Giga Bowser
- Not to be confused with Giant Bowser.
| Giga Bowser | |
|---|---|
 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate artwork | |
| Applies to | Bowser |
| First appearance | Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001) |
| Latest appearance | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018) |
Giga Bowser is a giant and powerful version of Bowser, created as a throwback to the older "aggressive" look of Bowser from games prior to Super Mario 64.[1] He looks more ferocious, with a larger body, a spikier scaled shell, more muscular physique, and a new curve to his lengthened horns. In addition, Giga Bowser is more difficult to battle than his smaller counterpart. He first appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee as the final boss of Adventure Mode in higher difficulties. Despite being an alternate form of a Super Mario character, Giga Bowser is instead officially considered to be a character of the Super Smash Bros. series, and has no Super Mario appearances. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Giga Bowser's symbol has the Super Smash Bros. symbol, not a Mushroom like characters of the Super Mario franchise. Following his debut, Giga Bowser has been featured as Bowser's Final Smash in all subsequent games of the Super Smash Bros. series.
History[edit]
 Giga Bowser |
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| Game appearances |
|---|
| Super Smash Bros. Melee (boss) Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Final Smash fighter) Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (Final Smash fighter) Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (Final Smash fighter) Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Final Smash move, boss) |
| Special moves |
| Neutral: Fire Breath Side: Koopa Klaw (Melee); Flying Slam (Brawl, 3DS/Wii U) Up: Whirling Fortress Down: Bowser Bomb |
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Giga Bowser has the same moveset as Bowser in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but several moves have an elemental effect; his down smash can freeze opponents, and his forward smash is explosive. However, unlike Bowser, Giga Bowser does not have a swim animation; when Giga Bowser jumps into the water, he falls right through it and gets KO'd. Giga Bowser also cannot pick up items (except in Super Smash Bros. Melee), although he still possesses the effects of the Bunny Hood and Superspicy Curry. Lastly, thanks to his huge size, Giga Bowser is immune to grab attacks, including both Kirby's Inhale and Yoshi's Egg Lay moves. Giga Bowser is unaffected by Metal Boxes, as he does not gain a metallic appearance, even when players are playing a Metal Special Smash. Similarly, Super Mushrooms, Poison Mushrooms, and Lightning will not affect Giga Bowser's size, but his size can be altered by playing a Giant or Tiny Special Smash. On a side note, while Giga Bowser is huge in size, his overall attack power is less powerful than that of a Bowser who acquires a Super Mushroom. This is especially notable with the forward smash. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Giga Bowser grows to an even larger size than previously, and accurately aiming his punches can result in instantly KOing an opponent.
Super Smash Bros. Melee[edit]
Giga Bowser makes his debut in Super Smash Bros. Melee, where the player can face him after completing Adventure Mode on normal or higher difficulty within 18 minutes without using any continues, facing a black-colored Giant Bowser. In the default scenario, after defeating Bowser, the player launches and drops the Bowser trophy off-stage. In the altered cutscene, the Bowser trophy re-emerges from the pit and gets struck by lightning. This revives the trophy, but the energy surge from the lightning turns Bowser into Giga Bowser. Once the player defeats Giga Bowser, the Bowser trophy falls off the stage once more and explodes, destroying it. Defeating Giga Bowser in Adventure Mode awards the player 100,000 points, along with the Giga Bowser trophy. Additionally, he is one of the opponents in the final Event Match, The Showdown, with Ganondorf and Mewtwo fighting alongside him.
An unused voice clip has the narrator referring to Giga Bowser as "Giga Koopa" (Giga Bowser's Japanese name) when the language settings are set to English. Additionally, when the language is set to Japanese, the narrator calls him "Giga Bowser" even though Bowser is named "Koopa" in Japanese. This does not apply to the European and Australian versions, which remove the "Giga Koopa" voice clip in favor of "Giga Bowser" for all languages.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
- SmashWiki article: Giga Bowser (Final Smash)
Giga Bowser returns in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as Bowser's Final Smash. Many of Bowser's moves are hugely powered up in this form, and his roar is deeper. However, some of his attacks are actually weaker than that of the regular Bowser (such as the forward smash). He still takes damage from hits, but he does not flinch, making him possible to KO only by hitting him when off-screen, and at the top border of the screen. Giga Bowser's Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy incorrectly states that he cannot take damage at all. Because of his large size, Giga Bowser is able to easily attack and KO an opponent. The duration of this move decreases if Giga Bowser is attacked.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U[edit]
Giga Bowser also appears as Bowser's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, but while Bowser's moveset has been altered, Giga Bowser maintains his moveset from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Additionally, if Bowser is using any custom moves, Giga Bowser's moveset will not be affected. In these games, Giga Bowser's snout is a tan color, instead of the light green it was previously.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
Giga Bowser returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as Bowser's Final Smash. However, instead of being a fully controllable character, Giga Bowser moves into the background and prepares to hit opposing fighters with a powerful punch. Meanwhile, the player can target the opponents with a reticle. If Giga Bowser successfully strikes a fighter that is high on damage, they are instantly Screen KO'd.
Giga Bowser is also fought as a boss at the end of Mario and Captain Falcon's Classic Mode, after Bowser transforms into him. Sephiroth also fights Giga Bowser in his Classic Mode route as the sixth boss. He also appears as a boss in the World of Light mode, where he is located in the Molten Fortress sub-map. Defeating him unlocks Bowser as a playable character and damages Galeem's shield. It also awards the player with Giga Bowser's spirit, which strengthens all neutral fire attacks when used on a fighter.
Giga Bowser's colors have been slightly altered again to even more resemble those of his normal form, though his face is still turquoise. His scales are also much more smooth than in previous appearances.
Unused appearances[edit]
Giga Bowser was briefly considered as a transformation for Bowser for his Skylanders: SuperChargers appearances before being replaced by an original form, Molten Bowser.[2]
Profiles and statistics[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Melee[edit]
| Trophy Giga Bowser | ||
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| Game/move: Super Smash Bros. Melee 12/01 | ||
| How to unlock: Complete Adventure Mode defeating Giga Bowser without using any continues | ||
| 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[edit]
| Trophy Giga Bowser | ||
| ||
| Appears in: Wii Super Smash Bros. Brawl | ||
| How to unlock: Clear All-Star Mode as Bowser. | ||
| Bowser, transformed into the terrible and brutal form first seen in Super Smash Bros. Melee. While in this form, he cannot be stunned or 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. | ||
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[edit]
| Trophy Giga Bowser | ||
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| Category: Final Smash | ||
( ) Appears in:- | ||
| () Trophy Box: 90: Final Smashes 1
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| How to unlock: Clear All-Star Mode as Bowser | ||
| Prepare to behold Bowser in all his Koopa glory. This fearsome form first appeared all the way back in Melee. While transformed, Bowser deals extra damage, is better at launching foes, and even gains special effects on some of his attacks. He won't flinch and can't be thrown, but he does still take damage. (American English) | ||
| The definitive way to prove that Bowser's the king. This fearsome form made its debut all the way back in Melee. While transformed, Bowser deals more damage, launches foes further, and certain attacks have extra effects like freezing opponents. He won't flinch, and he can't be thrown either, but he will still take damage. (British English) | ||
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
| Spirit #1097 Giga Bowser | ||
|---|---|---|
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Series/game | Super Smash Bros. Series |
| Type | Primary | |
| Slots | 3 | |
| Class | Advanced | |
| Strength / effect(s) | Neutral Fire Attack ↑ | |
| How to obtain | World of Light (Molten Fortress) | |
| Spirit battle | Opponent(s) | Giga Bowser |
| Conditions |
| |
| Stage | Final Destination | |
| Song | Giga Bowser |
Gallery[edit]
Giga Bowser's stock icon in Super Smash Bros. Melee
Giga Bowser transforming in front of the Ice Climbers in Super Smash Bros. Melee
The Bowser trophy becoming Giga Bowser in Super Smash Bros. Melee
Giga Bowser's model in Super Smash Bros. Melee
Mario fighting Giga Bowser in Super Smash Bros. Melee
The battle against Giga Bowser in the Event Match Lv. 51: The Showdown in Super Smash Bros. Melee
Bowser uses his Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Giga Bowser battling Mario, Fox, and Wario in the Yoshi's Island stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Giga Bowser chasing after Samus in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Giga Bowser's model in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Giga Bowser, appearing as Bowser's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
A screenshot of Giga Bowser in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
A screenshot of Giga Bowser in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
A screenshot of Giga Bowser Punch being used in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Comic by Daniel Fernandez Casas
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ギガクッパ[?] Giga Kuppa |
Giga Bowser | |
| ギガクッパ変身[?] Giga Kuppa Henshin |
Giga Bowser Transformation | (Final Smash) | |
| Chinese (simplified) | 巨兽酷霸王[?] Jùshòu Kùbàwáng |
Giant Beast Bowser | |
| Chinese (traditional) | 巨獸庫巴[?] Jùshòu Kùbā |
Giant Beast Bowser | |
| Italian | Giga Bowser[?] | - | |
| Russian | Гига-Боузер[?] Giga-Bouzer |
Giga Bowser | |
| Spanish | Giga Bowser[?] | - |
Trivia[edit]
- Giga Bowser is the only transformation Final Smash with a victory pose.
- Although Giga Bowser has identical voice clips to Bowser's, their pitch level is altered so that they sound deeper in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. It is possible to give Bowser the exact same pitch level for his voice clips as Giga Bowser by having him grow to giant size using Lightning.
References[edit]
- ^ 速報スマブラ拳!! : アンケート集計拳!!. Nintendo (Japanese). Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Nintendo of America (June 17, 2015). Nintendo Treehouse Live @ E3 2015 Day 1 Skylanders SuperChargers. YouTube (American English). Retrieved June 29, 2024.
| Bowser forms | |
|---|---|
| Main | Big Dry Bowser • Black Bowser • Blockhead Bowser • Bowcien • Bowletta • Castle Bowser • Dreamy Bowser • Dry Bowser • Fury Bowser • Giant Bowser • Giga Bowser • Glohm Bowser • Molten Bowser • Mega Baby Bowser • Mega Bowser • MegaDragonBowser • Meowser • Metal Bowser • Shiny RoboBowser • Shrowser |
| Other | Alarm Koopa • Black Hole Bowser • Bowser Sphinx • Bowser the Brash • Capt. Bowser • Dark Hammer Slam Bowser • Hammer Slam Bowser • Heat Cannon (Mega Strike ability) • King Koopa's alter egos • Megaton Koopa Hō • Mushroom • President Koopa • Rookie • Scarecrow • Shroob mushroom • Tail Bowser • Wizard Bowser |
| Bowser's family |
|---|
| 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 • Glohm Bowser • Golf Daiō • King Koopa's alter egos • King Tetris • Koopa 3 • Magma Bowser • MegaDragonBowser • Meowser • Paper Bowser • President Koopa • Qix Daiō • Shiny RoboBowser • Shrowser • Torino Daiō |
| 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 |
- Bowser forms
- Fire creatures
- Ice creatures
- Electrical creatures
- Final Smashes
- Final bosses
- Playable characters
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl special moves
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophies
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U special moves
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophies
- Super Smash Bros. Melee
- Super Smash Bros. Melee trophies
- Super Smash Bros. series bosses
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirits
