Bowser, King of the Koopas
Bowser, as an antagonist, fits the Mario series perfectly. He reflects its cartoony, comical personality, from being the baddie in Super Mario Bros. to being featured in Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story. Many of his outings show his sheer stupidity. In all three New Super Mario Bros. games and Super Mario 3D Land, Bowser installed buttons that make the bridges that you fight him on collapse, sending him to his death. In the same vein, the bridges in Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels have axes at the end that cut the bridge, making Bowser fall into the lava. Bowser also has eight children: Lemmy Koopa, Larry Koopa, Morton Koopa Jr., Wendy O. Koopa, Ludwig von Koopa, Iggy Koopa, Roy Koopa, and Bowser Jr. They aid him in several of his crusades to take over the Mushroom Kingdom, Junior being his personal favorite. They have all taken over their father’s Koopa Clown Car at one point in time; being Bowser’s favorite form of transportation, it is assumed he as several of them as he has two karts (the Hurricane and the Koopa Clown) in the Mario Kart series, as well has having versions that blow air drafts upward (in Mario Kart 7’s Wuhu Loop and Big Donut). Bowser made is 3D debut in Super Mario 64, taking the residents of Peach’s castle (read: Peach) hostage. He is defeated by Mario as per usual, and reappears in Super Mario Sunshine. This quirky game is also the first time Bowser Jr. appeared in a Mario game. Isle Delfino, rather than the Mushroom Kingdom, is the location of choice in this game. Peach is taken by Shadow Mario, who is Bowser Jr. in disguise, while on vacation. As the series progresses, Bowser’s story gets more streamlined. With the exception of Super Mario Galaxy’s subplot involving Rosalina, every main Mario game has had the same basic story since 2006. In New Super Mario Bros., when a thundercloud (LakiThunder?) strikes Peach’s castle, Mario runs to investigate, leaving Peach to be kidnapped by Bowser Jr. In Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser snatches Peach away during the Star Festival in order to take over the galaxy. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the Koopalings capture Peach on her birthday, jumping out from a giant cake. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, an enormous Bowser makes off with Peach yet again during the Star Festival, with the intentions of creating a Galactic Empire. In Super Mario 3D Land, Bowser abducts Peach as she checks on the Tail Tree after a storm. In New Super Mario Bros. 2, the Koopalings just carry Peach off. No story there. However, Bowser’s not always the evil villain. In Super Paper Mario he is a main party member who breathes fire and breaks the game (with Pixl Carrie). In the many spin-off series, he often is a playable character, with the ability to race go-karts, play soccer, and even partake in a board game. Dry Bowser, originally just his skeleton but now a separate character, acts as his alter ego. Unless, of course, you believe that Dark Bowser from his most important outing yet, Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, deserves that title. BiS is a game revolving around Bowser swallowing the Mario Bros. and going around with them inside him. This comic adventure really brings out another side of Bowser that he doesn’t like to show. And speaking of things that are better left alone, Peach has spent a lot of time over the years in Bowser’s castle. I wonder if she likes it…
