Junior Clown Car
- This article is about the helicopter-like vehicle often piloted by Bowser Jr. For Bowser's personal airship, see Koopa Clown Car.
| Junior Clown Car | |
|---|---|
 Artwork of the Junior Clown Car from Super Mario Maker | |
| First appearance | New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009) |
| Latest appearance | Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023) |
- “You're cute! Such big, round cheeks, black soulless eyes, and those funny little clown lips... ADORABLE!”
- —Olivia, Paper Mario: The Origami King
The Junior Clown Car is a miniature version of Bowser's Koopa Clown Car commonly used by Bowser Jr. Like the original, it is a helicopter-like vehicle with an innocent clown face on the front, hence the name. It has the ability to change its expression, but with a smaller smile. Its rim and propeller are colored the same shade of green as Bowser Jr.'s head. Compared to the Koopa Clown Car, the Junior Clown Car has been shown to be more versatile, especially in the Super Smash Bros. series, boasting more weapons and functions in its arsenal than the original including boxing glove-covered mechanical arms, wheels and thrusters, and built-in Grinders, drills and wrecking balls. The Junior Clown Car's facial expressions are slightly different from the original's, since it cannot shed tears when it is sad, and has a more expressive mouth.
History[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
New Super Mario Bros. Wii[edit]
In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the Junior Clown Car is introduced as Bowser Jr.'s version of the Koopa Clown Car. Bowser Jr. uses this vehicle twice in battle, and for the third time, he ditches it for the original Clown Car. Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad can also ride smaller copters exclusively in World 6-
Airship. These smaller copters highly resemble a usual Clown Car, except it lacks a face and feature an M or L, or a yellow or blue mushroom logo on it depending on the player. Shaking the Wii Remote produces a move similar to that of a Spin Jump, and crashing into Bowser Jr. with this maneuver is required to shove him into the surrounding electricity.
The Junior Clown Car will gain an additional layer of damage after each unique boss fight the player defeats Bowser Jr. in. This remains true if the player skips a Bowser Jr. boss fight and engages in a later boss fight. The Junior Clown Car will not gain damage if the player repeatedly defeats Bowser Jr. in the same level multiple times.
New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe[edit]
The Junior Clown Car returns in New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U. Like with the Koopalings stylizing their Airships, Bowser Jr. has customized his Junior Clown Car with various enhancements, including boxing gloves.
Bowser Jr. and the Junior Clown Car first appear in the first level of Soda Jungle (The Mighty Cannonship in New Super Mario Bros. U, and All Aboard! in New Super Luigi U). Like past encounters, it has a happy face on initially, although it briefly resorts to its angry face when firing Torpedo Teds. After he is defeated the first time, he uses the boxer variation in his second battle in the last level of Meringue Clouds (Boarding the Airship and Bowser Jr. Showdown, respectively), which also contains a payload of Bob-ombs.
In the final level of both games, Bowser Jr. appears in the Junior Clown Car chasing after Mario and attacking by pounding the ground with the car. Bowser Jr. later uses his standard Junior Clown Car to fight Mario alongside Bowser. Unfortunately for him, Mario is able to pounce him and carjack him, as well as use the vessel to ram into his father's head. Bowser Jr. later uses it to escape when Bowser inadvertently destroys what was left of the Airship, with Bowser and the Koopalings holding on (the latter via the former's tail).
Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS / Super Mario Maker 2[edit]
The Junior Clown Car makes an appearance in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, replacing the Koopa Clown Car when using the New Super Mario Bros. U style. Aside from its minor aesthetic change, it functions exactly like the Koopa Clown Car in other game styles. If the Junior Clown Car is shaken, it will turn into the Fire Junior Clown Car. Additionally, when using Bowser Jr.'s Mystery Mushroom costume, he will appear in the Junior Clown Car.
The Junior Clown Car, alongside its fiery variant, reappears in Super Mario Maker 2 in the New Super Mario Bros. U style.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]
Although it does not appear in the base game, the Junior Clown Car is present alongside Bowser Jr. in the Bowser's Fury mode. It is ridden by Jr. throughout gameplay, and can perform a Ground Pound. After collecting every Cat Shine, it gains cat whiskers alongside Bowser Jr.'s Cat form.
Unlike other appearances, the Junior Clown Car will always sport its smile, even when angry or sad.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder[edit]
The Junior Clown Car appears during Super Mario Bros. Wonder's opening, though unlike in other games, Bowser Jr. does not use it to battle.
Mario Party series[edit]
Mario Party 9[edit]
In Mario Party 9, Bowser Jr. uses his Clown Car primarily as a mode of transportation and uses it (or variations of it) during his minigames. Additionally, in the Bumper Sparks minigame, players use vehicles very similar to the Junior Clown Car's playable counterparts to bump into Bowser Jr. to try to knock him into the electric barrier, just like New Super Mario Bros. Wii. In Bowser Jr. Breakdown, the Junior Clown Car merges with a larger, claw-armed model for the boss fight. Bowser and Bowser Jr. also ride their respective vehicles in the ending.
Mario Party 10[edit]
The Junior Clown Car makes an appearance in Mario Party 10, functioning primarily as Bowser Jr.'s mode of transportation. When doing an event that causes players to lose mini-stars (in Mario Party mode) or hearts (in Bowser Party mode), it gains its boxing glove attachments from New Super Mario Bros. U.
Mario Party: Star Rush[edit]
In Mario Party: Star Rush, the Junior Clown Car is used by Bowser Jr. in Toad Scramble mode and Bowser Jr.'s Pound for Pound.
Mario Party: The Top 100[edit]
In Mario Party: The Top 100, Bowser Jr. riding on the Junior Clown Car replaces the Koopa Kids in the minigame The Final Battle!. As in the original minigame, players have to dodge his attacks while completing a moving piece puzzle with his face drawn onto the pieces.
Mario Party Superstars[edit]
The Junior Clown Car returns in Mario Party Superstars, where it appears as an entry in the encyclopedia. At Mt. Minigame, Bowser Jr. rides the Junior Clown Car in front of the tunnel to the Survival mode. Inside the tunnel, he rides it in front of the player's mine cart to talk to them.
Paper Mario series[edit]
Paper Mario: Sticker Star[edit]
The Junior Clown Car appears in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. It is mostly used as his mode of transportation, but Bowser Jr. uses it during all of his battles. In Bowser Jr.'s Flotilla, it can shoot fireballs or Spiked Balls for attacks. The Clown Car also uses its protection shield from previous titles to block attacks.
Paper Mario: Color Splash[edit]
A Junior Clown Car makes a cameo appearance in the Emerald Circus of Paper Mario: Color Splash. The concept art shows that it was originally going to be a Koopa Clown Car.
Paper Mario: The Origami King[edit]
The Junior Clown Car returns in Paper Mario: The Origami King, where Bowser Jr. uses it for transportation. It is used by Mario, Olivia, and Kamek to reach the platform where Boss Sumo Bro is located. Bowser Jr. loses his Junior Clown Car after Bowser's Airship is struck down by a huge paper plane of King Olly's Paper Plane Squadron and crash-lands into Hotfoot Crater. Aside from this, Bowser also indirectly references the Junior Clown Car late in the game when giving a pep talk to Olivia just before confronting King Olly.[1]
Mario & Luigi series[edit]
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team[edit]
| Dream Team enemy | |
|---|---|
| Junior Clown Car | |
| |
| Location(s) | Battle Ring |
| Role | Support |
| Position | Normal |
| Level | 50 |
| HP | 512 |
| Power | 320 |
| Defense | 440 |
| Speed | 146 |
| Weakness | None |
| Experience | 0 (0) |
| Coins | 0 (0%) |
| Item drop | None (0%) None (0%) |
| No Hitter | — |
| World | Faux-real |
Bowser Jr. and the Junior Clown Car both appear as the final boss of the Battle Ring in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. While it is not his vehicle's debut, it is officially named the Junior Clown Car for the first time. It guards him from attacks and at one part in the battle becomes its own enemy target separate from Bowser Jr.
When Mario or Luigi tries to use the Jump attack on the Junior Clown Car while Bowser Jr. is outside the Clown Car, they will not attack it, but instead will get in it. They taunt Bowser Jr., and rustle through the Clown Car to find items to throw at him.
The Prima guide erroneously refers to the Clown Car Bowser, Private Goomp and Sergeant Guy ride on in the ending as the Junior Clown Car.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam[edit]
Both the normal version and paper versions of the Junior Clown Car appear in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. They are initially used by the Bowser Jrs. to flee Mount Brrr with the Kameks and Princesses. Later, the paper version is used by Paper Bowser Jr. at Bowser's Castle to recapture the Princesses after they escape. Both versions are used during the boss battle against the duo. Much like in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Bros. Attacks that do not hit from above are nullified by the cars. Each of the Koopalings also pilots their own cars, though they all share the same color as that of Bowser Jr. and lack faces.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions[edit]
In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, the Junior Clown Car appears as Bowser Jr.'s main mode of transportation when he is unlocked in the Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser mode of the game.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey[edit]
The Junior Clown Car makes an appearance in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey where Bowser Jr. uses it for the "Snacktime" and "Volleybomb" commands. In both cases he pulls out a remote control to summon the Clown Car and, in the case of the former, control it.
During the story, Bowser Jr. modifies the unmarked Clown Car Iggy was using into a Junior Clown Car. He uses this Clown Car when changed to flying-type in a similar manner to Minion Quest.
Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition[edit]
The Junior Clown Car is used by Bowser Jr. for the entirety of Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. For his special move "Junior Smash", Bowser Jr. rams the party with the Junior Clown Car.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings make their Super Smash Bros. series debut as unlockable newcomers in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and starting newcomers in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and reappear in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, piloting the Junior Clown Car. Each Koopaling drives a specific-colored Junior Clown Car that has yellow lights for eyes instead of black proper eyes like Bowser Jr.'s version, though since the Koopalings are alternate costumes for Bowser Jr., they all fight identically to him, using various weapons the Clown Car is equipped with. In fact, aside from Bowser Jr.'s pummel, up air attack, up special move and Final Smash, the Junior Clown Car itself does most of the attacking. In addition, the player takes less damage if the Clown Car is hit rather than Bowser Jr. or the Koopalings.
In Palutena's guidance conversations about the Koopalings, their Clown Cars are called a mass-produced type of Koopa Clown Car, with Pit concluding that Bowser Jr. must have "preferential treatment". In the conversation about Bowser Jr., Pit attempts to come up with a better name for the Junior Clown Car and calls it "the Shellicopter", which Viridi promptly ignores as she continues calling it the Junior Clown Car.
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Bowser's Jr.'s neutral special move, Clown Cannon, can fire multiple cannonballs on-screen, as opposed to only one.
Mario Tennis series[edit]
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash[edit]
In Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, Bowser Jr. is a playable character who is riding in the Junior Clown Car. The Clown Car actually uses the mechanical arms with boxing gloves from past games to hold the racket.
Mario Tennis Aces[edit]
The Clown Car plays a similar role in Mario Tennis Aces. It is shown to include rocket thrusters and a kart mode, much like Super Smash Bros, in its trick shots. It also has a smaller version of the Mecha Hand from New Super Mario Bros. U during Bowser Jr.'s trick shot.[2]
Mario Sports Superstars[edit]
While it does not make a physical appearance in Mario Sports Superstars, gear modeled after the Junior Clown Car (called Bowser Jr. Clown in-game) is obtainable.[3] Additionally, Bowser Jr.'s Baseball and Soccer emblems are patterned after the Junior Clown Car's color scheme.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle[edit]
The Junior Clown Car appears in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, where Bowser Jr. and Spawny use it as transportation. Later, in the Lava Pit, Bowser Jr. uses it as the cockpit of his Mecha Jr. machine. Unlike most depictions of the car, it does not change expression at all in this game, though the Mecha Jr.'s profile image depicts the Junior Clown Car having angry eyes, as well as in concept art.
Dr. Mario World[edit]
Both Bowser Jr. and the Junior Clown Car make their Dr. Mario series debuts in Dr. Mario World, with the former being a playable doctor; however, the latter appears as a part of Bowser Jr.'s skill: they pop 10 bubbles in the stage mode, and hide viruses in the opponent's stage in versus mode.
Mario Golf: Super Rush[edit]
The Junior Clown Car reappears in Mario Golf: Super Rush as part of Bowser Jr.'s Special Shot. Bowser Jr.’s golfing outfit is also based on the Junior Clown Car.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]
While the Junior Clown Car itself does not appear in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Koopa Troopas use miniature versions of Bowser's Koopa Clown Car with robotic arms identical to that of the Junior Clown Car's boxer form (albeit with metallic claws instead of boxing gloves) to capture Cranky Kong and the Great Kong Army.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | クッパJr.クラウン Kuppa Jr. Kuraun |
Bowser Jr. Clown |
| Chinese (simplified) | 酷霸王Jr.小丑飞船 Kùbàwáng Jr. Xiǎochǒu Fēichuán |
Bowser Jr. Clown Airship |
| Chinese (traditional) | 庫巴Jr.小丑飛船 Kùbā Jr. Xiǎochǒu Fēichuán |
Bowser Jr. Clown Airship |
| Dutch | Junior Clown-capsule |
Junior Clown Capsule |
| French | Junior-mobile |
From junior and automobile |
| German | Junior-Clown-Kutsche |
Junior Clown Coach |
| Hungarian | Junior Repülő bohócfej |
Junior Flying clown head |
| Italian | Auto Clown Junior Clown Junior |
Junior Clown Car - |
| Korean | 쿠파주니어피에로 Kupa-junieo-piero |
Bowser Jr. Pierrot |
| Portuguese (NOA) | Cápsula Koopalhaço Jr. |
Jr. Koopa-clown Capsule |
| Portuguese (NOE) | Carro Palhaço Júnior |
Junior Clown Car |
| Russian | Детский клоуномобиль Detskiy klounomobil' |
Childish Clown Car |
| Spanish (NOA) | Cápsula Koopayaso Jr., or simply Koopayaso Jr. |
Jr. Koopaclown Capsule |
| Spanish (NOE) | Minihelikoopa |
From mini (mini) and Helikoopa. |
Gallery[edit]
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Junior Clown Car.
Artwork for Super Nintendo World
Trivia[edit]
- The coloring of Iggy Koopa's Clown Car in the Super Smash Bros. series and Koopa Clown in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is very similar to the Junior Clown Car. However, while the latter vehicle is based on the Koopa Clown Car and changes colors for the Koopalings only, the Junior Clown Car in the former game is colored a darker shade of green to distinguish it from Iggy's.
References[edit]
- ^ Paper Mario: The Origami King Nintendo (2020)
Bowser: Hey, origami girl! Look at me. I'm Bowser! I breathe fire and punch through solid rock sometimes. You think I'm scared of that little twerp? Plus, I mean... I'm raising Junior. You think that's easy? Try parenting a "high-energy" kid with access to a flying car and his own army! Your brother doesn't scare me. - ^ https://nintendotreehouse.tumblr.com/post/172897447207/mario-tennis-aces-with-great-power-comes-great
- ^ https://youtu.be/NdY63JGCIC4?t=50
