Bowser's Brother
Bowser's Brother | |
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![]() Artwork of Bowser's Brother from Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels | |
Species | Koopa |
First appearance | Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986) |
Latest appearance | Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. (2020) |
Bowser's Brother,[1] also referred to as Fake Bowser (Blue),[2] is a character similar to Bowser who appears in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. His identity varies in supplemental material, which describes him either as Bowser's twin or a fake Bowser. His most consistent characteristic is his bluish color, but this was removed in Super Mario All-Stars.[3]
History
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Bowser's Brother makes his first appearance in the Family Computer Disk System version of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. There, he appears before the fight with Bowser in World 8-4, where he tries to stop Mario or Luigi by throwing hammers at them and breathing fire. He reappears alone in World 9-3, but does not breathe fire.
While distinguished from Bowser by the color of his skin and shell (brown and deep cyan, respectively), defeating him with fireballs does not reveal him as one of Bowser's minions, making him distinct from the fake Bowsers. In World D-4, however, a fake version of him appears that only breathes fire, being revealed as a Spiny when defeated with fireballs.
All Night Nippon: Super Mario Bros. reuses World 8-4 and World D-4 from The Lost Levels, so Bowser's Brother and his impostor also return.
Bowser's Brother returns in the Super Mario All-Stars remake of The Lost Levels, where he is colored identically to Bowser, though an unused color palette shows him with his blue color scheme, as well as magenta hair.[4] In World D-4, he replaces his impostor but does not breathe fire.
Super Smash Bros. series
In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the eighth costume of Bowser is said to be Bowser's Brother, referred to as a Bowser Impostor,[5] in the tips. It replaces a similar-looking costume from previous games that has yellow hair and green limbs, likely based on Bowser's original artwork (though with the shell and skin colors swapped). If Peach's Classic Mode route in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, "No Damsel in Distress", is played with two players, the penultimate battle with Bowser has him accompanied by another Bowser using the eighth costume as a partner.
Blue-colored versions of Bowser distinct from Bowser’s Brother
Even though these blue-colored versions of Bowser likely affected the depiction of Bowser's Brother, they are not stated to be him.
Super Mario Bros.
In the original Super Mario Bros., the palette used for castle sections before the final boss battle causes an unintended consequence in which Bowser has the same blue coloration of Bowser's Brother. This is due to color of Bowser's skin and shell being obtained through a palette swap commonly used in castle sections of the game, except for the part where the axe is loaded. Because of this, standing near the end of a castle in a way so that Bowser is barely seen on the right-hand side of the screen causes him to appear dark shades of teal, but he will revert back to his correct colors if Mario or Luigi advances any further. The same graphical oversight can be seen in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Additionally, defeating a fake Bowser before his color change will result in the enemy acting as his true form to retain this color scheme (such as World 5-4's fake Bowser becoming a Lakitu using the underground/castle color scheme). Similarly, in the Disk System version of the Minus World, due to that level using the underwater color palette, causing all green enemies to turn gray, including the "green" Cheep-cheeps, Bowser appears gray in his appearance in that version of World -1, based on World 1-3.
Yoshi's Cookie (SNES)
In the Super Nintendo Entertainment System release of Yoshi's Cookie, Bowser takes on a blue-and-red palette as player two if Bowser is already player one.
Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)
The second palette swap of Bowser in the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Golf features a blue skin and a blue shell. Contrary to what would happen in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the shell and head have a lighter blue color than the skin.
Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)
In the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Tennis, one of Bowser's palette swaps features the same blue colors seen in Mario Golf.
Identity
The character was initially mentioned as the first/fake[6] or first/blue[7] Bowser in the Japanese guides for Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, which do not specify his relationship to Bowser besides one suggesting that he is not his twin.[8] In the character books released in the 1990s before Super Mario All-Stars, the blue Bowser is described as being either Bowser's first[9] or younger[10][11] brother. Super Mario Zen Hyakka, a book written in collaboration with Nintendo, describes him as part of the「
Profiles
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U / Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tip
- "A Bowser Impostor?! – In Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Mario fights a blue fake Bowser before the real thing. That blue fake is his eighth color in this game!"
List of appearances
# | Title | Role | Release date | Format
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1 | Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels | Secondary antagonist, mini-boss | 1986 | Family Computer Disk System |
2 | Super Mario All-Stars | Mini-boss in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels remake | 1993 | SNES |
3 | Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World | Mini-boss in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels remake | 1994 | SNES |
4 | Super Mario Bros. Deluxe | Mini-boss in Super Mario Bros. for Super Players | 1999 | Game Boy Color |
5 | Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition | Mini-boss in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels remake | 2010 | Wii |
6 | Super Smash Bros. for 3DS | Costume | 2014 | Nintendo 3DS |
7 | Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Costume | 2014 | Wii U |
8 | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Costume | 2018 | Nintendo Switch |
9 | Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. | Mini-boss in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels port | 2020 | Game & Watch |
Gallery
Fire Mario facing Bowser's Brother in World 8-4 of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Bowser's Brother in World 9-3 of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Luigi facing Bowser's Brother in the Super Mario Bros. Deluxe version of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (referred to in this game as "Super Mario Bros. For Super Players")
Fire Mario facing the recolored Bowser's Brother in the Super Mario All-Stars version of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Names in other languages
Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
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Japanese | クッパ・アオ[10] Kuppa Ao |
Blue Bowser | |
ニセクッパ[16] Nise Kuppa |
Fake Bowser | ||
クッパ(青)[17][19] Kuppa (Ao) |
Bowser (Blue) | ||
German | Bowser (blau)[20] | Bowser (blue) | |
Italian | Bowser Blu[22] | Blue Bowser | |
Spanish | Bowser azul[21] | Blue Bowser |
Trivia
- Due to his bluish coloration, Bowser's Brother resembles Shigeru Miyamoto's original blue depiction of Bowser in artwork for Super Mario Bros., prior to the character's redesign in artwork for Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.
- An event in the now-defunct mobile game Miitomo to celebrate the launch of Super Mario Run featured a Miitomo Drop minigame known as "Super Mario Run! Princess Peach & Bowser Style", with one of the prizes being a Bowser costume for Miis to wear that has the color scheme of Bowser's Brother.
- Bowser's Brother was available as a purchasable icon for 10 Platinum Points in the Nintendo Switch Online app from July 1, 2024, to August 5, 2024, for players who played Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels on Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online.[23]
References
- ^ a b "BOWSER'S BROTHER You're in for a surprise. Bowser's got a twin." – 1993. Super Mario All-Stars Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 62 .
- ^ a b English Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels entry on the official Mario Portal. nintendo.co.jp (English). Retrieved June 5, 2024. (Archived August 13, 2022, 14:35:18 UTC via archive.today.)
- ^ a b "A fake Bowser appears in the Famicom version of Super Mario. Since his color is blue, you can tell at a glance that he's a fake, but unfortunately in Mario Collection he became the same green." – 1994. 「パーフェクト版 マリオキャラクター大事典」(Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten. Shogakukan. Page 65 . while the two captions state "Obviously fake blue Bowser." and "He can't be distinguished from the real thing."
- ^ TCRF. Super Mario All-Stars § Unused Palettes. The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
- ^ a b "A Bowser Impostor?! In Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Mario fights a blue fake Bowser before the real thing. That blue fake is his eighth color in this game!" – Tips. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
- ^ Page 50 of「ファミリーコンピュータ必勝道場⑦スーパーマリオブラザーズ2」(Family Computer Hisshō Dōjō ⑦ Super Mario Bros. 2, or "Family Computer Certain Victory Dojo ⑦ Super Mario Bros. 2") refers to the blue Bowser as「1
匹 めのクッパ」(the first Bowser), also noting that he isn't the real Bowser:「こいつ真 のクッパではない。」 - ^ Page 62 of「ファミリーコンピュータ必勝道場⑪スーパーマリオブラザーズ1&2神わざ大全集」(Family Computer Hisshō Dōjō ⑪ Super Mario Bros. 1 & 2 Kami Waza Taizenshū, or "Family Computer Certain Victory Dojo ⑪ Super Mario Bros. 1 & 2 Great Complete Work on Miracles/Glitches").「1
匹 めのクッパはむりして倒 さなくていいよ!ワールド8-4とD -4には、クッパが2匹出 てする。そのうちの1匹 めは,青 いクッパなんだけど」(It's ok if you try hard but don't defeat the first Bowser. In Worlds 8-4 and D-4, Bowser appears twice. The first of those is the blue Bowser...) - ^ a b Page 89 of「スーパマリオブラザーズ2<裏ワザ大全集>」(Super Mario Bros. 2 < Urawaza Taizenshū >, or "Super Mario Bros. 2 Great Complete Work on Secret Tricks") has the paragraph:「おお一つと!またグッバがいた。ということは、
大魔王 クッパはふたごだったのか、なんちゃって。アホ。」(Oh! Bowser is here again. That is to say, the Great Demon King Bowser is actually a TWIN, not! Idiot.) Note that the author is mocking the reader for believing that Bowser has a twin. - ^ Page 155 of「全スーパーマリオ大百科」(Zen Super Mario Ōhyakka, or "Complete Super Mario Great Encyclopedia") states of the blue Bowser:「クッパ
兄弟 の1匹目 はよけろ!」(The first of the Bowser brothers!) - ^ a b c Page 144 of「スーパーマリオ
全百科 」(Super Mario Zen Hyakka, or "Super Mario Complete Encyclopedia"). The blue Bowser is referred to as「クッパブラザーズの弟 」(the younger of the Bowser brothers). The page also states「クッパの弟 だ」(He's Bowser's younger brother). - ^ On page 36 of「スーパーマリオ
大図鑑 」(Super Mario Bros. Daizukan, or "Super Mario Great Picture Book") Dr. Mario states:「『マリオ2』ではクッパの弟 が影武者 だったクッパとおなじ力 をもった強敵 だったぞ!」(In "Mario 2", Bowser's little brother was a strong enemy who had the same strength as Bowser's body doubles.) - ^ On page 89 of「スーパーマリオ
全百科 」(Super Mario Zen Hyakka, or "Super Mario Complete Encyclopedia") the「王族 」term, meaning King Tribe, is given the following explanation:「クッパ軍団 を統率 する王家 の面々 。クッパ、コクッパがこれにあたる。」(Every member of the royal family that leads the Bowser army corps. Bowser and the Koopalings apply here.) - ^ On page 92 of the Nintendo Official Guidebook of Super Mario Collection, the blue Bowser is referred to as「ニセクッパ」(Fake Bowser).
- ^ "Look out! Bowser has a Hammer-throwing brother, and he’s here to stop you from getting to the end. If you’ve got fireballs, use ʻem. Otherwise ..." – Cain, Christine (1999). Super Mario Bros. Deluxe Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 0-7615-2190-9. Page 71.
- ^ 「にせクッパ!? 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ2』には、青いクッパが登場する。倒すとその先にいつもの緑のクッパがいる。『スマブラ』では8Pカラーで青いクッパになる。」(Fake Bowser!? In Super Mario Bros. 2, a blue Bowser appears. Defeat him and beyond is the usual green Bowser. In Smash Bros., the 8P color is the blue-colored Bowser.) - Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Tips.
- ^ a b On page 22 of「スーパーマリオぴあ」(Super Mario Pia), the blue Bowser is labeled as「ニセクッパ」(Fake Bowser) while still stressing his body being blue.
- ^ a b Page 27 of「スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック」(Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guide Book, or "Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia: Nintendo Official Guide Book")
- ^ Page 30 of「スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック」(Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guide Book, or "Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia: Nintendo Official Guide Book").「謎の青いクッパ! W8-4でクツパと対決する直前、体の青いクッパと戦うことになる。クッパと同等の能力を持つが、その正体は不明。W9-3とWD-4にも登場する。」(Mysterious Blue Bowser! In W8-4 just before confronting Bowser, a blue-bodied Bowser must be fought. He has the same abilities as Bowser, but his true identity is unknown. He also appears in W9-3 and WD-4.)
- ^ a b Original Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels entry on the official Mario Portal. nintendo.co.jp (Japanese). Retrieved June 5, 2024. (Archived July 21, 2021, 09:21:01 UTC via archive.today.)
- ^ Super Mario Encyclopedia – Die ersten 30 Jahre. Page 27.
- ^ Enciclopedia Super Mario Bros 30ª Aniversario. Page 27.
- ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 27.
- ^ NSO Icons Alert. X.com Retrieved August 11, 2024.
Bowser's family |
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Forms and counterparts |
Alarm Koopa • Baby Bowser (Mega Baby Bowser) • Black Bowser • Blockhead Bowser • Bowcien • Bowser • Bowletta • Castle Bowser • Dreamy Bowser • Dry Bowser • Fury Bowser • Giant Bowser • Giga Bowser • King Koopa's alter egos • King Tetris • Koopa 3 • Magma Bowser • MegaDragonBowser • Meowser • Paper Bowser • President Koopa • Shiny RoboBowser • Shrowser |
Current in-game relatives |
Dry Bowser • Bowser Jr. • Paper Bowser Jr. |
Former in-game relatives |
Bowser's Brother • Koopa Kid • Koopalings (Larry Koopa · Morton Koopa Jr. · Wendy O. Koopa · Iggy Koopa · Roy Koopa · Lemmy Koopa · Ludwig von Koopa) |
Miscellaneous relatives |
Bowser's cousin • Bowser's father • Bowser's mother • Bowser's sister • Enma Daiō • King Koopa's great-great grandkoop • Poopa La Koopa |
Pets |
Mechawiggler • Pookie • Ratso |
President Koopa's relatives |
Iggy • Spike |