Bowser

Video game character

"Bowser (Nintendo)" redirects here. For the president of Nintendo of America, see Doug Bowser. For other uses, see Bowser (disambiguation).

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)

This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (April 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. You can help. The talk page may contain suggestions. (June 2024)

|

(Learn how and when to remove this message)

Fictional character

Bowser

Mario character

Promotional art by Shigehisa Nakaue (2019)

First game| Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Created by| Shigeru Miyamoto
Designed by| Shigeru Miyamoto
Yōichi Kotabe
Voiced by|

Language-neutral

* Scott Burns (2002–2010)
* Kenny James (2005–present)
* Eric Newsome (2007)

English

* Harvey Atkin (The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World)
* Rob Wallace (Mario Is Missing!)[1]
* Marc Graue (Hotel Mario)[2]
* Bruce Robertson (Mario's Time Machine Deluxe)[3]
* Jack Black (2023 film)

Japanese

* Akiko Wada (Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach!)
* Masaharu Satō (Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros.)
* Takeshi Watabe (Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi's Adventure Land)[4]
* Naoki Tatsuta (BS Super Mario Collection)
* Takanobu Hozumi (Japanese DVD dub of Super Mario Bros. film)
* Hiroshi Arikawa (Japanese Nippon TV dub of Super Mario Bros. film)
* Kenta Miyake (2023 film)[5]

Portrayed by|

Various

* Christopher Collins/Patrick Pinney (King Koopa's Kool Kartoons)
Christopher Hewett (Mario Ice Capades)
Dennis Hopper (Super Mario Bros.)

In-universe information
Species| Koopa

Bowser (Japanese: クッパ, Hepburn: Kuppa, "Koopa"), also known as King Bowser or King Koopa, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Nintendo's Mario franchise.[6] In Japan, he is titled Daimaō (大魔王, Great Demon King").[7] He is the arch-nemesis of the plumber Mario and the leader of the turtle-like Koopa race. Depicted as a fire-breathing monster with a tyrannical personality, Bowser's ultimate goals are to kidnap Princess Peach and conquer the Mushroom Kingdom.[8]

Bowser debuted as Mario's opponent in the 1985 video game Super Mario Bros.[9] Designer Shigeru Miyamoto initially conceived him as an ox based on the Ox-King from the Toei Animation film Alakazam the Great.[10] However, Takashi Tezuka remarked that the character resembled a turtle more than an ox, leading them to redesign Bowser as the leader of the turtle-like Koopas.[11] Since 2007, Bowser has been voiced by Kenneth W. James.[12]

Following Super Mario Bros., Bowser has appeared in various genres, including role-playing games like Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi, sports games such as Mario Kart and Mario Tennis, and fighting games like Super Smash Bros.[13] He has appeared in multiple animations, including three series produced by DIC Entertainment (voiced by Harvey Atkin)[14] and was portrayed by Dennis Hopper in the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film.[15] Jack Black voiced him in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023).[16]

Bowser has received a mostly positive reception, with critics noting that he is one of the most iconic and recognizable video game villains.[6][17] He was crowned the greatest video game villain of all time by the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.[18]

## Development

[edit]

The earliest known concept artwork for Bowser.[19]

Bowser was created by Nintendo designer and producer Shigeru Miyamoto. Miyamoto had first envisioned Bowser as an ox, based on the ox-like King Gruesome from the Toei Animation film Alakazam the Great.[20] However, Nintendo designer Takashi Tezuka pointed out that the character looked a lot more like a turtle than an ox. Miyamoto and Tezuka then began to 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".[21] During the development of Super Mario Bros., Miyamoto contemplated commissioning the game's art to a manga artist or illustrator. However, due to a lack of time, he created the game's original box art himself. Bowser is depicted in this artwork in a way that differs from later renditions, with the most noticeable differences being his gray-blue complexion and lack of horns. Miyamoto received inspiration for the character's appearance from an anime film version of the Chinese novel Journey to the West, which was renamed Alakazam the Great during the film's Ameri period.[22] Yōichi Kotabe based Bowser's final design on the Chinese softshell turtle, which he recognized as highly aggressive, reflecting Bowser's short temper.[23]

Bowser's original working name was "Boss Creeper" (ボス クリーパー Bosu Kurīpā), after the Shellcreepers, the predecessors to the Koopa race, from Mario Bros.[24] Miyamoto then named him 大魔王 クッパ Daimaō Kuppa. Kuppa came from the Japanese name for 국밥, gukbap, a Korean dish. Miyamoto had also considered the names ユッケ Yukke and ビビンバ Bibinba, also Japanese names of Korean dishes (육회 yukhoe and 비빔밥 bibimbap respectively).[25] For the later North American release of the game, which also introduced the anglicized spelling "Koopa", the character was named Bowser. His Korean name is not Gukbap, but 쿠파 Kupa, which is essentially a phonetic round-trip translation.[26] The name was anglicized to Kuppa rather than Koopa in the Japanese versions up until the release of Super Mario World.[27][28]

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 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", derived from a Norman greeting meaning "good sir", and that it may be used ironically for the character given his diabolical nature.[29]

Within early comics and potentially in the Super Smash Bros. series, Bowser has been referenced to Gamera, the iconic fictional turtle 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).[30][31][32][33]

## Characteristics

[edit]

Bowser is the King of the Koopas, anthropomorphic turtles that inhabit the world of the Mushroom Kingdom. Bowser differs greatly from the rest of the Koopa clan, which consists mainly of bipedal tortoises. He has a large, spiked turtle shell, horns, a draconic muzzle with fangs, taloned fingers, three clawed toes on each foot, red eyes, and a shock of red hair. He 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.[34]

Bowser's physical size varies and in most games, he towers over most characters. In Super Mario RPG, 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 Galaxy, and Super Mario Galaxy 2.[34]

Bowser aspires to take over the Mushroom Kingdom and merge it with his own realm. He is infatuated with Princess Peach,[35][36][37] and routinely kidnaps her as part of his plans for domination. Sometimes, he kidnaps Peach simply to lure Mario into a trap, but occasionally he hopes to marry her, such as in Super Mario Odyssey.[38] 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 with some emotional vulnerability. He also cares for his minions.[34]

Originally in Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser was stated to be the father of the Koopalings[39] with subsequent official sources adding that he is their biological father,[40][41] but since their return in New Super Mario Bros. Wii they have been referred to as Bowser's minions. Bowser Jr. was introduced as Bowser's son in the 2002 game Super Mario Sunshine. 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."[42]

## Appearances

[edit]

Super Mario Bros. is Bowser's first video game appearance as the villainous boss. Miyamoto (right) and Tezuka then began collaboration on Bowser's new image fitting for the commander of the turtle-like Koopa Troopas. Miyamoto said in his final design that he could make Bowser "look cool today".[43]

Bowser debuted in the video game Super Mario Bros..[44] He then appeared through all Super Mario games (with the exception of games such as Super Mario Land), the Paper Mario series, the Yoshi series, and the Mario & Luigi series.

### Other Mario games

[edit]

Bowser has appeared in nearly all of the Mario spin-off games, including in the Mario Kart[45] and Mario Party series.[46] Bowser appeared in multiple Mario sports games, such as Mario Tennis,[47] Mario Golf,[48] Super Mario Strikers,[49] and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games.[50]

He appeared in Mario's Time Machine,[51] Hotel Mario,[52] and Mario Pinball Land.[53] Bowser appears as a playable character in Itadaki Street DS and its Wii sequel Fortune Street.[54] Bowser is also a Dark attribute character who appears as the main opponent in Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition.[55]

Bowser appears in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.[56] In Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Bowser makes a cameo.[57] He also reappears in the sequel Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.[58]

### Other games

[edit]

Bowser is a playable character in every installment of the Super Smash Bros. series since 2001's Super Smash Bros. Melee.[59] He was intended to be playable in the series' first installment, but was removed during development due to time constraints.[60] Bowser is in Tetris Attack, 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.[61] With the name Hammer Slam Bowser, Bowser debuts as a playable character in Skylanders: SuperChargers. He appears alongside Donkey Kong and comes with a Skylanders unique figurine.[62] Dr. Bowser is playable in Dr. Mario World.[63]

### In other media

[edit]

Dennis Hopper portrayed King Koopa in the 1993 live-action film Super Mario Bros.[64] 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 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.[65]

Bowser is one of the gaming villains attending a "Bad-Anon" support group in the 2012 animated film Wreck-It Ralph.[66] 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, 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!"[67]

Bowser was voiced by Jack Black in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023).[68] 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, 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 with the song "Peaches", written and performed in character by Black.[69]

He appeared in Nintendo gamebooks.[70] Bowser appears as the primary antagonist in Nintendo Power's comic series Super Mario Adventures.[71] Bowser reappears in the Mario comics of Valiant Comics' Nintendo Comics System as the principal antagonist of the Mushroom Kingdom.[72]

## Reception and legacy

[edit]

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 placed him at No. 2 out of 100,[73] and GamePro placed him at No. 9 out of 47.[74] GameSpot 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."[75] Bowser ranked in the first slot on GameDaily's top 10 Nintendo characters that deserve their own games list, explaining if Yoshi and Wario get their own games, Bowser should too due to his being one of gaming's most nefarious villains.[76] In GameDaily's top 10 Smash Bros. characters list, he ranked sixth.[77] GameDaily also included him in their most persistent video game villains list.[78] However, Bowser has been also rated as the 4th-biggest douchebag in gaming history by ScrewAttack, who said that he wants to "take Mario down".[79] IGN editor Craig Harris described Bowser as being a household name.[80] In 2011, Empire ranked him as the 23rd-greatest video game character[81] while Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2013 featured Bowser first in their list of top 50 Villains.[82] IGN named Bowser as one of the "oldest villains in gaming history, not to mention one of the most iconic."[83]

Bowser's role in Super Mario Galaxy has been met with significant praise. Eurogamer editor Margaret Robertson commented that after years of being a "comedy villain", Galaxy put him back at his "scaly, scabrous best".[84] 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".[85] Nintendo World Report editor Aaron Kaluszka commented that battling Bowser has never been "this intense and engaging".[86] IGN editor Cam Shea praised his physical appearance in Super Mario Galaxy, describing him as "imposing and weighty".[87] 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".[88] Game Positive editor Travis Simmons concurred, commenting that his hair "gives him a touch of personality".[89]

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."[90] Destructoid editor James Stephanie Sterling 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.[91] RPGamer editor Michael Cunningham praised the game for Bowser "stealing the show", but also decried it for not having quite enough of him.[92] Nintendo World Report editor Pedro Hernandez commented that the plot and humor of the game make iconic characters "more enduring, including Bowser".[93]

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.[94] 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."[95] 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.[96] Kombo editor commented that he became a more sympathetic character as the game progresses, adding that his "massive ego pushes him towards heroism".[97] Wired editor Chris Kohler called Bowser awesome, adding that his segments are funnier than Mario and Luigi's.[98] Giant Bomb editor Brad Shoemaker states that Bowser steals the show, commenting that playing as him gives players an inside glimpse of his ego and megalomania.[99] 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".[100] 1UP.com 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.[101] GamePro 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".[102] GameSpy 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."[103] GamesRadar 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."[104]

Some Super Mario 64 fans joked that Mario supposedly shouts, "So long, gay Bowser!" when throwing him a great distance. In April 2019, Charles Martinet, Mario's voice actor, tweeted that Mario says, "So long, King-a Bowser!".[105] In the Japanese Rumble Pak-compatible version, as well as Super Mario 64 DS and Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Mario instead says "buh-bye!",[106] which Nintendo later confirmed in a tweet.[107]

In the 2018 short comic "The Super Crown's some spicy new Mario lore" on DeviantArt and Twitter, Bowser uses a Super Crown to transform into a monstrously sinister female resembling Peach, which fans named Bowsette.[108] The character subsequently went viral.[109][110] In 2015, the alligator snapping turtle of the Amur River was discovered and became an Internet sensation for its resemblance to Bowser.[111] "Bowser Day 2021" became a Twitter fad.[112]

## References

[edit]

* Nintendo (1991). Super Mario World (PDF) (instruction manual). Nintendo EAD. pp. 2–27.
* Nintendo (2007). Super Mario Galaxy (instruction manual). Nintendo. pp. 3–22.

1. ^ "Mario Is Missing!". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on February 6, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
2. ^ "Hotel Mario". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
3. ^ "Mario's Time Machine Deluxe". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
4. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "マリオとヨッシーの冒険ランド". YouTube. January 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
5. ^ "News Release : Nov. 30, 2022 "Illumination and Nintendo Announce Second Trailer and the Japanese voice cast for The Super Mario Bros. Movie"". Nintendo Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
6. ^ a b "The Top 100 Videogame Villains". IGN. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
7. ^ "Character Introduction". Nintendo Japan. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
8. ^ Staff; designed by James Cheung (January 21, 2000). "TenSpot: Top Ten Video Game Villains". GameSpot. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
9. ^ McLaughlin, Rus (September 14, 2010). "IGN Presents: The History of Super Mario Bros". IGN. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
10. ^ "Iwata Asks: New Super Mario Bros. Wii – The Birth of Bowser". Nintendo. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
11. ^ Oxford, David. "Iwata Asks: The Birth of Bowser". Ds.Kombo. Archived from the original on September 17, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
12. ^ "Bowser Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
13. ^ "Bowser Character Profile". GameSpot. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
14. ^ "Harvey Atkin Filmography". IMDb. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
15. ^ Murray, Noel (December 12, 2008). "Random Roles: Dennis Hopper". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
16. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (April 30, 2023). "That Old Jack Black Magic". Variety. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
17. ^ 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.
18. ^ "Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2013". p. 193.
19. ^ Shepherd, Jack (April 14, 2023). "Where Did Super Mario's "Bowser" Get His Name From?". Medium. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
20. ^ David Oxford. "Iwata Asks:The Birth of Bowser". Ds.Kombo. Archived from the original on September 17, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
21. ^ "Iwata Asks Volume 8- Flipnote Studios-An Animation Class 4.My First Project: Draw a Rug". Archived from the original on May 25, 2012.2009-08-11
22. ^ "Iwata Asks". iwataasks.nintendo.com. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
23. ^ "Les confidences du dessinateur historique des personnages Nintendo". Le Monde (in French). December 6, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
24. ^ "Bowser Vs. Koopa". Thrilling Tales of Old Video Games. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
25. ^ Yasuhiro, Nagata (June 2000). "独占スクープ！宮本茂最新雑談 [Exclusive Scoop! Miyamoto Shigeru Latest Chat]" (in Japanese). Famitsu. Archived from the original on October 10, 2000. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
26. ^ "Characters in Mario Kart DS at Nintendo of Korea's website". Nintendo. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
27. ^ Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development (October 23, 1988). Super Mario Bros. 3 (Famicom) (in Japanese). Nintendo. Scene: ending.
28. ^ Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development (November 21, 1990). Super Mario World (in Japanese). Nintendo. Scene: ending.
29. ^ "Super Mario: The Strange Origins of Bowser's Real Name". Den of Geek. May 25, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
30. ^ Kazuki Motoyama, 1992, Super Mario, Vol.7, Kodansha
31. ^ Yukio Sawada, 1994, Super Mario-kun, Vol.11, Shogakukan
32. ^ スーパーマリオワールド（本山版） [必殺技辞典] Archived June 1, 2023, at the Wayback Machine
33. ^ ●映画 かArchived April 16, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
34. ^ a b c "Super Mario: 25 Weird Things About Bowser's Anatomy Fans Forget". TheGamer. November 10, 2018. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
35. ^ Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Strategy Guide.
36. ^ Intelligent Systems. Paper Mario.
37. ^ Intelligent Systems. Super Paper Mario.
38. ^ "A New Mushroom Kingdom: 25 years of Super Mario 64". Shacknews. September 29, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
39. ^ "Original Japanese manual of Super Mario Bros. 3" (PDF). Nintendo Co., Ltd. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
40. ^ "Super Mario Bros. 3 page on Nintendo UK's site". Nintendo UK. Archived from the original on June 29, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
41. ^ "Bowser, King of the Koopas, and his evil offspring have invaded yet another kingdom. The Koopalings have seized the Kingdom's precious crystals. It's up to you, armed with your trusty Nintendo Scope, to ride Yoshi to the rescue!", back of the box of the North American and PAL versions of Yoshi's Safari.
42. ^ Ryckert, Dan (September 10, 2015). "Mario's Creators Answer Burning Questions About The Series". Game Informer. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
43. ^ Velasco, Ryan (July 5, 2019). "King Bowser Koopa I of the Koopa Kingdom, Origin — Character Design". Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
44. ^ McLaughlin, Rus (September 14, 2010). "IGN Presents: The History of Super Mario Bros". IGN. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
45. ^ "Random: Nintendo's Doug Bowser Introduces His Parents To Mario Kart 8 On Switch". Nintendo Life. May 16, 2021. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
46. ^ "Ranking Every Mario Party Character From Shit To Lit". Kotaku Australia. September 22, 2021. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
47. ^ "Dry Bowser Confirmed To Be Joining Mario Tennis Aces In July". Nintendo Life. May 30, 2019. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
48. ^ Newell, Jim (June 29, 2021). "The New Mario Golf Game, According to an Actual Golfer". Slate Magazine. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
49. ^ "GameSpy: Super Mario Strikers – Page 1". cube.gamespy.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2008. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
50. ^ "10 Mario Games The Movie Could Adapt". ScreenRant. October 3, 2021. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
51. ^ "Mario's Time Machine – Review – allgame". November 14, 2014. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014.
52. ^ Hotel Mario instruction book. Philips Interactive Media. 1994. pp. 2–16\. PP0260 GA.
53. ^ "10 First-Party Nintendo Games Everyone Forgot About". Game Rant. August 10, 2021. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
54. ^ Goodmurphy, Chad (December 5, 2011). "Invest In Fortune Street Today". Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
55. ^ "'Puzzle & Dragons Z + Super Mario Bros. Edition' struggles to make free-to-play games worth a higher price of admission – The Washington Post". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 29, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
56. ^ "IGN: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars [Virtual Console] Review". September 3, 2008. Archived from the original on September 3, 2008.
57. ^ "Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle Coming to Nintendo Switch on August 29 – E3 2017 – UbiBlog – Ubisoft". July 10, 2017. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017.
58. ^ "Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope leaked ahead of main reveal". iMore. June 12, 2021. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
59. ^ Green, Jake (January 17, 2020). "Super Smash Bros Ultimate Character – Every Fighter in Smash Bros Ultimate". Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
60. ^ "アンケート集計拳!!". www.nintendo.co.jp. Archived from the original on December 15, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
61. ^ "10 Bizarre Nintendo Spin-Offs You've Probably Never Heard Of". TheGamer. October 2, 2020. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
62. ^ "Skylanders SuperChargers Introduces Donkey Kong and Bowser as Skylanders Guest Stars". www.businesswire.com. June 16, 2015. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
63. ^ McWhertor, Michael (July 28, 2021). "Nintendo gives Dr. Mario mobile game just 3 months to live". Polygon. Archived from the original on October 11, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
64. ^ Murray, Noel (December 12, 2008). "Random Roles: Dennis Hopper". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
65. ^ "Super Mario Bros. The Movie Archive". Smbmovie.com. March 30, 2009. Archived from the original on March 10, 2010. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
66. ^ "Wreck-It Ralph Footage From D23 Features 8-Bit Action, Plenty Of Cameos". CinemaBlend.com. August 21, 2011. Archived from the original on December 29, 2012. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
67. ^ Hillard, Kyle (February 11, 2013). "Wreck-It Ralph's Director Answers Our Questions". Game Informer. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
68. ^ Murphy, J. Kim (September 23, 2021). "Nintendo Direct: Chris Pratt Will Voice Mario in the Super Mario Bros. Movie". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
69. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (April 30, 2023). "That Old Jack Black Magic: As the Villain of 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie,' the Actor Gives His Peachiest Performance in Years". Variety. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
70. ^ Jake (October 22, 2013). "Nintendo Adventure Books: probably not due a revival". Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
71. ^ "Super Luigi Bros – Mario vs. Wario Comic Issue. 2 from Nintendo Power Magazine Vol. 56". www.superluigibros.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
72. ^ Staff, Ars (December 24, 2018). "Drawn together: The love affair between comics and games". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
73. ^ "The Top 100 Videogame Villains: Most Memorable Villains". IGN. March 7, 2006. Archived from the original on May 23, 2010. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
74. ^ 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.
75. ^ Staff; designed by James Cheung (January 21, 2000). "TenSpot: Top Ten Video Game Villains". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 29, 2007. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
76. ^ "Top 10 Nintendo Characters That Deserve Their Own Games – Page 10". GameDaily. Archived from the original on December 13, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
77. ^ "Top 10 Smash Bros. Characters – Page 5". GameDaily. Archived from the original on October 23, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
78. ^ "Most Persistent Video Game Villains". GameDaily. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
79. ^ "Top Ten Douchebags of Gaming". ScrewAttack's Top 10. GameTrailers. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
80. ^ Harris, Craig (June 4, 2004). "Classic NES Series: Super Mario Bros". IGN. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
81. ^ Dyer, James; McComb, David; Plumb, Alastair; Scarborough, David (May 26, 2010). "The 50 Greatest Video Game Characters – 23. Bowser". Empire. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
82. ^ Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer's Edition. p. 193.
83. ^ Jesse Schedeen (March 9, 2010). "Big Boss of the Day: Bowser". IGN. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
84. ^ Robertson, Margaret (November 5, 2007). "Super Mario Galaxy Review". EuroGamer. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
85. ^ Sell, Chris (November 8, 2007). "Super Mario Galaxy Review". PALGN. Archived from the original on July 4, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
86. ^ Kaluszka, Aaron (November 12, 2007). "Super Mario Galaxy Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on October 2, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
87. ^ Shea, Cam (November 12, 2007). "Super Mario Galaxy AU Review: The Greatest Platformer of all time? And How." IGN AU. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
88. ^ Casamassina, Matt (November 7, 2007). "Super Mario Galaxy Review: The greatest Nintendo platformer ever made?". IGN. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
89. ^ Timmons, Travis (November 19, 2007). "Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) Review". gamePositive. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
90. ^ Donlan, Christian (September 18, 2009). "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Review". EuroGamer. Archived from the original on January 21, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
91. ^ Sterling, Jim (September 21, 2009). "Review: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story". Destructoid. Archived from the original on January 15, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
92. ^ Cunningham, Michael (September 21, 2009). "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story – Staff Review". RPG Gamer. Archived from the original on November 22, 2009. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
93. ^ Hernandez, Pedro (September 26, 2009). "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story: Review (North American)". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
94. ^ Castle, Matthew (October 7, 2009). "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Review". CVG. Archived from the original on February 1, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
95. ^ Middlemas, Drew (October 7, 2009). "Review: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story". GameStyle. Archived from the original on February 1, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
96. ^ Lopes, João (November 12, 2009). "Review: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story". N-Europe. Archived from the original on December 31, 2009. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
97. ^ Green, Matthew (September 24, 2009). "Review: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story". Kombo. Retrieved January 26, 2010.[permanent dead link]
98. ^ Kohler, Chris (October 16, 2009). "Review: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Is the Un-RPG". Wired. Archived from the original on February 6, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
99. ^ Shoemaker, Brad (October 16, 2009). "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story". GiantBomb. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
100. ^ Harris, Craig (September 10, 2009). "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Review". IGN. Archived from the original on August 16, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
101. ^ Parish, Jeremy (September 15, 2009). "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Review". 1up. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
102. ^ Ashby, Alicia (September 15, 2009). "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Review". GamePro. Archived from the original on December 2, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
103. ^ Theobald, Phil (September 11, 2009). "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Review". GameSpy. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
104. ^ Gilbert, Henry (September 11, 2009). "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Review". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
105. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (September 19, 2020). "So long, "gay Bowser" – fans lament the loss of Mario 64's most famous line in Super Mario 3D All-Stars". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
106. ^ "Super Mario 64's Weird 'Gay Bowser' Line Isn't In Super Mario 3D All-Stars". Kotaku. September 18, 2020. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
107. ^ Hernandez, Patricia (September 18, 2020). "Internet pours one out for Super Mario 64's 'Gay Bowser,' who is dead now". Polygon. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
108. ^ Kent, Emma (September 24, 2018). "Nintendo fans are splicing Bowser with Peach and now Bowsette is trending". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 24, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
109. ^ Purtill, Corinne; Kopf, Dan (December 22, 2018). "The wildest internet phenomenon of 2018 was Bowsette". Quartz. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
110. ^ Machkovech, Sam (September 28, 2018). "Nintendo reveals it invented "Bowsette" before the Internet did". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
111. ^ Burke, Elaine (July 3, 2015). "Real-life Bowser 'dinosaur turtle' found in Russian river (video)". Silicon Republic. Archived from the original on July 24, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
112. ^ "Random: 'Bowser Day 2021' Trends Online As Fans Celebrate Nintendo's Iconic Villain". Nintendo Life. August 5, 2021. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Quotations related to Bowser at Wikiquote
* Bowser at Giant Bomb
* Bowser on Play Nintendo

* v
* t
* e

Mario

* Nintendo

Game series|

| Main|

* Super Mario
* Mario Kart
* Mario Party

|

By genre|

* Educational games
* Puzzle games
* Role-playing games
* Paper Mario
* Mario & Luigi
* Sports games
* racing games

Connected series|

* Donkey Kong
* Luigi
* Wario
* Yoshi

Other games|

* LCD games
* Mario's Cement Factory
* Mario Bros.
* Pinball
* Mario Paint
* Mario Clash
* Mario Artist
* Mario Pinball Land
* Super Princess Peach
* Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
* Princess Peach: Showtime!

Cancelled games|

* Super Mario's Wacky Worlds
* Super Mario 128
* Super Mario Spikers

Universe|

| Characters|

* Mario
* Luigi
* Peach
* Daisy
* Toad
* Yoshi
* Bowser
* Donkey Kong
* Wario
* Waluigi
* Rosalina
* Birdo
* Pauline
* Nabbit
* Geno
* Paper Mario characters
* Vivian
* Bobby
* Rabbid Peach

|

Other|

* Goomba
* Koopa Troopa
* Piranha Plant
* World 1-1
* Minus World
* Rainbow Road
* Blue shell
* Baby Park

Other media|

| Film|

* 1986 anime film
* 1993 live-action film
* 2023 computer-animated film

|

Television|

* Saturday Supercade
* The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
* King Koopa's Kool Kartoons
* The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
* Super Mario World

Music|

* Super Mario Bros. theme
* "Supermarioland"
* "Almost Unreal"
* "Create"
* The Super Mario Bros. Movie soundtrack
* "Peaches"

Literature|

* Gamebooks
* Nintendo Comics System
* Super Mario Adventures

* Unofficial media
* Year of Luigi
* 35th Anniversary
* Pinball machine
* Lego Super Mario

People|

* Charles Martinet
* Kevin Afghani
* Koji Kondo
* Mahito Yokota
* Satoru Iwata
* Shigeru Miyamoto
* Takashi Tezuka
* Kensuke Tanabe
* Yasuhisa Yamamura
* Yōichi Kotabe
* Yoshiaki Koizumi

Related|

| Video games|

* List of video games featuring Mario
* Donkey Kong
* Donkey Kong Jr.
* Super Smash Bros.
* Itadaki Street
* Tetris DS
* Minecraft
* Nintendo Land
* NES Remix
* Skylanders: SuperChargers
* Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition

|

Other|

* The Wizard
* Mario Marathon
* Supper Mario Broth
* Team 0%
* Super Nintendo World
* Waluigi effect

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Super Smash Bros. series

Games|

* Super Smash Bros.
* Melee
* Brawl
* 3DS and Wii U
* Ultimate

Characters|

* Banjo & Kazooie
* Bayonetta
* Bowser
* Byleth
* Charizard
* Chrom
* Cloud
* Daisy
* Donkey Kong
* Fox
* Ganondorf
* Hero
* III
* IV
* Ike
* Isabelle
* Jigglypuff
* Joker
* Kazuya
* Ken
* Kirby
* Link
* Little Mac
* Lucario
* Lucina
* Luigi
* Mario
* Marth
* Mega Man
* Meta Knight
* Mewtwo
* Mii Fighters
* Mr. Game & Watch
* Ness
* Pac-Man
* Peach
* Pikachu
* Piranha Plant
* Ridley
* R.O.B.
* Robin
* Roy
* Rosalina & Luma
* Ryu
* Samus
* Sephiroth
* Shulk
* Simon
* Snake
* Sonic
* Sora
* Squirtle
* Steve
* Terry
* Wario
* Yoshi
* Zelda

Companies|

* Nintendo
* Satoru Iwata
* HAL Laboratory
* Masahiro Sakurai
* Game Arts
* Bandai Namco

Fan games|

* Project M
* Super Smash Flash
* Super Smash Land

Related|

* Platform fighter
* Super Smash Bros. in esports
* Slamfest '99
* Smashboards
* The Smash Brothers

* Category

Portal:

* Video games

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template