Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser

Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser
English logo
Developer	AlphaDream
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo 3DS
Release date	October 5, 2017 October 5, 2017 October 5, 2017 October 6, 2017 October 6, 2017 October 7, 2017 April 12, 2018
Language(s)	Deutsch English (United Kingdom) English (United States) Español (España) Español (Latinoamérica) Français (Canada) Français (France) Italiano Nederlands 한국어 日本語
Genre	RPG
Rating(s)	ESRB: - Everyone PEGI: - Three years and older CERO: - All ages ACB: - General USK: - All ages GRAC: - All ages
Mode(s)	Single-player
Media	Nintendo 3DS: Game Card Digital download
Input	Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad

“As Mario and Luigi embark on a grand adventure, another quest is unfolding somewhere nearby... So begins the story of Bowser's Minions!”

—Unlock text, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions

Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser is a campaign exclusive to Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions for the Nintendo 3DS which takes place simultaneously with the main story of the game. It involves Bowser's minions battling the enemies of the Beanbean Kingdom to rescue Bowser, after he is knocked out from Stardust Fields, led by Captain Goomba. The battles are the two armies automatically fighting against each other, though the player can choose which characters to send in, give more power to Special Skills by performing certain actions such as repeatedly pressing a button, pressing a button with the correct timing or aiming correctly at the enemies, and choose one of the actions available to the captain, the latter of which costs CP. At the end of a battle, there's a chance of one or more of the opponent's allies joining the player's team. There are three types of troopers: Melee (who only fight physically), Ranged (who fight exclusively with projectiles), and Flying (physical fighters who fly). The types follow a rock-paper-scissors triangle of strength and weakness, with Melee units being strong against Ranged units but weak against Flying units, Ranged units being strong against Flying units, but weak against Melee units and Flying units being strong against Melee units but weak against Ranged units.

Story

The story of Minion Quest is shown as a movie, just like the main Mario Bros. story, in the Yoshi Theater.

The story starts off right after the Mario Bros. have defeated the first two enemies in the game, the two Goombas. After they are defeated, they are placed in barrels, and the one on the right complains about how he got trounced by the Mario Bros. again, with the one on the left saying that it's about time the Goombas rose up and made a name for themselves. These two Goombas would eventually become Captain Goomba and Private Goomp over the course of the coming events.

They are berated by the Koopalings Roy, Wendy, and Iggy, who tear into them and mercilessly taunt them about how useless, expendable, and trash they are and proceed to give them orders, but before they can do so, the Koopa Cruiser gets attacked by Fawful and starts to sink into the area around the border between the Mushroom and Beanbean Kingdoms, just like in the main story, and every one of Bowser's army of baddies is thrown clear of the wreckage.

Captain Goomba regains his consciousness and awakes in a cave on top of a huge mountain. He sees Bowser launch out of the cannon in Stardust Fields, and fly through the air into the distance. Deciding to rush after his leader, Captain Goomba takes off in pursuit of Bowser. After defeating two Beanies who come across his path, he comes across some of his fellow Goombas arguing over who should be the captain and lead the rescue. Captain Goomba offers to carry the captain's flag, and while the others mainly agreed to it because no one else wanted to, Captain Goomba slowly starts to win their sincere support throughout the story.

After defeating two Paragoombas who mistake Captain Goomba for an enemy, they explain that Fawful has captured Bowser, and has begun to brainwash all of Bowser's Minions with his headgear smoke. The minions make fun of the captain's "aura of stupidity"; this becomes a running gag throughout the story. Ludwig and Lemmy are encountered on the mountain, but they pay the squad no mind as they continue to look for Bowser themselves.

Fawful's Decree.

Captain Goomba soon comes across Fawful, who has Bowser with him. Before he can do anything, however, Private Goomp arrives to take credit for defeating Fawful. Fawful uses his brainwashing smoke to brainwash Private Goomp, but fails to brainwash Captain Goomba due to his true minion spirit. Captain Goomba and his squad fight against Private Goomp and his brainwashed forces, but after the battle, Fawful knocks Goomp and Captain Goomba off the mountain, and flees to the castle to retrieve the Beanstar, tying in to the main story. With Bowser having disappeared, Captain Goomba consults a Hoohooligan about Bowser's whereabouts, and jumps off the bridge to the base of the mountain, making a huge crash in the process.

Outside Beanbean Castle Town, the Koopalings are discussing their plans about how to find Lord Bowser, and even wonder if he has been kidnapped. They easily dispatch a rowdy group of Beanies, but are ambushed by Fawful, who uses a more powerful spray to brainwash all the Koopalings after the normal one proved to be ineffective.

The Elite Trio prepare to fight.

Captain Goomba and his squad are able to recruit additional members to their ranks, such as a Shy Guy who joins as Captain Shy Guy, and a Lakitu who was captured by a brainwashed Larry. The group runs into Prince Peasley, and after a battle ensues with a few Piranha Beans, Captain Goomba humorously sends out one of them to attack Prince Peasley. The squad then encounters the Elite Trio, with Private Goomp declaring his intent to steal Captain Goomba's glory, so he, along with Sergeant Guy and Corporal Paraplonk, fight the squad, with Captain Goomba winning the battle. The Elite Trio then argue over why they lost, and the squad decides to ignore their squabble and continue. Eventually, the group confronts Larry, who is ordering his minions to help build a fortress for him, so he can conquer Beanbean Castle Town. Captain Goomba is able to defeat Larry, and convinces him to join their cause, although Larry strongly dislikes taking orders from a Goomba. He informs the squad that the Koopalings are scattered around the world, knowing the locations of three of the Koopalings: Iggy in Chucklehuck Woods, Wendy in Gwarhar Lagoon, and Morton in Teehee Valley. Heading into a cave to the next area, the squad encounters Professor E. Gadd, who talks about his ghost research and his inventions, including a time machine.

Professor E. Gadd.

In Chucklehuck Woods, Iggy is busy taking over the forest. Captain Goomba is lured into a cave by an addictive fragrance and finds Bubbles, who mistakes them for Iggy's minions, and opens a trapdoor with his feet, sending the entire squad plummeting down into the underground. The squad is able to escape the cave and continue through the forest, on the way recruiting Captain Boo and the Elite Trio's Sergeant Guy, as well as assisting Cork and Cask in retrieving the Red Goblet in exchange for info on Iggy's whereabouts. The squad is able to find Iggy at Mother Chuckalola and defeat him, where he joins the squad's team.

The "cute battle" contest.

In Gwarhar Lagoon, the squad encounters Wendy, who decides to host a "cute battle" to determine the cutest group on the island. The squad hopes to win the contest to snap Wendy out of her brainwashing. Among the contestants are Hermie III, who captures Starlow as a decoration for his shell. Spangle asks for help in rescuing Starlow, but upon doing so, Starlow refuses his advances and shooes away both Hermie and Spangle. Corporal Paraplonk is encountered training his Paratroopas for the contest, and after defeating him, he joins the squad. The cutie battle begins, and after earning enough points in the rounds, Wendy gets fed up at their success and decides to fight them before the final round. Wendy joins the squad after losing, and after Captain Goomba leaves, the Star Angels (Starlow, Spangle, and two Starkisses) end up winning the prize.

Popple trips on Bowser.

Back at Hoohoo Mountain, Bowser, who now has amnesia after being struck by a "hard object," encounters Popple in the village stealing food, and begins to follow him around. Captain Goomba encounters Popple when they return to Chucklehuck Woods. At this point, Popple has already made Bowser his Rookie, but loses sight of him and asks the squad for help in finding "Rookie," before he eventually double-crosses them. Rookie does show up after defeating Popple, but he does not recognize his former lackeys and leaves with Popple, presumably to steal the Chuckola Reserve.

The Invincibility Mushroom and the Poison Mushroom

The squad arrives at Teehee Valley, where Morton is attempting to take over the Toad village. Here they battle Private Goomp once more and are able to recruit him, and also recruit Captain Koopa Troopa, who has an affinity for rhyming. Encountering a Toad who runs the Little Fungitown arcade, they help him obtain an Invincishroom from a cave to serve as an arcade prize (Though they mistakenly obtain a Poison Mushroom instead, which contributes to Mario's Bean Fever). The squad finds and defeats Morton near the valley's edge, and he joins the squad. Preparing to leave the area, Popple is encountered again, now without Rookie and seeking a replacement (candidates include a Fighter Fly, a Beanie, a Paratroopea, a Tanoomba, and Birdo). Upset that the squad attacked him in the woods, Popple fights the minions, but is defeated again. Birdo, the only candidate left standing after the fight, carries Popple away. Meanwhile, the cutscene where Bowser becomes Bowletta plays, signifying the timeframe of events.

Lakitu informs the crew that the Koopa Cruiser is being repaired in Joke's End, but Fawful appears to tell them he took over Bowser's Castle, and that Bowser is "no longer of this world anymore." Making their way to Joke's End, they find the Koopa Cruiser in ruins, so they decide to defeat brainwashed minions to gather repair tools, unaware they are being spied on by Roy. Once they have enough allies, Roy launches a surprise attack, but he comes to his senses and joins the squad, telling the squad to stop a bomb the Elite Trio had placed on the cruiser. With the cruiser repaired, the squad is able to get to Bowser's castle.

The seven Koopalings.

The castle is filled with the hardest enemies thus far. Ludwig and Lemmy are encountered and fought, and once defeated, the Koopaling team is complete. As a test of strength, Ludwig orders all the Koopalings to fight at the same time. Captain Goomba defeats them all, and they gain the Koopalings' respect.

The squad encounters Fawful once again, and although he taunts the squad mercilessly, they defeat him and make their way to Bowser's chamber, where Bowser (seemingly returned) immediately tells Captain Goomba to "destroy" Mario; it is presumed that the minions turn their attention to the Mario Bros. after this order. In reality, this "Bowser" was actually Bowletta in disguise, and when Captain Goomba confronts them about this, she and Fawful use a trapdoor to send the squad into a dungeon, which turns out to be a Mecha-Fawful factory. After a long final battle which tests all the skills obtained thus far, the minions defeat Fawful one final time and escape the dungeon. It is unknown what happened to Fawful after this; it is presumed he fled and proceeded to fight Mario and Luigi directly after.

The Ending Picture.

After Bowletta's ultimate defeat, the minions reunite with a returned Bowser, only for the castle to explode sending Bowser and his minions crashing into the screen. Later, Bowser gets stuck in the present in the airplane, and all the minions chase after it on their way home. Back at Bowser's castle, Bowser prepares to promote Captain Goomba for his efforts, only to realize he was the "hard object" that fell on Bowser's head and gave him amnesia. Bowser angrily chases after Captain Goomba, and his title and flag are taken away as the story comes to a close.

Captains

Image	Name	Type	Special	Description	Starting level	Strong against	Weak against
	Captain Goomba	Melee	Rocket Headbutt	The go-to soldiers among Bowser's Minions. They move fast and charge into foes!	1	N/A	N/A
	Captain Shy Guy	Ranged	Throw the Fight	You can't beat that poker face. They excel at evasion and pummeling Lakitus and Lakipeas with turnips.	8	Lakitus Lakipeas	N/A
	Captain Boo	Flying	Evasion Cloak	For Bowser's sake, they won't be frightened! No, really! Prone to mocking their foes and attacking from above.	14	N/A	N/A
	Captain Koopa Troopa	Melee	Rock Solid	They look innocent, but their shells provide a tough defense. Dry Bones may share their bone structure, but beware-they know their weakness!	23	N/A	Dry Bones
	Captain Goomba (Gold)	Melee	Rocket Headbutt	The go-to soldiers among Bowser's Minions. They move fast and charge into foes!		N/A	N/A
	Captain Boo (Gold)	Flying	Evasion Cloak	For Bowser's sake, they won't be frightened! No, really! Prone to mocking their foes and attacking from above.		N/A	N/A
	Captain Koopa (Gold)	Melee	Rock Solid	They look innocent, but their shells provide a tough defense. Dry Bones may share their bone structure, but beware-they know their weakness!		N/A	Dry Bones

CP

The bottom screen in a level with some of the Captain Commands that can be used.

CP (Captain Points) are used to activate Captain Commands. The higher the captain's level is, the more CP and Captain Commands he will have; each captain can have a maximum of 10 CP. After a battle, some CP is restored; by 1 if the captain has a maximum of 1-5 CP, 2 if the captain has a maximum of 6-8 CP, and 3 if the captain has a maximum of 9 or 10 CP. The only other way to increase CP in a level is through the Chance Captain Command; if the player is lucky, they will get 5 CP out of it, but it costs 3 CP to use.

Captain	Starting CP	Levels where CP is increased
Captain Goomba	4	5, 6, 12, 19, 27, 35
Captain Shy Guy	5	9, 15, 21, 28, 35
Captain Boo	6	20, 24, 29, 35
Captain Koopa Troopa	8	27, 35

Captain Commands

Name	CP used	Captain Goomba level	Captain Shy Guy level	Captain Boo level	Captain Koopa Troopa level	Description
Deny	1	1*	8*	14*	23*	Surprises an opponent and cancels their Special Skill before they can pull it off.
Rally	4	7	8*			Cheers on the whole squad and raises their SPIRIT for a limited time.
Chance	3	5		14*	23*	Creates a block that can be hit to score a bonus.
Play Dead	4	16	12	18	23*	Feigns defeat on the battlefield so enemies will turn their attention elsewhere.
Lightning	7			32	30	Shrinks and weakens enemies for a limited time.
Parry	5	10	18	22	23*	Completely blocks two enemy attacks. Time it perfectly to counterattack!
Pass the Bob-omb	6		24	26	23*	Starts a game of catch with the enemy captain using a Bob-omb on the verge of exploding.
Thwomp Thump	6	30	32			Drops a mean Thwomp that deals heavy damage to everyone on the ground! Can be avoided by jumping.
Clash of Captains	6	23				Exclusive to Goombas. A showdown with the opposing captain. Be mindful of the damage that will be taken from the enemies along the way!
Call for Backup	4		8*			Exclusive to Shy Guys. Sends in one of your reserve troopers to charge into battle and back you up.
Sneak Attack	6			15		Exclusive to Boos. A stealthy attack from behind an enemy captain. Can it be pulled off against types you're weak to?
Shell Shock	4				23*	Exclusive to Koopa Troopas. A spinning shell attack! Damages all nearby foes.

^* - The captain's starting level upon being recruited, meaning these Captain Commands are available from the start.

Allies

Image	Name	Type	Special	Description	Strong against	Weak against
	Goomba	Melee	Rocket Headbutt	The go-to soldiers among Bowser's Minions. They move fast and charge into foes!
	Paragoomba	Flying	Cranium Crush	Goombas who soar the sky with grace. With a spin they can do a Cranium Crush.
	Big Tail Goomba	Melee	Spin Cycle	Bulky blokes with high POW and HP. They can sweep up foes by spinning their tails.
	Goomba Tower	Melee	Whomping Wallop	They can use Whomping Wallop to attack all foes in front of them. Weak against Boomerang Bros.		Boomerang Bros. Beanerang Bros.
	Koopa Troopa	Melee	Rock Solid	They look innocent, but their shells provide a tough defense. Dry Bones may share their bone structure, but beware—they know their weakness!		Dry Bones
	Koopa Paratroopa	Flying	Cranium Crush	A harmony of heavy shell and light wings. They spin around in the air and attack their enemies from above.
	Koopa Paratroopa (Red)	Flying	Cranium Crush	A harmony of heavy shell and light wings. Strong against Spear Guys and other spear-wielding enemies.	Spear Guy Chuck Guy Elite Chuck Guy
	Dry Bones	Ranged	Chain Shot	Their calcium-deficient bodies are weak. They despise losing to Koopa Troopas.	Koopa Troopa
	Boo	Flying	Evasion Cloak	For Bowser's sake, they won't be frightened! No, really! Prone to mocking their foes and attacking from above.
	Bomb Boo	Flying	Kaboom Bash	A rare type of Boo that explodes! They are especially strong against Ice Snifits.	Ice Snifit
	Tail Boo	Flying	Spin Cycle	A rare type of Boo with a tail. Getting hit with said tail really smarts!
	Big Boo	Flying	Piercing Projectile	A big ol' Boo. It's slow, but it flies and has incredible HP and POW.
	Broozer	Melee	Air Bash	Those deep red gloves are proof of their strength. They especially like to break mechanical things.	Mecha-Fawful X Mecha-Fawful Y Mecha-Fawful Z Mechakoopa Bob-omb
	Shy Guy	Ranged	Throw the Fight	You can't beat that poker face. They excel at evasion and pummeling Lakitus and Lakipeas with turnips.	Lakitu Lakipea
	Spear Guy	Ranged	Rain of Pain	They like to throw their special spear and weave about. Especially strong against Pestnuts, but weak against red Koopa Paratroopas.	Pestnut Elite Pestnut	Koopa Paratroopa (Red)
	Fly Guy	Flying	Mega Tackle	Shy Guys who fly through the sky. No lie! Some say they know the weakness of the Ice Bros...	Ice Bros.
	Bandit	Ranged	Throw the Fight	Their constant movement masks their lack of power. Just who are those mischievous eyes targeting?!
	Buzzy Beetle	Melee	Rock Solid	Those hard shells aren't just for show! They boast the Rock Solid ability, and their defense is airtight.	Para-Beetle
	Para-Beetle	Flying	Dive Attack	A veritable flying fortress. Their bodies are protected by a hard shell. Weak against their rivals, the Buzzy Beetles.		Buzzy Beetles
	Hammer Bro	Ranged	Rain of Pain	Those Hammers are deadly from a distance. Their Rain of Pain attack is to be feared!
	Fire Bro	Ranged	Rain of Pain	They throw fireballs as well as a Mario Bro! Burning Fuzzbushes and Pokeys is a cinch, but they're weak to Ice Bros.	Fuzzbush Pokey	Ice Bro
	Ice Bro	Ranged	Throw the Fight	That chilly ice is especially strong against Fire Bros. They're weak against those expressionless Fly Guys.	Fire Bro	Fly Guy
	Boomerang Bro	Ranged	Piercing Projectile	They throw boomerangs with ample gusto. Strong against Pokeys and Goomba Towers.	Pokey Goomba Tower
	Spiny	Melee	Spin to Win	They have a hard shell and painful spikes. Though small, their spin attack is mighty! They seem to be weak against Lakitus.		Lakitu Lakipea
	Lakitu	Flying	Chain Stomp	They hustle about atop a cloud. They're strong against Beanies and Spinies, but their weakness is a Shy Guy's turnip attack.1	Sharpea Spiny	Shy Guy
	Pokey	Melee	Whomping Wallop	They may move slowly, but their HP is their pride. Watch out for the spines that cover their bodies! Weak against boomerang wielders.		Boomerang Bro Beanerang Bro Fire Bro Fire Stalking Piranha Plant
	Chain Chomp	Melee	Charging Champ	Unstoppable when they're off their chains. Difficult to control and highly destructive.
	Chargin' Chuck	Melee	Air Bash	That padding makes for high POW and DEF. They tend to go overboard with their brawn and are weak against Mechakoopas.		Mechakoopa
	Fire Stalking Piranha Plant	Ranged	Spitfire Fury	They walk about while spitting out powerful flames. Hey, aren't Fuzzbushes and Pokeys flammable?	Fuzzbush Pokey
	Spike	Ranged	Throw the Fight	They spit up and throw Spike Balls at foes. Gross! The larger ones they throw are especially strong.
	Bob-omb	Melee	Kaboom Bash	They have explosive power upon impact. Handle these Melee troopers with care.		Broozer Starlow
	Mechakoopa	Melee	Mega Tackle	They use their small bodies to bob and weave about. Especially strong against Chargin' Chucks, but weak against Broozers.	Chargin' Chuck	Broozer Starlow
	Magikoopa (Blue)	Flying	Chain Shot	Magikoopas dressed in blue. They tear into enemies from atop their brooms.		Bowser Jr.
	Magikoopa (White)	Ranged	Feed the Speed	Magikoopas dressed in white. They use their magic wands to raise a nearby unit's SPEED!		Bowser Jr.
	Magikoopa (Red)	Ranged	Power Up	Magikoopas dressed in red. They use their magic wands to raise a nearby unit's POW!		Bowser Jr.
	Magikoopa (Green)	Ranged	Sure Shot	Magikoopas dressed in green. They use their magic wands to raise a nearby unit's ACCURACY!		Bowser Jr.
	Private Goomp	Melee	Rocket Headbutt	A Goomba with dreams of grandeur. He's quite good at dodging attacks and avoiding being lectured.
	Corporal Paraplonk	Flying	Cranium Crush	An elite Koopa Troopa with big dreams. The bucket on his head gives him a tough defense.
	Sergeant Guy	Ranged	Sure Shot	An elite Shy Guy with big dreams. His cowardly nature is great for dodging.
	Larry	Ranged	Throw the Fight	One of the seven notorious Koopalings. Has high ACCURACY and is secretly great at sniping.
	Morton	Melee	Chain Stomp	One of the seven notorious Koopalings. Moves slowly, but just one attack can break through rock.
	Wendy	Ranged	Piercing Projectile	One of the seven notorious Koopalings. You'll pay dearly if you underestimate her power!
	Iggy	Ranged	Power Up	One of the seven notorious Koopalings. Powers up characters close to him.
	Roy	Melee	Spin to Win	One of the seven notorious Koopalings. Quite proud of his incomparably high HP.
	Lemmy	Ranged	Spitfire Fury	One of the seven notorious Koopalings. Has incredibly high EVASION.
	Ludwig	Ranged	Chain Shot	One of the seven notorious Koopalings. Has a great balance of POW and DEF.
	Bowser Jr.	Flying	Smack Back Attack	King Bowser's only son. Rumored to be especially strong against Magikoopas.	Magikoopa (Blue) Magikoopa (White) Magikoopa (Red) Magikoopa (Green)
	Starlow	Flying	Dive Attack	A Star Sprite with unsurpassed SPEED. Rumored to be especially strong against mechanical baddies.	Mecha-Fawful X Mecha-Fawful Y Mecha-Fawful Z Mechakoopa Bob-omb
	Prince Peasley	Flying	Charging Champ	The dashing prince of the fair Beanbean Kingdom. Rumored to particularly enjoy conquering Gold Beanies.	Gold Beanie

¹ - Despite the description, Lakitus don't actually have an attack bonus against Beanies, but they do against Spinies and Sharpeas. Sharpeas are also not mentioned in the description.

Enemies

Image	Name	Type	Special	Description	Strong against	Weak against
	Beanie	Melee	Mega Tackle	Enemies frequently seen in the Beanbean Kingdom. They move and hop about the battlefield.
	Gold Beanie	Melee	Mega Tackle	Rare Beanies with a gloriously golden glow. Defeat one to win lots of EXP.		Prince Peasley
	Parabeanie	Flying	Cranium Crush	Beanies that fly through the air. They soar about the battlefield on small wings.
	Troopea	Melee	Rock Solid	Foes that strongly resemble Koopa Troopas. Their body is protected by a hard shell.
	Elite Troopea	Melee	Rock Solid	They resemble regular Troopeas but are a bit stronger. They're quite proud of that vibrant color.
	Paratroopea	Flying	Cranium Crush	They strongly resemble Koopa Paratroopas. The leaves on their head are good luck.
	Scaratroopea	Flying	Cranium Crush	They strongly resemble Paratroopeas. Full of pride for those bright shells.
	Gritty Goomba	Melee	Rocket Headbutt	They resemble Goombas but are...much grittier. Those spears make for powerful headbutts.
	Tanoomba	Melee	Spin Cycle	They're proud of their POW, despite their small size. Quite speedy, so try to take them down quickly.
	Limbo Bro	Melee	Smack Back Attack	Their bodies are much lighter than they appear. They charge headfirst into foes with great power!
	Elite Limbo Bro	Melee	Smack Back Attack	A more powerful variation of Limbo Bros. Their Smack Back Attack is quite strong.
	Beanerang Bro	Ranged	Piercing Projectile	They look like Boomerang Bros., but more stylish. Their sunglasses kind of make them look evil... Strong against Pokeys and Goomba Towers.	Pokey Goomba Tower
	Ice Snifit	Ranged	Spitfire Fury	Fashion-forward Snifits sporting spiffy coats. They spit out rock-hard snowballs. Ouch! Weak against Bomb Boos.		Bomb Boo
	Sharpea	Melee	Spin to Win	Foes that strongly resemble Spinies and are weak against Lakitus. Stepping on those spikes hurts A LOT.		Lakitu
	Lakipea	Flying	Chain Stomp	Though their POW is average, be mindful of their high HP! They hate turnips and the Shy Guys who throw them.	Spiny	Shy Guy
	Rex	Melee	Mega Tackle	Mighty dragons that can't fly, despite having wings. They charge forward when they spot an enemy.
	Pestnut	Melee	Spin to Win	They are completely covered in painful spikes. It hurts no matter where they hit you. Weak against Spear Guys.		Spear Guy
	Elite Pestnut	Melee	Spin to Win	Powerful Pestnuts that thrive underwater. Those sharp spikes are a real threat. Weak against Spear Guys.		Spear Guy
	Chuck Guy	Melee	Spin Cycle	They charge forward wielding a spear. Weak against red Koopa Paratroopas.		Koopa Paratroopa (Red)
	Elite Chuck Guy	Melee	Spin Cycle	They resemble regular Chuck Guys but believe themselves to be superior with a spear. Weak against red Koopa Paratroopas.		Koopa Paratroopa (Red)
	Clumph	Melee	Whomping Wallop	Foes that pride themselves on their POW. They strike the ground with giant clubs.
	Piranha Bean	Ranged	Spitfire Fury	They spit out powerful flames. Still, they're easily burned themselves, what with being plants and all.
	Starkiss	Ranged	Spitfire Fury	Love hurts, and so do those hearts they spit out! Their bodies are among the lightest in the kingdom.
	Fuzzbush	Ranged	Rain of Pain	They tread lightly on tiny legs. Weak to Fire Bros. and Fire Stalking Piranha Plants.		Fire Bro Fire Stalking Piranha Plant
	Birdo	Ranged	Throw the Fight	She wears a pretty red ribbon atop her pink head. Known to build up power and spit out eggs.
	Popple	Ranged	Rain of Pain	The greatest thief in the kingdom...or so he says. Recruited the amnesiac Bowser as his underling.
	Mecha-Fawful X	Melee	Charging Champ	Mass-produced robots that serve Fawful. They charge into foes with their giant bodies.		Broozer Starlow
	Mecha-Fawful Y	Flying	Cranium Crush	Mass-produced robots that serve Fawful. Those heads are known to fly about.		Broozer Starlow
	Mecha-Fawful Z	Ranged	Piercing Projectile	Mass-produced robots that serve Fawful. They fire powerful beams from their chests.		Broozer Starlow
	Most Furious Fawful X	Melee	Chain Stomp	Cackletta's faithful underling. Fights as a Melee trooper.
	Most Furious Fawful Y	Flying	Dive Attack	Cackletta's faithful underling. Fights as a Flying trooper.
	Most Furious Fawful Z	Ranged	Chain Shot	Cackletta's faithful underling. Fights as a Ranged trooper.
	Fawful	Ranged	Chain Shot	Cackletta's faithful servant with extreme fury issues. Brainwashes Bowser's Minions to take over the world.

Other characters

• Hammerhead Bros.
• Bowser
• Professor E. Gadd
• Cork and Cask
• Rookie
• Hermie III
• Spangle
• Fighter Fly
• Toad
• Bowletta

Skills

Name	Condition	Bonus
Melee Mischief	All units must be Melee troopers	POW 5%↑ and HP 5%↑ for all allies
Flying Fun	All units must be Flying troopers	HP 5%↑ and DEF 5%↑ for all allies
Ranged Revenge	All units must be Ranged troopers	HP 5%↑ and LUCK 5%↑ for all allies
Ranged x2 Hind Support	6 Melee troopers and 2 Ranged troopers	ACCURACY 10%↑ for all allies
Ranged x3 Hind Support	5 Melee troopers and 3 Ranged troopers	LUCK 10%↑ for all allies
Flying x2 Hind Support	6 Melee troopers and 2 Flying troopers	DEF 10%↑ for all allies
Flying x3 Hind Support	5 Melee troopers and 3 Flying troopers	EVASION 10%↑ for all allies
Half-and-Half A	4 Melee troopers and 4 Flying troopers	POW 5%↑ and DEF 5%↑ for all allies
Half-and-Half B	4 Melee troopers and 4 Ranged troopers	SPIRIT 5%↑ and LUCK 5%↑ for all allies
Half-and-Half C	4 Flying troopers and 4 Ranged troopers	HP 5%↑ and DEF 5%↑ for all allies
Burly Brigade	7 or more2 giant units3	HP 5%↑ and POW 5%↑ for all allies
Gallant Goombas A	5x Goomba	HP 10%↑ for Goombas
Gallant Goombas B	5x Paragoomba	HP 10%↑ for Paragoombas
Super Goomba Squad	Goomba Big Tail Goomba Private Goomp Goomba Tower Paragoomba	HP 10%↑ and SPIRIT 10%↑ for allies
Heroic Shells A	2x Koopa Troopa 2x Dry Bones	DEF 10%↑ for all allies
Heroic Shells B	2x Koopa Paratroopa 3x Koopa Paratroopa (Red)	DEF 10%↑ for all allies
Super Shell Squad	Koopa Troopa Koopa Paratroopa Koopa Paratroopa (Red) Corporal Paraplonk Dry Bones	DEF 10%↑ and HP 10%↑ for all allies
Dreams of Buzzy Beetles	2x Buzzy Beetle 2x Para-Beetle	DEF 20%↑ for all allies
Bros. Bonanza!	Hammer Bro Fire Bro 2x Ice Bro Boomerang Bro	ACCURACY 15%↑ for all allies
Mighty Masks A	5x Shy Guy	ACCURACY 10%↑ for all allies
Mighty Masks B	5x Fly Guy	ACCURACY 10%↑ for all allies
Super Mask Squad	Fly Guy Shy Guy Sergeant Guy Spear Guy Bandit	ACCURACY 20%↑ for all allies
Boo Brigade	5x Boo	POW 10%↑ for all allies
Super Boo Brigade	Broozer Boo Bomb Boo Tail Boo Big Boo	POW 10%↑ and DEF 5%↑ for all allies
Ice Cloud	2x Lakitu 2x Ice Bro	HP 10%↑ and POW 5%↑ for all allies
Dance of the Green Shells	Koopa Troopa Koopa Paratroopa Lakitu Hammer Bro	DEF 10%↑ and HP 5%↑ for all allies
Red Boots of Courage	2x Chargin' Chuck 3x Koopa Paratroopa (Red) 2x Fire Bro	POW 10%↑ and HP 5%↑
Danger Abounds	2x Bob-omb 3x Bomb Boo	LUCK 30%↑ for all allies
Glorious Manes	Spike Iggy Lemmy Larry	HP 15%↑ for all allies
Proud and Round	2x Bob-omb 2x Pokey Chain Chomp Starlow	EVASION 20%↑ for all allies
Proud and Spiny	3x Spiny 3x Pokey	HP 10%↑ and DEF 5%↑ for all allies
Green Power	3x Pokey 3x Fire Stalking Piranha Plant	HP 20%↑ for all allies
Team Throw	2x Shy Guy 2x Bandit 2x Spike	ACCURACY 20%↑ for all allies
Spinning Tails	2x Big Tail Goomba 2x Tail Boo	POW 10%↑ for all allies
Wind It Up	2x Bob-omb 3x Mechakoopa	DEF 10%↑ and HP 5%↑ for all allies
Old Reliable	5x Spiny Lakitu	HP 15%↑ and DEF 5%↑ for all allies
The Elite Trio	Private Goomp Corporal Paraplonk Sergeant Guy	HP 15%↑ and SPIRIT 10%↑ for allies
The Prince and the Mastermind	Magikoopa (Blue) Bowser Jr. Magikoopa (White) Magikoopa (Red) Magikoopa (Green)	POW 15%↑ and SPIRIT 10%↑ for allies
The Seven Koopalings	Morton Roy Iggy Lemmy Wendy Larry Ludwig	HP 20%↑ and POW 10%↑ for all allies
Super Rare Squad	Magikoopa (Blue) Bowser Jr. Starlow Prince Peasley Magikoopa (White) Magikoopa (Red) Magikoopa (Green)	DEF 20%↑ and LUCK 20%↑ for allies

² - As stated by the game; however, it is impossible to have more than seven giant units in a squad since the eighth slot must be occupied by one of the captain characters, none of whom are giant units.
³ - The giant units are Big Tail Goomba, Goomba Tower, Big Boo, Broozer, Pokey, Chain Chomp, Chargin' Chuck, Morton, Roy, Ludwig, and Bowser Jr.

Items

Name	Description
Melee EXP Bean S	A bean that gives 10 EXP to Melee troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Melee EXP Bean M	A bean that gives 100 EXP to Melee troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Melee EXP Bean L	A bean that gives 1,000 EXP to Melee troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Melee EXP Bean DX	A bean that gives 3,000 EXP to Melee troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Ranged EXP Bean S	A bean that gives 10 EXP to Ranged troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Ranged EXP Bean M	A bean that gives 100 EXP to Ranged troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Ranged EXP Bean L	A bean that gives 1,000 EXP to Ranged troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Ranged EXP Bean DX	A bean that gives 3,000 EXP to Ranged troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Flying EXP Bean S	A bean that gives 10 EXP to Flying troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Flying EXP Bean M	A bean that gives 100 EXP to Flying troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Flying EXP Bean L	A bean that gives 1,000 EXP to Flying troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Flying EXP Bean DX	A bean that gives 3,000 EXP to Flying troopers. Effect is halved if eaten by other troopers.
Super EXP Bean S	A bean that grants 30 EXP, regardless of unit type.
Super EXP Bean M	A bean that grants 300 EXP, regardless of unit type.
Super EXP Bean L	A bean that grants 2,000 EXP, regardless of unit type.
Super EXP Bean DX	A bean that grants 5,000 EXP, regardless of unit type.
HP Bean	A bean that increases your HP by 1.
POW Bean	A bean that increases your POW by 1.
DEF Bean	A bean that increases your DEF by 1.
SPEED Bean	A bean that increases your SPEED by 1.
SPIRIT Bean	A bean that increases your SPIRIT by 1.

Challenges

Bronze	Silver	Gold
Recruit 20 Goomba Minions	Recruit all types of Goomba Minions	Recruit "that guy" (Recruit Bowser Jr.)
Recruit 20 Koopa Troopa Minions	Recruit all types of Koopa Troopa Minions	Learn all Captain Commands
Recruit 20 Shy Guy Minions	Recruit all types of Shy Guy Minions	Perform all Skills
Recruit 20 Boo Minions	Recruit all types of Boo Minions	Recruit all Characters
Use beans to fortify 50 times	Recruit all types of Melee troopers	Use beans to fortify 200 times
Defeat 300 enemies	Recruit all types of Flying troopers	Receive 500 EXCELLENT ratings
Recruit 20 Spiky Minions	Recruit all types of Ranged troopers	Raise a Minion's level to 40
Receive 100 EXCELLENT Ratings	Defeat 1000 enemies	Defeat 1500 enemies
Clear 50 quests	Clear 100 quests	Clear 200 quests
Recruit 50 Minions	Recruit 100 Minions	Recruit 150 Minions

amiibo support

The Boo, Goomba or Koopa Troopa amiibo can be used to unlock three extra quests and a golden Captain character.

References to other games

• Super Mario Bros. 3: Larry is the boss of the plains world, Morton is the boss of the desert world, and Wendy is the boss of the water world, as they were in this game.
• Paper Mario series: The Goombas' Rocket Headbutt Special Skill is similar to their Headbonk move from these games, along with the Headbonk Goombas from Super Paper Mario.
• Luigi's Mansion: E. Gadd mentions that he created the Starbeans Cafe franchise to provide funding for his ghost research during the events of Luigi's Mansion.
• Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time: E. Gadd mentions he is building a time machine.
• Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2: Bomb Boos appear.
• Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story: Starlow and Mechawfuls appear.
• Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker: An Invincibility Mushroom appears.

References in later games

• Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey: The Minion Quest mechanic returns as a story mode for Bowser Jr. In addition, Captain Goomba, Captain Koopa Troopa, Captain Boo, and Captain Shy Guy make a reappearance as enemies and allies. Captain Goomba's inadvertent role in giving Bowser amnesia (as well as that mode's ending where he got demoted as a result) is indirectly referenced right before Bowser Jr.'s tutorial fight against him, where Captain Goomba states he does not wish to upset Bowser again. Both Morton and Ludwig also reference the Captains' role in saving Bowser near the beginning of and late in the game, respectively.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	クッパ軍団RPG Kuppa-gundan RPG	Bowser's Minions RPG
Chinese (traditional)	庫巴軍團RPG Kùbā Jūntuán RPG	Bowser's Minions RPG
Dutch	Schurkensaga: Op zoek naar Bowser	Villain saga: Looking for Bowser
French	Super Sbires Saga: les sauveurs de Bowser!	Super Minion Saga: the saviours of Bowser!
German	Schergen-Saga: Findet Bowser!	Minion Saga: Find Bowser!
Italian	Scagnozzi in azione: In cerca di Bowser	Minions in action: Searching for Bowser
Korean	쿠파군단 RPG Kupa-gundan RPG	Bowser's Minions RPG
Spanish	Historia de un secuaz: En busca de Bowser	Story of a minion: In search of Bowser