Item of the week #15

[Dark Seraphim]

Koopa Clown Car



First Appearance: Super Mario World (SNES, 1990)
Latest Appearance: New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii, 2009)

The Kooper Clown Car, or Clown Coptor, has been Bowser's signature mode of transportation since Super Mario World, featured in several mainstream and spin-off games since, either in its base form, spin-offs, or even super deformed versions. The Koopa Clown Car itself is strange in its design, a bulbous seat with a propeller underneath, with, for some reason, an emoting (possibly someone sentient?) clown face painted on the front. Why Bowser would have a coptor painted like a clown is anyone's guess, however through the game Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time its revealed that Bowser's had his Clown Car since he was a baby, so maybe it wasn't his decision for the clown motif in the first place.

There have been officially three Koopa Clown Cars in the series, two of which operated by the Koopa family themselves, and the third a special item able to be used by Mario and team themselves. As for weaponry, the Clown Coptor is fitted to the teeth, filled with logic-defying bowling balls and giant bombs, a seemingly unlimited supply of Mecha-Koopas, and a handy top hole for the Bowsers to poke their heads out to rain fiery death from above. The coptor also comes equipped with a spin attack, which seems to be one of its most basic of uses. Now although this item is more of an enemy hazard, it has been used once as a usable item in the Mario continuity, in Super Mario Bros. Wii, Mario & friends are able to use their own Clown Coptor, named the Hero Car to fight Bowser Jr., although their versions lack any of the normal heavy artillery, they have access to only a powerful spin attack, useful in launching the younger Koopaling into an electrified fence.

Although the use of the Koopa Clown Car as an item was fleeting, and may never be repeated beyond SMBW, the Clown Coptor itself is a staple of Bowser himself, almost as synonymous as his lava filled castle and motives of kidnapping Princess Peach. And I certainly don't think we'll be seeing an end to that smiling clown face hovering over our heads any time soon!

Click to view video.

(Music to accompany the Koopa Clown Car's first appearance!)

Click to view video.

(skip to about 3:00 in to see the Hero Car in action)

Item of the week #1: Hammer
Item of the week #2: Boo Mushroom
Item of the week #3: Metal Cap
Item of the week #4: Tanooki Suit
Item of the week #5: Ice Flower
Item of the week #6: Thunderbolt
Item of the week #7: Coconut Gun
Item of the week #8: F.L.U.D.D.
Item of the week #9: Bob-omb
Item of the week #10: Kart
Item of the week #11: Mini Mushroom
Item of the week #12: Boo
Item of the week #13: Warp Pipe
Item of the week #14: Pixl

[PK FIRE!]

I wasn't very fond of the clown car battle with Jr. Sure it was fun but it just seemed like an odd idea to stick it inside of the airship, I would have liked it better if it were fought over a castle roof instead.

- You stupid dog.

[Jere]

Thats insane how would you get electrical walls on a roof?!

[Valigarmander]

THUNDERCLOUDS

WOOOO WOOOO WOOOOOO

[Dark Seraphim]

I admit it would have been nice if you could have used the Hero Car more than once, like maybe even in a Star level for fun! Instead we only got to use it in one boss battle. Its like the Kuribo Shoe of SMBW . . . its fun but you get to use it so sparingly.

[Jere]

it wouldn't be fun othervise