[This thread includes spoiler of various Mario games, including the final boss of Super Mario 3D World]
Of all the villains that Nintendo ever created, Bowser is without any doubt the one that stuck out the most. Part of why is probably due to the popularity of his nemesis, Mario, but it’s also because of his personality that has been managed so well that no one want somebody else instead of Bowser. The thing is, in over 30 years of games, he stayed the same, with some variations: an egocentric guy who does evil things because it’s fun and the only way for him to get what he wants, even though in the end he’s not that much of a bad person. Let me give you some examples :
Super Mario RPG. It’s not really a Nintendo game but nonetheless it’s the first one where Bowser gains some personality and where he starts talking in a significant way. So, once you’ve beaten him and made some progress, he actually joins your team and you can play as him. He’s the leader of an army full of dumb soldiers, that make him go mad and, sometimes, led him to some poetic moments, like this famous Haiku quote.
He’s egocentric, nasty, full of hatred against Mario but that didn’t stop him to temporarily team with him, because he knows that the fate of the world is more important than his personal interests. That’s precisely what makes him so different than other antagonists like Ganondorf, which is evil for disturbing reasons.
Now, the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series. I must say beforehand that I didn't play the last entry of each, and I'll mostly talk about Mario & Luigi : Bowser's Inside Story, and the first three Paper Mario.
In Bowser's Inside Story, you control Bowser for half the game, while the other half consists of Mario & Luigi wandering inside Bowser, looking for ways to get out of there. When you play as him and aren’t battling against giant walking fortress, Bowser talks a lot. And when he talks, it’s usually to throw punchlines, the kind of stuff that only a self-deprecating villain could make. Here are some quotes that I find fantastic :
He’s basically a tsundere with a very huge complex of superiority
And finally, I’ll end with how awesome he looks in every game. Everyone has a favorite Bowser. Mine’s from Super Mario 3D World :
He has such a great design, you can apply almost any theme to his character without hurting it.
So, what do you think of Nintendo’s greatest villain ? Which one is your favorite ? Oh, by the way, I couldn’t end the thread without the best Bowser music ever made :
https://youtu.be/fWRMSn63yb0
Of all the villains that Nintendo ever created, Bowser is without any doubt the one that stuck out the most. Part of why is probably due to the popularity of his nemesis, Mario, but it’s also because of his personality that has been managed so well that no one want somebody else instead of Bowser. The thing is, in over 30 years of games, he stayed the same, with some variations: an egocentric guy who does evil things because it’s fun and the only way for him to get what he wants, even though in the end he’s not that much of a bad person. Let me give you some examples :
Super Mario RPG. It’s not really a Nintendo game but nonetheless it’s the first one where Bowser gains some personality and where he starts talking in a significant way. So, once you’ve beaten him and made some progress, he actually joins your team and you can play as him. He’s the leader of an army full of dumb soldiers, that make him go mad and, sometimes, led him to some poetic moments, like this famous Haiku quote.
He’s egocentric, nasty, full of hatred against Mario but that didn’t stop him to temporarily team with him, because he knows that the fate of the world is more important than his personal interests. That’s precisely what makes him so different than other antagonists like Ganondorf, which is evil for disturbing reasons.
Now, the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series. I must say beforehand that I didn't play the last entry of each, and I'll mostly talk about Mario & Luigi : Bowser's Inside Story, and the first three Paper Mario.
In Bowser's Inside Story, you control Bowser for half the game, while the other half consists of Mario & Luigi wandering inside Bowser, looking for ways to get out of there. When you play as him and aren’t battling against giant walking fortress, Bowser talks a lot. And when he talks, it’s usually to throw punchlines, the kind of stuff that only a self-deprecating villain could make. Here are some quotes that I find fantastic :
He’s basically a tsundere with a very huge complex of superiority
And finally, I’ll end with how awesome he looks in every game. Everyone has a favorite Bowser. Mine’s from Super Mario 3D World :
He has such a great design, you can apply almost any theme to his character without hurting it.
So, what do you think of Nintendo’s greatest villain ? Which one is your favorite ? Oh, by the way, I couldn’t end the thread without the best Bowser music ever made :
https://youtu.be/fWRMSn63yb0
