Bowser Memory ML

"REPEL VIRUS!"

- Bowser Memory ML

Bowser Memory ML is a boss in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and its Nintendo 3DS remake, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, encountered in the Memory Banks of Bowser's body. The boss is an embodiment of Bowser's memories of Mario and Luigi, appearing as digital, pixelated copies of the brothers, known as Bowser Memory M and Bowser Memory L respectively. Their attacks and behavior reflect those of their counterparts and are references to the original Super Mario Bros. Bowser Memory M is much stronger than Bowser Memory L, but Bowser Memory L has more HP and assists Memory M using healing items.

Bowser Memory ML appears when Mario, Luigi, and Starlow visit the Memory Banks in order to recover the combination to the safe containing a Star Cure, after Bowser finds out he has forgotten it. The guardian of the Memory Banks scans the trio and mistakenly thinks they are viruses and therefore threats to the Memory Banks, splitting into Bowser Memory M and Bowser Memory L to repel them.

After being defeated, the guardian takes on a new form based on Princess Peach; it says that it has switched to a temporary observation protocol based on Bowser's most carefully preserved memory.

In the Challenge Node, the player can fight the stronger versions of this pair of enemies called Bowser Memory MLX. (Bowser Memory M himself is called "Bowser Memory MX" and Bowser Memory L "Bowser Memory LX" in that case.)

Battle
Both Memories fight alongside each other; however, both of them need to be defeated in order to win the battle.

Bowser Memory M
Bowser Memory M has two attacks which involve a digital Super Mushroom (Mega Mushroom in the remake) and a Super Star. When using either Mushroom, he will grow to a few times his normal size and strike a series of red or green Big Blocks above his head. When the block is struck by him, the resulting debris will fall on the bro whose color matches it; the type of jump also indicates the target, with regular jumps knocking debris at Mario, and spin jumps knocking bricks at Luigi. The debris can be deflected using the Hammer, and may make a brother Dizzy if it hits. Bowser Memory M will then shrink back to normal (after a Digi-Koopa bites him in the original version).

When using a Super Star, Bowser Memory M will become invincible and dash straight towards one bro or other. The brothers can avoid this attack by jumping over him as he runs underneath, but if Mario or Luigi is hit, he will be knocked off the screen (but will automatically avoid the rest of the attack) and re-emerge when the invincibility wears off. However, a coin may occasionally appear, and Bowser Memory M will go after it. If a coin appears above a brother's head, Bowser Memory M will jump and grab the coin, and the bro. should refrain from jumping (unless they jump before Bowser Memory M does and collects it, adding to the coin drop at the end of the fight). A coin may also appear in front of a bro, usually the one not in his line of sight; in that case, Bowser Memory M will switch targets.

Bowser Memory L
Bowser Memory L also has two attacks: being chased by a Digital Boo or throwing a digital hammer. When being chased by a digital Boo, Bowser Memory L will run and jump over a bro; the bro must then jump over or on the Boo. Bowser Memory L will often run in circles, alternating the bro he jumps over. He stops after a few cycles pass or the digital Boo is defeated with a stomp. (It only has one hit point.) In his other attack, Bowser Memory L will wield a digital hammer and approach a bro, but will trip and toss the hammer through the air at his target. The bros. can deflect the flying hammer with their own hammer. The target can be identified by Bowser Memory L's path, with him walking northwest meaning Mario is the target and him walking due west meaning Luigi is the target.

Additionally, Bowser Memory L will take a step backwards from his spot for every attack sustained. When he is attacked for a second time, he will run off of the screen, leaving Bowser Memory M to fight alone. Bowser Memory L will return to help him after some time, but will retreat again when he is attacked two times. However, if Bowser Memory M is knocked out when Bowser Memory L runs away, Bowser Memory L will revive Bowser Memory M with around 60-120 HP via a digital 1-Up Mushroom before leaving the battle. If the Bros. defeat Bowser Memory M, Bowser Memory L will instantly return if he already retreated.

Bowser Memory L also will sometimes throw Mushrooms to Bowser Memory M to recover 40 HP (23 HP in the remake).

Quotes

 * "REPEL VIRUS!"
 * "Affirmative. Correct."

Trivia

 * The duo's attacks reference Super Mario Bros. and other titles in the series:
 * When Bowser Memory M uses a Super Mushroom, he grows, but reverts to normal when he is hit by a digi-Koopa. In the remake, he uses a Mega Mushroom instead, thus shrinking due to its time limit expiring.
 * When Bowser Memory M uses a Super Star, an arrangement of the Super Mario Bros. invincibility theme plays while he is invincible. Also, Mario and Luigi fall off-screen if hit by this attack, just like the enemies in the 2D Super Mario games.
 * Bowser Memory L's behavior during the battle is very similar to Luigi's personality, particularly his cowardice and fears (retreating after being attacked enough times and the digital Boo), as well as his clumsiness (tripping over and tossing his hammer). These traits also reference the Luigi's Mansion games.
 * The digital Boo attack also partially references the Chain Chomp attack used by the Elder Princess Shroob from the previous game.
 * Similar to the Hammer Bro bosses from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, their explosion animation is the same as that of normal enemies, as opposed to bosses. The same thing happens with the Shroobs. In the remake, their boss explosions are more minor than those of other bosses.
 * In the remake, Bowser Memory ML and Bowser Memory MLX are the only bosses to not get inflicted with the Fury status effect.

Interwiki links

 * German: de:Memo-Mario, de:Memo-Luigi

Memoria M&L