Super Smash Bros. Fighters – Super Mario series – 04 Bowser 

 Debut

In the Super Mario series: Super Mario Bros. (1985)
In the Super Smash Bros. series: Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001)

Boxing Ring Title: King of the Koopas

Theme Song: King Bowser – Super Mario Bros. 3

Bowser Koopa is the main antagonist of the Super Mario series. Often referred to as "The King of the Koopas," Bowser rules over his kingdom with an iron fist, and comes up with various schemes to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom.. While Bowser often loses his temper, his subjects noticeably adore and look up to him.

Bowser makes his debut in Super Mario Bros., where he and his Koopa Troop invade the Mushroom Kingdom. They manage to capture Princess Peach, after which Bowser uses his magical abilities to turn the citizens into blocks. Two plumbers by the names of Mario and Luigi learn of this and rush off to rescue Peach so she can undo Bowser's spell.

Bowser waits for the plumbers at the end of each castle. However, if one has the Fire Flower Powerup and throws fireballs at Bowser to defeat him, they'll find out the Bowser they encountered in Castles 1-through-7 are actually Fake Bowsers! The real Bowser waits for the duo at the end of World 8, where not only does he breathe fire at them, but also tosses hammers as well!

Notably, the game's artwork has Bowser looking nothing like his current self, as Shigeru Miyamoto - creator of the Super Mario series - decided to loosely base Bowser's appearance on a character named King Gruesome, the main antagonist of the anime film, Alakazam the Great, at the time.

Bowser also shows up in Japan's Super Mario Bros. 2, known as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels elsewhere. Bowser plays the same role he did in the first game here. Notably, Bowser was redesigned to his current look, which - besides a few touch-ups here and there - has stuck ever since.

Left: Bowser. Right: Bowser's Brother

This game would also mark the debut of a family member of Bowser's, creatively named Bowser's Brother. Bowser's Brother hides in World 8-4, where he tries to stop Mario and Luigi from getting to his older bro. He also shows up in World 9-3, trying to prevent them from reaching the castle.

However, Bowser having a little brother wouldn't last for long. Around the time of Super Mario All-Stars, Bowser's Brother was changed to being a particularly convincing Fake Bowser, while the later Super Mario Pia and Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros. would label Bowser's Brother as a mysterious individual of unknown origin.

While absent in the worldwide version of Super Mario Bros. 2 - released in Japan as Super Mario USA - Bowser would return as the main villain in Super Mario Bros. 3, which would fully cement him as the main antagonist of the series. Not only that, this game would see the debut of more family members for Bowser: his seven kids - Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig - who are referred to as the Koopalings! However, just like with Bowser's Brother, the Koopalings would later be changed to just being seven high-ranking generals of the Koopa Troop.

After an unknown amount of time has passed, Bowser returns, and sends his seven kids to conquer the seven kingdoms of the Mushroom World! As Mario and Luigi head off to free the lands conquered by the Koopalings, Bowser secretly invades the Mushroom Kingdom to kidnap Peach, which he succeeds in doing while Mario and Luigi's trek through Pipe Land. Bowser then sends them a note, challenging them to rescue her at his kingdom, Dark Land!

In the furthest reaches of Dark Land, Bowser waits in his castle. When Mario and Luigi finally make it, Bowser tries to attack them by pelting them with fireballs, as well as trying to flatten them with a ground pound. However, his attempts to flatten them proves to be his undoing, as he ends up breaking the floor on his battlefield, which eventually results in him plummeting into the pit below.

Following his defeat, Bowser and his troops decide to invade Yoshi's Island and establish a base there in Super Mario World. A green dinosaur named Yoshi, as well as his friends, try to fight the Koopa Troop off, but they all end up getting trapped in eggs for their efforts. When Bowser learns that Mario, Luigi, and Peach have arrived on the island, he sends his troops to nab Peach while the Mario Bros. are off exploring.

Bowser awaits the Mario Bros. in the Valley of Bowser, where he's mostly flying about in the sky in his brand-new Koopa Clown Car. When they manage to make it to the top of his castle, Bowser engages them in battle, where he tries to ram into them, drop giant bowling balls on them, and finally crush them. Periodically, he tosses Mechakoopas at the brothers, which they can use to throw back at him. Once Bowser is defeated, Princess Peach is dropped from the Koopa Clown Car, and Bowser goes flying away in defeat.

As the series main antagonist, it should be expected that Bowser would also shows up in the 3D Platformers. In Super Mario 64, Bowser and his Koopa Troop conquer Peach's Castle, trapping Peach inside the glass painting in front of her castle, as well as managing to steal some of the castle's 120 Power Stars! He gives some of the Stars to his minions, who are hiding inside some of the magic paintings decorating the castle.

Bowser is confronted three times in the game: First is at "Bowser in the Dark World," which requires eight Power Stars to access; second is "Bowser at the Fire Sea," which requires thirty Power Stars to access; and then "Bowser in the Sky," which requires seventy Power Stars. In each fight, Mario has to grab Bowser by the tail and throw him into one of the spike bombs hanging near the ledges of the arena. If he misses, Bowser goes flying off the stage before jumping back up.

Super Mario Sunshine would introduce another member to Bowser's family: his son Bowser Jr., who happens to look just like Bowser did when he was young. Prior to the events of the game, Bowser tricks his young son into believing that Peach is his mother so that he will have the motivation to go and "rescue" her from Mario. To this end, Bowser Jr. would disguise himself as Shadow Mario and cause mischief around Isle Delfino, framing Mario for it. Following some shenanigans, Bowser Jr. would eventually manage to capture Princess Peach, where he would then escort her to Bowser's Hot Tub at the top of Corona Mountain.

Once Mario manages to defeat Bowser Jr. in every location on Isle Delfino, Mario is able to climb up to the top of Corona Mountain. Here, Bowser gets enraged at Mario for trying to ruin his "family vacation" and attacks the plumber with his fire breath, while his son launches Bullet Bills. Ultimately, Mario manages to destroy the pillars keeping the hot tub afloat, causing Bowser, his son, Mario, and Princess Peach to plummet downwards. Bowser and his son end up landing somewhere far away from Isle Delfino, where Bowser decides to tell Junior the truth about Princess Peach. To his surprise, his son reveals that he already knew, but hopes that he can fight Mario again someday, which makes Bowser proud.

Bowser would then show up in the New Super Mario Bros. series, which marked a return to the side-scrolling genre! In New Super Mario Bros. DS, Bowser surprisingly serves as the first boss of World 1, where he fights just like he - or rather, the first Fake Bowser - did in the original Super Mario Bros. game. However, once Mario dunks him into the lava, Bowser ends up transforming into a skeletal version of himself called Dry Bowser!

Later at World-Castle, Dry Bowser returns to fight Mario. His new skeleton form makes him impervious to Mario's fireballs, though Mario manages to beat him just the same, dunking him into the pit below. At World-Bowser's Castle, Bowser Jr. manages to revive Bowser back to his normal-self by throwing his bones into a nearby cauldron. With Bowser back in the flesh, the father-and-son duo engage in a final battle against Mario! Despite their advantage, Mario manages to defeat both of them and rescue Peach, sending the two deep into the pits below. At the end of the game, an unconscious Bowser is shown getting dragged off to elsewhere by his son.

In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Bowser returns to being fought at the end of the game. It also begins the trend of Bowser's adviser, Kamek, using his magic on him to turn make Bowser bigger. His fight is similar to the last game, where you can either press the switch behind him to dunk him into the pit below, or use fireballs. Once Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad manage to defeat him, Kamek arrives and uses his magic to turn Bowser into a giant! Bowser then begins a rampage as he chases the four heroes through the small hallway, only to be stopped when they make it to the giant button and press it, sending Bowser - and the castle's lava - down the drain!

At the game's end, Bowser is shown lying unconscious near his castle. Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings are trying to push him over, since he's lying on his back. They succeed, only for Bowser's Castle to collapse on all of them.

In Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser enacts his most ambitious plan yet! As the Star Festival approaches, Bowser and his Koopa Troop head off into space towards the comet that passes by the planet every 100 years. Finding out that the comet is actually an observatory piloted by a woman named Rosalina, they invade the Comet Observatory, stealing her 113 Power Stars and 7 Grand stars! Bowser then uses these stars to unleash his army across the cosmos to conquer as many galaxies as possible, all in order to create a new galaxy in the center of the universe where he will rule over everyone!

On the day of the Star Festival, Bowser attacks the Mushroom Kingdom and uses a UFO to lift Peach's Castle into the sky, where he plans on having her rule at his side once his galaxy is complete! Mario tries to stop this, but is foiled by Kamek, who sends Mario flying off to a small planetoid.

Bowser is encountered at least three times. First at Bowser's Star Reactor, which requires 15 Power Stars to travel there; next at Bowser's Galaxy Reactor, which requires 33 Power Stars; and finally at Bowser's Galaxy Reactor, which requires 60 Power Stars to access. In each case, Bowser guards a Grand Star, and only gives it up once Mario defeats him.

Super Mario 3D World has Bowser head off to the Sprixie Kingdom, where he and his Koopa Troop manage to capture six of the Sprixie Princesses. The green one manages to escape and inform Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad of her story, only for Bowser to grab her as well before heading back to the Sprixie Kingdom, with the four heroes in pursuit!

Bowser is encountered three times in the game. First is at World 1 in the level "Bowser's Highway Showdown," where he fights the heroes in his brand-new Koopa Chase car, tossing Kick Bombs at the heroes. Second time is at World Castle's level, Bowser's Lava Lake Keep, where he fights the same way. The final time is in World Bowser's level, "The Great Tower of Bowser Land." His car is totally wrecked, but he has a new ace up his sleeve: using the very same Super Bell powerup that Mario and his friends have been using, becoming the terrifying - but also kind of adorable - Meowser!

Bowser also makes appearances in the various RPG series. In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Bowser ends up being one of Mario's allies, though not initially. At the beginning of the game, he has kidnapped Peach, and Mario rushes off to save her. Bowser has his fight with Mario, only to end up losing. However, just before Mario could rescue Peach, a giant sword named Exor crashes through Bowser's Castle, sending Bowser, Mario, and Peach flying away in different directions.

At Rose Way, Bowser is seen rallying the Koopa Troop so they can help him reclaim his castle. Later at Mole Mountains, Bowser has lost a significant number of his army, but they still try and press on. Near Booster's Tower, Bowser is sulking due to losing all of his minions. He notices Mario and his friends and decides to leave, but then notices the pesky plumber is having trouble getting into Booster's Tower. Realizing that they need help, Bowser decides to have Mario, Mallow, and Geno become "honorary members" of his Koopa Troop and bursts the door open, becoming Mario's fourth party member.

Bowser also has important roles in the Paper Mario series. Notably, this game would see the debut of Kammy Koopa, a Magikoopa who acts as his right-hand man in place of Kamek, though she would disappear from the series by Super Paper Mario. This game also reveals why Bowser kidnaps Peach: he has a small crush on her, and hopes to woo her.

Bowser serves as the main antagonist of the first installment, Paper Mario 64. In this game, he manages to not only steal the Star Rod, but also seals away the Seven Star Spirits! Bowser than invades Peach's Castle, where he manages to defeat Mario, kick him out of the castle, and lift Peach's Castle into the sky! Afterwards, he mostly tries to have his minions stop Mario from freeing one of the seven Star Spirits, while making sure Peach doesn't escape her chambers. In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Bowser is informed by Kammy Koopa that Mario headed to Rogueport to look for the Crystal Stars, and that Peach was kidnapped by a mysterious group called the X-Nauts. Bowser goes on a quest to obtain both the Crystal Stars and the princes, with his exploits being seen after Mario completes a chapter. Bowser also fights Mario at least twice in the game, but otherwise is uninvolved in the plot.

Super Paper Mario gives Bowser a major role in this game! A mysterious man named Count Bleck forces Bowser and Princess Peach to marry each other. This ends up creating the Chaos Heart, which is said to have the power to destroy dimensions. After that, Bowser ends up getting sent to the Bitlands, where he decides to set up a base. After Mario and Peach destroy his castle and defeat him, Bowser joins the team to stop Count Bleck, since the destruction of all dimensions means he won't have anything to conquer.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star has Bowser trying to steal the Sticker Comet, resulting in the Royal Stickers scattering everywhere! One lands on his head, making Bowser go crazy and stuff! Paper Mario: Color Splash has Bowser travel to Prism Island to color his shell a rainbow color in the town's fountain. However, his attempts ends up creating black paint, which mind controls him! Paper Mario: The Origami King has Bowser and his Koopa Troop overpowered by King Olly. The Koopa Troop are transformed into Origami soldiers, while Bowser was folded up into a square, forcing him to team up with Mario to turn back to normal!

In the Mario & Luigi series, Bowser is mostly portrayed as a comical non-threat in the first two games. In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, he decides to team up with Mario - and that Green Guy - to save Princess Peach's voice, which has been stolen by Cackletta! However, the ship they're using to get to the BeanBean Kingdom crashes, and Bowser is separated from the brothers. He later obtains amnesia, and becomes a lackey to a thief named Popple.

In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Bowser's younger-self, Baby Bowser, begins his first attempt at kidnapping Baby Peach, with Baby Mario - who, along with Baby Luigi, was at the castle for a playdate with the princess - stopping him. Only a few minutes later, the Shroob invasion begins, forcing Baby Bowser to flee in his airship with the princess, the Baby Mario Bros., and Toadsworth the Younger. They briefly stop to rescue the older Mario Bros. upon spotting them, after which the ship gets shot down, resulting in Baby Bowser getting separated from the heroes. Afterwards. Baby Bowser - alongside his caretaker Kamek - cause trouble for both the past and present version of the Mario Bros., as they end up taking his Cobalt Star Shard and he wants it back!

Much later in the game, Adult Bowser appears as well after the Mario Bros. unknowingly save Princess Shroob, who disguised herself as Peach to invade the present. Bowser grabs "Peach" and ends up fleeing to the past, where he meets his younger-self, though the two don't recognize each other. Still, the two team up to defeat the Mario Bros., which ends in their defeat. Before Bowser heads back to the present, he tells his younger-self to get stronger and eviler so that he can defeat Mario.

After that, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story would reverse Bowser's role of comic relief by making him a playable character! Bowser initially disrupts the Mushroom Kingdom conference to kidnap Peach, mostly because he's mad he wasn't invited to discuss the mysterious blorb illness which has affected his kingdom as well. After being defeated by Mario again, a hooded figure gives him a "Lucky Shroom," claiming he can defeat Mario with it. Upon eating it, Bowser ends up inhaling everyone at the conference before passing out. Upon waking up, Bowser learns that the hooded figure is Fawful, who wants to conquer both the Mushroom Kingdom and Bowser's Kingdom! Angered by this, Bowser heads off on his quest to save both kingdoms, all while the Mario Bros. secretly help him.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team sees him teaming up with a new villain named Antasma for a majority of the game, but near the end of the adventure, he backstabs Antasma and takes over his plans. Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam has Bowser team up with his Paper Mario counterpart, Paper Bowser, to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom! Despite this team-up, both Bowsers amusingly can't stand the other.

In the Luigi's Mansion series, Bowser himself hasn't shown up in the games, though he is referenced in the first game. Madame Clairvoya says that he was "soundly defeated by Mario," while the main antagonist, King Boo, pilots a Bowser Suit in the final battle.

In Super Princess Peach, Bowser and his Koopa Troop head to Vibe Island to look for the legendary Vibe Sceptor, which can make one calm, mad, sad, or joyful. Upon finding it, he gives the Sceptor to a Goomba, then send him and some members of his army out to Peach's Castle so that they can capture Princess Peach by using it! However, Peach was out on a walk earlier with Toadsworth, so they end up grabbing Mario, Luigi, and a bunch of Toads instead. Upon arriving back, the Goomba ended up getting hit by the effects of Vibe Sceptor during their mission, and accidentally uses it to make nearly everyone in Bowser's Army have different vibes.

Despite this setback, Bowser still decides to hold the Toads and the Mario Bros. hostage, with him guarding Mario. Eventually, Peach makes her way to his villa, where she engages in battle with him! During the fight, Bowser uses the Vibe Scepter in an attempt to use the power of Joy, Gloom, and Rage, but Peach manages to best him. He then turns into a giant, and attempts again to defeat Peach, but loses again. Bowser shrinks down to normal size, after which Peach whacks both him and the scepter off the island.

When Bowser isn't trying to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom, he can be seen partaking in the Mushroom Kingdom's various events, such as in the Mario Golf series! Bowser's first appearance was in Mario Golf 64, where he is an unlockable character. He can hit the ball pretty far, but he has terrible control as a result. In the opening of Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Bowser ends up chasing Wario and Waluigi after the former accidentally hit him with a golf ball. Mario Golf: Super Rush gives Bowser some stylish clothes to wear as he hits the green!

Bowser also shows up in the first two handheld installments. While he isn't playable in Mario Golf GBC, Bowser does show up in Story Mode, where he is angry that Kid - or Sherry, Azalea, or Joe - took so long to get to the Mushroom Kingdom and compete in the tournament, stating he's only here to beat Mario. If the player manages to win the tournament, Bowser simply states that he'll win in the next one.

In Mario Golf: Advance Tour, Bowser is a playable character, but only if you connect the game to Toadstool Tour to unlock him. In the game's story, Bowser is equally rude to Neil and Ella once they arrive, and almost gets in a fight with Mario until Peach stops them. In Doubles mode, he teams up with his son in his attempt to win the tournament.

He also shows up in the Mario Tennis series, where he's classified as a Power character; he can hit the ball really hard, but he's pretty slow. He makes his debut in Mario Tennis 64, where in the opening, he interrupts a confrontation between the Mario Bros. and the Wario Bros. Just as they think the Koopa King is about to start something, Bowser reveals that he - and and the Boo that's with him - simply want to play tennis, which Mario allows. In the opening to Mario Power Tennis, Bowser decides to help Wario and Waluigi get better at tennis so they can defeat Mario and Luigi, putting them through torturous training. At the night of the final round of the tournament, Bowser, Wario, and Waluigi interrupt Mario and Luigi's game, only for their plans to get foiled once again.

In Mario Tennis GBC, Bowser - alongside the Wario Bros. - harass Alex and Harry - or Nina and Kate - to defeat Mario and Peach, since they haven't been able to.do so. (Bowser even blames his partner, Boo, for being unable to beat them in doubles) When they agree to do so, Bowser is quite eager to see Mario - and Peach in doubles mode - lose, and heads to the stands to watch. Afterwards, once Alex & Harry/Nina & Kate beat Mario & Peach, Bowser congratulates the two for winning.

In Mario Tennis Power Tour, Bowser tags alongside the other Mario crew to teach the Academy, Factory, Empire, and Union schools Power Shots. Once Clay and Ace arrive in the Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser demands to quickly begin the tournament, as he's sick of waiting. In singles mode, Bowser serves as the second opponent, while in doubles mode, he serves as the final boss alongside his unlikely partner Waluigi.

Bowser is also a reoccurring contestant in the Mario Kart series. His first race was in Super Mario Kart, and he's been in every following game since! Here, he's classified as a heavyweight, meaning he can easily push everyone but another heavyweight around, but has poor acceleration.

Bowser also has a few race courses named after him, such as the reoccurring Bowser's Castle course, who's layout changes depending on the game, though they tend to share the a few similar themes, such as having lava and Thwomps. Notably, Mario Kart 7 has the Neo Bowser City, which is currently the only Bowser course that isn't castle-themed.

Within the Mario Party series, Bowser plays the role of a troublemaker. If the player lands on a Bowser Space, Bowser will appear and cause a random event to happen, which can range from stealing coins or even a hard-earned Star! It could also lead into a Bowser Minigame, where anyone who fails loses their coins! Rarely, one of the events could be a 1000 Coin Present or 100 Stars present. In these cases, Bowser simply runs away instead of giving the player the present.

Bowser would make his first playable appearance in Mario Party 4 in the Beach Volley Folley minigame. Mario Party 10 would introduce Bowser Party mode, where the player with the Wii U Gamepad would try and defeat Team Mario, while the other players with Wii Remotes would try to survive and make it to the Super Star. Meanwhile, Super Mario Party would make Bowser a playable character, with Kamek taking over the role as troublemaker.

The game also introduces the Koopa Kids (not to be confused with the Koopalings), little Bowser-lookalikes who serve as Bowser's sidekicks. Some games implied that they are Bowser's children, and other games suggested they were just minions, sometimes both! Regardless of the flip-flopping of their relationship, the Koopa Kids would end up getting replaced by Bowser Jr. by Mario Party DS and Mario Party 8, and haven't been seen since.

Bowser also makes appearance in the Yoshi series, where he tends to show up as his younger-self, Baby Bowser. In Super Mario World: Yoshi's Island, Baby Bowser shows up at the end of the game, where he was napping until Kamek's yelling woke him up. Upon spotting Yoshi, he tries to hitch a ride on him and knock Baby Mario off, only for Yoshi to retaliate. Kamek tries to help Baby Bowser by enlarging him with his magic, but Yoshi still manages to defeat him, forcing Kamek and Baby Bowser to flee.

Bowser - as an adult - would show up in Yoshi Topsy-Turvy, where he and his Koopa Troop cause havoc on Yoshi's Island, only for a spirit named Hongo to seal the entirety of Yoshi's Island in a book to stop Bowser's rampage. Once Yoshi manages to restore his island back to normal, Bowser engages in a battle with Yoshi, only to end up getting defeated. He and his army then retreat afterwards.

In Yoshi's Island DS, Bowser and Kamek from the future travel to the past to find the seven Star Children, who's powers may help Bowser conquer the world! Kamek and his Toadies manage to kidnap various babies from across the world, such as the Mushroom Kingdom, Donkey Kong Island, and even Diamond City! One of the babies they grab is Baby Bowser, who is less than impressed with his older-self's plans. Bowser ends up kicking him out of the castle after Baby Bowser insulted him, resulting in Baby Bowser teaming up with Yoshi to get revenge. While Yoshi is carrying Baby Bowser, the prince of the Koopas will spite fireballs out of his mouth, which can melt ice.and defeat enemies.

While he doesn't make a physical appearance, Bowser does make appearances in the microgames in the WarioWare series. He makes his debut in WarioWare: Get It Together in the microgame, "Super Mario Bros.," where the player has to either maneuver their character to the axe, or use one of the character's projectile moves to defeat Bowser.

Personality-wise, Bowser tends to be portrayed as hotheaded and arrogant, as well as gleefully relishing how “evil” he is. Depending on the game, he can be portrayed as a serious threat, or as comical relief, sometimes even both. Despite what his agressive demeanor may suggest, his army actually serve him out of loyalty rather than fear, though they can be quite scared of giving Bowser bad news, since it tends to result in him getting really angry or upset. Regardless, Bowser tends to treat his minions pretty well.

When Bowser was young, he tended to treat his caretaker, Kamek, pretty badly. As an adult, Bowser is shown to be a bit more respective of his opinions, though he tends to disregard his advice now and then. When it comes to his family., Bowser shows he has great pride in Bowser Jr,, viewing him as a worthy heir to the Koopa Throne. That being said, he admits that raising Junior can be tough, though he still lets his kid take chances now and then. As for the seven Koopalings, they were originally depicted as his kids in their debut, but this idea was later on discarded. Regardless, Bowser enjoys their loyalty to him, though he can get annoyed by them if they speak out of line.

In Super Smash Bros., Bowser is a strong heavy-weight, able to take hits and dish them back! Still, don’t be too careless. You don't want to go flying off the battlefield, do you?

Special Moves

Neutral Special: Fire Breath

Bowser breathes a stream of fire in front of him. The distance of the Fire Breath shortens the longer he uses it, until it’s barely escaping his mouth. When that happens, it's best if you don't use it for a bit so it can return to normal.

Inspired by Bowser’s general fire-breathing abilities, as first shown in “Super Mario Bros.” “Super Mario 64” would be the first time Bowser’s shown to be able to breathe a stream of fire.

Side Special: Flying Slam

Bowser extends his hand forward. If he grabs an opponent, Bowser will jump into the air and slam them into the ground! Anyone else who happens to be standing in the way as Bowser and his opponent falls get damaged as well!

While in the air, Bowser and the opponent can control where Bowser will land. Who has more control depends on who is less damaged, so keep that in mind before you use it.

The move is original to Super Smash Bros., though the “flying” part seems loosely inspired by Bowser’s jumping maneuver in his boss fight in “Super Mario 64” where he uses it to get back up on the floating battlefield if Mario fails to toss him into a bomb.

Up Special: Whirling Fortress

Bowser retreats into his shell and twirls around. If used in the air, Bowser will start to ascend. Additional height can be gained by tapping the Special Button repeatedly during the ascension. If used on the ground, Bowser can quickly zip forwards or backwards. Regardless, the move will drag nearby opponents with him, and send them flying when he’s done spinning.

The ground version is inspired by Koopa Troopa enemies in “Super Mario Bros.” Once Mario or Luigi stomps on one, it’ll retreat into its shell. Mario and Luigi can then kick it from the side to send the Koopa twirling forwards, defeating any enemy that gets in its way.

The air version is inspired by the Koopalings's boss fights in “Super Mario Bros. 3”, where every time Mario or Luigi stomped on them, they would retreat into their shells and then jump into the air.

Bowser himself was never seen retreating into his shell until the move’s debut in “Super Smash Bros. Melee”, with “Mario Power Tennis” serving as the first time he does so in the Super Mario series.

Down Special: Bowser Bomb

If used on the ground, Bowser starts by jumping into the air while using the horns on his head to knock anyone nearby into the air. Otherwise, Bowser then immediately falls towards the ground at lightning fast speeds! Anyone he hits will either get sent flying away from him, or get sent flying downwards! Once Bowser hits the ground, shockwaves get released, flinging nearby opponents up into the air and away from Bowser.

Inspired by one of Bowser’s attacks in “Super Mario Bros. 3.” After spitting out three fireballs, Bowser would jump into the air and perform the Bowser Bomb when Mario or Luigi is underneath him. This move would shatter floor the Mario Bros. and Bowser are battling on, which is the method the brothers need to use to defeat Bowser.

 Final Smash: Giga Bowser Punch

Bowser warps to the background of the stage while transforming into his gigantic Giga Bowser form. After that, a target reticle will appear in the center of the stage. Move it towards the opponent you want to attack! After a few seconds pass – or if you press any of the attack buttons – Giga Bowser will deliver a powerful punch that seriously hurts anyone who got hit.

If Bowser used the Smash Ball to turn into Giga Bowser and the opponent is at 60% damage or higher, they’ll get flung towards the screen and get instantly KOed! If Bowser is using the Final Smash Gauge to turn into Giga Bowser, the opponent needs to be at 80% damage or higher instead.

Giga Bowser is an original concept for Super Smash Bros., though the idea of Bowser turning into a giant made its first appearance in “Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island” where, thanks to Kamek's magic, Baby Bowser turns into a giant to try and defeat Yoshi. The punching seems to be inspired by Bowser’s punch attack in “Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story”.

Additional Notes

Bowser has a unique gimmick called “Tough Guy!” Tough Guy allows Bowser to shrug off weak rapid attacks – like Kirby’s rapid punch attack – and punish those who DARED to use such a move on him. However, the more damaged Bowser is, the harder it is for Bowser to tough those weak punches out until eventually he starts flinching from them. Tough Guy’s durability gets restored the less damaged Bowser is.

In Japan, Bowser’s name is “Kuppa” (aka, “Koopa”) though Miyamoto originally had two other ideas for his name: “Yukke” and “Bibinba”. Notably, all three of those names are taken from Korean dishes. (in case you’re wondering, Bowser’s troops, the Koopa Troopas, are called “Nokonoko” in Japan)