Bowser's Brother
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- This article is about the blue-colored Bowser, who appears in the Family Computer Disk System version of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. For the Bowser's minions transformed into fake versions of him and of Bowser, see Fake Bowser.
Template:Character-infobox Blue Bowser (direct translation from the Japanese 「クッパ・アオ」) is a member of Bowser's species who looks very similar to Bowser, except for the brown and blue color of his skin and shell. He appears exclusively in the Family Computer Disk System version of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. While considered to be Bowser's brother before the release of Super Mario All-Stars,[1][2] after his replacement with other characters indistinguishable from Bowser in said game the depiction of his identity changed over time, being first considered like a Fake Bowser,[3][4][5] then a blue-bodied Bowser whose identity is unknown.[6]
History
Super Mario series
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
The only game so far that actually features Blue Bowser is the Family Computer Disk System version of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. There, he appears in both World 8-4 and World 9-3. He tries to stop Mario or Luigi both by throwing hammers at them and by breathing fire.
While distinguished from Bowser through the color of his skin and shell, when defeated with fireballs he does not turn into one of Bowser's minions, revealing his actual identity as a member of Bowser's species, distinct from that of the Fake Bowsers.[7] On World D-4, a fake version of him appears that only breathes fire and, when defeated with fireballs, is revealed to be a Spiny.[8]
The color of his skin and shell are actually obtained through a palette swap commonly used in castle sections of the game, except for the parts in which the boss is fought. In the Super Mario All-Stars version of the game, on the other hand, Blue Bowser is not featured and only characters who look identical to Bowser appear in World 8-4, 9-3, and also D-4.[9] Said characters are reported to still be Blue Bowser according to the Perfect Edition of the Great Mario Character Encyclopedia[3] and the Player's Guide of Super Mario All-Stars,[10] while more recent sources rather stress Blue Bowser's body being blue as the main feature of the character, without mentioning him possibly having other coloring.[4][5][11][6]
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
While Super Smash Bros. for Wii U does not actually feature Blue Bowser, the eighth recolor of Bowser is said to be inspired by him.[4]
Family relationship
Before the release of Super Mario All-Stars, books related to Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels described Blue Bowser as being Bowser's brother,[1][2] with the Super Mario Complete Encyclopedia specifically indicating him as Bowser's younger brother and a member of his Royal Family, along with the Koopalings and Bowser himself.[1] The character who replaced him was also stated to be Bowser's brother in the Super Mario All-Stars Player's Guide,[10] which marked the only time that concept was referenced in the English language. However, after the release of Super Mario All-Stars and his replacement with characters who look identical to Bowser, he started being considered akin to a Fake Bowser[3] and no longer a member of Bowser's Royal Family.[12] This depiction is confirmed as well in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.[4] and even in the Super Mario Pia, a memorial book written in collaboration with Nintendo and released in 2015.[5] Importantly, due to his absence from Super Mario All-Stars, no Japanese Nintendo Official Guidebook ever mentioned him until the release of the Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.. There, he is clearly distinguished from Fake Bowsers,[11] but his identity is stated to be unknown, leaving his current relationship with Bowser unexplained.[6]
Profiles and statistics
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U tip
- "A Bowser Impostor?! In Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Mario fights a blue fake Bowser before the real thing. That blue fake is his eighth color in this game!"
References
- ^ a b c File:SMCE pages 144 145.png.
- ^ a b Page 155 of the Complete Super Mario Great Encyclopedia (「全スーパーマリオ大百科」).
- ^ a b c Page 65 of the Perfect Edition of the Great Mario Character Encyclopedia. The text states A fake Bowser appears in the Famicom version of Super Mario. Since his color is blue, you can tell at a glance that he's a fake, but unfortunately in Mario All-Stars he became the same green. while the two captions state Obviously fake blue Bowser. and He can't be distinguished from the real thing.
- ^ a b c d "A Bowser Impostor?! In Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Mario fights a blue fake Bowser before the real thing. That blue fake is his eighth color in this game!" - Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Tips. The Japanese version is 「にせクッパ!? 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ2』には、青いクッパが登場する。倒すとその先にいつもの緑のクッパがいる。『スマブラ』では8Pカラーで青いクッパになる。」, explicitly using the term 「にせクッパ」 used for Fake Bowsers.
- ^ a b c The bio of Blue Bowser in the Super Mario Pia, Blue Bowser is referred to as Fake Bowser (「ニセクッパ」) while still stressing his body being blue.
- ^ a b c Page 30 of the Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros. states 「謎の青いクッパ! W8-4でクツパと対決する直前、体の青いクッパと戦うことになる。クッパと同等の能力を持つが、その正体は不明。W9-3とWD-4にも登場する。」, which translates to Mysterious Blue Bowser! In W8-4 just before confronting Bowser, a blue-bodied Bowser must be fought. He has the same abilities as Bowser, but his true identity is unknown. He also appears in W9-3 and WD-4..
- ^ NitnendoComplete (September 1, 2013). Super Mario Bros. 2 (The Lost Levels) Famicom Playthrough - NintendoComplete. YouTube. Retrieved March 24, 2017. Blue Bowser is defeated with fireballs both in the fight on World 8-4 and in the fight in World 9-3.
- ^ World of Longplays (November 17, 2010). NES Longplay [070] Super Mario Bros. 2 (Japan). YouTube. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
- ^ MasterOfHyrule (June 2, 2013). Unmasking The Fake Bowsers in Super Mario Bros 2 / The Lost Levels (Super Mario All Stars on SNES). YouTube. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
- ^ a b Page 62 of the Super Mario All-Stars Player's Guide is titled Bowser's Brother and states "You're in for a surprise. Bowser's got a twin."
- ^ a b Page 27 of the Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros..
- ^ File:SMBD pages 34 35.png.
