Super Smash Bros. Wii U – Bowser Demo Impressions

In the previous Super Smash Bros. games, Bowser was a slow heavyweight character that packed a mean punch, but had mobility issues. All of that changed in the new Smash Bros. for Wii U, as Bowser now stands completely upright (instead of being hunched over) and has a lot more speed and agility. It’s still early, but so far, it seems as though Bowser will be hard to deal with, both casually and in a competitive environment.

While Bowser has a few new and altered attacks, his main change comes in the form of movement speed. Bowser is quick on his feet and much faster than one might expect. If you played Bowser in previous games, the first thing you’ll notice is the increase in movement speed. It’s much easier to get around the stages and setup or evade attacks.

His Whirling Fortress special has a bigger vertical push than in previous games, and his Smash attacks have far less recovery time. While it’s still possible for a skilled opponent to bait a Smash attack and punish accordingly, it’s much easier to mount an offense with Bowser compared to how he played in previous Smash Bros. games.

Taking a look at Bowser’s more specific move changes, his back air attack is now a dropkick that is considerably faster than his old back air. It works extremely well for finishing off an opponent after you’ve knocked them off the stage. A big boost to his offense is the new forward Smash attack, which is a drop kick with significant range and a lot of power behind it. In addition, his down air attack is a strong dive kick, his down tilt attack inflicts more damage and his dash attack is faster.

While it’s a bit early to say for sure if Bowser is the most improved returning character, one thing is certain, he is considerably better than he was in previous games. Stay tuned to Prima Games as we continue to cover the playable characters in the latest Super Smash Bros. Wii U demo!