14 Bowser
Super Mario Bros (1985 - NES)
Bowser is a character that uses his inner weight and strength to decimate his opponents by using the power and the reach of his moves as well as his ability to gain control of the stage. A monster that will let you shake in fear, just like the stage when Bowser starts running.
Characteristics
Strengths
- Very resistant
- Great mobility
- Massive damages
- Ejection potential
- Great offensive potential
Weaknesses
- Punishable moves
- Bad disadvantage
- Exploitable recovery
- Huge ending lags
Matchups
Favourable
Unfavourable
Stages
Favourable
Unfavourable
Skills
Pro Tips
Features
Bowser is a large and powerful fighter who has armor on some moves, making Bowser invincible on some animations. So, you must therefore be vigilant not to rush on him when it happens, because you would often be surprised, stopped, then punished.
Best moves
NEUTRAL AIR
It's a move that deals great damage and leads to combos at almost every percents. Thus, it is a very important tool that can even start kill confirms !
SIDE B
The move ignores your opponent's shield, deals a lot of %, and can even kill your opponent. Furthermore, starting at frame 6 even in air, it's a great option out-of-shield and can help you to land on the ground. Just don't overuse it, because the heart of your game will consist in consistently switching between the side B and the forward air. In a nutshell, the side B is the best command grab of the game even if this move is a risky one due to the massive endlag if the attack misses.
UP SMASH
This attack can stop 70% of counters in the game, because the counter will eventually hit on the shell of Bowser, and the shell is an invincible and disjoint part of Bowser during this move, making their counter useless and your enemy vulnerable. Besides, this move has a very good ejection power, while dealing a lot of damage on the spike, making it a very good anti-air option. The up smash can even be used as a combo starter, thanks to the second hitbox, when Bowser falls on the ground.
GROUNDED UP B
The up B may not be a great recovery tool, however this move is very useful in its grounded version. It's a great option out-of-shield: it can punish an opponent from each side thanks to Bowser's ability to still move slightly during the spin goes on, allowing him to cover some enemies landing after their aerial attacks. However, be careful: the move has an important endlag, leaving Bowser punishable to many moves if his up B is badly used.
FORWARD AIR
It is a strong move that has a good range despite a pretty slow startup, which allows you to win the neutral phase in many MUs when your opponent doesn't have enough range. The area covered is really large which makes it a scary option in a ledgetrap situation but also to hit small enemies or opponents behind you. It is the safest move of Bowser on a shield to lead to combos at low % or to kill at high %.