Bowser

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Smash Attacks

SIDE SMASH DAMAGE 14~23%

Bowser performs a massive dropkick to your opponent! During the attack, the ends of Bowser’s feet are both invincible.

DOWN SMASH DAMAGE 1~9% MAX DAMAGE 16% : 7 Hits

Bowser tucks into his shell and spins, hitting your opponent multiple times. Bowser’s torso has some invincibility during this attack.

UP SMASH DAMAGE 6~20%

Bowser ducks down before jumping upward. This attack hits on the way up and again as Bowser comes back down.

Basic Attacks

Standing Attack DAMAGE 5%, 6.5%

Bowser strikes at your opponent twice. Fairly decent range and DAMAGE for a poke. His attacking hands are invincible.

Side Tilt DAMAGE 12%

Bowser extends his claw for a strong attack. His claw has some invincibility. You can angle this slightly upward or downward.

Up Tilt DAMAGE 10%

Bowser swings his arm over his head and attacks behind him. Be sure you’re facing the right way before using this attack! His outstretched arm is invincible during the attack.

Down Tilt DAMAGE 11~14% MAX DAMAGE 25% : 2 Hits

This double low strike combos for a ton of DAMAGE, if you can land it. His attacking hands are invincible.

Dash Attack DAMAGE 8~10%

A surprisingly fast attack given Bowser’s size, this jump kick can catch your opponents off guard.

Edge Attack

Bowser returns to the stage with a solid punch sweep.

Air Attacks

Neutral Air Attack DAMAGE 5% MAX DAMAGE 20% : 4 Hits

Bowser’s new cartwheel attack. Useful to hit opponents in front, above, and below you.

Up Air Attack DAMAGE 15%

Bowser uses his head as he executes a vicious headbutt. His head is invincible throughout the attack.

Down Air Attack DAMAGE 2~16% MAX DAMAGE 18% : 2 Hits

Bowser boosts a little higher before plummeting down again, spiked shell first. Be careful how you use this if the stage isn’t below you!

Forward Air Attack DAMAGE 11~13%

This overhead, downward strike has good range and is solid when chasing opponents or keeping them out.

Back Air Attack DAMAGE 19%

One of Bowser’s best knockout moves, this dropkick is deadly.

Special Attacks

Fire Breath (Neutral Special) DAMAGE 1.2% MAX DAMAGE 4.8% : 4 Hits

Bowser breathes fire onto his opponents. The longer you hold the button, the more this attack’s range and power reduces. The end of its range has a small push effect, and you can vary the angle of the attack a little bit. It takes about 10 seconds to regain its full power from minimum.

Fire Shot DAMAGE 4~5%

Bowser shoots a fireball from his mouth. As it travels farther, its DAMAGE drops a little.

Fire Roar DAMAGE 1.8~2.7% MAX DAMAGE 18.9% : 7 Hits

Significantly more damaging, this flame is also much larger. To get it to maximum strength from its minimum takes about 20 seconds!

Flying Slam (Side Special) DAMAGE 18%

Bowser swings his arm and, on contact, grabs your opponent and leaps into the air to bodyslam that opponent! After grabbing an opponent and jumping, both Bowser and the opponent can press left or right to alter the location they where they fall. If the opponent has less Damage, that opponent has more effect on the movement. With the right amount of Damage and timing, though, you can dive off stage to sacrifice yourself and get a knockout in exchange!

Dash Slam DAMAGE 12%

Though the Damage on this variation is lower, the grab range is larger. Additionally, Bowser cano move left and right significantly more, but his jump height is not as high.

Dash Slash DAMAGE 6~8%

Bowser charges at the opponent and slashes with his claws. Good knockback but deals the least Damage of all of Bowser’s Side Specials.

Whirling Fortress (Up Special) ON LAND 1~4% MAX DAMAGE 11% : 8 Hits IN AIR 2~10% MAX DAMAGE 35% : 11 Hits

Bowser ducks into his spiked shell and performs a spin attack. He can move horizontally during the spin, and if you hit the button repeatedly, Bowser can gain some extra height.

Flying Fortress DAMAGE 2~4%

When used in the air, Bowser gets much higher with this variation. From the ground, Bowser jumps high vertically. This attack sends opponents flying in one hit and you have some control over Bowser’s horizontal momentum.

Sliding Fortress DAMAGE 6%

This variation allows Bowser to move horizontally a lot when used in the air; his vertical recovery, however, is reduced. He moves faster and hits opponents away in a single hit. There is a lot of recovery from this attack, regardless of whether it was used on the ground or in the air.

Bowser Bomb (Down Special) DAMAGE 4~20% MAX DAMAGE 24% : 2 Hits

Bowser jumps into the air, horns first, before returning with a stomp! This attack can hit on the way up and again as Bowser comes back down. If used in the air, Bowser immediately drops.

Turbulent Bomb DAMAGE 4~9% MAX DAMAGE 13% : 2 Hits

When Bowser lands from this, wind from the force of his stomp shoves opponents away. Bowser jumps less high when using this on the ground, and the Damage is less overall. The closer opponents are to Bowser’s landing, the stronger they are pushed away.

Slip Bomb DAMAGE 2~18%

This variation sends Bowser high into the air before he returns very quickly. The force of this drop shakes the ground, causing nearby opponents to fall down. Notethis version loses the upward attack of the default Bowser Bomb.

Final Smash

Giga Bowser

Bowser transforms into Giga Bowser for about 15 seconds! That’s right: a GIGANTIC version of Bowser! In this form, Bowser still takes Damage but will not flinch when he gets hit. Most of Giga Bowser’s attacks are the same as regular Bowser’s but most do more Damage. One notable exception is SIDE SMASH, which is a headbutt for Giga Bowser but a dropkick for regular Bowser. Giga Bowser’s regular attacks are claw swipes instead of Bowser’s double punch, and his dash attack leaves him grounded in an unfavorable position. Yes, you will be a big target, but opponents will run away from you in fear of your knockout power!

Strategy

While Bowser is the heaviest character in the game, he is also one of the slowest. At a low percentage, he can absorb lower- Damage attacks without flinching, so use this to your advantage—try to exchange hits because you will almost always win the trade in Damage output. Bowser also has some armor on his Whirling Fortress and Flying Slam, and this armor makes it generally easier to connect with your opponent. With Bowser’s large size comes extended range with his Tilt attacks. Bowser’s Forward Tilt and Up Tilt should be incorporated when spacing your opponent. Take your time and remember you will almost always be able to reach your opponent before your opponent can reach you!

When considering Bowser’s Special attacks, note some of the differences between air and ground functionality. When performed on the ground, Whirling Fortress stays grounded, and while Bowser can still control it horizontally, he can’t move to fall off the stage. When he performs Bowser Bomb in the air, it will go directly down from his current position, and he will also no longer perform his upward headbutt before descending. Bowser Bomb can be particularly useful in free-for-all battles thanks to its large hitbox, but note that Bowser can be hit out of it from below! Given its long recovery, you’ll want to use this sparingly, as your opponents will definitely be on the lookout for it. If you can hit it just right, though, Bowser Bomb will do a lot of Damage to your opponent’s shield!

In the air, Bowser’s Back Air is definitely his primary knockout attack. His Neutral Air attack can keep opponents off you, hit opponents below you, and allow you to chase with Up Air. Bowser’s Forward Air attack is good to chase opponents off stage, and his Down Air sends opponents up and away on a direct hit. If your opponents are shielding a lot, remember to throw! The more scared they are of Bowser’s throws, the easier it will be to hit them with your other heavy-hitting attacks! Against opponents who like to counter, use Bowser’s Down Smash. The first hits are light, so the amplified counter Damage won’t hurt Bowser much, but if you connect, they will be in a world of pain. When edge-guarding, use Bowser’s Fire Breath or consider going off-stage with Back Air! Even after a Back Air attempt, you should be able to recover with the aerial version of Whirling Fortress.

Recovery

Bowser’s main recovery option is Whirling Fortress. This gives him good vertical recovery, plus he can recover horizontally with it. Be sure to hit the button repeatedly to gain as much extra height as possible. Fire Breath is also useful as you make your way back to the stage—it can push opponents away from the edge, making it difficult for them to edge guard optimally. If approaching from high above the stage with an opponent waiting to punish your landing, you might want to Bowser Bomb to grab the edge. This strategy is risky because you have to get the spacing right or you’ll plummet to your doom, but if done correctly, this should get you to the edge sooner than your opponent expects while giving you some invincibility on the edge.