Character of the Week #35

Metal Mario · 03-13-2010, 07:45 AM

Bowser Jr.

First Appearance: Super Mario Sunshine (GCN, 2002)
Latest Appearance: New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii, 2009)

Bowser Jr. (presumably the youngest of Bowser's eight children) made his debut in Super Mario Sunshine as the troublemaker who framed Mario for crimes against good taste on Isle Delfino. Disguised as a reasonable (?) facsimile of Mario, the young Koopa used a magic paintbrush invented by Professor E. Gadd to cover the tropical paradise with goopy graffiti, and even demonstrated his inherited tendency towards princess-napping while he was at it. He has since gone on to play a very prominent role in the Mario universe; he is a recurring boss in Super Mario Galaxy, New Super Mario Bros., and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and a playable character in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Superstar Baseball, and Mario Strikers Charged, among several others. When in combat, he tends to cover his mouth with a kerchief upon which he has drawn a menacing, toothy snarl (presumably to make himself appear more fearsome).

When Bowser Jr. was introduced to the world, many of us didn't like him. The perception at large was that Nintendo was trying to retcon our beloved Koopalings out of existence and replace them with a character defined by his squeaky voice and derivative resemblance to Bowser. (When Bowser Jr. revealed his true identity in Super Mario Sunshine's Pinna Park, I was all like, "What the hell?! Bowser already has seven kids! Where are they?! This concept isn't exactly new, so why are Mario and Princess Toadstool so astounded?!") The Koopalings' appearances in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and New SMB Wii have assuaged those fears somewhat, however, and, as we ultimately did with Waluigi, we've come to accept appearances by the character without wincing.

**Valigarmander** · 03-13-2010, 08:12 AM

I've always found Bowser Jr. to be tolerable.

As in, I've never despised him.

Metal Mario · 03-13-2010, 10:37 AM

I resented him in the early days because, as I said above, it looked like Nintendo was trying to replace the Koopalings with a less imaginative, less endearing "mini-Bowser". I've gotten used to him, however, and it's also helped that the Koopalings have made appearances in a couple of games since Super Mario Sunshine. Today I have nothing against him, really.

***CaptHayfever*** · 03-13-2010, 03:30 PM

You've stopped wincing at Waluigi appearances? I haven't.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

Metal Mario · 03-13-2010, 03:43 PM

^I'm numb all over.

Master Brian · 03-13-2010, 08:13 PM

^^We can still hope that he appears in a "canon" game(of course, those are debateable, but if we want to go that way, a mainstream game) so his placements won't feel badly forced. Not that they aren't.

I preferred Kid Bowser/Bowser Kid from the Mario Party series myself.(or the Koopalings for Mainstream series)

**Crazyswordsman** · 04-02-2010, 04:53 PM

Sorry to bump this, but I have very, very, very strong objections to this character; he's probably my least favorite Mario character.

For awhile, I always considered Bowser Jr. to actually be Morton (Morton's full name being Morton Bowser Koopa Jr), but nevertheless this didn't fly.

I grew up with the Koopa Kids as staples; SMB3 and SMW were that infinitely playable for me, plus the KKs were in the cartoons so we all accepted them as regular, legitimate, PERMANENT, and prominent characters in the Mario Universe. When I first saw Bowser Jr, I never wondered if Nintendo retconned the KKs; I wondered if they FORGOT about the KKs. The KKs were part of what made Bowser whole and I don't think I would've liked Bowser without his KKs. Also, the KKs seemed to have their own distinct personality, interests and goals in life (from both the cartoons AND SMW; as well as the SMB3 instruction manual), whereas Bowser Jr. is just that: a little Bowser with no personality and basically is what Bowser is rather than an individual. Now I wonder if, well, let's call them the OoT/FFVII generation even knows who the KKs are; ie if they think Bowser Jr. is Bowser's only son. There probably are a lot of them. The KKs, and Lemmy in particular, are my favorite characters in the whole series; Bowser Jr. makes them illigitimate. Now I have yet to see the KKs in any games I've played recently. -CSM

***CaptHayfever*** · 04-02-2010, 11:34 PM

^Play Superstar Saga or NSMB Wii.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

**Crazyswordsman** · 04-03-2010, 06:18 AM

^I really want to play NSMB Wii; does it play like SMB3 at all? -CSM

Metal Mario · 04-03-2010, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazyswordsman

Sorry to bump this

Not at all. Discussion of any Character or Game of the Week can go on for as long as people have things to say.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazyswordsman

^I really want to play NSMB Wii; does it play like SMB3 at all? -CSM

I wouldn't say it plays decidedly like SMB 3, but it does play the way a side-scrolling Mario platformer should. You'd enjoy it, I'm sure.

**Crazyswordsman** · 04-03-2010, 11:31 PM

^Considering side-scrolling Mario games are still some of the hardest games I ever played I'm excited. Unlike most of today's games, these actually provide a challenge. I recently played the original SMB for the first time since 1991 or so and had a lot of trouble with it; it was so much fun. -CSM

03-13-2010, 07:45 AM	#1
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	Character of the Week #35 Bowser Jr. First Appearance: Super Mario Sunshine (GCN, 2002) Latest Appearance: New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii, 2009) Bowser Jr. (presumably the youngest of Bowser's eight children) made his debut in Super Mario Sunshine as the troublemaker who framed Mario for crimes against good taste on Isle Delfino. Disguised as a reasonable (?) facsimile of Mario, the young Koopa used a magic paintbrush invented by Professor E. Gadd to cover the tropical paradise with goopy graffiti, and even demonstrated his inherited tendency towards princess-napping while he was at it. He has since gone on to play a very prominent role in the Mario universe; he is a recurring boss in Super Mario Galaxy, New Super Mario Bros., and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and a playable character in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Superstar Baseball, and Mario Strikers Charged, among several others. When in combat, he tends to cover his mouth with a kerchief upon which he has drawn a menacing, toothy snarl (presumably to make himself appear more fearsome). When Bowser Jr. was introduced to the world, many of us didn't like him. The perception at large was that Nintendo was trying to retcon our beloved Koopalings out of existence and replace them with a character defined by his squeaky voice and derivative resemblance to Bowser. (When Bowser Jr. revealed his true identity in Super Mario Sunshine's Pinna Park, I was all like, "What the hell?! Bowser already has seven kids! Where are they?! This concept isn't exactly new, so why are Mario and Princess Toadstool so astounded?!") The Koopalings' appearances in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and New SMB Wii have assuaged those fears somewhat, however, and, as we ultimately did with Waluigi, we've come to accept appearances by the character without wincing.

03-13-2010, 08:12 AM	#2
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,701 Times in 2,581 Posts Blog Entries: 20	I've always found Bowser Jr. to be tolerable. As in, I've never despised him.

03-13-2010, 10:37 AM	#3
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	I resented him in the early days because, as I said above, it looked like Nintendo was trying to replace the Koopalings with a less imaginative, less endearing "mini-Bowser". I've gotten used to him, however, and it's also helped that the Koopalings have made appearances in a couple of games since Super Mario Sunshine. Today I have nothing against him, really.

03-13-2010, 03:30 PM	#4
*CaptHayfever* Smash SuperMod Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: (n) - the place where I am Gender: Posts: 27,661 Thanks: 1,991 Thanked 2,486 Times in 1,513 Posts	You've stopped wincing at Waluigi appearances? I haven't. And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

03-13-2010, 03:43 PM	#5
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	^I'm numb all over.

03-13-2010, 08:13 PM	#6
Master Brian Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Celtland Gender: Posts: 128 Thanks: 55 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	^^We can still hope that he appears in a "canon" game(of course, those are debateable, but if we want to go that way, a mainstream game) so his placements won't feel badly forced. Not that they aren't. I preferred Kid Bowser/Bowser Kid from the Mario Party series myself.(or the Koopalings for Mainstream series)

04-02-2010, 04:53 PM	#7
Crazyswordsman This key doesn't work. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Booyaville (yeah!) Gender: Posts: 10,791 Thanks: 1,019 Thanked 686 Times in 467 Posts	Sorry to bump this, but I have very, very, very strong objections to this character; he's probably my least favorite Mario character. For awhile, I always considered Bowser Jr. to actually be Morton (Morton's full name being Morton Bowser Koopa Jr), but nevertheless this didn't fly. I grew up with the Koopa Kids as staples; SMB3 and SMW were that infinitely playable for me, plus the KKs were in the cartoons so we all accepted them as regular, legitimate, PERMANENT, and prominent characters in the Mario Universe. When I first saw Bowser Jr, I never wondered if Nintendo retconned the KKs; I wondered if they FORGOT about the KKs. The KKs were part of what made Bowser whole and I don't think I would've liked Bowser without his KKs. Also, the KKs seemed to have their own distinct personality, interests and goals in life (from both the cartoons AND SMW; as well as the SMB3 instruction manual), whereas Bowser Jr. is just that: a little Bowser with no personality and basically is what Bowser is rather than an individual. Now I wonder if, well, let's call them the OoT/FFVII generation even knows who the KKs are; ie if they think Bowser Jr. is Bowser's only son. There probably are a lot of them. The KKs, and Lemmy in particular, are my favorite characters in the whole series; Bowser Jr. makes them illigitimate. Now I have yet to see the KKs in any games I've played recently. -CSM

04-02-2010, 11:34 PM	#8
*CaptHayfever* Smash SuperMod Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: (n) - the place where I am Gender: Posts: 27,661 Thanks: 1,991 Thanked 2,486 Times in 1,513 Posts	^Play Superstar Saga or NSMB Wii. And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

04-03-2010, 06:18 AM	#9
Crazyswordsman This key doesn't work. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Booyaville (yeah!) Gender: Posts: 10,791 Thanks: 1,019 Thanked 686 Times in 467 Posts	^I really want to play NSMB Wii; does it play like SMB3 at all? -CSM

04-03-2010, 11:31 PM	#11
Crazyswordsman This key doesn't work. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Booyaville (yeah!) Gender: Posts: 10,791 Thanks: 1,019 Thanked 686 Times in 467 Posts	^Considering side-scrolling Mario games are still some of the hardest games I ever played I'm excited. Unlike most of today's games, these actually provide a challenge. I recently played the original SMB for the first time since 1991 or so and had a lot of trouble with it; it was so much fun. -CSM