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NOTE: This article is about the main video game version of Bowser exclusively, the original. If you were looking for other depictions of Bowser, see Bowser.
~ Bowser's most famous quote when he starts a battle without an initial hit in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.
“
Hear this! I will kidnap Peach OVER and OVER until I pull it off! And no one can stop me! Losing is not an option! And neither is giving up!
„
~ Bowser at the end of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team.
“
Gwahahaha! Crashing the wedding, Mario? That's tacky, even for you! Also, your outfit isn't halfway fancy enough for the occasion! Not that it matters, since you WEREN'T INVITED! So now it's the time for to make like a bouquet and get thrown out! Get ready, Mario! Here's your happily ever after!
„
~ Bowser to Mario before their final battle in Super Mario Odyssey.
King Bowser Koopa Sr., best known as simply Bowser or King Koopa, is the main antagonist of Nintendo's Super Mario franchise.
He is the tyrannical king of the Koopa Troop and the arch-nemesis of Mario, who is constantly plotting to take over the entire world and the Mushroom Kingdom. His main minions include Kamek, who had raised him since he was a child, and the Koopalings. He also has a son named Bowser Jr., who frequently aids him in his plans.
In addition, Bowser is deeply infatuated with Princess Peach, the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, and his plans for conquest almost always include kidnapping her to make her his wife, only to be thwarted by Mario and his twin brother, Luigi. Despite his status as a villain, he has sometimes been willing to work alongside the heroes in order to battle threats more serious than himself, so he can continue his own schemes.
He was voiced by Rob Wallace in Mario Is Missing!, Marc Graue in Hotel Mario, Bruce Robertson in Mario's Time Machine Deluxe, Scott Burns from 2002 to 2007, and Kenny James (who also voices Fritz from Attack on Titan).
Bowser has large lips and sharp teeth. He has yellow skin (although Super Mario Bros. portrays him with green skin), lines on his stomach, and sharp claws. His most recognizable features are his spiked shell, red mane, and spiked cuffs, which except for the mane have been prominent features of Bowser in all of his appearances. One point of debate over time has been Bowser's size, which seems to vary in every one of his appearances. Most of the time, he is about twice the size of Mario.
Personality[]
Bowser's personality varies depending on his role in the plot. In the main platformers, where he is the main antagonist, he has a very dark, brutal, merciless, destructive, cataclysmic, and serious disposition. For years, it was also rumored by fans that while most other Koopas prefer vegetation in their diet, Bowser's sharp teeth, another common feature of his, were an indicator of him preferring meat, preferably from victims he hunts down and captures. Indeed, Bowser is shown quite often to be an expert hunter, and his carnivorous side is definitively confirmed by him devouring Mario and Luigi in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.
In the RPGs, he shows some more amusing and funnier sides of himself as he is shown to have a talent for sarcastic wit, works very hard to live up to the "evil king" image, and very often displays a shortsighted lack of common sense. However, the most prominent part of his personality is his confidence.
When he decides to help the other denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom against a common foe, it is mostly because of his own ego. In his mind, the only one that is allowed to kidnap Princess Peach, kill Mario, and/or conquer the world is himself, and he flies into a dangerous rage when other villains attempt to usurp his position as "the biggest, baddest brute around."
In the RPG games, he is shown to be a benevolent and philanthropic ruler towards his men. In Super Mario RPG, he found two of his men in Monstro Town who had happy lives there, and instead of getting angry and ordering them to return to his army, he was happy for their lives and wished the best for them. As in later RPGs, however, most of Bowser's actions in the game are self-centered, with his motivation for working with the protagonists ranging to reclaiming his stolen castle, kidnapping Peach himself, or preventing another villain from taking over the world, which he himself desires.
During his own game Bowser's Inside Story, He is extremely conceited and boastful about himself and his accomplishments, and he resents having to ask nicely for help from Starlow. He acts as a leader to his troops, and even forgives three of them for defecting to Fawful and allows them back in the Koopa Troop. In the remake, it also elaborates on Bowser's crashing the emergency meeting, revealing that he did so because his kingdom also was affected by the Blorbs outbreak. Bowser's usual rashness and his penchant for destruction and violence come to a head when he flies into a rage upon discovering that Mario and Luigi had been aiding him inside his body the entire time (believing they were partying around inside him) and attacks them, only to be promptly defeated, mere moments after the three of them had worked together to save the world.
In spite of being an evil character who never succeeds in defeating Mario and ruling the Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser holds a strong love for his diminutive son Bowser Jr., as shown by how he raises him all on his own and is quick to encourage or praise him. In Super Mario Sunshine, he even has Bowser, Jr., kidnap Peach so that his son can have a mother, although the game's ending reveals that it is very "difficult" for him to lie to his son about Peach being his mother (a lie that Bowser, Jr., had already figured out, unbeknownst to his father).
Additionally, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story showed that, while Bowser is mean to his troops, he cares about them. He rescued imprisoned soldiers who serve him, got extremely angry when he learned that Fawful had kidnapped his men, and even forgave three traitors. He also can be a good sport at times, as in Super Mario Party, he participates in the party with no tricks or bad intent (not even having Kamek, who he put as a judge, makes the party go in his favor) and congratulates the player who becomes the Superstar.
When he was confronted by Dark Bowser who desired to plunge the world into eternal darkness, Bowser was utterly disgusted and angry since he wishes to rule the world, not destroy it. In the Paper Mario games, it is shown that Bowser's troops follow him out of respect rather than fear.
Aside from this, Bowser has never shown remorse for his troublesome actions and the havoc they often cause, but he is often saddened by his own losses. In Super Mario Galaxy, his only regret is his failure to create his own realm, and in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, he is dismayed at having to damage his own captured castle while trying to reclaim it from Fawful.
By contrast, in Mario Party 4, Bowser grudgingly gives the player a present and wishes them a happy birthday as he leaves in shame, moving one of the Koopa Kids to wonder if there might be more to Bowser than he leads others to believe, as Bowser claimed to be somewhat happy.
Powers and Abilities[]
Sheer Power: Over the years, Bowser has displayed countless feats that put him far above the average person, to the extent he may be one of the most powerful Nintendo characters. In many of the RPG and sports games, Bowser is typically among the strongest characters in the game.
Superhuman Strength: Bowser's raw physical strength is frequently seen as one of Bowser's main powers. He can smash through boulders, lift immensely heavy objects with relative ease, counter and knock back every attack from a magically augmented clone of himself, Dark Bowser, and hit back with even greater force. Possibly most impressively, he almost stopped a full-speed train completely un-augmented, only failing when tripping over a rock. Much like with his fire breath, Bowser prides himself on his strength and frequently incorporates physical attacks into his fighting because of this.
Augmented Superhuman Strength: When Bowser was faced with daunting tasks in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Mario and Luigi could power up his muscles with adrenaline enough that a cannonball from Bowser's Castle was easily thrown back into the castle with enough force to knock the floating castle back to the ground.
Charge Punch: Bowser can charge his fist up with orange energy and punch with devastating force as seen in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.
Final KO Punch: Bowser's strongest single attack where he charged blue and rainbow-colored energy into his right fist and punched the enemy several times before charging red energy into his fist for twenty seconds before sliding forward and punching the enemy with so much force that they'd go flying into the air. This was strong enough to destroy Dark Bowser with one hit after the Dark Star Core was destroyed.
Superhuman Durability: Bowser has been drenched in lava, electrocuted, blown up, crushed by objects as heavy as both his own castle and Peach's Castle, rammed into a rock that had fallen hundreds of feet, sucked into a black hole and ejected back through the Mario Earth's atmosphere, blown up by an entire room of Bob-ombs, and even squashed underfoot by a T-Rex in Mario's Time Machine and has inevitably survived each fate. It took the literal end of the universe in Super Mario Galaxy to kill him.
Fire Breath: Bowser's most signature ability, appearing in nearly all games he has been featured in. It manifests in several different ways and is apparently so hot that it is just as effective underwater as it is on land.
Fireballs: Bowser's main pyrokinetic ability where he can breathe fireballs from his mouth as big as his fist.
Fire Waves: Bowser can fire continuous streams of fire or shoot blasts or flurries of fireballs at his foes from his mouth.
Fire Rain: In some games, like Super Mario World and New Super Mario Bros. U, Bowser can make it "rain" fire blasts.
Homing Fire Blasts: In Super Mario 64 and New Super Mario Bros., Bowser can also shoot blue fire blasts that can home in on Mario.
Superhuman Speed and Agility: Although his speed is hardy consistent between games, in some of his appearances, Bowser is shown to be a capable runner and quite agile for his size.
Supersonic Speed: In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Bowser uses a treadmill placed by Fawful and Midbus to burn off thousands of calories gained by eating incredibly unhealthy food in only a few seconds. This possibly makes him at least faster than sound.
Superhuman Stamina: Bowser's stamina is almost as limitless as his durability. He rarely ever shows signs of tiring, even when massively expending himself for hours on end. In battle, Bowser never slows down, keeping up with Mario and other enemies like his dark counterpart Dark Bowser blow for blow. That said, some games do show him tiring out after basic exercise.
Magic: While not as prolific in the use of it as Kamek, Bowser is well versed in using various forms of magic against his opponents. He apparently knows spells that can transform people into inanimate objects, as explained in the manual of the original Super Mario Bros. and has used different magical wands over the years for varying purposes (although this is more commonly seen in the cartoons and comics).
Teleporting: Bowser teleports into battle and away after all his losses in Super Mario 64, and after his first two losses in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. How he is shown teleporting is never consistent but it's usually an energy flash.
Electrokinesis: In Super Mario Galaxy and Mario Party 9, Bowser proves himself capable of invoking lightning.
Flight: In Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Super Mario 3D Land, Bowser is able to fly at will.
Metamorphosis: An important ability of Bowser. In Mario Party 2, he turns a Koopa Troopa into a frog, and in Super Mario Galaxy, he turns into a stone ball.
Gigantification: In numerous games, Bowser has the ability to transform himself to giant size to battle his enemies. Most of the time, Bowser is empowered by Kamek or somebody else, but as seen in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, if Bowser is supercharged with adrenaline, he can temporarily achieve his giant size naturally.
Ground Pound: In Super Mario Bros 3, Bowser was able to slam down with all of his body weight to perform a move then unnamed but would be named "ground pound" in Super Mario 64. In the latter game, this was shown to be strong enough to violently flip his second and third battle arenas.
Shockwave Pound: During his final battle in Super Mario 64, Bowser's ground pounds could unleash powerful silver-white shockwaves to harm Mario.
Power Absorption: In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Bowser used the power of Stars to grow himself to immense size.
High Skill in Sports and other Activities: Like almost all Super Mario Bros. characters, Bowser is an extremely qualified player in numerous sports and physical activities. While not being particularly talented in any activity, he has been shown to be a skilled tennis, soccer, hockey and basketball player, golfer, go-kart racer, Olympic athlete, wrestler (given some of his moves in the Super Smash Bros. games), and even a professional dancer.
Intelligence: Despite his brutish nature, Bowser has demonstrated that he has a sharp and great intellect too, like when he cheats Mario with a wooden replica of Peach in Super Mario 3D Land or when he traps Mario with a trap in the ground in Super Mario Odyssey.
Clown Car Piloting: Although less prominent than Bowser Jr., Bowser is somewhat skilled at piloting various means of transportation such as the Koopa Clown Car and a fleet of airships.
Flail Weapon Proficiency: While rarely needing any weapon other than his claws, breath, and carapace, Bowser has been known to use a live Chain-Chomp like a flail.
Arsenal[]
Fists: Bowser typically doesn't have any weapons, but his sheer strength and bare fists more than make up for that.
Shell: Bowser has an extremely strong shell, allowing him to run into his enemies and protect himself.
Relationships[]
Mario[]
“
MAAARIO! Are you seriously trying to start with me again?! I hear about this big meeting, and I'm all ready to act nice... But man, the second I see your face, Mr. Nice Bowser is GONE. Yeah, forget your dumb meeting! I'll pummel you and grab Peach!
„
~ Bowser confronting Mario at Peach's castle in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Bowser's relationship with Mario is about as complex as it is long-standing. Bowser usually sees Mario as the greatest threat to him and the Koopa Troop, him being the one who consistently foils his plans, and, as such, almost all of his schemes include a way to destroy or at least distract his archenemy so he does not interfere. Mario, meanwhile, dislikes Bowser because of how many times he's endangered those he cares about.
Bowser also sees Mario as, more or less, the one thing that stands between him and Princess Peach, and although their love rivalry is fairly one-sided, it is nevertheless prominent, best shown in the ending of Super Mario Odyssey, where the two compete over Princess Peach's hand in marriage, only to both be rejected due to their immaturity. However, despite the years and years the two have spent feuding, Bowser values Mario as an enemy, stating in Super Mario Galaxy that he "chose the right guy to be his archenemy".
Likewise, in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Bowser fears the idea of Mario seeing him in his position of weakness, not wanting to lose his reputation as a villain and acts tough in front of him to hide his insecurity. Similarly, he became more drive to defeat Bedrock after he noticed Mario was watching them with a look of concern. In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, Captain Goomba almost immediately realizes that something is off about Bowser (who was really Bowletta in disguise) when he orders Mario to be outright destroyed, taking note of how harsh he was being, even with their history.
In many of the RPG games, it is shown that Bowser is willing to work with Mario if a bigger threat is on the rise, although he makes his reluctance and disdain of doing so very clear. Regardless, he hates the idea of helping Mario without knowing it, as, in Bowser's Inside Story, he rages and tries to kidnap Peach again upon learning that Mario and Luigi had been secretly assisting him in fighting Fawful and Dark Bowser from inside his body.
While disliking Bowser for constantly trying to take over the Mushroom Kingdom and kidnapping Peach, Mario does not return the hatred of Bowser that the Koopa King carries for him, and is almost always willing to work with him if it is necessary. In Super Mario Odyssey, after they are both briefly rejected by Princess Peach, Mario actually shows some sympathy towards Bowser, seemingly recognizing what it feels like to be rejected, albeit briefly. As a show of their somewhat mutual trust, it is stated (or at least implied) in Paper Mario: Color Splash that Mario and Bowser arrange friendly go-kart races together from time to time.
Like with Mario, Bowser dislikes Luigi and continuously plots his downfall, again seeing him as a dangerous and formidable opponent for him and the Koopa Troop. However, despite fighting with Luigi for nearly as long as Mario, like many residents of the Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser underrates Luigi and sees him as inferior to Mario, not fully considering him but also not truly discounting him as a threat. As a show of his lack of respect for Luigi, in the Mario & Luigi games, Bowser almost never refers to him by name, often forgetting it and instead just calls him "Green 'Stache". It is only at the end of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team that Bowser actually remembers to refer to Luigi by name then on, while declaring that he'll never give up and swearing to fight the two brothers again.
Like Mario, Luigi does not show the same hatred that Bowser carries for him, and is also willing to work with him when necessary. Comparatively, he shows more apprehension of him compared to his brother.
Princess Peach[]
One of the most complex aspects of his personality, Bowser's relationship with Princess Peach has developed far more than with any other character. In the original games and even some of the modern ones to certain degrees, Bowser sees the princess as a tool that he can use to acquire her kingdom. In the original Super Mario Bros., it is stated that Bowser kidnapped her purely because she could undo his spell over the Mushroom people using her magic.
In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, it is implied that Bowser kidnaps Peach simply because he enjoys the thrill of it, regarding holding Peach captive while Mario comes to save her as "the good old days".
Later into the game, when Geno suggests to Peach that, if the Star Road is not fixed, she may never be saved from Bowser, he is temporarily enthralled by the idea, before being forced to choose between capturing Peach forever and getting his keep back from the Smithy Gang. In many of the RPGs, Bowser seemingly possesses an odd obsession and pride with kidnapping Princess Peach, always becoming enraged when another villain tries to do the same, declaring that he is the only one who allowed to do so.
However, over the years, Bowser has been shown as having an unrequited crush on Princess Peach, which serves as the main reason why he constantly captures her, although it is unknown if this is something he possessed since the beginning or developed over time. At heart, Bowser actually does hold legitimate love for Peach, writing in his diary in Paper Mario that he hopes Peach will like him and trying to receive her affection after doing good deeds or making accomplished feats in games such as the aforementioned Super Mario RPG or Mario Power Tennis. In Bowser's Inside Story, it is shown that Peach is Bowser's most carefully preserved memory.
In Super Paper Mario, when Count Bleck and Nastasia force the marriage between him and Peach in order to unleash the Chaos Heart, Bowser is overjoyed, and later refers to Peach as his wife throughout the game, even though she points out the entire wedding was a sham. Despite his affection, Bowser rarely considers Peach's well-being or happiness, constantly abducting her at any opportunity and endangering her people, friends and loved ones, and, if it comes down to it, he is fully willing to personally fight her to get what he wants or if she gets in his way, such as in Super Princess Peach, Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Princess Peach has seemingly been aware of Bowser's crush on her since reading his diary in Paper Mario. Naturally, despite Bowser's efforts, Princess Peach does not return his affection and often makes her disgust very clear whenever Bowser becomes upfront about his feelings, although he never gives up regardless. Princess Peach has often tried to use Bowser's feelings as a means of advantage, having sweet-talked him into helping out, and trying to convince him to stop his evil plans if he values her love more than once. Even with their awkward relationship, Princess Peach does see some good in Bowser and values it whenever shown, teaming up with him for the greater good on various occasions, baking him a cake for helping save the Mushroom Kingdom in Bowser's Inside Story, even after he tried to kidnap her again, and being hesitant to continue after his presumed sacrifice in Super Paper Mario.
Bowser Jr.[]
Bowser Jr. is Bowser's son and only known family. He shares Bowser's hatred of Mario and company, and plots with Bowser to help defeat them and take over the Mushroom Kingdom. Bowser loves and adores his son, and is shown to be overprotective and proud. In an advertisement for the Nintendo Switch parental controls, Bowser and Bowser Jr. are shown playing games, talking about hobbies (including clobbering Mario in Mario Kart) and otherwise enjoying each other's company. He bears a striking resemblance to a young Bowser.
The Koopalings, consisting of: Larry Koopa, Morton Koopa Jr., Wendy O. Koopa, Iggy Koopa, Roy Koopa, Lemmy Koopa, and Ludwig von Koopa, used to be depicted as Bowser's children. However, since the introduction of Bowser Jr., the Koopalings have typically been depicted as just high-ranking members of the Koopa Troop, now referring to him as "Lord Bowser" instead of "King Dad". However, in multiple translations of Mario manuals across the world, they are still depicted as being related to Bowser. Bowser hasn't interacted with the present Koopalings much, but in the past, he encouraged their aggressive behavior and evil acts, used Ludwig's inventions for his evil plans, and gave in to Wendy's whining.
While not as profound of an enemy as Mario or even Luigi, Bowser still sees Yoshi as arguably his third greatest threat and is not hesitant to eliminate him. In his childhood, Bowser possessed a bratty desire to ride Yoshi when he and Mario arrived at his castle to rescue Luigi, and, afterwards, would antagonize them on various occasions by stealing their cookies and even their Super Happy Tree. In the NES port of Mario's Time Machine, Bowser kidnaps Yoshi when he and Mario attempt to stop him. In Yoshi Topsy-Turvey, Bowser attacks Yoshi's Island directly and fights with Yoshi himself. On two different occasions, Bowser has traveled back to the past and fought with Yoshi, the first being in Yoshi's Island DS, and the second in Yoshi's New Island, where his intention was to directly stop Yoshi from reuniting Mario with Luigi so that the brothers would never grow up to oppose and defeat him.
Although their interactions are limited, Bowser, like many others, generally dislikes and looks down on Wario and Waluigi, and they find themselves opposing each other on various occasions. In the opening cutscene of Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Bowser suffers from a black eye after Wario unintentionally hits him with a golf ball, and attacks the duo with Bob-ombs in response. In Mario Super Sluggers, Bowser prevents the scheming plumbers from attacking Mario with a Bullet Bill, knocking the bullet right back at them. In Mario Power Tennis, Bowser decides to employ Wario and Waluigi to help ruin the tournament, harshly training them to improve their tennis skills, before assisting them in trying to destroy the Mario Bros. with Bob-ombs and collectively being defeated by their own explosives. Bowser and Wario also worked together in the Subspace Army though their methods of capturing fighters were different.
Bowser gets along well with Dr. Eggman, as the two of them have a lot in common. They share the same ideals of both world conquest (which can extend to even universal) and desire to defeat their archenemies whom they hate with a passion for who always thwarting them. Bowser and Dr. Eggman like hanging out together like they are best friends, doing all kinds of evil hobbies. In fact, in Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, they both conspire to ruin the Olympics with a fog machine. In Wreck-It Ralph, they are members of Bad-Anon, which is a support group for bad guys of the arcade games at Litwak's Arcade. They have worked together in the Olympic games as well.
Throughout the series, Bowser has always been seeking to massively expand his power, which he mostly tries to accomplish by acquiring magical artifacts and the resulting conquest of whatever it allows him to conquer. In addition to this, he almost always kidnaps Princess Peach, whether she has any actual relevance to his plan or not. This is due to him being in love with her, and the fact that Peach possesses a unique ability called Heart Power that is a genetic mutation passed down by the royal Toadstool line that enables the possessor to channel their emotions into magical power.
Although he often reaches his goal of conquest, he is always stopped by his archenemy Mario, which not only made him build deep hatred, but also deep respect towards him. This respect mostly shows when he is forced to cooperate with him, which usually happens when a force eviler and more powerful than himself appears (as was the case with Smithy, Cursa, Cackletta or Count Bleck). In those situations, he usually swallows his pride and help the heroes to save what he intends to conquer.
Bowser when he was younger. He has been the secondary antagonist in the Yoshi's Island series.
Giant Baby Bowser[]
After Baby Bowser has been beaten by Yoshi, Kamek would use some of his magic to make Baby Bowser grow to giant size.
Giant Bowser[]
Bowser's most recurring form. In many games, Bowser will use different items, like the Star Rod in Paper Mario, in order to increase his size. The smallest is double his normal size, and the largest is bigger than a castle. It would later serve as inspiration for Giga Bowser in the Super Smash Bros series.
Dry Bowser[]
Dry Bowser is a skeleton version of Bowser. He first appeared in New Super Mario Bros., in which he is depicted as Bowser himself after being dunked in molten lava by Mario or Luigi, leaving only his skeleton. In this form, he can breathe blue flames and throw his own bones like hammers. He was eventually revived by Bowser Jr. by the end of the game.
In subsequent appearances, beginning with Mario Kart Wii, Dry Bowser has since been treated as a separate character from Bowser to the point that he is said in Mario Party: Island Tour to be a "close family friend" of Bowser's. In Super Mario 3D Land, he makes the Special Worlds before kidnapping and imprisoning Luigi in the first one. He’s however once again defeated by Mario, who came to rescue his twin brother. He also appears in New Super Mario Bros. 2 as the castle boss of World Star.
Metal Bowser[]
A more durable form of Bowser used by obtaining a Metal Box. Bowser uses this form in the Super Smash Bros. series, and also in Mario Party 2.
Giga Bowser[]
In the Super Smash Bros. series, Bowser gained a new form of himself that grows about three times his normal size and his power is increased immensely. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Giga Bowser appears both as the secret boss of Adventure Mode and in the final Event Match along with Mewtwo and Ganondorf. Starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Giga Bowser has become Bowser's Final Smash; in Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, Bowser transforms into Giga Bowser as a temporary super mode with a stronger version of Bowser's standard moveset, while in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, he warps into the background and becomes Giga Bowser to deliver a powerful punch that can potentially instantly KO enemies. Giga Bowser also makes a reappearance as a boss in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, being able to be fought at the end of Mario and Captain Falcon's Classic Mode campaigns as well as being one of the bosses that Sephiroth faces in his Classic Mode campaign. He also appears as a boss in the World of Light adventure mode, first as one of the bosses protecting Galeem's shield and before the final boss battle. He is located at the end of the Molten Fortress sub-world in the Light Realm.
Although he is officially a boss in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, if one were to hack and mod the game, it is possible to play as Giga Bowser. Because his moveset is copied and pasted from Super Smash Bros. Brawl, he is fully playable, but his attacks are more sluggish due to his boss status. He can still perform taunts, but there are no sound effects when doing so.
In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga after the defeat of Cackletta, Cackletta's ghost ended up possessing Bowser, resulting in a hybrid known as Bowletta.
Shrowser[]
Shrowser is Bowser with the power of the Shroobs infused, in the video game Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. He can still breathe fire in this form, but this time he does not give the Mario Bros. and the little brothers any chance to attack. At the beginning of the Shrowser battle, Shrowser spews a purple gas out of his mouth, which turns into the ghost of the Elder Princess Shroob.
The only way to defeat Shrowser since he does not let the Mario Bros. attack is to dodge his small fire attacks until they hit the Elder Princess Shroob's ghost and then use hammers to counter the bigger flames he spews. The ghost princess has a health meter this time around, so the player does not have to keep guessing whether or not she is close to being truly dead.
Dreamy Bowser[]
Bowser's currently strongest form, Bowser takes this form in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team after inhaling all the fragments of the shattered Dream Stone. This form increases Bowser's size and makes his body glow and turn rainbow colors. Bowser gains many new abilities with this form and appears to be able to warp reality and make his wishes come true.
Shiny RoboBowser[]
Shiny RoboBowser is an upgraded giant version of Bowser serving as the final boss of Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. In this form, Bowser is giant-sized and wearing armor made of Paper Bowser and his minions. He can use multiple paper abilities to fight against the Mario Bros. and even use his own Paperizer attack to counter the Bros.' Paperizer attack. As the boss takes damage, his armor breaks apart, allowing access to Bowser underneath.
Meowser[]
After using the Super Bell on himself, his cat form resembles more of a tiger than a cat, but still enables him to climb on walls with cat claws. On the second round in this form, he eats four Double Cherries to create four duplicates of himself. Meowser also appears as a spawnable enemy in the Super Mario 3D World theme in Super Mario Maker 2.
Fury Bowser[]
In Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Bowser takes this form after becoming corrupted by black paint, causing him to grow and go berserk. He infects Lake Lapcat, in which he sometimes awakens from his solitude to attack Mario and Bowser Jr. in their quest to awaken the Giga Bell to stop him. His body becomes black, with his chest and the spikes on his shell glowing orange. His eyes also glow white, with his eyebrows and hair also glowing a fiery red.
During the fight against him, after all the black paint on his body has been removed, he takes the form of a giant. He looks just like his normal form, but now has glowing white eyes, and contains all three Giga Cat Bells in a shield. After Mario collects every Cat Shine in the game, Fury Bowser returns in his final form. He looks just like his normal Fury form, with black paint covering his body, but his orange spots now glowing white.
Wonder Flower[]
In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Bowser confronts Mario and his friends during a meeting with Prince Florian of the Flower Kingdom. Upon grabbing a nearby Wonder Flower, he fuses with Florian's castle, turning into a living, floating fortress that wreaks havoc upon the kingdom. Mario, Florian and co. must quest across the kingdom to stop Bowser and his army.
Quotes[]
Games[]
“
Welcome. No one's home. Now scram -- and don't come back! Gwa ha ha!
„
~ Bowser's first words at the start of Super Mario 64
“
Bwa ha ha ha ha! You've stepped right into my trap, just as I knew you would! I warn you, "Friend," watch your step!
„
~ Bowser when Mario enters "Bowser in the Dark World"
“
Tough luck, Mario! Princess Toadstool isn't here...Gwa ha ha!! Go ahead -- just try to grab me by the tail! You'll never be able to swing ME around! A wimp like you won't throw me out of here! Never! Ha!
„
~ Bowser when confronted by Mario for the first time in-game
“
Grr! I was a bit careless! This is not as I had planned...but I still hold the power of the Stars and I still have Peach. Bwa ha ha! You'll get no Stars from me! I'm not finished with you yet, but I'll let you go for now. You'll pay for this...later!
„
~ Bowser when defeated for the first time
“
Pestering me again, are you, Mario? Can't you see that I'm having a merry little time, making mischief with my minions? Now, return those stars! My troops in the walls need them! Gwa ha ha!
„
~ Bowser when confronted by Mario in "Bowser in the Fiery Sea"
“
Uoowah! Can it be that I've lost??? The power of the Stars has failed me...this time. Consider this a draw. Next time, I'll be in perfect condition. Now, if you want to see your precious Princess again, come to the top of the tower. I'll be waiting! Gwa ha ha ha!
„
~ Bowser being defeated for the second time
“
Mario! You again! Well, that's just fine--I've been looking for something to fry with my fire breath! Your Star Power is useless against me! Your friends are all trapped in the walls... And you'll never see the princess again!
„
~ Bowser before fighting Mario in Super Mario 64
“
Noooo! You've really beaten me this time, Mario! I can't stand losing to you! My troops... useless! They've turned over all the Power Stars! What?! There are 120 in all??? Amazing! There were some in the castle that I lost??!! Now I see peace returning to the world... Ooo...I really hate that! I can't watch-- I'm outta here! Just you wait until next time. Until then, keep that Control Stick smokin'! Buwaa ha ha!
„
~ Bowser's last words after being defeated for the third and final time
“
Noooo! You've really beaten me this time, Mario! I can't stand always losing to you! My troops...worthless! They've turned over all the Power Stars! Wait, say it again. There are 150 Stars in all??? What?! There were some in the castle that I missed??!! Now I see peace returning to the world... I really hate that! It's so horrible I can't watch. I'm outta here! Just you wait until next time. Until then, keep that Touch Screen smokin'! Gwa ha haaaaaaa!
„
~ Bowser's last words after being defeated for the third and final time in Super Mario 64 DS
“
Bowser: Bwa ha ha! The water's great, eh, Junior?! Bowser Jr.: Sure is, Papa! Come on in, Mama Peach! Princess Peach: Ummm... I think not. (Mario and F.L.U.D.D. appear) Princess Peach: Mario!!! Bowser Jr.: You again!? Don't you ever give up!? Bowser:MARIO!!! How dare you disturb my family vacation?!
„
~ Bowser and his son before the final fight in Super Mario Sunshine
“
Bowser: Junior, I've got something... difficult to tell you about Princess Peach. Bowser Jr.: I know, she's not really my Mama. (Bowser is stunned into silence) Bowser Jr.: Someday, when I'm bigger... I wanna fight that Mario again! Bowser: That's my boy! Well put, son! The royal Koopa line is as strong as ever! But for now, let's just rest a while.
„
~ Bowser's last words after the final fight in Super Mario Sunshine
“
Here I was, thinking of a plan to get my castle back, and all of a sudden, Mario walks up to me and BEGS me to let him join the Koopa Troop! I had no choice BUT to let him in! It was so pathetic!
„
~ Bowser blatantly lying about how he joined Mario in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
“
Mwa ha! Did you think I was just going to GIVE her to ya? You're always in my way! This is IT! I'm gonna take you out, Mario!
„
~ Bowser while fighting Mario in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
“
Bwa ha ha ha! You've come so far and worked so hard. I'm almost proud of you... Almost. But winning's no fun if it's easy, right?! So here comes a little challenge from me, free of charge! You chumps should THANK me! Gwah ha ha ha!
„
~ Bowser
“
Oh no! I can't believe I left my secret diary lying out! It would be totally embarrassing if someone were to read that thing. Wuh... wuh... WHAAAT?!! What's the princess doing here?
„
~ Bowser finding Princess Peach reading his diary in Paper Mario
“
I rule! Heh heh heh!
„
~ Bowser in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
“
Who doesn't love coins? Especially YOURS!
„
~ Bowser stealing a player's coins in Mario Party DS
“
Huh? Mario and that green wimp are here? What are the odds? I'll admit, you handed me my shell before, but not this time! Oh yeah! My horoscope said so! Today's the day I win it all! Gwah ha ha ha! I RULE!
„
~ Bowser when confronting the Mario Bros. over Princess Peach (secretly Princess Shroob in disguise)
“
This place is a pit! It's hot, stinky, dangerous, and one humongous fire hazard! I LOVE IT! Talk about a perfect place for me to build a second castle!
„
~ Bowser when he landed in the center of Thwomp Volcano
“
Bwah ha ha! This little firebrand reminds me of a younger me. Look at him! The kid's got a flair of evil! I'm bringing him on board as my partner, and the two of us are gonna thrash you losers!
~ Bowser's first words when he arrives at Peach's Castle in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, bitter over not having been invited to the Blorbs conference
“
GWAHAHA! You figure out who's tougher yet, Mr. Ice Cube?
GAHAHAHAHA! Feels good, finally punching out that weirdo! And now, I'll just help myself to the Dark Star and the world!
„
~ Bowser after seemingly killing Fawful as he absorbed the Dark Star's power
“
Seriously?! You again?! You're such a huge pain! I'm done with you, pal! Where's the fake me?!
„
~ Bowser when confronted by Dark Fawful
“
OK, so that was NOT a fight I ever expected...
„
~ Bowser after defeating Super Peach's Castle of Fury
“
HEY! Pfft! What, you thought your little castle-bot would crush me? Who do you think I am, buddy? I'm Bowser, the Koopa King! Please! Try again in about a hundred years, you weird little babbling nerd!
„
~ Bowser finally has had enough with Dark Fawful and decides to smash him after he expressed surprise at Bowser's survival despite crushing him with Super Peach's Castle of Fury
“
Pitiful... What a joke! That guy was too weak to even call an enemy!
„
~ Bowser after seemingly killing Dark Fawful
“
GWAHAHA! Great dark hurricane! Seriously, perfect backdrop for an awesome final battle! You really sweat the details! Listen up! You're saying the kingdom will vanish? NOT TODAY! THIS KINGDOM IS ALL MINE! SO YOU VANISH!
What's wrong with you? Your coloring is...weird! Well, whatever! I'll still win this fight, no prob! And for the finale, one KO punch! HERE I GO!
„
~ Bowser when noticing the crippled Dark Bowser before finishing him off
“
Hey...You just ACTED like me! That doesn't mean you ARE me. You're no match for the real deal, original Bowser... You...LOST.
„
~ Bowser after finishing off Dark Bowser
“
What? What in the... WHAT IS THIS?! WHY DID GREEN STACHE AND MARIO COME OUT OF MY GUT?!
„
~ Bowser when Mario, Luigi, Toadsworth, Toadbert and an army of Toads were ejected from his body after Fawful's suicide
“
Wait... YOU! CHIPPY?! You're telling me YOU'RE Chippy?!
„
~ Bowser when recognizing Starlow's voice as the honorary minion only known previously to him as "Chippy"
“
GRAAAAAAAAAAAA! Having yourselves some kind of in my body! MY BODY! I've never been so disgusted! No WAY do I stand for this! So THIS time, I'm taking your precious princess! CHARGE!
„
~ Bowser before his battle in the end credits of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
“
Give it to me straight. Princess Peach is gone? Hello? That is MY thing! Only I get to kidnap her! TREASON!
„
~ Bowser's first words after arriving on Pi'llo Island in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team after finding that someone else has kidnapped Princess Peach
“
Time to give up hope, Mario! In my dreams, I fear nothing! I can crush even you like a little red bug!
„
~ Bowser confronting Mario in his dream in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
“
Hear this! I will kidnap Peach over and over again until I pull it off! Failure isn't an option, and neither is giving up! I'LL BE BACK!Mario! Green Sta- I mean... Luigi!
„
~ Bowser proclaiming how resolute he is in his goals at the end of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
“
Hmph! I don't work well with others! You're an idiot! You thought you were using me? ME?! Buddy, I was playing you like a bat fiddle! This castle? Peach? The Dream Stone? ALL MINE. You hear me? They belong to Bowser! Why don't you guys have yourselves a pity party? Me, I'm done with you.
„
~ Bowser betraying Antasma
“
Unh! Yeah! I feel... POWER, BABY!
„
~ Bowser after changing into Dreamy Bowser
“
Yeah! I am ROCKING this new look! Oh man, I have so much power...I can do anything I want! Peach... This island... This world... All of it... MINE! And you guys are... COOKED!
„
~ Dreamy Bowser before commencing the final fight of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
“
That Antasma guy just stunk it up! AND YOU GUYS! Actually...no. You did well by your normal standards.
Princess Peach! You are formally invited... to the creation of my new galaxy! Gwahahaha! This festival's over!
„
~ Bowser's first words before kidnapping Princess Peach in Super Mario Galaxy
“
Finally! You got here just in time to see the creation of my galaxy in the center of the universe! WATCH AND WEEP! From this galaxy, I'll rule a great galactic empire with Peach by my side. It will last forever! I will rule every pitiful corner of the universe. So, Mario/Luigi, as you can see, I got big plans. And stomping you is at the top of my list!
„
~ Bowser aspiring to take over the universe right before starting the final boss battle in Super Mario Galaxy
“
Noooo! My galaxy! My empire! This can't be happening...!
„
~ Bowser's last words after Mario/Luigi defeated him at the end of the universe in Super Mario Galaxy
“
You're too late, Mario! The power of the stars is already MINE! And look what else I got...
„
~ Bowser's first words as with the stolen power stars, and Princess Peach again in Super Mario Galaxy 2
“
I"m HUUUUGE! Even scarier up close, huh?
„
~ Bowser about his gigantic size
“
Maybe I'll have Peach bake ME something for once... I sure could go for a galaxy-sized slice of cake right now!
„
~ Bowser's plans on ruling the universe again
“
I'm way too huge for this puny planet! I deserve an empire that's more ME size! And I'll put it in the center of the universe! Have fun with your stupid mushrooms!
„
~ Bowser fleeing the Mushroom Kingdom
“
Gah! Give it up already! Why won't you stop trying to mess up my awesome master plan?! I'm building my new galactic empire right here! And you can't stop me! Why don't you just run off and go find some green pipe to hide in?! Can't you see that I'm busy here?! I don't have time to chat, so let's cut this short... Shorty!
„
~ Bowser before the apparent final boss fight in Super Mario Galaxy 2
“
Hey...guess what, Mario/Luigi! Breathe a sigh of relief, because it will be your last! Know why?! Because this is finally the end! The end of YOU!
„
~ Bowser after escaping a black hole and then beginning the true final boss battle of Super Mario Galaxy 2
“
Rawrgh! My powers... gone... My empire shrinking... My huge cake... Never got a slice...
„
~ Bowser's last words before falling into vortex after Mario/Luigi defeated him in Super Mario Galaxy 2
“
Oh... Nooo...! [growls]
„
~ Bowser's breakdown after losing the final baseball game at his castle in the Adventure mode of Mario Super Sluggers
“
OH, NO...
„
~ An upset Bowser in Mario Party 9 and Mario Party 10
“
This is the end... for you!
„
~ Bowser's first words before defeating Mario at the start of Super Mario Odyssey
“
TIme for my wedding with Peach! Jealous, Mario?!
„
~ Bowser after defeating Mario at the start of Super Mario Odyssey
“
Mario! I don't have time for you. I'm busy planning my wedding! Don't you know how stressful that is?
„
~ Bowser before battling Mario for the first time in the Cloud Kingdom in Super Mario Odyssey
“
Fire!
„
~ Bowser commanding to fire a cannonball at Mario and the Odyssey and destroying it after Mario defeated him for the first time in the Cloud Kingdom in Super Mario Odyssey
“
See what you're up against, Mario?
„
~ Bowser after destroying the Odyssey in Super Mario Odyssey
“
Let's see you survive this, plumber boy!
„
~ Bowser commanding the Ruined Dragon to destroy Mario, Cappy and the Odyssey in Super Mario Odyssey
“
You're too late! We're off to our wedding ceremony on the Moon! Gwahahaha!
„
~ Bowser heading to the Moon Kingdom in Super Mario Odyssey
“
Huuuuurgh! My brain hurts! I can't keep up with plot points this complicated!
„
~ Bowser
“
Oh, PLEASE! You know what you smell like, weirdo? FEAR. Stop crying and fight!
„
~ Bowser
“
Gwahahaha! Crashing the wedding, Mario? That's tacky, even for you! Also, your outfit isn't halfway fancy enough for the occasion! Not that it matters, since you WEREN'T INVITED! So now it's the time for to make like a bouquet and get thrown out! Get ready, Mario! Here's your happily ever after!
„
~ Bowser to Mario before their final battle in Super Mario Odyssey.
“
Hmpf! Mario and his buddies... All up in my castle. Guy is probably patting himself on the back for knocking my pad down! What a JERK.
„
~ Bowser
“
I feel funny. I can't keep from dancing, and I feel...happy?
„
~ Bowser, Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
“
Bowser: WELL, wimps? A "thank you" would be nice! I did save your lives just now! Beep-0: [sighs] Never mind all that, what are you DOING here, Bowser? Bowser: Roarrr! Looking for Cursa, same as you! It corrupted my army of weak-minded imbeciles and I want them back! Jeanie: Beep-0, by allowing Bowser to join us, our mission success rate increases by 11.34756%. Beep-0: That's up from...? Jeanie: The estimated probability given to pigs sprouting wings and flying. Bowser: Bwahaha! That sounds about right! No wonder you're trying to trick me into leading your little wuss brigade! Beep-0: Absolutely not! I don't care what the odds are, right Mario?! Bowser: BWAHAHA! Don't worry. I promise not to pound you into bits until AFTER I pummel Cursa and rule the galaxy again.
„
~ Bowser explaining to Beep-0, Mario & Co. to about what happened to his Empire, and making his alliance with them, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
“
Ohhh ho ho ho... Isn't this fun! The Flower Castle is me, and I'm the Flower Castle! Soooo much Wonder power! I can feel myself getting stronger...and stronger...AND STRONGER. Soon, everything will be mine! Gwahahaha!
„
~ Bowser becoming Castle Bowser, Super Mario Bros. Wonder
“
Gwahahaha! Did you enjoy my army's hospitality? Well, that's just the beginning! This next performance is really amazing. You'll be SHOCKED at how good it is! Gwahah, enough preamble. Prepare yourself for a dazzling light show... It's time for the High-Voltage Gauntlet!
„
~ Castle Bowser
“
Not gonna lie, I'm a little impressed you've made it all the way here. Impressed and GLAD! It means I get to hit you with the greatest show of all time... I mean that literally. I'm gonna hit you now. Get ready for the most amazing, groundbreaking show ever produced! It's time to get this KnuckleFest started! Gwahahaha!
„
~ Castle Bowser
“
Ready to take a break? Gwahahaha! Too bad! I banned intermissions in my shows! And don't you dare try to sneak out! You won't want to miss this next performance... After all, these performers will be trying their hardest not to miss YOU! Hit it—and them—Seeker Bullet Bills!
„
~ Castle Bowser
“
And now it's time for the epic–yes, the EPIC–Wonder I've been preparing! Feast your eyes on... BOWSER'S RAGE STAGE!
„
~ Castle Bowser
“
Gwahaha... Did you really think that badge would fool me?! I see you!
„
~ Bowser reacting to the hero wearing the Invisibility Badge
“
Thank you all for coming. Especially you... MY BELOVED! Are you ready to lose yourself in the sweet beat?! This finale will make the entire universe my captive audience! BOWSER'S RAGE STAGE! HIT IT! Gwahahaha!
„
~ Castle Bowser being confronted by his crush, Super Mario Bros. Wonder
“
Thank you all for coming... SORRY FOR THE WAIT! Are you ready to lose yourself in the sweet beat?! This finale will make the entire universe my captive audience! BOWSER'S RAGE STAGE! HIT IT! Gwahahaha!
„
~ Castle Bowser being confronted by any other character.
Other[]
“
I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.
„
~ Bowser with the other bad guys, except Ralph in Wreck-it Ralph.
“
RAWR! Wreck-It Ralph got robbed!
„
~ Bowser on Twitter after Wreck-It Ralph lost the Oscar vote.
Audio Files[]
Note: These files aren't compatible with Internet Explorer
List of Audios
Laughs[]
Sound effects[]
Sound Files
File
Description
Bowser's 1st laugh.
Bowser's 2nd laugh.
Bowser's 3rd laugh.
Scott Burns[]
Sound Files
File
Description
Scott Burns 1st laugh.
Scott Burns 2nd laugh.
Scott Burns 3rd laugh.
Scott Burns 4th laugh.
Scott Burns 5th laugh.
Scott Burns 6th laugh.
Scott Burns 7th laugh.
Kenny James[]
Sound Files
File
Description
Kenny James 1st laugh.
Kenny James 2nd laugh.
Kenny James 3rd laugh.
Kenny James 4th laugh.
Kenny James 5th laugh.
Kenny James 6th laugh.
Kenny James 7th laugh.
Kenny James 8th laugh.
Kenny James 9th laugh.
Kenny James 10th laugh.
Kenny James 11th laugh.
Kenny James 12th laugh.
Kenny James 13th laugh.
Kenny James 14th laugh.
Kenny James 15th laugh.
Kenny James 16th laugh.
Kenny James 17th laugh.
Kenny James 18th laugh.
Kenny James 19th laugh.
Roars, Growls & Others[]
Sound effects[]
Sound Files
File
Description
Bowser's 1st sound effect.
Bowser's 2nd sound effect.
Bowser's 3rd sound effect.
Bowser's 4th sound effect.
Bowser's 5th sound effect.
Bowser's 6th sound effect.
Bowser's 7th sound effect.
Bowser's 8th sound effect.
Bowser's 9th sound effect.
Bowser's 10th sound effect.
Bowser's 11th sound effect.
Bowser's 12th sound effect.
Bowser's 13th sound effect.
Bowser's 14th sound effect.
Bowser's 15th sound effect.
Bowser's 16th sound effect.
Bowser's 17th sound effect.
Bowser's 18th sound effect.
Bowser's 19th sound effect.
Bowser's 20th sound effect.
Bowser's 21th sound effect.
Bowser's 22th sound effect.
Bowser's 23th sound effect.
Bowser's 24th sound effect.
Bowser's 25th sound effect.
Bowser's 26th sound effect.
Bowser's 27th sound effect.
Bowser's 28th sound effect.
Scott Burns[]
Sound Files
File
Description
Scott Burns 1st sound effect.
Scott Burns 2nd sound effect.
Kenny James[]
Sound Files
File
Description
Kenny James 1st sound effect.
Kenny James 2nd sound effect.
Kenny James 3rd sound effect.
Kenny James 4th sound effect.
Kenny James 5th sound effect.
Kenny James 6th sound effect.
Kenny James 7th sound effect.
Kenny James 8th sound effect.
Kenny James 9th sound effect.
Kenny James 10th sound effect.
Kenny James 11th sound effect.
Kenny James 12th sound effect.
Kenny James 13th sound effect.
Kenny James 14th sound effect.
Kenny James 15th sound effect.
Kenny James 16th sound effect.
Kenny James 17th sound effect.
Kenny James 18th sound effect.
Kenny James 19th sound effect.
Kenny James 20th sound effect.
Themes[]
Sound Files
File
Description
His theme is played for the first time in this game. Album: Super Mario Bros. 3
His theme is played for the first time in this game. Album: Super Mario All-Stars (Super Mario Bros. 3)
His theme is played for the first time in this game. Album: Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3
His theme is played in his battle. Album: Super Mario RPG
His theme is played in his castle for second time. Album: Super Mario RPG
His theme is played in his castle in 2nd part from [Kingdom]. Album: Super Mario Odyssey
His theme is played in his battle. Album: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Trivia[]
Bowser is one of the most popular and well-known video game villains as Super Mario is commonly regarded as one of the most legendary and iconic video game franchises of all time.
Bowser is the first character in the Super Mario franchise to have used a ground pound as an attack. He first used it in Super Mario Bros 3 and Mario wouldn't use it until Super Mario 64, two games later.
Bowser is one of two Nintendo characters to be a Skylander, the other being Donkey Kong.
In many games in the franchise, Bowser joins up with Mario and other heroes to defeat greater threats, such Smithy and Cursa with him never betraying them.
On a side note, some players could say that Bowser turns against Mario in his titular game Bowser's Inside Story. However, it's worth pointing out that he never actually betrayed them on the grounds that he never verbally agreed to work with the Mario Bros. in this game and only worked alongside them (unknowingly) against a common enemy, Fawful.
Bowser is the only villain to appear in all five games of the Mario & Luigi series.
Although Bowser's universal conquest plans usually fail, it's fair to agree that it was in Super Mario Galaxy that Bowser definitely posed as a very dangerous and totally genuine threat not only to Mario and his friends but to the whole universe. There, he planned to use the Grand Star to create his own galaxy and conquered many other ones for his planned empire, a plan which nearly culminated with the destruction of the universe as we know it with a titanic black hole created by the Grand Star upon his defeat. Even Mario wasn't able to stop it and it was thanks to the Lumas that the universe was ultimately saved.
In the 1980s, 8-bit home consoles didn't have the ability to have sprites that had more than three colors. However, Bowser appears to have four, this is due to his shackles being a result of the black background. Hacking him into any level without a black background will make Bowser's hands look disconnected with his arms.
In Super Mario Bros., Bowser only appears at the end of 8-4. In every castle before that, you fight an imposter transformed by Bowser's magic. This is shown when killing imposter Bowser's with fireballs, which have their dying sprites being normal enemies. This idea came from a time in development when one of the programmers changed the dying sprite for Bowser, and was kept in the final game.
According to Masahiro Sakurai, the story behind Giga Bowser's design is that it was Sakurai's interpretation of what he thought Bowser looked like, based on his original 8-bit sprites, where he viewed him as a "terrifying monster".
Bowser is based off the Bull Demon King from Journey to the West.
In Paper Mario: Color Splash, Paper Bowser carelessly mixed the paint of the fountain in Port Prisma, which the black paint corrupted Bowser. Black paint/goop would corrupt Bowser again in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, after Bowser Jr. painted on his father unintentionally, angering him.
Bowser's Japanese name is a reference from a Korean dish called Gubkap, which in Japanese is called Kuppa.
In Luigi's Mansion, the ghostly fotuneteller Madame Clairvoya's seance reveals that Mario had been captured by Bowser; she is surprised by this revelation, as Bowser is believed (at the time) to be dead. This is a red herring, as the true villain is King Boo, using a giant puppet replica of Bowser. Technically, this is Bowser's only appearance in the Luigi's Mansion games.
Bowser is the very first villain to be playable in Smash bros.