King Bowser
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, also known as King Bowser or King Koopa, is a
fictional character In fiction, a character is a person or 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, in which case the distinction o ...
and the
main antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.Mario Mario (; ) is a Character (arts), character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Ja ...
'' franchise."The Top 100 Videogame Villains". IGN. Retrieved October 8, 2010. In Japan, he is titled ."Character Introduction". Nintendo Japan. Retrieved October 18, 2009. He is the arch-nemesis of the plumber
Mario Mario (; ) is a Character (arts), character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Ja ...
and the leader of the turtle-like
Koopa are a fictional turtle-like race of characters from the ''Mario'' media franchise. They are commonly referred to as Koopas, a more broad classification of creatures that includes Bowser, his Koopalings, and Lakitu. Predecessors to Koopa Tro ...
race. Depicted as a fire-breathing monster with a tyrannical personality, Bowser's ultimate goals are to kidnap
Princess Peach is a character in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise. She was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the 1985 original ''Super Mario Bros.'' game as Princess Toadstool. She is the Queen regnant, princess regnant and hea ...
and conquer the
Mushroom Kingdom is a video game series and media franchise created by Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto for Nintendo. Starring the titular plumber character Mario, the franchise began with video games but has extended to other forms of media, including ...
.Staff; designed by James Cheung (January 21, 2000). "TenSpot: Top Ten Video Game Villains". GameSpot. Retrieved December 31, 2008. Bowser debuted as Mario's opponent in the 1985 video game ''
Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 Platformer, platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It is the successor to the 1983 arcade game ''Mario Bros.'' and the first game in the ''Super Mario'' series. It was origi ...
''McLaughlin, Rus (September 14, 2010). "IGN Presents: The History of Super Mario Bros". IGN. Retrieved October 11, 2021. Designer
Shigeru Miyamoto is a Japanese video game designer, video game producer, producer and Creative director#Video games, game director at Nintendo, where he has served as one of its representative directors as an executive since 2002. Widely regarded as one o ...
initially conceived him as an ox based on the Ox-King from the Toei Animation film ''
Alakazam the Great ''Alakazam the Great'', known in Japan as , is a 1960 Japanese anime musical film, heavily 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 ...
''."Iwata Asks: New Super Mario Bros. Wii – The Birth of Bowser". Nintendo. Retrieved August 23, 2010. However,
Takashi Tezuka is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He is a senior officer in Nintendo's Entertainment Planning & Development division and is an Executive Officer at Nintendo itself. Tezuka was the right-hand man to Shigeru Miyamoto an ...
remarked that the character resembled a turtle more than an ox, leading them to redesign Bowser as the leader of the turtle-like Koopas.Oxford, David. "Iwata Asks: The Birth of Bowser". Ds.Kombo. Archived from the original on September 17, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2010. Since 2007, Bowser has been voiced by Kenneth W. James."Bowser Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved February 21, 2021. Following ''Super Mario Bros.'', Bowser has appeared in various genres, including role-playing games like ''
Paper Mario ''Paper Mario'' is a video game series and part of the ''Mario'' franchise, developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. It combines elements from the role-playing, action-adventure, and puzzle genres. Players control a ...
'' and ''
Mario & Luigi ''Mario & Luigi'' (also known as ''Mario & Luigi RPG'' in Japanese regions) is a series of role-playing video games published by Nintendo and originally developed by AlphaDream prior to their bankruptcy. The series is a spin-off from Nintendo's t ...
'', sports games such as ''
Mario Kart is a series of kart racing games based on the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise developed and published by Nintendo. Players compete in go-kart races while using various power-up item (game terminology), items. It features Characters in ...
'' and ''
Mario Tennis ''Mario Tennis'' is a 2000 sports video game developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 (N64). Following '' Mario's Tennis'', it is the second game in the ''Mario Tennis'' series. The game is known for ...
'', and fighting games like ''
Super Smash Bros. is a series of platform fighting video games published by Nintendo. Created by Masahiro Sakurai, the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series is a crossover featuring many characters from other video game series created by Nintendo and other develope ...
''"Bowser Character Profile". GameSpot. Retrieved October 11, 2021. He has appeared in multiple animations, including three series produced by
DIC Entertainment DIC Entertainment Corporation (; also known as DIC Audiovisuel, DIC Enterprises, DIC Animation City, DIC Entertainment, L.P., and DIC Productions, sometimes stylized as DİC) was a French American film and television production company that ...
(voiced by
Harvey Atkin Elliot Harvey Atkin (18 December 1942 – 18 July 2017) was a Canadian actor. He was 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 Bro ...
)"Harvey Atkin Filmography". IMDb. Retrieved October 11, 2021. and was portrayed by
Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker, photographer and visual artist. He was considered one of the key figures of New Hollywood. He earned prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Internatio ...
in the 1993 ''
Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 Platformer, platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It is the successor to the 1983 arcade game ''Mario Bros.'' and the first game in the ''Super Mario'' series. It was origi ...
'' film.Murray, Noel (December 12, 2008). "Random Roles: Dennis Hopper". ''The A.V. Club''. The Onion. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
Jack Black Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for roles in family and comedy films, in addition to his voice work in animated films. His awards include a Children's and Family Emmy ...
voiced him in ''
The Super Mario Bros. Movie ''The Super Mario Bros. Movie'' is a 2023 American animated adventure comedy film based on Nintendo's ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' video game franchise. Produced by Universal Pictures, Illumination (company), Illumination, and Nintendo, and d ...
'' (2023).Gleiberman, Owen (April 30, 2023). "That Old Jack Black Magic". ''Variety''. Retrieved May 3, 2023. Bowser has received a mostly positive reception, with critics noting that he is one of the most iconic and recognizable video game villains.Sterbakov, Hugh (March 5, 2008). "The 47 Most Diabolical Video-Game Villains of All Time". ''GamePro''. Archived from the original on October 1, 2008. Retrieved February 21, 2009. He was crowned the greatest video game villain of all time by the ''
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 British reference book published annually, listi ...
''."Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2013". p. 193.


Development

Bowser was created by Nintendo designer and producer
Shigeru Miyamoto is a Japanese video game designer, video game producer, producer and Creative director#Video games, game director at Nintendo, where he has served as one of its representative directors as an executive since 2002. Widely regarded as one o ...
. Miyamoto had first envisioned Bowser as an ox, based on the ox-like King Gruesome 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. Slu ...
film ''
Alakazam the Great ''Alakazam the Great'', known in Japan as , is a 1960 Japanese anime musical film, heavily 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 ...
''. However, Nintendo designer
Takashi Tezuka is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He is a senior officer in Nintendo's Entertainment Planning & Development division and is an Executive Officer at Nintendo itself. Tezuka was the right-hand man to Shigeru Miyamoto an ...
pointed out that the character looked a lot more like a turtle than an ox. Miyamoto and Tezuka then began to redesign his look to reflect a leader of the turtle-like Koopa Troopas. In his final design, Miyamoto commented that he could make Bowser "look cool now". 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 ''Journey to the West'' () is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty and attributed to Wu Cheng'en. It is regarded as one of the Classic Chinese Novels, great Chinese novels, and has been described as arguably the ...
'', which was renamed ''Alakazam the Great'' during the film's Ameri period.
Yōichi Kotabe is a Japanese animator and character designer. He has worked on several anime films from the 1960s and 1970s, the ''Super Mario'' video game series, and the ''Pokémon'' series in television and film. He was an employee at Nintendo for two decad ...
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 mainland China (Inner Mongolia to Guangxi, including Hong Kong) and Taiwan, with records of escapees—some of which have established intr ...
, which he recognized as highly aggressive, reflecting Bowser's short temper. Bowser's original working name was "Boss Creeper" ( ''Bosu Kurīpā''), after the Shellcreepers, the predecessors to the Koopa race, from ''
Mario Bros is a 1983 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for arcades. It was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi, Nintendo's chief engineer. Italian twin brother plumbers Mario and Luigi exterminate turtle-like creatures a ...
.'' Miyamoto then named him ''Daimaō Kuppa''. ''Kuppa'' came from the
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
name for , ''
gukbap ''Gukbap'' () is a Korean cuisine, Korean dish made by putting cooked rice into hot soup or boiling rice in soup. It is commonly served in a ''ttukbaegi''. Whereas soup and rice is generally eaten separately in Korea, in ''gukbap'', rice is expec ...
'', a Korean dish. Miyamoto had also considered the names ''Yukke'' and ''Bibinba'', also Japanese names of Korean dishes ( ''
yukhoe ''Yukhoe'' () 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 'sliced and raw (meat or fish)' (''hoe'', ) 'meat' (''yuk'', ). Therefore, in the s ...
'' and ''
bibimbap Bibimbap * ( ; ), sometimes Romanization of Korean, romanised as bi bim bap or bi bim bop, is a Korean rice dish. The term ''bibim'' means "mixing" and ''Bap (rice dish), bap'' is cooked rice. It is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped wi ...
'' respectively). For the later North American release of the game, which also introduced the
anglicized Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...
spelling "Koopa", the character was named Bowser. His
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean **Korean dialects **See also: North–South differences in t ...
name 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 r ...
. The name was anglicized to Kuppa rather than Koopa in the Japanese versions up until the release of ''
Super Mario World ''Super Mario World'', known in Japan as '' is a 1990 platform game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The player controls Mario on his quest to save Princess Peach and Dino ...
''. It is currently unconfirmed how the character received the English language name "Bowser", or who gave him this name, although there are multiple competing theories. Matthew Byrd of ''
Den of Geek ''Den of Geek'' is a UK and US-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture. The website also issues a biannual magazine. History ''Den of Geek'' was founded in 2007 by Simon Brew in London. In 2012, DoG Tech LLC licensed ' ...
'' noted that one theory comes from "Bowser" being a popular name for pets at the time, while another suggests that Miyamoto himself chose the name because both "Bowser" and ''Bibinba'' start with B. Another theory still relates to the origins of the surname "
Bowser , also known as King Bowser or King Koopa, is a Character (arts), fictional character and the Antagonist, main antagonist of Nintendo's ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise."The Top 100 Videogame Villains". IGN. Retrieved October 8, 2010. ...
", derived from a
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 9th and 10th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norma ...
greeting meaning "good sir", and that it may be used ironically for the character given his diabolical nature. Within early comics and potentially in the ''
Super Smash Bros. is a series of platform fighting video games published by Nintendo. Created by Masahiro Sakurai, the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series is a crossover featuring many characters from other video game series created by Nintendo and other develope ...
'' series, Bowser has been referenced to
Gamera is a fictional giant monster, or ''kaiju'', that debuted in the Gamera, the Giant Monster, eponymous 1965 Japanese film. The character and the first film were intended to compete with the success of Toho's Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' ...
, the iconic fictional turtle
kaiju is a Japanese term that is commonly associated with media involving giant monsters. Its widespread contemporary use is credited to ''tokusatsu'' (special effects) director Eiji Tsuburaya and filmmaker Ishirō Honda, who popularized the ''kaiju'' ...
with the abilities to breathe fire as well as fly by hiding in his shell and spinning it; Bowser's ability to perform the latter is called "Gamera Attack" (ガメラアタック, ''Gamera Attakku'').


Characteristics

Bowser is the King of the
Koopas are a fictional turtle-like race of characters from the ''Mario'' media franchise. They are commonly referred to as Koopas, a more broad classification of creatures that includes Bowser, his Koopalings, and Lakitu. Predecessors to Koopa Tro ...
,
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 to ...
turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order (biology), order Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Crypt ...
s that inhabit the world of the
Mushroom Kingdom is a video game series and media franchise created by Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto for Nintendo. Starring the titular plumber character Mario, the franchise began with video games but has extended to other forms of media, including ...
. Bowser differs greatly from the rest of the Koopa clan, which consists mainly of bipedal tortoises. He has a large, spiked
turtle shell The turtle shell is a shield for the ventral and dorsal parts of turtles (the Order (biology), order Testudines), completely enclosing all the turtle's vital organs and in some cases even the head. It is constructed of modified bony elements such ...
, horns, a draconic muzzle with fangs, taloned fingers, three clawed toes on each foot, red eyes, and a shock of red hair. He has immense physical strength, is nearly indestructible, can breathe fire, and can jump very high for his large size. He is accomplished in black magic for teleportation, summoning objects, flying, generating electricity, telekinesis, or metamorphosis. Bowser's physical size varies and in most games, he towers over most characters. In ''
Super Mario RPG ''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars'' is a 1996 role-playing video game developed by Square (video game company), Square and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was the final ''Mario (franchise) ...
'', he stands only slightly taller than Mario. He changes 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 various Yoshis on their quest to reunite baby Mario with his brother ...
'', ''
Super Mario Galaxy is a 2007 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It is the third 3D platformer game in the ''Super Mario'' series. As Mario, the player embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Peach and save the universe from Bowser, af ...
'', and ''
Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a 2010 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was first announced at E3 2009 and is the sequel to 2007's ''Super Mario Galaxy''. Much like the first game, the story follows Mario as he pursues the Koopa King, Bowse ...
''. Bowser aspires to take over the Mushroom Kingdom and merge it with his own realm. He is infatuated with
Princess Peach is a character in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise. She was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the 1985 original ''Super Mario Bros.'' game as Princess Toadstool. She is the Queen regnant, princess regnant and hea ...
, and routinely kidnaps her as part of his plans for domination. Sometimes, he kidnaps Peach simply to lure
Mario Mario (; ) is a Character (arts), character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Ja ...
into a trap, but occasionally he hopes to marry her, such as in ''
Super Mario Odyssey is a 2017 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. An installment in the ''Super Mario'' series, it follows Mario and his new ally Cappy—a sentient hat—as they journey across various kingdoms to save Prince ...
''. He is typically the central antagonist in the main series, but in the RPG series, he sometimes works with the heroes to defeat a greater evil. His personality is generally menacing and sinister, but he sometimes displays a more comical side as a blustering, buffoonish
bully Bullying is the use of force, coercion, hurtful teasing, comments, or threats, in order to abuse, aggressively dominate, or intimidate one or more others. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perc ...
with some emotional vulnerability. He also cares for his minions. Originally in ''
Super Mario Bros. 3 ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' is a 1988 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 ...
'', Bowser was stated to be the father of the
Koopalings The ''Mario'' franchise is a media franchise created by Nintendo. Nintendo is usually the developer and publisher of the franchise's games, but various games are developed by third-party companies such as Intelligent Systems and Nintendo Cu ...
with subsequent official sources adding that he is their biological father, but since their return in ''
New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a 2009 platform 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. It was released ...
'' they have been referred to as Bowser's minions. Bowser Jr. was introduced as Bowser's son in the 2002 game ''
Super Mario Sunshine is a 2002 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the second 3D computer graphics, 3D game in the Super Mario, ''Super Mario'' series, following ''Super Mario 64'' (1996). The game was directed by Yoshiaki Ko ...
''. 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 debuted in the video game ''
Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 Platformer, platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It is the successor to the 1983 arcade game ''Mario Bros.'' and the first game in the ''Super Mario'' series. It was origi ...
''. 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 ma ...
'' games (with the exception of games such as ''
Super Mario Land is a 1989 platform game developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, Nintendo R&D1, the same team that designed the Game Boy. It was published by Nintendo as Game Boy#Launch titles, one of the first four games released for the console. I ...
''), the ''
Paper Mario ''Paper Mario'' is a video game series and part of the ''Mario'' franchise, developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. It combines elements from the role-playing, action-adventure, and puzzle genres. Players control a ...
'' series, the ''Yoshi'' series, and the ''
Mario & Luigi ''Mario & Luigi'' (also known as ''Mario & Luigi RPG'' in Japanese regions) is a series of role-playing video games published by Nintendo and originally developed by AlphaDream prior to their bankruptcy. The series is a spin-off from Nintendo's t ...
'' series.


Other ''Mario'' games

Bowser has appeared in nearly all of the ''Mario'' spin-off games, including in the ''
Mario Kart is a series of kart racing games based on the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise developed and published by Nintendo. Players compete in go-kart races while using various power-up item (game terminology), items. It features Characters in ...
'' and ''
Mario Party is a series of party video games created by Hudson Soft and owned by Nintendo. It features List of Mario franchise characters, characters from the Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise in which up to four local players or Artificial inte ...
'' series. Bowser appeared 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 (N64). Following '' Mario's Tennis'', it is the second game in the ''Mario Tennis'' series. The game is known for ...
'', ''
Mario Golf There have been numerous sports games featuring ''Mario'' characters, based, among others, on tennis, golf, baseball, soccer, and various sports featured in the Olympic Games. The ''Mario Kart'' and ''F1'' series are not included in this list. ...
'', ''
Super Mario Strikers ''Super Mario Strikers'', known in Europe and Australia as ''Mario Smash Football'', is a 2005 Sports video game, sports video game developed by Next Level Games and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. The game's developers had worked on ''N ...
'', and ''
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is a 2007 Fictional crossover, crossover Sports video game, sports video game developed and published by Sega for the Wii, with Nintendo publishing it in Japan. It was released for the Nintendo DS the following year. It is the first installm ...
''. He appeared in ''
Mario's Time Machine ''Mario's Time Machine'' is an educational game, educational video game originally released for MS-DOS and then for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Super NES video game console, consoles. The Software To ...
'', ''
Hotel Mario ''Hotel Mario'' is a 1994 puzzle video game developed by Fantasy Factory and published by Philips Interactive Media for the Philips CD-i. The player controls Mario, who must find Princess Toadstool by going through seven hotels in the Mushroom K ...
'', and ''
Mario Pinball Land ''Mario Pinball Land'', known in Europe and Japan as ''Super Mario Ball'', is a pinball video game developed by Fuse Games and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance, released in 2004. It is the ninth Mario game for the Game Boy Advance ...
''. Bowser appears as a playable character in ''Itadaki Street DS'' and its Wii sequel '' Fortune Street''. Bowser is also a Dark attribute character who appears as the main opponent in '' Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition''. Bowser appears in '' Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars''. In ''
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle Mario (; ) is a character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Japanese video game company Nintendo. ...
'', Bowser makes a cameo. He also reappears in the sequel ''
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Mario (; ) is a character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Japanese video game company Nintendo. ...
''.


Other games

Bowser is a playable character in every installment of the ''
Super Smash Bros. is a series of platform fighting video games published by Nintendo. Created by Masahiro Sakurai, the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series is a crossover featuring many characters from other video game series created by Nintendo and other develope ...
'' series since 2001's '' Super Smash Bros. Melee''. He was intended to be playable in the series' first installment, but was removed during development due to time constraints. Bowser is in ''
Tetris Attack ''Tetris Attack'', also known as in Japan, is a 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 player must ...
'', a game inspired by the Japanese game Panel de Pon. All of the original cast members are replaced except Mr. Time, with characters from the Mario and Yoshi series, with Bowser taking on the role of Corderia as final boss. With the name Hammer Slam Bowser, Bowser debuts as a playable character in '' Skylanders: SuperChargers''. He appears alongside ''
Donkey Kong is a video game series and media franchise created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto for Nintendo. It follows the adventures of Donkey Kong (character), Donkey Kong, a large, powerful gorilla, and other members of the List of Don ...
'' and comes with a ''
Skylanders ''Skylanders'' is a toys-to-life action-adventure video game franchise published by Activision. ''Skylanders'' games are played by placing a character's figure on the "Portal of Power", a device that reads its tag using NFC and "imports" them ...
'' unique figurine. Dr. Bowser is playable in ''
Dr. Mario World was a 2019 match-three mobile game developed and published by Nintendo in collaboration with Line Corporation and NHN Entertainment. On July 28, 2021, Nintendo announced that the game's services would end on November 1, 2021 at 2 AM North Am ...
''.


In other media

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker, photographer and visual artist. He was considered one of the key figures of New Hollywood. He earned prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Internatio ...
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 princess character in the Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise. She debuted in the 1989 Game Boy launch game ''Super Mario Land'' as the ruler of Sarasaland where she was given the role of damsel in distress for Mario to rescue. The ga ...
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 animated comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It was directed by Rich Moore and produced by Clark Spencer, from a screenplay by Phil Johnston (filmmaker), Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee ( ...
''. 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 (born ) is an American film and television animation director, screenwriter and voice actor. He is best known for serving as a director on primetime animated television series such as ''The Simpsons'', ''The Critic'' and ''Futuram ...
, 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 was voiced by
Jack Black Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for roles in family and comedy films, in addition to his voice work in animated films. His awards include a Children's and Family Emmy ...
in ''
The Super Mario Bros. Movie ''The Super Mario Bros. Movie'' is a 2023 American animated adventure comedy film based on Nintendo's ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' video game franchise. Produced by Universal Pictures, Illumination (company), Illumination, and Nintendo, and d ...
'' (2023). In the film, Bowser successfully captures the Super Star from the Penguin Kingdom and plots to destroy the Mushroom Kingdom unless Princess Peach agrees to marry him. His plans are ultimately foiled by Mario and Luigi, who retrieve the Super Star from Bowser, and defeat him in a final battle taking place in Brooklyn. Bowser is then shrunk with a Mini Mushroom and imprisoned in a bottle. In a
mid-credit scene A post-credits scene (also known as a stinger, end tag, or credit cookie) is a short teaser trailer, teaser clip that appears after the closing credits have rolled and sometimes after a production logo of a film, TV show, or video game has run. I ...
, Bowser is singing his song from earlier in the film, but he is scolded by a guard. This has also made Bowser the subject of an
Internet meme An Internet meme, or meme (, Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''MEEM''), is a cultural item (such as an idea, behavior, or style) that spreads across the Internet, primarily through Social media, social media platforms. Internet memes manif ...
with the song "
Peaches The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties called nectarines. Peac ...
", written and performed in character by Black. He appeared in '' Nintendo gamebooks''. Bowser appears as the primary antagonist in Nintendo Power's comic series ''
Super Mario Adventures ''Super Mario Adventures'' is an anthology of comics that ran in ''Nintendo Power'' throughout 1992, featuring the characters from Nintendo's ''Mario'' series and based loosely on ''Super Mario World''. In 1993, the series was also serialized in ...
''. 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 Val ...
'' 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'' is an American video gaming 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 district and is headed by its former e ...
'' placed him at No. 2 out of 100, and ''
GamePro ''GamePro'' was an American multiplatform video game magazine media company that published online and print content covering the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software. The magazine featured content on various video ...
'' placed him at No. 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 No. 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 GameDaily (GD) was a video game journalism website based in the United States. It was launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads. The site changed its business model from a flat fee ...
''s top 10 Nintendo characters that deserve their own games list, explaining if
Yoshi Yoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in '' Super Mario World'' (1990) on the SNES as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Throughout the mainline '' Super Mario'' series, Yoshi typically serves ...
and
Wario is a character in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise that was designed as an Archenemy, archnemesis to Mario. Wario first appeared as the main antagonist and final Boss (video games), boss in the 1992 Game Boy game ''Super Mar ...
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 ''Death Battle'' (stylized as ''DEATH BATTLE!'') is an American animated web series about battleboarding. Originally published by the website ScrewAttack in 2010, the show has changed considerably over its history. It is the longest-running web ...
'', 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, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'' 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 British reference book published annually, listi ...
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 is a 2007 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It is the third 3D platformer game in the ''Super Mario'' series. As Mario, the player embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Peach and save the universe from Bowser, af ...
'' has been met with significant praise. ''
Eurogamer ''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 alongside parent company Gamer Network. In 2008, it started in the formerly eponymous trade fair EGX (Eurogamer Expo until 2013) organised by its parent company. Fr ...
'' 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'' is an American video gaming 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 district and is headed by its former e ...
'' 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 highly positive reception, frequently referenced as its main character. ''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. Histor ...
'' editor
James Stephanie Sterling James Stephanie Sterling, also known as Commander Sterling and formerly known as Jim Sterling, is a British freelance video game journalist, critic, pundit, YouTuber, and professional wrestler. Before becoming independent in September 2014, s ...
described Bowser's gameplay as "brilliant comic relief". She 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 humor 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 Wired may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''Wired'' (Jeff Beck album), 1976 * ''Wired'' (Hugh Cornwell album), 1993 * ''Wired'' (Mallory Knox album), 2017 * "Wired", a song by Prism from their album '' Beat Street'' * "Wired ...
'' editor Chris Kohler called Bowser awesome, adding that his segments are funnier than Mario and Luigi's. ''
Giant Bomb ''Giant Bomb'' is an American video game website and wiki that includes personality-driven gaming videos, commentary, news and reviews, created by former ''GameSpot'' editors Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis. The website was voted by ''Time (maga ...
'' 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 conte ...
'' 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'' was an American multiplatform video game magazine media company that published online and print content covering the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software. The magazine featured content on various video ...
'' 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 1999 by Mark Surfas. After the release of a multiplayer server browser for Quake, 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." Some ''
Super Mario 64 ''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, combini ...
'' fans joked that Mario supposedly shouts, "So long, gay Bowser!" when throwing him a great distance. In April 2019,
Charles Martinet Charles Andre Martinet (born September 17, 1955) is an American actor. He is best known for voicing Mario in the ''Super Mario'' franchise, portraying him from 1991 to 2023. He also voiced other characters in the series such as Luigi, Wario, W ...
, Mario's voice actor,
tweeted A tweet (officially known as a post since 2023) is a short status update on the social networking site Twitter (officially known as X since 2023) which can include images, videos, GIFs, straw polls, hashtags, mentions, and hyperlinks. Around ...
that Mario says, "So long, King-a Bowser!". In the Japanese
Rumble Pak The is a removable device from Nintendo that provides force feedback while playing video games. Games that support the Rumble Pak cause it to vibrate in select situations, such as when firing a weapon or receiving damage, to immerse the player i ...
-compatible version, as well as ''
Super Mario 64 DS ''Super Mario 64 DS'' is a 2004 platformer, platform game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch game for the Nintendo DS. ''Super Mario 64 DS'' is a video game remake, remake of the 1996 Nintendo 64 game ''Super Mario 64,'' with new gr ...
'' and ''
Super Mario 3D All-Stars ''Super Mario 3D All-Stars'' is a 2020 Video game compilation, compilation of platform games developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It commemorates the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary, 35th anniversary of Nintendo's ''S ...
'', Mario instead says "buh-bye!", which Nintendo later confirmed in a tweet. In the 2018 short comic "The Super Crown's some spicy new Mario lore" on
DeviantArt DeviantArt (formerly styled as deviantART and thus abbreviated as dA) is an American online community that features artwork, videography, photography, and literature, launched on August 7, 2000, by Mathew Stephens, Scott Jarkoff and Angelo Sotir ...
and
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
, Bowser uses a Super Crown to transform into a monstrously sinister female resembling Peach, which fans named Bowsette. The character subsequently went viral. In 2015, the
alligator snapping turtle The alligator snapping turtle (''Macrochelys temminckii'') is a large species of turtle in the Family (biology), family Chelydridae. They are the largest freshwater turtle in North America. The species is Endemism, endemic to freshwater habitat ...
of the
Amur River The Amur River () or Heilong River ( zh, s=黑龙江) is a perennial river in Northeast Asia, forming the natural border between the Russian Far East and Northeast China (historically the Outer and Inner Manchuria). The Amur ''proper'' is ...
was discovered and became an Internet sensation for its resemblance to Bowser. "Bowser Day 2021" became a Twitter fad.


References

* *


External links

*
Bowser
at
Giant Bomb ''Giant Bomb'' is an American video game website and wiki that includes personality-driven gaming videos, commentary, news and reviews, created by former ''GameSpot'' editors Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis. The website was voted by ''Time (maga ...

Bowser on Play Nintendo
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