Bowser

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Bowser, King of the Koopas in his present day appearance.

“I'm the biggest, baddest brute around, and don't you forget it.”

—Bowser

Bowser Koopa sometimes known as King Bowser or King Koopa is the supreme leader of the Koopa Troop, king of the Koopas, and the arch-nemesis of Mario and Luigi. Repeatedly, he tries to kidnap Princess Peach and take over the Mushroom Kingdom. Occasionally, the Koopa King has attempted to conquer the entire Mushroom World.

Game Appearances

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The first appearance of King Bowser in the original Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros.

Bowser first appeared in Super Mario Bros. for the NES. In the game, Bowser conquered the Mushroom Kingdom and kidnapped Princess Toadstool, taking her to the kingdom's eighth castle. The other seven castles contained Bowser decoys. Captured Toads were imprisoned in these castles.

Super Mario Bros. 3

Bowser appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3. This game introduced Bowser's seven children, the Koopalings - 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 land into an animal. Mario had to defeat each Koopaling individually to obtain the Magic Scepter that could return the Mushroom Kings back to normal. Bowser kidnapped Princess Peach and Mario rescued her.

Super Mario World

Bowser and the Koopalings reappeared in Super Mario World. Not only did Bowser kidnap Princess Toadstool, but he also kidnapped several Yoshis Mario, Luigi and a few heroic Yoshis, saved the Princess and the captured Yoshis by defeating the Koopalings and King Bowser. At the end of the game, the Yoshi Eggs the baby Yoshis were trapped in hatched.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Bowser actually joined Mario's team in Super Mario RPG. 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.

During the events of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach as she is picking flowers at Mario's Pad. He flies to his castle, Bowser's Keep, in his Koopa Clown Car with the princess. However, Mario is right behind him. The plumber battles past the castle's guards, and enters Bowser's throne room. 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 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 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.

Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS

In this game, Bowser did not "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 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.

Paper Mario

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Bowser, holding the invincibility-granting Star Rod.

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. 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.

Luigi's Mansion

Bowser didn't appear in Luigi's Mansion for the Nintendo GameCube - instead, King Boo used a Bowser disguise. It is unknown if King Boo actually possessed Bowser's corpse -- 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.

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.

Super Mario Sunshine

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Bowser as seen in Super Mario Sunshine.

Bowser and his son Bowser Jr. appeared in Super Mario Sunshine. Bowser Jr. was at first disguised as Shadow Mario, but is later revealed to be Bowser Jr. 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.

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Official art of Bowser from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.

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. 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 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.

Rookie

The next time 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.

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. When she is completely destroyed, Bowser returns to normal.

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Bowser as he appears in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Bowser also appeared as a 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 5th ranked team. 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 and his party began to battle Bowser, being aided by Kammy Koopa, giving Grodus the opportunity to escape and awaken the Shadow Queen.

Mario and 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) 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. 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.

New Super Mario Bros.

Shockingly (and graphically), Bowser dies in the first world of the New Super Mario Bros. and becomes an undead monster similar in appearance to a huge Dry Bones. However, Bowser returns in his bones form as a boss in World 8 and actually "dies". Bowser Jr. then revives him at the end of the game for the final boss.

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Bowser in his kart from Mario Kart DS.

Mario Kart Series

Bowser has appeared as a playable character in virtually all of the games in the massive Mario Kart sub-series, including the original Super Mario Kart, to the more recent Mario Kart DS.

Mario Party Series

Bowser has appeared as an enemy in the Mario Party series since the first game, causing chaos and coin-loss on the players. 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 a character loses, Bowser takes his or her coins or a star.

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.

Mario Superstar Baseball 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!"

Nicknames and Aliases in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

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King Koopa.

This is a list of King Koopa's aliases in the 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

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.

Paper Mario Stats and Tattle Information

HP:

• Round 1: 50
• Rounds 2 and 3: 99

Attack:

• Round 1: 8
• Rounds 2 and 3: 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.

Tattles:

It's the Evil King Bowser!

• Round 1: 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: 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: 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: The Thousand-Year Door Stats and Tattle Information

• Glitz Pit Stats:
• HP: 30
• Attack: 3
• Defense: 1
• Tattle Number: 41
• Tattle Log: Mario's fated enemy. Bowser, the Koopa King is a foe to be feared. His typical turf is NOT Glitzville.
• Tattle: That's Bowser! But what's he doing here?!? My mind just blew a fuse! He's uglier than I 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 Stats:
• HP: 70
• Attack: 7
• Defense: 2
• Tattle Log: Mario's sworn enemy. He's a big galoot who has come to swipe Princess Peach and the Crystal Stars.
• Tattle: 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. 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!

Super Smash Bros. Melee trophies

Regular Trophy

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.
Unlock: Beat Classic Mode as Bowser.

Smash-1 Trophy

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

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.

Koopa Family

Bowser has had eight "children" under his wing in the Mario series.

• Ludwig Von Koopa
• Lemmy Koopa
• Roy Koopa
• Iggy Koopa
• Wendy O. Koopa
• Morton Koopa Jr.
• Larry Koopa
• Bowser Jr.

The original seven Koopalings seem to have been phased out for Bowser Jr., but they have made a reappearance as bosses in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and they were also going to appear in Super Princess Peach, but were left out for unknown reasons.

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.

Portrayals

Bowser (King Koopa) as Dennis Hopper in the film.

He is voiced/portrayed by:

• Harvey Atkin in the cartoons.
• Scott Burns in most of the video games.
• Dennis Hopper in the Super Mario Bros. movie.

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.

Quotes

See Bowser's Quotes Page.

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