, or King Koopa, is a
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
, the primary
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist.
Etymology
The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
in
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
's
''Mario'' franchise, and the
arch-nemesis
In literature, an archenemy (sometimes spelled as arch-enemy) is the main enemy of someone. In fiction, it is a character who is the protagonist's, commonly a hero's, most prominent and most-known enemy.
Etymology
The word ''archenemy'' sometim ...
of
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
. In Japan, the character bears the title of . Bowser is the leader of the
turtle
Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...
-like
Koopa
Koopa Troopas, known in Japan as , are fictional footsoldiers of the turtle-like Koopa race from the Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' media franchise. They are commonly referred to generically as Koopas, a race that includes Bowser, Bowser, King of ...
race. Despite the fact that Bowser has teamed up with Mario in a few games, his ultimate goals are to kidnap
Princess Peach and to defeat Mario and
Luigi to conquer the
Mushroom Kingdom. Bowser's defining traits are his monstrous appearance with dragon-like elements, full-throated roar, fire-breathing abilities, cruel personality, bestial reptilian voice, never-ending conflict with Mario, and persistent kidnapping of Peach.
Bowser initially appears as Mario's opponent in the 1985
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
''
Super Mario Bros.'' He was originally envisioned as an
ox based on the Ox-King from the
Toei Animation
() is a Japanese animation studio primarily controlled by its namesake Toei Company. It has produced numerous series, including ''Sally the Witch,'' ''GeGeGe no Kitarō,'' ''Mazinger Z'', ''Galaxy Express 999'', ''Cutie Honey'', ''Dr. Slump'', ' ...
film ''
Alakazam the Great
''Alakazam the Great'', known in Japan as , is a 1960 Japanese anime musical film, based on the 16th-century Chinese novel ''Journey to the West''. It was one of the earliest anime films to be released in the United States. Osamu Tezuka was named ...
'', but Nintendo Designer
Takashi Tezuka remarked that the character looked a lot more like a turtle than an ox, and the two collaborated to define Bowser's appearance, leading to the character becoming the leader of the turtle-like Koopas.
Bowser’s current voice actor is Kenneth W. James. His previous voice actors include Scott Burns, who gave Bowser his first spoken dialogue in a video game; Eric Newsome, who voiced him in ''
Super Paper Mario''; and
Charles Martinet, who provided vocal effects for Bowser in ''
Super Mario 64
is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan and North America in 1996 and PAL regions in 1997. It is the first ''Super Mario'' game to feature 3D gameplay, combining traditional ''Su ...
'' and the
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
remake of the game.
After ''Super Mario Bros.'', Bowser also began to branch off to different genres. These include
role-playing games such as ''
Paper Mario'' and ''
Mario & Luigi'', and
sports games
A sports video game is a video game that simulates the practice of sports. Most sports have been recreated with a game, including team sports, track and field, extreme sports, and combat sports. Some games emphasize actually playing the sport (s ...
such as ''
Mario Kart
is a series of racing games developed and published by Nintendo. Players compete in go-kart races while using various power-up items. It features characters and courses from the ''Mario'' series as well as other gaming franchises such as ''T ...
'' and ''
Mario Tennis
''Mario Tennis'' is a 2000 sports video game developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. Following ''Mario's Tennis'', it is the second game in the List of Mario sports games#Mario Tennis series, ''Mari ...
''. He has appeared in other Nintendo properties, such as in the ''
Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' series of
crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Albums and songs
* ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album)
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album)
* ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album)
* ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
fighting game
A fighting game, also known as a versus fighting game, is a video game genre, genre of video game that involves combat between two or more players. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappli ...
s. Bowser has also appeared in various animations, including three series produced by
DIC Entertainment (all voiced by
Harvey Atkin
Elliot Harvey Atkin (18 December 1942 – 18 July 2017) was a Canadian actor best known for his roles as Morty Melnick in '' Meatballs'', Sergeant Ronald Coleman in ''Cagney & Lacey'', and for voicing King Koopa in ''The Super Mario Bros. Super S ...
), and was portrayed by
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in ''Giant'' (1956). In the next ten years ...
in the 1993 ''
Super Mario Bros.'' film. He will be voiced by
Jack Black
Thomas Jacob Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for his acting roles in the films '' High Fidelity'' (2000), ''Shallow Hal'' (2001), ''Orange County'' (2002), '' School of Rock'' (2003), ''E ...
in the
upcoming 2023 film adaptation.
Bowser has received a mostly positive reception, with several critics noting that he is one of the most iconic and most recognizable video game villains ever.
Concept and creation
Bowser was created by Nintendo designer and producer
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
. Miyamoto had first envisioned Bowser as an
ox, basing him on the Ox-King from the
Toei Animation
() is a Japanese animation studio primarily controlled by its namesake Toei Company. It has produced numerous series, including ''Sally the Witch,'' ''GeGeGe no Kitarō,'' ''Mazinger Z'', ''Galaxy Express 999'', ''Cutie Honey'', ''Dr. Slump'', ' ...
film ''
Alakazam the Great
''Alakazam the Great'', known in Japan as , is a 1960 Japanese anime musical film, based on the 16th-century Chinese novel ''Journey to the West''. It was one of the earliest anime films to be released in the United States. Osamu Tezuka was named ...
''. However, Nintendo designer
Takashi Tezuka pointed out that the character looked a lot more like a turtle than an ox. Miyamoto and Tezuka then began to work together to define Bowser's appearance. Since the character was the leader of the turtle-like Koopa Troopas the two began to base his new appearance on them, creating a new illustration. In his final design, Miyamoto commented that he could make Bowser "look cool now".
Miyamoto named him ''Daimaō Kuppa''. ''Kuppa'' came from the
Japanese name for , ''
gukbap
''Gukbap'' (), hot soup with rice, is a Korean dish made by putting cooked rice into hot soup or boiling rice in soup. It is commonly served in a ttukbaegi. Whereasoupanricehave been traditionally served separately at tables in Korea, Gukbap m ...
'', a
Korean dish. Miyamoto had also considered the names ''Yukke'' and ''Bibinba'', also Japanese names of Korean dishes ( ''
yukhoe
''Yukhoe'' ( ko, 육회 ) is a raw meat dish in Korean cuisine. It is most commonly made of beef but it can come in various kinds and cuts of meat.
''Yukhoe'' literally means 'raw (''hoe'', ) meat (''yuk'', )'. Therefore, in the strictest context ...
'' and ''
bibimbap'' respectively). For the later North American release of the game, which also introduced the
anglicized spelling Koopa, the character was named "Bowser". The
Korean name for the character Bowser/Kuppa is not ''Gukbap'', but ''Kupa'', which is essentially a phonetic
round-trip translation
Round-trip translation (RTT), also known as back-and-forth translation, recursive translation and bi-directional translation, is the process of translating a word, phrase or text into another language (forward translation), then translating the re ...
. The name was anglicized to Kuppa rather than Koopa in the Japanese versions up until the release of ''
Super Mario World''.
Bowser was once imagined as an upright Koopa Troopa with spines on his back and fangs, according to the oldest known design. During the development of ''Super Mario Bros.'', Miyamoto contemplated commissioning the game's art to a manga artist or illustrator. However, due to a lack of time, he created the game's original box art himself. Bowser is depicted in this artwork in a way that differs from later renditions, with the most noticeable differences being his gray-blue complexion and lack of horns. Miyamoto received inspiration for the character's appearance from an anime film version of the Chinese novel ''
Journey to the West'', which was renamed ''Alakazam the Great'' during the film's Ameri period.
Yōichi Kotabe based Bowser's final design on the
Chinese softshell turtle
The Chinese softshell turtle (''Pelodiscus sinensis'') is a species of softshell turtle that is native to China (Inner Mongolia to Guangxi, including Hong Kong) and Taiwan, with records of escapees—some of which have established introduced po ...
, which he recognized to be a highly aggressive kind of turtle, reflecting Bowser's short temper.
Characteristics
Bowser is portrayed as the "King of the
Koopas",
anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.
Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
turtle
Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...
s that inhabit the world of the
Mushroom Kingdom. Bowser differs greatly from the rest of the Koopa clan, which consists mainly of bipedal tortoises. He is characterized by a large, spiked
turtle shell, horns, a draconic muzzle with fangs, taloned fingers, three clawed toes on each foot, red eyes and a shock of red hair. He is physically endowed with immense strength, is nearly indestructible, can
breathe fire, and can jump very high for his large size. He is accomplished in black magic, thanks to which, depending on the game, he can teleport himself, summon objects, fly, generate a huge amount of electricity, use telekinesis, or metamorphose.
Bowser's physical size tends to vary from game to game. In most games, he towers over the majority of characters, but there are exceptions. In ''
Super Mario RPG'', he stands only slightly taller than Mario. He is shown changing his size at will or through others' sorcery in games including ''
Yoshi's Island
''Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island'' is a 1995 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The player controls Yoshi, a friendly dinosaur, on a quest to reunite baby Mario with his ...
'', ''
Super Mario Galaxy'' and ''
Super Mario Galaxy 2''.
Bowser aspires to take over the Mushroom Kingdom and merge it with his own realm. He is infatuated with
Princess Peach, and routinely kidnaps her as part of his plans for domination.
Sometimes, he kidnaps Peach simply to lure
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
into a trap, but occasionally he hopes to marry her. The character's role in the franchise varies.
He is typically the main antagonist in the main series, but in the
RPG series, he sometimes works with the heroes to defeat a greater evil. The RPGs also portray Bowser in a more humorous light as a blustering, buffoonish
bully
Bullying is the use of force, coercion, hurtful teasing or threat, to abuse, aggressively wikt:domination, dominate or intimidate. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception (by the bully or by ot ...
with a hidden softer side. He also cares for his minions.
Bowser has a son,
Bowser Jr.
in Japan) is a fictional character who appears in Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise as an antagonist. He is the son of the series' main antagonist, Bowser. Since his debut in ''Super Mario Sunshine'' in 2002, Bowser Jr. has been a recurring chara ...
, who helps his father kidnap Princess Peach. Bowser Jr.'s mother is unknown, as Bowser isn't yet officially confirmed as having a previous marriage. Originally in ''
Super Mario Bros. 3
''Super Mario Bros. 3'' is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was released for home consoles in Japan on October 23, 1988, in North America on February 12, 1990 and in Europe on ...
'', Bowser was stated to be the father of the
Koopalings
The (also known as in Japan and Europe or in Japan) are a fictional group of seven childlike characters in the Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' video game franchise by Nintendo. Their individual names are Larry Koopa, Morton Koopa Jr., Wendy O. K ...
with subsequent official sources adding that he was their biological father, but since their return in ''
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a platform game, platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. A follow-up to ''New Super Mario Bros.'', it was first released in Australia, North America, and Europe in November 2009, followed by Japan a month later. ...
'' they have been referred to as ''Bowser's minions''. In a 2012 interview, Shigeru Miyamoto stated, "Our current story is that the seven Koopalings are not Bowser's children. Bowser's only child is Bowser Jr., and we do not know who the mother is."
Appearances
Bowser makes his debut appearance in a video game in ''
Super Mario Bros.''.
He then appeared through all ''
Super Mario
(also known as and ) is a platform game series created by Nintendo starring their mascot, Mario. It is the central series of the greater Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise. At least one ''Super Mario'' game has been released for every m ...
'' series, ''
Paper Mario'' series, ''Yoshi'' series and including ''Mario and Luigi'' series.
Other ''Mario'' games
Bowser has appeared in nearly all of the ''Mario'' spin-off games, including in ''
Mario Kart
is a series of racing games developed and published by Nintendo. Players compete in go-kart races while using various power-up items. It features characters and courses from the ''Mario'' series as well as other gaming franchises such as ''T ...
'' series, and every ''
Mario Party'' game to date. Bowser has made appearances in multiple ''Mario'' sports games, such as ''
Mario Tennis
''Mario Tennis'' is a 2000 sports video game developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. Following ''Mario's Tennis'', it is the second game in the List of Mario sports games#Mario Tennis series, ''Mari ...
'', ''
Mario Golf
There have been numerous sports games in the ''Mario'' franchise. Although originally a branch of the Mario sports games, the ''Mario Kart'' series is not included in this list, as it has since become a stand-alone series in the Mario franchise.
...
'', ''
Super Mario Strikers'', and ''
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games''.
He appeared in ''
Mario's Time Machine'', ''
Hotel Mario
''Hotel Mario'' is a puzzle video game developed by Fantasy Factory and published by Philips Interactive Media for the Philips CD-i in 1994. Players control Mario, who must find Princess Peach, Princess Toadstool by going through seven hotels in ...
'',
and ''
Mario Pinball Land''. Bowser also appears as a playable character in the game ''
Itadaki Street'' DS. Bowser is also a Dark attribute character who appears as the main opponent in ''
Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition''.
Bowser also appears in ''
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars''. In ''
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
'', Bowser makes a cameo. He also reappears in the sequel ''
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
''Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope'' is a 2022 action-adventure turn-based strategy video game developed by Ubisoft Milan and Ubisoft Paris and published by Ubisoft for the Nintendo Switch. The game is a crossover between Nintendo's ''Mario'' and U ...
''.
In other media
Outside of ''Super Mario'' series, Bowser has appeared as a playable character in every installment of the ''
Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' series since 2001's ''
Super Smash Bros. Melee
''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' is a 2001 Fictional crossover, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the second installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. I ...
''. Bowser can be found in ''
Tetris Attack
''Tetris Attack'', also known as in Japan, is a Puzzle game, puzzle video game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. A Game Boy version was released a year later. In the game, the p ...
'', a game inspired by the Japanese Panel de Pon. All of the original cast members are replaced, with the exception of Mr. Time, with characters from the Mario and Yoshi series, with Bowser taking on the role of Corderia as the game's final boss. Under the name Hammer Slam Bowser, Bowser debuts as a playable character in ''
Skylanders: SuperChargers''. He appears alongside ''
Donkey Kong'' and comes with a Skylanders: Skylanders unique figurine. Bowser also appears as a playable character in ''
Dr. Mario World
was a 2019 match-three mobile game developed and published by Nintendo in collaboration with Line Corporation and NHN Entertainment.
Nintendo officially announced on July 28, 2021 that the ''Dr. Mario World'' service would end on November 1 ...
'' under the name Dr. Bowser.
The late
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in ''Giant'' (1956). In the next ten years ...
portrayed King Koopa in the 1993 live-action film
''Super Mario Bros.'' In the film, Koopa is the usurper ruler of Dinohattan, a city in a
parallel universe in which humans evolved directly from dinosaurs. He abducts
Princess Daisy
is a fictional character in the ''Mario'' series of video games. She debuted in 1989's '' Super Mario Land'' as the ruler of Sarasaland. Described as a tomboy, she used to be rumored to be Luigi's love interest, similarly to Princess Peach ...
but is eventually defeated by Mario and Luigi. This incarnation is almost entirely human in appearance, with blonde hair he gels in a crown-like shape, and he frequently wears a black business suit and necktie. However, after brief exposure to his own evolution-reversing technology by the Mario Bros., he starts occasionally possessing some reptilian traits. The climax of the film sees Koopa devolve into an enormous green
''Tyrannosaurus rex'' to battle the Mario Bros., who further devolve him into primordial ooze.
Bowser is one of the gaming villains attending a "Bad-Anon" support group in the 2012 animated film ''
Wreck-It Ralph
''Wreck-It Ralph'' is a 2012 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 52nd Disney animated feature film, it was directed by Rich Moore (in his feature director ...
''. The writers had early on envisioned the Bad-anon meeting with Bowser as a major character within the scene; according to film director
Rich Moore
Rich Moore is an American film and television animation director, screenwriter and voice actor. He has directed the films ''Wreck-It Ralph'' (2012) and co-directed ''Zootopia'' (2016) and '' Ralph Breaks the Internet'' (2018) for Walt Disney ...
, Nintendo was very positive towards this use, stating in Moore's own words, "If there is a group that is dedicated to helping the bad guy characters in video games then Bowser must be in that group!"
Bowser will be voiced by
Jack Black
Thomas Jacob Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for his acting roles in the films '' High Fidelity'' (2000), ''Shallow Hal'' (2001), ''Orange County'' (2002), '' School of Rock'' (2003), ''E ...
in the
upcoming 2023 film adaptation.
He appeared in ''
Nintendo gamebooks''. Bowser appears as the primary antagonist in Nintendo Power's comic series ''
Super Mario Adventures''. Bowser reappears in the Mario comics of Valiant Comics' ''
Nintendo Comics System
The ''Nintendo Comics System'' was a series of comic books published by Valiant Comics in 1990 and 1991. It was part of a licensing deal with Nintendo, featuring characters from their video games and the cartoons based on them.
The comics
V ...
'' as the principal antagonist of the Mushroom Kingdom.
Reception and legacy
Due largely to the success of the ''Mario'' franchise, Bowser has become one of the most iconic and easily recognizable video game antagonists of all time. He frequently appears in lists for greatest video game antagonists. ''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' placed him at #2 out of 100, and ''
GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
'' placed him at #9 out of 47. ''
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' listed him at #9 in their "Top 10 Video Game Villains" article, stating "Of all the villains to make an appearance on this list, Bowser... has got to be the most interesting," later adding "While some people say Bowser's life may have gotten into a rut, the man has simply refined his game down to an everyday thing. He's focused, he's dedicated, and worst of all, he's patient." Bowser ranked in the first slot on ''
GameDaily''s top 10 Nintendo characters that deserve their own games list, explaining if
Yoshi and
Wario get their own games, Bowser should too due to his being one of gaming's most nefarious villains.
In ''GameDaily''s top 10 Smash Bros. characters list, he ranked sixth. ''GameDaily'' also included him in their most persistent video game villains list. However, Bowser has been also rated as the 4th-biggest douchebag in gaming history by ''
ScrewAttack
Rooster Teeth Productions, LLC is an American digital media company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2003 by Burnie Burns, Matt Hullum, Geoff Ramsey, Jason Saldaña, Gus Sorola, and Joel Heyman, Rooster Teeth is a subsidiary of Warner ...
'', who said that he wants to "take Mario down". ''IGN'' editor Craig Harris described Bowser as being a household name. In 2011, ''
Empire
An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
'' ranked him as the 23rd-greatest video game character while ''
Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
2013'' featured Bowser first in their list of top 50 Villains. ''IGN'' named Bowser as one of the "oldest villains in gaming history, not to mention one of the most iconic."
Bowser's role in ''
Super Mario Galaxy'' has been met with significant praise. ''
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
'' editor Margaret Robertson commented that after years of being a "comedy villain", ''Galaxy'' put him back at his "scaly, scabrous best".
''PALGN'' editor Chris Sell called him the best boss in ''Mario Galaxy'', stating that it wasn't just because of the battles with him being "superb, screen filling affairs", but also because he is "back to being mean again".
''Nintendo World Report'' editor Aaron Kaluszka commented that battling Bowser has never been "this intense and engaging".
''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' editor Cam Shea praised his physical appearance in ''Super Mario Galaxy'', describing him as "imposing and weighty".
Another ''IGN'' editor, Matt Casamassina, praised the visual quality of the characters, citing Bowser in particular and mentioning how his "funky red fur waggles in the wind".
''Game Positive'' editor Travis Simmons concurred, commenting that his hair "gives him a touch of personality".
Bowser's role in ''
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'' has been met with highly positive reception also. He has frequently been referenced as the main character of the game due to his prominence in it. ''Eurogamer'' editor Christian Donlan commented that it felt good to play as Bowser, and that "After years of picking a path carefully around threats, jumping out of harm's way, and tackling challengers mostly from above, it's a pleasure to put those cares aside and relish a few hours of spiky, tortoise-shelled power."
''
Destructoid
''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022.
History
' ...
'' editor Jim Sterling described Bowser's gameplay as "brilliant comic relief". He also described the dialogue of the game as being "laugh out loud funny", specifically praising Bowser's ego.
''RPGamer'' editor Michael Cunningham praised the game for Bowser "stealing the show", but also decried it for not having quite enough of him.
''Nintendo World Report'' editor Pedro Hernandez commented that the plot and humour of the game make iconic characters "more enduring, including Bowser".
''NGamer'' magazine editor Matthew Castle commented that all ''Mario'' role-playing games make good use of Bowser, but that this is the first game where Bowser takes the center stage.
''Game Style'' editor Drew Middlemas commented that Bowser stole the show, being portrayed as a "creature of pure, blustering ego who reminds us of why he's one of gaming's greatest baddies."
''N-Europe'' editor called him the "real star" of the game, calling him a "fantastic character" with "so much more to give than what we've seen from him so far, even in the other Mario RPGs". He added that his "foul mood and lack of intelligence" as well as his interactions with other characters are well written.
''Kombo'' editor commented that he became a more sympathetic character as the game progresses, adding that his "massive ego pushes him towards heroism".
''
Wired'' editor Chris Kohler called Bowser awesome, adding that his segments are funnier than Mario and Luigi's.
''
Giant Bomb'' editor Brad Shoemaker states that Bowser steals the show, commenting that playing as him gives players an inside glimpse of his ego and megalomania.
''IGN'' editor Craig Harris described Bowser as the only "core Nintendo character over the past couple decades" to not have a starring role in a video game, and this game acts as his "big break".
''
1UP.com
''1Up.com'' was an American entertainment website that focused on video games. Launched in 2003, ''1Up.com'' provided its own original features, news stories, game reviews, and video interviews, and also featured comprehensive PC-focused conten ...
'' editor Jeremy Parish stated that Bowser makes the game, describing him as more interesting than ''Bowser's Inside Story'' predecessor's partners, the baby forms of Mario and Luigi.
''
GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
'' editor Alicia Ashby called Bowser one of the most "lovable characters in the Nintendo universe", and praising ''Bowser's Inside Story'' for giving him "much deserved time in the spotlight".
''
GameSpy
GameSpy was an American provider of online multiplayer and matchmaking middleware for video games founded in 1996 by Mark Surfas. After the release of a multiplayer server browser for the game, QSpy, Surfas licensed the software under the GameS ...
'' editor Phil Theobald called him the breakout star of the game, stating that "the gruff, quick-to-anger pro/antagonist is a treat to watch as he continuously becomes infuriated with the incompetence of his minions."
''
GamesRadar
''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', ''Edge'' and '' Computer ...
'' editor Henry Gilbert stated that he is "home to the most drastic change to the formula" in this game, stating that while he is still a "humorously incapable villain", the game allows players to switch between Bowser and the Mario Bros. at their discretion."
Fans wondered for years about what Mario said after he defeated Bowser, threw him, and shouted in the final battle of ''Super Mario 64'' until
Charles Martinet, Mario's voice actor, took to
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
in April 2019 to assert Mario was saying "so long kinga Bowser!" However, from July 2020, a fan restoration has made Mario seem much more like he is saying "Gay Bowser". Mario did not say "gay Bowser", but rather "buh-bye!" according to Ian Walker of ''
Kotaku
''Kotaku'' is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network. Notable former contributors to the site include Luke Smith, Cecilia D'Anastasio, Tim Rogers, and Jason Schreier.
History
...
''. Nintendo later confirmed that Mario said "buh-bye!" in a tweet.
Bowser Standalone Prop, but with a penis for usage in Bowser movies, was created by 3D modeller "AkkoArcade". After a copyright claim was made by a party claiming to represent
Nintendo of America
is a Japanese multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produced handmade playing cards. ...
,
Patreon fully removed it.
In 2018, a short comic "The Super Crown's some spicy new Mario lore" on
DeviantArt and
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
transforms Bowser into a monstrously sinister female resembling Peach, which fans named
Bowsette
Bowsette ( ) or Koopa-hime ( ja, クッパ姫, translit=Kuppa-hime, lit=Princess Koopa), is a fan-made, ''moe'' anthropomorphized and gender-swapped version of the ''Mario'' franchise character Bowser, in which he is transformed by the Super ...
. The character subsequently went viral, with ''
Ars Technica
''Ars Technica'' is a website covering news and opinions in technology, science, politics, and society, created by Ken Fisher and Jon Stokes in 1998. It publishes news, reviews, and guides on issues such as computer hardware and software, sci ...
'' writing that Bowsette's popularity was partly due to her contrast with Princess Peach and Bowser. Apart from Mario Day, "Bowser Day 2021" became a Twitter craze as fans commemorated the renowned Nintendo's iconic villain. When the
alligator snapping turtle
The alligator snapping turtle (''Macrochelys temminckii'') is a large species of turtle in the family Chelydridae. The species is native to freshwater habitats in the United States. ''M. temminckii'' is one of the heaviest freshwater turtles in ...
of the
Amur River
The Amur (russian: река́ Аму́р, ), or Heilong Jiang (, "Black Dragon River", ), is the world's List of longest rivers, tenth longest river, forming the border between the Russian Far East and Northeast China, Northeastern China (Inne ...
was discovered, it bore a resemblance to Bowser, making it become somewhat of an internet sensation.
References
Sources
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External links
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Bowserat
Giant Bomb
Bowser on Play Nintendo
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