Dry Bowser: Difference between revisions

From the Super Mario Wiki, the Mario encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
m (→‎Mario Kart 8: Correct template)
 
(602 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{character-infobox
{{character infobox
|image=[[File:Dry Bowser MSOWG.jpg|250px]]<br>'''Dry Bowser''', as seen in ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]''.
|image=[[File:Dry Bowser Artwork.png|250px]]<br>Dry Bowser in ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]''
|full_name=Dry King Bowser Koopa
|first_appearance=''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'' ([[List of games by date#2006|2006]])
|first_appearance=''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'' ([[List of Mario games by date#2006|2006]])
|species=Skeletal [[Koopa (Bowser's species)|Koopa]]
|species=[[Dry Bones]]
|latest_appearance=''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: Bedrock Edition]]''<br>(The Wild Update) (2022)
|latest_appearance=''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]'' ([[List of Mario games by date#2014|2014]])  
|latest_portrayal=[[Kenneth W. James|Kenny James]] (2008-present)
|latest_portrayal=[[Kenny James]] (2008-present)
}}
}}
{{quote|Ggggrah! [[Blizza|You]] shouldn'ta said that! Nobody makes fun of Dry Bowser! Nobody!|Dry Bowser|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Nintendo DS)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games}}
{{quote2|I feel...dry. How does my skeleton look?|Dry Bowser|[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]}}


'''Dry Bowser''' (also known as '''Bowser Bones''' and '''Skeletal Bowser''') is an undead, skeletal version of [[Bowser]], debuting in ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'' Dry Bowser was accidentally created in <i>New Super Mario Bros.</i>'s first castle, when a short fight between Bowser and [[Mario]] ended with Bowser being dropped into a pit filled with [[lava]]. Unlike previous occasions, the lava reduced the once-mighty king to a skeleton, leaving his son, [[Bowser Jr.]], temporarily in command of the [[Koopa Troop]]. Dry Bowser is then fought in the first castle in [[World 8 (New Super Mario Bros.)|World 8]].
'''Dry Bowser''' is the undead and skeletal version of [[Bowser]], with his name playing off of [[Dry Bones]]. Despite not technically being one himself, he is closely associated with them and shares several traits with the species, like an immunity to [[fireball]]s. He made his debut in ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'', where he ascended as the result of [[Mario]] defeating Bowser by dropping him into [[lava]] at the end of ''New Super Mario Bros.''{{'}}s first castle. Dry Bowser is then fought in the first castle in [[World 8 (New Super Mario Bros.)|World 8]].


Since appearing as an unlockable driver in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', Dry Bowser has made recurrent appearances as a separate character from Bowser, notably in the ''[[Mario & Sonic (series)|Mario & Sonic]]'' series. Dry Bowser has a terrifying howl combined with the rattling of bones from his entire body. This can especially be heard in the [[Wii]] [[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|version]] of ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games'' when the player faces him in Ice Hockey.
Since his debut, Dry Bowser has made subsequent appearances, usually as a separate character from Bowser, the first of which was as an unlockable driver in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''. Notably, he has appeared as a rival in single-player campaigns of the [[Mario & Sonic (series)|''Mario & Sonic'' series]]. Dry Bowser's appearance in both ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' and ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' is not due to Bowser falling in the lava, as in both cases he is not turned into a skeleton after falling in the lava after the final boss battles.


==History==
==History==
===''Super Mario'' series===
===''Super Mario'' series===
====''New Super Mario Bros.''====
====''New Super Mario Bros.''====
[[File:World8-CastleNSMB.png|thumb|left|Mario fighting Dry Bowser in ''New Super Mario Bros.'']]
[[File:World8-CastleNSMB.png|thumb|left|Mario, fighting Dry Bowser in ''New Super Mario Bros.'']]
[[File:World 1 Dry Bowser NSMB.PNG|thumb|right|'''Dry Bowser''', as seen in World 1 in ''New Super Mario Bros.'']]
[[File:World 1 Dry Bowser NSMB.png|thumb|Dry Bowser, as seen in World 1, in ''New Super Mario Bros.'']]
In ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'', Bowser becomes Dry Bowser when he falls into lava after being defeated in World 1. He later appears as the boss of World 8's castle. He drops in from the ceiling and falls apart, but reassembles and is ready to fight.
In ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'', Bowser becomes Dry Bowser when he falls into lava after being defeated in [[World 1 (New Super Mario Bros.)|World 1]]. He later appears as the boss of {{world-link|8|castlen|World 8-Castle}}; here, Dry Bowser appears in a room at the end, where drops in from the ceiling and falls apart, before reassembling and beginning to fight Mario. To defeat Dry Bowser, Mario must dodge his attacks, which includes breathing small flames and throwing his own bones. Mario can wait for Dry Bowser to make a high [[jump]] and then run under him, or precisely jump over him. Then Mario can hit the [[skull switch]], destroying the bridge and throwing him into a very deep pit; when he finally hits the ground, his whole body falls apart. Like Dry Bones, Dry Bowser is fireproof, so [[Fire Mario]]'s fireballs do not have any effect against him.


To defeat Dry Bowser, Mario must dodge his attacks, which include breathing small flames and throwing his own bones, and wait for him to make a high [[jump]]. Mario must then run under Dry Bowser and hit the [[Skull Switch]], destroying the bridge and throwing him into a very deep pit; when he finally hits the ground, his whole body falls apart. If Mario (or Luigi) has a Mega Mushroom as his backup item, then the player can use this item to simply jump on Dry Bowser, who then quickly crumbles in defeat.
[[File:NSMB Bowser Jr's Cauldron.png|thumb|left|200px|Bowser Jr. resurrects Dry Bowser.]]
If Mario (or Luigi) has a Mega Mushroom as his backup item, then the player can use this item to simply jump on Dry Bowser, who then quickly crumbles in defeat. Dry Bowser is also vulnerable to three [[shell dash]] hits, just like his living self.


At the final battle of the game, Bowser Jr. is present with the disassembled Dry Bowser. He tosses his father's skeleton into a cauldron, which causes Bowser to revert to his original form, albeit larger.
If the player uses the [[Warp Cannon]] that leads to [[World 5 (New Super Mario Bros.)|World 5]] found in World 1 before taking on the castle, Bowser's demise will appear unexplained, as he is never seen falling into the lava before appearing in his Dry Bowser form in the first World 8 castle. Regardless, at the game's final battle, Bowser Jr. tosses the disassembled Dry Bowser into a cauldron, which causes Bowser to revert to his original form, albeit larger.
 
{{br}}
If the player uses the [[Warp Cannon]] that leads to [[World 5 (New Super Mario Bros.)|World 5]] found in [[World 1 (New Super Mario Bros.)|World 1]] before taking on the castle, Bowser's demise will appear unexplained, as he is never seen falling into the lava before appearing in his Dry Bowser form in the first World 8 castle.


====''Super Mario 3D Land''====
====''Super Mario 3D Land''====
[[File:DryBowser 3DL.png|thumb|Dry Bowser in ''Super Mario 3D Land''.]]
[[File:DryBowser 3DL.png|thumb|Dry Bowser in ''Super Mario 3D Land''.]]
Dry Bowser returns in ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' as the boss in the castle stages of the Special Worlds. His battle tactics are similar to [[False Bowser]], but they have several subtle differences. For example, he breathes blue fireballs at Mario while approaching him as opposed to the False Bowsers' method of breathing fireballs while stationary. He also attempts to hit the hero with his skeleton tail and slam the ground (creating shockwaves). Once Mario hits the switch, the bridge collapses, sending Dry Bowser into the lava. Dry Bowser is fought in the castles of [[Special 1]], [[Special 5]], and [[Special 8]], in the same worlds as his normal world counterparts.
Dry Bowser returns in ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' as the boss in the castle stages of the [[World#Super_Mario_3D_Land|Special Worlds]]; he is fought in [[Special 1-Castle]], [[Special 5-Castle]], and [[Special 8-Bowser]], which parallels how Mario fights Bowser (albeit two of which are [[Tail Bowser|fake]]s) in the [[World 1-Castle (Super Mario 3D Land)|normal]] [[World 5-Castle (Super Mario 3D Land)|world]] [[World 8-Bowser: Part 1|counterparts]] of those castles; he even fights in the same way as the respective (fake) Bowsers did.
{{br}}
{{br}}


====''New Super Mario Bros. 2''====
====''New Super Mario Bros. 2''====
[[File:CTR-SMB2-9.png|thumb|left|Dry Bowser in ''New Super Mario Bros. 2''.]]
[[File:CTR-SMB2-9.png|thumb|left|Dry Bowser in ''New Super Mario Bros. 2''.]]
[[File:DryBow-240.png|thumb|Mario fights Dry Bowser in World Star.]]
[[File:DryBow-240.png|thumb|Mario fights Big Dry Bowser in World Star.]]
Dry Bowser reappears in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' as the castle boss of the [[World Star (New Super Mario Bros. 2)|World Star]], the final special world which is unlocked after beating the final boss. He behaves the same as his other counterpart in World 6, which marks the first time Dry Bowser becomes a larger size (excluding using a [[Mega Mushroom]] in ''Mario Kart Wii''). The only difference in the two boss battles is that he is faster than Bowser and the platforms are smaller. Unlike the original battle, Peach's cage is nowhere to be seen.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU95KHNL-aU Dry Bowser in ''New Super Mario Bros. 2'']</ref> His eyes turn blue before he shoots his blue fireballs, and this is the only game where this happens.
Dry Bowser reappears in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' as the castle boss of [[World Star (New Super Mario Bros. 2)|World Star]], the final special world which is unlocked after beating Bowser himself with at least 90 [[Star Coin]]s. He behaves the same as his other counterpart in World 6 and becomes '''[[Giant Bowser|Big Dry Bowser]]'''<ref>von Esmarch, Nick. ''New Super Mario Bros. 2'' PRIMA Official Game Guide. Page 229.</ref>, which marks the first time Dry Bowser becomes a larger size (excluding the use of a [[Mega Mushroom]] in ''Mario Kart Wii''). The only difference in the two boss battles is that Dry Bowser is faster than Bowser, can toss bones instead of sledgehammers at Mario, can spew blue [[Fireball]]s instead of orange ones, is immune to fireballs, and the platforms are smaller. Unlike the original battle, neither Princess Peach nor her cage appear.


Dry Bowser's face is used as the icon for the [[Impossible Pack]], a downloadable course pack for [[Coin Rush]] mode, despite not appearing in any of its levels at all.
Dry Bowser's [[emblem]] is also used as the icon for the [[Impossible Pack]], a downloadable course pack for [[Coin Rush]] mode, though he does not appear in any of its levels.
{{br}}
{{br}}
===''Mario Kart'' series===
===''Mario Kart'' series===
====''Mario Kart Wii''====
====''Mario Kart Wii''====
[[File:Grumblevolcano2.PNG|thumb|left|'''Dry Bowser''', driving through [[Grumble Volcano]] in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''.]]
[[File:Grumblevolcano2.png|thumb|left|Dry Bowser, driving through [[Grumble Volcano]] in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'']]
Dry Bowser makes his first playable appearance in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''. He is a large-sized driver along with his living counterpart, [[Bowser]]. However, it seems more reasonable that Dry Bowser would be a lower weight class, as he lacks all matter other than bones. It is likely that his size qualifies him to be in that class, seeing that weight doesn't always matter when it comes to the large [[kart]]s (for example, [[King Boo]], [[Waluigi]] and [[Rosalina]] also look as if they should be in a lower weight class, but are too tall to fit in the medium size karts). He has a more terrifying roar than Bowser in this game, mixed in with several bone rattling sounds, which make up his sound effects throughout the game. He can be unlocked by beating all the Wii cups on 150cc with at least 1 star ranking. He is the Time Trial ghost of [[Grumble Volcano]] and [[Bowser Castle 3#Mario Kart: Super Circuit|GBA Bowser Castle 3]].
Dry Bowser makes his first playable appearance in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''. He is a large-sized driver along with his living counterpart. Dry Bowser features a good off-road rating (tied with [[Toadette]]) and mini-turbo boost (tied with [[Wario]], [[Koopa Troopa]], and [[Dry Bones]]), which makes vehicles like the [[Flame Flyer]] and [[Phantom (bike)|Phantom]] perform a bit better off the track along with getting a slightly better mini-turbo boost after a drift. He can be unlocked by beating all of the Wii New Grand Prix cups on 150cc with at least a 1 star ranking for each or by racing 4,350 races. He is the Time Trial ghost of [[Grumble Volcano]] and [[Bowser Castle 3 (GBA)|GBA Bowser Castle 3]].


Dry Bowser was the only CPU opponent in the [[List of tournaments in Mario Kart Wii#March 2009 Tournament 2|second tournament of March 2009]], where he attacked the player by firing [[fireball]]s at them throughout the race in the ''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' version of Bowser's Castle. This competition has since been repeated twice.
Dry Bowser was the only CPU opponent in the [[List of tournaments in Mario Kart Wii#March 2009 Tournament 2|second tournament of March 2009]], where he attacked the player by firing [[fireball]]s at them throughout the race in {{classic|N64|Bowser's Castle}}. This competition has since been repeated twice.


Dry Bowser features a good off-road (tied with [[Toadette]]) and mini-turbo (tied with [[Wario]], [[Koopa Troopa]], and [[Dry Bones]]) bonus, which makes vehicles like the [[Flame Flyer]] and [[Phantom]] perform a bit better off the track, along with getting a slightly better mini-turbo after a drift.
====''Mario Kart Arcade GP DX''====
Dry Bowser appears in ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]'' as an alternate costume for Bowser, making him a heavyweight character. Due to being an alternate costume, he does not use his own voice clips in this game, instead using those of Bowser.


====''Mario Kart 8''====
====''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''====
{{newsubject-section}}
[[File:MK8 Dry Bowser screenshot.png|thumb|Dry Bowser in ''Mario Kart 8'']]
[[File:MK8-dlc-DryBowser.jpg|thumb|right|Dry Bowser, in ''Mario Kart 8''.]]
Dry Bowser returns to the ''Mario Kart'' series as a downloadable playable character in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' as part of the game's second DLC pack, [[Animal Crossing x Mario Kart 8|''Animal Crossing'' × ''Mario Kart 8'']], released in April 2015, which also includes [[Villager]] and [[Isabelle]] from the ''Animal Crossing'' series, eight new courses, and four new vehicle customization options. Dry Bowser is also the only downloadable character in this title who is not a newcomer to the series, as he is playable in ''Mario Kart Wii''. Dry Bowser is a heavyweight character with a large body frame, and his stats are identical to those of [[Bowser]], [[Wario]], [[Morton Koopa Jr.|Morton]], and heavy [[Mii]]s. The [[Bone Rattler]] serves as Dry Bowser's signature vehicle. Likewise, [[Bone-Dry Dunes]] has a part of his head on the cliff face over the cave, and advertisements in both [[Twisted Mansion]] and {{classic-link|Wii|Grumble Volcano}} for "Undead Motors" use his emblem.
Dry Bowser has been confirmed to appear as a downloadable playable character in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'', in the second of two upcoming add-on packs.<ref>[http://store.nintendo.co.uk/wii-u-ddc/animal-crossing-x-mario-kart-8-aoc-pack-digital-download/10991122.html Animal Crossing X Mario Kart 8 AOC Pack - Digital Download Wii U]. Nintendo UK Store. Retrieved August 26, 2014.</ref> [[Bone-Dry Dunes]] also has a part of his head on the cliff face over the cave, and an advertisement on [[Twisted Mansion]] for "Undead Motors" uses his emblem.
 
As with every other playable character in ''Mario Kart 8'', Dry Bowser reappears in the [[Nintendo Switch]] port ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' as a playable character. He is available from the start, and now shares statistics with Wario, heavy Miis, and [[Funky Kong]]. Dry Bowser is one of the fastest characters in the game and is very heavy, but his other statistics are among the lowest in the game. The Dry Bowser Mii Racing Suit also appears as part of the ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'' DLC.
{{br}}
{{br}}


====''Mario Kart Arcade GP DX''====
====''Mario Kart Tour''====
Dry Bowser appears in ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]'' as an alternate costume for Bowser, making him a heavyweight character.<ref>[http://cdn-ak.f.st-hatena.com/images/fotolife/w/wario-1021/20140725/20140725175343.jpg Mario Kart Arcade GP DX Alternate Costume]</ref>
[[File:MKT Artwork DryBowserGold.png|thumb|left|200px|Dry Bowser (Gold) in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''.]]
Dry Bowser reappears as a playable character in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'', where he is available as a High-End character. Dry Bowser's [[Special Item (Mario Kart series)|Special Item]] is the [[Bowser's Shell]], shared with his living counterpart, [[Bowser Jr.]], and the Bowser and Dry Bowser [[Mii#Mario Kart Tour|Mii Racing Suits]]. Dry Bowser's [[Dry Bowser Cup|self-titled cup]] first appears as the penultimate cup in the [[New York Tour]]. The [[Cooking Tour]] introduces a golden variant of him named '''Dry Bowser (Gold)''', who is classified as a High-End character and has the [[Bob-omb Cannon]] as his special item. He is one of two gold drivers to not have the [[Coin Box]] as his special skill, the other being [[Shy Guy|Shy Guy (Gold)]].
{{br}}


===''Mario & Sonic'' series===
===''Mario & Sonic'' series===
====''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games''====
[[File:Drybowserms.png|thumb|left|Dry Bowser's appearance in the DS version of ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games''.]]
[[File:Drybowserms.png|thumb|left|Dry Bowser's appearance in the DS version of ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games''.]]
[[File:Dry Bowser - Dry Bones - Winter Games.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Dry Bowser and three [[Dry Bones]], in the Wii version of ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games''.]]
[[File:M&SOWG Dry Bowser.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Dry Bowser and three [[Dry Bones]], in the Wii version of ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games''.]]
Dry Bowser makes his second spin-off appearance in the [[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|Wii version]] of ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games''. He appears as the last rival character in the Festival Mode. Here he challenges the player to the [[Ice Hockey (event)|Ice Hockey]] event, where he is the captain of a team of three [[Dry Bones]] while he participates as his team's goalkeeper. Once the player's team manages to beat him, he angrily chases his own team, likely blaming them for the loss. However, if the player loses, Dry Bowser and his team will do a victory dance and laugh evilly. There is also a purchasable Dry Bowser costume that the [[Mii]]s can wear.
In the [[Mario & Sonic (series)|''Mario & Sonic'' series]], Dry Bowser most commonly has the role of being a rival. In the [[Wii]] version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]'', Dry Bowser is the last rival of Festival Mode, where he challenges the player to the [[Ice Hockey (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games for Wii)|Ice Hockey]] event, serving as the captain and goalkeeper of a team of three [[Dry Bones]]. In the [[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Nintendo DS)|Nintendo DS version]], Dry Bowser is seen working for Bowser and [[Dr. Eggman]], who are trying to kidnap the [[snow spirits]] in the [[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Nintendo DS)#Adventure Tours story|Adventure Tours]] mode. He appears as the boss of the [[Supersonic Downhill]] event (where he is found at the end of [[Sparkleton]], keeping [[Pola]] hostage in a cage), as well as in the [[Curling Bowling]] event, where he is encountered just before the player reaches Bowser and Dr. Eggman in [[Blizland]], where he is keeping [[Frosty]] in a cage. Dry Bowser returns as a rival in the London Party Mode of the Wii version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games]]'', where he is faced in the [[Dream Long Jump (Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games)|Dream Long Jump]] [[Event]]. In the [[Nintendo 3DS]] version of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games]]'', Dry Bowser appears in the Story Mode, though only in [[Foggy Foes]], where he and a Dry Bones appear protecting the [[Fog machine]] in the [[Main Stadium]]. After being confronted by [[Toad]] and [[Omochao]], Dry Bowser and Dry Bones challenge Mario and [[Luigi]] to [[Sailing - 470 (Pair)]]. After being defeated in the event, Mario and Luigi destroy the fog machine and Dry Bones and Dry Bowser leave before they can be questioned. Dry Bowser appears as a boss in the Legends Showdown mode of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games]]''. As all of the playable characters are about to claim the Legend Trophy, he ambushes them along with [[Eggman Nega]] and [[Rouge|Rouge the Bat]]. The player must then face all three of them in the [[Winter Sports Champion Race]] event.
 
Various purchasable items of Dry Bowser have appeared in the ''Mario & Sonic'' series. In the Wii versions of both ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games'' and ''Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games'', there is a purchasable [[Mii]] outfit of Dry Bowser. Additionally, the latter game has a [[:File:MSL2012 Sticker Rival Dry Bowser.png|sticker]] of Dry Bowser that can be unlocked by winning against him in London Party mode. In the [[Nintendo 3DS]] [[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|version]], a [[List of badges in Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|badge]] of Dry Bowser can be obtained from the badge machine.


In the [[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Nintendo DS)|DS version]] of ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games'', Dry Bowser is seen working for Bowser and [[Dr. Eggman]], who are trying to kidnap the [[Snow Spirit]]s in the [[Adventure Tours]] mode. He appears as the boss of the [[Super Sonic Downhill]] event (where he is found at the end of [[Sparkleton]], keeping [[Pola]] hostage in a cage), as well as in the [[Dream Curling|Curling Bowling]] event, where he is encountered just before the player reaches Bowser and Dr. Eggman in [[Blizland]], where he is keeping [[Frosty]] in a cage.
Dry Bowser made his first playable appearance in the ''Mario & Sonic'' series in ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]''. In both the [[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Nintendo 3DS version]] and [[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)|Wii U version]], Dry Bowser participates only in the [[Javelin Throw]] event; during this appearance, Dry Bowser briefly mentions he has discarded everything unnecessary for the power of a heavyweight and the speed of a lightweight.
 
===''Mario Tennis'' series===
====''Mario Tennis Open''====
Dry Bowser appears as an unlockable playable character in ''[[Mario Tennis Open]]''. He is unlocked after the third difficulty level of [[Ink Showdown]], Inksplosion, is completed. He is one of two Defense-type characters in the game, the other being [[Waluigi]].
 
====''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash''====
[[File:Mario-Tennis-Ultra-Smash-67.jpg|thumb|left|Dry Bowser, as seen in ''Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash''.]]
Dry Bowser appears in ''[[Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash]]'' as an unlockable playable character. Like in ''Mario Tennis Open'', he and [[Waluigi]] are the only Defense-type players in the game. His [[emblem]] is used in the "Ultra Drink" advertisements seen around the stadium. He can be unlocked either by playing 10 simple matches in classic tennis mode, or by purchasing him from the rewards menu for 5000 [[coin]]s. Additionally, a permanently [[Mega Mario|Mega]] Dry Bowser appears as the 30th opponent of the Knockout Challenge mode. If the player is playing as Bowser in the mode, Dry Bowser will also appear as the 15th opponent. If the player is playing as Dry Bowser, Bowser will oppose him in both instances.
{{br}}
{{br}}


====''Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games''====
====''Mario Tennis Aces''====
Dry Bowser returns as a rival in the London Party Mode of the [[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)|Wii version]] of ''Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games''. He is faced in the Dream Long Jump event. After the player beats him, they receive a Sticker. Also, the music that plays when playing against him is the same as in the previous title. The player can once again unlock a Dry Bowser suit for their Miis.
Dry Bowser reappears in ''[[Mario Tennis Aces]]'' as the game's final playable character to be released. He was initially unlocked by participating in the July 2019 tournament, and has been available for all players since August 1, 2019. Like his previous appearances in the ''Mario Tennis'' series, he is a Defense-type character. Uniquely, his racket does not take damage when he fails to block a [[Zone Shot]]; however, it will still break if he fails to block a [[Special Shot]].<ref>[https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/29137/p/897 How to Update Mario Tennis Aces]</ref> He shares his animations with Bowser, albeit with blue fire instead of red fire; this includes his [[Trick Shot]]s and Special Shot. However, his sideways Trick Shot (Shell Spin) is unique in that it always functions like a slice with maximum charge. Dry Bowser's emblem also appears on "Ultra Drink" advertisements in [[Marina Stadium]].
 
===''Mario Party'' series===
{{quote|Y-you just knocked over Dry Bowser like he was nothing!|Bowser|Mario Party: Island Tour}}
Dry Bowser made two appearances in the [[Mario Party (series)|''Mario Party'' series]]. In ''[[Mario Party: Island Tour]]'', Dry Bowser is the fifth boss fought in [[Bowser's Tower]], on the twenty-fifth floor, in his minigame [[Dry Bowser's Brain Bonk]]. In the American English localization, Bowser refers to Dry Bowser as "a close family friend" at one point during localization. Additionally, ''Mario Party: Island Tour'' reuses Dry Bowser's voice clips from ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''. Dry Bowser makes his second ''Mario Party'' appearance in ''[[Mario Party 10]]'', where during Bowser's boss battle minigame, [[Bowser's Tank Terror]], when his HP reaches halfway, Bowser falls in the lava and turns into Dry Bowser. He also grows huge in this state, making it the second time Dry Bowser becomes a larger size, after ''New Super Mario Bros. 2''.
 
===''Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition''===
[[File:DryBowser-PDSMBE.jpg|thumb|Dry Bowser in ''Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition'']]
Dry Bowser also appears as an extra boss in ''[[Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition]]''. He serves as the boss of {{world-link|sp8|bowserp|World 8-Bowser's Castle (Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition)#★World 8-Bowser's Castle}}, and his main attribute is Dark, while his sub-attribute is Fire. When fought as an enemy, Dry Bowser's main attack is "Bowser Claw", which takes away 12500 HP (the attack will always come out first in battle). Dry Bowser can also perform "Bowser Smash," which is much the same as "Bowser Claw" except it takes away 22137 HP, can breathe dark flames and cause blindness for the entire Orb field, and is able to use "Super Heal" to fully heal himself as well.
 
Dry Bowser can also be used as a helper after the player completes [[Special World 8 (Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition)|★World 8]]. His HP and ATK are high, while his RCV is set at 0. His initial level after joining is level 46. As a helper, Dry Bowser's skill, Bowser Smash, can be used to perform a large amount of damage to all enemies, while his Helper Skill, Flame of Vengeance, raises the ATK of all teammates by 4x whenever the player makes 7 combos or more in one turn.
 
Dry Bowser cannot be rematched after the player completes ★World 8; after Dry Bowser joins the player, a [[Boom Boom]] replaces him as the boss of {{world|sp8|bowser4}}.
 
Dry Bowser also serves as the boss of Fixed Challenge Course 5 in [[Score Attack]]. In that course, however, he attacks every two turns, and does not perform a [[First Strike]].
{{br|left}}
 
===''Mario & Luigi'' series===
====''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam''====
[[File:M&L Paper Jam Dry Bowser.png|thumb|left|Dry Bowser, as he appears in ''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam''.]]
Dry Bowser first appears in the [[Mario & Luigi (series)|''Mario & Luigi'' series]] as a secret boss in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]''. Much like [[Bowser X]] and [[Bowser Jr.]] in the [[Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story|previous]] [[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team|games]], he is fought at the end of the boss medley in the [[Battle Ring (Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam)|Battle Ring]] and is level 48 when encountered, and he is the strongest boss in the game. His attacks involve throwing bones at Mario and Luigi, throwing his head off and spewing blue flames at Paper Mario, and inhaling the brothers to regain health, which can be prevented by hammering spike balls that appear during the attack. Dry Bones and Bob-ombs may appear during this attack, which if the former is struck will end the attack immediately, and the latter exploding and damaging the Mario Bros. if struck. He also has an attack where he summons [[Thwomp]]s to crush the bros. before spewing a torrent of flames. If all three Thwomps are countered, they take the brunt of the flames, causing them to take turns jumping on Dry Bowser as they hop off, leaving him vulnerable to critical damage from any attack. Occasionally, he summons a pair of [[Koopalings]] ([[Roy Koopa|Roy]] and [[Wendy O. Koopa|Wendy]], or [[Larry Koopa|Larry]] and [[Ludwig von Koopa|Ludwig]]) from portals to assist him, all of whom are at level 46 except for Roy, who is level 45. When he summons the Koopalings, they behave like they do in their previous battles with two exceptions: Wendy does not attack Roy if she is hit by his boulder toss attack, and Ludwig and Larry do not use [[Battle Card (Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam)|Battle Cards]]. Both Dry Bowser and the summoned Koopaling pair must be defeated in order to end the battle. Dry Bowser is notably unique in that he has a special animation for both entering battle and being defeated.


In the [[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|3DS version's]] story mode, Dry Bowser appears at the beginning of the story for the second part of the Mario story. He and a [[Dry Bones]] challenge Mario and Luigi in the Sailing - 470 event.
====''Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey''====
Dry Bowser's only other ''Mario & Luigi'' appearance is briefly during the ending of ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey|Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]'', where Bowser, after ingesting too much of the [[Skeletone Formula:D]] that Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings retrieved, ends up transforming into this form. He appears as a 3D model instead of a sprite.


====''Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games''====
===''Mario Sports Superstars''===
Dry Bowser appears as a boss in the Legends Showdown mode of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games]]''. As all of the playable characters are about to claim the Legend Trophy, he ambushes them along with [[Eggman Nega]] and [[Rouge the Bat]]. The player must then face all three of them in the Winter Sports Champion Race event.
[[File:Card ProSoccer Gear DryBowser Ball.png|thumb|upright=1.4|A digital card of the Dry Bowser ball for soccer in ''[[Mario Sports Superstars]]''.]]
Although Dry Bowser does not appear in ''[[Mario Sports Superstars]]'', his emblem appears on various usable items, such as baseball bats and soccer balls. These items can be unlocked through the use of [[List of Mario Sports Superstars amiibo cards|amiibo cards]] or by purchasing them from the in-game shop, after which they can be used by Bowser instead of his default equipment. The difference is purely aesthetic however, and makes no alteration to gameplay.


===''Mario Tennis Open''===
===''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''===
[[File:DryBowserMTOFlat.jpg|thumb|right|Dry Bowser, as seen in ''Mario Tennis Open'']]
Dry Bowser appears as a Legend rank Shield type [[Spirit (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)|spirit]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. The spirit uses his artwork from ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games''.
Dry Bowser appears this time as a unlockable playable character in ''[[Mario Tennis Open]]''. Dry Bowser, along with [[Waluigi]], are the only Defense-type players in the game. He can be unlocked after the third difficulty level of [[Ink Showdown]], Inksplosion, is completed.
 
{{br}}
===''Dr. Mario World''===
Dry Bowser appears as a playable character under the name '''Dr. Dry Bowser''' in ''[[Dr. Mario World]]'' via a game update from December 26, 2019. Unlike other playable characters, Dr. Dry Bowser cannot be obtained from staffing, but is instead mainly available through limited-time character packs or referrals. He can also be unlocked by clearing the special stage of [[World 10 (Dr. Mario World)|World 10]].
 
His skill is similar to [[Bowser|Dr. Bowser]], where it will fire beams and clear random row(s), in which it is two rows wide in stage mode and one, two or three rows wide in versus mode depending on the level. The difference is that objects that normally require multiple eliminations to fully clear are cleared in one shot, such as [[Floatie virus|floatie viruses]]. The row(s) affected by this skill would have at least one object that can be cleared, but unlike other doctors whose skills target randomly, viruses are not prioritized meaning that rows that do not have viruses are potentially targeted even though there are still viruses in the stage. In the case this skill clears two or three rows, if the topmost row(s) are empty or has unclearable objects and there are at least two rows of clearable objects next to each other, this skill might target the unclearable row(s) near the top alongside the clearable row(s) even if there are enough rows for this skill to clear.


===''Mario Party: Island Tour''===
===Other appearances===
In the game ''[[Mario Party: Island Tour]]'', making his first appearance in the ''Mario Party'' series, Dry Bowser acts as the fifth boss to be fought in [[Bowser's Tower]], on the twenty-fifth floor, with his minigame [[Dry Bowser's Brain Bonk]]. He reuses his voice clips from ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''.
====''Minecraft''====
In the Super Mario Mash-up for ''[[Minecraft]]'', the Warden is replaced by Dry Bowser, and the Blast Furnace is replaced by Dry Bowser's head.


==General information==
==General information==
===Physical description===
===Physical description===
Dry Bowser is simply Bowser's skeletal form, though there are some significant changes in not only color but also in shape. The most noticeable feature is his nose, which has morphed into a beak-like shape. Dry Bowser's shell is a charcoal gray with dark red spike-rings and scarlet spaces between its plates, as opposed to his counterpart's standard green, red, and black. His horns are longer and more curved, and his eye sockets are more triangular with thick bone where Bowser's eyebrows used to be. Like Dry Bones, Dry Bowser's eyes are black holes with glowing yellow pupils. The once black and shiny collars around his neck and arms have been scorched and turned a dull, very dark red, and his hair has been taken up in a ponytail similar to the hairstyle of [[Bowser Jr.]]
Dry Bowser is simply Bowser's skeletal form, though there are some significant changes to his overall appearance. His snout is slightly morphed into a beak-like shape, while his chest and stomach are hollow due to consisting of five ribs. Dry Bowser's shell is a charcoal gray with dark red spike-rings and scarlet spaces (that can be seen glowing since ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'') between its plates, as opposed to his counterpart's standard green, red, and black coloration. His horns are longer and more curved, his eye sockets are more triangular, and he sports a bony brow mimicking the characteristically angry position of his living counterpart's eyebrows. Like Dry Bones, Dry Bowser's eyes are black and empty holes with glowing yellow pupils. However, his pupils have been shown to turn a light blue whenever he swipes at Mario during the second phase of [[World Star-Castle|his boss battle]] in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''. The once black and shiny collars around his neck and arms have been scorched and turned a dull, very dark red, and his hair has been taken up in a ponytail similar to the hairstyle of [[Bowser Jr.|his son]], and to a certain extent, [[Baby Bowser|himself as a youngster]].
 
In ''Dr. Mario World'', Dry Bowser wears a slightly torn gray lab coat. In addition, he wears a small, spiky, red stethoscope with his insignia on it loosely around his neck.
 
In addition to these vast physical changes, Dry Bowser's roar is also different from Bowser's, as his bones rattle when he roars. This can especially be heard in the [[Wii]] [[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|version]] of ''Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games'' when the player faces him in Ice Hockey. However, he sometimes uses Bowser's own roar in other games.
 
===Powers and abilities===
Dry Bowser gains the fire resistant nature of Dry Bones, higher jumps, the ability to throw bones, and as Big Dry Bowser in ''New Super Mario Bros. 2'', raise lava by roaring loudly. In addition to these new traits, he also retains his typical abilities, including his signature [[Fire Breath]]. However, unlike with his living counterpart, Dry Bowser's fireballs can sometimes be colored light blue.
 
===Speech===
Dry Bowser voice is comprised of grunts, yells, and roars, as opposed to the Dry Bones' clacking sounds. The lone exception to this is ''New Super Mario Bros.'', which uses Bowser's stock roar sound effects. Dry Bowser's roar is significantly different from Bowser's, and his voice clips sound more menacing due to the bones of his body rattling and his voice having a booming quality when he roars; this is especially evident in ''Mario Kart Wii''. Games like the ''Mario & Sonic'' series give Dry Bowser text-based dialogue.
 
==Profiles and statistics==
{{main|List of Dry Bowser profiles and statistics}}


===Abilities===
===''Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam''===
As an undead version of Bowser, Dry Bowser has largely the same abilities, while also possessing the near-indestructible nature of other Dry Bones, although Dry Bowser's fire breath is blue, as opposed to Bowser's orange fireballs. Dry Bowser also has the ability to throw bones at his foes and stomp on them with a high jump. Dry Bowser is also notable for his large howl that can raise lava in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''.
{{:Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam bestiary|transcludesection=Dry Bowser|align=horizontal}}


==List of appearances by date==
==List of appearances ==
{| class=sortable cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 border=1 align=center width=100% style="border-collapse:collapse; font-family:Arial"
{| class="wikitable sortable" width=100%
|-
|-
!width=50%|Title
!width=40%|Title
!width=20%|Description
!width=20%|Description
!width=20%|Original Release Date
!width=20%|Original release date
!width=10%|System/Format
!width=20%|System/format
|-
|-
|''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]''
|''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]''
|Boss
|Boss
|[[North America]]:<br>May 15, [[List of Mario games by date#2006|2006]]
|North America:<br>May 15, [[List of games by date#2006|2006]]
|[[Nintendo DS]]
|[[Nintendo DS]]
|-
|-
|''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''
|''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''
|Unlockable Playable Character
|Unlockable playable character
|[[Japan]]:<br>April 10, [[List of Mario games by date#2008|2008]]
|Japan:<br>April 10, [[List of games by date#2008|2008]]
|[[Wii]]
|[[Wii]]
|-
|-
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Nintendo DS)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]''
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Nintendo DS)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]''
|Boss
|Boss
|[[North America]]:<br>October 13, [[List of Mario games by date#2009|2009]]
|North America:<br>October 13, [[List of games by date#2009|2009]]
|[[Nintendo DS]]
|Nintendo DS
|-
|-
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]''
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]''
|Rival  
|Rival  
|[[North America]]:<br>October 13, [[List of Mario games by date#2009|2009]]
|North America:<br>October 13, 2009
|[[Wii]]
|Wii
|-
|-
|''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''
|''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''
|Boss
|Boss
|[[Japan]]:<br>November 3, [[List of Mario games by date#2011|2011]]
|Japan:<br>November 3, [[List of games by date#2011|2011]]
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|-
|-
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games]]''
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)|Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games]]''
|Rival  
|Rival  
|[[North America]]:<br>November 15, [[List of Mario games by date#2011|2011]]
|North America:<br>November 15, 2011
|[[Wii]]
|Wii
|-
|-
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games]]''
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games]]''
|Boss
|Boss
|[[Australia]]:<br>February 9, [[List of Mario games by date#2012|2012]]
|Australia:<br>February 9, [[List of games by date#2012|2012]]
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|-
|''[[Mario Tennis Open]]''
|''[[Mario Tennis Open]]''
|Unlockable Playable Character
|Unlockable playable character
|[[North America]]:<br>May 20, [[List of Mario games by date#2012|2012]]
|North America:<br>May 20, 2012
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|-
|''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''
|''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''
|Boss
|Boss
|[[Japan]]:<br>July 28, [[List of Mario games by date#2012|2012]]
|Japan:<br>July 28, 2012
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|-
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games]]''
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games]]''
|Rival
|Rival
|[[Europe]]:<br>November 9, [[List of Mario games by date#2013|2013]]
|Europe:<br>November 9, [[List of games by date#2013|2013]]
|[[Wii U]]
|[[Wii U]]
|-
|-
|''[[Mario Party: Island Tour]]''
|''[[Mario Party: Island Tour]]''
|Boss
|Boss
|[[North America]]:<br>November 22, [[List of Mario games by date#2013|2013]]
|North America:<br>November 22, 2013
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|-
|''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]''
|''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]''
|Downloadable playable character
|Downloadable playable character
|2014
|Japan:<br>July 25, 2013
|Arcade
|[[Arcade]]
|-
|''[[Mario Party 10]]''
|Boss
|Japan:<br>March 12, [[List of games by date#2015|2015]]
|Wii U
|-
|[[Animal Crossing x Mario Kart 8|''Animal Crossing'' × ''Mario Kart 8'']] (''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' [[DLC]])
|Downloadable playable character
|Worldwide:<br>April 23, 2015
|Wii U
|-
|''[[Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition]]''
|Boss
|Japan:<br>April 29, 2015
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash]]''
|Unlockable playable character
|Europe:<br>November 20, 2015
|Wii U
|-
|''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]''
|Secret boss
|Japan:<br>December 3, 2015
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]''
|Unlockable playable character
|Japan:<br>February 18, [[List of games by date#2016|2016]]
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)|Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]''
|Unlockable playable character
|Japan:<br>June 23, 2016
|Wii U
|-
|''[[Mario Sports Superstars]]''
|Mentioned
|Europe:<br>March 10, [[List of games by date#2017|2017]]
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]''
|Playable character
|Japan:<br>April 28, 2017
|[[Nintendo Switch]]
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''
|Spirit
|Japan:<br>December 7, [[List of games by date#2018|2018]]
|Nintendo Switch
|-
|''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]''
|Non-playable character
|Japan:<br>December 27, 2018
|Nintendo 3DS
|-
|''[[Mario Tennis Aces]]'' (version 3.1.0)
|Playable character
|Japan:<br>July 1, [[List of games by date#2019|2019]]
|Nintendo Switch
|-
|''[[Mario Kart Tour]]''
|Unlockable playable character
|Japan:<br>September 25, 2019
|iOS, iPadOS, Android
|-
|''[[Dr. Mario World]]''
|Unlockable playable character (requires update)
|Japan:<br>December 26, 2019
|iOS, iPadOS, Android
|-
|''[[Minecraft|Minecraft: Bedrock Edition]]'' (The Wild Update)
|Cameo in the Super Mario Mash-up (requires update)
|[[List of games by date#2022|2022]]
|Nintendo Switch
|}
|}


==Official profiles and statistics==
==Gallery==
===''Mario Kart Wii''===
{{main-gallery}}
[[File:RosterDryBowser.PNG|thumb|250px|right|Dry Bowser's complete vehicle roster.]]
<gallery>
*'''Size:''' Large
NSMB-Dry.png|''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]''
*Actual Bonuses
Dry Bowser NSMB2.png|''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''
**'''Off-Road:''' +6
DryBowserMTO.png|''[[Mario Tennis Open]]''
**'''Mini-Turbo:''' +6
PDSMBE-DryBowser-TeamImage.png|''[[Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition]]''
 
MTUS Dry.png|''[[Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash]]''
*'''Website Stats:'''
DryBowserPaperJam.png|''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]''
**'''Acceleration:''' 1/3
</gallery>
**'''Top Speed:''' 3/3
**'''Off-Road:''' 1/3
 
*'''Bios'''
**'''Site:''' ''"If the King of the Koopas wasn't scary enough already, his appearance as a surly skeleton should have the other drivers shaken in their seats!"''
**'''[[Prima Games|Prima]] Guide:''' ''"After a little dip in lava, Dry Bowser, King of the Dry Bones, returns invincible! Fortunately though, he's driving the same karts and bikes as everyone else!"
**'''Card:''' ''"Is this the result of Bowser taking a lava bath? Dry Bowser knows how to turn on the boost juice with effective Mini-Turbos and excellent Off Road handling. Unlock him if you're on a tight track & like to go fast!"
 
===''Mario Tennis Open''===
*'''Type:''' Defense
*'''Site Bio:''' ''He's a little slow, but Dry Bowser can cover a wide range with his big body. His specialty is powerful strokes and Drop Shots.''
*'''Bio 2:''' ''Though he is rather slow, Dry Bowser's huge body enables him to cover a large part of the court. He is capable of both powerful drives and delicate dropshots.


==Names in other languages==
==Names in other languages==
{{Foreignname
===Dry Bowser===
|Jap=ほねクッパ
{{foreign names
|Jap=骨クッパ<ref>[https://i.imgur.com/efNjnLD.jpg ''New Super Mario Bros.'' Shogakukan book]</ref><br>ほねクッパ
|JapR=Hone Kuppa
|JapR=Hone Kuppa
|JapM=Bone Koopa, "Koopa" being Bowser's Japanese name. Possible reference to [[Dull Bones]]' Japanese name ''Hone Noko''.
|JapM=Bone Bowser
|Fra=Bowser Skelet
|ChiS=枯骨酷霸王
|FraM=Pun on "''squelette''" (''skeleton'') and reference to the French name of Dull Bones, ''Koopa Skelet''.
|ChiSR=Kūgǔ Kùbàwáng
|Ger=Knochen-Bowser
|ChiSM=Dry Bone Bowser
|GerM=Bone Bowser, reference to Dry Bones' German name "Knochentrocken"
|ChiT=枯骨庫巴
|Spa=Bowsitos
|ChiTR=Kūgǔ Kùbā
|SpaM=Portmanteau of "Bowser" and ''Huesitos'', Dry Bones' Spanish name
|ChiTM=Dry Bone Bowser
|Dut=Dry Bowser
|Dut=Dry Bowser
|DutM=-
|DutM=-
|Por=Bowser Esqueleto
|Fre=Bowser Skelet
|PorM=Skeleton Bowser
|FreM=From ''squelette'' ("skeleton") and the French name of [[Dull Bones]], ''Koopa Skelet''
|Ger=Knochen-Bowser
|GerM=Bone Bowser, reference to Dry Bones' German name ''Knochentrocken''
|Ita=Skelobowser
|ItaM=Portmanteau of ''skeleton'' and ''Bowser''
|Kor=좀비쿠파
|KorR=Jombi Kupa
|KorM=Zombie Bowser
|PorA=Bowsosso
|PorAM=Portmanteau of ''Bowser'' and ''osso'' ("bone")
|PorE=Bowser Esqueleto
|PorEM=Skeleton Bowser
|Rus=Боузер-скелет
|Rus=Боузер-скелет
|RusR=Bouzer-skelet
|RusR=Bouzer-skelet
|RusM=Skeleton Bowser
|RusM=Skeleton Bowser
|Ita=Skelobowser
|SpaA=Bowsitos<br>Dry Bowser <small>(''Mario Kart Wii'')</small>
|ItaM=Pun on "skeleton" and "Bowser"
|SpaAM=Portmanteau of ''Bowser'' and ''Huesitos'', Dry Bones' Spanish name
|Kor=좀비쿠파
|SpaE=Bowsitos
|KorR=Jombi Kupa
|SpaEM=Portmanteau of ''Bowser'' and ''Huesitos'', Dry Bones' Spanish name
|KorM=Zombie Bowser, implying that he is dead but his bones are moving.}}
}}


==Gallery==
===Dry Bowser (Gold)===
{{morepic}}
{{foreign names
<center><gallery>
|Jap=ほねクッパ (ゴールド)
File:RosterDryBowser.PNG|''Mario Kart Wii''
|JapR=Hone Kuppa (Gōrudo)
File:Dry Boserzzzzzzzzzz.png|''New Super Mario Bros. 2''
|JapM=Dry Bowser (Gold)
File:DryBowserMTO.png|''[[Mario Tennis Open]]''
|ChiS=枯骨酷霸王 (金色)
</gallery></center>
|ChiSR=Kūgǔ Kùbàwáng (Jīnsè)
|ChiSM=Dry Bowser (Gold)
|ChiT=枯骨庫巴 (金色)
|ChiTR=Kūgǔ Kùbā (Jīnsè)
|ChiTM=Dry Bowser (Gold)
|FreE=Bowser Skelet (or)
|FreEM=Dry Bowser (gold)
|Ger=Knochen-Bowser (Gold)
|GerM=Dry Bowser (Gold)
|Ita=Skelobowser (oro)
|ItaM=Dry Bowser (gold)
|Kor=좀비쿠파(골드)
|KorR=Jombi Kupa (Goldeu)
|KorM=Dry Bowser (Gold)
|PorA=Bowsosso (ouro)
|PorAM=Dry Bowser (gold)
|SpaA=Bowsitos (dorado)
|SpaAM=Dry Bowser (gold)
|SpaE=Bowsitos (Dorado)
|SpaEM=Dry Bowser (Gold)
}}


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Bowser has previously been seen falling in lava in ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels]]'' without showing his apparent demise. In ''[[Super Mario 64]]'', ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'', ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', ''Super Mario 3D Land'', and ''New Super Mario Bros. 2'' however, Bowser wasn't affected when falling in lava (though in the latter two games he still appears).
[[File:MarioStrikers Bowser shocked.png|thumb|[[Bowser]]'s skeleton looking very little like Dry Bowser]]
*In ''[[Mario Party: Island Tour]]'', in [[Bowser's Tower]], Bowser says that Dry Bowser is his relative.
*Dry Bowser and [[Rosalina]] are the only playable characters from ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'' to not appear in ''[[Mario Super Sluggers]]''.
*Dry Bowser is the only downloadable character in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' who is not a newcomer to the series, as he is playable in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''.
*In some games, such as ''[[Mario Strikers Charged]]'', Bowser's skeleton becomes visible when he gets shocked. However, it looks very little like Dry Bowser in these circumstances.
*The [[Czar Dragon]] of ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'' shares a similar transformation - after being beaten by Mario and co., it falls into a pool of lava and reemerges as [[Zombone]].


==References==
==References==
<references/>
<references/>
{{BoxTop}}
 
{{Koopa}}
{{nav templates|
{{Dry Bones}}
{{Koopas}}
{{Bowser forms}}
{{Bowser's family}}
{{NSMB}}
{{NSMB}}
{{MKW}}
{{MKW}}
{{MK Players}}
{{M&SATOWG}}
{{MASATOWG}}
{{SM3DL}}
{{SM3DL}}
{{M&SATLOG}}
{{M&SATLOG}}
{{MTO}}
{{MTO}}
{{NSMB2}}
{{NSMB2}}
{{MP:IT}}
{{MPIT}}
{{MKAGPDX}}
{{M&SATSOWG}}
{{MK8}}
{{MK8}}
{{MP10}}
{{P&DSMBE}}
{{M&LPJ}}
{{M&SATROG}}
{{M&LBIS}}
{{MTA}}
{{MKT}}
{{DMW}}
}}
[[de:Knochen-Bowser]]
[[de:Knochen-Bowser]]
[[it:Skelobowser]]
[[it:Skelobowser]]
[[Category:Koopas]]
[[Category:Skeletons]]
[[Category:Dry Bones]]
[[Category:Bowser forms]]
[[Category:Koopa Troop]]
[[Category:Bowser lookalikes]]
[[Category:Undead]]
[[Category:Fire creatures]]
[[Category:Reptiles and Amphibians]]
[[Category:Kings]]
[[Category:Kings]]
[[Category:Royalty]]
[[Category:Bowser's Transformations]]
[[Category:Fire Creatures]]
[[Category:Forms]]
[[Category:Unlockables]]
[[Category:Bosses]]
[[Category:Bosses]]
[[Category:Playable Characters]]
[[Category:Final bosses]]
[[Category:Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games]]
[[Category:Optional bosses]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Series Playable Characters]]
[[Category:Playable characters]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Wii Characters]]
[[Category:Downloadable content]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Wii Trading Cards]]
[[Category:Dr. Mario World]]
[[Category:Mario Party: Island Tour]]
[[Category:LEGO Super Mario characters]]
[[Category:Mario Tennis Open]]
[[Category:Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam bosses]]
[[Category:Mario Tennis Series Playable Characters]]
[[Category:Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games characters]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. 2 Bosses]]
[[Category:Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games characters]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. 2 Characters]]
[[Category:Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games characters]]
[[Category:Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games characters]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 8 characters]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Arcade GP DX characters]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Tour characters]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Wii characters]]
[[Category:Mario Kart Wii trading cards]]
[[Category:Mario Party: Island Tour bosses]]
[[Category:Mario Party 10 bosses]]
[[Category:Mario Tennis Open characters]]
[[Category:Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash characters]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. bosses]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. 2 bosses]]
[[Category:Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition bosses]]
[[Category:Super Mario 3D Land bosses]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirits]]

Latest revision as of 01:30, April 24, 2024

Dry Bowser
Artwork of Dry Bowser.
Dry Bowser in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Species Skeletal Koopa
First appearance New Super Mario Bros. (2006)
Latest appearance Minecraft: Bedrock Edition
(The Wild Update) (2022)
Latest portrayal Kenny James (2008-present)
“I feel...dry. How does my skeleton look?”
Dry Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

Dry Bowser is the undead and skeletal version of Bowser, with his name playing off of Dry Bones. Despite not technically being one himself, he is closely associated with them and shares several traits with the species, like an immunity to fireballs. He made his debut in New Super Mario Bros., where he ascended as the result of Mario defeating Bowser by dropping him into lava at the end of New Super Mario Bros.'s first castle. Dry Bowser is then fought in the first castle in World 8.

Since his debut, Dry Bowser has made subsequent appearances, usually as a separate character from Bowser, the first of which was as an unlockable driver in Mario Kart Wii. Notably, he has appeared as a rival in single-player campaigns of the Mario & Sonic series. Dry Bowser's appearance in both Super Mario 3D Land and New Super Mario Bros. 2 is not due to Bowser falling in the lava, as in both cases he is not turned into a skeleton after falling in the lava after the final boss battles.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

New Super Mario Bros.[edit]

Fire Mario throwing Fireballs at Dry Bowser in World 8-Castle.
Mario, fighting Dry Bowser in New Super Mario Bros.
Dry Bowser, as seen in World 1, in New Super Mario Bros.

In New Super Mario Bros., Bowser becomes Dry Bowser when he falls into lava after being defeated in World 1. He later appears as the boss of World 8-Castle; here, Dry Bowser appears in a room at the end, where drops in from the ceiling and falls apart, before reassembling and beginning to fight Mario. To defeat Dry Bowser, Mario must dodge his attacks, which includes breathing small flames and throwing his own bones. Mario can wait for Dry Bowser to make a high jump and then run under him, or precisely jump over him. Then Mario can hit the skull switch, destroying the bridge and throwing him into a very deep pit; when he finally hits the ground, his whole body falls apart. Like Dry Bones, Dry Bowser is fireproof, so Fire Mario's fireballs do not have any effect against him.

The cauldron for Dry Bowser in New Super Mario Bros.
Bowser Jr. resurrects Dry Bowser.

If Mario (or Luigi) has a Mega Mushroom as his backup item, then the player can use this item to simply jump on Dry Bowser, who then quickly crumbles in defeat. Dry Bowser is also vulnerable to three shell dash hits, just like his living self.

If the player uses the Warp Cannon that leads to World 5 found in World 1 before taking on the castle, Bowser's demise will appear unexplained, as he is never seen falling into the lava before appearing in his Dry Bowser form in the first World 8 castle. Regardless, at the game's final battle, Bowser Jr. tosses the disassembled Dry Bowser into a cauldron, which causes Bowser to revert to his original form, albeit larger.

Super Mario 3D Land[edit]

Dry Bowser
Dry Bowser in Super Mario 3D Land.

Dry Bowser returns in Super Mario 3D Land as the boss in the castle stages of the Special Worlds; he is fought in Special 1-Castle, Special 5-Castle, and Special 8-Bowser, which parallels how Mario fights Bowser (albeit two of which are fakes) in the normal world counterparts of those castles; he even fights in the same way as the respective (fake) Bowsers did.

New Super Mario Bros. 2[edit]

Dry Bowser Battle
Dry Bowser in New Super Mario Bros. 2.
Big Dry Bowser in New Super Mario Bros. 2
Mario fights Big Dry Bowser in World Star.

Dry Bowser reappears in New Super Mario Bros. 2 as the castle boss of World Star, the final special world which is unlocked after beating Bowser himself with at least 90 Star Coins. He behaves the same as his other counterpart in World 6 and becomes Big Dry Bowser[1], which marks the first time Dry Bowser becomes a larger size (excluding the use of a Mega Mushroom in Mario Kart Wii). The only difference in the two boss battles is that Dry Bowser is faster than Bowser, can toss bones instead of sledgehammers at Mario, can spew blue Fireballs instead of orange ones, is immune to fireballs, and the platforms are smaller. Unlike the original battle, neither Princess Peach nor her cage appear.

Dry Bowser's emblem is also used as the icon for the Impossible Pack, a downloadable course pack for Coin Rush mode, though he does not appear in any of its levels.

Mario Kart series[edit]

Mario Kart Wii[edit]

Grumble Volcano
Dry Bowser, driving through Grumble Volcano in Mario Kart Wii

Dry Bowser makes his first playable appearance in Mario Kart Wii. He is a large-sized driver along with his living counterpart. Dry Bowser features a good off-road rating (tied with Toadette) and mini-turbo boost (tied with Wario, Koopa Troopa, and Dry Bones), which makes vehicles like the Flame Flyer and Phantom perform a bit better off the track along with getting a slightly better mini-turbo boost after a drift. He can be unlocked by beating all of the Wii New Grand Prix cups on 150cc with at least a 1 star ranking for each or by racing 4,350 races. He is the Time Trial ghost of Grumble Volcano and GBA Bowser Castle 3.

Dry Bowser was the only CPU opponent in the second tournament of March 2009, where he attacked the player by firing fireballs at them throughout the race in N64 Bowser's Castle. This competition has since been repeated twice.

Mario Kart Arcade GP DX[edit]

Dry Bowser appears in Mario Kart Arcade GP DX as an alternate costume for Bowser, making him a heavyweight character. Due to being an alternate costume, he does not use his own voice clips in this game, instead using those of Bowser.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]

A screenshot of Dry Bowser from Mario Kart 8
Dry Bowser in Mario Kart 8

Dry Bowser returns to the Mario Kart series as a downloadable playable character in Mario Kart 8 as part of the game's second DLC pack, Animal Crossing × Mario Kart 8, released in April 2015, which also includes Villager and Isabelle from the Animal Crossing series, eight new courses, and four new vehicle customization options. Dry Bowser is also the only downloadable character in this title who is not a newcomer to the series, as he is playable in Mario Kart Wii. Dry Bowser is a heavyweight character with a large body frame, and his stats are identical to those of Bowser, Wario, Morton, and heavy Miis. The Bone Rattler serves as Dry Bowser's signature vehicle. Likewise, Bone-Dry Dunes has a part of his head on the cliff face over the cave, and advertisements in both Twisted Mansion and Wii Grumble Volcano for "Undead Motors" use his emblem.

As with every other playable character in Mario Kart 8, Dry Bowser reappears in the Nintendo Switch port Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as a playable character. He is available from the start, and now shares statistics with Wario, heavy Miis, and Funky Kong. Dry Bowser is one of the fastest characters in the game and is very heavy, but his other statistics are among the lowest in the game. The Dry Bowser Mii Racing Suit also appears as part of the Booster Course Pass DLC.

Mario Kart Tour[edit]

Dry Bowser (Gold) from Mario Kart Tour
Dry Bowser (Gold) in Mario Kart Tour.

Dry Bowser reappears as a playable character in Mario Kart Tour, where he is available as a High-End character. Dry Bowser's Special Item is the Bowser's Shell, shared with his living counterpart, Bowser Jr., and the Bowser and Dry Bowser Mii Racing Suits. Dry Bowser's self-titled cup first appears as the penultimate cup in the New York Tour. The Cooking Tour introduces a golden variant of him named Dry Bowser (Gold), who is classified as a High-End character and has the Bob-omb Cannon as his special item. He is one of two gold drivers to not have the Coin Box as his special skill, the other being Shy Guy (Gold).

Mario & Sonic series[edit]

Dry Bowser
Dry Bowser's appearance in the DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games.
Dry Bowser with his Dry Bones
Dry Bowser and three Dry Bones, in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games.

In the Mario & Sonic series, Dry Bowser most commonly has the role of being a rival. In the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Dry Bowser is the last rival of Festival Mode, where he challenges the player to the Ice Hockey event, serving as the captain and goalkeeper of a team of three Dry Bones. In the Nintendo DS version, Dry Bowser is seen working for Bowser and Dr. Eggman, who are trying to kidnap the snow spirits in the Adventure Tours mode. He appears as the boss of the Supersonic Downhill event (where he is found at the end of Sparkleton, keeping Pola hostage in a cage), as well as in the Curling Bowling event, where he is encountered just before the player reaches Bowser and Dr. Eggman in Blizland, where he is keeping Frosty in a cage. Dry Bowser returns as a rival in the London Party Mode of the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where he is faced in the Dream Long Jump Event. In the Nintendo 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Dry Bowser appears in the Story Mode, though only in Foggy Foes, where he and a Dry Bones appear protecting the Fog machine in the Main Stadium. After being confronted by Toad and Omochao, Dry Bowser and Dry Bones challenge Mario and Luigi to Sailing - 470 (Pair). After being defeated in the event, Mario and Luigi destroy the fog machine and Dry Bones and Dry Bowser leave before they can be questioned. Dry Bowser appears as a boss in the Legends Showdown mode of Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. As all of the playable characters are about to claim the Legend Trophy, he ambushes them along with Eggman Nega and Rouge the Bat. The player must then face all three of them in the Winter Sports Champion Race event.

Various purchasable items of Dry Bowser have appeared in the Mario & Sonic series. In the Wii versions of both Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, there is a purchasable Mii outfit of Dry Bowser. Additionally, the latter game has a sticker of Dry Bowser that can be unlocked by winning against him in London Party mode. In the Nintendo 3DS version, a badge of Dry Bowser can be obtained from the badge machine.

Dry Bowser made his first playable appearance in the Mario & Sonic series in Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In both the Nintendo 3DS version and Wii U version, Dry Bowser participates only in the Javelin Throw event; during this appearance, Dry Bowser briefly mentions he has discarded everything unnecessary for the power of a heavyweight and the speed of a lightweight.

Mario Tennis series[edit]

Mario Tennis Open[edit]

Dry Bowser appears as an unlockable playable character in Mario Tennis Open. He is unlocked after the third difficulty level of Ink Showdown, Inksplosion, is completed. He is one of two Defense-type characters in the game, the other being Waluigi.

Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash[edit]

A screenshot from Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash
Dry Bowser, as seen in Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash.

Dry Bowser appears in Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash as an unlockable playable character. Like in Mario Tennis Open, he and Waluigi are the only Defense-type players in the game. His emblem is used in the "Ultra Drink" advertisements seen around the stadium. He can be unlocked either by playing 10 simple matches in classic tennis mode, or by purchasing him from the rewards menu for 5000 coins. Additionally, a permanently Mega Dry Bowser appears as the 30th opponent of the Knockout Challenge mode. If the player is playing as Bowser in the mode, Dry Bowser will also appear as the 15th opponent. If the player is playing as Dry Bowser, Bowser will oppose him in both instances.

Mario Tennis Aces[edit]

Dry Bowser reappears in Mario Tennis Aces as the game's final playable character to be released. He was initially unlocked by participating in the July 2019 tournament, and has been available for all players since August 1, 2019. Like his previous appearances in the Mario Tennis series, he is a Defense-type character. Uniquely, his racket does not take damage when he fails to block a Zone Shot; however, it will still break if he fails to block a Special Shot.[2] He shares his animations with Bowser, albeit with blue fire instead of red fire; this includes his Trick Shots and Special Shot. However, his sideways Trick Shot (Shell Spin) is unique in that it always functions like a slice with maximum charge. Dry Bowser's emblem also appears on "Ultra Drink" advertisements in Marina Stadium.

Mario Party series[edit]

“Y-you just knocked over Dry Bowser like he was nothing!”
Bowser, Mario Party: Island Tour

Dry Bowser made two appearances in the Mario Party series. In Mario Party: Island Tour, Dry Bowser is the fifth boss fought in Bowser's Tower, on the twenty-fifth floor, in his minigame Dry Bowser's Brain Bonk. In the American English localization, Bowser refers to Dry Bowser as "a close family friend" at one point during localization. Additionally, Mario Party: Island Tour reuses Dry Bowser's voice clips from Super Mario 3D Land. Dry Bowser makes his second Mario Party appearance in Mario Party 10, where during Bowser's boss battle minigame, Bowser's Tank Terror, when his HP reaches halfway, Bowser falls in the lava and turns into Dry Bowser. He also grows huge in this state, making it the second time Dry Bowser becomes a larger size, after New Super Mario Bros. 2.

Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition[edit]

Dry Bowser
Dry Bowser in Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition

Dry Bowser also appears as an extra boss in Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. He serves as the boss of ★World 8-Bowser's Castle, and his main attribute is Dark, while his sub-attribute is Fire. When fought as an enemy, Dry Bowser's main attack is "Bowser Claw", which takes away 12500 HP (the attack will always come out first in battle). Dry Bowser can also perform "Bowser Smash," which is much the same as "Bowser Claw" except it takes away 22137 HP, can breathe dark flames and cause blindness for the entire Orb field, and is able to use "Super Heal" to fully heal himself as well.

Dry Bowser can also be used as a helper after the player completes ★World 8. His HP and ATK are high, while his RCV is set at 0. His initial level after joining is level 46. As a helper, Dry Bowser's skill, Bowser Smash, can be used to perform a large amount of damage to all enemies, while his Helper Skill, Flame of Vengeance, raises the ATK of all teammates by 4x whenever the player makes 7 combos or more in one turn.

Dry Bowser cannot be rematched after the player completes ★World 8; after Dry Bowser joins the player, a Boom Boom replaces him as the boss of ★World 8-Bowser's Castle.

Dry Bowser also serves as the boss of Fixed Challenge Course 5 in Score Attack. In that course, however, he attacks every two turns, and does not perform a First Strike.

Mario & Luigi series[edit]

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam[edit]

Dry Bowser in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Dry Bowser, as he appears in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam.

Dry Bowser first appears in the Mario & Luigi series as a secret boss in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. Much like Bowser X and Bowser Jr. in the previous games, he is fought at the end of the boss medley in the Battle Ring and is level 48 when encountered, and he is the strongest boss in the game. His attacks involve throwing bones at Mario and Luigi, throwing his head off and spewing blue flames at Paper Mario, and inhaling the brothers to regain health, which can be prevented by hammering spike balls that appear during the attack. Dry Bones and Bob-ombs may appear during this attack, which if the former is struck will end the attack immediately, and the latter exploding and damaging the Mario Bros. if struck. He also has an attack where he summons Thwomps to crush the bros. before spewing a torrent of flames. If all three Thwomps are countered, they take the brunt of the flames, causing them to take turns jumping on Dry Bowser as they hop off, leaving him vulnerable to critical damage from any attack. Occasionally, he summons a pair of Koopalings (Roy and Wendy, or Larry and Ludwig) from portals to assist him, all of whom are at level 46 except for Roy, who is level 45. When he summons the Koopalings, they behave like they do in their previous battles with two exceptions: Wendy does not attack Roy if she is hit by his boulder toss attack, and Ludwig and Larry do not use Battle Cards. Both Dry Bowser and the summoned Koopaling pair must be defeated in order to end the battle. Dry Bowser is notably unique in that he has a special animation for both entering battle and being defeated.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey[edit]

Dry Bowser's only other Mario & Luigi appearance is briefly during the ending of Bowser Jr.'s Journey, where Bowser, after ingesting too much of the Skeletone Formula:D that Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings retrieved, ends up transforming into this form. He appears as a 3D model instead of a sprite.

Mario Sports Superstars[edit]

A Pro Soccer Gear Dry Bowser Ball card from Mario Sports Superstars
A digital card of the Dry Bowser ball for soccer in Mario Sports Superstars.

Although Dry Bowser does not appear in Mario Sports Superstars, his emblem appears on various usable items, such as baseball bats and soccer balls. These items can be unlocked through the use of amiibo cards or by purchasing them from the in-game shop, after which they can be used by Bowser instead of his default equipment. The difference is purely aesthetic however, and makes no alteration to gameplay.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]

Dry Bowser appears as a Legend rank Shield type spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The spirit uses his artwork from Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games.

Dr. Mario World[edit]

Dry Bowser appears as a playable character under the name Dr. Dry Bowser in Dr. Mario World via a game update from December 26, 2019. Unlike other playable characters, Dr. Dry Bowser cannot be obtained from staffing, but is instead mainly available through limited-time character packs or referrals. He can also be unlocked by clearing the special stage of World 10.

His skill is similar to Dr. Bowser, where it will fire beams and clear random row(s), in which it is two rows wide in stage mode and one, two or three rows wide in versus mode depending on the level. The difference is that objects that normally require multiple eliminations to fully clear are cleared in one shot, such as floatie viruses. The row(s) affected by this skill would have at least one object that can be cleared, but unlike other doctors whose skills target randomly, viruses are not prioritized meaning that rows that do not have viruses are potentially targeted even though there are still viruses in the stage. In the case this skill clears two or three rows, if the topmost row(s) are empty or has unclearable objects and there are at least two rows of clearable objects next to each other, this skill might target the unclearable row(s) near the top alongside the clearable row(s) even if there are enough rows for this skill to clear.

Other appearances[edit]

Minecraft[edit]

In the Super Mario Mash-up for Minecraft, the Warden is replaced by Dry Bowser, and the Blast Furnace is replaced by Dry Bowser's head.

General information[edit]

Physical description[edit]

Dry Bowser is simply Bowser's skeletal form, though there are some significant changes to his overall appearance. His snout is slightly morphed into a beak-like shape, while his chest and stomach are hollow due to consisting of five ribs. Dry Bowser's shell is a charcoal gray with dark red spike-rings and scarlet spaces (that can be seen glowing since Mario Kart 8) between its plates, as opposed to his counterpart's standard green, red, and black coloration. His horns are longer and more curved, his eye sockets are more triangular, and he sports a bony brow mimicking the characteristically angry position of his living counterpart's eyebrows. Like Dry Bones, Dry Bowser's eyes are black and empty holes with glowing yellow pupils. However, his pupils have been shown to turn a light blue whenever he swipes at Mario during the second phase of his boss battle in New Super Mario Bros. 2. The once black and shiny collars around his neck and arms have been scorched and turned a dull, very dark red, and his hair has been taken up in a ponytail similar to the hairstyle of his son, and to a certain extent, himself as a youngster.

In Dr. Mario World, Dry Bowser wears a slightly torn gray lab coat. In addition, he wears a small, spiky, red stethoscope with his insignia on it loosely around his neck.

In addition to these vast physical changes, Dry Bowser's roar is also different from Bowser's, as his bones rattle when he roars. This can especially be heard in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games when the player faces him in Ice Hockey. However, he sometimes uses Bowser's own roar in other games.

Powers and abilities[edit]

Dry Bowser gains the fire resistant nature of Dry Bones, higher jumps, the ability to throw bones, and as Big Dry Bowser in New Super Mario Bros. 2, raise lava by roaring loudly. In addition to these new traits, he also retains his typical abilities, including his signature Fire Breath. However, unlike with his living counterpart, Dry Bowser's fireballs can sometimes be colored light blue.

Speech[edit]

Dry Bowser voice is comprised of grunts, yells, and roars, as opposed to the Dry Bones' clacking sounds. The lone exception to this is New Super Mario Bros., which uses Bowser's stock roar sound effects. Dry Bowser's roar is significantly different from Bowser's, and his voice clips sound more menacing due to the bones of his body rattling and his voice having a booming quality when he roars; this is especially evident in Mario Kart Wii. Games like the Mario & Sonic series give Dry Bowser text-based dialogue.

Profiles and statistics[edit]

Main article: List of Dry Bowser profiles and statistics

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam[edit]

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam enemy
Dry Bowser
Dry Bowser, in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam HP 2880 POW 500 (499) Defense 614 (610) Speed 298
Role Battle Ring boss Type Shelled Weakness None Location(s) Arcade
Level 48 Experience 0 (0) Coins 0 Item drop None - 0%
None - 0%
Notice: Stats in parentheses are from the game's Easy Mode.

List of appearances[edit]

Title Description Original release date System/format
New Super Mario Bros. Boss North America:
May 15, 2006
Nintendo DS
Mario Kart Wii Unlockable playable character Japan:
April 10, 2008
Wii
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Boss North America:
October 13, 2009
Nintendo DS
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Rival North America:
October 13, 2009
Wii
Super Mario 3D Land Boss Japan:
November 3, 2011
Nintendo 3DS
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games Rival North America:
November 15, 2011
Wii
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games Boss Australia:
February 9, 2012
Nintendo 3DS
Mario Tennis Open Unlockable playable character North America:
May 20, 2012
Nintendo 3DS
New Super Mario Bros. 2 Boss Japan:
July 28, 2012
Nintendo 3DS
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Rival Europe:
November 9, 2013
Wii U
Mario Party: Island Tour Boss North America:
November 22, 2013
Nintendo 3DS
Mario Kart Arcade GP DX Downloadable playable character Japan:
July 25, 2013
Arcade
Mario Party 10 Boss Japan:
March 12, 2015
Wii U
Animal Crossing × Mario Kart 8 (Mario Kart 8 DLC) Downloadable playable character Worldwide:
April 23, 2015
Wii U
Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition Boss Japan:
April 29, 2015
Nintendo 3DS
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash Unlockable playable character Europe:
November 20, 2015
Wii U
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Secret boss Japan:
December 3, 2015
Nintendo 3DS
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Unlockable playable character Japan:
February 18, 2016
Nintendo 3DS
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Unlockable playable character Japan:
June 23, 2016
Wii U
Mario Sports Superstars Mentioned Europe:
March 10, 2017
Nintendo 3DS
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Playable character Japan:
April 28, 2017
Nintendo Switch
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Spirit Japan:
December 7, 2018
Nintendo Switch
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey Non-playable character Japan:
December 27, 2018
Nintendo 3DS
Mario Tennis Aces (version 3.1.0) Playable character Japan:
July 1, 2019
Nintendo Switch
Mario Kart Tour Unlockable playable character Japan:
September 25, 2019
iOS, iPadOS, Android
Dr. Mario World Unlockable playable character (requires update) Japan:
December 26, 2019
iOS, iPadOS, Android
Minecraft: Bedrock Edition (The Wild Update) Cameo in the Super Mario Mash-up (requires update) 2022 Nintendo Switch

Gallery[edit]

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Dry Bowser.

Names in other languages[edit]

Dry Bowser[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese 骨クッパ[3]
ほねクッパ
Hone Kuppa
Bone Bowser

Chinese (simplified) 枯骨酷霸王
Kūgǔ Kùbàwáng
Dry Bone Bowser

Chinese (traditional) 枯骨庫巴
Kūgǔ Kùbā
Dry Bone Bowser

Dutch Dry Bowser
-
French Bowser Skelet
From squelette ("skeleton") and the French name of Dull Bones, Koopa Skelet
German Knochen-Bowser
Bone Bowser, reference to Dry Bones' German name Knochentrocken
Italian Skelobowser
Portmanteau of skeleton and Bowser
Korean 좀비쿠파
Jombi Kupa
Zombie Bowser

Portuguese (NOA) Bowsosso
Portmanteau of Bowser and osso ("bone")
Portuguese (NOE) Bowser Esqueleto
Skeleton Bowser
Russian Боузер-скелет
Bouzer-skelet
Skeleton Bowser

Spanish (NOA) Bowsitos
Dry Bowser (Mario Kart Wii)
Portmanteau of Bowser and Huesitos, Dry Bones' Spanish name
Spanish (NOE) Bowsitos
Portmanteau of Bowser and Huesitos, Dry Bones' Spanish name

Dry Bowser (Gold)[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese ほねクッパ (ゴールド)
Hone Kuppa (Gōrudo)
Dry Bowser (Gold)

Chinese (simplified) 枯骨酷霸王 (金色)
Kūgǔ Kùbàwáng (Jīnsè)
Dry Bowser (Gold)

Chinese (traditional) 枯骨庫巴 (金色)
Kūgǔ Kùbā (Jīnsè)
Dry Bowser (Gold)

French (NOE) Bowser Skelet (or)
Dry Bowser (gold)
German Knochen-Bowser (Gold)
Dry Bowser (Gold)
Italian Skelobowser (oro)
Dry Bowser (gold)
Korean 좀비쿠파(골드)
Jombi Kupa (Goldeu)
Dry Bowser (Gold)

Portuguese (NOA) Bowsosso (ouro)
Dry Bowser (gold)
Spanish (NOA) Bowsitos (dorado)
Dry Bowser (gold)
Spanish (NOE) Bowsitos (Dorado)
Dry Bowser (Gold)

Trivia[edit]

Bowser's model from Mario Strikers Charged, while being shocked.
Bowser's skeleton looking very little like Dry Bowser

References[edit]

  1. ^ von Esmarch, Nick. New Super Mario Bros. 2 PRIMA Official Game Guide. Page 229.
  2. ^ How to Update Mario Tennis Aces
  3. ^ New Super Mario Bros. Shogakukan book