving and fighting Midbus, Bowser learns that Fawful has set out to take over his castle, with Bowser's main focus being to return and undo what Fawful has done. He attempts to find a Banzai Bill to breach the castle's defenses, although in the process of searching for an adequate substitute via the Giga-carrot, he is ultimately forced by a Wiggler to eat the whole thing in a minute when he was caught trying to uproot it, ultimately forcing the Wiggler upon beating it to hand over his Banzai Bill. He then fires it at the castle, only for it to start flying to him (thanks to Midbus and Fawful's modifications to the castle) and squish him. Thanks to help, however, he survives and becomes giant, doing enough damage to his castle to force a retreat by Midbus. He then arrives at the castle, or rather, the Fawful Theater and beats Midbus. Unfortunately, his victory is short lived when the boos fattened him up with a victory feast, with Fawful then extracting Peach from him and then left him to literally burn off the excess fat via a treadmill and setting off the castle's bob-omb caches in the process.
After Bowser is blown out of his castle and ends up in the Tunnel, he helps the Monty Bros. dig a tunnel to Toad Town Caves; however, when he explores this area he triggers a security system that electrocutes him, knocking him unconscious. Bowser later awakens and heads to Dr. Toadley's clinic, where he fights Mario and Luigi. Bowser uses the same attacks as when the player battles with him: punching, breathing fire, Goomba Storm, and Shy Guy Squad, though he does not use the second special move until later in the battle. His punch can be dodged by jumping, and if Bowser huffs before, he instead slips, flying over his target. The fire can be avoided by grabbing onto Starlow while he is charging the attack. Goomba Storm can be avoided by jumping over them and hammering the ones he burns back at Bowser, damaging him. Finally, Shy Guy Squad is stopped by deflecting Bowser with the hammer as he approaches one of the brothers. After defeating him, they learn that they need to find the three Star Cures to cure the blorbs and access Peach's Castle. Hearing the first cure is in Dimble Woods, Bowser rushes off. During the quest for the Star Cures, Bowser manages to find only one, which is in a safe in his treasure room, but is locked inside by General Guy, Private Goomp, and Corporal Paraplonk, who have betrayed him for Fawful.
After Bowser is freed from the safe in Junker's rampage, he makes his way to Fawful and Midbus and faces Midbus as Blizzard Midbus. After beating him the Dark Star awakens and Fawful attempts to claim its power, but is knocked aside by Bowser before he can absorb too much, the energy he did absorb turning him into Dark Fawful. The Dark Star then flies down Bowser's throat, where it absorbs some of his DNA and transforms into Dark Bowser, which heads after Fawful with Bowser following it. After Bowser defeats Dark Fawful, he escapes in the form of a mass of Dark Energy, which is inhaled by Dark Bowser, completing his transformation. Chasing Dark Bowser to a tower above the castle, Bowser witnesses as his dark clone spreads his darkness around the kingdom, threatening to destroy the kingdom. Engaging in battle with Dark Bowser, he is able to inhale Fawful after forcing him out of Dark Bowser, allowing Mario and Luigi to defeat him, which in turn allows Bowser to defeat Dark Bowser. Defeating him destroys the Dark Star, although Fawful is still alive in the end, and he self-destructs to destroy Mario and Luigi; this instead causes everyone inside Bowser's body to return to the outside world. Angered by the fact that the Mario bros. were dancing around in his body, he fights them, but is defeated and carried home by his minions. Bedridden after the defeat, Bowser receives a gift from Princess Peach, which turns out to be a cake. In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Bowser's playability is a major plot point, and the namesake of the game. At the beginning, Bowser interrupts a conference by barging into the meeting room, to once again kidnap Peach, but fails, courtesy of Mario. Peach then forces him out of the castle, she and Starlow using their power to fling him towards Dimble Wood.
He awakens in the forest, and immediately after notices a shop in the middle of the area, who uses recovery spells on him. Bowser resolves to go back to Peach's castle so that he can defeat Mario and kidnap Peach, though he does not know his current location. The cloaked man running the shop then gives Bowser a "Lucky Mushroom", claiming it can give him the power to defeat Mario. He eats it, but comes under Fawful's control. Afterwards, he breaks back into Peach's castle and inhales Mario, Luigi, Toadsworth, Starlow, Toadbert, Princess Peach, and several other Toads, passing out after doing so. Fawful then has Midbus remove Bowser's body from the premises. After being woken up by Mario and Luigi, Bowser, not aware that he has living people in his stomach, is extremely angered by the series of events that took place. He is awakened in Cavi Cape Cave, where he discovers that he has lost the ability to breathe fire. After leaving the cave, he meets Fawful, who proclaims that he is going to take over Bowser's castle and the entire Mushroom Kingdom. Before Bowser can chase after Fawful, his minion Midbus appears, and he easily defeats the still weak Bowser in battle. After being defeated, Bowser awakens and sets off for his castle. Bowser is awakened in a forest by a Magikoopa. After the player traverses the forest for a while, Bowser arrives at a shop, run by a cloaked being, who gives Bowser a "Lucky Mushroom", claiming it can give him the power to defeat Mario. The Magikoopa advises him not to accept it, but Bowser accepts and eats the mushroom anyway, and is placed under Fawful's control as a result, as well as inhaling his surroundings. By using a large, yellow Nubbin in Bowser's Funny Bone, Mario and Luigi are able to awaken Bowser. He is extremely angered by the events that happened, but is unaware that he inhaled everyone at Peach's castle. He is awakened in Cavi Cape Cave. After the player wanders about the cave, Bowser encounters a piece of flimsy material covering an exit. He attempts to destroy it with fire, but cannot. When the player does exit the cave, Bowser meets Fawful, who proclaims that he is going to take over his castle and the entire Mushroom Kingdom. Before Bowser can chase after Fawful, his minion Midbus appears. Bowser attempts to face him (which is actually a tutorial for learning Bowser's Action Commands), but finds he is still too weak from being knocked out. Midbus leaves him, and Bowser decides to head to his castle.
At one point, Bowser starts hearing a voice inside his head. This voice instructs him to smash a nearby boulder, unveiling a Chakroad, portals allowing the user to teleport to a location he or she has visited and has discovered the Chakroad for. The voice then gives him a tutorial for their use.
When he arrives at Plack Beach for a while, Bowser meets Broque Monsieur, a block collector, stuck on an island, and asks Bowser to free him in exchange for the Vacuum Block, a block which can give its user the vacuum attack. Bowser accepts, but does not have the strength to pull the island over to the Arm Center and stimulating his arm muscle at first, the Mario brothers help him by increasing his arm muscle, which gives him enough strength to yank the entire island to the beach. Having saved Broque, he is given the block and is taught how to use the command. At Plack Beach, Bowser meets Broque Monsieur, a living block and block collector, who is trapped on a nearby island. Broque asks Bowser to free him, though he does not care to do so. Broque then offers him the Vacuum Block, a block which can give its user the vacuum attack, in exchange for help. Bowser accepts, and attempts to use a nearby rope to pull the island over to the mainland. In the Arm Center, Mario and Luigi stimulate Bowser's arm muscle, allowing him to yank the entire island onto the beach. As promised, Broque gives Bowser the Vacuum Block, allowing him to use his vacuum ability.
At the north end of the beach, Bowser encounters the Sea Pipe Statue. After hearing from Starlow that it was made in honor of a hero, Bowser believes it to be him, but attempts to destroy it because he believes it is ugly, though Starlow stops him. However, the statue starts to move. Fawful, using a Fawfulcopter, explains to him that he animated the statue, and it engages Bowser in battle. Once the statue is defeated, Bowser becomes thirsty and begins to drink the water flowing out of it, allowing the player to access the Pump Works. In there, Mario and Luigi must recover the Stingler, the key to a door allowing the player to access the Flame Pipe. In the pipe, they find that it is a Scutlet that is blocking the pipe. Upon its defeat, Bowser regains his ability to breathe fire.
Once Bowser reaches the northern end of the beach, he encounters the Sea Pipe Statue. After hearing from Starlow that it was made in honor of a hero, Bowser believes it to be him, but attempts to destroy it because he believes it is ugly, though Starlow stops him. Because it is not in his image, Bowser attempts to destroy it, but quickly discovers that Fawful animated the statue so it can defend itself, and the statue attacks Bowser. However, after defeating it, Bowser becomes thirsty and begins to drink the water flowing out of it, allowing the Mario brothers to travel through the Pump Works. In there, the brothers recover the Stingler, the key to access the Flame Pipe. After the bros. discover and defeat Scutlet, who is blocking the pipe, Bowser regains his ability to breathe fire. Using this skill, he defeats Broque Monsieur's dog, Broggy, and continues on his quest. After discovering Broque Monsieur's shop in the woods, Bowser is asked to bring him fifteen Blitties. Once he does so, Broque will give Bowser Broggy, allowing him to use the Broggy Bonker attack. Upon advancing in Plaque Beach, Bowser encounters Broque Monsieur once again. This time, his dog has gone missing. They find him, but he is temperamental, so Broque asks Bowser to "teach him zee manners". Bowser agrees, and must defeat Broggy in battle by using his recently recovered fire attack. After discovering Broque Monsieur's shop in the woods, Bowser is asked to bring him fifteen Blitties, in exchange for allowing Broggy to travel with Bowser, allowing him to use the Broggy Bonker attack.
Near the end of the forest, Bowser notices a cage full of Goombas, trapped there by Fawful. He decides to help them, first by making a bridge to the island they are trapped on by using a Wiggler statue, which he is only able to lift once Mario and Luigi boost his arm muscle a second time. Upon freeing them, Bowser can preform the attack Goomba Storm. Fawful then appears to him and explains that several of his other minions have also been trapped in various locations.
Up ahead, Bowser notices a cage full of Goombas, trapped there by Fawful. He frees them, allowing him to preform the attack Goomba Storm. He later runs into three more of his minions: Sergeant Guy, Corporal Paraplonk, and Private Goomp. The three tell him that they are attempting to recapture Bowser's castle by launching a Banzai Bill at it; they then realize that they have the launcher, but no Banzai Bills. He goes out in search of one, instead finding a carrot in a Wiggler's garden that he thinks will make a good enough substitute. He sends them out to retrieve one, then heads off on his own for the same purpose. Instead, at Wiggler's garden, he finds a massive carrot, and, deeming it a suitable substitute, he is able to pull it out of the ground when Mario and Luigi once again increase his muscle mass. The Wiggler then emerges, angered that Bowser had plucked the carrot from the ground. However, Bowser does not care and then asks if it has any Banzai Bills, to which the Wiggler replies that it does, but it will only give the bullet to Bowser if he ate the massive carrot. However, he only agrees to hand it over if Bowser eats the carrot in less than one minute. Mario and Luigi must head to Gut Check to help Bowser eat the carrot. Once he does, the Wiggler gives him the option to save. With help from Mario and Luigi, Bowser completes the task, but the Wiggler forgets everything that happened, and fights Bowser, now mad that he ate the carrot. Bowser emerges victorious, and the Wiggler surrenders the Banzai Bill. On the way back to his minions, however, Bowser starts feeling stomach aches. The brothers head to the Nerve Cluster and discover that this is because of Durmite, running rampant inside his body, and take care of the issue. After defeating it, they travel on and discover a blocked passage and Toadbert. Luigi then hits the Nubbin nearby, which not only unveils the passage but also gives Bowser the Sliding Punch ability. Inside Bowser's body, Mario and Luigi must help to digest the carrot in his Gut Check. After eating the carrot, Wiggler gives him the option to save. When Bowser asks for the Banzai Bill, the Wiggler is enraged that Bowser has eaten the carrot, apparently having forgotten what had happened earlier, and fights him. When Bowser emerges victorious, the Wiggler surrenders the Banzai Bill. On the way back to his minions, however, he starts feeling stomach aches. Inside the Nerve Cluster, Mario and Luigi discover the cause of Bowser's pains: Durmite, running rampant inside his body. After defeating Durmite, they travel on, but are attacked by Biffidus, Bowser's antibodies. In this area, they discover a blocked passage and Toadbert. Luigi then hits the Nubbin nearby, which not only unveils the passage but also gives Bowser the Sliding Punch ability.
After arriving back at the site of the launcher, Bowser, Corporal Paraplonk, Private Goomp, and Sergeant Guy launch the bullet at the castle. Midbus, however, takes notice of the Banzai Bill and flies the castle into the air. He then flies it to Dimble Woods, where it lands on Bowser. In order to revive him, the Mario bros. go to Rump Command, where they revive Bowser with an adrenaline boost. The boost not only revives him, but also causes him to grow to a gigantic size. With his increased height, Bowser takes on his castle, damaging it to the point where Midbus flies it away. After the battle, Bowser decreases in size again, but Midbus fires a massive cannonball at Bowser. The Mario brothers once again help him by increasing his arm muscle, allowing him to throw the projectile back at the castle, permanently grounding the structure. With his increased height, Bowser fights his castle, damaging it to the point where Midbus retreats, flying it back to its original position. After the battle, Bowser decreases in size again and continues his journey to his castle. On the Bowser Path, when Bowser approaches his castle, Midbus once again flies it away. He chases the castle once more and reaches a ledge when Midbus fires a massive cannonball at him. He is able to catch the projectile, but Mario and Luigi must once again increase his arm's strength, which causes Bowser to hurl the projectile back at the castle and permanently ground it.
Once Bowser arrives in his castle, he sees that his minions were all enslaved, and that his military training facility was converted to Fawful Theater. Bowser enters the theater, and, after noticing there were no more available seats, while lodging a complaint, one of the Goombas realizes that he is Bowser, and leads him to the "VIP" chair. After Fawful introduces the show, he announces Bowser as the special guest, and the chair rockets forward, throwing him on the stage. He is then forced into battle with Midbus again. Once he wins, he is led by several Boos to a winner's feast. During the feast, however, Bowser eats so much that he becomes severely obese, falls through the floor, and becomes stuck; it is at this point that Mario and Luigi can access the Flab Zone. Midbus then arrives onstage, and a cage is dropped over the two, forcing them to battle. Once Bowser emerges victorious, Fawful has several Boos lead him to a winner's feast. He eats some, and when he attempts to leave, he is forced to stay by the Boos. At this point, they feed him so much "high-fat, high-calorie" food that he becomes severely obese. The Boos leave, and he attempts to follow them, but falls through the floor and becomes stuck, allowing Mario and Luigi to access the Flab Zone.
During this time, Fawful uses a ray gun to remove Peach from Bowser's body. After getting Peach, Bowser falls through the floor and onto a treadmill brought out by Midbus, and uses it to literally burn the calories he gained. However, he then walks over to a crate of Bob-ombs, instead noticing the sign saying what room he is in, unintentionally lighting a Bob-omb. This Bob-omb leaps into a crate full of others, creating a chain reaction which blows up the other crates and sending Bowser flying to an underground tunnel. Soon after, he meets a group of Monty Moles, who he learns are building a tunnel all the way to Toad Town. Bowser helps them by pushing their drill vehicle from behind, and Mario and Luigi help him by stimulating his leg muscles. With this help, Bowser is able to finish the tunnel, ending up at Toad Town's underground. However, he wanders down a path and activates a security system that knocks him unconscious; he then uses it to literally burn the fat he gained. However, curious as to what room he is in, Bowser walks over to a sign and notes that he is in the Bob-omb storage facility; while doing so, he unintentionally lights a Bob-omb, which leaps into a crate filled with others. This results in a chain reaction, the explosion sending Bowser flying out of his castle and into the Underground Tunnel. Some time after landing, Bowser finds a group of Monty Moles digging a tunnel; they explain that the project was commissioned by Bowser himself to dig an escape tunnel from Toad Town to his castle. However, since they cannot dig ahead anymore, Bowser decides to help by pushing the drill from behind; as Mario and Luigi, the player must head to the Leg Outpost to stimulate Bowser's legs so that he can drill through the earth and reach Toad Town before the drill's battery dies. Once this is accomplished, he wanders down a path which results in a security system activating. The system electrocutes him, knocking him unconscious.
He later regains consciousness and travels to Doctor Toadley's office, he encounters the Mario brothers, and he battles them. Bowser uses the same attacks as when the player battles with him; he then uses it to literally burn the fat he gained. However, curious as to what room he is in, Bowser walks over to a sign and notes that he is in the Bob-omb storage facility; while doing so, he unintentionally lights a Bob-omb, which leaps into a crate filled with others. This results in a chain reaction, the explosion sending Bowser flying out of his castle and into the Underground Tunnel. Some time after landing, Bowser finds a group of Monty Moles digging a tunnel; they explain that the project was commissioned by Bowser himself to dig an escape tunnel from Toad Town to his castle. However, since they cannot dig ahead anymore, Bowser decides to help by pushing the drill from behind; as Mario and Luigi, the player must head to the Leg Outpost to stimulate Bowser's legs so that he can drill through the earth and reach Toad Town before the drill's battery dies. Once this is accomplished, he wanders down a path which results in a security system activating. The system electrocutes him, knocking him unconscious. Once Mario and Luigi defeat him, the doctor tells the trio that they need to find the three Star Cures to cure the Blorbs and find a way into the castle. He then tells them that the first cure is held by Durmite, whom he states to be located in Dimble Wood. Overhearing this, Bowser runs off toward the woods.
Bowser is later at Bubble Lake when the brothers lose Durmite in the Energy Hold of Bowser's body. Thanks to the Mario brothers enhancing Bowser's sneezing, he is able to cross the river and activate a propeller mechanism. This causes the entire Tower of Yikk to fly out of the lake and onto Bowser. The Mario bros. head to Rump Command again to revive him and increase his size. After defeating the tower, it is immobilized, allowing Bowser to enter. Through a holographic image inside a book, he meets Yikk, who guides him through the use of the Boo-ray Machine. By using this machine, Bowser is able to help the brothers get the Star Cure from Durmite, who transforms into Wisdurm, and learn the Body Slam technique, which allows him to escape the tower. Bowser is later at Bubble Lake when the brothers lose Durmite in the Energy Hold of Bowser's body.
While advancing through the lake, he hears several of his Koopa Troopas, who have also been imprisoned; however, he cannot destroy the rock wall dividing them. While searching for something, Bowser happens across a ship and some flowers giving off pollen, and smells them. By heading to the Nose Deck, Mario and Luigi can cause Bowser to give off a very strong sneeze, sending the ship flying back. A second sneeze from the opposite side causes the ship to fly through the rocks and create a bridge leading to the trapped Koopas, with Bowser on it, allowing him to advance.
Upon reaching the Tower of Yikk, Bowser notes the propeller on top of the structure, and figures that it can fly him to Dimble Woods. He smells the pollen of nearby plants, which he is allergic to, and Mario and Luigi, by heading to the Nose Deck, are able to supercharge Bowser's powerful sneeze. The gust from said sneeze causes the entire Tower of Yikk to emerge from the lake, come to life, and step on Bowser. The Mario bros. must then head to Rump Command again to revive him and increase his size. After defeating the tower, it is immobilized, allowing Bowser to enter.
At the top of the tower, Bowser finds a book on a desk, but notes that it is empty when he opens it. The book then begins moving on its own, and is revealed to be possessed by the spirit of a scientist named Yikk after reading through a book, and he guides Bowser through the use of the Boo-ray Machine. By using this machine, Bowser is able to help the brothers access the Energy Hold to get the Star Cure from Durmite. Afterward, by heading to the Joint Tower, Mario and Luigi can stimulate Bowser's pressure points and enable the Body Slam technique, which allows him to escape the tower.
Once outside, Bowser encounters Private Goomp and the others, and asks them if they had seen a Star Cure. They reply by saying that Bowser keeps a Star Cure like object in his vault back in his castle. He journeys there, and finds that the underground path he helped dig is now Fawful's property, and that it is in use for the Fawful Express. The express prepares to leave the castle, with Bowser on the tracks, and it eventually rams him into a rock. Mario and Luigi once again go to Rump Command, revive Bowser, and increase his size. He then proceeds to destroy the train before shrinking back to normal. Once he returns to the vault, he finds the safe, but cannot remember the code to open it. The Mario brothers then journey to Bowser's Memory Banks and, after defeating the guardian, jog Bowser's memory by reassembling the memory containing the code. He opens the safe and claims the second Star Cure, but Private Goomp, Corporal Paraplunk, and Sergeant Guy, who are now under Fawful's command, shove him into the safe. Bowser then eats the Star Cure, which is found by Mario and Luigi in his gut. Once outside, Bowser encounters Private Goomp, who is alone due to running away from Bowser as a giant in Dimble Woods. After Bowser informs the Goomba of his current objective, Goomp states that Bowser has a Star Cure in his underground treasure chamber; he had apparently won it from a Koopa being named Kuzzle (however, Kuzzle states otherwise; he explains to Mario and Luigi that Bowser was confused by his puzzles and stole the cure). However, when he reaches the entrance to the underground, he finds it to be sealed. Out on the balcony, Bowser finds a massive Fawful statue, and decides to use it to gain access to the underground. However, when he attempts to push it, several of Bowser's hypnotized minions appear and try to stop him. Mario and Luigi must help by once again going to the leg outpost and strengthening Bowser so that he can push the statue over and access the castle's basement. While on the way to the vault once more, Bowser encounters an imprisoned Bob-omb squadron; freeing them results in him gaining the Bob-omb Blitz attack.
Upon reaching and entering the vault, he finds that the underground path he helped dig earlier is now Fawful's property, and that it is in use for the Fawful Express. As Bowser attempts to obtain the cure, the express departs as he is standing on the tracks, and it eventually rams him into a massive rock. Mario and Luigi once again must go to Rump Command, revive Bowser, and increase his size. He must then destroy the train before it reaches a rock bridge unable to support his weight. When he does this, he shrinks back down to his normal size. Once he returns to the vault, he attempts to open the safe, but cannot remember the combination. The Mario brothers then journey to Bowser's Memory Banks and, after defeating the guardian, must jog Bowser's memory by reassembling the memory containing the combination. He opens the safe once this is done and claims the second Star Cure, but Private Goomp, Corporal Paraplunk, and Sergeant Guy, who now work for Fawful, shove him into the safe. Bowser then eats the Star Cure, which is found by Mario and Luigi in the Gut Check.
After Mario and Luigi defeat Junker, the robot's rampage frees Bowser from the safe, but his back hurts after being crammed inside it for too long. Inside the Lumbar Nook, Mario and Luigi eventually loosen his back, enabling Bowser to use the Spike Ball move. He then continues his search for Fawful inside Peach's castle. However, during his search, he finds two Piranha Plants, whose fireballs force Bowser to curl into a ball, he flies out of the castle and into the air while in his Spike Ball form. Up above, however, there is a pair of giant Piranha Plants that burn him. The brothers travel to the Chest Station and give impulses that allow Bowser to fly into the air. After defeating the plants, Bowser notices Fawful and Midbus using Peach to awaken the Dark Star. Fawful manages to escape, and leaves Midbus, whom he transforms into Blizzard Midbus, to defeat Bowser. However, once Blizzard Midbus is defeated, he is trapped in a block of ice, with cold air blowing out of his snout.
Back inside the castle, the player must traverse the first floor until Bowser encounters Fawful and Midbus, who are using Princess Peach to awaken the Dark Star. Midbus asks Fawful to allow him to face Bowser, and, for the sake of his pride, Fawful allows this, but powers him up into Blizzard Midbus before he departs. After defeating him, though, Peach's container shatters and she falls unconscious, and the Dark Star awakens. Fawful uses his Vacuum Helmet to absorb it's power, but Bowser interrupts the process by punching him away; however, he absorbs enough power to transform himself into a more powerful form. Bowser then desires to use it to rule the world himself, but the Dark Star floats toward him and down his throat. Swallowing the star gives him chest pains, and he uses the icy breath Midbus is emitting from his nostrils to quell the pain. He then continues on to Fawful, who is absorbing power from the Dark Star. However, Bowser interrupts the process by punching him. The Dark Star then heads inside Bowser's body, the heat from the star inside him so intense that he uses Midbus' icy breath to cool his throat. This allows Mario and Luigi to travel through the Airway. After the bros. defeat the Dark Star in battle, it leaves Bowser's body and, having absorbed some of Bowser's DNA, transforms into Dark Bowser; however, since it only has a portion of its power at the moment, the transformation is incomplete. Wanting more Dark Power, it inhales the still unconscious Princess Peach, but she is not adequate enough. It then hears Fawful's voice, and recognizes it as the being who took the rest of its power. Dark Bowser heads off after him, with Bowser in tow.
The Dark Star is chased by Bowser until he reaches the courtyard of Peach's Castle, where Fawful activates it. The castle becomes a robot, and stomps Bowser. The Mario bros. head to Rump Command, revive Bowser, and make him a giant once again. Bowser faces the castle in battle and wins, upon emerging victorious, then heads back inside and fights Fawful, who trasforms himself into Dark Fawful. Bowser is victorious and Fawful's body is destroyed, but he survives as a mass of dark energy. Fawful is then absorbed by the Dark Star, and is able to complete its transformation into Dark Bowser, then escapes using a hidden passage. The Dark Star leads Bowser to the courtyard of Peach's Castle, where Fawful is also present. Wanting to get rid of Bowser, he has the castle transform into a robot, which immediately after stomps Bowser. At Rump Command, Mario and Luigi must for the final time revive Bowser and make him giant. After defeating the castle, Dark Bowser shows up again. Bowser demands Peach, but the Dark Star simply heads back inside the castle. Bowser is intent on continuing the chase, only to find Fawful in the Conference Room from the beginning of the game. Desiring to eliminate him, Fawful faces Bowser himself. Fawful's body is destroyed when he loses, but he survives as a mass of dark energy, which escapes. However, Dark Bowser appears right outside and inhales the remains of Fawful, completing his transformation into Dark Bowser. He then punches through the throne, revealing a secret passage.
While chasing him, Dark Bowser appears before him and the two breathe fire at each other; the player must press 
to overpower him. While Bowser wins this, Dark Bowser breathes fire at Bowser again, forcing him to curl into his shell. To engage Dark Bowser once again, Mario and Luigi must propel him into the air at the Chest Station, and Bowser must hit Dark Bowser five times to win; however, Bowser can also only take five hits. After claiming victory a second time, Dark Bowser flees to the top of the tower, with Bowser continuing after him by keeping him propelled into the air from the Chest Station.
After chasing Dark Bowser to a high tower above the castle, the real Bowser encounters him on the opposite end, an unconscious Peach nest to him. Dark Bowser then claims that he is going to rule the world, and covers the Mushroom Kingdom in a veil of darkness, a hurricane sucking up its various inhabitants being trapped in bubbles. Starlow reminds Bowser that they can help in in the battle, and attempts to reveal that Mario and Luigi are inside his body at this point, but Bowser cannot hear her. He then engages in the final battle with Dark Bowser. During the fight, he manages to defeat Dark Bowser, but Fawful revives him and makes him giant. Bowser then knocks Fawful out of his dark half's body, and sucks him up using his vacuum ability, allowing Mario and Luigi to defeat him from the inside. During the battle, Bowser must defeat Dark Bowser, causing Fawful to revive him. He must then knock Fawful out of Dark Bowser and use the Vacuum Block, allowing Mario and Luigi to defeat him from the inside. After Fawful and the Dark Star Core are defeated, Bowser manages to destroy his now unstable dark half counterpart, eliminating him once and for all, depleting his HP with a series of punches followed by one even more powerful punch.
Bowser then witnesses as the Dark Star is destroyed. Afterward, Starlow desires to know the status of Princess Peach; Bowser had apparently forgotten her during the fight, and figures that he can kidnap her now. However, inside Bowser's body, Fawful is still alive, and, in one final attempt to defeat Mario and Luigi, self-destructs. This does not kill them, and instead sends them and everyone else inside his body flying to the outside world once more. Bowser is confused at first, but slowly figures everything out, including the fact that Starlow was the one giving him advice the entire time, under the alias "Chippy". This greatly angers him, and, as the credits roll, he engages in battle with the Mario brothers once more, loses, and is carried back to his castle. He is angered by the fact that Mario and Luigi were inside his body the whole time, and is even more outraged when he discovers the identity of "Chippy." Everyone leaves, and Mario and Luigi face Bowser once again, their battle being shown as the credits roll. Bowser loses the fight, and his minions carry him back to his castle, where he is bedridden.
Back at the castle, an injured, bedridden Bowser is still overseeing reconstruction of his castle. Private Goomp, Corporal Paraplonk, and Sergeant Guy then enter the room, begging for their positions back. Birdley, Dr. Toadley's bird, then flies in and drops a box onto Bowser's bed, while a Magikoopa who enters informs him that it is from Peach. Starlow emerges from inside, wanting to check on him, fearing that he may attack Peach's castle again, though Bowser tells her that he is focusing on rebuilding his own castle at the moment, then, still angry about the truth, yells at her to leave. After she does so, he yells at the trio who previously entered, telling them to work on rebuilding the castle. Once Bowser is alone, he opens the box, revealing a cake with Bowser's face in frosting Mario, Luigi, Peach, and various other decorations on it.
Bowser's normal battle system is similar to Mario and Luigi's, but still contains differences. One such difference is his attack options; his basic attacks are the Punch and Fire Breath. His third option is the Vacuum Block, which allows him to inhale small enemies, items, and sometimes Blitties; any enemies sucked inside will be fought by Mario and Luigi. His final attack option is his own variant of special attacks, which generally involve Koopa Troop soldiers coming to Bowser's aid. When being attacked, Bowser has two forms of defense: He can curl into his shell, or he can counterattack by punching. Bowser's normal battle system is mostly the same as Mario and Luigi's; his fire breath and punch are his equivalent of the Mario bros. hammer and jump attacks, respectively. Bowser's special attacks involve various Koopa Troop soldiers coming to his aid. Replacing Mario and Luigi's Bros. Badges is the Vacuum Block, which allows Bowser to inhale small enemies, items and parts of enemies, and sometimes Blitties.
Bowser also has a unique form of battle in that the player can fight while he is giant. During these battles, the player must hold the DS on its side. His health is also represented by a bar rather than a number. Bowser only has two attacks: punching, achieved by swiping the stylus across the Touch Screen, and breathing fire, achieved by the player blowing into the microphone. Occasionally, Mushrooms also appear during battle, which can be used to heal him. When counterattacking, Bowser can punch in the same way, or breathe fireballs by tapping the desired direction on the Touch Screen; however, the more fireballs spit, the smaller they are.
Outside of battle, Bowser can also kick away small enemies that he encounters and defeat them instantly. His punch can destroy boulders and punch other heavy objects, and his fire breath can be used to destroy flammable objects, such as trees. As the game progresses, Bowser also gains more out-of-battle abilities that help him preform other actions.
Bowser's ranking system is also different. It starts at Bronze Boss as the default and changes to Silver Boss at level 10, Gold Boss at level 20, and Final Boss at level 40.
Bowser's out-of-battle gameplay is also similar to the bros. Pressing causes him to punch, allowing him to break objects such as large rocks as well as hitting blocks, and holding down 
allows him to breathe fire in a continuous stream, letting him burn flammable objects; however, doing so for a prolonged time causes him to tire. At Bubble Lake, Bowser can go underwater, and the switches functions to allow Bowser to swim. As the game progresses, Bowser gains two more abilities, giving these buttons alternative functions; By pressing 
, the allows Bowser to preform the Body Slam, and allows him to use the Shell Spin. He can also kick away small enemies and defeat them instantly. Bowser may also use special portals called Chakroads, allowing him to teleport to any location with a Chakroad that has been discovered.
Additionally, in the Flab Zone, the brothers occasionally encounter Nutsoglobins, who are not mandatory, but can help in navigating the area. They ask them trivia questions about Bowser, but, before they so, they allow him or her to ask Bowser questions, with the Nutsoglobin being the mediator between them; each question asked costs five coins. They then ask the player the questions, which are based upon what Bowser says in response to the possible question he or she can ask him. Whenever a Nutsoglobin talks to Bowser from inside his body, Bowser does not know who it is that is speaking. After defeating him, Bowser is flung into Dimble Woods by Princess Peach and Starlow. After he recovers and explores the woods, he finds a stand owned by a cloaked being that gives him a "Lucky Mushroom". Bowser eats the mushroom, which causes him to start inhaling his surroundings and places him under Fawful's control. Returning to the castle, he inahles the occupants of the conference room before passing out. He is later awakened by Mario and Luigi at Cavi Cape Cave, where he does not remember the events that occurred, and outside the cave both faces Midbus and learns from Fawful that he is going to conquer his castle, motivating him to return.
At Dimble Wood, Bowser meets a trio of his minions who escaped: Sergeant Guy, Corporal Paraplonk, and Private Goomp. They tell Bowser that they brought a Banzai Bill Blaster to attack the castle, but they forgot a Banzai Bill to fire. Searching for a Banzai Bill, Bowser instead finds a massive carrot at the Wiggler Family farm, but when he pulls it the Wiggler shows up and forces him to eat it in less than one minute. After this, the two do battle, and when Bowser defeats him he is given a Banzai Bill, but when he and his minions fire it at the castle the castle dodges the attack and flies out to the woods, landing on Bowser and crushing him. Mario and Luigi, in Rump Command, revive Bowser by pumping adrenaline into him, which not only revives him but also causes him to grow giant. As a giant, Bowser faces his own castle in battle, and by defeating it the castle flies back to its original location.
Back at his castle, Bowser finds that his minions have been enslaved and that the building has been convered into Fawful Theater. In the theater section itself, Bowser is given the "VIP" chair, but the chair rockets him onto the stage, where he fights Midbus a second time. After beating him, Bowser is taken to a victory feast, but eating too much food causes him to become obese and fall through the floor, trapping him and allowing access to the Flab Zone. Later, Fawful uses a ray gun to remove Peach from Bowser's body; Midbus then pulls out a treadmill, which Bowser uses to literally burn the fat off of him. However, he walks over to a crate of Bob-ombs, which ignites one that ignites several others; the explosion sends him flying into an underground tunnel. Here, Bowser meets the Monty Bros. and helps them dig a tunnel in order to reach Toad Town, but once he does he activates a security system that knocks him unconscious.
Bowser later awakens and heads to Dr. Toadley's clinic, where he fights Mario and Luigi. Bowser uses the same attacks as when the player battles with him: punching, breathing fire, Goomba Storm, and Shy Guy Squad, though he does not use the second until later in the battle. His punch can be dodged by jumping, and if Bowser huffs before, he instead slips and leaps over his target. The fire is avoided by grabbing onto Starlow while he is charging the attack. Goomba Storm can be avoided by jumping over them and hammering the ones he burns back at Bowser, which damages him. Finally, Shy Guy Squad is stopped by deflecting Bowser with the hammer as he approaches one of the brothers. After defeating him, they learn that they need to find the three Star Cures to cure the Blorbs and access Peach's Castle. Hearing the first cure is in Dimble Woods, Bowser rushes off.
At Bubble Lake, Bowser discovers the Tower of Yikk. Believing it can fly him to the forest based on the propeller he sees, a very powerful sneeze from him causes the tower to fly up, come to life, and step on him. The Mario Bros. grow him giant a second time, and Bowser defeats the tower, grounding it. At the top of the tower Bowser meets Yikk, who instructs him on the use of his Boo-ray Machine, allowing Mario and Luigi access to the Energy Hold. Later, outside, Bowser finds Private Goomp, who informs him that the second Star Cure is inside the vault in his Treasure Chamber. However, when he reaches the entrance to the underground at his castle, he finds that it is sealed; pushing a giant statue down from above causes the entrance to be opened again. Inside the treasure room, Bowser finds that an entire railroad is running directly through it; the Monty Bros. then arrive and explain that the escape tunnel was used by Fawful to build the Fawful Express, which the use to ram Bowser into a rock. Growing in size again and defeating the train, Bowser returns to the vault to find he has forgotten the combination to the safe, but the Mario Bros. restore the memory in his Memory Banks and allow him to open the vault. However, Private Goomp, Sergeant Guy, and Corporal Paraplonk shove him into the safe and lock it, revealing that they have joined Fawful. Inside the safe, Bowser eats the second Star Cure, allowing Mario and Luigi to claim it.
After Mario and Luigi beat Junker, the robot's rampage destroys the safe and frees Bowser, but his back is hurting. After the bros. restore his back and give him the Spike Ball move, he finds Fawful and Midbus inside Peach's Castle, using the princess to awaken the Dark Star. Bowser faces Midbus as Blizzard Midbus, and after beating him the Dark Star awakens and Fawful attempts to claim its power, but is knocked aside by Bowser before he can absorb too much, the energy he did absorb turning him into Dark Fawful. The Dark Star then flies down Bowser's throat, where it abosrbs some of his DNA and transforms into Dark Bowser, which heads after Fawful with Bowser following it. At the castle's courtyard, Fawful attempts to destroy Bowser by transforming Peach's Castle into Super Peach's Castle, but Bowser is grown again and defeats it, then faces Fawful in the castle's conference room and beats him. While Fawful, in the form of a mass of dark energy, escapes, it is inhaled by Dark Bowser, completing his transformation.
Chasing Dark Bowser to a tower above the castle, Bowser witnesses as his dark clone spreads his darkness around the kingdom, threatening to destroy the kingdom. Engaging in battle with Dark Bowser, during the fight he is able to inhale Fawful after forcing him out of Dark Bowser, allowing Mario and Luigi to defeat him, which in turn allows Bowser to defeat Dark Bowser. Defeating him destroys the Dark Star, although Fawful is still alive in the end, who self destructs to destroy Mario and Luigi; this instead causes everyone inside Bowser's body to return to the outside world. Angered by the fact that the Mario bros. were romping around in his body, he fights them, but is defeated and carried home by his minions. Bedridden after the defeat, Bowser receives a gift from Princess Peach, which turns out to be a cake.
He largely retains his role in the game's remake, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, although he has a bit of a role in the alternate game mode Bowser Jr.'s Journey, where he has Kamek and the Koopalings look after Bowser Jr. The mode also reveals that not only was Bowser's kingdom also a victim of the blorb infection (thus explaining his anger at Peach and the other members of the Mushroom Kingdom in the main story for not being invited to the conference), but it is also implied that Fawful was the reason why he never received an invitation. His Super Bowser form is also briefly witnessed by Bowser Jr. He also appears in the ending where he is brought back to the castle wounded thanks to his earlier defeat from fighting the Mario bros., and Bowser Jr. attempts with no success to tell Bowser about his journey (as Bowser was still resting from his injuries). He eventually is supplied by Bowser Jr. with the Skeletone Formula:D formula they had recovered to cure the kingdom of the blorbs, with Bowser Jr. even offering some to Bowser to have him slim down, with Bowser agreeing largely because, thanks to some side-effects from the Vacuum Shroom, he was slightly bloated. However, despite his son's attempts at warning him, he ended up ingesting the entire container rather than just one of the pills, causing him to lose far too much of his mass, causing him to angrily demand to know whether Bowser Jr. pranked him again, only for his son to insist that he didn't and point out that he if anything tried to warn him against taking too much of the medicine beforehand before promptly chasing his son. In the post-game, Bowser, learning from Ludwig the full events of Bowser Jr.'s earlier adventure, has him invite his son over so the two can personally duel each other, eventually coming across as even (and their fights becoming violent enough that most of the repairs on the castle were undone).
During the game, Bowser's gameplay is mapped to the and buttons. His normal battle system is mostly the same as Mario and Luigi's; his fire breath and punch are his equivalent of the Mario Bros. hammer and jump attacks, respectively. Bowser's special attacks involve various Koopa Troop soldiers coming to his aid. Bowser also has the Vacuum Block, which allows Bowser to inhale small enemies, items and parts of enemies, and sometimes Blitties. Any enemies that are inhaled are fought by Mario and Luigi. When being attacked, Bowser has two forms of defense: He can curl into his shell with , or he can counterattack by punching with . However, while on the overworld, he can run into smaller enemies to instantly defeat them. Stat wise, Bowser holds superior HP, Attack and Defense compared to Mario and Luigi, but has mediocre speed.
Bowser also has a unique form of battle in that the player can fight while he is giant. During these battles, the player must hold the DS on its side. His health is also represented by a bar rather than a number. Bowser only has two attacks: punching, achieved by swiping the stylus across the Touch Screen, and breathing fire, achieved by the player blowing into the microphone. Occasionally, Mushrooms also appear during battle, which can be used to heal him. When counterattacking, Bowser can punch in the same way, or breathe fireballs by tapping the desired direction on the Touch Screen; however, the more fireballs spit, the smaller they are.
Bowser's out-of-battle gameplay is also similar to the bros. Pressing causes him to punch, allowing him to break objects such as large rocks as well as hitting blocks, and later while moving allows him to perform a sliding punch. Holding down causes him to breathe fire in a continuous stream, letting him burn flammable objects, but doing so for a prolonged time causes him to tire. At Bubble Lake, Bowser can go underwater, and the switches functions to allow Bowser to swim. As the game progresses, Bowser gains two more abilities, giving these buttons alternative functions; by pressing , allows Bowser to perform the body slam, and allows him to use the spike ball move. Bowser may also use special portals called Chakroads, which are used to teleport him to any location with a Chakroad that has been discovered.
Bowser's ranking system is also different. It starts at Bronze Boss as the default and changes to Silver Boss at level 10, Gold Boss at level 20, and Final Boss at level 40.
Additionally, in the Flab Zone, the brothers occasionally encounter Nutsoglobins, who are not mandatory, but can help in navigating the area. Nutsglobins ask the player trivia questions about Bowser, but, before they so, they allow them to ask Bowser questions, with the Nutsoglobin being the mediator; each question asked costs five coins. They then ask the player the questions, which are based upon what Bowser says in response to the possible question they ask him. Whenever a Nutsoglobin talks to Bowser from inside his body, Bowser does not know who it is that is speaking.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
- “Hear me! I will kidnap Peach OVER and OVER until I pull it off! And no one can stop me! Losing is not an option! And neither is giving up!”
- —Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
- “Give it to me straight...Princess Peach is gone? Hello? That is MY thing! Only I get to kidnap her!”
- —Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Bowser (formerly the second antagonist) is one of the main antagonists (eventually becoming the true main antagonist and major boss of the game) in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. Unlike past RPG installments, his exact role seems to be the secondary antagonist, since he apparently forms an alliance with Antasma, the other main antagonist. He is fought 3 times in the game; first with his power boosted by Antasma, second as the last giant boss, and third as the final boss in a form known as Dreamy Bowser.
Bowser first appears by a sleeping Luigi in Mushrise Park, during Mario's trek into Dream's Deep. After expressing his outrage over Princess Peach being taken by someone else, he is curious as to what the portal above Luigi's head is, and after catching her scent leaps into the portal to the Dream World. He walks into the middle of a confrontation between the Mario Bros. and Antasma, punching the latter away and allowing Mario and Luigi to pull Peach out of danger. Bowser then prepares to battle Mario and Luigi, but is stopped by Antasma, eventually being convinced by him to allow him to power Bowser up. The powered up Bowser with the help of Antasma bat clones then battles Mario. In the aftermath of the battle, Bowser knocks Mario and Luigi unconscious with his fire breath, having been supercharged by Antasma. He is then convinced to leave Peach lying there unconscious by Antasma, being told he could come for her later. The two then leave the Dream World.
When Mario and Luigi reach the Dreampoint in Dozing Sands where the Dream Stone lies, they find that Bowser and Antasma have already taken it and are heading to Mount Pajamaja. By the time Mario and Luigi made it to the peak where the duo are, Antasma, Bowser and his cronies (Kamek, Corporal Paraplonk, Private Goomp and Sergeant Guy) had set up some speakers, ready to play the Dreambeats, which they use to both scare off the Bros., and to collect power for the Dream Stone as the Dreambeats play. Bowser stays awake by covering his ears.
Bowser is later seen after Mario escapes Dreamy Mount Pajamaja, arriving while riding Antasma to show off his fully-charged Dream Stone. Bowser is not seen until after the Bros. rush to Pi'illo Castle, where he and Antasma wish for an impenetrable castle, which causes the creation of Neo Bowser Castle.
Bowser is not seen again until Mario and Luigi storm Neo Bowser Castle, who is convinced into allowing himself to sleep on Antasma, him doing so causing a barrier that prevents him from being touched or woken up, as shown by the Bros.' attempts. Bowser reappears in Dreamy Neo Bowser Castle, where he hinders the Bros. by sending a giant iron ball rolling after them.
He isn't seen in person again until Mario and Luigi find him eating meat, which he devours the remaining amount of to grow big enough to crush Mario in one punch, however, not pleased to hear he just ate all the meat, causing him to jump into what seems to be a bottomless pit, which proves not to be one as a massive Bowser shoots out of the pit and begins raising havoc. Unlike other pre-Giant Battle segments, Mario and Luigi are both prepared to face Bowser, and do so confidently.
After a long battle, the giant Bowser is felled by the Finishing Bros. attack, much like other giants. Kamek, however, intervenes and casts an enlarging spell on Bowser, causing him to grow even bigger and nearly impossible through normal means. Luigi manages to knock Bowser into the lava, making him woozy and susceptible to a strong blow. Mario, Luigi and Dreambert combine their strengths into an enhanced version of Finishing Bros. known as Star Driver, which manages to finally defeat Bowser, truly ending the long battle.
After the battle, Bowser wakes up, and heads to a higher floor of the castle with Antasma, where he reveals he'd been using Antasma rather than vice-versa, and had been planning to double-cross him the whole time, making him the true villain. With the Dream Stone in tow, Bowser proceeds to abandon Antasma to be defeated by the pursuing Bros., and heads up to the highest floor (both inside and outside) of the castle. After vanquishing Antasma, Mario and Luigi soon confront Bowser and the Koopa King proceeds to try and use the stone to destroy his nemeses. However, Peach and Starlow stop him in his tracks and end up breaking the Dream Stone into many microscopic pieces with their power. Desperate, Bowser inhales the pieces, transforming into Dreamy Bowser.
In a grand final battle, the Bros. triumph over Dreamy Bowser, his defeat reverting him back to his normal form. Mario and Luigi then deliver the final blows with their hammers, sending flying in the distance. He is seen in the final cutscene departing with Kamek and Corporal Paraplonk, Private Goomp and Sergeant Guy, where he praises the trio for doing slightly better than usual, much to their joy. He rants that he will kidnap Peach until he succeeds and vows to Mario and Luigi (whose name he finally remembers now he sees the green plumber as a worthy opponent) that he will return. The sky rains coins from the newfound Dream Coin, and Private Goomp and Sergeant Guy try to grab some. Their movement cause the battered Koopa Clown Car to plummet down below as the floating Kamek and Corporal Paraplonk descend to assist them.
In battle, Bowser may curl up into a spike ball, grow in size, then chase Mario through the foreground, shooting flames ahead of them that serve as obstacles; the purple flames must be entirely avoided, while the red ones can be jumped over or avoided. Bowser can also jump to Mario and sliding punch into him from any direction. Before shooting his fist at him, Bowser may turn invisible and slip behind Mario and punch him from behind. Regardless, Mario must bring out his hammer and hammer from the side Bowser shoots towards him from. He may also approach and line up with Mario, where he will then charge up a flame blast. If the flames in his mouth are purple, he will shoot out a low wave of purple fire that will hit Mario unless he jumps. If the flames in his mouth are red, he will shoot a line of flames in front of him at Mario, it swerving to either side if Mario does the same beforehand. This can be avoided by stepping out of the way, however cannot be avoided by jumping on the spot. This is done at the end of the attack, and causes him to cough out some Antasma Bats that surround him after the attack, who may heal him after time. However, after the giant battle against Luigi, Bowser betrays Antasma when he realizes that Antasma had been using him, thus supplanting Antasma as the primary antagonist. Bowser grabs Peach and the Dream Stone, but the latter was destroyed by the former and Starlow. Bowser responds by inhaling the Dream Stone's remains, becoming Dreamy Bowser. After being defeated, Bowser is hammered out of the castle, and said castle collapses. Bowser is last seen on a Koopa Clown Car with his minions and Kamek. He says that he will return (and also remembers Luigi's name). Coins fall from the sky (from the Dream Coin) and Bowser's ship falls. The Bowser X boss returns, but his time he is the second boss in the Battle Ring after defeating Grobot X. Bowser X is assisted with Antasma X. A giant version of Bowser X also appears as the last Battle Ring giant boss.
Hard Mode Differences
In the Hard Mode, no mushrooms appear during the tilting segment, the airships will fire more rounds of cannonballs and there are more waves of Spear Guys. Luigi also takes more damage from attacks.
Normal X Battle
- Main article: Bowser X
Bowser is also fought in the Battle Ring as Bowser X. Unlike most Battle Ring bosses, there's no change in appearance between the X version and the normal version of him. In battle, Bowser X has the boosted stats that all Battle Ring X bosses have, and the same attacks as the original version.
Giant X Battle
- Main article: Super Bowser
- “Time to give up hope, Mario! In my dreams, I fear nothing! I can crush even you like a little red bug!”
- —Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
The giant battle with Bowser consists mainly of Giant Luigi finding ways to drop him into lava to deal extra damage. Luigi must keep the battle moving forward to avoid being blasted into lava by Shy Guys. Bowser may also hide behind forts and summon enemies to attack for him.
After he is defeated, Bowser is enlarged even more by Kamek and his attacks must be countered so that Mario can defeat him with Star Driver.
Like the other Giant Bosses, Bowser has a counterpart in the Battle Ring, called Bowser X. While his strategy is mostly unchanged, he has higher stats and moves faster.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Bowser appears in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam as one of two primary antagonists, the other being his paper counterpart.
During an early cutscene, Kamek delivers a status update to Bowser. Shortly after, Paper Bowser barges into the room. Bowser has absolutely no idea how he got into the castle, and proceeds to insult him using the term "flimsy knockoff". Paper Bowser returns the insult, before the two of them engage in a fight. They occasionally pop out of the fight cloud to deliver various comments or insults. A Goomba enters the room, interrupting them. He leaves, allowing the Bowsers to get back to "whatever they were doing". Eventually, the Bowsers decide to put their differences aside, team up, and kidnap both Princess Peaches.
Later, after Mario and Luigi meet Paper Mario, they learn of the Bowsers' kidnapping of the Peaches. The Bowsers arrive in their clown cars at the entrance to Doop Doop Dunes. They proceed to taunt the trio before unleashing Petey Piranha on them, who is defeated.
After trekking through the Doop Doop Dunes, the trio arrive at Bowser's Castle, and Bowser decides to attack them with cannonballs. The first shot misses, but breaks the bridge connecting the castle to Doop Doop Dunes. The second cannonball connects and knocks them out. Wendy, Roy, Larry, and Ludwig take them to the Twinsy Tropics Dungeon, and the Bowser Jrs collect the book containing the Paper Mario world. Later, the Bowser Jrs decide that they want to go on vacation to Mount Brrr. They annoy the Bowsers into forcing the Kameks to bring them to the vacation villa on the mountain. They attempt to tell Bowser about the book, but he ignores them.
Even later, the trio infiltrate Bowser's Castle to rescue the princesses and get back the book. They battle the Bowser Jrs, and after winning, the Bowsers enter the room. They note the shape the Bowser Jr.s are in and hold them in their arms while shouting at Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario. Bowser then remembers the surprise he had been planning, ordering Kamek to "activate the boosters". The castle is lifted out of the lava moat on an oversized aircraft, prompting Bowser to dub it "Neo Bowser Castle". The trio escapes, forgetting the book. Bowser retaliates for the injuries to Bowser Jr by destroying the primary tower of Peach's Castle with a cannonball. He then flies Neo Bowser Castle over Mount Brrr.
The Bowsers, in the following cutscene, decide that the other has outgrown their usefulness, and that they "annoy the other to no end", so they conspire with their respective Kamek on how to get rid of the other. Both plans are the exact same, having to do with the book.
After making their way to the summit of Mount Brrr and defeating King Bob-omb, the trio enters Neo Bowser Castle. While there, the Kameks release Papercraft Bowser, who burns Toadette's papercrafts to a crisp. Toadette mourns the destruction of her work, but learns that she can build a new one out of Fire Ore. The first Fire Ore is in Toadette's possession, but the second is guarded by Bowser, Iggy, Wendy, and Morton. In order to get it, Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario must shoot down Bowser, who attempts to guard it with Bob-ombs. After the trio collects it, the ore is assembled into Papercraft Fire Mario, who fights and defeats Papercraft Bowser. In anger, the Bowsers destroy the bridge to the rest of the castle, forcing the trio to rebuild it. Before they cross, Lemmy, Iggy and Morton activate the castle's cannon and set it to finish off Peach's Castle in five minutes. The trio reach and destroy the cannon first.
On the final stretch, the Bowsers command the Koopalings to finish off the trio. After they are defeated, the Bowsers confront the trio themselves. They express their evil plan to trap the trio in the book, which now no longer contains Paper Mario's world, only an empty void. They then explain that they will throw the book into the garbage afterwards, which they plan to burn. However, the Bowsers both hint that they plan to trap their partner in the book with Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario. The Bowsers then initiate a battle. After a certain number of turns have passed, Bowser and Paper Bowser decide to "crush them now". Paper Bowser merges with his minions, creating a suit of makeshift armor for Bowser. Bowser grows to gigantic size as he puts it on, creating Shiny RoboBowser. After a tough fight, Shiny RoboBowser is defeated, and Bowser is thrown off the castle, supposedly to his death. Paper Bowser attempts to crawl for the book, but the trio get there first and lock him and his army inside.
After the credits, Bowser lands from the sky and begins to cause trouble again, and the Mario Bros. go off to stop him.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam marks Bowser's first role as the main antagonist in a Mario & Luigi game without any new villains introduced. Additionally, this is the first Mario & Luigi game where Bowser is not fought outside of the final boss battle.
Mini-boss Battle
During the mini-boss battle in Neo Bowser Castle, Bowser will attack by throwing giant bombs at the trio. Said giant bombs have a large blast radius. Iggy and Wendy continue to assist, throwing smaller bombs.
In Battle
| Paper Jam enemy | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper Bowser | |||
| |||
| Location(s) | Neo Bowser Castle | ||
| Level | 38 | ||
| Role | Boss | ||
| HP | 9999 | ||
| POW | 343 (304) | ||
| Defense | 335 (333) | ||
| Speed | 228 | ||
| Weakness | Fire | ||
| Type | Paper, Shelled | ||
| Experience | 0 (0) | ||
| Coins | 0 | ||
| Item drop | None - 0% None - 0% | ||
| |||
| Paper Jam enemy | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowser (1) | |||
| |||
| Location(s) | Neo Bowser Castle | ||
| Level | 38 | ||
| Role | Boss | ||
| HP | 9999 | ||
| POW | 343 (304) | ||
| Defense | 335 (333) | ||
| Speed | 228 | ||
| Weakness | None | ||
| Type | Shelled | ||
| Experience | 0 (0) | ||
| Coins | 0 | ||
| Item drop | None - 0% None - 0% | ||
| |||
During the actual boss battle, the Bowsers have only two attacks, but they both do considerable damage. Their first attack involves spitting fireballs at the ground, creating fiery waves for the trio to jump over. Like most paper enemies, Paper Bowser's fire comes out slower than Bowser's. After three waves, they will combine their fire breath and create a massive fire blast that Paper Mario must jump over or risk taking a large amount of critical damage. Their other attack is to have Shy Guys stack iron balls onto their hands. They will then toss the iron balls onto the field. The iron balls that target the trio varies depending on which Bowser tosses them last. The Bowsers will alternate between these attacks. The Bowsers also have a defensive ability: Whenever an Excellent hit is scored on one of them, they will curl up into their shells, forcing the other to be attacked. Only one Bowser can do this at a time. If attacked while in their shell, the Bowser will take no damage. Additionally, depending on the attack used, the party member who attacked may take damage as well.
The two Bowsers appear to share a health pool, unlike previous pairs of bosses. However, it is not possible to bring their health down all the way. After enough turns have passed, the two Bowsers decide to stop holding back, and with the assistance of hundreds (if not thousands) of Shiny paper enemies, they fuse together into Shiny RoboBowser, the game's real final boss.
Super Mario-Kun (Pikkapika Comics)
The Super Mario-Kun published by Pikkapika Comics, despite being short-lived, also features Bowser as a prominent character and antagonist.
Pinball Attack/Mario Pinball Land
In the beginning of Mario Pinball Land, Mario, Princess Peach, and a group of Toads went to a fair and were enjoying a day of merriment. Princess Peach rode a special ride, the Air Cannon, made by Professor E. Gadd. A machine called the Spheresizer turned Princess Peach into a pinball and allowed her play a special pinball game. However, two of Bowser's Goombas took advantage of her pinball state, changed direction of the cannon, and shot her to Bowser's Castle. Mario used the machine to become a pinball and followed Bowser through five different worlds with some Toads trailing behind. Mario had to use the power of the Power Stars to pass each world. Mario used his pinball powers to defeat Bowser and save Princess Peach. Bowser appears as the final boss of Mario Pinball Land. The player must collect the four Star Keys to enter Bowser's Castle, and must have fifteen Power Stars in order to face him. He does not attack Mario, instead roaming around the room and ground pounding, which temporarily disables the flippers. When Mario hits him, Bowser spins around if he is hit from behind, and is momentarily dazed when hit from the front by a frontal attack. The player must use the flippers to hit Mario into the pulleys in the back of the room to raise at least one of the Thwomps in the room as high as possible, so that the blue ! Switch in the center begins to glow. By hitting it, the Thwomps fall, causing Bowser to fall over backward and leaving him vulnerable to attack; each successful attack gives the player 100,000 points. After three hits, Bowser rolls into a giant-sized pinball. Mario must knock Bowser into the pulleys and the wall to create a hole. Once a large enough hole in the wall is formed, Mario can launch him through it, out of the castle, and into a nearby hill. Bowser's defeat earns the player 100,000 points times the number of Stars the player has; if the player has all 35 Stars, the bonus is 5,000,000 points. When Mario finally got to battle Bowser, the plumber had to drop Thwomps on him to cause Bowser to lose balance. After three hits, Bowser rolled into a giant-sized pinball and was used to break a hole in the castle wall. Mario then continued on to save Princess Peach.
Yakuman DS
In Yakuman DS, Bowser appears as one of the unlockable characters, unlocked by defeating all of the hard challenges in Challenge Mode. He also appears as the rank 2 opponent faced in Ranking mode. As a computer, Bowser is an offensive opponent, who likes "Open riichi."
Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
In Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix, Bowser is not the main antagonist of the game's story mode, but he is the final boss. Once Mario and Toad regain all four Music Keys and return them to Truffle Towers, Bowser arrives and steals them all. Mario and Toad, in the SS Brass, follow him, dodging Bowser's Bullet Bills. After arriving at his castle, Bowser challenges Mario to a dance-off. During the battle, Mario activates a rocket, which sends Bowser into the sky. Defeated, the Koopa King admits that he only wanted the keys to cure his tone-deafness. Mario then turns the castle into a large stadium, and the trio begins to dance. If the player dances well enough, a rocket flies into the castle. The rocket then lands and a massive hammer emerges from it to smack Bowser out of his castle.
When Mario and Toad enter the castle, Bowser attempts to harness the power of the Music Keys for his own purposes, but finds that they are gone. Toad, standing on a ledge with Mario, then reveals that they stole the keys back from him. Angered, after arriving into his castle, Bowser challenges Mario to a dance-off. During the battle, Mario activates a rocket, which sends Bowser into the sky. Defeated, the Koopa King admits that he only wanted the keys to cure his tone-deafness. Mario then turns the castle into a large stadium, and the trio begins to dance. The battle consists of the player and Bowser dancing to the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Bowser's Castle music. Bowser is attacked by collecting rocket pieces, which replace some dance steps, to build rockets that contain hammers which smash Bowser flat. Near the end of the song, another such rocket flies in and hammers Bowser out of his castle.
Defeated, the Koopa King admits that he only wanted the keys as a remedy for his tone-deafness. Before Mario and Toad leave, Mario uses the power of the keys to turn Bowser's Castle and the land surrounding it into a paradise. Afterward, the three start dancing, and cannot stop; Toad explains that, when they recaptured the keys, some music was implanted into their souls. The three then continue dancing. Bowser is later seen in the credits, where he is dancing in front of his castle.
If the player dances to Bowser's Castle in Free Mode, the battle against Bowser and the rocket hammering Bowser away are still present, with the Mush Mode objective being to collect other rockets.
Baseball Kingdom Invasion/Mario Baseball series
Bowser is a playable character in Mario Superstar Baseball and its sequel, Mario Super Sluggers. He is a team captain with high power stats.
Bowser reappears with his son as a powerhouse in Mario Superstar Baseball's sequel, Mario Super Sluggers. Bowser's Castle reappears from Mario Superstar Baseball, but with a new design and only appears at night.
In Challenge Mode, Bowser's son, Bowser Jr., takes over the stadiums in Baseball Kingdom. Bowser stays in his castle until Bowser Jr. gets beat by Mario's team. Bowser challenges Mario to a baseball game, which Mario accepts. In the end, Mario's team emerges victorious and celebrates. After Bowser is defeated for a second time, Daisy and the other team captains invite him and his son to a celebration. He refuses, only to go anyway because of his son wanting to have fun. To the dismay of Bowser and Bowser Jr., they only get a small portion of food. He also reflects the Bullet Bill shot by Wario and Waluigi, saving Mario's life. Some think this because if the Bullet Bill hit Mario, Bowser would have no archrival. Bowser is a playable character in Mario Superstar Baseball and its sequel, Mario Super Sluggers. Bowser is a team captain and a very powerful batter. In Mario Superstar Baseball, Bowser's special move is the Killer Ball, where he hit or pitched a Bullet Bill and in Mario Super Sluggers, his Star Swing is the Breath Swing, in which he used his fire breath on the bat to hit the ball. In Mario Super Sluggers, Bowser Jr. is jealous that Mario and his friends have their own baseball stadium so he takes over the stadiums in Baseball Kingdom. After Bowser Jr. is beaten by Mario's team, Bowser faces Mario in a baseball game. Mario's team emerges victorious and celebrates. Bowser and Bowser Jr. are invited to the celebration out of pity. Bowser refuses but goes anyways since Bowser Jr. wants to have fun, so Daisy leads them to the table. To the dismay of Bowser and Bowser Jr., they only get a small portion of food. Wario and Waluigi attempt to take Mario out with a sneaked Bullet Bill in the Bob-omb Derby during the celebration, but Bowser jumps in front and deflects it back at them. The reason Bowser did this is unknown, though it is likely that either if it hit Mario, he would have no archrival, or that he thinks it is his job to take Mario out.
Mario Superstar Baseball's Challenge Mode features Bowser and his team as the final opponents to be faced in Challenge Mode. He can only be faced when the player defeats all the other captains. When the player beats Bowser, the Bowser Castle stadium is unlocked. When he is defeated on Special difficulty, the player can play as Bowser in Challenge Mode. In this mode, Bowser must defeat the other captains, and then face of the team composed of nine out of ten of the captains and sub-captains who have taken over Bowser Castle. Like everyone else, Bowser can also recruit other characters to be on his team, but not the captains and sub-captains. In addition, when playing as Bowser, Bowser Jr. does not wander around the map.
In Mario Super Sluggers, Bowser Jr. crashes his own stadium into the Baseball Kingdom; emerging from the fortress is not only Bowser Jr. and his team, but also Bowser. Bowser Jr. is jealous that Mario and his friends have their own baseball stadium so he takes over the stadiums in Baseball Kingdom. After Bowser Jr. is beaten by Mario's team, Bowser faces Mario in a baseball game. Mario's team emerges victorious and celebrates. Bowser and Bowser Jr. are invited to the celebration out of pity on the Daisy Cruiser. Bowser refuses, but reconsiders only because Bowser Jr. wants to have fun, so Daisy leads them to the table. To the dismay of Bowser and Bowser Jr., they only get a small portion of food. Wario and Waluigi attempt to take Mario out with a sneaked Bullet Bill in the Bob-omb Derby during the celebration, but Bowser jumps in front and deflects it back at them, saving Mario's life. The reason Bowser did this is unknown, though it is likely that either if it hit Mario, he would have no archrival, or that he thinks it is his job to take Mario out himself. To their dismay, however, they only get a small portion of food, while everyone else receives much more. Or in Super Mario Galaxy, Rosalina said something about changes so Bowser's thoughts about Mario could have changed.
Back at Mario Stadium, Wario and Waluigi attempt to take Mario out with a sneaked Bullet Bill in the Bob-omb Derby during the celebration. The bullet is fired, and Mario, upon noticing, does not have enough time to react, but Bowser jumps in front of him and uses his bat to deflect it back at them. He then sulks off, not wanting to noticed for his act of heroic act, as Donkey Kong watches him off.
In Mario Superstar Baseball, Bowser has one of the highest batting and pitching stats, but his fielding and running skills are very poor to balance him out. His special move is the Killer Ball, where he hits or pitches a Bullet Bill. If used when batting, it pushes back any character that catches it. Bowser's running ability is Body Check, allowing him to tackle the baseman and knocking the ball out of their hand, and his fielding ability is Laser Beam, which allows him to throw the ball at high speeds to home base. His team can be named either the Bowser Monsters, Bowser Flames, Bowser Blue Shells, or Bowser Black Stars.
In Mario Super Sluggers, Bowser's power stats are still very high (tied with Petey Piranha and King K. Rool), but his pitching skills are weaker than in the predecessor. His fielding and running abilities are higher than in the predecessor, but they are still lower than average. While Bowser's Star Pitch remains the same, his Star Swing is changed to the Breath Swing, in which he uses his fire breath on the bat to hit the ball. His team name is the same as the predecessor, Bowser Monsters. In Mario Superstar Baseball, Bowser was one of the best batters and pitchers, but his fielding and running skills were very bad. His special move was the Killer Ball, where he hits or pitches a Bullet Bill.
In Mario Super Sluggers, Bowser was still a very powerful batter (tied with Petey Piranha and King K. Rool), but his pitching skills were weaker than in the prequel. His fielding and running abilities were slightly better than in the prequel, but he was still pretty weak in those categories. While Bowser's Star Pitch remains the same, his Star Swing was changed to the Breath Swing, in which he uses his fire breath on the bat to hit the ball.
The Vibe Scepter/Super Princess Peach
In Super Princess Peach, Bowser builds a villa on Vibe Island. There, his troops find the mysterious Vibe Scepter and use its powers to capture Mario, Luigi, and Toad as well as power up his minions. Princess Peach was out on a walk, and when she found out what happened, she went on a quest to rescue them. Bowser enhances the Hammer Bro. by giving him the ability to use the Rage vibe, then flees. After defeating the Hammer Bro., Peach heads to the next floor to face Bowser. He will attack her by throwing hammers at her and breathing fireballs and a large row of fire. He will also rush forward and destroy one of the statues in the room. After hitting him a few times, Bowser will enhance himself with the Joy vibe, causing him to leap up and create shock waves upon landing. After this, he will give himself the Gloom vibe, in which he will attack by throwing several hammers, and then leaping up and sending down giant hammers. Finally, after hitting him a number of times, he will give himself the Rage vibe, which causes him to attack faster. In Super Princess Peach, Bowser, having heard about the mysterious power on Vibe Island, builds a summer villa on the island to obtain the Vibe Scepter. One day, Army Hammer Bro. rushes into Bowser's throne room to report that the Vibe Scepter has been recovered. Army Hammer Bro. then sends Bowser's minions to use the power of the scepter to capture Mario, Luigi, and Toad. Back at the villa, Bowser is pleased to see that the plan has worked. Wondering about the limits of the Vibe Scepter, the Army Hammer Bro. summons the Goomba he gave the scepter to; however, the artifact had already affected the Goomba with the Joy vibe, and it begins to wave the scepter around, giving everybody in the throne room various vibes.
Meanwhile, Princess Peach is out on a walk at the time with a Toad and Toadsworth, and, upon arriving at the castle, notices a letter from Bowser explaining the situation. Peach then heads out with Perry, a sentient parasol given to her by Toadsworth before she leaves, to save Mario and the others.
When Peach reaches Bowser's Villa, after she defeats the Army Hammer Bro., she fights Bowser. After he is defeated, he comes back bigger and stronger and the glossary calls him Bowser 2. Peach had to defeat Bowser another time before she could rescue Mario. Bowser sent many of his minions to capture Peach, sure that she would be easy to capture with the Mario Bros. out of the way. Peach surprised everyone when she defeated Bowser's generals and rescued Luigi and Toad. Peach defeated Bowser when she reached his villa, but he grew bigger and attempted to defeat her. However, Peach used the power of her emotions to defeat Bowser again and she rescued Mario. In Super Princess Peach, Bowser, having heard about the mysterious power on Vibe Island, builds a summer villa on the island to obtain the Vibe Scepter. One day, Army Hammer Bro rushes into Bowser's throne room to report that the Vibe Scepter has been recovered. He then sends Bowser's minions to use the power of the scepter to capture Mario, Luigi, and Toad. Back at the villa, Bowser is pleased to see that the plan has worked. Wondering about the limits of the Vibe Scepter, Army Hammer Bro summons the Goomba he gave the scepter to; however, the artifact had already affected the Goomba with the Joy vibe, and it begins to wave the scepter around, giving everybody in the throne room various vibes.
After Peach reaches Bowser's villa, Army Hammer Bro. opts to fight her when she reaches the throne room. Bowser gives him the opportunity, increasing his strength with the Rage vibe, then flees. After defeating him, Peach heads to the next floor to face Bowser. He attacks her by throwing hammers at her, as well as breathing streams of fire and fireballs that create a column of fire. He also attacks by charging toward her. After reducing him to three health points, Bowser enhances himself with the Joy vibe, causing him to leap up and create shockwaves upon landing. At two health points, he uses the Gloom vibe, in which he attacks by throwing several hammers, which fall as giant hammers. Finally, at one health point, he gives himself the Rage vibe, which causes him to attack faster. Bowser enhances the Hammer Bro. by giving him the ability to use the Rage vibe, then flees. After defeating the Hammer Bro., Peach heads to the next floor to face Bowser. He will attack her by throwing hammers at her and breathing fireballs and a large row of fire. He will also rush forward and destroy one of the statues in the room. After hitting him a few times, Bowser will enhance himself with the Joy vibe, causing him to leap up and create shock waves upon landing. After this, he will give himself the Gloom vibe, in which he will attack by throwing several hammers, and then leaping up and sending down giant hammers. Finally, after hitting him a number of times, he will give himself the Rage vibe, which causes him to attack faster.
Once Bowser is defeated, Peach is forced to battle him once more, however, this time, he has made himself a giant known as Bowser 2.[15] He attacks Peach by slamming his hands onto the ground, which also sends down several Spiked Balls. He also attacks by throwing several hammers at once. He may also breathe a massive fireball at her; when his health is reduced to three points, he breathes two, when it reaches two, he breathes a stream of fire, and when it is at one, he breathes multiple, bigger fireballs. Finally, he can slam both hands onto the ground, which sends down several Bob-ombs, which are used to damage him. When Bowser 2 reaches one health point, he uses the vibe scepter to activate the Calm vibe to restore his health. Once defeated, Bowser reverts to normal, and Peach uses Perry to launch him as well as the scepter away from the island.
By returning to this level, Bowser becomes a little bit harder to defeat. First, his hammer throws become faster with every life lost. At full health, he will shoot 2 fireballs. at 4 lives, 2 giant fireballs, at 3 lives, 3 fireballs at the same time, at 2 lives, a steady stream of fire, and at 1 life, any of the 4 methods. Finally, one Bob-omb blast will cause his eyes to turn blue, which means it takes 10 Bob-ombs to defeat him.
In Super Princess Peach, Bowser builds his villa on Vibe Island. There, his troops find the mysterious Vibe Scepter, which Bowser uses to capture Mario, Luigi, and Toad as well as power up his minions. Princess Peach is out on a walk, and when she learns of the situation, she goes on a quest to rescue them. Bowser sends many of his minions to capture Peach, sure that she would be easy to capture with the Mario Bros. out of the picture. Peach surprises everyone, however, when she defeats Bowser's generals and rescued Luigi and Toad.
At Bowser's villa, Army Hammer Bro. is speaking with him when Peach arrives. Using the Vibe Scepter, Bowser enhances the Hammer Bro. by giving him the ability to use the Rage vibe, then flees. After defeating the Hammer Bro., Peach heads to the next floor to face Bowser. He will attack her by throwing hammers at her and breathing fireballs and a large row of fire. He will also rush forward and destroy one of the statues in the room. After hitting him a few times, Bowser will enhance himself with the Joy vibe, causing him to leap up and create shock waves upon landing. After this, he will give himself the Gloom vibe, in which he will attack by throwing several hammers, and then leaping up and sending down giant hammers. Finally, after hitting him a number of times, he will give himself the Rage vibe, which causes him to attack faster.
Once Bowser is defeated, Peach will be forced to battle him once more, however, this time, he has made himself giant. He will attack her by slamming his hands onto the ground, which will also send down several spiked balls. He also attacks by throwing several hammers at once and breathing massive fireballs toward her. Finally, he will slam both hands onto the ground, which will send down several Bob-ombs; Peach must use these to damage him. Once Bowser is defeated, he returns to normal, and Peach will use Perry, her parasol, to launch Bowser and the scepter away from the island.
Mario Strikers series
Bowser makes brief sporadic cameo appearances in Super Mario Strikers as a hazard who interrupts gameplay, by tilting the field or attacking the players with his fire breath and tossing shells. During the game, he also has his own robotic Super Team to challenge the player's team at the finals for the Bowser Cup and Super Bowser Cup.
Bowser reappears in the sequel Mario Strikers Charged as a team captain and playable character. His team number is 66, and his theme is a hard rock music version of the boss battle theme from Super Mario Bros. 3. During the game, Bowser wears metal claws and armor on his shell. He is a power type character who can tackle hard and make goals easily, giving him a high shooting and defense stat, but low movement and passing stats. His deke involves him crouching into his shell and knocking away any nearby opponents or anyone who runs into him. His Super Ability is the Fire Storm!, allowing him to breathe fire and render any other players on fire, including his teammates. When performing his mega shot, Bowser turns into a fiery monster and then hurls the ball at the goalie. Bowser wears metal on him because of the intensity of the game, as well as to make himself look more fierce. Bowser's Mega Strike involves him leaping up into the air, his spikes and claws growing, his hair turning to flame, and throwing the ball toward the goal. During the game, Bowser wears metal claws to help him manage the ball, as well as to make himself look more fierce. Bowser is the character played as during the Zero Tolerance! challenge and is the opponent for the Against All Odds! challenge.
Mario and the Incredible Rescue
During the events of Mario and the Incredible Rescue, Bowser has several Boos fly to Peach's Castle and kidnap the princess. He does this by stealing a book from Cybele the Sorceress, called The Book of Spells, and uses one of the spells to summon an army of ghosts. He then has several of them go to Peach's Castle to capture the princess. However, Mario, with help from Luigi and Toad, find the six mushrooms necessary to cast the spell that sends the ghosts back to their own realm and defeats Bowser.
Mario Hoops 3-on-3
Bowser appears in Mario Hoops 3-on-3 as an unlockable character. He is unlocked by completing the normal Star Tourney with at least a bronze medal. In this game, he is classified as a powerful character. The only other powerful characters are Donkey Kong and Wario. Bowser's special shot is the Bomber Dunk, which can be performed if the player taps a B-like shape on the touch screen. He will set fire to the ball, and then leaps into the air and dunks it, a large column of flame appearing afterward. Bowser is also the only unlockable Mario character with a baller name, "The Big Shell". Bowser's Castle is also one of the courts in the game.
Itadaki Street series
- “Thank my lucky stars! I'll take some of that money off your hands, wimps! Bwah hah hah!”
- —Bowser, Fortune Street
Bowser appears as a playable character in the game Itadaki Street DS. In the game, the player can also unlock customization options for their character; the accessories based upon Bowser include a Bowser Cap and a Bowser Suit. By default, Bowser when controlled by a computer is an A-rank character.
He later returns as a default playable character in the game's follow-up, Fortune Street. He is once again by default an A-rank opponent. In Tours mode, Bowser is one of the opponents faced on Peach's Castle, as well as on Bowser's Castle.
Mario Football series
Bowser makes brief appearances in Mario Smash Football as a hazard who interrupts gameplay by tilting the field or attacking the players. During the game he attempted to have his own robotic Super Team win a soccer tournament, but they were defeated. Bowser reappears in Mario Strikers Charged Football as a power type character who can tackle hard and make goals easily. His special ability is the Fire Storm!. When performing his mega shot, Bowser turns into a fiery monster and then hurls the ball at the goalie. Bowser wears metal claws to help him manage the ball, as well as to make himself look more fierce.
Mario & Sonic series
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Bowser appears in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games as a power type character. Outside of battle, Bowser can also kick away small enemies that he encounters and defeat them instantly. He has the highest power stat in the game, combined with a high level of stamina. It is because of his strength that he can do better in events such as the Hammer Toss. His swim stroke is the breaststroke.
Bowser's six missions in the game are Pole Vault, in which he must clear the bar set at 5.70 meters twice; Javelin Throwing, in which the player must throw the javelin between 50 and 55 meters; 400m Hurdles, in which the player mustn't knock over a single hurdle and finish with a time between 45 and 53 seconds; Hammer Throw; in which the hammer must be thrown between 50 and 55 meters; Singles table tennis, in which the player must win by scoring 7 points with blast-shots; and Dream Fencing, in which the player must win by knocking their opponent out of the ring twice. Out of ten, his stats are:Power-10/10, Speed-2/10, Skill-3/10 and Stamina-9/10. His swim stroke is Breaststroke and his six missions are:
- Pole Vault - Clear the bar twice, it is set at 5.70m
- Javelin Throw - Throw the Javelin between 50m and 55m
- 400m Hurdles - Knock over 0 hurdles, finish with a time between 45 and 53 seconds
- Hammer Throw - Throw the hammer between 50m and 55m
- Singles - Win, scoring 7 points with blast-shots
- Dream Fencing - Win, force your opponent out of bounds twice.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Bowser appears as a playable character in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. He is once again a power character, having high power and speed stats, along with average acceleration and skill stats in the Wii version. In the DS version, he has high speed, power, and stamina, but below average technique and jumping.
In the DS version of the game, in the Adventure Tour mode, Bowser is one of the two main antagonists. He teams up with Dr. Eggman to stop the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and host their own games. In order to achieve this, Bowser uses his fire to melt all the snow, and Eggman captures the six Snow Spirits; however, one manages to escape, but Bowser and Eggman disregard this, believing that the five they have can produce all the snow they need.
Upon hearing about the predicament from the one Snow Spirit, Frosty, Mario, and Sonic set out to stop Bowser and Eggman and rescue the other five spirits. They defeat Bowser and Eggman's henchmen and save the Snow Spirits, then confront Dr. Eggman and Bowser right after saving Frosty from Dry Bowser at Blizland. The two challenge them first to Blazing Bobsleigh, then to Fever Hockey, and finally to Extreme Snowboarding, but lose to all of them. Once their rivals defeat them, they are disappointed that they lost, but are then angered about it and escape. Bowser was a playable character in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. He was given a high power stat, and his speed stat was also quite high too. In the DS version of the game, in the Adventure Tour mode, Bowser is one of the two main antagonists. He, along with Dr. Eggman tried to stop the 2010 Olympic Winter Games by capturing all the Snow Spirits.
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
Bowser appears as a power type character in Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. He has high speed, stamina, and power, but low acceleration and technique. In the Wii version, a Bowser suit is also an unlockable costume for the player's Mii to wear.
In the 3DS version of the game, Bowser is one of the Wild Ones. He and Dr. Eggman return as the primary antagonists of the game's story mode. Before the events of the game, after allying with Dr. Eggman again, Bowser has a Magikoopa break the seal on the urn keeping a powerful colored fog known as the Phantasmal Fog contained, located at Stonehenge. From there, Eggman has E-123 Omega retrieve the urn and bring it to him.
On the night before the Olympic Games, Bowser and Eggman are observing the city via several video feeds inside Big Ben, angered that the games have been set up and they have not received invitations. Eggman suggests that they were intentionally uninvited because they are too well prepared for the games. To exact their revenge, Bowser suggests activating the doctor's newest device: a machine that amplifies and unleashes the Phantasmal Fog through various machines scattered throughout London. Eggman asks Bowser and the Koopa Troop to guard the machines that spread the fog and then activates the main machine. The duo then watch from the video monitors as their plan is set into motion.
However, their plans begin to halt when Mario, Sonic, and friends destroy several of their fog-spreading machines. Desperate to keep the London Olympics from happening, Eggman sends out a 3D hologram of him out to wreak havoc near an Olympic stadium. However, the clone is chased down by Vector and Knuckles to the inside of the stadium, where he is cornered by them and Sonic and defeated by the former two, while the real Eggman and Bowser remain safe and hidden inside Big Ben. From there, Eggman uses the main machine to unleash ten times the amount of Phantasmal Fog the other machines could have. However, when Eggman activates this function, Bowser is concerned that the machine may not be safe. The machine then overloads, and fog begins spreading around the interior of the lair. Bowser and Eggman begin to absorb the fog, which makes them stronger, as the Phantasmal Fog begins to spread outside of Big Ben and across London.
As soon as Mario, Luigi, Sonic, and Tails arrive at Big Ben, Bowser and Dr. Eggman instantly reveal themselves, visibly powered up by the fog: they are now glowing various colors and are emanating electricity. They inform the heroes that, as they speak, armies of fog imposters are heading around the city and preventing the Olympic Games. However, Toad and various other allies of Mario's and Sonic's inform them that the fog across the city has been cleared. They are shocked to hear this, but decide to achieve vengeance by defeating Mario's team at a series of Olympic events. When Sonic and Mario defeat them, they try to stop Mario and Sonic from ruining their plan, but are forced to watch as Sonic destroys the machine. Once this is done, Mario uses the urn to suck up the fog, thus stripping Eggman and Bowser of their increased power and sealing the Phantasmal Fog away once more when he places the lid on.
At first, the two are disappointed that they will not "be able to join the Olympic Games". Upon Tails' asking, they explain that they were the only ones that were not invited, accusing them of intentionally not inviting them. However, Tails explains that it was a mistake; Toad then informs them over the walkie-talkie that, despite the fact that they have not received invitations, Eggman and Bowser are on the list of competitors, and that there is still time to register by providing their IDs at the main stadium. Eggman and Bowser, however, state that they do not have their IDs, but the heroes convince Toad to make an exception and he allows them to register without them if they can make it to the stadium in time. That night, Bowser is among the various competitors present at the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
Bowser returns as a playable character in Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. He once again returns as a Power-type character.
Mario and Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Bowser returns in Mario and Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and once again he has high power-related stats in the events. In the 3DS version he is exclusive to Golf and Boxing.
The Legend of Zelda Series
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a portrait of Bowser, along with other Mario characters, can be seen by looking into one of the windows in the Castle Courtyard; in the Nintendo 3DS remake, this is replaced by an image of what appears to be a New Super Mario Bros. stage. In addition, in the Lon Lon Ranch, the characters Malon and Talon both wear broaches of Bowser's face, which is ironic because Talon bears a great resemblance to Mario.
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Romani and Cremia also wear Bowser broaches, due to them using the same character models as young and adult Malon, respectively.
During the events of this game, while Bowser himself does not physically appear, though when Young Link entered Hyrule Castle, oddly enough he found Bowser's portrait hanging on the wall, and later when visiting Lon Lon Ranch he found that both Malon and Talon wore broaches of Bowser's face. This is slightly ironic as Talon bears a great resemblance to Mario, in the way he looks and dresses, and Mario would be unlikely to wear a Bowser broach. While Bowser himself does not appear in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, his portrait can be found by Young Link, hanging on a wall in Hyrule Castle. Later, on the Lon Lon Ranch, the characters Malon and Talon both wear broaches of Bowser's face, which is ironic because Talon bears a great resemblance to Mario.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
When Link traveled to the world of Termaina in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, he met to people named Romani and Cremia, these people also seemed to like Bowser as they too wore Bowser broaches.
On the Technical side of things, this was due to them share the same models as Malon's Child and adult forms, respectively. Only a small handful of characters in the game did not share a model with someone from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Mario Sports Mix
Bowser appears in Mario Sports Mix as a powerful-type character. His power stat is high, but his technique stat is lower as a result, and he also has a very low speed stat. His high power stat allows him to hit balls and pucks harder than normal, which can push back weaker characters. Bowser is capable of hitting pucks and balls real hard, which can make them push back weaker characters with ease. In Dodgeball, Bowser can repel dodgeball attacks by spinning inside his shell. However, this move is rendered useless when the dodgeball is equipped with an item. Bowser's special shot ability involves him spitting a fireball onto the court, near the goal, and then throwing the sports object toward the goal. Anyone caught within the radius of the blast will be knocked back and burned, and has a harder time stopping Bowser's shots, or evading them in Dodgeball.
Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition
Bowser also appears as the main antagonist in the game, Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. He serves as the boss of World 8-
, and is a Dark attribute character. Bowser is also an unlockable helper, but only after the player clears World 8.
As a helper, Bowser's skill can deal damage to all enemies on the field, while his helper skill raises the ATK of all teammates by 3.5x when attacking with 6 combos or more in a single turn.
The player can also unlock another variation of Bowser, called Bowser the Koopa King, by clearing ★World 8; his main attribute is Dark, while his sub-attribute is Water. Like with Bowser, Bowser the Koopa King can be used as a helper character.
Bowser the Koopa King's skill turns all Orbs into Light, Dark, and Heart Orbs, while his helper skill raises the ATK of all teammates by 4.5x when attacking with 8 combos or more in a single turn.
Both Bowser variations offer high HP and ATK, but their RCV is set at 0.
Bowser's undead counterpart, Dry Bowser, also appears in this game, serving as the boss of ★World 8-, and he'll join the player after ★World 8 is completed.
Mario Sports Superstars
Bowser appears as a playable character in Mario Sports Superstars. As with other installments, he is a Power-based character who generally loses out on control and speed stats. In the baseball portion of the game, Bowser's bat lacks spikes, an anomaly from his bat in the Mario Baseball series, although he reuses his bat animations from the series. In golf, his default drive is 230 yards, and his shots travel at a medium height in a fade trajectory. This game also reuses several of Scott Burns's voice clips from previous games alongside those of Kenny James, Bowser's current voice actor.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Bowser makes an appearance in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. Here, he is on vacation for the majority of the game, leaving Bowser Jr. to lead the Koopa Troop in his absence (although Bowser does call his son at one point asking if he has done his homework and assures that Junior isn't throwing a party). During Bowser's absence, the Rabbids are transported to the Mushroom Kingdom due to Spawny's actions. Bowser Jr. ends up befriending Spawny and abusing his power of fusing things together to create an army of Rabbid-fused enemies, intending to take over the Mushroom Kingdom and make his father proud upon his return. As Mario's team (itself consisting of four Rabbids) defeat the Rabbid-fused enemies, the Megabug, a vortex that appeared above the Mushroom Kingdom upon the Rabbids' entry, increases in size. Eventually, the Megabug grows large enough to obtain a physical, phoenix-like form, which absorbs Spawny and flies off to Bowser's Castle, creating more Rabbid-fused enemies in the process. Immediately after, Bowser texts his son, revealing that he has decided to come home early. Believing the Megabug to pose a threat to his father, Junior hurries to the castle, and Mario's group follow. Upon Mario's group's arrival, Bowser is at the castle, although barely conscious and near the Megabug. The Megabug fuses with Bowser, creating MegaDragonBowser, and proceeds to attack Mario's group. MegaDragonBowser is defeated, causing Bowser and the Megabug to separate. With the threat averted, Junior attempts to convince Mario's group to be chastised in his place after Bowser regains consciousness. However, they decline.
Other Appearances, Cameos, and References
Aside from the appearances listed above, Bowser has also either been referenced, or has appeared in various other ways in the Mario series. The most common one is in the form of the logo emblem of the Koopa Troopa, which is designed after Bowser's face. In Luigi's Mansion, Bowser himself does not appear, but Madam Clairvoya mentions that Bowser was defeated by Mario. Bowser has received many minor appearances and mentions in Mario media. In Luigi's Mansion, Bowser himself does not appear, but Madam Clairvoya mentions that Bowser was defeated by Mario, and King Boo wears a suit modeled after Bowser. The Japan-only game I Am a Teacher: Super Mario Sweater features Bowser as one of the possible designs players can put on their shirt. Another Japanese-exclusive game called Mario Roulette has Bowser appear if the player stops the roulette on him. Bowser also appears in the many activities in the Mario's Early Years! games, like dancing for the letter "D". In Mario's Game Gallery, Bowser appears alongside Mario as one of the two possible opponents for the five games; whether he is the character to be faced or not depends on the game. In Mario's Game Gallery, Bowser appears in the checkers game; whenever Mario crowns one of his pieces, it turns into Bowser. In Mario's Game Gallery, Bowser appears in the checkers game; whenever Mario crowns one of his pieces, it turns into Bowser. Bowser also appears in the coloring book-based game Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up; he appears on the "attorney and judge" page, in which he is being questioned by Mario, who is an attorney; and the "business executive" page, in which he appears as the business executive. Also of note is that the former uses his normal design, while the latter uses his cartoon design.
Bowser also appears as a prominent character in the Japanese-exclusive Super Mario-Kun manga. With each novel being based upon the Mario games, Bowser's appearances in Super Mario-Kun give him the same role he has in the game each volume is based on. The Super Mario-Kun manga published by Pikkapika Comics also features Bowser as a prominent character and antagonist.
Aside from the appearances listed above, Bowser has also either been referenced, or has appeared in various other ways in the Mario series. The most common one is in the form of the emblem of the Koopa Troop, the design being based upon Bowser's own face. Bowser statues and busts also appear in locations such as castles and airships.
Bowser also appears in Mario's FUNdamentals in a few games, sometimes acting as the challenger instead of Mario. In the Checkers game, Bowser also appears as the Player 2's equivalent of the "King" in the game, while he appears as a card in the Go Fish game.
Bowser also appears in various forms of merchandise. In Super Mario Chess, Bowser takes the role of one of the kings. In Nintendo UNO, Bowser replaces the Draw 4 card. Additionally, in both versions of Nintendo Monopoly, Bowser's only appearance is on the box; aside from this, one of the ? Block cards has the player pay $15 for "Bowser tax." The 2006 board also shows several scenes featuring Bowser, such as a Bowser interlude from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door or the fight with him from Super Mario 64. He is included in both the Standard and Collector's Editions of Monopoly Gamer. He appears as the "Final Boss" in the Boss Card deck in the Standard Edition. The Collector's Edition includes an additional Bowser figure and Character card to use him as a playable Character, and Bowser Jr. replaces him as "Final Boss".
Although he appears in the book How to Draw Nintendo Heroes and Villains, Bowser is mistakenly known as "Kerog." Although it is unknown how this mistake was made, it should be noted that "kero" is the Japanese onomatopoeia for a frog's croaking. This mistake is not made in the follow-up book, How to Draw Nintendo Greatest Heroes & Villains.
Bowser also makes a number of cameos in non-Mario video games, as well as in other forms of media such as movies, TV and print publications. Minor appearances include his presence in F-1 Race, where he and other Nintendo characters wave at the driver when they complete a circuit, and the inclusion of a Super Mario Bros. sprite of Bowser in Art Style: PiCTOBiTS.
SimCity
Bowser made a cameo in the SNES version of SimCity. He appeared during one of the natural disasters featured in that game, which included a giant-sized Bowser trampling through and destroying the city that was builded by the player, which is probably a reference to the Godzilla movies. In the SNES version of SimCity, one of the natural disasters the player can cause is a Bowser attack, in which he tramples through the destroys the player's city. He replaces the generic Godzilla-style monster used in the other version of the game.
Pikmin 2
In Pikmin 2, one of the treasures, the Flame of Tomorrow matchbox, is emblazoned with Bowser's face and is said to contain "Bowser Breath" brand matches. In the Pikmin game, Bowser made another minor appearance. A matchbox with Bowser's face on it appeared as a treasure there.
One of the Nintendo 3DS Mii accessories that can be obtained is a Bowser hat. It is in the shape of Bowser's face, and covers the entire Mii's head, with its face being visible inside the mouth. Additionally, one of the Puzzle Swap panels is named, "Mario and Bowser"; the panel features Mario, Luigi, and Bowser standing together, back to back, arms crossed.
For the Wii U port of Bayonetta and its sequel, Bayonetta 2, Bayonetta is able to summon Bowser while wearing the Princess Peach costume, although only Bowser's arm and legs are visible during the summon[16].
Bowser, alongside his son and the rest of the principle Mario cast, appeared in the Nintendo Switch online service trailer on the September 13 Nintendo Direct. He had a prominent role in the NES library section. In particular, he was playing the NES game Ghouls 'n Goblins, and was so focused on it that he ignored his son requesting that he let him play with him before realizing it as he noticed him walk away, and then offered a second Joy-Con controller to his son so they could play Ice Climbers together. Later, he witnesses his son playing Dr. Mario remotely with Princess Peach, causing him to be baffled at the situation.
Tetris series
Tetris DS
Bowser also appeared in Tetris Attack, a game that was based on the Japanese Panel de Pon. The remake replaced several characters of the game with characters from the Mario series and the Yoshi series. Bowser took the role of Cordelia, the games' final boss. The results screen for the NES version of Tetris features Bowser as part of a band composed of himself, Donkey Kong, Link, Pit, Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Samus Aran. He is playing the accordion.
In Tetris DS, during Standard Mode, a Bowser sprite from Super Mario Bros appears on the touch screen on stage ten. Additionally, when viewing the amount of Tetris Points the player has, if the player has between 8000-8999 Tetris Points, Bowser's Super Mario Bros. sprite will appear on the top screen.
Art Style: PiCTOBiTS
In Art Style: PiCTOBiTS, a Super Mario Bros. sprite of Bowser is one of the patterns that must be formed.
F-1 Race
Bowser sometimes appears at the beginning and end of a race in F-1 Race. {[br}}
The Legend of Zelda series
In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a portrait of Bowser, along with other Mario characters, can be seen by looking into one of the windows in the Castle Courtyard; in the Nintendo 3DS remake, this is replaced by an image of what appears to be a New Super Mario Bros. stage. In addition, in the Lon Lon Ranch, the characters Malon and Talon both wear broaches of Bowser's face, which is ironic because Talon bears a great resemblance to Mario.
In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Romani and Cremia also wear Bowser broaches, due to them using the same character models as young and adult Malon, respectively.
Wreck-It Ralph
Additionally, whether he actually appears or is referenced by another character resembling him, Bowser also appears on various other TV shows and movies besides the Mario-based ones. Like Mario, Bowser cameos or is referenced in numerous television or film productions, but only Bowser, along with several other video game villains, made an appearance in the 2012 Disney animated film Wreck-It Ralph, as the story team could not find a proper place to utilize the Mario Bros. in the story.[17] In the film, Bowser is a member of "Bad-Anon" (Bad Guys Anonymous) along with the titular character, Ralph,[18] listening to Ralph talk about his problems and reciting the Bad Guy Affirmation with the other video game villains. Once Ralph states that he does not want to be a villain anymore, Bowser breathes fireballs in anger and shock. Although he appears in the book How to Draw Nintendo Heroes and Villains, Bowser is mistakenly known as "Kerog." Although it is unknown how this mistake was made, it should be noted that "kero" is the Japanese onomatopoeia for a frog's croaking. This mistake is not made in the sequel, How to Draw Nintendo's Greatest Heroes and Villains.
Skylanders series
Bowser appears as a playable character in Skylanders: SuperChargers under the name Hammer Slam Bowser. He appears alongside Donkey Kong with a special figurine sold exclusively with Skylanders: SuperChargers Racing Nintendo 3DS starter packs. However, due to an agreement between Nintendo and Activision, they are only playable on the Nintendo versions of the game. A variant of this figure, Dark Hammer Slam Bowser, is included with Wii version starter packs.
Bowser's primary vehicle in the game is the Clown Cruiser, a land and sky vehicle based on the Koopa Clown Car. Bowser's moveset primarily involves the use of Koopa Troopas to attack, while the Clown Cruiser can fire Bullet Bills.
Bowser reappears in Skylanders: Imaginators, alongside Donkey Kong.
Minecraft
In the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack in Minecraft, Bowser appears as a playable skin. Bowser's emblem appears as a painting.
General Information
Personality
Bowser's personality at first was like one of those completely evil people with no real humor. But more recently Bowser has been a very humorous villain. See Bowser's quotes for some of these many, funny, things. In the Paper Mario series, he has especially funny quotes, such as "Nobody can capture the princess without my say-so"! in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. In the Mario Party series, he often wants to ruin the party in some sort of way. In Mario Party 7, he wants to keep the party going for a while, so he do bad things to it. Such as when he gives you ten coins so he can do something bad about them. He, overall has a very amusing personality that is easily noted about him. Bowser's personality at first was like one of a stereotypical villain with no feeling. He was typically portrayed as a power hungry tyrant who led violent attacks that threatened the lives of hundreds. But more recently, however, Bowser has been a very humorous character. It is especially shown in the Paper Mario series where he has especially humorous quotes, such as "Nobody can capture the princess without my say-so"! and has had a humorous tone added to his personality, though his evil nature is still shown. In the RPGs, his overall character has a very amusing personality that is easily noted about him. When Bowser was first made, he was a villain of pure evil with immense hatred and anger. Cruel and ruthless, he is typically portrayed as a power-hungry tyrant who leads violent attacks that threatens the lives of hundreds. Bowser's ultimate goal is conquer the Mushroom Kingdom, and eventually, the entire universe. His infamous plans and numerous crimes, ranging from simply kidnapping Princess Peach to acts of terrorism, have earned him a reputation feared by the entire Mushroom World. More recently, however, while this status of evil is still very prevalent in the series, Bowser has had a humorous tone added to his personality and is shown to be more complex in terms of his relationship with Princess Peach.
Most games tend to embrace one characterization of Bowser for each game he's in, which suggests the direction that game takes in story. Some games only focus on his comical aspects, while others focus on a much more sinister side aspect of him, making his role the same as his first ones in which he was simply pure evil. The games that mainly focus on his comical aspects are the RPGs, where his overall character has a very amusing personality that is blatantly shown. Bowser has also been known to break the fourth-wall and also feels the need to make sure that others know he's still evil even if he lends a hand to stop new villains to remind players that he's still evil despite his current actions. In fact, whenever he joins forces with Mario to face a greater common foe, Bowser's typical motivations for doing so are selfish in nature: for example, in Super Mario RPG, he agreed to help Mario fight the Smithy Gang simply because he wanted to get his castle back from them, and in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Bowser only agreed to help Mario and Luigi regain Peach's voice because he wanted to kidnap her again, but couldn't because her "explosive vocabulary" would wreck his castle. In the Mario Party series, he often wants to ruin the party in various ways, sometimes strange. One example is in Mario Party 7 where he gives the player ten coins so he can do something bad about them. He, overall has a very amusing personality that is easily noted about him. Bowser has also been known to break the fourth-wall by saying things like "No more sequels!" and he is prime cut final boss. Even though Bowser has shown less sinister aspects on rare occasions, he is still an evil villain with a lust for power. Additionally, Bowser still thinks of himself as a true villain, but he cares very much for his 8 children and his most recent son, Bowser Jr., and is very proud of them, and will do what he can to please them (especially the constantly whining Wendy) for their loyalty for him and the koopa army. Even though he cares for his children, he sometimes uses them as pawns and can treat them as simply minions rather than family. This is shown most strongly when Bowser lied to Bowser Jr. to give him motivation to embark on a scheme to abduct the princess and destroy Mario, although it is not known if Jr. needed that much actual motivation.
Although he usually plans to rule the Mushroom Kingdom, and at some points, the entire universe, he also crosses the line at destroying the Universe, or destroying things thereof. This is especially evident when Bowser became enraged when he learned that Count Bleck's destruction of existence meant he wouldn't have anything to rule over, and after witnessing what happened to Sammer Kingdom when it was consumed by the void, he was legitimately horrified at what happened. When it also became apparent that his planned galaxy, as well as the entire universe was going to be vaporized after his plans of Universal conquest failed, he also lamented at the loss.
In the film adaptation, Koopa had a similar personality to that in the games at the time. However, he also was shown to have an understandable motive in regards to remerging the human dimension and the other dimensions, citing that he intends to use Daisy to merge them for the future of his species, especially when his species had to go through several hardships that stemmed from his world being almost a complete wasteland.
Main cause of Bowser's comical side is that he's extremely stupid. Numerous times Mario defeated Bowser was because Bowser ending placing the means for Mario to defeat him in the place where they fight, such as in Super Mario Brothers and New Super Mario Brothers where Bowser placed an ax the collapses the bridge he stands on when Mario steps on it, and Super Mario 64 where he places the bombs in the arena that Mario can throw him at. In the RPG games has shown even greater stupidity. The greatest examples as likely Bowser set fire to a super bomb Crump threw at him just to boast as to how to make it explode, and in Super Paper Mario where he didn't realize that he couldn't rule the world if the world was destroyed until Mario told him.
Though Bowser has had a comical edge to him, other games show him to be a much more sinister and intimidating threat. While Bowser is primarily more comical in RPGs, Paper Mario had him considerably more evil than when he is when he's a secondary villain or character and combined both his evil nature with his comical undertones. Although the game still had a humorous tone to Bowser, he was also shown to be very cruel and sinister in certain scenes. Outside the RPG series, Bowser is not as comical and in many instances is shown as pure evil. The Mario Party series also have Bowser as more serious driven as well as angry, but does not perform very sinister actions, his only goal to ruin Mario and his friend's fun party through comical methods. Super Mario 64, New Super Mario Brothers, and Super Mario Galaxy remove Bowser's usual comical undertones completely and make him a much more sinister villain than he is found typically in the RPGs.
While Bowser has be shown from pure unrelentless evil to a comical villain, there have been hardly any instances where Bowser has shown any form of emotion other than anger or hatred. Bowser has never shown any remorse for his actions, which have led to numerous atrocities and caused much destruction from the Mushroom Kingdom all the way to the outer reaches of the universe. Bowser also seems to lack sympathy and has disregard for any form of life. Bowser's many attacks on the Mushroom Kingdom could've easily taken many lives, but Bowser has never shown any remorse when doing these attacks, only focusing on obtaining power and ruling the Mushroom Kingdom with Peach at his side. In Paper Mario, Mario's defeat at the hands of Bowser, to which Bowser mockingly laughed at, could be considered murder as he is only able to rise up after the combined energy of the Star Spirits. In Super Paper Mario, Bowser has shown to have no problems killing his own minions when they attack. He has even on occasions abducted infants to fulfill his nefarious goal of conquest and did not care in the least for their well being. He even seemed to kill his most respected servant, Kamek, in New Super Mario Bros. Wii (although this is often viewed as accidental). Perhaps Bowser's biggest demonstration for disregard for other lives is in Super Mario Galaxy, where his plot was to wipe out entire galaxies to create a cosmos that he can control. Also in sports, Bowser is highly competitive and aggressive. Bowser's temperament has been depicted varying from pure, driven evil to a comical child-like villain. Despite this widely-opposing personality, any emotions other than anger or hatred have rarely been shown. Bowser has never been seen acting remorseful for his numerous atrocities and destruction to both the localized Mushroom Kingdom and the outermost reaches of the universe. He also seems to lack a sense of empathy, which results in a disregard for any other life. In Paper Mario, Mario's defeat at the hands of Bowser, to which Bowser simply mockingly laughed at, was essentially murder before Mario was revived by the combined energy of the Star Spirits. Perhaps Bowser's most extreme disregard for other life was in Super Mario Galaxy, where his plot consisted of wiping out entire galaxies to create a cosmos he can control.
While Bowser has shown intellect and a sarcastic wit in many of the games, he can also been seen as very incompetent. The RPG's are primarily where his lack of common sense is shown. The height of this seen when he breaths fire on the super bomb thrown at him by Lord Crump just to show him how to set off a bomb, and in Super Paper Mario when Bowser didn't realize that he couldn't rule the world if the world was destroyed until Mario told him. Although the latter could've been Bowser just making up an excuse to refuse to team up with Mario regardless of the circumstances. While Bowser has shown intellect and a sarcastic wit in many of the games, he has also acted with incompetence. The RPGs primarily depict him with an almost comical lack of common-sense. Two prime examples are when he breaths fire on a Superbombomb in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door when it doesn't explode, and in Super Paper Mario he must be explicitly told by Mario that he cannot rule the world if the world was destroyed.
While shown as lacking common-sense, Bowser is shown to be on many occasions as highly intelligent. Many of his plans often made use of high tech equipment and complicated machinery that were created by the tyrant himself. While his plans often involve a repetitive phase of abducting the princess, it has become apparent it has more to do with Bowser's attraction to Peach rather than an actual step in a plot. He is however intelligent enough to realize Mario is more than a formidable foe and takes measures to combat this. An example of this is in Paper Mario, where Bowser steals the Star Rod to wield against his eternal nemesis. This resulted in his first victory and allowed him to temporarily control the Mushroom Kingdom, proving that it is well within his abilities to do so. Bowser's plans are also sometimes complicated in themselves and involve numerous crimes such as abduction, theft, robbery, terrorism, abuse, harassment, blackmail, arson, destruction, numerous attempts of mass murder, minion facilitation, child endangerment, assault, and even acts such as frame-up, fraud, and identity theft as evident in Super Mario Sunshine. While his lack of apparent common-sense is widely evident, Bowser has also been shown on many occasions to be highly intelligent. Many of his plans often make use of high-tech equipment and complicated machinery, designed and built by himself. In Mario Party Advance, when the player arrives at Bowser Lab, Bowser claims to have an IQ of 9,800. He has also shown himself to be quite adept at use of various magics, both innate and talisman-based. He often develops strategies in his conquest of the Mushroom Kingdom as well as defense against Mario, as evidenced by his division of power among his children and generals to act as governors over conquered lands, which is a sign of an intelligent and compromising leader. Of course, some of Bowser's children actually have a higher intelligence than him.
Even though Bowser has shown less sinister aspects on rare occasions, he is still an evil villain with a lust for power. He does however care very deeply for his 8 children and is very proud of them for their loyalty towards him and the koopa army. Even though he cares for his children, he sometimes uses them as pawns and can treat them as simply minions rather than family. This is shown most strongly when Bowser lied to Bowser Jr. to give him motivation to embark on a scheme to abduct the princess and destroy Mario, although it is not known if Jr. needed that much motivation anyway.
One of the most complex aspects of Bowser is his relationship with Peach. It at first seemed that he only abducted her for control of the kingdom and to use her as bait to lure Mario into danger. However, it is later revealed that Bowser is attracted to Peach and lusts for her to like him. While he has harmed her in many ways, Bowser will never go as far as killing her and treats her fairly nicely. Even though Bowser has an attraction to Peach, he in no way cares for perspective. He has ruthlessly attacked her kingdom, caused much destruction, and forced her to watch him nearly kill Mario, the person she truly loves, while tied up. In Super Paper Mario though, Bowser consistently showed concern for her safety. It seems that Bowser's attraction for Peach is mainly physical, but Peach is the only one in the whole series capable of showing that Bowser has affection somewhere deep in his seemingly cold evil heart. Peach herself is able to recognize Bowser's softer side towards her and often flirts with him to agree to help Mario, to which Bowser reluctantly agrees. It can be assumed that Bowser does not care for anybody or anything other than Princess Peach and his own children and army.
Bowser has had a deep-rooted hatred for Mario because he has continuously disrupted his plans and won the heart of Princess Peach. Though Bowser despises Mario with a passion, he has a grudging respect for him and sees him as a worthy opponent, although he's tried to hide this reluctant respect. This is shown most strongly in Super Mario Galaxy where Bowser says that he picked the right guy to be his archenemy since Mario always puts up a fight. Mario himself seems to have some sort of sympathy for the villain, going as far as even letting Bowser go in Mario Party DS. Though this is most likely due to the fact that Bowser's scheme unintentionally led Mario and his friends to have fun and that his plans weren't nearly as brutal as past ones. Although it should also be noted that Mario celebrated after viewing Bowser's seemingly permanent destruction in New Super Mario Brothers, although he did eventually return. Their battle seems to be an eternal one as Bowser has survived numerous situations and even came back from the dead. Bowser's permanent destruction does not seem to be anytime soon, but may happen one day. However, Ludwig von Koopa is the most likely heir to the throne, being Bowser's "first born". So if Bowser is killed Ludwig willi become "King Ludwig" and take his place.
When Bowser was created, he was a typical villain without much personality beyond simply wanting to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. Later games started showing various different aspects of Bowser's character, depending on the nature of the plot. While his platformer role continues to be that of a simple antagonist, his Mario Party antics typically being more angry, childish, and mischievous than dangerous, and his portrayals in the RPGs ranging from a sinister yet humorous villain to a playable anti-hero. However, even when Bowser is acting as a protagonist in a game, he continues to insist that he is still an evil character, and his reasons for doing the right thing are typically selfish in nature.
Bowser's personality is explored most extensively in the various RPGs. Like the platformers, he is the main antagonist of the original Paper Mario and the most recent title, Paper Mario: Sticker Star, but the former also showed a humorous side to Bowser alongside his evilness, and also revealed that he had a crush on Peach. His role was reduced to that of a dim-witted comic relief villain in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, where he incompetently tried and failed to collect the Crystal Stars before Mario. The first two Mario & Luigi titles also cast Bowser as a comical recurring secondary villain, with Partners in Time even teaming him up with Baby Bowser, who he didn't actually recognize as being his own infant self.
Bowser is still shown to be somewhat oblivious in Super Paper Mario when he had to be reminded that the universe being destroyed would mean he couldn't take anything over, which motivated him to join Mario and Peach in trying to save it. Bowser's affection for Peach is front and center in Super Paper Mario, with the two being forcibly wed at the onset of the game by the main antagonist; while the princess disavows the ceremony as a sham, Bowser happily and persistently acts as if they were indeed husband and wife. Throughout the adventure, Bowser is shown to take pride in his villainy and boasts of being a quality "final boss", only to seemingly sacrifice himself to save the others, even going so far as to arguing with his defeated rival O'Chunks to save himself while Bowser held the crumbling roof up (although it was later revealed that they both survived). He is also shown to be as horrified as the others upon witnessing the destruction of the Sammer's Kingdom, a sharp contrast to his attitude in the Super Mario Galaxy platformers, where he was quite willing to create his own galaxy at the expense of the existing ones and nearly destroyed the universe himself in the process.
Like in Super Mario Galaxy, most other platformers simply leave Bowser as an undeveloped villain, the exception being Super Mario Sunshine, which ends with him sadly admitting to Bowser Jr. that he had lied, and that Peach wasn't actually the child's mother. Aside from this, Bowser has never shown remorse for his evil actions and the destruction they often cause, however he is often saddened by his own personal losses. In Super Mario Galaxy, he wasn't sorry about endangering the universe, only about failing to create his own realm, and in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, he is upset about having to damage his own captured castle as he tried to reclaim it from Fawful. By contrast, in Mario Party 4, Bowser leaves in shame upon his defeat, but as he goes, he grudgingly gives the player a present and wishes them a happy birthday, and one of the Koopa Kids briefly wonders if there might be more to Bowser than he leads others to believe, as Bowser claimed to be somewhat happy.
Another game that gives Bowser some depth is the first RPG, in which he is a playable character. Like Bowser's Inside Story, Bowser loses his castle and his troops to a greater villain in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, and is even moved to tears over it. He was also shown to be as sad about Geno's body breaking down as the other playable characters, however like later RPGs, his actions are usually far more self-centered in this game, with his boasting even taking the form of a haiku at one point. Despite being the central character of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, this title doesn't actually shed new light onto Bowser's characterization, however it does provide a good overview of the Koopa king's personality. His reasons for saving the world from Fawful and the Dark Star were rooted in pride, selfishness and possessiveness towards Peach. He was extremely conceited and boastful about himself and his accomplishments, and resented having to ask nicely for help from Starlow, rather than making demands. He acted as a leader to his troops and forgave them for joining Fawful, but spun off in a blind rage when he found out that Mario and Luigi had been helping him all along from within his body, and wound up defeated by them despite playing a key role in saving the world mere moments before.
While the extent of his other emotions varies from game to game, it is this sort of near-nearsightedness, anger and hatred that typifies Bowser in all his appearances, whether he is a reluctant protagonist or a straightforward villain who only cares about conquering lands and destroying his opposition.
Rare Emotions
While Bowser hardly shows any emotion, there have been instances where it is shown briefly. However, a more humane side of Bowser is sometimes seen, although rarely and in brief moments. In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, when Mario encounters Bowser in front of Booster Tower, the King of the Koopas is crying after the loss of his home to Smithy and his underlings. Also, at the end of the game, when Geno's body broke down, Bowser was just as saddened by that as Mario, Mallow, and Peach were. In Mario Party 4, Bowser is shown to be extremely upset when he is defeated and grudgingly tells the player Happy Birthday. Disgusted with his defeat as well as his failure stop the player's birthday festival, Bowser leaves in shame. One of the Koopa Kids even goes as far as saying that maybe Bowser isn't as evil as he is shown to be and has more affection than others are led to believe, but then quickly says that it's not the case. Bowser is next shown walking in the darkness, alone, and miserable, but wished the player happy birthday. This may speak to how Bowser feels and why he is so determined to have Peach. Further, the fact that some of his minions mention that Bowser has affection hints that his closest subordinates see a side of him that no one else generally sees. His plot to ruin the player’s birthday may hint that such events are foreign to him and this makes him miserable as a result and decides to take it out on others during these events. The other last occasion so far where Bowser shows emotion is in Super Mario Sunshine when Bowser tells his son, Bowser Jr., in sadness that Princess Peach is not his mother and seems to have guilt for lying to his own heir. Regardless of these rare emotions, Bowser never ceases to cause havoc and makes plans at the expense of others.
Despite all of this, a more humane side of Bowser has sometimes been seen for brief moments. In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Bowser can be seen crying for the loss of his home and Koopa Troop to Smithy and his underlings in front of Booster Tower. He also appears to be just as saddened as Mario, Mallow, and Peach when Geno's body broke down. In Mario Party 4, Bowser was shown to be extremely upset when he was defeated and grudgingly gives the player a gift for their birthday. He then leaves in shame, at which one of the Koopa Kids suggests that maybe Bowser has more affection than others are led to believe, a statement which he quickly retracts. Bowser is shown walking in the darkness, alone and miserable, but indeed wishes the player a happy birthday. The most recent occasion where Bowser shows emotion is in Super Mario Sunshine when he tells his son, Bowser Jr., in sadness that Princess Peach is not his mother and appears guilty for lying to him.
In sharp contrast to his usual disregard for other life, and that throughout the game his intent was to save the world only so he could rule it himself, Bowser did seemingly sacrifice himself to save Princess Peach, Mario, Luigi, and even Count Bleck's henchman O'Chunks during Super Paper Mario in Castle Bleck when the ceiling was falling on them, during which he was arguing with O'Chunks and telling him to get to safety before both were seemingly crushed (it is later revealed that they survived).
Bowser's inability to understand emotions seems to be the result of his childhood. Bowser never seemed to have a mother and father, as they seemed to have abandoned him as a child or Bowser lost them at an extremely early age. In place of them, Kamek took the responsibility of looking after the future King of Evil. While caring and loyal, Kamek taught Bowser nothing, but contempt for the Mushroom Kingdom, filling him with anger and hatred. This could be the reason why Bowser never openly shows love or care for his own children as he was never shown it as a child. While Bowser's past acts have made him unredeemable, his actions are primarily from a childhood that he could not control. On a tragic note, Bowser truly never had a choice between good and evil. On a more sinister note though, Bowser knows that his actions are evil and even admits rather proudly that he is an evil villain. So, Bowser's actions can be seen as a combination of his past and his own inherently wicked personality.
In general, Bowser's seems incapable of understanding emotions, but this seems to be the result of his childhood. Bowser never seemed to have a mother and father, or lost them at an extremely age if he ever did have them. In place of them, Kamek took the responsibility of looking after the future King of Evil. While caring and loyal, Kamek taught Bowser nothing but contempt for the Mushroom Kingdom, filling him with anger and hatred. While Bowser's past acts have made him unredeemable, his actions are primarily from a childhood that he could not control. On a tragic note, Bowser truly never had a choice between good and evil. On a more sinister note though, Bowser knows fully that his actions are evil and he even admits, rather proudly, that he is an evil villain. So, Bowser's actions can be seen as a combination of his past and his own inherently wicked personality.
He also recently was shown in many games that he is not by far the brightest bulb in the bunch and is not very intelligent. One particular example is in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time where he doesn't recognize his past self and starts insulting him. In Super Paper Mario he didn't realize that he couldn't rule the world if it was destroyed until Mario informed him. When Bowser was created, he was a typical villain without much personality beyond simply wanting to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. Later games started showing various different aspects of Bowser's character, depending on the nature of the plot. While his platformer role continues to be that of a simple antagonist, his Mario Party antics typically depict him being more angry, childish, and mischievous than dangerous, and his portrayals in the RPGs ranging from a threatening, yet humorous villain to a playable anti-hero. Even when Bowser is acting as a protagonist in a game, however, he continues to insist he is an evil character, and his reasons for helping the protagonists are typically his own selfishness. Before a battle, Bowser often releases a loud, full-throated roar.
Bowser's personality is explored most extensively in the various RPGs, starting with the first one, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, in which Bowser loses his castle to another villain. As well as the grief he expresses over his castle, Bowser is shown to be as sad as the other playable characters about Geno's body breaking down, and at one point, his boasting takes the form of a haiku. As in later RPGs, however, most of Bowser's actions in the game are self-centered, with his motivation for joining the heroes solely being to reclaim his stolen castle and prevent another villain from taking over the world that he himself desires. This reasoning is also behind Bowser's alliance with Mario and the others in Super Paper Mario, after the somewhat oblivious Koopa is reminded that he can't conquer anything if the other villain's plans to destroy all worlds comes to fruition. While Bowser is shown to take pride in his villainy and boasts of being a quality "final boss" throughout the adventure, he seemingly sacrifices himself to save Mario and the others, and even argues with his rival O'Chunks to save himself while Bowser held the crumbling roof above them (although it is later revealed that they both survived). He is also shown to be as horrified as the others when witnessing Sammer's Kingdom's destruction, a sharp contrast to his attitude in the Super Mario Galaxy games, where he is willing to create his own galaxy at the expense of the universe, as well as in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, where he threatens to destroy the paper world.
As in Super Mario Galaxy, most other platformers leave Bowser as a typical villain, as does the RPG Paper Mario: Color Splash. The original Paper Mario also casts Bowser as the main antagonist; however, like Super Mario RPG that came before it, this portrayal is more well-rounded, introducing a humorous side to Bowser alongside his evilness, and revealing that he has a crush on Peach. Bowser's affection for the princess is later showcased in Super Paper Mario, with the two being forcibly wed in the game by the main antagonist; while the princess disavows the ceremony, Bowser happily and persistently acts as if they are indeed spouses. Bowser's relationship with Peach also comes into play in Super Mario Sunshine, in which Bowser's son apparently believes her to be his mother, although at the end of the game, Bowser sadly admits that he had lied to his child about his parentage. Aside from this, Bowser has never shown remorse for his troublesome actions and the havoc they often cause, but he is often saddened by his own losses. In Super Mario Galaxy, his only regret is his failure to create his own realm, and in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, he is upset about having to damage his own captured castle as he tried to reclaim it from Fawful. By contrast, in Mario Party 4, Bowser grudgingly giving the player a present and wishing them a happy birthday as he leaves in shame, moving one of the Koopa Kids to wonder if there might be more to Bowser than he leads others to believe, as Bowser claimed to be somewhat happy.
Unlike the platformers and the other Paper Mario titles, Bowser's role is reduced to a dim-witted comic relief villain in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, where he tries and fails to collect the Crystal Stars before Mario. The first two Mario & Luigi titles also cast Bowser as a comical recurring villain, with Partners in Time having him team up with Baby Bowser, whom he did not even recognize as being his infant self. Despite being the central character of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, the third Mario & Luigi game reveals nothing new about Bowser's character, but it does provide an overview of his personality to date. His reasons for saving the world from Fawful and the Dark Star involve pride, selfishness, and possessiveness toward Peach. He is extremely conceited and boastful about himself and his accomplishments, and he resents having to ask nicely for help from Starlow. He acts as a leader to his troops and forgives them for joining Fawful, but his usual rashness and his penchant for destruction and violence come to a head when he flies into a rage upon discovering that Mario and Luigi had been helping him the entire time from within his body. He attacks them and is promptly defeated, mere moments after the three had worked together to save the world. In Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, however, he was given more competence as well as made into more of a threat, including having Kamek disguising himself as Princess Peach to drop the Mario Bros.' guard, anticipating they would try to pursue Peach, and later backstabbed Antasma, anticipating the latter would try to possess him or backstab him in turn. He later implied similar designs with his Paper self, and vice-versa, in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. However, he surprisingly was willing to work under Master Hand and have an equal partnership with Dr. Eggman. In Paper Mario: Color Splash, Bowser, owing to his being possessed by the black paint for most of the game, was given a far darker personality, namely making clear his intention of "painting the world black", and even going as far as to not only drain Peach's color and hang her colorless form up for display, but when Mario and Huey arrived to fight him in his chambers, he even cracked a dark joke about Peach claiming she was "framed" when he caught her sending messages to Mario. It was also revealed that he deliberately sent a drained Toad via mail to Peach and Mario in order to lure them, and specifically Peach, over to Prism Island so he could abduct her. However, after Mario weakened the black paint's hold on Bowser enough for Bowser's usual self to surface, Bowser, understandably, is deeply confused as to Mario's presence, and is clearly unaware of what he was doing all this time.
Bowser can be quite polite sometimes and soften up on his minions and foes in some degrees. He shows genuine affection and pride for his son, along with planning his forced wedding with Peach extensively (wearing a tuxedo and having his mane groomed) and even complementing Mario's dress sense before their final battle in Super Mario Odyssey. In Super Mario Party, he participates in the party with no malicious tricks (not even having Kamek, who he put as a judge, tip the scales in his favor) and congratulates the player who becomes the Super Star in a surprising, rare form of good sportsmanship.
While his range of emotions varies from game to game, it is his nearsightedness, frustration, anger, arrogance, and contempt that typifies Bowser in all his appearances, whether he is a reluctant protagonist or a straightforward villain who cares only about conquering lands and destroying his opposition.
Physical Appearance
Bowser, as seen today is huge, green, bipedal, Spiny. Though probably not meant to look at all like a Spiny, he does not that much, as Spinies are red, quadrupedal, and have a small amount of spikes. He was probably made to look like a giant Koopa with spikes and horns as his original name was King Koopa. He has bright orange hair and eyebrows, which were actually not in his original game, Super Mario Bros., in which time it has extremely hard to animate hair. He also has two small horns, many spikes on his back, similar to a Spiny, with brown-orange spike-rings and a couple spikes on his tail too. He has many spiked collars around his neck and arms, making it possible that he is slightly immobile. He has three claws on each of his big, fat massive feet. His feet slow him down very notably. While his face and his back are green, his underbelly and tail are yellow. But in the original Super Mario Bros., however, his underbelly was also green as well. His tan lips are extremely bulged, even up to having his nostrils on them. He also has a large tan muzzle which hides Bowser's large, menacing fangs when the king's mouth is closed - the tips of the teeth are usually visible, however. On each of his hands there are four claws. These hands are probably not one of his disadvantages, unlike his feet. His eyes are always a bit menacing, because of his eyebrows. Though color is barely detectable, his eyes are very slightly red. Bowser, as seen today is huge, burly, green-shelled Koopa with spikes, horns, and hair, which few other Koopas have. His bushy eyebrows and mane of hair are fittingly a bright, fiery orange which were actually not in his original game, Super Mario Bros., as at the time, it was extremely hard to animate hair. He also has two small horns, many spikes on his shell and a couple spikes on his tail (minus the spike-rings), too. He has many spiked collars around his neck and arms, which add to his overall air of menace. He has three claws on each of his massive feet, which support his impressive girth. He has three claw-tipped fingers and a thumb on each hand, and his arms are noticeably burly, indicating his vast physical strength. While his face and his shell are green, his underbelly and snout are flesh-colored (occasionally depicted as being closer to tan or even yellow), and his tail and limbs are an orange-tinged yellow. The exact coloration of Bowser's head varies depending on the media: while official 2D artwork and most of his in-game appearances have his head and shell match in color, the majority of the official 3D artwork, trailers, merchandise as well as Mario & Luigi games show him with a light green head, similar to Bowser Jr.'s appearance. But in the original Super Mario Bros. his underbelly was green as well. His tan lips are extremely bulged, even up to having his nostrils on them. They hide Bowser's large, menacing fangs when the king's mouth is closed - the tips of the teeth are usually visible, however. On each of his hands there are four claws. His arms are noticeably burly, indicating his vast physical strength. His bright red eyes are always a bit menacing, and this is heightened by his bushy, often-scrunched eyebrows. It is revealed in Super Paper Mario that Bowser has poor climbing abilities. If Bowser tries to climb a ladder, he would only just move his arms a little bit and then say "Can't climb this"; however, he would be shown as able to climb ladders in Super Smash Bros. Brawl despite his short arms. Bowser had green scales and skin in Super Mario Bros., but this has been changed to yellow scales and skin.
In the Super Mario cartoons and Nintendo Comics System, Bowser was portrayed as being almost completely green in color and lacking hair, with a crown in place of it. Bowser's snout was also more crocodilian in appearance and the whites of his eyes were yellow and his stomach was a deeper yellow then portrayed in the games in these two aforementioned incarnations of Bowser.
Oddly, in Nintendo Adventure Books, Bowser's appearance seemed to vary between resembling his cartoon and comic depictions and his depiction in the games.
The Super Mario Bros. movie is often cited as having the most drastic changes to Bowser's physical appearance, with this version of him, named as King Koopa, being almost completely human in appearance, though possessing some reptilian traits, such as a long, pointed tongue and slitted pupils in his eyes. Near the end of the Super Mario Bros. movie, King Koopa is forcibly de-evolved into a snarling green Tyrannosaurus Rex and eventually, a large glob of primordial ooze. Bowser is a huge, burly, green-shelled Koopa with spikes, horns, and hair. His bushy eyebrows and mane are fittingly a bright, fiery red-orange and has bright red eyes. He sports two small horns, many spikes on his shell (similar to a Spiny) with brown-orange spike-rings, as well as along his tail (minus the spike-rings). He wears several spiked collars around his neck and arms. He has three claws on each of his massive padded feet, four claw-tipped fingers including a thumb on each hand, and his arms are noticeably burly, indicating his vast physical strength. While his face and his shell are green, his plastron and muzzle are beige colored (occasionally depicted as being closer to tan or even yellow), and his tail and limbs are an orange-tinged yellow. The exact coloration of Bowser's head varies depending on the media: while official 2D artwork and most of his in-game appearances have his head and shell match in color, the majority of the official 3D artwork, trailers, merchandise as well as Mario & Luigi games show him with a light green head, similar to Bowser Jr.'s appearance. In his various appearances, his red/orange hair is depicted in a loose cockscomb, the only exception to this being in Super Mario Odyssey, where he instead has his hair groomed in a perm-like fashion for the wedding until he is defeated for the second time.
Bowser's appearance is based upon a combination of the many subspecies of Koopa, such as Koopa Troopas, Spinies, and Hammer Bros. According to Prima's Super Mario Galaxy guide, the appearance of Bowser and the Koopa species are also based on the kappa of Japanese mythology, although this has yet not been officially stated by Shigeru Miyamoto.[19]
Bowser's appearance has evolved over time. In the box artwork for Super Mario Bros. he has an appearance similar to that of an ox in homage to Journey to the West antagonist Gyū-Maō ("Ox Demon King"), with bluish face and scales, yellow hair and black eyebrows, as well as a less reptilian face. With the contribution of Yoichi Kotabe, Bowser is redesigned between the release of Super Mario Bros. and the release of the Famicom version of Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels. During this redesign he is given blue eyes, as well as red hair and red eyebrows. Despite that, some artwork for Super Mario Bros. 3, while featuring Bowser's redesigned appearance as well as the blue eyes, retains the yellow hair and black eyebrows while also showing him wearing a cape. His eyes are changed to red again in Super Mario World. The brown rings around the spikes and horns are first seen in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven stars and are seen again in Super Mario 64, though in the latter game the horns and spikes are yellow. In Super Mario Sunshine, Bowser's appearance is very similar to the current appearance, with a few minor inconsistencies, such as his plastron traveling all the way up his neck.
Bowser's appearance does not always follow the design of the time, and the same illustrations were often modified when used in subsequently released material. Two illustration made by Yoichi Kotabe[20] were slightly modified and colored with different colors. The first image is used in the manual of Super Mario Bros. 3, with Bowser having red hair and eyebrows and closed eyes, but also in Super Mario Bros. pinball machine, with him having blue eyes, and in Super Mario Bros. Mushroom World, with him having blue eyes and holding a wand. There is even a version of it in which he has red eyes. The second image is used in the promotional pamphlet of Super Mario: The Lost Levels, in which Bowser has yellow hair, yellow eyebrows and blue eyes, without rings around the spikes, and in other artwork related to that game, in which he has red eyes, hair and eyebrows, orange claws on the feet and with white rings around the spikes. Similarly, graphical limitations in the original Super Mario Bros. lead to Bowser not having hair. His in-game model in Super Mario 64 has feet which are not padded, although in artwork for that game, he has padded feet. Similarly, in Super Smash Bros. Melee, his feet are not padded, although in his Classic mode trophy he has padded feet. Furthermore, in the Paper Mario series and in artwork for the Mario & Luigi series, he has black eyes like the other characters and in the first three episodes of the latter series his feet (and consequently those of Baby Bowser) are not padded.
Bowser's appearance is not always the same. Graphical limitations in the original Super Mario Bros. meant Bowser could not have hair; artwork for Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels depicted him with yellow hair, and his iconic red hair was finally seen in-game in Super Mario Bros. 3. The original Super Mario Bros. also depicted Bowser as being completely green, rather than having yellow body scales. The creators of the Mario cartoons wished to follow the graphic design of Super Mario Bros., and so their portrayal of King Koopa had him almost completely green in colour and lacking hair, with a crown atop his head instead. His stomach was a deeper yellow than in later game depictions, and the whites of his eyes were also yellow; he also had a more crocodile-like snout, which was also colored green. He was also given a single pair of spiked bands on his wrists, with the spikes on said bands being yellow in color.. The Nintendo Comics System used the same design as the cartoons, and different installations in the Nintendo Adventure Books used either it or Bowser's game depiction, interchangeably. By comparison, the two Mario anime (the three OVAs and the movie) are relatively true to the games' depiction of Bowser, except for the fact that his eyes are blue instead of red.
The creators of the Mario cartoons wished to follow the graphic design of Super Mario Bros., and so their portrayal of King Koopa had him almost completely green in color and lacking hair, with a crown atop his head instead. His stomach was a deeper yellow than in later game depictions, and the whites of his eyes were also yellow; he also had a more crocodile-like snout, which was also colored green. He was also given a single pair of spiked bands on his wrists, with the spikes on said bands being yellow in color.
Nintendo Comics System used the same design as the cartoons for the Mario comics, and different installations in the Nintendo Adventure Books used either it or Bowser's game depiction, interchangeably. The cartoon, Nintendo Comics System and Nintendo Adventure Books designs were later reused to a certain extent for Bowser's green palette swap in Super Smash Bros. for the 3DS and Wii U (as well as being based on a palette swap for him in Mario Golf). By comparison, the two Mario anime (the three OVAs and Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!) are relatively true to the games' depiction of Bowser. It must be noticed that in them his eyes are blue instead of red, as in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels and Super Mario Bros. 3. Similarly, in the three OVAs he also frequently wears a cape, like he did in artwork for Super Mario Bros. 3. On the other hand, in Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land he has red eyes, and his appearance on overall is similar to the appearance of Bowser in artwork for Super Mario World. Bowser's hair has changed in various games. In his first appearance in Super Mario Bros., Bowser never had any of his hair due to graphic limitations. His red hair was first seen in-game in Super Mario Bros. 3, although, he first had hair on the box for Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels, however, it was yellow, instead of red. The hair was also absent when Bowser power ups in his Super Mario Bros. look when he got a Mega Star in Super Paper Mario. The hair was yet again absent in the Mario cartoons as the creators wished to follow the graphic design of Super Mario Bros.; as such, his bare head was covered only by a crown.
In the Super Mario cartoons and Nintendo Comics System, Bowser was portrayed as being almost completely green in color and lacking hair, with a crown in place of it. Bowser's snout was also more crocodilian in appearance and the whites of his eyes were yellow and his stomach was a deeper yellow then portrayed in the games in these two aforementioned incarnations of Bowser. Oddly, in Nintendo Adventure Books, Bowser's appearance seemed to vary between resembling his cartoon and comic depictions and his depiction in the games.
The Super Mario Bros. movie is often cited as having the most drastic changes to Bowser's physical appearance, with this version of him, named as King Koopa, being almost completely human in appearance, though possessing some reptilian traits, such as a long, pointed tongue and slitted pupils in his eyes. Near the end of the Super Mario Bros. movie, King Koopa is forcibly de-evolved into a snarling green Tyrannosaurus Rex and then into a large glob of primordial ooze.
Bowser's one of the largest charecters in the series, standing 2.50 meters (8 feet) tall and weighing about 280 kilograms (618 pounds) - Petey Piranha is 2 times the Koopa King's size. In some games, Bowser will grow to be as large as 40 meters (120 feet) - big enough to shatter some parts of his beloved home. His alternate ego, Giga Bowser, is considerably larger.
In the Super Smash Bros. series, he had various palette swaps (4 in Super Smash Bros. Melee, 6 in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and 8 in Super Smash Bros. for 3DS / Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate). His red palette swap in Melee and Brawl, and to a certain extent 3DS / Wii U, was based on one of his palette swaps in Mario Golf (although the latter two games also had it resembling Bowser's in-game sprite from the NES version of Mario is Missing), while his blue palette swap was based on how he appeared on the Japanese box art for Super Mario Bros. His white appearance in Brawl and gray appearance in 3DS / Wii U was likewise based on Morton Koopa Jr. prior to his New Super Mario Bros. Wii redesign. His green appearance was based on one of his palette swaps from Mario Golf, his in-game sprite for Super Mario World, and to a certain extent his appearance in the DiC cartoons and Nintendo Comic Systems and his in-game sprite from the original Super Mario Bros. game. His blue palette swap in 3DS / Wii U was primarily based on the blueish Bowser's Brother from Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels, although it also to a certain extent resembles a palette swap of his from Mario Golf.
As another trait exclusive to the Super Smash Bros. series, Bowser's body has better defined scales and muscles; exclusively in Super Smash Bros. Melee, he has defined biceps. Starting from Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Bowser is less bulky and slightly scalier, better resembling his appearance in contemporary Mario games. Starting from Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, Bowser is also upright and even less detailed than before. In Ultimate, Bowser retains his upright posture, though his color scheme is darker and more monotone (traits taken from Melee), while his horns, spikes, hair, and scales feature simple detailing (traits taken from Brawl).
Although Bowser doesn't generally wear clothing, there are a few instances where he does: The Japanese artwork for Super Mario Bros. 3 depicts Bowser wearing a purple cape. In addition, Bowser, or rather, King Koopa, frequently uses disguises in the DiC cartoons (mostly based on pop-culture icons), and in Mario Party 2, similar to how the playable characters wore themed outfits befitting the various boards (ie, a Pirate for Pirate Land, a Cowboy in Western Land, a Space Cadet in Space Land, an archaeologist in Mystery Land, and a Witch/Wizard in Horror Land), Bowser wore various outfits and adopted aliases befitting the themes of all the game boards except for Space Land (as he instead just pilots a space vehicle without wearing an actual costume). In addition, in a few cases when he's about to marry Peach, such as Super Mario Adventures, Super Paper Mario and Super Mario Odyssey, he wears white Groom's outfits having each times different features such as the shoes, or lack thereof, and the bow tie.
Speech
In the NES and SNES Mario games, Bowser didn't have voice acting, with the manual of Super Mario Bros. 3 nonetheless showing that he was able to speak. The 1986 Japanese Super Mario Bros. film gave Bowser voice acting for the first time in history, with the Amada Anime Mario Series (1987-1989) following in suite. Neither the movie nor the series were officially subtitled nor dubbed in English, thus the first time Bowser was heard speaking in English was in the 1989 DIC Entertainment Mario cartoon titled The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, in which he was portrayed by Harvey Atkin, giving him a Brooklyn accent. This trait was carried over in DIC's 1990 and 1991 cartoons titled The Adventures Of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. He eventually received a limited degree of voice acting in the games starting with Super Mario 64, although it was for the most part limited to roars and occasional laughter, with in-game text describing what he's saying to Mario. He later received full-fledged voice acting in Super Mario Sunshine, where he was given a gruff, yet slightly goofy-sounding voice. In games released after this, his voice clips are generally the same mixture of both, recently being more frequently growling and roars with in-game text indicating what he's actually saying. A notable exception are the localizations of The Cat Mario Show, where Bowser speaks full sentences which were localized and dubbed in all the main European languages as well.
Roles Taken
Bowser has taken on various roles in the many games he is in. In most games, he is the main villain, such as Super Mario Bros. 3, in other games he is the secondary villain, such as in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. He is a notably good sports player and race car driver, he is known for being very aggressive and powerful in these games. In some games, he is shown to love Princess Peach for the reason of his kidnapping. But recently, he has shown that he just wants to be the villain, often breaking the fourth wall in these statements. He has been shown to ambitious, and has been able to take over other kingdoms.
Powers and Abilities
Bowser possess various abilities, the more prominent of which being his fire breath. He can produce continuous flares or flurries of individual fireballs, and as seen in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario, he can even use his fire breath underwater. He has been shown to cause fiery rain in Super Mario World and New Super Mario Bros U, while in Super Mario 64 and New Super Mario Bros., he can produce blue flames that home in on Mario. Bowser is very proud of his fire breath, and is immensely displeased to find himself temporarily unable to use his flames in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. In the PC version of Mario is Missing!, Bowser is immune to fireballs, however this is not the case in most other games. Similarly, while lava defeats Bowser in many games, including the original Super Mario Bros., or New Super Mario Bros. (in which it skeletonizes him into Dry Bowser), in other titles, he appears to be resistant to it, such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
Bowser's near immunity and the fact that he always recovers from his defeats is another hallmark of his capabilities. As well as being submerged in lava, Bowser has also fallen great distances, been blown up, crushed, electrocuted, flash frozen and shattered, yet not one of these defeats has been permanent, with Luigi once remarking that "Bowser's survived far worse" after the Koopa appeared to sacrifice himself to save the others from a collapsing roof in Super Paper Mario. Bowser's playable side-scrolling sections in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door show him to have infinite lives, which may explain his durability.
Another hallmark of the Koopa King is Bowser's raw physical strength and power. Bowser is often the most powerful character in sports games, and in Super Paper Mario, his attack stat as twice that of the other heroes. He can easily break through boulders and topple enemies many times his own size, and in Mario & Luigi Bowser's Inside Story, when Mario and Luigi stimulate his muscles with minigames, Bowser can move islands and lift giant stone statues, among other things. Like his fire breath, Bowser takes pride in his strength, and is quick to use punches, claw swipes, tackles, stomps, body slams and other physical attacks in battle.
Unlike his strength, Bowser's speed and agility is not consistent between games. Bowser is usually slower than Mario, like in Super Paper Mario, the Super Smash Bros. games and most sports titles, although despite being the slowest runner in the Mario & Sonic summer Olympics, with a 2/10 stat, in the winter games, he has an 8/10 stat. In Super Mario 64 Bowser can jump incredible heights and make short charges as Mario, and while he can't climb ladders in Super Paper Mario, both it and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door show him to be a good swimmer, although the later reveals that he dislikes the activity.
In the original Super Mario Bros., Bowser throws hammers at Mario, like a Hammer Bro., and this ability reappears in various games, including Super Princess Peach, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and New Super Mario Bros. 2. Several games also show Bowser causing shockwaves with his ground pounding, and he can also duck into his spiked shell and spin or roll around to attack. In Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Bowser can attack his enemies using bites, with the latter game giving him the ability to poison others with his fangs, while the former gives him a poisonous claw attack. Like these poisonous moves, another uncommonly seen skill is Bowser's lightning power, which only appears in Hotel Mario and the opening cutscene of Super Mario Galaxy. Both games also make use of Bowser's teleporting ability, as he uses it to bring Peach to his hotel in Hotel Mario and teleports away after his first two defeats in Super Mario Galaxy; he also teleports across the battlefield if the player comes near him in Super Mario 64.
According to the Super Mario Bros. instruction booklet, Bowser is a skilled user in dark magic, using it turn the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom into blocks and other items. While this aspect of Bowser's abilities is not seen in many other games, he makes use of similar magic to shrink players in Mario Party 4 and turn a Koopa Troopa into a frog in Mario Party 2. Bowser can also transform himself, such as turning into a giant boulder during his final fights with Mario in Super Mario Galaxy, or changing into Giga Bowser in the Super Smash Bros. games, which grants him numerous new powers, such as the ability to freeze opponents. In the anime film, Super Mario Bros.: Pīchi-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen! he has the ability to shapeshift into anything he desires, and he can drastically change his size in various games. Since Bowser is the King of Koopas, he possess the powers of many of the Koopa subspecies, such as Fire Bros' fire breath, Spiny's shell spikes, and Hammer Bros' hammers. Bowser's signature ability is breathing fire. He can choose to either breathe a long breath of flame or shoot many fireballs. Bowser is quite advanced in his fire-breathing, he can shoot blue flames that follow Mario in Super Mario 64 and New Super Mario Bros. and can even breathe fire underwater in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario. Another one of Bowser's most-often used abilities is his power and durability, something that Bowser prides himself in. Although he is nowhere near as strong as Petey Piranha, Bowser is often the most powerful character in sports games. The amount of physical strength Bowser possess is unknown, but it is shown that he can easily topple over and beat around enemies many times his own size. In Mario & Luigi Bowser's Inside Story, though, he is unable to move a small island, break large boulders, move a drill machine, and lift stone statues until is muscles were stimulated, or found something larger than him, despite having done similar things in other games. It is likely that, in terms of gameplay, was to introduce the muscle stimulation mini-games, and, in terms of cutscenes, he was probably still weaken from the effects of the Vacuum Mushroom and didn't regain his full strength until after the game. He can also create shockwaves by doing a simple ground pound in several games. Bowser's durable nature is evident seeing that he has fallen into lava, being blown up, etc., but has managed to survive all this many times. His durability was once referenced by Luigi, shortly after Bowser seemingly sacrificed himself at Castle Bleck, when he mentioned that "Bowser's survived far worse". Bowser's playable side-scrolling sections in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door show him to have infinite lives, which may explain this. Super Paper Mario also has Bowser's attack stat as twice that of the other heroes. Bowser is also shown to have an extremely loud and powerful roar that often sends weak enemies running away before a battle even begins. As mentioned above, in Super Mario Bros., Bowser also threw hammers like a Hammer Bro., but has rarely used the technique since, only to be used once again in Super Princess Peach and by his alter-ego Rookie in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and one more in New Super Mario Bros. 2. He also briefly used it in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars when after battling him at the beginning, he throws a hammer at Mario's Kinklink supporting the chandelier that he is standing on. In New Super Mario Bros U, after he was made giant by Kamek and Bowser Jr., Bowser was also demonstrated to be capable of breathing a long stream of fire into the air and have it come down as fiery rain. In addition, he was also demonstrated to tuck into his shell and spin around upon being bopped on the head in the same form, similar to the Koopalings. Although Iggy claimed upon being defeated in the PC version of Mario is Missing! that Bowser was "fireproof" (ie, he was immune to fireballs), this was contradicted in other games both previous and future, where he can be taken down by fireballs, although it required a significant amount.
Bowser has many Powers and Abilities, this lists quite a few:
- Fire - Flamethrowing is Bowser's trademark attack. In New Super Mario Bros., he is shown to be able to shoot blue flames as well as orange. He also occasionally emits fireballs in addition to the constant stream of flame breath (as seen in most early appearances). In Super Mario 64, he displayed the ability to shoot flames up into the air that would come to the ground, including some blue flames that would move around when they hit the ground and these flames would often hit Mario if he stayed in one place, like when he grabbed Bowser's tail. Fire is also one of his weaknesses.
- Lightning - In Hotel Mario, Bowser was able to call down a flurry of lightning bolts to zap Mario. Bowser son Iggy Koopa was also shown to possess this ability and Ludwig von Koopa was able to shoot bolts of lightning directly at his opponents. He could use the Star Rod to summon a lighting attack in Paper Mario, which does slightly more damage then his fire breath. Bowser's lightning ability is shown again in the beginning of Super Mario Galaxy when he uses it to summon a spaceship to lift Princess Peach's Castle into space. Lightening also transforms him into Giga Bowser in Super Smash Brothers Melee.
- Hammers - Bowser is shown to have the ability to throw hammers at Mario with amazing speed, creating a hard-to-dodge stream of flying mallets. Strangely, Mario's Hammer is yet another one of his weaknesses.
- Swimming - In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Bowser is shown to have good swimming abilities, just like Mario. He apparently doesn't really like swimming though, possibly because of his many fire attacks, even though he's displayed the ability to breath fire when underwater.
- Meat - Bowser apparently has a huge attraction to meat, as in the side-scrolling special levels of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Bowser will grow huge if he eats some meat.
- Rock - Bowser was revealed to possess the extraordinary ability to transform his entire physical being (aside from his face)into a giant rolling boulder, during his fights with Mario in Super Mario Galaxy. Additionally, in Mario Party DS, he is able to turn himself into many square stones.
- Magic - Bowser, according to the Super Mario Bros. instruction booklet, is very skilled in dark magic, although this attribute is very rarely (if ever) showcased these days. This attribute role seems to have been taken by Kammy Koopa and Kamek.
- Brute strength - Along with Donkey Kong, the Koopa King is one of the burliest characters in the Marioverse, possessing a great deal of brute strength. He seems to take some pride in this attribute, as noted by some of his quotes in the RPGs.
- Ice - In Luigi's Mansion, the Bowser head when detached from the body would shoot ice crystals to freeze Luigi. Whether this is an actual power or just something King Boo added to the suit is unknown.
- Durability - In many Mario games, Bowser has fallen into lava, been blown up, etc., but has managed to survive all this.
- Roar - While this is not an actual attack, Bowser has been known to have an extremely powerful roar. Additionally, Bowser's kids Morton Koopa and Bowser Jr. have the power to create supersonic screams. His daughter Wendy has shown early sighs of possessing this power.
- Teleportation - This move of Bowser's was only used in the game Super Mario 64 (and the DS remake). Bowser only used this move once and that was when he was fought in the second Bowser course. When the player was too close to him, Bowser would disappear and reappear somewhere else, making it hard to get close to his tail. This power is probably derived from Bowser's magic, though his eldest son Ludwig was able to teleport using his electricity powers in Hotel Mario. It is unknown why he only used this move in the second battle and not in the final (or in any other game to date). Bowser also uses this as a means of escape if Mario defeats him in their first two battles in Super Mario Galaxy.
- Shockwaves - Bowser has the ability to create shockwaves when he pounds the ground hard. Bowser's kids Roy and Morton were able to use this earlier.
- Speed and Agility - Although it varies from game to game, in some games Bowser is actually faster and more agile than Mario is. An example is in Super Mario 64 where Bowser can jump hundreds of feet in the air if Mario tosses him off the platform. In that game for short distances, he can also run faster than Mario can. However, his speed and agility are very inconsistent, and he is sometimes depicted as being slower than Mario, such as in Super Paper Mario where Bowser the slowest usable character. Bowser's speed and agility are very inconsistent and they greatly vary from game to game. In some games Bowser is actually faster and more agile than Mario is, such as in Super Mario 64 where Bowser can jump hundreds of feet in the air if Mario tosses him off the platform. In that game for short distances, he can also run faster then Mario can. Despite his size, Bowser has demonstrated the ability to pull off a move similar to Mario's Star Spin during a boss fight in Super Mario Galaxy. However, Bowser is usually slower than Mario in playable appearances and sports games. In Super Paper Mario, Bowser is the slowest usable character and also has poor climbing abilities. If Bowser tries to climb a ladder, he would only move his arms a little bit and then say "Can't climb this"; however he can climb ladders in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Bowser is shown to have good swimming abilities, just like Mario, though he reportedly hates swimming (though this may derive from the fact that his Koopa Clown Car crash-landed during Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door in the sea at one point and he was forced to swim back to Rogueport). Another example of this inconstancy is in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympics series. In the summer games he is the slowest runner with a 2/10 stat, while in the winter games he has an 8/10 stat; most power characters have a good speed stat in that game, though their speed is still inferior to Sonic's, and they lacked accelerating abilities.
- Star Spin - This ability is the exact same move Mario use's in Super Mario Galaxy. The only difference is it's dark purple but otherwise it's the same move as Mario's. Only used in the second Bowser fight. Although it can be assumed that Bowser has never met a Luma, Bowser has demonstrated the ability to pull off a move similar to Mario's Star Spin during a boss fight in Super Mario Galaxy.
- Boulder Transformation - This move of Bowser's transform's him into a boulder which he se's to try and crush Mario. Mario must hit Bowser in the face in order to break the boulder just like the regular one's encountered in Super Mario Galaxy. Then, he must star spin into him while he's pinning on his back. This move is used in the final battle. This is also used in the first phase of the fight.
- Shell Cover - During the 2nd and 3rd fights in Bowser's Galaxy Reactor. Bowser will shield himself with two shell's somehow. He will then try to crush Mario under him. In the second fight, when he use's this, you can use one of those green plants to hit him to cause him to spin around on his back. In the final fight, the player can't stop him. So, Mario has to dodge it until he comes out.
Those are just about all of Bowser's many Powers and Abilities. Bowser possesses various abilities, the more prominent of which being his fire breath. He can produce continuous flares or flurries of individual fireballs, and as seen in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario, he can even use his fire breath underwater. He has been shown to cause fiery rain in Super Mario World and New Super Mario Bros U, while in Super Mario 64 and New Super Mario Bros., he can produce blue flames that home in on Mario. Bowser is very proud of his fire breath, and is immensely displeased to find himself temporarily unable to use his flames in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. In the PC version of Mario is Missing!, Bowser is immune to fireballs, however this is not the case in most other games. Similarly, while lava defeats Bowser in many games, including the original Super Mario Bros., or New Super Mario Bros. (in which it skeletonizes him into Dry Bowser), in other titles, he appears to be resistant to it, such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii. In addition, in the SNES version of Mario is Missing!, Bowser ends up launched at high velocity into the snow in Antarctica, resulting in him freezing solid and then shattering, and in the PC and SNES versions of Mario's Time Machine, Bowser in the best endings is sent back to the Cretacious Period and ends up stepped on by a T-Rex, squishing him into a puddle, although his moving and blinking eyes suggests he survived.
Bowser's near immunity and the fact that he always recovers from his defeats is another hallmark of his capabilities. As well as being submerged in lava, Bowser has also fallen great distances, been blown up, crushed, electrocuted, flash frozen and shattered, yet not one of these defeats has been permanent, with Luigi once remarking that "Bowser's survived far worse" after the Koopa appeared to sacrifice himself to save the others from a collapsing roof in Super Paper Mario. Bowser's playable side-scrolling sections in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door show him to have infinite lives, which may explain his durability.
Another hallmark of the Koopa King is Bowser's raw physical strength and power. Bowser is often the most powerful character in sports games, and in Super Paper Mario, his attack stat as twice that of the other heroes. He can easily break through boulders and topple enemies many times his own size, and in Mario & Luigi Bowser's Inside Story, when Mario and Luigi stimulate his muscles with minigames, Bowser can move islands and lift giant stone statues, among other things. Like his fire breath, Bowser takes pride in his strength, and is quick to use punches, claw swipes, tackles, stomps, body slams and other physical attacks in battle.
Unlike his strength, Bowser's speed and agility is not consistent between games. Bowser is usually slower than Mario, like in Super Paper Mario, some Super Smash Bros. games and most sports titles, although despite being the slowest runner in the Mario & Sonic summer Olympics, with a 2/10 stat, in the winter games, he has an 8/10 stat. In Super Mario 64 Bowser can jump incredible heights and make short charges as Mario, and while he can't climb ladders in Super Paper Mario, both it and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door show him to be a good swimmer, although the later reveals that he dislikes the activity. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Bowser has sluggish mobility and low jumps, but his dashing speed is exceptionally quick. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Bowser's mobility is faster, though still sluggish compared to the rest of the cast. Starting from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, Bowser is a speedy powerhouse fighter.
In the original Super Mario Bros., Bowser throws hammers at Mario, like a Hammer Bro, and this ability reappears in various games, including Super Princess Peach, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and New Super Mario Bros. 2. Several games also show Bowser causing shockwaves with his ground pounding, and he can also duck into his spiked shell and spin or roll around to attack. In Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Bowser can attack his enemies using bites, with the latter game giving him the ability to poison others with his fangs, while the former gives him a poisonous claw attack. Like these poisonous moves, another uncommonly seen skill is Bowser's lightning power, which only appears in Hotel Mario and the opening cutscene of Super Mario Galaxy. Both games also make use of Bowser's teleporting ability, as he uses it to bring Peach to his hotel in Hotel Mario and teleports away after his first two defeats in Super Mario Galaxy; he also teleports across the battlefield if the player comes near him in Super Mario 64.
According to the Super Mario Bros. instruction booklet, Bowser is a skilled user in dark magic, using it turn the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom into blocks and other items. While this aspect of Bowser's abilities is not seen in many other games, he makes use of similar magic to shrink players in Mario Party 4 and turn a Koopa Troopa into a frog in Mario Party 2. In Mario Party: Island Tour, he uses magic to create a 30-floor tower. He also teleports himself away after being beaten at the Bowser's Star Reactor and Bowser's Dark Matter Plant in Super Mario Galaxy. Bowser is also shown to be capable of flight, as seen in Super Mario 3D Land, where he flies away after being defeated in World 8-Bowser: Part 1. Finally, Bowser can transform himself, such as turning into a giant boulder during his final fights with Mario in Super Mario Galaxy, or changing into Giga Bowser in the Super Smash Bros. games, which grants him numerous new powers, such as the ability to freeze opponents. In the anime film, Super Mario Bros.: Pīchi-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen! he has the ability to shapeshift into anything he desires, and he can drastically change his size in various games.
Magic
According to the Super Mario Bros. instruction booklet, Bowser is a skilled user in dark magic. However, he rarely uses magical abilities, and Kamek and Kammy Koopa seem to have taken over most of this trait. One of the few times Bowser does use magic is in Hotel Mario, where he uses it to summon lightning bolts. Bowser's lightning ability is shown again in the beginning of Super Mario Galaxy when he uses it to summon a spaceship to lift Peach's Castle into space. Another magical ability Bowser uses is teleportation in Super Mario 64. If the player came too close to him, Bowser would disappear and reappear somewhere else, making it hard to get close to his tail. Bowser also teleported to escape after Mario defeats him in their first two battles in Super Mario Galaxy. Another magical ability Bowser uses is to transform himself into a giant boulder, during his final fights with Mario in Super Mario Galaxy. Also in Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser (in his second battle), can spin and sprout dark magic fom his fingers whilst spinning that hurts on impact. Bowser is also able to turn into many square stones in Mario Party DS, and shrink players in Mario Party 4. Bowser has also shown the ability to turn people into Frogs which is shown in Mario Party 2 when he turns a Koopa Troopa into one at the end of Horror Land. Super Mario Bros.: Pīchi-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen! also depicts him with the ability to transform himself into various objects.
In both Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, Bowser used the powers of the Grand Stars to aid him in his fight with Mario. In the first game, he would attack Mario by spinning, with what appeared to be dark matter coming out of his fingers, and in the second game, he used the power of the grand stars to make himself enormous, rivaling the size of Princess Peach's Castle.
Transformation
- Main article: Giga Bowser
In Super Smash Bros. Melee, after defeating the Giant Bowser at the end of Adventure Mode, its trophy flies out of the pit beneath the Final Destination stage, where the battle takes place, lands on the stage, and is struck by lightning. The trophy is then transformed into a more powerful version of himself, known as Giga Bowser.
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Bowser had the ability to transform into a powerful version of himself called Giga Bowser. Giga Bowser could not flinch, even from the strongest attacks. This was his final smash in brawl. Giga Bowser also appeared as a boss in Melee. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Bowser has the ability to transform into a powerful version of himself called Giga Bowser for his Final Smash. Giga Bowser does not flinch, even from the strongest attacks; his own attacks are more powerful and he is much larger in size than his opponents. Giga Bowser also appears as a boss in Super Smash Bros. Melee, though he still takes damage from enemy attacks. His own attacks are more powerful versions of his normal attacks.
Size
Like his speed, Bowser's size changes between games, and often varies between or during battles in single titles, and he has also been shown to grow much larger sizes with a variety of methods. In Super Princess Peach, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, and various Mario Party titles, Bowser uses an assortment of magical artifacts and items to turn himself temporarily giant for his final showdowns with Mario, and starts out giant in Super Mario Sunshine, shrinking back down to regular proportions after his defeat. Kamek makes Baby Bowser giant in Yoshi's Island, and he and the Koopalings use spells to turn Bowser gigantic in New Super Mario Bros. Wii and New Super Mario Bros. 2, respectively. Like his speed, Bowser's size changes between games, and often varies between or during battles in single titles. In Super Princess Peach, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Paper Mario: Sticker Star and various Mario Party titles, Bowser uses an assortment of magical artifacts and items to turn himself temporarily giant for his final showdowns with Mario, and starts out giant in Super Mario Sunshine, shrinking back down to regular proportions after his defeat. Kamek and the Koopalings use spells to turn Bowser gigantic in New Super Mario Bros. Wii and New Super Mario Bros. 2, respectively, and Kamek also makes Baby Bowser giant in Yoshi's Island. In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Mario and Luigi can make Bowser temporarily giant by supercharging him with adrenaline; Bowser X and Dark Bowser can become giant for a short while as well. Other games also show him to have modest increases in size from one boss battle to another, such as New Super Mario Bros. and Paper Mario. In the playable Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door intermissions, eating Meat gradually increases Bowser's size, and like the other characters, Bowser can grow with the aid of Super Mushrooms in the Super Smash Bros. games. There are also Super Smash Bros. Events that feature Bowser as being larger than normal, and while his "normal" size varies from game to game, usually he's about twice Mario's height, or a head taller than Peach, and is always much bulkier than the other characters. In the playable Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door intermissions, eating Meat gradually increases Bowser's size until he is large enough to smash straight through anything in his path; this is mimicked by the effects of the Mega Star in Super Paper Mario. In Super Princes Peach, Bowser uses the Vibe Scepter to become giant, and in Super Mario Galaxy 2, he uses the Grand Stars. Kamek makes Bowser giant in New Super Mario Bros. Wii after he is initially defeated and falls down a pit, and the Koopalings use their Magic Scepters to do the same in New Super Mario Bros. 2. In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Mario and Luigi can make Bowser temporarily giant by supercharging him with adrenaline; Bowser X and Dark Bowser can become giant for a short while as well. Bowser starts out giant in Super Mario Sunshine, but shrinks after he is defeated. 'Mario Party 5 shows Bowser growing giant by drinking some sort of elixir. In Mario Party 9, Bowser, before facing him in his boss minigame, somehow manages to grow to a giant size at will, and later in the final battle against him he grows considerably bigger. In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, using the final Royal Sticker , it is not seen how, but after his first defeat Bowser turns into a giant cardboard cutout of himself. Other games also show him to have modest increases in size from one boss battle to another, such as New Super Mario Bros. and Paper Mario. Like all playable characters, Super Mushrooms make Bowser grow larger in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. In Melee, a larger-than-normal Bowser is the final boss of the Adventure Mode, and Events 25 and 42 both feature Bowser as being larger than he is when he has consumed a Mushroom. This so-called Giant Bowser also appears in Event 27 in Brawl. He also grows via meat in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, though this was only shown to be possible in the Dream World. Like other Super Smash Bros. characters, Bowser can grow with the aid of Super Mushrooms and there are also Super Smash Bros. Events that feature Bowser as being larger than normal. While his "normal" size varies from game to game, usually he's about twice Mario's height, or a head taller than Peach, and is always much bulkier than the other characters. The only instances of any of his giant forms being officially named are in the Prima guides for New Super Mario Bros. Wii and New Super Mario Bros. U, where he is called Super Bowser, as well as Baby Bowser's giant form, named Mega Baby Bowser in Yoshi's Woolly World. Within the Super Smash Bros. series, Bowser's size changes.
In Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Bowser is only slightly taller than Mario, rivaling the heights of Peach and Samus. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, Bowser is the tallest and largest character in the game, due to both his new upright posture, as well as the general proportional differences between the characters. Bowser's height carries over in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, remaining the tallest character of the roster.
Relationships with The Other Characters
Here is a list of the relationships that Bowser has with the other characters: Although technically a younger version of himself, Bowser has interacted with Baby Bowser during two occasions of time travel. In Yoshi's Island DS, Baby Bowser insults his future self, who then rashly blasts him out of the castle; later, however, Bowser becomes outraged when he discovers his younger self being bested by the Yoshis. In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, the two Bowsers do not recognize each other and argue about the ownership of Thwomp Volcano, eventually putting their differences aside to work together to try and defeat Mario, Luigi and their own baby selves. After their defeat, Bowser's parting advice to Baby Bowser is to "Get stronger and more evil". In Yoshi's New Island, he also ambushes Yoshi and Baby Mario just as they were to save the Stork and Baby Luigi again in order to avenge his younger self's defeat.
Bowser's minions all hold Bowser in high regards and loyally serve him out of respect, rather than fear, although most are mindful of his fiery temper. Bowser does not take betrayal well and will not hesitate to attack deserters as enemies, although he has been shown to be forgiving at times, such as letting the trio of Corporal Paraplonk, Private Goomp and Sergeant Guy return to service after they betrayed him for Fawful in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. Bowser has also been shown to treat minions in a fatherly fashion, namely towards the Koopa Kids in the Mario Party series (who, despite their similar appearances are not related to Bowser), although they treat him as a boss only. One minion who treats Bowser fairly informally at times is Kammy Koopa, who loyally and tirelessly puts up with his constant stream of derision when working together during the first two Paper Mario games. In her tattle, Goombella wonders whether it is harder for Bowser to put up with Kammy or vice-versa, but despite his verbal abuse, Bowser often takes Kammy's advice to heart.
Mario
Main article: Mario
- Main article: Mario
- “There's no WAY I'm helping Mario! He's always trashing my awesome plans!”
- —Bowser, Super Paper Mario
Mario is Bowser's arch-nemesis, Mario is always saving Princess Peach from him. They completely hate each other, having being hero and villain. As Mario continuously saves Princess Peach from him. They don't get along, but don't seem to really hate each other either. Bowser has even shown to have a degree of respect for Mario. Mario and Bowser have put their differences aside to work together on a few occasions, such as Super Mario RPG, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, and in Super Paper Mario. While Bowser has many enemies, no one has caused him more anger than Mario himself. Bowser has had a deep-rooted hatred for Mario because he has continuously disrupted his plans and won the heart of Princess Peach. Though Bowser despises Mario with a passion, he has a grudging respect for him and sees him as a worthy opponent, although he's tried to hide this reluctant respect. This is shown most strongly in Super Mario Galaxy where Bowser says that he picked the right guy to be his archenemy since Mario always puts up a fight, and even more strongly in Mario Super Sluggers where Bowser stops Mario from being hit with a Bullet Bill sent from Wario and Waluigi (However, many viewers on YouTube argue that Bowser only did this so that he could be the one to kill Mario, and he looks shy and modest after doing so). Of course, Bowser only saved Mario so that he'd still have a rival to face off against and could destroy himself. Mario himself seems to have some sort of sympathy for the villain, going as far as even letting Bowser go in Mario Party DS. Though this is most likely due to the fact that Bowser's scheme unintentionally led Mario and his friends to have fun and that his plans weren't nearly as brutal as past ones. Although it should also be noted that Mario celebrated after viewing Bowser's seemingly permanent destruction in New Super Mario Brothers, although he did eventually return. In the first two Paper Mario games, Bowser tries to defeat Mario once and for all using new strategies; stealing the Star Rod to become invincible in the first (though he is defeated the second and third times he is fought) and attacking him twice, each directly after a previous battle (which may leave Mario worn out before he fights Bowser), in the second.
Their battle seems to be an eternal one as Bowser has survived numerous situations and even came back from the dead. At the moment, the closest one can come to assuming that the battle has ever ended is if either Super Paper Mario or New Super Mario Bros. Wii is believed to be the last game chronologically; In the former, Bowser seems to turn good during the battle with O'Chunks, and continues to travel with Mario after beating the game, while in the latter, Bowser is apparently killed along with his children when his castle falls on them (which would have killed Bowser in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story were it not for Mario and Luigi's invervention.) Even so, he always seems to return, and the exact order the games can be placed in is unknown (It is even believed by some that the different series take place in different timelines). In any event, Mario has fought Bowser more than any other villain, including Donkey Kong, Tatanga, and Fawful, and he can always be expected to appear as the villain in future Mario games.
In spite of their rivalry, twice Bowser joins forces with Mario to defeat a greater foe who also poses a more immediate threat to him: In the first, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, he and Mario both wanted Smithy defeated, in Bowser's case so he could get his castle back, and viewed it more as Mario helping him than the other way around, and went back to his evil ways once Smithy was destroyed; second, in Super Paper Mario, he is extremely reluctant, but only joins Mario's team when he realizes he can't rule the world if Count Bleck destroys it. He plays a slightly similar role during Mario's quest to get Peach's voice back (to prevent her explosive vocabulary replacement from destroying his castle if he kidnaps her) at the beginning of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, but is attacked by Fawful shortly after. In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, however, despite the fact that both he and Mario are trying to defeat Fawful, and that Mario and Luigi are helping him from within, Bowser never joins forces with them, fighting them all three times he encounters them.
Overall, Mario has always been Bowser's number one enemy, and this fact will never change no matter how many times Mario and Bowser team up together to save the world. Mario is also part of the three main heroes who Bowser despises the most, with the other two characters being Luigi and Yoshi. Mario is Bowser's arch-nemesis and as such, is almost always the one who stops the Koopa King's evil plans. Bowser despises Mario for this and constantly tries to kill him as part of his schemes to take over the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond, however Mario always perseveres in the end. Despite the open hostility between the two, Bowser has occasionally been seen to hold a grudging respect for Mario, such as his statement in Super Mario Galaxy that he "chose the right guy to be [his] archenemy". Bowser's drive to be the one to personally destroy Mario has also led him to intervene when other villains threaten the plumber, such as in Mario Super Sluggers, where Bowser stopped an attack launched by Wario and Waluigi. Many RPGs involve Bowser teaming up with Mario to stop an emergent foe that poses a threat to both of them, such as Smithy, who took over Bowser's castle in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, or Count Bleck in Super Paper Mario, whose plot to destroy all worlds ran counter to Bowser's dreams of global domination. While Bowser makes a show of his reluctance to team up, Mario seems more complacent with working with Bowser despite their history, and occasionally shows him some leniency, such as letting him go after his actions in Mario Party DS ended up giving Mario and the others a fun experience. Overall, however, the animosity of mutual, and Bowser's run-ins with Mario inevitably end in the Koopa King's defeat.
His Children/Bowser Jr./Koopalings
Main articles: Bowser Jr. and Koopalings
- Main article: Bowser Jr.
- Main article: Koopalings
Bowser Jr. is Bowser's favorite child, his love for him is very extreme for someone as much of a villain as Bowser is. Bowser Jr. is Bowser's son, and so far the only child that's been shown to have any sort of interaction with him. From Super Mario Sunshine, it can be seen that Bowser is very proud of Junior, and cares a lot about him. So far, the games haven't shown any dialogue with his other kids. Even though Bowser has shown less sinister aspects on rare occasions, he is still an evil villain with a lust for power. He does however care very deeply for his 8 children and is very proud of them for their loyalty towards him and the Koopa army. Even though he cares for his children, he sometimes uses them as pawns and can treat them as simply minions rather than family. This is shown most strongly when Bowser lied to Bowser Jr. to give him motivation to embark on a scheme to abduct the princess and destroy Mario, although it is not known if Jr. needed that much motivation anyway. It should also be noted that in Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser grieved over the impending destruction of his galaxy rather than the welfare of his own son. It can be surmised that while Bowser does care for his children, he seems to care for his plans and himself just as much and this care may even overshadow his children. Yet, his children never shown signs of berating him despite his actions. While Bowser is an evil villain with a lust for power, he has shown less sinister characteristics on occasion, including his relationship with his son, Bowser Jr. He cares very deeply for his son and is proud of his loyalty to both Bowser and the Koopa Troop. However, Bowser is not above using his son as a pawn in his schemes, which is shown most strongly when Bowser lied to Bowser Jr. about his parentage so that he would have motivation to abduct his "Mama Peach" and destroy Mario for breaking up their family, although it is later revealed that Bowser Jr. knew that Peach wasn't his mother, and simply wanted to be like his father and fight Mario. It should also be noted that in Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser grieves over the impending destruction of his galaxy rather than the welfare of his own son. The divided loyalties between himself and his child are one-way, however, as Bowser Jr. has never shown anything except devout loyalty to his father, as have the Koopalings, who were originally depicted as Bowser's children as well. Bowser cares very deeply for his son and is proud of his loyalty to both him and the Koopa Troop. However, Bowser is not above using his son as a pawn in his schemes, even going so far as to falsely claiming that Peach was the child's "Mama" to give him extra incentive to destroy Mario for taking her away from their "family". In a rare moment of humility, Bowser eventually tells his son the truth about Peach, but Bowser Jr. had known all along, and simply wanted to fight Mario to be like his father.
Koopa Troop
Main article: Koopa Troop
- Main article: Koopa Troop
Bower’s relations with his army and underlings are usually held in good regards. Bowser has respect for all his underlings, but cares very little for them if they fail him. He seems to somehow bring some of his defeated minions in Super Mario Galaxy back to life to give them another shot at beating Mario. If they betray him, however, Bowser sees them as enemies and will not hesitate to eliminate them. His minions also, surprisingly, hold Bowser in extremely high regard and serve him out of respect more than in fear. While many do fear his wrath, his minions believe Bowser to be the strongest and best suited to run the army. Nearly every single one of his henchmen, while fail numerous times, is a hundred percent loyal to their king and serves him faithfully. Kammy Koopa and Kamek are prime examples as they treat Bowser as a god and never complain about him, even when he's not around. This applies to most of his other troops with the only complaint being that Bowser may be overly nervous about Peach escaping, though this nervousness is rational. Bowser's minions all hold Bowser in high regards and loyally serve him out of respect, rather than fear, although most are mindful of his fiery temper. Bowser does not take betrayal well and will not hesitate to attack deserters as enemies.
Kamek
- Main article: Kamek
Bowser has known Kamek since he was an infant, having been raised by the Magikoopa. He has been known to do whatever Bowser assigns him to do without complaint, and is one of the better-treated members of the Koopa Troop, but Bowser has been known to attack him when annoyed or completely by accident, the latter being the case in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, when he knocked him down shortly after Kamek, as a last ditch effort to ensure that Bowser won against Mario, cast a spell on him to have him become gargantuan. He has also interacted with Bowser more than other character. He has been known to do whatever Bowser assigns him to do without complaint, and is one of the better-treated members of the Koopa Troop, except, however, in one instance when Bowser was baby and attacked him for waking him up from his sleep. He has also attacked Kamek once by accident, as shown in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, when he knocked him down shortly after Kamek, as a last ditch effort to ensure that Bowser won against Mario, cast a spell on him to have him become gargantuan. He has also interacted with Bowser more than any other character. Kamek raised Bowser from infancy and Super Mario RPG implies that at least part of him thinks of Bowser as his child, although Bowser has not been shown to think of him as a parental figure. Kamek is extremely loyal and will do whatever he can to aid Bowser in his nefarious schemes, although in Mario Party Advance, he briefly takes his leave of the Koopa Troop when Bowser disappoints him by taking the title of "Game Master", rather than earning it. Aside from this, the two get along well, and Kamek interacts with Bowser the most out of any characters. Bowser does sometimes attack him accidentally, a notable instance of this being in New Super Mario Bros Wii, where Bowser, after being made huge by Kamek, accidentally knocked Kamek off his broom when about to pursue Mario.
Koopalings
- Main article: Koopalings
The Koopalings were originally introduced as Bowser's seven children in both the English and Japanese versions of Super Mario Bros. 3. They were also depicted as his children in the DIC cartoons and various comics released shortly after Super Mario Bros. 3, and the English box of Yoshi's Safari called the Koopalings Bowser's children. However, subsequent games did not draw attention to their kinship, and in 2012, Shigeru Miyamoto stated that in Nintendo's current story they are no longer considered to be his children although the outdated information was still retained in rereleased manuals for the 3DS versions of the games.
Before the introduction of Bowser Jr., the Koopalings acted as heirs to Bowser's kingdom, and their presumed leader, Ludwig von Koopa, was said to be Bowser's second-in-command at the time. Bowser has always been very proud of the Koopalings' service and devout loyalty to him, yet even when they were his children, like Bowser Jr., he still treated them as minions to an extent, and used them to battle Mario in the games. In a similar manner to what he did to Kamek, Bowser has accidentally attacked the Koopalings in New Super Mario Bros. 2, after he became giant from the Koopalings' magic. The dynamic between Bowser and the Koopalings was more familial in the cartoons and comics.
Kammy Koopa
- Main article: Kammy Koopa
Bowser has been known to utterly despise Kammy, despite the fact that she is completely loyal to him. A tattle from Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door states that it is unknown whether it is harder for Bowser to put up with her or vice versa. However, he is willing to listen to Kammy when the situation is deemed dire enough, as evidenced by him listening to Kammy and considering her suggestion of evacuating from the self-destructing castle and platform he is on in the ending of Paper Mario. In addition, he also gets angered whenever she somehow harms him, regardless of whether it was accidental or not. This is especially evident in the ending, when Kammy Koopa was fighting Jr. Troopa, and both their spells accidentally hit Bowser in the face, prompting an enraged Bowser to pursue them before he blasts them with his fire breath attack off-screen. Bowser has been known to outright disrespect and insult Kammy, such as calling her "hag", despite the fact that she is completely devoted to him; most of the time this occurs when she is near him, and it is spoken openly. However, she has shown no signs of anger whenever Bowser does so. In her tattle from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Goombella wonders whether it is harder for Bowser to put up with her or vice versa. However, despite having little respect for her, he often listens to her advice and takes her seriously. Kammy is completely devoted to Bowser despite the constant stream of insults he sends her way. In her tattle from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Goombella wonders whether it is harder for Bowser to put up with Kammy or vice-versa, however Kammy herself has never been shown to tire of Bowser's disrespectful behaviour, and despite his verbal abuse, Bowser often takes Kammy's advice to heart.
Mushroom Kingdom
Main article: Mushroom Kingdom
- Main article: Mushroom Kingdom
Bowser's relationship with the Mushroom Kingdom as a whole is generally one filled with lust and jealousy. He does not seem pleased with the land he inherently ruled and sought to take control of a kingdom with much more to offer. For this reason, Bowser sees the Toads as weak and pathetic inferiors who take what they have for granted. He has no respect in the slightest for the residents and has shown this by his various invasions and attacks, which have destroyed many areas and nearly slaughtered thousands. He will often do various things to the residents in each game such as locking them in dungeons, freezing them, and even trapping them within the walls of the kingdom's own castle. Bowser's hatred towards the kingdom's residents may also be a result of the Koopa Clan being mistreated over the years, as Kammy Koopa mentions in Paper Mario. Bowser's goal of conquering the kingdom has more to do with his lust for power however, as he has on occassions attempted to conquer other areas that he did not have a vendetta against, including other worlds and galaxies. So, while Bowser's motivation for taking control of the kingdom is mainly for his lust for power, it is also partially about obtaining revenge. In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 he shown that he doesn't care about the Mushroom Kingdom.
Dr. Robotnik/Dr Eggman
- Main article: Eggman File:Eggman Winter Olympics.jpgDr Eggman
In the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, in the Adventure Tour mode, Bowser and Dr Eggman are the two main antagonists. They did try to stop the 2010 Olympic Winter Games but failed to do so, and also they also failed in capturing all the Snow Spirits which they demanded they would do.
- Dr. Eggman and Bowser are similar in a few ways:
- They're both portrayed as major villains.
- They both kidnapped a female character at least once.
- They both had to team up with their arch-nemesis at one point to defeat a bigger threat. In the Nintendo DS version of Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Bowser along with Dr. Eggman tried to stop the Winter Games by capturing all the Snow Spirits and tried to spoil all the events for all other characters from the Mario and Sonic series, both Bowser and Eggman fought Mario and Sonic in various sports to prove that the Winter Games were going to be taken over by them but in the end were defeated by Mario and Sonic. It is currently unknown whether or not Bowser and Eggman joined forces again in Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Fawful
Fawful, a recurring villain in the Mario & Luigi series, is Bowser's second biggest enemy next to Mario. Of all the other villains who get in Bowser's way, Fawful is the one that Bowser hates the most persistent. Bowser has an instant disliking for Fawful when Fawful injures him during their first encounter in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Bowser is also one of the three protagonists (with the Mario Bros. as the other two) in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, where after Fawful tricks him by feeding him with a Vacuum Shroom, causing him to suck up those present in the boardroom at Peach's castle, and tries to take over the Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser sets out to defeat Fawful (so he can kidnap Peach and take over the Mushroom Kingdom himself). While he does fight the Mario Bros. every time he sees them, he spends the entire game chasing down Fawful and fighting his minions. He defeats Fawful in battle shortly before Fawful is consumed by the Dark Star, which is later defeated by Bowser. Fawful would be considered as a very big enemy of Bowser, but after the battle against Fawful (in his dark form), Bowser claims he is far to weak to even call his enemy, despite all the trouble Fawful had caused him. Bowser first encountered Fawful in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, but their more notable interactions came in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, when Fawful used Bowser as part of his scheme to take over the world. He also kidnapped Peach, took over Bowser's castle and imprisoned or brainwashed the Koopa Troop, all of which earned him Bowser's utter contempt. In one of his few moments of victory, Bowser defeats Fawful, boastfully claiming afterwards that he was far too weak to even call his enemy anyway.
Princess Peach
Main article: Princess Peach
- Main article: Princess Peach
- “I think you Bowser are the most evil, despicable, reptilian individual I've ever known!”
- —Princess Toadstool, "The Great Gladiator Gig"
- “Oh, Princess Peach! Your cuddly old Bowser's here!”
- —Bowser, Paper Mario
Bowser seems to really love the princess, this being the main reason he kidnaps her. Princess Peach herself obviously hates him. Bowser has expressed a romantic attraction to Princess Peach, though the feeling isn't at all mutual. Still, Bowser is typically more civil and less rough around the Princess, as seen in Paper Mario. In Super Paper Mario, Bowser is married to Princess Peach by Count Bleck to create the Chaos Heart. During the ceremony, Bowser makes comments like "No complaints on this side of the alter, Bleck old boy!" and makes several hints towards the wedding through the process of the game (one of the most blatant being "Hello? Concerned hubby over here!") [Note that Peach declared this marriage annulled later in game, seeing that Bleck wasn't authorized to perform the ceremony] In his victory scene in Mario Power Tennis, a victorious Bowser motions to Peach to give him a kiss only to open his eyes and see a Birdo instead leaning towards him. Bowser then runs off the stage screaming while Peach is giggling. While Bowser has much hatred for the Mushroom Kingdom's residents, this hatred apparently does not apply to Princess Peach. One of the most complex aspects of Bowser is his relationship with Peach. It at first seemed that he only abducted her for control of the kingdom and to use her as bait to lure Mario into danger to prevent her from restoring the transformed Toads back to normal, as shown in the manual of Super Mario Bros.. However, it is later revealed that Bowser is attracted to Peach and lusts for her to like him. While he has harmed or attempted to harm her in many ways, including trying to blow fire on her when Starlow tells him he cannot stay in Peach's castle for the conference on the Blorbs in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Bowser will never go as far as killing her (except in Super Princess Peach), and treats her fairly nicely. Even though Bowser has an attraction to Peach, he in no way has been shown not to care for perspective. He has ruthlessly attacked her kingdom, caused much destruction, and forced her to watch him nearly kill Mario, the person she truly loves, while tied up or locked in a prison cell. In Super Paper Mario though, Bowser consistently showed concern for her safety. It seems that Bowser's attraction for Peach is mainly physical, but Peach is the only one in the whole series, other than his children, capable of showing that Bowser has affection somewhere deep in his seemingly cold evil heart, especially in the Paper Mario series. In Super Paper Mario, Peach sweet-talks him into joining her and Mario, much to the Koopa King's chagrin. Peach herself is able to recognize Bowser's softer side towards her and often flirts with him to agree to help Mario, to which Bowser reluctantly agrees. It can be assumed that Bowser does not care for anybody or anything other than Princess Peach, his own children, his army, and himself. It is also possible that he does not care for her at all and just wants to make Mario feel jealous. According to Bowser Memory ML, Peach is Bowser's most carefully preserved memory. One of the most complex aspects of Bowser's character is his relationship with Peach. As explained in the manual of Super Mario Bros., Bowser initially started abducting Peach to prevent her from restoring the transformed Toads back to normal. In later games, Bowser was also motivated by an unrequited crush he had developed on the princess, with Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story going so far as to show that his most carefully preserved memory was of Peach. Despite his affections for her, Bowser usually shows little regard for Peach as he constantly kidnaps her, attacks her kingdom, and fights the people she cares about. He has also put Peach herself in danger numerous times, ether inadvertently or on purpose, most notably in Super Princess Peach, where the eponymous princess herself faced Bowser in combat. Peach does not return Bowser's feelings at all, and is always overjoyed when she is rescued from her Koopa kidnapper by Mario, however she is willing to work with Bowser when the situation calls for it, and will even sweet-talk, flatter or show him genuine goodwill or concern when they are acting as allies.
Luigi
Main article: Luigi
- Main article: Luigi
- “You've got to be kidding me. You mean to tell me that LUIGI beat me here?”
- —Bowser, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Luigi's relationship to Bowser is similar to Mario's, just not as extreme. Luigi doesn't hate Bowser as much because he sees him less. In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, however, Bowser does for some reason not know who Luigi is, and keeps calling him names often featuring the word 'green'. Luigi is a rival with Bowser just as Mario is. However, because Luigi does not fight Bowser as much, Bowser's relationship with him is much less extreme. In fact, Bowser is completely unaware of who Luigi is in all the six Mario & Luigi games, calling him several names that use the word "green". Another one of Bowser's odd, if not comical, interactions with other characters are his ones with Luigi. Bowser despises Luigi, but not to the degree of Mario. While Luigi has often helped Mario disrupt the Dark King's plans, Bowser briefly forgets who Luigi is in all the six Mario & Luigi games where he calls Luigi 'Green Stache, showing how little Bowser thinks about Luigi. When Bowser kidnaps Mario in Mario is Missing! he thinks he is unstoppable until Luigi shows up and thwarts his plot. Since then, it seems he has realized Luigi's potential threat level. After this game though, Bowser seems to notice Luigi more and even remembers his name. In Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser apparently saw Luigi as so much of a threat that he placed him under heavy guard in a haunted mansion guarded by Boos. On many occasions though, Bowser seems to hate Luigi for the simple fact that he is related to the man who has caused so much harm to the king and his Koopa Troop. Regardless, Bowser and Luigi are considered enemies, but can get along when the situation calls for it such as in Super Paper Mario. However, Luigi is still part of the three main heroes who Bowser hates the most, with Mario and Yoshi being the other two characters. When Bowser kidnaps Mario in Mario is Missing! he thinks he is unstoppable until Luigi shows up and thwarts his plot. Since then, it seems he has realized Luigi's potential threat level. An example of this is when Bowser has Luigi captured in Super Princess Peach, and in Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser apparently sees Luigi as so much of a potential threat that he places him under heavy guard in a haunted mansion guarded by Boos. However, despite seeing him as a threat, Bowser still holds Luigi in low esteem; he is shocked and disgusted at himself when he believes that he loses to Luigi in getting a Crystal Star in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. On many occasions though, Bowser seems to hate Luigi mostly for the simple fact that he is related to the man who has caused so much harm to the king and his Koopa Troop. Regardless, Bowser and Luigi are considered enemies, but can get along when the situation calls for it such as in Super Paper Mario. However, Luigi is still one of the three main heroes who Bowser hates the most, with Mario and Yoshi being the other two characters. Luigi often fights Bowser alongside Mario, and as such, is one of the Koopa King's greatest enemies. Like many other characters in the Mario series, Bowser if often depicted as holding Luigi in lower esteem than his brother, however he usually doesn't go so far as to discount Luigi as a threat.
Starlow
- Main article: Starlow
Bowser met Starlow in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story when he crashed a conference on the Blorbs in Peach's castle. They immediately became enemies when Starlow tells Bowser he was not invited to the conference and cannot stay, and she helps Mario fight Bowser to get him out of the castle. However, after Bowser accidentally swallows Starlow, Princess Peach, The Mario Bros., and several Toads, under the guise "Chippy", Starlow and the Bros. help Bowser from inside his body.
Throughout the game, he on several occasions asks "Chippy" to be one of his minions, though Starlow declines all these offers though. Many times, when something wrong happens in Bowser's body, he will call to Starlow to fix the problem, and she will reluctantly comply; other times, she will refuse to help him, even going as far as taunting him, such as when Bowser is tricked into overeating, causing him to become chubby and fall through the floor, Starlow said she would help him when she feels like it, much to his anger. However, Starlow does seem to show some concern for Bowser, such as when he is flattened by his own castle, she is worried that something is wrong, and when he gets trapped in his safe, she feels sorry for him, but cannot do anything.
After Fawful's last ditch effort to explode the Mario Bros. fails and sends everyone inside Bowser's body out of Bowser's body, Bowser becomes extremely enraged at the fact that Starlow and the Mario Bros. were inside his body, and a fight between the four ensues during the end credits of the game. In addition, he was also even more enraged when he realized that "Chippy" was in fact Starlow from hearing Starlow's voice. After he accidentally inhales her, the Mario Bros. Peach and various Toads, Starlow helps Bowser fight against Fawful in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. using the alias "Chippy", Starlow speaks to Bowser from inside his body, telling him what to do and getting him out of various predicaments with help from the Mario Bros. Despite their common goal, Bowser and Starlow do not get along well, constantly trading barbs and occasionally refusing to listen to each other, although Starlow occasionally expresses concern or sympathy for the Koopa. Despite her attitude, Bowser comes to think of "Chippy" as an honorary member of his Koopa Troop, and is enraged to learn that she was really an ally of Mario and Luigi.
Baby Bowser
- Main article: Baby Bowser
Although technically a younger version of himself, he has interacted with him a few times. The exact extent that he is aware of his ties to his younger self has varied: In Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, he is shown to be completely unaware of Baby Bowser's connection to himself, notably getting into an arguement with him and referring to him as "some bratty kid." However, in Yoshi's Island DS, he is not only shown to be completely aware of Baby Bowser's connection to himself, but he also reveals their connection in person. During these few times, notably Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time and Yoshi's Island DS, Bowser is unaware of his past connection to him, referring to him as "Some bratty kid" in the former, and kicking him out of the castle, not realizing that he's a star child, respectively. Bowser has interacted with his past self on a two occasions: Yoshi's Island DS and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. However, their knowledge of each other varies between the two games; in Yoshi's Island, Bowser is aware that he is interacting with a past version of himself, but in Partners in Time neither of them know each other.
In Yoshi's Island DS, Bowser abducts his past self from his castle, desiring the Star Children to rule the universe. After being insulted by Baby Bowser, Bowser shoots fire at him and knocks him out of the castle, oblivious to the fact that Baby Bowser is one of the Star Children that he seeks. However, despite kicking him out earlier in the game, Bowser later shows up after the other babies defeat him in his castle, and is outraged that they defeated his younger counterpart, a direct contrast to their interaction from eariler.
The two later encounter each other in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. During this game, the pair meet at Thwomp Volcano. After a brief debate over ownership of the volcano (for the purposes of building a lair), the two are revealed to have allied when Mario, Luigi, and their baby selves arrive at their location. After being defeated, the Thwomp they stand upon is sent rocketing out of the volcano; Bowser falls off after being hit by a Shroob UFO, but tells his past self to "Get stronger and more evil" before falling into a time portal. Although technically a younger version of himself, Bowser has interacted with his past self during two occasions of time travel. In Yoshi's Island DS, Baby Bowser insults his future self, who then rashly blasts him out of the castle; later, however, Bowser becomes outraged when he discovers his younger self being bested by the Yoshis. In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, the to Bowsers do not recognize each other and argue about the ownership of Thwomp Volcano, eventually putting their differences aside to work together to try and defeat Mario, Luigi and their own baby selves. After their defeat, Bowser's parting advice to Baby Bowser is to "Get stronger and more evil".
Toad
- Main article: Toad
- Main article: Toad (species)
In general, Bowser despises the Mushroom People and often uses a variety of plans to eliminate them. One such way was in Super Mario Bros., where Bowser had used his magic to turn the Toads into various inanimate objects so that they did not get into the way during his kidnapping of the Princess, as well as kidnapping the seven Mushroom Retainers. In games such as Super Mario 64 and its sequel, Bowser imprisoned Toad and the rest of his species behind the castle walls. In Super Princess Peach, Bowser had his minions not only kidnap the two Mario brothers, but as well as Toad himself. The fact that Bowser often captures Toad may be due to the fact that he sees Toad as a threat just like the Mario Bros. (as a result of his heroic works and his assistance to the Mario Bros. in their adventures). In Mario Superstar Baseball, both Bowser and Toad shares a bad chemistry with each other. However, in Mario Super Sluggers, only Toad continues sharing a bad chemistry with Bowser.
Yoshi
- Main article: Yoshi
- Main article: Yoshi (species)
Yoshi has also had many adventures with Bowser as the main villain too. Though he helped Yoshi when he was young, Bowser then betrayed Yoshi. Yoshi and Bowser have crossed paths numerous times ever since Bowser was a baby. He first encountered Yoshi when Kamek kidnapped Baby Luigi, and Yoshi came to rescue him alongside Baby Mario. While Bowser hardly thinks about those who help Mario in his journey, it is clear that he sees Yoshi as a threat, as he encased his kind into Yoshi eggs in order to keep them from ruining his plans. Later, in Super Mario 64 DS, Bowser imprisoned Mario, Luigi, and Wario inside Princess Peach's Castle Walls, leaving Yoshi to jump into action and stop Bowser. Despite all these events, Bowser still overlooks Yoshi as an actual fatal flaw in a few of his plans, although Yoshi is still part of the top three heroes Bowser coldly despises, with Mario and Luigi being the other two. However, Bowser does have a strong hatred towards Yoshi, due to the fact that Bowser would now have free control over the Mushroom Kingdom if it wasn't for Yoshi saving Mario's life and future when Mario was just a baby.
Strangely enough, despite of their negative relationship, in Mario Super Sluggers, their chemistry is neutral. Bowser first encountered Yoshi as an infant, when Kamek used him to try and stop the Yoshis from reuniting Baby Mario with Baby Luigi, whom Kamek had kidnapped and held in Bowser's castle. As a child, Bowser enjoyed stealing cookies from the Yoshis, and his antagonism continued on into adulthood, such as in Super Mario World, where he imprisoned them in Yoshi Eggs during his attack on their homeland. Since then, the character Yoshi continues to aid Mario and Luigi in their altercations with Bowser, making him one of the Koopa King's noteworthy enemies.
Wario
- Main article: Wario
Wario, despite being the opposite of his arch-nemesis Mario, is not in good terms with the Koopa King. Wario and Bowser are usually pitted against each other throughout the games, such as Mario Superstar Baseball, where they mercilessly taunt each other, or Super Mario 64 DS, where Wario helps Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi in obtaining the Power Stars and defeat Bowser. Also, in Mario Super Sluggers, when Wario fired a Bullet Bill towards Mario, Bowser protected Mario by deflecting the attack back. As babies, they also get into fights in Yoshi's Island DS. Bowser and Wario are usually pitted against each other. In Mario Superstar Baseball, the two mercilessly exchange taunts, and they even squabbled as babies in Yoshi's Island DS. In Mario Super Sluggers, Bowser blocks Wario and Waluigi's attack on Mario, as he himself wants to defeat the plumber, although the reverse situation occurs in Mario Power Tennis, where all three of them team up to try and take own Mario. Other times, Wario allies with Mario against Bowser, most notably in Super Mario 64 DS and the Mario Party series.
- They both had to team up with their arch-nemesis at one point to defeat a bigger threat. In the Nintendo DS version of Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Bowser along with Dr. Eggman tried to stop the Winter Games by capturing all the Snow Spirits and tried to spoil all the events for all other characters from the Mario and Sonic series, both Bowser and Eggman fought Mario and Sonic in various sports to prove that the Winter Games were going to be taken over by them but in the end were defeated by Mario and Sonic. It is currently unknown whether or not Bowser and Eggman joined forces again in Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Others
Bowser seems to have bad chemistry with a lot of other main stream Mario characters, like Princess Daisy and Toadette. This may be because of the Mario Party series, but Bowser has good chemistry with Wario and Waluigi, and they are treated just as harshly in the Mario Party series.
Family
Both the original Japanese and English versions of the game Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced Bowser's seven children, the Koopalings.[21][22] They were also depicted as his children in Super Mario World,[23][24] Yoshi's Safari,[25] the first trophy of Bowser in Super Smash Bros. Melee[26], the DIC cartoons, and various comics released shortly after Super Mario Bros. 3. However, after Hotel Mario the Koopalings went on a 9 years hiatus, and many years later, in 2002, Super Mario Sunshine introduced Bowser Jr., Bowser's youngest child who, unlike the Koopalings, resembles Bowser greatly. Bowser Jr. is considered the heir to the throne since the Koopalings have made a return to the series with their 1988 origin eliminated for the most part. Something similar happened to Bowser's Brother from Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, who was later considered to be something akin to a fake Bowser and eventually a character of unknown identity.
Before the introduction of Bowser Jr., Ludwig von Koopa was once said to be Bowser's second in command in the Super Mario Bros. 3 Nintendo Power Strategy Guide,[27] leader of the Koopalings in the Official Nintendo Guidebook of Super Mario Collection (the Japanese version of Super Mario All-Stars)[28] and Bowser's comrade in the Perfect Edition of the Great Mario Character Encyclopedia.[29] Bowser has always been very proud of the Koopalings' close loyalty to him, and while the dynamics between them was openly familial in the cartoons and comics, in the games the Koopalings were just main bosses and had no dialogue nor interaction with Bowser. On the other hand, in Super Mario Sunshine, he first tried to use Bowser Jr. as a pawn in his schemes, even going so far as to lying that Peach was the child's mother to give him extra incentive to defeat Mario for taking her away from their "family". However, after his plan failed, in a rare moment of humility, Bowser eventually decides to tell his son the truth about Peach, but Bowser Jr. had known all along, and simply wanted to fight Mario to be like his father. Bowser does indeed care about his son, and the two currently share closer ties than he and his Koopalings, with Bowser Jr. often acting as Bowser's default partner in sports and spin-off games. On a similar note, in the NES library portion of the Nintendo Switch online service trailer, Bowser when he realized that his son had been asking to play with him and had ignored him up to then had a guilty reaction and promptly offered a second Joy-Con so they'd play together, and then proceeded to play Ice Climbers. On the Koopalings' end, the Koopalings were also shown to be extremely devoted to Bowser, with their loyalty to the Koopa King being immense enough that they're willing to serve Bowser even when the latter is not actually himself, as evidenced by their servitude to "Bowser" in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Paper Mario: Color Splash (who had actually been Bowletta and Black Bowser, forms taken when Bowser was possessed by Cackletta and the black paint, respectively). Nonetheless, in a flashback the Koopalings had nearing the climax of the Bowser Jr.'s Journey story arc of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, Iggy is seen speaking out of line with the other Koopalings by denying that Bowser was at all smart or wise (and even implying that Bowser was even crazier than Iggy for thinking he was such), resulting in Bowser being implied to have hit him across the room. Bowser, Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings all have personal emblems with silhouettes of their faces, the silhouette of Bowser's face used in his emblem is also present in many buldings, machines and devices that he controls.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island introduced Kamek, the Magikoopa who raised Bowser from infancy and who has been seen interacting with him the most throughout the series. As seen in subsequent Yoshi series games and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Kamek takes great care of Baby Bowser and worries for his safety, with his devout loyalty continuing into Bowser's adulthood. Kamek's Psychopath line in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars even implies that he considers Bowser to be like a son to him, as despite his brain-washing by the enemies, he thinks "That's... my child?" when faced with Bowser in battle. The only time a rift has been shown between the two is in Mario Party Advance; after winning a minigame Kamek explains that he took leave of Koopa Troop when Bowser disappointed him by taking the title of "Game Master", rather than earning it, although the ending states that the two reconciled. Aside from that incident, the two get along well, and Bowser seems to show much more respect to his elderly guardian than to any other of his subordinates.
Various other relatives of Bowser's have been mentioned or shown in a minor capacity throughout the franchise. Bowser mentions a father in few issues of the Nintendo Comics System Super Mario Bros. series, with the implication being that he is a wanted criminal on the run. Bowser is first shown to have a mother in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode "Do You Princess Toadstool Take This Koopa...?", which depicts her to be a bossy and bullying woman who resented her son for remaining a bachelor. Mario's Time Machine Deluxe for MS-DOS, however, shows another version of Bowser's mother, who is an elderly librarian, in the included Library program. Bowser also mentions a grandfather named Poopa La Koopa in the Super Show episode "Butch Mario & the Luigi Kid", saying his motto was "Cheat, beat, and be merry!". In the "Raiders of the Lost Mushroom", Bowser claims that his "great-great grandkoop" built the Temple of Koopa to hide the Lost Mushroom, which he left to Bowser. In an episode of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser's son Morton brings up one of the Koopalings' great grandmothers. Bowser and the Koopalings are shown to have a pet rabbit named Pookie in the Nintendo Comics System series, which was often abused until its eventual escape in the comic "Bowser Knows Best". In the Nintendo Adventure Book Flown the Koopa, a Magikoopa stated to be Bowser's third cousin twice removed is featured as the main antagonist; this character also appears in the later books Unjust Desserts and Brain Drain, though he has only minor roles in both. Finally, in both an episode of the Super Show and the song "Ignorance is Bliss", Bowser mentions a younger sister who is, according to him, a bookworm.
Love interests
One of the most complex aspects of Bowser's character is his relationship with Peach. As explained in the manual of Super Mario Bros., Bowser initially started abducting Peach to prevent her from restoring the transformed Toads back to normal. In the same The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode that featured his mother, Bowser tried and failed to marry Peach, and his unrequited crush on the princess recurs in various games, starting with a diary entry he wrote in Paper Mario expressing his hopes that Peach would like him, ultimately leading him to attempt to forcefully marry her. He even told his son Bowser Jr. that Peach was his mother, although the events of Super Mario Sunshine forced him to admit that this was a lie. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story revealed that Bowser's most carefully preserved memory was of Peach, but despite his feelings, he actually shows very little regard for her happiness and well-being as he constantly kidnaps her, attacks her kingdom, and fights the people she cares about. He has also put Peach herself in danger numerous times, either inadvertently or on purpose, most notably in Super Princess Peach and Super Mario 3D World, where the eponymous princess herself faced Bowser in combat. In Super Paper Mario, the two were wed by Count Bleck and Nastasia as part of the former's plan to unleash the Chaos Heart, and while Bowser regarded the marriage as official and happily referred to Peach as his wife throughout the game, she refuted his claims and called the wedding a sham, as she does not return his affection at all. Despite this, she is still willing to work with Bowser when the situation calls for it, and will even sweet-talk, flatter or show him genuine goodwill or concern when they are acting as allies. In the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls video, Bowser's phone screen has a picture of Peach on it. Additionally, when witnessing Bowser Jr. doing an online match against Peach with the game Dr. Mario in the NES library portion of the Nintendo Switch Online service trailer, Bowser seemed to react in a somewhat baffled manner to his son playing with Peach.
The Nintendo Comics System single-panel comic "Koopa's High School Yearbook" shows Bowser to have had an admirer in high school: after he asked for her sandwich, the unnamed Koopa developed a crush on Bowser, forming the one-member "Koopa Fan Club" and joining the "Future Wives of Tyrants Club". A popular rumor also suggests that Bowser has or had a wife named "Clawdia Koopa", though there is no evidence to support her existence. In a September 2012 interview, Miyamoto simply stated that Bowser Jr.'s mother is unknown,[30] which is supported by a question from the Snifit or Whiffit quiz show in Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
Foes
Mario is Bowser's arch-nemesis and as such, is almost always the one who stops the Koopa King's evil plans. Bowser despises Mario for this and constantly tries and fails to stop him as part of his schemes to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond. Despite the open hostility between the two, Bowser has occasionally been seen to hold a grudging respect for Mario, such as his statement in Super Mario Galaxy that he "chose the right guy to be his archenemy". Bowser's drive to be the one to defeat his nemesis has also led him to intervene when other villains threaten Mario, such as in Mario Super Sluggers, where Bowser stopped an attack launched by Wario and Waluigi. Many RPGs involve Bowser teaming up with Mario to stop an emergent foe that poses a threat to both of them, such as Smithy, who took over Bowser's castle in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, or Count Bleck in Super Paper Mario, whose plot to destroy all worlds ran counter to Bowser's dreams of global domination. In the case of the former game, he even went as far as to name Mario, Mallow, and Geno "honorary members" of the Koopa Troop (although it was heavily implied that he did this solely as an excuse to "join" them to avoid the humiliation of having to ask for their help). In the case of Paper Mario: Color Splash, however, Bowser doesn't show any of his characteristic animosity towards Mario in the few instances (mostly because he was completely confused about what was going on, being completely unaware of his actions as Black Bowser) where he is in control, and when defeated even implied that he invites, or at least schedules, go-kart races at his castle. While Bowser makes a show of his reluctance to team up, Mario seems more complacent with working with Bowser despite their history, and occasionally shows him some leniency, such as letting him go after his actions in Mario Party DS merely gave Mario and the others a fun experience. Overall, however, the animosity is mutual, and Bowser's run-ins with Mario usually end in the Koopa King's defeat. In addition, it is implied that, despite his animosity to Mario and to a certain extent Luigi, even he would never attempt to actually have them exterminated, as when Bowletta, while disguised as Bowser, ordered for the Koopa Troop to "destroy" Mario, Captain Goomba was suspicious of him since he knows that that kind of talk was extremely harsh even with Bowser's characteristic animosity towards Mario.
Luigi often fights Bowser alongside Mario, and as such, is one of the Koopa King's greatest enemies. Like many other characters in the Mario series, Bowser is often depicted as holding Luigi in lower esteem than his brother; however, he usually doesn't go so far as to discount Luigi as a threat. After his defeat in Dream Team, Bowser sees Luigi as a more legitimate threat (their battle as giants in the dream world likely contributing to this); at least remembering his name. Another ally of Mario's is Yoshi—however, the history between Bowser and both the Yoshi character and the Yoshis as a whole goes back to the Koopa's childhood, when he enjoyed stealing cookies from the Yoshis, and even took their Super Happy Tree at one point, forcing them to retaliate. Yoshi himself first faced Baby Bowser in his quest to save Baby Luigi, who had been kidnapped by Kamek, and the bad blood between him and both the Magikoopa and the Koopa King himself continues to the present day.
Generally speaking, any ally of Mario's is an enemy of Bowser's, although they occasionally share common foes, including the aforementioned Smithy, Count Bleck and Fawful. One of Bowser's few victories actually came out of his conflict with Fawful during Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, when the latter took over both Bowser and Peach's castles and kidnapped the Princess. While Mario and Luigi were aiding Bowser during this game, he was unaware of this, instead communicating exclusively with their ally Starlow, who used the alias "Chippy". Despite their common goal, Bowser and Starlow spent the whole adventure trading barbs and occasionally refusing to cooperate, although Starlow sometimes expressed concern and sympathy for the Koopa and he eventually came to think of her as a loyal minion, only to become enraged when he learned the truth of who she really was. Another "frenemy" situation is the one between Bowser and Wario, who have joined forces (along with Waluigi) against Mario in Mario Power Tennis, and worked together (albeit fractiously) as babies in Yoshi's Island DS. Most of the time they are on opposing sides, however, as in Super Mario 64 DS and the Mario Party series when Wario was on Mario's side, and even in Mario Super Sluggers, when Bowser stops Wario from destroying Mario, due to the Koopa King's desire to defeat the plumber himself.
The first family member of Bowser's ever seen was not in the Mario video games, instead, it was in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode "Do You Princess Toadstool Take This Koopa...? / Mario Hillbillies". This episode introduced Mama Koopa, King Koopa's (as Bowser was The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!) mother, who was a bossy and bullying woman. At the end of the episode, she mentions having to tell all his relatives that he is still a bachelor after his plot to marry Toadstool fails. Additionally, King Koopa (as Kid Koopa) also mentioned a grandfather named Poppa La Koopa in an earlier episode of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! entitled "Butch Mario & the Luigi Kid / All Steamed Up", with character's apparent motto being "Cheat, beat, and be merry!". In the song "Ignorance is Bliss" and an episode of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Bowser mentions a younger sister who is, according to him, a bookworm. Bowser also mentions a paternal "great-great grandkoop" in the The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode, "Raiders of the Lost Mushroom," in which he states that this great-great grandfather built the Temple of Koopa to hide the Lost Mushroom, which Bowser also states he left to him. Additionally, in "Do the Koopa," an episode of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Morton brings up a great grandmother when explaining the story behind his favorite string, who would be Bowser's grandmother.
The game Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced the first seven of Bowser's eight children, the Koopalings; who, after their first appearance in Super Mario Bros. 3, would go on to appear in several other games with their father, as well as in various other Mario-related medias, such as cartoons and publications. Many years later, the game Super Mario Sunshine introduced Bowser Jr., Bowser's eighth and youngest child who, unlike the Koopalings, resembles him greatly. He also seems to be the favorite of the eight. Bowser Jr. has been featured in many games such as New Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Galaxy and is often Bowser's partner in sports games. The Mario Party series also introduced Koopa Kids (aka Baby/Mini Bowsers) who, despite having an uncanny resemblance to Bowser, seems unrelated to him; though Bowser acts somewhat like a father to the Koopa Kids, doing things such as grounding them or banning them from playing with his Mario action figure" when they fail to beat the player in a Bowser minigame in Mario Party 6's solo mode, but despite their similar appearance and Bowser's sometimes fatherly demeanour towards them (such as banning them from playing with toys as punishment for failure), they appear to be unrelated, and treat him as their boss. In a September 2012 interview, Shigeru Miyamoto stated that Nintendo's "current story" is that Bowser Jr. is Bowser's only child, leading to wonder how Bowser got the Koopalings in the first place or how they became Bowser's 'children', though it can be assumed he adopted them.
In the Super Mario Bros. movie, two idiotic cousins of King Koopa, named Iggy and Spike, are introduced. Despite the presence of cousins though, a brother or sister of King Koopa is never mentioned in the Super Mario Bros. movie. Also, King Koopa's second-in-command in the Super Mario Bros. movie, Lena, is implied to have some sort of relationship with King Koopa, possibly being his girlfriend or wife. Yoshi was also portrayed as the pet of King Koopa, though the two seemed to have hatred for one another, with Yoshi, much like Pookie before him, suffering much abuse at the hands of King Koopa, who reffered to the non-humanoid dinosaur as a "throwback". Yoshi was also portrayed as Koopa's pet, although like Pookie, he is not treated well, and is considered to be a contemptible "throwback" by Koopa.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island introduced Kamek, a Magikoopa who is seemingly the caretaker and possible adoptive father of Baby Bowser, often shown to take care of Baby Bowser and worries about him often. Besides Kamek, another father is mentioned by Bowser in a few issues of Nintendo Comics System Mario series comics. This father is heavily implied to be a criminal currently being chased by the authorities. Bowser and his children were also shown to have a pet rabbit, named Pookie, in Nintendo Comics System, who was a rabbit who was often abused by his owners. Pookie eventually escaped from Bowser's Castle in the comic "Bowser Knows Best". The Mario Party series also introduced Koopa Kid who, despite having an uncanny resemblance to Bowser, seems unrelated to him; though Bowser acts somewhat like a father to Koopa Kid, doing things such as grounding Koopa Kid or banning him from playing with his toys when he fails. Bowser mentions his actual father in few issues of the Nintendo Comics System, with the implications being that he is a wanted criminal on the run from the authorities. Similarly, Bowser's mother does not appear in any games, but was introduced in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode "Do You Princess Toadstool Take This Koopa...?", which showed her to be a bossy and bullying woman who resented her son for remaining a bachelor.
An issue about the UK Nintendo Power once said that Bowser had a wife named Clawdia Koopa; however, as Clawdia is never referenced to again, neither in any games or later issues of Nintendo Power UK, it is often believed that Clawdia was simply a joke. In a recent interview, Miyamoto simply stated that Bowser Jr.'s mother was "unknown". In Super Paper Mario, Bowser and Princess Peach are forcibly wedded by the sinister Count Bleck and Nastasia. Though Bowser regards this wedding as official and Princess Peach as his wife, Princess Peach herself cites the wedding as a sham and disregards it as official. Throughout the game Bowser calls Peach his wife, with her to refute his words each time he does. However, a girl koopa with black hair and glasses appears in Koopa's High School Yearbook, and is a member of the "Koopa Fan Club" and "Future Wives of Tyrants Club", suggesting she is Clawdia. Because Bowser Jr does not know who his mama is, Clawdia most likely died when Bowser Jr was very young. Though Bowser regards this wedding as official and calls Peach his wife throughout the game, she refutes his claims and considers the wedding to be a sham. Koopa's High School Yearbook depicted an unnamed female Koopa who had a crush on Bowser despite the fact that they only ever talked once (he asked for her sandwich); she founded the one-member "Koopa Fan Club" and was also in the "Future Wives of Tyrants Club", but nothing else is known about her. A nerdy Koopa that also appears to be of Bowser's specific Koopa species also appears; it is shown that he was commonly bullied by him. Part of a picture of another Koopa appearing like Bowser can also be seen in the bottom corner, but the picture appears to be ripped. In the same Super Show episode that featured his mother, Bowser tried and failed to marry Peach, and his unrequited crush on the princess recurs in various games, including Super Mario Sunshine, where Bowser Jr. claimed that she was his mother, although this was later proven false. In Super Paper Mario, the two were by Count Bleck and Nastasia as part of the former's plan to unleash the Chaos Heart, and while Bowser regarded the marriage as official and happily referred to Peach as his wife throughout the game, she refuted his claims and called the wedding a sham. Bowser was shown to have his own admirer in high school, as seen in the comic "Koopa's High School Yearbook": after he asked for her sandwich, the unnamed Koopa developed a crush on Bowser, formed the one-member "Koopa Fan Club" and joined the "Future Wives of Tyrants Club", although it is unknown if her ambitions to marry the Koopa King ever panned out. Additionally, an issue of the UK Nintendo Power]once said that Bowser had a wife named Clawdia Koopa, however this is largely believed to be a joke, as she was never mentioned again. In a recent interview, Miyamoto simply stated that Bowser Jr.'s mother was "unknown".
The cartoons and various comics refer to many other relatives of Bowser. He mentions a grandfather named Poopa La Koopa in the Super Show episode "Butch Mario & the Luigi Kid", saying his motto was "Cheat, beat, and be merry!" Bowser also mentions a paternal "great-great grandkoop" in the Super Show episode, "Raiders of the Lost Mushroom," claiming that he built the Temple of Koopa to hide the Lost Mushroom, which he then left to Bowser. In an episode of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser's son Morton brings up one of the Koopalings' great grandmothers, and the family was shown to have a pet rabbit named Pookie in the Nintendo Comics System; he was often abused, until his eventual escape from Bowser's Castle in the comic "Bowser Knows Best". In the Nintendo Adventure Book Flown the Koopa, an unnamed Magikoopa stated to be Bowser's third cousin twice removed is featured as the main antagonist; this character also appears in the later books Unjust Desserts and Brain Drain, though has only a minor role in both. Finally, in both an episode of the Super Show and the song "Ignorance is Bliss", Bowser mentions a younger sister who is, according to him, a bookworm.
Bowser's appeared in Mario Party 8 with his role the same as the previous Mario Parties. Bowser also appeared in Mario Strikers Charged as a playable captain and in Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, amd Super Mario Galaxy.
Appearances in Other Media
Anime
Bowser, under his Japanese name of King Koopa, was featured as the main villain of the Japan-exclusive video The Great Mission to Save Princess Peach, which had King Koopa abducting Princess Peach, wanting to force her to love and marry him. Near the end of the film, King Koopa tries to forcefully marry Princess Peach, only for the wedding to be interupted by Mario and Luigi. After severally pummeling Mario, King Koopa is eventually defeated by Mario who, becoming empowered by a Starman, beats King Koopa and throws him over the horizon. In the post-credits sequence of the movie, Bowser, as well as his Koopa Troopa minions, can be seen happily working at Mario and Luigi's grocery store.
King Koopa was also featured as the main villain of all three of the stories in the Super Mario Amada Series anime, which had him taking on the guise of various fairy tale villains.
In the first story of the Super Mario Amada Series, Momotarō, King Koopa acts as the story's ogre, who kidnaps Princess Peach with the help of his henchmen, the Koopalings. King Koopa is eventually defeated and Princess Peach is rescued when Momotarō (Mario) defeats him with help from his allies.
In the second story of the Super Mario Amada Series, Issun-bōshi, King Koopa plays a somewhat minimal role, appearing to bully both Princess Peach and Issun-bōshi (Mario) during the story. While harrassing Princess Peach, King Koopa eats Issun-bōshi, who prods King Koopa's innards with a needle; this causes King Koopa to experience a horrific stomach ache and forces him to regurgitate Issun-bōshi and run away, yelling.
In the final story of the Super Mario Amada Series, Shirayukihime (Snow White), King Koopa, oddly, plays the role of the story's Wicked Queen, who wishes to steal the beauty of Princess Peach. After poisoning Princess Peach, who is later cured, King Koopa tries to take her as a hostage, only to be defeated by Luigi.
Bowser, though only referred to as King Koopa, appeared as main character in DiC Entertainment's The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, which he was also the main villain of. In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, King Koopa would often try to do dastardly deeds of somesort, such as trying to conquer a kingdom or stealing a treasure or artifact; aiding King Koopa in these plots were his Koopa Pack and most commonly a sidekick of sorts, most commonly Mouser, Tryclyde, Fryguy, or Clawgrip. In several episodes, King Koopa would capture Princess Toadstool and attempt to blackmail her into giving him the Mushroom Kingdom, although some other episodes implied he already had some measure of control over the kingdom. Interestingly, in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, King Koopa would oftentimes adorn an alias and costume, amoung other things, becoming a cowboy, sailor, biker and vampire.
Television
Bowser, though most commonly referred to by the name of King Koopa instead of Bowser, was featured as the main villain of all three of DiC Entertainment's Super Mario cartoons, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. Like Princess Toadstool, King Koopa's appearance was based off of his Super Mario Bros sprite rather than official artwork from the title. As stated above Bowser looked nothing like he does today because of the limitations of his in-game sprite. His shell had yellow unsharp spikes rather than white pointy ones. His spiked collars also had yellow spikes and were colored green instead of white spikes and black collars. Also he only had 2 collars rather than 5. This version also seemed to be completely "depowered". As he lacked every super power he had in the game and even lacked his roar. He also lacked his infamous laugh.
In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, King Koopa, given the full name of King Bowser Koopa, was featured as the show's main antagonist, along with the Koopalings. In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser had stopped the use of aliases, his plots also became somewhat more odd in nature, such as turning his children into giant, ninja warriors, making television superhero, Mighty Plumber, real and making him his partner and trying to transform the entire population of Brooklyn into Koopa Zombies. In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, King Koopa, having seemingly been banished from the Mushroom Kingdom sometime after the events of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, returned to it to cause havoc, with the aid of his seven Koopalings. In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, King Koopa stopped his use of aliases and costumes and his plans became somewhat more odd in nature, such as turning his children into giant, ninja warriors for the sole purpose of kidnapping one Prince Hugo the Huge so he could simply transform him into a poodle
Bowser was also featured as the main villain of Super Mario World, which he made infrequent appearances in, being somewhat pushed aside by the Koopalings and new, show-exclusive villains. It is unknown what became of Bowser in Super Mario World, as his last appearance in the show (excluding the flashback episode "Mama Luigi") had him trapped in his bedroom, which was rapidly filling with lava. In Super Mario World, which King Koopa made only somewhat infrequent appearances in, King Koopa, as revealed in the episode "Mama Luigi", had been once again been banished from the Mushroom Kingdom, was forced to move to Dinosaur World, which he began to cause trouble in as well. King Koopa's fate at the end of Super Mario World is never actually disclosed, as his final appearance in it (excluding the aforementioned, flashback episode "Mama Luigi") had him trapped in his bedroom, which was rapidly filling with lava.
Oddly, King Koopa was featured as the host of his own, live-action television series, called King Koopa's Kool Kartoons; King Koopa's Kool Kartoons had King Koopa entertaining an audience of viewers, who he would often give free gifts to and show old, public domain cartoons too giving Nintendo related merchandise to his all-child audience members, as well as showing them old, public domain cartoons.
Publications
In the Mario portions of Valiant's Nintendo Comics System, Bowser was once again featured as the main enemy of the Mushroom Kingdom, which he continued to try and cause chaos in.
In the comics' continuation, Nintendo Adventure Books, also created by Valiant, Bowser was featured as the main antagonist of almost every story, where he often tried to commit somewhat bizarre and over the top deeds.
In Nintendo Power's Super Mario Adventures comic serial, Bowser, wanting to marry Princess Toadstool, abducts her from her castle after causing mass panic there by sending several monsters to attack it; after abducting Princess Toadstool, Bowser put her under the watch of his Koopalings, he also turned several Mushroom People into stone statues.
Bowser is eventually defeated in Super Mario Adventures when Mario, Luigi, Yoshi and the Yoshis Bowser had hypnotized into being his slaves, rampaged through his wedding to a brainwashed Princess Toadstool. Trying to escape from Mario, Bowser boarded his Koopa Clown Copter, only to lose control of it after being lassoed by Mario; Bowser was last seen having crashed into his gigantic wedding cake, which eventually collapsed after being half-eaten by Yoshis.
Movies
In the Super Mario Bros. movie, Bowser, only ever called King Koopa here, was portrayed as the sadistic and tyrannical ruler of Dinohatten, an alternate universe version of Manhatten, New York which King Koopa had forcefully overthrown. Not content with simply rulling Dinohatten, King Koopa had planned on conquering Earth, which he needed a meteorite fragment owned by Princess Daisy to do.
After a brief invasion of Earth with his Goomba minions, King Koopa was brought back to Dinohatten were he battled Mario and Luigi. In the end, King Koopa was hit with his own De-evolution Gun and regressed to a Tyrannosaurus Rex form and later, a pile of primordial ooze.
Other
Bowser was featured as the main villain of the Ice Capades of 1989, which had him trying to cause worldwide chaos by spreading an electronics corrupting virus through Nintendo Entertainment Systems.
Impersonators
In several instances throughout the series, there have been characters who have imitated Bowser's appearance, generally for their own gain. There have been many impostors in some games who have tried to replicate or manifest him in varying ways, albeit perfectly or imperfectly:
| Impersonation | Impersonator/Creator | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Fake Bowser | Various | Super Mario Bros., Super Mario 3D Land |
| Mechakoopas | Super Mario World, Yoshi's Safari, Hotel Mario, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario Party 5, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Party Advance, Mario Party 7, Super Mario Galaxy, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Mario Party 9, New Super Mario Bros. U, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Super Smash Bros. For Nintendo 3DS / Wii U | |
| Iggy Koopa | Hotel Mario | |
| Bowser clone | Belome | Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars |
| Bowser Suit | Mario and company | Mario Party, Mario Party 2, Mario Party 3, Mario Party 4, Mario Party 8 |
| Bowser??? | Koopa Bros. | Paper Mario |
| Koopa Kid | Mario Party 3 | |
| King Boo | Luigi's Mansion | |
| Mecha-Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Super Mario Sunshine, Mario Party 5, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Kart Arcade GP, Mario Party 7, Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Party 9 |
| Dark Bowser | Shadoo | Super Paper Mario |
| False Bowser | Shadow Bugs | Super Smash Bros. Brawl |
| Dark Bowser | Dark Star | Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story |
| Bowser X | Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team |
Nicknames and aliases
- See also: King Koopa's alter egos
In several of his appearances, Bowser has been known to use aliases, or is referred to through a self-given nickname or a nickname given by others. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show and Mario Party 2 mostly show him under an alias matching the theme of each location explored.
- King of the Koopa / King of the Koopas / Koopa King (Various)
- King Koopa (Japanese name and other media such as cartoons)
- Koopa (Japanese name and other media such as cartoons)
- King Bowser (Various)
- Lord Bowser (Paper Mario series, Mario Kart 8 and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games)
- Big dude (Baby Bowser)
- Cap'n Bowser
- Bowser the Brash
- Wizard Bowser
- Bowser Sphinx
- Black Hole Bowser
- The King of Awesome
- Mr. Bowser (Merlon, Koopa Kid, Wendy O. Koopa)
- The Boss of Bwahaha (Nintendo)
- King Dad (Koopalings)
- Pop (Koopalings, Bowser Jr.)
- Big B (Iggy Koopa)
- Daddykins (Kootie Pie)
- Papa (Bowser Jr.)
- Dad (Bowser Jr., Koopalings)
- Koopums (His mother)
- Rookie (Popple)
- Monsieur Turtle Bits (Broque Monsieur)
- Monster (Lubba)
- Sire (Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games)
- Master Bowser (Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam)
Official profiles and statistics
- Main article: List of Bowser profiles and statistics
Bowser's profiles usually discuss his antagonistic history with Mario, Peach and the Mushroom Kingdom, with his evilness, bad temper and impressive strength and power often being mentioned. In Mario Kart games, he is always among the heaviest players and in other sports games, he is a power player. His speed is highly variable, although when the stat is applicable, his acceleration is usually low. His HP and attack skills vary depending on when he is battled in the RPGs, and as a playable character, he is the powerhouse of the roster.
Paper Mario Stats and Tattle Information
Max HP:
- Round 1: 50
- Round 2 and 3: 99
Attack
- Round 1: 6/8
- Rounds 2 and 3: 8/10
Defense:
- Round 1: 1
- Rounds 2 and 3: 2
Attacks:
- Round 1:
-Ring Attack: Uses the star rod to create a ring to attack Mario and his partner. Does 3 damage to Mario's partner and does 4 damage to Mario.
-Claw Attack: Swipes his claw at Mario, which might poison him in the process. Does 6 damage.
-Fire Breath: Breathes fire at Mario. Does 8 damage.
- Rounds 2 and 3:
-Ring Attack: Uses the star rod to create a ring to attack Mario and his partner. Does 3 damage to Mario's partner and does 6 damage to Mario.
-Claw Attack: Swipes his claw at Mario, which might poison him in the process. Does 8 damage.
-Jump Attack: Jumps on Mario, causing him to lose one of his commands. Does 8 damage.
-Fire Breath: Breathes fire at Mario. Does 10 damage.
-Lightning Slam: Causes lightning to strike Mario. Does 10 damage.
Defense:
- Round 1: 1
- Round 2 and 3: 2
Tattle:
- Round 1: It's the Evil King Bowser! Finally, after all this time! He has a huge arsenal of attacks, from blowing clouds of fire to jumping on us. Fire Attack: 8, Stamp Attack/Nail Attack: 6 I'm sure he has other attacks that I don't know. Boy, does he look nasty! He's strong enough as it is, but I'm sure he can use that Star Rod to increase his power until he's nearly invincible. Princess Peach needs us! Let's take him, Mario!
- Round 2: It's the Evil King Bowser! Uh... I think he got bigger. That's not a good sign... He has a huge arsenal of attacks, from blowing clouds of fire to jumping on us. Fire Attack: 10, Stamp Attack/Nail Attack: 8 I'm sure he has other attacks that I don't know. Kammy Koopa's mysterious device has somehow beefed up his power even more. That's hardly fair! You should use that Star Beam whenever he uses the Star Rod to increase his power. Oh, you already knew that?
- Round 3: It's the Evil King Bowser! No more messing around! He has a huge arsenal of attacks, from blowing clouds of fire to jumping on us. Fire Attack: 10, Stamp Attack/Nail Attack: 8 I'm sure he has other attacks that I don't know. When he increases his power with the Star Rod, our attacks will be totally useless. When that happens, you must use our ultimate weapon, the Peach Beam! It has the power of everyone's wishes! This is our time, Mario! Let's take this chump! We're coming, Princess!
Paper Mario 2: The Thousand-Year Door Stats and Tattle Information
- Glitz Pit Stats: Max HP: 30, Attack Power: 3, Defense Power: 1
- Palace of Shadow Battle Stats: Max HP: 70, Attack Power: 7, Defense Power: 2
- Tattle (First Time): That's Bowser! But what's he doing here?!? My mind just blew a fuse! Max HP is 30, Attack is 3, and Defense is 1. He's uglier than I had expected. He's got a poisonous bite, so watch out! It'll make your HP decrease gradually. Also, if he ground-pounds you, you won't be able to use one of your commands! Just focus your attention on beating him down, Mario!
Palace of Shadow Battle
HP: 70, Attack: 7, Defense: 2
- Tattle (2nd Time): That's Bowser, genius. You've only fought this guy like, a bazillion times. He'll keep kidnapping Peach, and you'll keep fighting him, until the end of time, I think. Max HP is 70, Attack is 7, and Defense is 2. In addition to his fire breath, he jumps on you and bites. If you get jumped on, you'll be unable to use a command for a little while. Oh, and his bite sometimes poisons you as well. I don't know what Bowser's doing here, but we gotta defeat him quick!
- Tattle Number: 41
- Tattle Log (1st Time): Mario's fated enemy. Bowser, the Koopa King is a foe to be feared. His typical turf is NOT Glitzville.
- Tattle Log (2nd Time): Mario's sworn enemy. He's a big galoot who has come to swipe Princess Peach and the Crystal Stars.
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Information
"A mighty foe that trades speed for pure power."
Trophies
Bowser is a playable character with three trophies. His moves are:
- Fire Breath (neutral B)
- Koopa Klaw (smash B)
- Whirling Fortress (up B)
- Bowser Bomb (down B)
- B - Flame Breath
- B → - Koopa Klaw
- B ↑ - Whirling Fortress
- B ↓ - Bowser Bomber
Also, there are other trophies related to Bowser, such as Baby Bowser and the Koopa Clown Car.
Additionally, a character named Giga Bowser appears.
Trophies
Regular Trophy/Classic
Description: Bowser has a long history of kidnapping Princess Peach to lure his nemesis, Mario, into traps. He leads an enormous group of mischievous creatures, not the least of which are his seven children. With outrageous strength, flammable breath, and more spikes than you can shake a Star Rod at, Bowser is a constant threat. His amazing bulk allows him to do his somewhat signature moves, the 'Butt Bomb' and the body crushing, belly-to-belly Bodyslam.
Unlock: Beat Classic Mode as Bowser.
Smash-1 Trophy/Adventure
Description: In many ways, Bowser is the toughest character around. Not only does he have near-impervious hide, but his great mass makes him almost impossible to hurl offscreen. Of course, his weight also makes him rather slow to maneuver, so when facing him in battle, it's best to press your attack and not give him a chance to counter.
Unlock: Beat Adventure Mode as Bowser.
Smash-2 Trophy/All-Star
Description: Bowser's Fire Breath strikes continually, but it grows gradually smaller over time until it's barely smoldering. The Koopa Klaw rakes enemies at a distance and pulls nearby foes in close for a good gnawing. Bowser's Whirling Fortress moves laterally over the ground; it works in midair as a recovery. The Bowser Bomb is powerful and paves the way for more attacks.
Unlock: Beat All-Star Mode as Bowser.
Mario Hoops 3-on-3
Bowser has had eight "children" under his wing in the Mario series.
- Baller Name: The Big Shell
- Type: Powerful
- Special Shot: Bomber Dunk
- Letter to Tap: B
Trophy Information from Super Smash Bros. Melee
| # | Name | Image | First Game / Move | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Bowser (Classic) |
File:Trophy31.PNG | Super Mario Bros. 10/85 |
Bowser has a long history of kidnapping Princess Peach to lure his nemesis, Mario, into traps. He leads an enormous group of mischievous creatures, not the least of which are his seven children. With outrageous strength, flammable breath, and more spikes than you can shake a Star Rod at, Bowser is a constant threat. |
| 32 | Bowser [Smash] (Adventure) |
File:Trophy32.PNG |  : Fire Breath Smash : Koopa Klaw
|
In many ways, Bowser is the toughest character around. Not only does he have near-impervious hide, but his great mass makes him almost impossible to hurl offscreen. Of course, his weight also makes him rather slow to maneuver, so when facing him in battle, it's best to press your attack and not give him a chance to counter. |
| 33 | Bowser [Smash] (All-Star) |
File:Trophy33.PNG | Up & : Whirling Fortress Down & : Bowser Bomb
|
Bowser's Fire Breath strikes continually, but it grows gradually smaller over time until it's barely smoldering. The Koopa Klaw rakes enemies at a distance and pulls nearby foes in close for a good gnawing. Bowser's Whirling Fortress moves laterally over the ground; it works in midair as a recovery. The Bowser Bomb is powerful and paves the way for more attacks. |
| 82 | Giga Bowser | File:Trophy82.PNG | Super Smash Bros. Melee 12/01 |
An even more imposing figure than the original King of the Koopas. Giga Bowser is roughly twice the size of his scaly, fire-breathing, spike-studded Super Smash Bros. Melee counterpart. Predictably, this monstrous creature's offensive and defensive powers are a grade higher than those of regular Bowser. Good luck defeating this colossus! |
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- Instruction Booklet: "The King of the Koopas is a destructive heavyweight."
- Website: "The biggest and the heaviest of fighters, Bowser has a slightly different flavor this time around!
To be honest, there are a LOT of characters that offer a slightly different flavor this time around. If you think they’re all going to be the same as they have been, it’ll be rough for you."
Trophy Information from Super Smash Bros. Brawl
| # | Name | Image | Appearance(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Bowser | 
|
NES Super Mario Bros. GCN Super Mario Sunshine |
The king of the Koopas and Mario's eternal rival. He breathes fire, hurls hammers, attacks from vehicles like the Koopa Clown Car, and uses all sorts of weapons in hopes of taking out Mario. As his size suggests, he's immensely powerful. His son Bowser Jr. is a chip off the old block who spends his time creating trouble for Mario. |
| 18 | Giga Bowser | 
|
WII Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Bowser, transformed into the terrible and brutal form first seen in Super Smash Bros. Melee. While in this form, he's invulnerable--he takes no damage and cannot be budged. His appearance is so fierce, it's as if he doesn't even belong in the Smash Bros. universe. He cannot maintain this form for long, so dealing out damage efficiently is key. |
| 149 | 'Paper Bowser | 
|
WII Super Paper Mario | The great king of the Koopas who plots to rule the land with a firm fist. In a change of events, Bowser goes from being Mario's rival to adventuring side by side with him. Bowser's special skill is breathing fire and he has nearly twice the attack power of Mario or Peach, which allows him to take out foes from a distance or multiple enemies with a single blow. |
| 151 | Wedding Bowser | 
|
WII Super Paper Mario | The great Koopa king in a sharp, white tuxedo. Bowser is forced into marriage with Princess Peach by Count Bleck, who plots to wipe out the universe with the Chaos Heart. Although it's all part of Count Bleck's plan, Bowser doesn't seem to be displeased with the prospect. This might just be the last time we ever see Bowser in a tuxedo. |
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Prima Rating
Offense: 10
Defense: 5
Projectile: 4
Final Smash: 7
Throwing Ability: 8
Speed: 1
Overall: 8
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Bio: Yep. Mario teams up with Bowser. These two archenemies have put aside their differences and joined forces. Let's hope this alliance sticks. Watch your back, Mario.
- Level: 8
- HP: 80
- Speed: 15
- Attack: 85
- Defense: 52
- Magic Attack: 20
- Magic Defense: 30
- Default Equipment
- Weapon: None
- Armor: None
- Accessory: None
- Special Attack: Terrorize
- FP Used: 6
- Magic Power: 10
- Description: Scare 'em good!
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
- Instruction Booklet Bio: "Bwaaahhh ha HA! I'm so good, golfing is starting to get boring! BORING!"
Mario Baseball series
Mario Superstar Baseball
- Team Captain: Yes
- Player Type: Power
- Home Court: Bowser Castle
- Star Swing: Killer Ball
- Star Pitch: Killer Ball
- Special Skill: Laser Beam, Body Check
- Good Chemistry
- Bad Chemistry
- Stats
- Batting: 9
- Pitching: 9
- Fielding: 1
- Running: 1
- Bio
- "Mario's archrival and the king of the Koopa Clan. He's challenged Mario and his friends to battles countless times, but his ambitions tend to get crushed every time. His lethal Killer Ball is powerful enough to drag anyone who catches it across the field!"
Information
Bowser is obviously the best hitter in the game, but he is poor in most subjects. He is the worst fielder in the game, with the worst range, worst glove, and below average throwing arm. He does have the best fastball in the game, but he has pretty bad pitch movement, making him overrated in pitching.
Mario Super Sluggers
- Team Captain: Yes
- Team Name: Bowser Monsters
- Home Court: Bowser Castle
- Star Swing: Breath Swing
- Star Pitch: Killer Ball
- Special Skill: Spin Attack
Good Chemistry
| Character | Good Chemistry | Bad Chemistry |
|---|---|---|
| Bowser | Koopa Troopa, Koopa Paratroopa, Dry Bones, Bowser Jr., Hammer Bro, Magikoopa | Mario, King K. Rool |
Bad Chemistry
Stats
- Batting: 10
- Pitching: 5
- Fielding: 1
- Running: 1
Stats Mission
1) Drive in a run!
2) Win MVP!!
3) Get a Bullet Bill!
4) Smack a hit with a charge swing!
5) Win with a shutout!
6) Bat in a run with the Killer Ball swing!
7) Crush someone with a body check!
8) Hit a home run!
9) Belt 2 homers in 1 game!
10) Belt a grand slam!
Talents
Body Check, Laser Beam
Online Card Bio
"Bowser is a real bad bruiser. As the king of the Koopas and captain of the Bowser Monsters, he packs superstrong hitting, killer pitching and a vicious outfield spin attack into one package."
Mario RPG's Stats
Initial Stats in Super Mario RPG
- Level 8
- HP: 80
- Speed: 15
- Attack: 85
- Defense: 52
- Magic Attack: 20
- Magic Defense: 30
- Special Attacks:
- Terrorize
- FP Used: 6
- Magic Power: 10
- Description: Bowser summons a Big Boo to frighten enemies, cutting their attack and defense in half. Rotate the Control Pad to make the attack more potent.
Mario Kart (series)
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
- Speed: *
- Weight: *****
- Bio: "With road rage pumping through his veins, Bowser is the biggest brute on the track. It's impossible to push him around, but his weighty shell makes his acceleration suffer."
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
- Kart: Koopa King
- Partner: Bowser Jr.
- Class: Heavy
- Special Item: Bowser's Shell
- Bio: Naturally, Bowser gives new meaning to the term road rage. His massive girth is matched only by his fierce temper.
- Bio 2: "Mario's archnemesis. Will racing with his son make him behave better?"
Mario Kart DS
- Acceleration: *
- Top Speed: ***
- Off-Road: *
- Bios
- Website:
"Mario's arch-enemy is superb at using his drifting skills to race through curves. Watch out when Bowser barrels through!"
"During Mario Kart season, Mario and his arch enemy Bowser put their differences aside for the sake of the sport. Bowser is the biggest of the group and therefore his karts are the slowest to accelerate. But his top speed is the highest of all."
- Instruction Booklet: "Mario's arch-enemy is superb at using his drifting skills to race through curves."
- Karts:
- Standard
Mario Kart Wii
- Size: Large
- Actual Bonuses
- Speed: +2
- Weight: +3
- Drift: +3
Mario Kart 7
- Class: Heavy
- Stat Boosts
- Speed: 4
- Acceleration: 2
- Weight: 4.25
- Handling: 2.5
- Off-Road: 3.5
- Site Bio:
- "Mario's scaly nemesis is a turbo beast in any race, but he takes a while to reach top speed."
- "Bowser is a real heavyweight, and while his acceleration leaves a lot to be desired, his top speed is top class."
Stats
- Movement: 3
- Shooting: 10
- Passing: 3
- Defense: 10
Mario Golf Series
Bowser is usually a default playable character in the Mario Golf games. But in Mario Golf: Advance Tour, he is unlockable and can only be unlocked by transferring data to and from Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. In Mario Golf: Advance Tour, he was present to compete against the characters Neil and Ella. He was very rude towards them and almost got into a fight with Mario. It was interrupted by Peach who reminded them of their manners. Bowser has the longest hit ratio of all characters but has low control. He hosts a tournament like Peach in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour.
Black Hole Bowser
Black Hole Bowser is the villain terrorizing Space Land. He is always seen in a spaceship, which, strangely enough, is not similar to the Koopa Clown Car. At the end, the winner must battle Black Hole Bowser. Black Hole Bowser has an on-board tractor beam that takes all coins from whoever it hits. It fires every time the countdown goes from 5 to 0. This happens every time a player passes through the central part of the board, where there are four different ways to go.
Bowser Sphinx
The Bowser Sphinx is the villain of Mystery Land. He can be recognized by being a Bowser wearing an Egyptian-style collar. At the end, the Bowser Sphinx will challenge a Koopa Troopa to a game of riddles in order to win the aliens' gold statue, (the aliens are actually Bob-ombs). The Koopa fails, but is punished anyway and put into a rock. The winner of the game then challenges the Bowser Sphinx to another game of riddles. The player guesses correctly, the Bowser Sphinx disappears and the statue breaks to reveal the alien that was trapped inside. The other aliens come to take their rescued comrade gold statue away on their spaceship.
A similar entity appears in Mario Party 7 in Pyramid Park, but as a regular Sphinx, not Bowser himself. When the player lands on it's ? Space, it will either cut Chain Chomps's costs in half or split all players' coins equally. Also, if the player plays Pyramid Park in Cruise Mode, a Bandit will steal Bowser Sphinx's Star.
A form of King Koopa similar to the Bowser Sphinx also appeared in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode "The Ten Koopmandments / The Artist" as "Koop Tut".
Bowser the Brash
Bowser the Brash is the Old West-style alter-ego of King Bowser. He is the villain of Western Land. The outlaw wears a cowboy hat. At the end of the Western Land party, the winning player must save a Koopa Troopa banker from Bowser the Brash. A duel with cheap pop-cork guns is fought to save the money.
On three occassions, King Koopa dressed up as a similar looking cowboy with different alter-egos on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!. Those being "Kid Koopa" from "Butch Mario & the Luigi Kid / All Steamed Up", "Claim Jump Koopa" from "The Great Gold Coin Rush / Game Show Host" and "Billy the Koopa" from "The Provolone Ranger / Goodbye Mr. Fish".
Cap'n Bowser
Captain Bowser is the pirate-style alter-ego of Bowser. He wears an eye patch over his left eye and his weapon, like the rest of the Pirate Land characters, is a saber sword. His appearance at the completion of a Pirate Land game sees him trying to prevent a Koopa Troopa from taking a bundle of treasure so he can take it for himself. The character who won the game would sword fight with Captain Bowser and defeat him to save the Koopa Troopa.
A form of King Koopa similar to Captain Bowser also appeared in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode "Rolling Down the River / The Mario Monster Mash" as "Captain Koopa".
Wizard Bowser
Wizard Bowser is a vampire-style alter-ego of Bowser. He wears a long black cape and wields a wand that shoots red blue circles out of it. At the end of the Horror Land party, the winning player would use 'Magic of Truth' to defeat Wizard Bowser.
In Mario Party 8, there is a candy named after him called the Bowser Candy. He also a board after him called Bowser's Warped Orbit. He also is battled in the minigame Superstar Showdown when he steals the Star Rod. After that he disappears and is seen in the end credits blowing flames. Interestingly enough he is seen in his Koopa Clown Car.
Solid Snake Codec Conversation
- Colonel: Careful, Snake! That's the great and terrible Bowser!
- Snake: Bowser? Looks like a cheap movie monster.
- Colonel: Hardly. Bowser leads an entire army of monsters. But I'd worry more about his claws and fire if I were you.
- Snake: Doesn't look that tough to me. Seems kind of slow, actually.
- Colonel: Well, he is the king of Koopas. It's only natural he'd be slow. But that's only because he's the heaviest fighter here--by far. He's a powerhouse of destruction. Careful he doesn't flatten you.
Special Moves
Fire Breath
- Main article: Fire Breath
- Main article: SmashWiki:Fire Breath
{{multiple image
|align=right |direction=horizontal |image1=Melee-FireBreath.png |caption1=Fire Breath in Melee. |width1=200 |image2=BrawlFireBreath.jpg |caption2=Fire Breath in Brawl. |width2=200 }}
Fire Breath is one of Bowser's special moves in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl. Bowser uses this move when is pressed. It is exactly the same as a Fire Flower, except that the flames get smaller the more it is used. The attack is somewhat of a long-distance move, and is usually best to use when the enemy is coming in for close-range combat. However, the move will leave Bowser motionless while using the attack, and will leave his back open for attack. If Kirby copies Bowser's abilities, he will gain the Fire Breath attack.
Koopa Klaw
- Main article: SmashWiki:Koopa Klaw
Koopa Klaw is one of Bowser's special moves in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Bowser uses this move when is pressed in conjunction with either left or right on the Control Stick. This move has two variations, based on Bowser's distance from his opponent. If the two are sufficiently far apart, he simply lashes out with his claws, leaving a visible trail in the air. If Bowser is near enough to his opponent, however, he will grab a hold of his foe, allowing him to either gnaw on them or execute a throw move. If Bowser grabs them, he will be able to bite them repeatedly, until they manage to escape from his grasp. Nevetheless, grabbing them is a great way to deal a mass amount of damage.
Bowser is seen doing a similar move called Flying Slam in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Flying Slam
- Main article: SmashWiki:Flying Slam
Flying Slam is Bowser's Side Special Move in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, replacing the Koopa Klaw from Super Smash Bros. Melee. In essense, Flying Slam is essentially the same move as Koopa Klaw, with one fundamental difference: Bowser claws at his opponent and if he connects, he'll perform a flying suplex, rather than throw them over his shoulder as he did with the Koopa Klaw. Bowser's air movement can be controlled somewhat during this move. If connecting midair, Bowser will go down with the enemy, and can KO himself as well as the enemy. The enemy can, however, control the movement of the two, and fight back, depending on both the enemy's and Bowser's damage percentages. Bowser doesn't bite his enemy with this move, unlike with the Koopa Klaw.
Whirling Fortress
- Main article: SmashWiki:Whirling Fortress
Whirling Fortress is a move that can only be used by Bowser in both Super Smash Bros. Melee and its sequel, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Bowser activates this move when a player presses Up and simultaneously. Bowser conceals himself inside his shell, and spins around with it in the air. If it hits any of the other players, they take a relatively large amount of damage, depending on how long they are in contact with the spinning shell. The attack is a very useful move, as it acts as Bowser's third jump, and it does damage to any opponent it hits. The attack can also be used on the ground, instead of just in the air.
If the player pauses while Bowser is using the attack, and zooms in on the front of his shell, they can see Bowser's eyes inside the shell.
Bowser Bomb
- Main article: SmashWiki:Bowser Bomb
Bowser Bomb is an attack that is used by Bowser and by extension, Giga Bowser in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It is executed by pressing the down+, however, there are several different control types for Super Smash Bros. Brawl (see here). Bowser jumps up to the right, and smashes down on the ground, damaging any players under him and launches them into the air. Like the Yoshi Bomb, this will always result in an SD if used off the edge as this attack is a stall-then-fall. It is called the Bowser Bomb because it is like a bomb coming down at a high speed, and when Bowser hits the ground, the move's power is quite explosive. This is one of the things that separates the Bowser Bomb from the Ground Pound move. Yoshi has a similar move called the Yoshi Bomb.
The move is a reference to one of Bowser's attacks in Super Mario Bros. 3, in which the Koopa King would Ground Pound where Mario or Luigi is standing. In fact, the position Bowser gets into when using Bowser Bomb is even borrowed from Super Mario Bros. 3.
Final Smash: Giga Bowser
- Main article: Giga Bowser
- Main article: SmashWiki:Giga Bowser
Although not normally playable in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Giga Bowser appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as Bowser's Final Smash. He still takes damage from hits but won't flinch, making him nearly impossible to KO. Because of his large size, he is able to easily attack and KO an opponent. The duration of this move is very short, however there is a glitch that allows the player to remain as Giga Bowser until they self-destruct (cause themself to be KO'd). Oddly enough, while using Giga Bowser, Bowser's icon doesn't change, but that's because it's only a Final Smash move. While Giga Bowser is activated, Bowser's icon doesn't change. Additionally, Giga Bowser can be turned around with Mario's Cape attack.
Stickers (Brawl)
| Image | Game | Effect |
|---|---|---|
|
Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix | [Throwing] - Attack +20 Usable by: Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Peach, Bowser |
| File:Bowser MK64 Sticker.jpg | Mario Kart 64 | [Weapon] - Attack +13 Usable by: Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Peach, Bowser |
|
Mario Power Tennis | [Darkness] - Attack +21 Usable by: Ganondorf |
|
Super Paper Mario | [Arm] - Attack +23 Usable by: Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Peach, Bowser |
Bio from The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 Writers Bible
- "Despite every devious and dastardly plot he hatches, Koopa has a certain Rodney Dangerfield-like vulnerability which makes him as loveable as he is hateable. Koopa is pure id. Unmitigated selfishness running rampant in an ugly green body. He will capture, trick, bribe, threaten, attack, cast evil spells, hurl malicious insults, throw temper tantrums and do anything else despicable and nasty to defeat the Super Marios. And he has so much fun doing it, we always want to see him try again. In Super Mario 3 [sic], Koopa fans can enjoy his humorous rantings and funny frustrations even more as he contends with his seven black sheep Koopalings. If reptiles had hair, Koopa would've pulled all his out by now".
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
- Website Bios
- "Bowser is the big, boastful bruiser of the Mushroom Kingdom, and ruler of the Koopas. His hobbies are terrorizing Princess Peach and thinking up ways to foil Mario once and for all."
Nicknames
Your Beefiness, Monsiuer Turtle Bits, The King of Awesome
- "Get to know Bowser better than you ever thought possible – from the inside out! While Mario and Luigi get gung-ho down in his guts (let's hope there’s more than one exit), Bowser’s on a solo mission to protect his castle – and his dignity – against the dastardly Fawful."
- Instruction Booklet Bio: "The big bruiser who rules over the Koopas as their king. He'll get Princess Peach this time, if it's the last thing he does..."
Initial Stats:
- HP: 75
- SP: 17
- POW: 55
- DEF: 29
- SPEED: 12
- HORN: 26
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
- Website Bios
- "It wouldn't be the same without Bowser, so it's a good thing he turns up to Pi'illo Island, too—univited, of course. He's pretty peeved when he finds out someone else has kidnapped Princess Peach!"
- "It wouldn't be the same without Bowser, so it's a good job he turns up to Pi'illo Island too - even if he is uninvited! Wonder what he's got planned this time?"
Olympic Champion
Bowser appears in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games as a power type character. He is the strongest character with a high level of stamina. Bowser does excellent in events such as the Hammer Throw or any events dealing with strength.
Mario Sports Mix
Player Card
| Character Name | Character Type | Home Court | Power Statistic | Speed Statistic | Technique Statistic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paper Mario series
Paper Mario
- Instruction Booklet Bio: "Will Bowser use the Star Rod to become ruler of the world? It's up to Mario to make sure that never happens!"
Super Paper Mario Catch Cards
| # | Name | Card Type | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 226 | Bowser (1) | Rare | File:BowserCard.png | Mario's mean-spirited rival needs no introduction. He's not too happy about having to help out Mario. |
| 227 | Bowser (2) | Uncommon | File:Bowser2Card.png | There's Bowser looking dapper in a white tux! Pity the minion that had to wax his shell... |
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Website Bio: "Donning his shiny new paper crown, Bowser has wrangled up his minions and laid waste to the Mushroom Kingdom".
Mario Party series
Mario Party Advance
- Character Data 1: "Pops up all over. Has the hots for Peach."
- Character Data 2: "He's an awful person who makes mayhem for Mario and his friends."
Mario Party DS
Character Trophy
| # | Name | Image | Description | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Bowser | 
|
Bowser's the fiercest force anywhere! His power is unparalleled! And his authority is beyond question! That's what he'd like you to think anyway! | Earn 38,000 Mario Party Points. |
Boss Trophy
| # | Name | Image | Description | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | Bowser Beaten | 
|
You are the greatest Bowser hunter ever! You captured him! Nothing can beat you! You're standing on top of the world! Oh, yes! The whole world! | Beat the Bowser's Block Party minigame six times. |
Badge
| # | Name | Image | Description | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | Bowser Rival | 
|
37,000 MMP earns you the rank of Bowser Rival, and this is your badge! Makes you seem scary. | Earn 37,000 Mario Party Points. |
Mario & Sonic series
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Profile
"A Koopa with big spikes, Bowser is an extremely strong competitor and will dominate the Power events with his big muscles. His nasty disposition makes him an intimidating competitor in any event that he enters, especially the hammer throw and javelin throw."
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Profile
"Bowser is Mario's arch-enemy and leader of the Koopa race trying to take over the Mushroom Kingdom at every opportunity. Large and strong, this towering competitor has the Spinning Shell ability on the Wii and DS and Flame Dash ability on the DS. The snow will not slow down this member of Team Mario. You can be sure Bowser believes the gold medal has his name on it!"
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
Profile
"One of Mario's biggest rivals, Bowser is an extremely strong competitor and will dominate the Power events with his big muscles. His size makes him a formidable competitor in any event that he enters, especially the Hammer Throw and Javelin Throw."
Statistics=
- Acceleration: 5/10
- Max Speed: 7/10
- Technique: 4/10
- Power: 9/10
- Stamina: 8/10
Wii Stats
DS Stats
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
Profile
"One of Mario's biggest rivals, Bowser is an extremely strong competitor and will dominate the Power events with his big muscles. His size makes him a formidable competitor in any event that he enters, especially the Hammer Throw and Javelin Throw."
Statistics
- Acceleration: 5/10
- Max Speed: 7/10
- Technique: 4/10
- Power: 9/10
- Stamina: 8/10
Fortune Street
- Bio: Head of the Koopa Troop, whose sole aim seems to be disturbing the peace in Mushroom Kingdom. He's a dangerous business rival, who won't hesitate to buy your property from under you.
Super Mario series
Super Mario Bros.
- Manual Description: "The sorcerer king holding Princess Toadstool captive in the last castle. He comes at you spitting fire. There are several ways to kill him, but you only get points if you use fireballs."
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
- European Website Bio: "The flame-haired, fire-breathing King of the Koopas could never be described as a quitter. For every failed attempt to hold Princess Peach captive, Bowser seems to have five more schemes up his sizeable sleeve. Could his latest plot finally see him getting the better of Mario?"
Super Mario 3D Land
Website Bio: The dastardly King of the Koopas is making Mario's life difficult again. He'll spit fireballs, shake the ground, and throw whatever he can get his hands on to keep you from getting Princess Peach.
New Super Mario Bros. 2
Website Bio: The colossal King of the Koopas is up to no good again—and with the Koopalings in tow, he might be unstoppable... Can you make it all the way to his castle?
New Super Mario Bros. U
Website Bio: With a fearsome fleet of airships at his disposal, Bowser and his cohorts have decided to mount an attack right on the heroes' home turf.
Mario Strikers Charged Football Data
- Type: Power
- Deke: Hides in his shell to repel opponents.
- Stats
- Movement: 3
- Shooting: 10
- Passing: 3
- Defense: 10
Mario Tennis
- Instruction Booklet Bio: "His impressive serve may be too much to handle."
Mario Tennis Open
- Type: Power
- Bio: "Bowser is proud of his power. The shots released from his massive body have explosive power! No shot is too strong for him to return."
- Bio 2: "There’s only one style possible for this megaton of a player. No matter how hard you hit the ball towards him, he'll always return it with interest."
Portrayals
Over the years, Bowser has been voiced/portrayed by several people, both in the games and in other media. They are:
- Isaac Marshall (1996 - 2001)
List of appearances by date
Quotes
- For a full list of quotes, see Category:Quotes.
- I am Bowser, businessman of legend! Fear my accounting! - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
- "ARRGH! Those Mario Bros. are the most annoying brothers of all time!"
- Like the moon over
The day, my genius and brawn
Are lost on these fools. - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
- Great, just great. Now I look like the King of GUYS WHO TALK TO POSTERS! - Paper Mario:The Thousand-Year Door
- "Welcome. No one's home! Now scram--and don't come back!"
- "Who were you expecting? The Tooth Fairy?"
- "This is gonna be excellent!"
- "He who koops and runs away lives to koop another day!"
- "I'm back! And so is 'Captain N & Super Mario Bros. World'!"
- "PTEWWW!! What is this?!!!! I didn't order Koopa Kola Plain--I wanted Koopa Kola Crunchy!!!"
- "Scram, pests, or I'll call an exterminator!!"
- "Koopa Sez, everybody go to the Dome Castle, and get Mario and Luigi, and bring them to me!"
- "Stand still so I can squash ya, you little vermin!"
- "If Mario doesn't find these Star things, I'll have the princess, but I can forget about my castle... Can you run that past me again?
- "Me, nice? I've never been nice in my life! I'm allergic to nice!"
- "The courage beyond compare, the bravery beyond description, I praise this great hero, the superior fiend... me."
- "If I didn't deserve this, I wouldn't give it to me."
- "I haven't done anything really rotten in a long time, not since yesterday."
- "Last one into the cave is a goodie-goodie!"
- "No one asks for a trap faster than a plumber!"
- "Don't interrupt me, not while I'm boasting and gloating!"
- "OK, that does it! You're all gonna be Koopatized!"
- "There'll be other crooked races, and other ways to cheat!"
- "Don't question my orders, you rotten rodent! Just do it!"
- "Stop wisecracking, mushroom, or I'll turn you into soap!"
- "I pledge allegiance to Kootie Pie and the repulsiveness for which she stands..."
- "With the power of the Star Rod, I can finally have everything I've always wanted!"
- "Fool! Those pinhead plumbers are bound to try to rescue Princess Toadstool, and I intend to capture them before they do."
- "This is easier than talking Kootie Pie into a shopping spree!"
- "All right! Come and get your burgers!"
- "We're gonna celebrate the capture of those faucet freaks by letting me win a baseball game."
- "NO!!! It's a chain reaction!!"
- "We never would've lost if you Koopaling clowns had just tried to wake me up! Whose idea was this midnight attack?!"
- "Get off my throne, you ugly upstick!"
- "The bridge is down, but we'll find a way to get back in. Move out, on the double!"
- "Patience, my little chickadees. Egg Scoopa Koopas for everyone, cash in hands, of course."
- "Well, hello there! Give your uncle a big kiss! (kisses baby, who hits him with rattle) Ow! Why you-- uh, you sweet little thing you! (kisses baby again) Yuck! I hate mushroom brats!"
- "Ta ta, turtle dove, until next week. Here's a smooch for your sweet cheek!"
- "Oh no! I can't believe I left my secret diary lying out! It would be totally embarrassing if someone were to read that thing. Wuh... wuh... WHAAAT?!! What's the princess doing here?"
- "I should never have quit my day job!"
- "Will someone get me a drink without little paper umbrellas??!"
- "Are my dinosaurs in for a treat! Kinda high in cholesterol, but I'm sure they can handle it!"
- "I guess I'm not a good guy."
- "Mario always defeats me... This time I became invincible and I STILL couldn't beat him!"
- "My beautiful fortress! And I was going to conquer the world on Tuesday!"
- "Remember, 'Oogtar' spelled backwards is 'rat goo'!"
- "I had so much fun as your crooked judge I decided to become your cruel warden!"
- "Ohh, I hate it when my tootsie-wootsies get wet!"
- "I wonder if I can put Lemmy up for adoption?"
- "Eight Egg Scoopa Koopas coming up! Cook 'em good! No one likes runny eggs, dinobrain!"
- "Hey, don't forget the special Scoopa Sauce. A little scoop'll do ya, haha!"
- "How can I plunder your kingdom if I don't get my beauty rest!?"
- "Happy? Imposter! I never use the H word."
- "Top this, turkey-mouth!"
- "My ol' pop used to say in situations like this - 'Son, when you put your mind to it, there's no problem big enough to run away from'!"
- "Hey, what are you staring at? Haven't you ever seen a reptile ready to conquer the world?"
- "King Bowser Koopa is nobody's fair game!"
- "So now Toadstool and I are allies! I'll never live this down!"
- "Go clean your room! And you'd better do it! Stop pinching your little brother! Don't be a brat! Turn down your stereo! Pick up your socks! Close the door! Get off the telephone!"
- "Gimmie back Hip's Magic Wand! It's Koopa property, and it's rightfully mine!"
- "It's not neat stuff, you nincomkoop! It's the same trash we had before! Now get rid of it! And this time, see that it doesn't come back!"
- "HAHAHAHAHA! This is Koopa-riffic! I can do even more bad in my Doomsub that in my Doomship!"
- "STOP! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO OPEN IT TILL CHRISTMAS... (BOOM) ...morning."
- "Quiet, Koopalings! I'm the king here! I'll decide what land we're gonna take over!"
- "It's a dirty job, but somebody gets to do it!"
- "Kooky, what are you doing? I'm your dear old King Dad!"
- "I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS, MARIOOOOOOOO!!!"
- "Knock it off, knuckleheads! I'm not doing exercises, I'm having a temper tantrum!"
- "Clams, coins, old socks, we're given' em away!"
- "You will grow up to be sneaky, two-faced, cheating illiterates, just like your dad!"
- "HIP! HOP! GET IN HERE! I'LL SEND YOU TO SCHOOL! Gladly."
- "Watch it soldier, when I want my feet licked, I'll ask for it! I want my feet licked."
- "If I want something, I'll just take it!"
- "I wouldn't do that, plunger-face, not if you want to see your precious princess again!"
- "Time out on the tongue department, Big Mouth!"
- "I just got this clunker back from the repair shop!"
- "The Real World's got seven continents, and I'm givin' one to each of you to do with what you like! Bully, you get to be the beast of the east in Asia! Cheatsy, you show how low you can go, down under, in Australia! Kootie Pie, show the Old World some newer nastiness! Go be a plague in Europe! Kooky, go wild in Africa! Big Mouth, blow your hot air all over Antarctica! Hip, rediscover North America! Be rotten from sea to shining sea! Hop, lambada South America! Give the Real World a Kooping it'll never forget!"
- "And I'm gonna destroy you miserable little meddlers! (fiddles on his control panel) Drat! Where is that 'destroy-you-miserable-little-meddlers' button!"
- "Plug your ears and watch your rears!"
- "Now you'll see why I modestly call myself a genius."
- "That's a cruel, rotten, disgusting idea - and I love it!"
- "Hey! Who's been foolin' with my wands?"
- "I'd love to save you, kids, but I just remembered I have a tail-styling appointment in another warp zone!"
- "Costumed plumbers at your service, ma'am! We make plumbing a party!"
- "Keep your crown on! You want people to think I'm marrying a nag?"
- "Pbbbthbtth! Am I Mario's baby-sitter? I don't care what he's doing! Are you going to call me every time that guy blows his nose, or what? Sheesh!"
- "AIRHEAD!!! A picnic?!? You MORON! This is no time for fun! See, THIS is why my evil plans always derail! Because you clods always goof off! AAARGH!"
- "Under NO circumstances is ANYONE allowed to kidnap [Peach] without MY say-so!!!"
- "Listen up, you reptile retches! It’s time to play 'Auction the Princess'!"
- "I'm rich! I'm filthy, stinkin', mouth-watering rich!"
- "Fire a warning shot! ...On second thought, blow the plumber-boys and the Princess right off the boat!"
- "Well, two can play at that game! And I know how to cheat."
- "You mean this is all?! There ain't enough gold here to bother Kooping about!"
- "These fireballs are fantastic! Think of the destruction; think of the wreckage; think of how much this'll lower my heating bill!"
- "The best part about being evil is... you get to lie a lot. Ha ha".
- "I can always build another castle, but you can't build another princess".
Nicknames and Aliases in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
- Al Koopone - The Unzappables
- Bara-Koopa - Mario of the Deep
- Billy the Koopa - The Provolone Ranger
- Blackbeard Koopa - Pirates of Koopa
- Chef Koopa - Do you, Princess Toadstool, take this Koopa...?
- Count Koopula - Count Koopula
- Darth Koopa - Star Koopa
- Dr. Koopinstein - Koopinstein
- El Koopitan - The Mark of Zero
- Emperor Augustus Septemberus Octoberus Koopa - The Great Gladiator Gig
- Goo Goo Ga Ga Koopa - Two Plumbers and a Baby
- Judge/Warden Koopa - Escape from Koopatraz
- King of the Road Koopa (aka Biker Koopa) - Toad Warriors
- Kolonel Von Koop - Raiders of the Lost Mushroom
- Koopa Khan - Brooklyn Bound
- Koopa Klaus - Koopa Klaus
- Koopinstein Monster - Koopinstein
- Koopfinger - On Her Majesty's Sewer Service
- Koop Tut - The Ten Koopmandments
- Koopzilla - Mario Meets Koopzilla
- The Lone Koopa - Butch Mario and the Luigi Kid
- Moonman Koopa - Stars in Their Eyes
- The Pied Koopa - The Pied Koopa
- Professor Kooparity - The Adventures of Sherlock Mario
- Rappin' Koopa - Bad Rap
- Red Baron Koopa - Mario and the Red Baron Koopa
- Robo Koopa - Robo Koopa
- Sheriff of Koopingham - Hooded Robin and his Mario Men
In Super Mario Cartoons
In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
- "Koopa Pack, attack!" - Various episodes
- "He who koops and runs away lives to koop another day!" - Various episodes
- "Watch it soldier, when I want my feet licked, I'll ask for it! I want my feet licked." - "The Bird! The Bird! / Neatness Counts"
- "Like my grandfather Poppa La Koopa always said: "Cheat, beat, and be merry!" - "Butch Mario & the Luigi Kid / All Steamed Up"
- "Don't know what I'd do without my carpet phone!" - "Mario's Magic Carpet / Marianne and Luigeena"
- - "I'll get you for this, you pesky plumbers! A Koopa never forgets!" - "Mario's Magic Carpet / Marianne and Luigeena"
- "Happy? Imposter! I never use the H word." - "Rolling Down the River / The Mario Monster Mash"
- "Fool! Those pinhead plumbers are bound to try to rescue Princess Toadstool, and I intend to capture them before they do." - "Rolling Down the River / The Mario Monster Mash"
- "Don't question my orders, you rotten rodent! Just do it!" - "Rolling Down the River / The Mario Monster Mash"
- "Don't interrupt me, not while I'm boasting and gloating!" - "Rolling Down the River / The Mario Monster Mash"
- "Stop wisecracking, mushroom, or I'll turn you into soap!" - "Rolling Down the River / The Mario Monster Mash"
- "One of the nice things about being evil is... you get to lie a lot. Ha ha." - "The Great Gladiator Gig / Bonkers from Yonkers"
- "Fum fee fi fo! I smell the brothers Mario!" - "Mario and the Beanstalk / Bats in the Basement"
- "That goose is gonna smother you brothers!" - "Mario and the Beanstalk / Bats in the Basement"
- "OK, that does it! You're all gonna be Koopatized!" - "The Great BMX Race / Mama Mia Mario"
- "There'll be other crooked races and other ways to cheat!" - "The Great BMX Race / Mama Mia Mario"
- "You're breaking my heart, princess! Now, get to work! Now that you and these Quirks are my slaves, I got other planets to plunder! *laughs*" - "Stars in Their Eyes / Alligator Dundee"
- "You call that music? Stop that racket! I hate that music! I hate spaghetti! I hate Quirks! I hate those faucet freaks!" - "Stars in Their Eyes / Alligator Dundee"
- "Alright! Which one of you messed up? Who ruined all my sneaky underhanded plans?" - "Jungle Fever / Dance"
- "Thank you, princess! You saved me all the trouble of hunting you down! You're so nice to me!" - "Jungle Fever / Dance"
- "The courage beyond compare, the bravery beyond description, I praise this great hero, the superior fiend... me. Koopa Khan the magnificent. If I didn't deserve this, I wouldn't give it to me." - "Brooklyn Bound / Cher's Poochie"
- "Last one into the cave is a goodie-goodie!" - "Brooklyn Bound / Cher's Poochie"
- "Goodbye, jerkos! And don't come back!" - "Brooklyn Bound / Cher's Poochie"
- "Those annoying wrench-heads won’t ruin my evil plan! Prepare an ambush, Mouser! Make road pizzas out of them!" - "Toad Warriors / E.C. The Extra Creepy"
- "These fireballs are fantastic! Think of the destruction; think of the wreckage; think of how much this'll lower my heating bill!" - "The Fire of Hercufleas / The Marios Fight Back"
- "Mouser! More marshmallows!" - "The Fire of Hercufleas / The Marios Fight Back"
- "Say ciao to your friends, Princess Toadstool. That's goodbye in Italian, because when you see 'em again, you'll be a tomato sauce sucking vampire, just like me! - "Count Koopula / Magician"
- "Fire a warning shot! ... On second thought, blow the plumber-boys and the Princess right off the boat!" - "Pirates of Koopa / Do You Believe in Magic?"
- "Listen up, you reptile retches! It's time to play 'Auction the Princess'! Do I hear one-thousand gold coins? Remember, the money goes to my favorite charity... Me." - "Pirates of Koopa / Do You Believe in Magic?"
- "I'm rich! I'm filthy, stinkin', mouth-watering rich!" - "Pirates of Koopa / Do You Believe in Magic?"
- "Ga ga goo goo! Now you terrible tots will do all my chores, while I play!" - "Two Plumbers and a Baby / Lost Dog"
- "Stop, or I'll tell on you!" - "Two Plumbers and a Baby / Lost Dog"
- "Rotten reptiles! It's that pasta-eatin' plumber!" - "The Adventures of Sherlock Mario / Plumbers of the Year"
- "You don't scare me, you linguini-lickin' losers!" - "The Adventures of Sherlock Mario / Plumbers of the Year"
- "I'm gonna turn these two fat little plumbers into two flat little plumbers." - "Do You Princess Toadstool Take This Koopa...? / Mario Hillbillies"
- "Keep your crown on! You want people to think I'm marrying a nag?" - "Do You Princess Toadstool Take This Koopa...? / Mario Hillbillies"
- "Boogie with Koopa, you fungus brats! Boogie right into my double-dealing clutches!" - "The Pied Koopa / Super Plant"
- "Mouser, this is not a nursery school! This is an evil castle!" - "The Pied Koopa / Super Plant"
- "No one is that stupid!" - "Koopenstein / Baby Mario Love"
- "Oh, goody-goody! The Tunnel of Doom! My favorite!" - "On Her Majesty's Sewer Service / 9001: A Mario Odyssey"
- "When I get my mitts on you, you're gonna be creamed, Mushroom!" - "Too Hot to Handle / Time Out Luigi"
- "I'm always ready for sneaky badness!" - "Too Hot to Handle / Time Out Luigi"
- "I love being rotten!" - "Too Hot to Handle / Time Out Luigi"
- "Just because I said it doesn't mean I meant it!" - "Too Hot to Handle / Time Out Luigi"
- "You mean I can't destroy the island? I hate those Marios! They always spoil my fun!" - "Too Hot to Handle / Time Out Luigi"
- "You were hoodwinked by Hooded Robin! I'm gonna pluck that bird nerd wing from wing!" - "Hooded Robin and His Mario Men / Flower Power"
- "Kiss Koopa's feet and I'll gladly get rid of the sea monster for ya!" - "20,000 Koopas Under the Sea / Vampire Until Ready"
- "Let's ram 'em, slam 'em, and ruin their day!" - "20,000 Koopas Under the Sea / Vampire Until Ready"
- "Pesky persnickety plumbers! I wish they'd never been invented!" - "20,000 Koopas Under the Sea / Vampire Until Ready"
- "Mouser, if anything happens to the princess, I'll turn you into Swiss cheese!" - "Mighty McMario and the Pot of Gold / Heart Throb"
- "Too late! His gorgeous self is here!" - "Mighty McMario and the Pot of Gold / Heart Throb"
- "Run, you teensy tempura tasters! I'm gonna squash this city flatter than a tofu pancake!" - "Mario Meets Koop-zilla / Fortune Teller"
- "Scram, pests, or I'll call an exterminator!!" - "Mario Meets Koop-zilla / Fortune Teller"
- "Stand still so I can squash ya, you little vermin!" - "Mario Meets Koop-zilla / Fortune Teller"
- "Ba humkoop!" - "Koopa Klaus / Little Marios]"
- "Plug your ears and watch your rears! We're goin' Bob-omb bowlin'" - "The Unzappables / George Washington Slept Here"
- "Let's stash this cash and dash!" - "The Unzappables / George Washington Slept Here"
- "Gosh, this tyrant business is hard work! I'm too pooped to Koop! Think I'll take a Koopa catnap." - "The Ten Koopmandments / The Artist"
- "Lousy lizards! This is enough to make a grown Koopa cry!" - "The Ten Koopmandments / The Artist"
- "You call yourself an army, you miserable misfits? WHY AM I CURSED WITH SUCH INCOMPETANTS?! - "The Koopas Are Coming! The Koopas Are Coming! / Zenned Out Mario"
- "It's those dumber plumbers, the Mario Bros.!" - "The Trojan Koopa / Texas Tea"
- "It's... it's... it's horrible! It's disgusting! It's me!" - "The Trojan Koopa / Texas Tea"
- "More! I want more! More!" - "The Great Gold Coin Rush / Game Show Host"
- "Make way for the big daddio, the headman, the new king of Sock Hop Land: Koopa, the Kool!" "Elvin Lives / Home Radio"
- "No way, José! They'll never catch the Koopilac! I got dual carbs! I got four on the floor!" "Elvin Lives / Home Radio"
- "When you hurt Koopa's nose, you've blown it!" - "Plumbers Academy / Glasnuts"
- "In just a few minutes, the bidding for Princess Toadstool and her slimy friend Toad will begin! So drink up your Koopa Kola!" - "Karate Koopa / Adee Don't"
- "Welcome aboard Air Albatoss. This is your Koopa speaking. This flight is non-stop 'til ya drop!" - "Mario of the Apes / Chippie Chipmunks"
- "We're gonna celebrate the capture of those faucet freaks by letting me win a baseball game." - "Princess, I Shrunk the Mario Brothers / A Basement Divided"
- "OW! I hate plumbers! OW! I hate... OW! Why can't they pick on... OW! Someone their own size?" - "Princess, I Shrunk the Mario Brothers / A Basement Divided"
- "It makes me feel so warm, to be so cold!" - "Little Red Riding Princess / No Way to Treat a Queenie"
- "I want that ranger in danger! Now!" - "The Provolone Ranger / Goodbye Mr. Fish"
- "Koopa Court is now in session! Bailiff Mouser, read those phony charges you and I cooked up!" - "Escape from Koopatraz / French"
- "Congratulations! You've won a five-hundred year all-expense paid trip to Club Koopatraz!" - "Escape from Koopatraz / French"
- "It was so much fun being your crooked judge, I decided to become your cruel warden!" - "Escape from Koopatraz / French"
- "This better be a bad dream, plumber, 'cause if it's not, you're in deep fettuccine!" - "Escape from Koopatraz / French"
- "What the Koop are you talkin' about?" "Mario of the Deep / Two Bums from Brooklyn"
- "You mean this is all?! There ain't enough gold here to bother Kooping about!" - "Mario of the Deep / Two Bums from Brooklyn"
- "You Mario Bros. ruined my evil schemes, so I'm gonna ruin the burg that you love best!" - "Flatbush Koopa / Opera"
- "Hold your applause! I know it's a genius idea, but I have them all the time!" - "Flatbush Koopa / Opera"
- "Fankoopingtastic, it worked!" - "Raiders of the Lost Mushroom / Cyrano de Mario"
- "I love Down Under Land! It's where Mario Bros. went down- and under!" - "Crocodile Mario / Rowdy Roddy's Rotten Pipes"
- "Go to Warp 10, Mouser!" "Star Koopa / Santa Claus Is Coming to Flatbush"
- "If you want something wrong done right, you gotta wrong-do it yourself!" - "Star Koopa / Santa Claus Is Coming to Flatbush"
- "I am the mighty Robo Koopa! Half Koopa, half machine. Built for destruction! And I'm gonna destroy you miserable little meddlers! (fiddles on his control panel) Drat! Where is that 'destroy-you-miserable-little-meddlers' button!" - "Robo Koopa / Captain Lou is Missing"
- "The fun's not over yet! I've got Super-vision; Super-hearing; Super-strength; And yes, even... Super-toes!" - "Robo Koopa / Captain Lou is Missing".
- "If it isn't... Robo-Rooter!" - "Robo Koopa / Captain Lou is Missing".
In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
- "That's a cruel, rotten, disgusting idea - and I love it!" - "Sneaking Lying Cheating Giant Ninja Koopas"
- "Quiet, Koopalings! I'm the king here! I'll decide what land we're gonna take over!" - "Sneaking Lying Cheating Giant Ninja Koopas"
- "Now you'll see why I modestly call myself a genius." - "Sneaking Lying Cheating Giant Ninja Koopas"
- "Hey! Who's been foolin' with my wands?" - "Sneaky Lying Cheating Giant Ninja Koopas"
- "I'd love to save you, kids, but I just remembered I have a tail-styling appointment in another Warp Zone!" - "Sneaking Lying Cheating Giant Ninja Koopas"
- "I pledge allegiance to Kootie Pie and the repulsiveness for which she stands..." - "Reptiles in the Rose Garden"
- "Go clean your room! And you'd better do it! Stop pinching your little brother! Don't be a brat! Turn down your stereo! Pick up your socks! Close the door! Get off the telephone!" - "Reptiles in the Rose Garden"
- "Me, nice? I've never been nice in my life! I'm allergic to nice!" - "Princess Toadstool for President"
- "Well, hello there! Give your uncle a big kiss! (kisses baby, who hits him with rattle) Ow! Why you-- uh, you sweet little thing you! (kisses baby again) Yuck! I hate mushroom brats!" - "Princess Toadstool for President"
- "If I want something, I'll just take it!" "Princess Toadstool for President"
- "Get off my throne, you ugly upstick!" - "Never Koop a Koopa"
- "Costumed plumbers at your service, ma'am! We make plumbing a party!" - "Toddler Terrors of Time Travel"
- "Oh, I hate it when my tootsie-wootsies get wet!" - "Oh, Brother!"
- "Kooky, what are you doing? I'm your dear old King Dad!" - "Oh, Brother!"
- "Knock it off, knuckleheads! I'm not doing exercises, I'm having a temper tantrum!" - "Misadventure of Mighty Plumber"
- "HAHAHAHAHA! This is Koopa-riffic! I can do even more bad in my Doomsub than in my Doomship!" - "The Ugly Mermaid"
- "I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS, MARIOOOOOOOO!!!" - "The Ugly Mermaid"
- "And I just got this clunker back from the repair shop!" - "7 Continents for 7 Koopas"
- "The Real World's got seven continents, and I'm givin' one to each of you to do with what you like! Bully, you get to be the beast of the east in Asia! Cheatsy, you show how low you can go, down under, in Australia! Kootie Pie, show the Old World some newer nastiness! Go be a plague in Europe! Kooky, go wild in Africa! Big Mouth, blow your hot air all over Antarctica! Hip, rediscover North America! Be rotten from sea to shining sea! Hop, lambada South America! Give the Real World a Kooping it'll never forget!" - "7 Continents for 7 Koopas"
- "We never would've lost if you Koopaling clowns had just tried to wake me up! Whose idea was this midnight attack?!" - "True Colors"
- "Gimme back Hip's Magic Wand! It's Koopa property, and it's rightfully mine!" - "Recycled Koopa"
- "It's not neat stuff, you nincomkoop! It's the same trash we had before! Now get rid of it! And this time, see that it doesn't come back!" - "Recycled Koopa"
- "It's a dirty job, but somebody gets to do it!" - "Recycled Koopa"
- "Hey, what are you staring at? Haven't you ever seen a reptile ready to conquer the world?" - "Super Koopa"
In Super Mario World
- "I'm back! And so is 'Captain N & Super Mario Bros. World'!" - Various episodes
- "This is easier than talking Kootie Pie into a shopping spree!" - "Send in the Clown"
- "You are about to enter this Warp Pipe and into a dimension beyond space and time." - "Send in the Clown"
- "Time out on the tongue department, Big Mouth!" - "Send in the Clown"
- "Are my dinosaurs in for a treat! Kinda high in cholesterol, but I'm sure they can handle it!" - "Send in the Clown"
- "I wouldn't do that, plunger-face, not if you want to see your precious princess again!" - "Send in the Clown"
- "Remember, 'Oogtar' spelled backwards is 'rat goo'!" - "The Night Before Cave Christmas"
- "STOP! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO OPEN IT TILL CHRISTMAS... (BOOM) ... morning." - "The Night Before Cave Christmas"
- "All right! Come and get your burgers!" - "King Scoopa Koopa"
- "Eight Egg Scoopa Koopas coming up! Cook 'em good! No one likes runny eggs, dinobrain!" - "King Scoopa Koopa"
- "Patience, my little chickadees. Egg Scoopa Koopas for everyone, cash in hands, of course." - "King Scoopa Koopa"
- "Hey, don't forget the special Scoopa Sauce. A little scoop'll do ya, haha!" - "King Scoopa Koopa"
- "Koopa Sez, everybody go to the Dome Castle, and get Mario and Luigi, and bring them to me!" - "Rock TV"
- "I haven't done anything really rotten in a long time, not since yesterday." - "Rock TV"
- "Clams, coins, old socks, we're given' em away!" - "Rock TV"
- "Top this, turkey-mouth!" - "Rock TV"
- "You will grow up to be sneaky, two-faced, cheating illiterates, just like your dad!" - "A Little Learning"
- "HIP! HOP! GET IN HERE! I'LL SEND YOU TO SCHOOL! Gladly." - "A Little Learning"
- "I can always build another castle, but you can't build another princess." - "Mama Luigi"
In Video Games
In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
- "NO!!! It's a chain reaction!!"
- "The bridge is down, but we'll find a way to get back in. Move out, on the double!"
- "If Mario doesn't find these Star things, I'll have the princess, but I can forget about my castle... Can you run that past me again?"
- "Like the moon over
The day, my genius and brawn
Are lost on these fools."
- Mario's party: "One for all and all for one!"
Bowser: "And I'll take care of myself!"
In Super Mario 64
- "Welcome. No one's home! Now scram -- and don't come back!"
In Paper Mario
- "With the power of the Star Rod, I can finally have everything I've always wanted!"
- "Oh no! I can't believe I left my secret diary lying out! It would be totally embarrassing if someone were to read that thing. Wuh... wuh... WHAAAT?!! What's the princess doing here?"
- "Mario always defeats me... This time I became invincible and I STILL couldn't beat him!"
In Super Mario Sunshine
- "Mario! How 'dare' you interrupt our family vacation?!"
- "That's my boy."
In Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga
- "Mario! Do something super!"
- "Attacking me when my back is turned, huh? Well that's typical! C'mere, Super Coward Bros!"
- "Look, keep your diet jokes to yourself! They're not funny! Just get me out of here!!!"
- "I am Bowser The King!"
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
- "Crystal Stars? They sound like great world-conquering tools! I want 'em!"
- "Great, just great. Now I look like the huge, mighty King of GUYS WHO TALK TO POSTERS!"
- "It's hag vs. hag! Awesome!"
- "Pbbbthbtth! Am I Mario's baby-sitter? I don't care what he's doing! Are you going to call me every time that guy blows his nose, or what? Sheesh!"
- "Under NO circumstances is ANYONE allowed to kidnap Peach without MY say so"
- "AIRHEAD!!! A picnic?!? You MORON! This is no time for fun! See, THIS is why my evil plans always derail! Because you clods always goof off! AAARGH!"
- "I am Bowser, businessman of legend! Fear my accounting!"
- "ARRGH! Those Mario Bros. are the most annoying brothers of all time!"
- "You're both too old,"
- "Today's the day I flush a plumber down the drain!"
In Super Paper Mario
- "Bwah ha ha! Will I marry Peach? Are you kidding me? The answer's YESSSSSSSS!
- "Bah! Mario... AND Luigi?! How'd you get in here?...What? My front gate was open?! How many times have I told those idiots?! If you're the last in, LOCK THE GATE!"
- "I'll tell you who doesn't make even a little bit of sense... Count Bleck!
- "Enough! Release Princess Peach, right now! I'm on a schedule over here!
- "No more sequels! It's gonna end right here, right now. ONCE AND FOR ALL!"
- "But... But I'm Bowser! I'm grade - A, 100% prime cut final boss! I'm going to take over the world any day now! No way am I helping Mario! He's always trashing my awesome plans."
- "What? Your saying that I can't take over the world if the world is destroyed".
- "NO! I'M NOT SWEET!"
- "Yeah! Anyone who wears a cape and a monocle is just begging for a beating."
- "Trust me, any problem comes up, I'll stomp it into next week! I'll Bowserserize it!"'
- "I've had egg-salad-sandwiches chunkier then this guy."
- "You believed in your prophecy, and we believed in mopping the floor with you!"
In Mario Party 8
- "Get ready for a reversal, ya crooks! Let's do the crime warp again Bwahaha!" - in Bowser's Warped Orbit
- "You call yourself a henchman? You're a STENCHMAN!" - to Blooper or Hammer Bro
In Super Mario Galaxy
- "Watch and weep!"
In Comics
In Nintendo Comics System
- "Who were you expecting? The Tooth Fairy?" - "The Legend"
- "A stout ship, a loyal crew -- or else -- and lots of stolen money. This is the most fun you can have without pulverizing a plumber." - "Mutiny on the Fungi"
- "Whose harebrained idea was it to make a coin operated battleship?" - "Mutiny on the Fungi"
- "In case you didn't notice, I don't give a blond hog's hair about "honor"!" - "Mutiny on the Fungi"
- "This is gonna be excellent!" - "Just Deserts"
- "I should never have quit my day job!" - "Just Deserts"
- "Sob! My beautiful fortress! And I was going to conquer the world on Tuesday!" - "Just Deserts"
- "Will someone get me a drink without little paper umbrellas??!" - "Beauty and the Beach"
- "Don't hold the bomb when it blows up -- You'll waste a perfectly good bomb!!" - "Beauty and the Beach"
- "PTEWWW!! What is this?!!!! I didn't order Koopa Kola Plain -- I wanted Koopa Kola Crunchy!!!" - "Duh Stoopid Bomb!"
- "My ol' pop used to say in situations like this - 'Son, when you put your mind to it, there's no problem big enough to run away from'!" - "The Buddy System"
- "I wonder if I can put Lemmy up for adoption?" - "The Buddy System"
- "Yeah? Well, they're gonna be flattened! King Bowser Koopa is nobody's fair game!" - "It's Always Fair Weather"
- "I'n terribly disappointed in all of you. Except you, Lemmy. I know you're a blithering idiot!" - "Bowser Knows Best"
- "What is it with you kids these days!! Is it hip to be stupid nowadays? Is there a fad nobody's told old dad about?" - "Bowser Knows Best"
In Super Mario Adventures
- "Ta ta, turtle dove, until next week. Here's a smooch for your sweet cheek."
- "Bwa ha ha! My sinister plot worked!"
- "Am I handsome or what!"
In Movies
In Super Mario Bros.
- "Perhaps if I could just make you idiots smarter, you won't screw-up this time."
- "Here's what's logical to me... if you do not return with the plumbers and the rock... I shall personally kill you."
- "After the merge, it will be nice to see the humans de-evolve, won't it? What is it they come from? I keep forgetting, its, uh, mice or something..."
- "Disgusting mammals."
- "Well, my, my, looks like you got up on the wrong side of the nest this morning."
- "That I am, ruler of all you see. A few miserable streets and endless desert."
- "My, my, you have let yourself go! See, I'm not such a bad guy, you always wanted to be everywhere, well now you are. And I wanna tell you something, you can go ahead and choke this little Mushroom Kingdom all you want, cuz', I'm out of here. I'm out into the bigger world! I gotta a couple a plumbers bringin' me the rest of the meteorite. Soon to be dead plumbers. And by the way, you really oughta pull yourself back together again... slime bucket!"
- "King Koopa here. I'd like the Koopa Special. Yes, dino, lizard, hold the mammal, no worms and, uh, spicy."
Death
Oddly enough, Bowser died at the end of the game Mario is Missing!. He is put into a cannon, shot into icy water, and turned into a block of ice. Then the ice block is split in two. It is never said whether this was a fake Bowser, but, in Luigi's Mansion, Madame Clairvoya says that Bowser was "soundly defeated". When Luigi reached the top of the mansion, King Boo went into a Bowser diguise. It is unknown whether this was a mechanical disguise, or Bowser's corpse, or even his ghost. After being defeated, King Boo and the Bowser disguise were put into a painting. Obviously, Bowser somehow got out, and was brought back to life (if the suit was Bowser in the first place).
Also, as mentioned before, Bowser dies in New Super Mario Bros. and becomes an animated, Dry Bones-like corpse (who is fought in another battle identical to the one that killed him towards the end of the game). However, at the end of the game, Bowser Jr. revives him to his normal form and he fights Mario alongside him. Also, at the end of the game, Bowser Jr. is seen dragging away his (possibly unconscious) father as if he was dead, but he is no longer in a skeletal form.
Alter-egos
- Main article: King Koopa's alter egos
On The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, King Koopa would often don a unique title and costume to go along with the setting of many of the episodes. For instance, in a western-themed episode, he dressed up as a cowboy and took on the name of Kid Koopa. Whereas in a gangster-themed episode, he took on the role of Al Koopone.
| Picture | Name | Episode | Costume |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kid Koopa | "Butch Mario & the Luigi Kid" | Cowboy |
|
Captain Koopa | "Rolling Down the River" | Admiral |
| File:CeasarKoopa.jpg | Emperor Augustus Septembres Octoberus Koopa | "The Great Gladiator Gig" | Caesar |
| File:MoonManKoopa.jpg | Moon Man Koopa | "Stars in Their Eyes" | Astronaut |
|
Koopa Khan | "Brooklyn Bound" | Genghis Khan |
|
King-of-the-Road Koopa | "Toad Warriors" | Biker |
|
Count Koopula | "Count Koopula" | Vampire |
|
|
Blackbeard Koopa | "Pirates of Koopa" | Pirate Captain |
|
King Goo Goo Ga Ga Koopa | "Two Plumbers and a Baby" | Baby |
| File:Kooparity.gif | Professor Kooparity | "The Adventures of Sherlock Mario" | Professor Moriarty |
|
Dr. Koopenstein | "Koopenstein" | Mad Scientist |
|
Koopenstein Monster | "Koopenstein / Baby Mario Love" | None |
|
Koopfinger | "On Her Majesty's Sewer Service" | Goldfinger |
| No costume | The Sheriff of Koopingham | "Hooded Robin and His Mario Men" | None |
| No costume | Koopa Nemo | "20,000 Koopas Under the Sea." | None |
|
King O'Koopa | "Mighty McMario and the Pot of Gold" | Red Cape |
| File:Koop-zilla.jpg | Koop-zilla | "Mario Meets Koop-zilla / Fortune Teller" | Godzilla |
| File:RedBaronKoopa.gif | Red Baron Koopa | "Mario and the Red Baron Koopa / Gorilla My Dreams" | Red Baron |
|
Koopa Klaus | "Koopa Klaus" | Santa Claus |
|
Al Koopone | "The Unzappbles" | Al Capone |
|
Rappin' Koopa | "Bad Rap" | DJ |
| El Koopitan | "The Mark of Zero" | Conquistador | |
|
Koop Tut | "The Ten Koopmandments" | Pharoah |
|
Redcoat Koopa | "The Koopas Are Coming! The Koopas Are Coming!" | Redcoat |
| File:AlleyKoop.jpg | Alley Koop | "Quest for Pizza" | Caveman |
| File:ClaimJumpKoopa.jpg | Claim Jump Koopa | "The Great Gold Coin Rush" | Cowboy |
|
Koopa, the Kool or Kool Koopa | "Elvin Lives" | Greaser |
|
Karate Koopa | "Karate Koopa" | Karate Master |
| 150px]] | Billy the Koopa | "The Provolone Ranger" | Cowboy |
|
Judge Koopa | "Escape from Koopatraz" | Judge |
|
Warden Koopa | "Escape from Koopatraz" | Warden |
|
Barra-Koopa | "Mario of the Deep" | Fish-man |
| File:NaziBowser.jpg | Kolonel Von Koop | "Raiders of the Lost Mushroom" | Nazi |
|
Kangaroo Koopa | "Crocodile Mario" | Australian Hunter |
| File:DarthKoopa.gif | Darth Koopa | "Star Koopa" | Darth Vader |
|
Robo Koopa | "Robo Koopa" | Robo Suit |
Other Names Bowser is Sometimes Called
In his many appearances, Bowser has either gone under an alias, or has been referred to by others as something other than his name. In several of his appearances, Bowser has been known to use aliases, or is given a nickname by other characters. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show and Mario Party 2 mostly show him under an alias matching the theme of each location explored. These aliases and nicknames include:
- Big dude (Baby Bowser)
- His Grouchiness (by a Koopa in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time)
- King Bowser
- Lord Bowser
- Darth Koopa
- Fungus Cap
- Ka-Hoopa
- Cap'n Bowser
- Bowser the Brash
- Wizard Bowser
- Bowser Sphinx
- Black Hole Bowser
- The King of Awesome
- Mr. Getsfoiledallthetimebytheredguywiththemoustache (Mr. L)
- Arm Flailer (Dimentio)
- Large Angry Bowser Guy (Birdley)
- Mr. Violent Face-Puncher (Birdley)
- The Great Bowser
- King Koopa (Cartoons)
- Koopa (Cartoons)
- King of the Koopas/Koopa King (Various)
- His/Your Queasiness (Kamek)
- His/Your Grouchiness (Kammy Koopa/Kamek)
- His/Your Gnarliness (Kammy Koopa)
- His/Your Filthiness (Kammy Koopa)
- His/Your Rancidness (Kammy Koopa)
- His/Your Awfulness (Kammy Koopa)
- His/Your Massiveness (Kammy Koopa)
- His/Your Chunkyness (Kammy Koopa)
- His/Your Ghastliness (Kammy Koopa)
- Your Grunginess (Kammy Koopa)
- Your Sogginess (Kammy Koopa)
- Your Ungratefulness (Kamek)
- Your Wretchedness (Kammy Koopa)
- Your Rottenness (Magikoopa)
- Your Surliness (Various)
- Your Beefiness (Magikoopa)
- Your Rudeness (Various)
- Your Grumpiness (Kammy Koopa)
- Your Forgetfullness (Corporal Paraplonk)
- His Touchiness (Kamek)
- Your Rashness (Goomba)
- His Groomness (Various)
- Your Huffiness (Koopatrol)
- His Timeliness (Kamek)
- The Boss of Bwahaha (by Nintendo)
- (King) Dad (by most of the Koopalings)
- Pop (by the Koopalings)
- Daddykins (by Kootie Pie
- Papa/Dad (by Bowser Jr., Koopalings)
- Koopa Stoopa (by Toad and Princess Toadstool)
- Koopums (by his mother)
- Old geezer ( by Baby Bowser
- His Touhiness (Kamek)
- Rookie (Popple)
- Monsieur Turtle Bits (Broque Monsieur)
- Monster (Lubba)
- His Groomness (Johnson)
- Mr. Big Bowser Guy (Toad)
- Mr. Big Bowser Pants (Toad)
In The Great Mission to Save Princess Peach, he is called "Great Stupen Koopa"
Impersonators and Other Brainwashers
As feared as Bowser is throughout the Mushroom Kingdom and the rest of the Mario universe, there are others who try to imitate his ways generally in order to get their own gain. There have been many imposters in some games who have tried to replicate or manifest him in varying ways, either perfectly or imperfectly:
| Impersonation | Impersonator/Creator | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| False Bowser (Various of his beings, seven of his minions, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario 3D Land) | ||
| Bowser??? | Koopa Bros. | Paper Mario |
| Bowser "mech" decoy - or possibly a False Bowser | King Boo | Luigi's Mansion |
| Mecha Bowser | Shadow Mario/Bowser Jr. | Super Mario Sunshine |
| Rookie, Bowletta (Cackletta) | Popple | Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga) |
| Shrowser | Elder Princess Shroob | Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time |
| Bowser Suit | Mario and his friends | Mario Party, Mario Party 2, Mario Party 3, Mario Party 4, Mario Party 8 |
| False Bowser | Shadows Bugs | Super Smash Bros. Brawl |
| Dark Bowser | Dark Star | Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story; Shadoo, Super Paper Mario) |
| Dark Bowser | Shadoo | Super Paper Mario |
| Bowser X | Gauntlet Emoglobin | Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story |
| Koopa Troopa | Mario is Missing | |
| Iggy Koopa | Hotel Mario | |
| Koopa Kid | Mario Party 3 | |
| Bowser clone | Belome | Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars |
| Mecha Bowser | Bowser Jr. | Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Party 5, Mario Party 7, Mario Party 9, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Golf: Advance Tour, Mario Power Tennis |
Image Gallery/Character Artwork
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Bowser.
- BowserSMB1.PNG
Super Mario Bros.
- Smbll bowser.png
- Bowsersmb3.png
Super Mario Bros. 3
- MKBowser.PNG
- MKBW.PNG
- Bowsersm64.gif
Super Mario 64
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
- Bowser MPL.png
- BowserNSMBWii.png
Themes
Names In Other Languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | クッパ[?] Kuppa |
"Koopa", a reference to the Korean dish of the same name (Kuppa) gukbap, called "kuppa" in Japanese. In older media, Bowser had the alternative titles 「クッパ大王」 Kuppa-daiō and 「魔王クッパ」 Maō Kuppa, meaning "Great King Koopa" and "Demon King Koopa", respectively. In the games, his title is usually 「大魔王クッパ」 Daimaō Kuppa, meaning "Great Demon King Koopa". | |
| Chinese | 庫巴 (Traditional) Kùbā 酷霸王 (Simplified) Kùbàwáng[?] |
Transliteration of the Japanese name, Koopa. “酷霸王” can also mean "cool bully king". | |
| Dutch | Bowser[?] | - | |
| German | Bowser[?] | - | |
| Italian | Bowser Re Attila (cartoon series)[?] |
- From Attila the Hun |
|
| Korean | 쿠파[?] Kupa |
Transliteration of the Japanese name, Koopa, although the name originates from a Korean food's name, Gukbap (국밥). | |
| Portuguese | Bowser[?] | - | |
| Romanian | Regele Koopa (The Adventures of SMB3, most episodes) Regele Kooper (KidsCo promo for the DiC Mario cartoons) Bowser Koopa (The Adventures of SMB3, episode "Princess Toadstool for President") Bowser[31] |
King Koopa King Kooper Bowser Koopa - |
|
| Russian | Боузер[?] Bouzer |
Transliteration of the international name. | |
| Spanish | Bowser[?] | - | |
| Swedish | Kung Koopa (cartoon series)[?] | King Koopa |
Trivia
This trivia section is overly long. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections and articles.
- In Bowser's Mega Strike in Mario Strikers Charged, he shoots himself up into the air like a rocket, even with fire trailing behind him. As soon as he is suspended next to the ball in midair, he ducks down for a split-second, and grabs the ball with his hands. After this is done, he turns at metallic gray, his spikes grow slightly, including his claws, his hair turns to fire, his eyes turn a fiery red, and he leans back to throw the ball. When the transformation is complete, he throws the ball down at the field, towards the goalie, with major speed.
- Bowser's boss theme in Super Paper Mario is a remix of both the Super Mario Bros. 3 World 8 map music and his boss theme from his Dark World and Fire Sea fights in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS.
- Bowser is often a main boss or the final boss in most games. However, in Super Paper Mario, he was surprisingly a mini-boss.
- In Mario Party Advance, when the player arrives at Bowser Lab, Bowser claims to have an IQ of 9,800 even though he keeps get beaten by Mario and can't get a good plan.
- In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, whenever Bowser uses a Special Move a diamond is superimposed over his body.
- Bowser is the only member of the Big Eight as of yet to not star in a game of his own (except Toad).
- According to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars's manual, Mario and Bowser had fought exactly nine hundred and ninety-nine times by the beginning of Super Mario RPG; however, the manual's mention of Mario beating Bowser "for the millionth time" during the game's story was likely a typical phrase that should not be taken at face value.
- In his first appearance in Super Mario Bros., Bowser never had any of his hair due to graphic limitations. He never got his red hair until Super Mario Bros. 3. His red hair was first seen in-game in Super Mario Bros. 3, although, he first had hair on the box for Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels, however, it was yellow, instead of red. The hair was also absent when Bowser power ups in his Super Mario Bros. look when he got a Mega Star in Super Paper Mario. The hair was also yet again absent in the Mario cartoons as the creators wished to follow the graphic design of Super Mario Bros.; as such, his bare head was covered only by a crown because they wanted to follow the graphic design and was replaced by a crown.
- According to Herlock Solmes (who only appeared in The Super Mario Brothers Super Show! episode "The Adventures of Sherlock Mario / Plumbers of the Year"), the world's greatest detective, Bowser is a cross between a lizard and an inferior species of Toad, got the lowest grades in his school, and holds the world's record for flunking kindergarten the most times. Also according to Herlock Solmes, Bowser was nicknamed "Lizard Lips" by other children in his youth and, also, Bowser wet his bed until he was twelve years old.
- Bowser's emblem in various games is his own head, except Bowser's emblem in the Super Smash Bros. Series is a Mushroom. In various games, a silhouette of Bowser's head indicates that he is about to appear or is present. The only major exception is the Super Smash Bros. series, in which he, like the rest of the Mario characters, is represented by a Mushroom.
- The character of Sergeant Kooperman from The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! is extremely similar in demeanor to Bowser and, coincidentally, has the same voice as Bowser's animated counterpart, King Koopa.
- At the new Disney movie Wreck-it-Ralph!, Bowser appeared in the movie along with other video games bad guy's.
- In Super Smash Bros. Melee, if the player switches the language to Japanese, then instead of Bowser, Bowser's name is Koopa. Something similar can be done with Jigglypuff.
- In the "How to Draw Nintendo Heroes and Villains" book, Bowser is listed as Kerog. While it is unknown how this mistake was made, it should be noted that Kero is Japanese for "ribbit", the Japanese onomatopoeia for a frog's croaking, and Nintendo has used the name Kerog before (as the Japanese name of Mega Man 2's Croaker enemies). It is possible that it was done because in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. all the characters say their name, except Bowser, who appears to say "Kerog!"
- Super Mario Bros. 2 was the only game that Bowser did not appear in.
- Some of Bowser's powers come from different species of Koopas such as Fire Bros fire breath, Spiny's shell spikes, and Hammer Bros hammers.
In the Japanese version of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Bowser did a gesture similar to giving the middle finger for his victory pose. This was changed when the game was released in America.
- Bowser was originally going to be playable in Super Smash Bros., but was scrapped due to time constraints.
- Despite being a major antagonist, Bowser does some good at times, mostly shown in Super Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. In addition, he also turns out to be a playable character in those two games.
- While King Koopa is not normally referred to as Bowser Koopa in Japan, there are occasions where it is alluded to. For example, in the Japanese version of Mario Kart Wii, his Bowser Bike is known as the Super Bowser. In addition, he still says the "royal Koopa line" in all versions of Super Mario Sunshine, Peach calls Bowser Jr. "Bowser's son," and Bowser himself calls his family the "royal Koopa line", meaning that Koopa is also his family surname in Japan.
- In the ending movie of Super Mario Galaxy, the spikes on Bowser's tail are missing.
- Bowser's Boss theme on Super Mario RPG is a remix of his battle theme on Super Mario Bros. 3. The song would also be remixed on the next Mario RPG, Paper Mario, when Mario is fighting a fake Bowser, controlled by the Koopa Bros.
- According to the Super Mario Galaxy.. Prima Guide Book, Bowser is made out of the Japanese legendary mythology creature called "Kappa".
- Bowser had green scales and skin in the beginning of the games.
- Ironically, he can be safely stomped in most RPG games, despite not being able to in other games and his spiky horns and shell. Note that in most of these games, Mario has only his jump attack during the first fight with him. In Super Paper Mario, however, this does not happen.
- Interestingly, Bowser was conveniently left behind during two scenes in Super Paper Mario. The first one being the part where Mimi disguised herself as Merlee, and asked Mario and company about their weakpoints (just as Bowser and Kammy did to Peach in the first Paper Mario). The second scene, being the part where Dimentio asked Mario and company to join him, stating that they could rule every world with the Chaos Heart in their hands. Chances are, if Bowser had been around for either of those scenes, then he would have caught onto Mimi's scheme right away, and/or he would have accepted Dimentio's offer.
- In the SNES version of SimCity, one of the natural disasters is a giant Bowser attacking the city.
- In Super Mario Bros., Bowser looks as if he is completely excited to be fighting you because of the enormous smile on his face.
- While Bowser is generally referred to as "Koopa" in Japan, there are occasions where his localized name is alluded to. For example, in the Japanese version of Mario Kart Wii, the Flame Runner is known as the Super Bowser. Because all regional releases of Super Mario Sunshine use the English voice acting, Peach calls Bowser Jr. "Bowser's son," and Bowser himself calls his family the "royal Koopa line," meaning that Koopa is also his surname in Japan. Bowser Koopa is rarely directly given as his full name, but it has occurred in some officially licensed material such as the White Knuckle Scorin' album comic, as well as certain cartoon episodes and comic issues.
- All the 8-bit sprites have only 3 colors, but Bowser's original sprite from Super Mario Bros. appears to have four. This is because the black background is what gives Bowser his black spiked collars around his wrists. Due to this, using cheat codes so Bowser appears in a non-castle level will look like his hands are separated from his arms. This occurs again in Super Mario Bros. 3 where Bowser's sprite is designed to exploit the black background to give him an outline element.
- Even though Bowser's suit in Super Mario Odyssey is referred to as a tuxedo, it resembles more of a colonial-style greatcoat than a traditional tuxedo.
- Oddly, Bowser was featured as the host of his own live-action television series by the name of King Koopa's Kool Kartoons; King Koopa's Kool Kartoons had Bowser giving Nintendo related merchandise to his all-child audience members, as well as showing them old, public domain cartoons.
- Bowser was featured as the main villain of the Ice Capades of 1989, which had him trying to cause worldwide chaos by spreading an electronics corrupting virus through Nintendo Entertainment Systems.
- According to an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, Bowser Japanese name was either going to be Kuppa, Yukke, or Bibinbap. All 3 are Korean dishes.
- In Tetris Attack (Panel de Pon in Japan), Bowser takes the place of Corderia.
- In the Pikmin series, a matchbox with Bowser's face on it appears as a treasure.
- Super Paper Mario is the first Paper Mario title where jumping on Bowser cause the player to take damage. Also, Peach never gets to fight Bowser as a boss in this game; this is because Mario faces Bowser 1 on 1 the first time, and Peach is unavailable the 2nd time.
- In New Super Mario Brothers, Bowser can fall into the lava if you hit him with a Blue Shell while Shell Mario, or if you use enough fireballs. He'll still do his defeated animation, but Mario won't do a victory pose until he presses the switch.
- Usually, Bowser is portrayed as being much slower than Donkey Kong. However, in Mario Super Sluggers, Bowser is actually faster than him, stat-wise. They also had the same speed in Mario Strikers Charged Football.
- Super Mario Sunshine is the only game where Bowser actually talks. Though Bowser talks in some of the Mario games, but only with speech bubble in Super Mario Sunshine his voice is actually heard. He also talks in the Mario movies and cartoons.
- Bowser's pose in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is the same as the one in Super Mario World.
- Though his first actual appearance in Super Mario Bros. has him throwing hammers as one of his main attacks (it is only five of the seven fakes who do not), he is only seen throwing hammers on three other occasions; once is after his defeat in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, another is during his fight in Super Princess Peach, and several times in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga as Rookie.
- Bowser and his minions strangely appears at just the right place and time to kidnap Princess Peach. This has made fans wonder if Bowser is stalking or spying on her.
- In nearly every game that Bowser appears in, he is somewhat involved being the Final Boss (ie Possessed, Cloned, etc). This can even be applied to Super Paper Mario, in which a secret boss at the bottom of the Pit of 100 Trials takes the form of him.
- Bowser appears to be immortal as cannot die regardless of his condition (ie roasted in Lava, squished, etc) and then reappears in a future point. However in New Super Mario Bros, he gets killed becoming Dry Bowser although he gets ressurected by Bowser Jr near the end of the game.
- In various games, a silhouette of Bowser's head indicates that he is about to appear or is present. The only major exception is the Super Smash Bros. series, in which he, like the rest of the Mario characters, is represented by a Mushroom.
- A screenshot with caption on the back of the NES advantage refers to Bowser as the fire breathing dragon in Super Mario Bros..
- Though Bowser was able to inhale in Mario and Luigi Bowser's inside Story, he was first able to inhale in Luigi's Mansion.
- It's odd that Bowser is the boss of the first world in New Super Mario Bros, especially since he has loads of minions.
- Bowser and Dr Eggman often team up to stop Mario and Sonic winning any event in the Olympics.
- One of the great mysteries of the Koopa king is the inconsistencies in his size. In earlier games, he was only slightly bigger than Super Mario. In Super Mario World, while his full body is not seen, he is far larger than previous appearances. In Super Mario RPG he is once again only marginally taller than Mario, but in Super Mario 64 and beyond he was usually seen in a size closer to his appearance in Super Mario World. There are still some changes, however. He was even bigger in Super Mario Sunshine, though he is somehow drastically smaller in the ending. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, there is an attempt to explain this - in his gameplay, eating food increases his size until he achieves invincibility, though he can also be remarkably tiny.
- There is some inconsistency as to whether or not Bowser is considered "spiked". He cannot be jumped on in Super Mario Bros. or Super Paper Mario (with the latter having his tattle saying "He has spikes so you can't jump on him"), while he can jump on his head in Super Mario Bros. 3 (though this will not damage him), the Mario & Luigi series, Paper Mario, and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. On that note, his status seems to change throughout Super Paper Mario; Both times he is fought, the player cannot jump on him, and his clone cannot be jumped on either (except through use of Carrie, who is unaffected by spikes), while when a player controls Bowser, enemies can jump on him and damage him without receiving any damage themselves. Also, the reason Peach and Mimi survive their fall in Chapter 8 was because they landed on Bowser (to which Peach says it was a surprisingly soft landing).
- There is also some inconsistency as to whether or not he can survive, or is affected by, lava. In Super Mario Bros., he is defeated when he is knocked into the lava. In Super Mario 64, if he is thrown into the lava he will jump out unharmed. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Bowser will die if he falls into the lava during the Bowser event after Chapter 6 (though he has infinite lives for these levels). Most notably, in New Super Mario Bros., he is killed when Mario knocks him into the lava (and has to be revived by Bowser Jr.), while in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the last part of the final battle takes place with him in the lava pool and attacking Mario unharmed. (However, depending on the game, lava has a different effect on other characters, such as Mario, as well.)
- Though his first actual appearance in Super Mario Bros. has him throwing hammers as one of his main attacks (it is only five of the seven fakes who do not), he is only seen throwing hammers on three other occasions; Once after his defeat in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, and once during his fight in Super Princess Peach, and once in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga in his various fights as Rookie.
- Although Bowser does not make an appearance in Nintendo Monopoly outside of being on the boxart, there is a ? Block card that charges the player $15 for "Bowser Tax".
- If Goombella tattles Bowser, the location is listed as "Glitzville", even though he is fought a second time in The Palace of Shadow, so the location should be "Various".
- Oddly enough, although Bowser is depicted as a strong and muscular brute, in Mario Party 3, he lost in a fight against Waluigi.
- Bowser and his minions strangely appears at just the right place and time to kidnap Princess Peach. This has made fans wonder if Bowser is stalking or spying on her.
- In Super Mario Bros. 3, when Bowser ground-pounds in the air, to attack Mario, his hair is shaped in a way that looks like a crown for the Koopa King.
- In Super Princess Peach, Bowser uses all four of the vibes in his fight against Peach; three of them on the first part, and only the Calm Vibe on the second.
- If the player hacks Paper Mario so he or she can obtain the Ultra Boots at the beginning of the game and give themselves infinite HP, and beats the first Bowser in battle (which the player was supposed to lose), the game will freeze.
- During the ending of Super Mario Galaxy 2, Bowser is shown to be tiny, which may be a side effect of using the Grand Stars to make himself colossal.
- Bowser, along with Kammy Koopa, is one of five Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door chapter bosses that the Yoshi Kid can swallow. The others are Macho Grubba, Doopliss, Grodus, and the Shadow Queen (first phase, both before and after transformation).
- In one German Club Nintendo comic Bowser is erroneously labeled as "Wart".
References
- ^ Due to the various possible meanings of maō, on page 14 of the North American manual for Super Mario Bros., the character is referred to as "the sorcerer king" in addition to "King of the Koopa".
- ^ The Legend of Zelda interview with Shigeru Miyamoto from 2000 at Famitsu.com (Japanese)
- ^ a b Nintendo.com. Iwata Asks: Nintendo DSi, Volume 8 - Flipnote Studio - An Animation Class (part 4). Retrieved December 21, 2015.
- ^ "Nintendo Mini Classics: Super Famicom" Launch Party Interview Part 5: Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island, at Nintendo's Japanese website.
- ^ Fernando Bueno. When Super Bowser begins spitting fireballs, edge up against the right wall and jump over the fireballs to let them bypass you. When they hit the wall ahead of you, they’ll demolish it, creating a path for you to continue. New Super Mario Bros Wii Official Digital Strategy Guide for Wii, section Walkthrough - World 8-Bowser's World - World 8-Castle.
- ^ von Esmarch, Nick. New Super Mario Bros. 2 Prima Official Game Guide. Page 169.
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43tV_3NSZqs
- ^ Super Mario Maker - Checkpoint! - YouTube
- ^ http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/09/super_mario_odyssey_art_book_reveals_official_bowsette_concept_existed_long_before_the_fan-made_one
- ^ The Mushroom Kingdom (Accessed on 9-19-08)
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/papermario/0/2
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbKcKjdsUQ8
- ^ a b TMK | Mario in Japan | Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. The Mushroom Kingdom. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ Super Princess Peach Glossary
- ^ Platinum Games' official blog
- ^ http://www.inquisitr.com/334657/wreck-it-ralph-explains-why-mario-wont-make-an-appearance/ Interview explaining in greater detail why Mario and Luigi weren't placed in the film, the claims of money reasons having been a joke taken literally. (Retrieved December 7, 2012)
- ^ Wreck-It Ralph trailer on IMBD. (Retrieved June 7, 2012)
- ^ As confirmed in Prima's official Super Mario Galaxy guide.
- ^ Bowser's illustrations made by Yoichi Kotabe. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ^ Super Mario Bros. 3 Japanese instruction booklet transcription on GeoCities. In the story section (pg. 4), they are called「自分の子供>コクッパ7兄弟」, and King Koopa's line (pg. 2) reads 「ワッハハ。これから俺様の息子達がこのゲームの説明をするぜ。息子達の言うことをよーく聞いてせいぜいガンバルことだな。ワッハハ。」 Note Koopa's use of 「俺様の息子たち」 (ore-sama no musuko-tachi), which equates to "my children" (or, literally, "my sons") while at the same time referring to himself in an extremely arrogant manner. The children are introduced with the phrase 「そして、これがコクッパ7兄弟だ！！」 (pg. 3). Larry (pg. 4), Morton (pg. 8) and Lemmy (pg. 34) refer to King Koopa as 「オヤジ」 (oyaji), which is both a Japanese word for "father" as well as a term of endearment.
- ^ Super Mario Bros. 3 English instruction booklet. In the story section (pg. 5), they are called "Bowser's 7 kids" and "his 7 children", and Bowser's line (pg. 3) reads "Ha Ha Ha! These are my 7 children that are going to help me take over the Mushroom World!" The children are introduced with the phrase "These are Bowser's kids!!" (pg. 4). Larry (pg. 5), Morton (pg. 9) and Lemmy (pg. 34) refer to Bowser as their father or dad.
- ^ Super Mario World English instruction booklet, page 20 (Mysterious Sunken Ship description).
- ^ Japanese card about the Koopalings in Super Mario World, in which they are referred to as 「クッパ大魔王の7人の息子たち。」, meaning "The seven children of the (demon/sorcerer) king Bowser.". Note that their name is written with 「7兄弟」 instead of 「7人衆」.
- ^ Back of the North American box of Yoshi's Safari.
- ^ In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the first trophy of Bowser in Japanese refers to him as having 「7人のこども」.
- ^ Ludwig von Koopa. Bowser's oldest Koopaling and second in command, he's a real monster!. Super Mario Bros. 3 Nintendo Power Strategy Guide, page 9. Nintendo Power.
- ^ 「長いたて髮をふり乱して襲ってくる、コクッパー族のリーダー・ルドウィッグ。」Super Mario Collection Nintendo Official Guidebook, page 267. Shogakukan.
- ^ 「クッパの仲間だ」. Perfect Ban mario Character Daijiten (Perfect Edition of the Great Mario Character Encycloepdia), page 232. Shogakukan.
- ^ Screw Attack reports that "The koopalings are NOT related to Bowser!!!" and provide a scan of a Game Informer interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, in which he states that the Koopalings are not "currently" considered to be Bowser's children, unlike Bowser Jr., whose mother is "unknown" (only English translation is available). Posted September 12, 2012. (Retrieved September 15, 2012)
- ^ Promotional banner (McDonald's Romania 2016 Happy Meal promotion)
- Characters
- Male characters
- Koopas
- Allies
- Koopa Troop
- Chess Pieces
- Characters who have kissed Mario
- Enemies
- Nintendo
- Bosses
- Kings
- Fire Creatures
- Electrical Creatures
- Poisonous Creatures
- Cloned
- Shapeshifters
- Parents
- Children
- Magicians
- Married
- Thieves & Bandits
- Characters who break the Fourth Wall
- Power Characters
- Pirates
- Captains
- Shopkeepers
- Dinosaurs
- Characters Named for their Species
- Playable Characters
- Unlockable Characters
- Final Bosses
- Villains
- Capturable
- Subspace Army
- Amiibo tap: Nintendo's Greatest Bits
- Amiibo with Special Editions
- Bowser's Lair Hockey
- Brain Drain Characters
- Club Nintendo
- Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix Characters
- Double Trouble Characters
- Fortune Street Characters
- Hotel Mario
- Itadaki Street DS Characters
- Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle Characters
- Mario & Luigi Series Bosses
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Bosses
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Characters
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey Characters
- Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bosses
- Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bosses
- Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Characters
- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time Bosses
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Bosses
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions Characters
- Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games Characters
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Characters
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Characters
- Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Characters
- Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Characters
- Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
- Mario Bros. Enemies
- Mario Golf 64 Characters
- Mario Golf GBC Characters
- Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour Characters
- Mario Golf: Advance Tour Characters
- Mario Golf: World Tour Characters
- Mario Hoops 3-on-3 Playable Characters
- Mario is Missing! Characters
- Mario Kart 64 Characters
- Mario Kart 7 Characters
- Mario Kart 8 Characters
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Characters
- Mario Kart Arcade GP Characters
- Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 Characters
- Mario Kart Arcade GP DX Characters
- Mario Kart Arcade GP VR
- Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Characters
- Mario Kart DS Characters
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit Characters
- Mario Kart Wii Characters
- Mario Kart Wii Trading Cards
- Mario Party Characters
- Mario Party 2 Characters
- Mario Party 3 Characters
- Mario Party 4 Characters
- Mario Party 5 Characters
- Mario Party 6 Characters
- Mario Party 7 Characters
- Mario Party 8 Characters
- Mario Party 9 Bosses
- Mario Party 10 Characters
- Mario Party 10 Bosses
- Mario Party Advance Characters
- Mario Party DS Bosses
- Mario Party-e Characters
- Mario Party: Island Tour Bosses
- Mario Party: Star Rush Bosses
- Mario Party: The Top 100 Characters
- Mario Pinball Land Bosses
- Mario Power Tennis Characters
- Mario Sports Mix Characters
- Mario Sports Superstars Characters
- Mario Strikers Charged Characters
- Mario Super Sluggers Playable Characters
- Mario Superstar Baseball Characters
- Mario Tennis 64 Characters
- Mario Tennis Aces Characters
- Mario Tennis GBC Characters
- Mario Tennis Open Characters
- Mario Tennis: Power Tour Characters
- Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash Characters
- Mario's Time Machine Characters
- Monster Mix-Up Characters
- New Super Mario Bros. Bosses
- New Super Mario Bros. 2 Bosses
- New Super Mario Bros. U Bosses
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii Bosses
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii Trading Cards
- Paper Mario Bosses
- Paper Mario Series Party Members
- Paper Mario: Color Splash Characters
- Paper Mario: Sticker Star Bosses
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Bosses
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Characters
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Enemies
- Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition Bosses
- Super Mario 3D Land Bosses
- Super Mario 3D World Bosses
- Super Mario 64 Bosses
- Super Mario amiibo Line
- Super Mario Bros. Enemies
- Super Mario Bros. 3 Bosses
- Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
- Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels Enemies
- Super Mario Galaxy Trading Cards
- Super Mario Galaxy Bosses
- Super Mario Galaxy 2 Bosses
- Super Mario Kart Characters
- Super Mario Maker Costumes
- Super Mario Maker Enemies
- Super Mario Maker 2 Enemies
- Super Mario Odyssey Bosses
- Super Mario Party Characters
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Bosses
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Characters
- Super Mario Run Characters
- Super Mario Strikers Characters
- Super Mario Sunshine Bosses
- Super Mario World Bosses
- Super Mario World (television series)
- Super Paper Mario Bosses
- Super Paper Mario Characters
- Super Princess Peach Bosses
- Super Smash Bros. amiibo Line
- Super Smash Bros. Bosses
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl Fighters
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl Stickers
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl Trophies
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U Fighters
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Trophies
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Trophies
- Super Smash Bros. Melee Fighters
- Super Smash Bros. Melee Trophies
- Super Smash Bros. Series Bosses
- Super Smash Bros. Trophy Characters
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighters
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Spirits
- Tetris Attack
- The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 Characters
- The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Characters
- Unjust Desserts Characters
- UNO Super Mario
- Wrecking Crew '98
- Yakuman DS
- Yoshi's Island DS Bosses
- Yoshi's New Island Bosses
- Yoshi's Safari Bosses
- Yoshi Topsy-Turvy Characters
- Yoshi's Universal Gravitation
_Card.JPG){kind=link}
_Card.JPG){kind=link}
