Bowser Jr.

Super Mario Series

Bowser Jr. made his first appearance in Super Mario Sunshine in 2002. His role in that game was antagonistic, kidnapping Princess Peach with the idea of her being his mother who needed saving, and that Mario was a bad man who harasses his father, because Bowser indoctrinated him to think those things. He does this with the assistance of a magic paintbrush invented by Professor E. Gadd, and a giant robot of his father he created himself. After failing to stop Mario from rescuing Peach in the end, Bowser Jr. told Bowser that he had already figured out that Peach was not really his mother after the final fight with Mario. Despite this, he remains determined to fight Mario again whom he still perceives as a bad man, to help his father and make him proud.^[6][3]

In Bowser's Fury, Bowser Jr., with his personally-modified clown car and reinvented-on-his-own magic paintbrush, plays the role of accompanying Mario on his journey. In the game, Bowser Jr. can help him in ways like confronting enemies, collecting extra coins, breaking hidden blocks, retaining power-ups for Mario, and uncovering secrets through his paintbrush. Although there are in-game options that can limit his interference.^[9]

The character is present in many other Super Mario titles, often as a boss level. The character appeared in New Super Mario Bros., New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2, New Super Mario Bros. U, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder.^[3]

Other games

Like most of the main Mario cast, Bowser Jr. appears in a number of spin-off series, including Mario Kart, Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, Mario Party, and Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games.^[A]

Bowser Jr. also appears in the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series, first appearing in Paper Mario: Sticker Star and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team respectively. The character received a dedicated side story, Bowser Jr.'s Journey, in the Nintendo 3DS remake of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.^[6]

Bowser Jr. appears as a playable fighter in the Super Smash Bros. franchise, debuting in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.^[10]

Other media

Bowser Jr. is voiced by Benny Safdie in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, serving as one of the two main antagonists (alongside his father), and with a mission to rescue his father. He also appears in a modernized design inspired by his Super Mario Bros. Wonder look, featuring a mechanized voice, metallic armor, and a transformable paintbrush capable of shifting into a chained morning star.^[11]

Character portrayal

Jenni Lada of Siliconera described Bowser Jr.'s role in the Bowser Jr.'s Journey game as an enjoyable protagonist. Lada felt that he often draws attention with his playful and bratty behavior, motivated by a desire to make his father proud. She stated that he can be mischievous and annoying at times, but is not truly evil, and the game shows him trying to do the right thing. Lada considered Bowser Jr. to be determined and impatient, often insisting on his own way, but showing moments of innocence and naivety that could be amusing. She felt that Bowser Jr.'s "my way or the highway" approach suited the game, which she believed sometimes feel like the player is brute-forcing their way through it, particularly since he realizes that his approach is not effective and would disappoint his father.^[12] Ethan Gach, writing for Kotaku, stated that after playing Bowser Jr.'s Journey, he felt the game meaningfully fleshed out Bowser Jr.'s characterization. He observed that the story presents Bowser as a flawed parent attempting to balance the responsibilities of ruling a kingdom with raising a troubled child, while also depicting Bowser Jr. facing challenges following his father's sudden absence.^[6]

Nadia Oxford from USgamer offered an assessment of Bowser Jr.'s reputation among Nintendo fans while reviewing Bowser Jr.'s Journey. Oxford stated that, unlike multiple Nintendo characters, Bowser Jr. has often been met with apathy or dislike, particularly from long-time fans who viewed him as a replacement for the franchise's Koopalings following Nintendo's revision of their status as subordinates of Bowser and his son. Oxford started liking Bowser Jr., especially due to the affectionate dynamic with Bowser seen in promotional material like the "Parental Controls" advertising of Nintendo Switch. In reference to Bowser Jr.'s Journey, Oxford suggested that Nintendo appeared aware of the character's contested popularity and set the narrative around him. Oxford praised the narrative for successfully softening Bowser Jr.'s image and cited it as a good example of strong character writing.^[13]

Holly Green, writing for The A.V. Club, criticized the depiction of Bowser Jr. in Bowser's Fury, observing how he had to ask his main enemy, Mario, for assistance in order to reach his aggressive father in the narrative. She said that this kind of storytelling is disturbing for a children's game and conveyed that this was not the first time she had felt worried about Bowser Jr., citing a possibility of Princess Peach being his mother, which she described as "logistically is horrifying in more ways than one". She concluded, "I'm rooting for Bowser Jr. No one should have to consult an adult, much less one of their mortal enemies, to reign a parent with an anger problem. You're a brat, Bowser Jr., but you deserve a better father".^[14]

In November 2025, the design of Bowser Jr., particularly his bloodshot eyes in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, drew attention. Kotaku journalist Kenneth Shepard, commenting on the film's promotional trailer, observed that the depiction of Bowser Jr. featured bloodshot eyes, contrasting with the franchise's usual stylized designs. Shepard suggested that the exaggerated eye design may serve as an artistic device reflecting fatigue or emotional instability, and noted that viewers found it unsettling. He questioned whether the design would remain unchanged before release, comparing it to the pre-release redesign of Sonic the Hedgehog in Paramount Pictures' 2020 film adaptation.^[15] GameSpot journalist Lan Pitts expressed similar concerns.^[16] Jenna Anderson of The Mary Sue stated that she possesses maternal instincts towards Bowser Jr. and selects him as her main character to play throughout the Mario franchise games. Ever since the release of 2023's The Super Mario Bros Movie, Anderson said that she was eagerly waiting for Bowser Jr.'s casting in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, with Jack Black's "over-the-top" portrayal of Bowser in consideration, fan-made concepts for Bowser Jr.'s voice included personalities like Kevin Hart, The Rizzler, and Tim Robinson. In contrast, she said that Benny Safdie was a "great" and "memorable" selection for Bowser Jr., mentioning his filmography and involvement in the Oscars.^[17]

In coverage by VG247, writers Hirun Cryer and Nadia Oxford inspected Bowser Jr. in Mario Tennis Aces, focusing on his playstyle and characterization. Cryer was highly critical, classifying him as frustrating to compete against and finding fault in his design, especially with his reliance on a mechanical assistant during matches, which he argued makes his role feel less direct. Oxford, however, took on a more positive view, referencing Bowser Jr.'s personality and his repeated desire to impress his father and noted that their interactions added charm and humor across different appearances.^[18]

Competitive play

In July 2018, Ian Walker of Kotaku reported on significant competitive backlash toward Bowser Jr. in Mario Tennis Aces, where many players considered him the most overpowered character on the roster. Within weeks of the game's release, online discussions were filled with complaints, matchup advice requests, and, in some cases, refusals to play against Bowser Jr. players in online matches. Competitive player Jonathan "Accel" Conaway stated that Bowser Jr. "essentially has every good trait in the game with nothing to offset it", arguing that the character had no clear disadvantage in neutral play. As a defensive-type character, Bowser Jr. possessed exceptional court coverage, with a reach that allowed him to return shots without diving, enabling stronger standard returns rather than weaker recovery hits. Although other character Waluigi shared the defensive classification, players widely viewed Bowser Jr. as superior due to his particular combination of attributes, including strong shot angles that could push opponents out of position, efficient super meter gain, and the ability to drift toward incoming shots while charging without sacrificing much movement speed, similar to hovering characters like Boo and Rosalina. His effective use of the "Trick Shot" mechanic further reduced risk, allowing him to recover from disadvantaged positions and quickly regain control of rallies.^[19]

Tournament data reinforced these concerns. In one online event, five of eight finalists selected Bowser Jr., and by late June 2018, he reportedly accounted for approximately 45% of the worldwide online player base. At the Community Effort Orlando tournament, while a Yoshi player won the first major offline event, much of the remaining bracket featured Bowser Jr. competitors. Third-place finisher Geoff “Geoff the Hero” Mendicino publicly remarked after a match that he had relied heavily on trick shots with the character, criticizing the game's balance. Other competitive players, including Wesley "Cat Fight" Garland, argued that Bowser Jr. was "a cut above the rest of the cast by a large margin" and suggested targeted nerfs, such as reducing his charge movement speed to limit his ability to defend both sides of the court from the baseline. In response to growing debate, tournament organizers planned a "suspect test" on July 7 to evaluate whether Bowser Jr. should face restrictions in competitive play. Although a notice in a game update indicated that further balance adjustments regarding the character were planned by game developer Camelot Software Planning. Despite widespread frustration, some competitors argued that Bowser Jr.'s dominance accelerated the metagame's development by forcing players to rapidly explore counter-strategies and character alternatives.^[19] Following this controversy, Bowser Jr. was given multiple significant nerfs that weakened his competitive viability, as reported by Emma Kent of Eurogamer.^[20]

Miscellaneous

In 2017, Game Informer's Elise Favis notified about a YouTuber called "TheDominoKing", known for showcasing domino effect setups usually for video game or pop culture-related material. He also created a setup for Bowser Jr., according to him, the setup required 5 days of effort and involved a total of more than 23 thousand dominoes.^[21] In the same year, an internet meme originated from Nintendo Switch's parental control advertising, depicting Bowser as an overprotective father, covering Bowser Jr.'s eyes whenever inappropriate content comes on-screen. Mic's Tim Mulkerin said that this inspired multiple 4chan users to utilize this meme format in unique ways.^[22]

In June 2023, GamesRadar+ journalist Jordan Gerblick reported an apparent inconsistency in the ages of Bowser and Bowser Jr. after Nintendo published an instructional video on its YouTube channel. The video, which demonstrated how to create a Nintendo account, used Bowser and Bowser Jr. as example profiles and displayed their birthdates as February 5, 1989, and March 3, 2010, respectively. Based on these dates, Bowser would be 34 years old, and Bowser Jr. would be 13 years old at the time of publication. Gerblick noted that the figures appear inconsistent with the characters' established debut appearances in the series, as Bowser first appeared in Super Mario Bros. (1985), and Bowser Jr. debuted in Super Mario Sunshine (2002). The discrepancy prompted discussion about the internal chronology of the Mario franchise. However, Gerblick suggested that the displayed dates were likely arbitrary, attributing it to Nintendo's lack of attention to such details.^[23]

In September 2025, Josh Coulson from TheGamer reported a toy leak suggesting that Bowser Jr. is in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Coulson mentioned that tie-in merchandise is typically made in advance of a film's release, and that an image circulating online showed an unfinished action figure of Bowser Jr. by Jakks Pacific. Although the figure lacked its detailing, the character remained identifiable. The leak gained additional attention after the image was copyrighted by NBCUniversal.^[24] Later in November, when Bowser Jr. was confirmed for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Coulson reported another new discussion appeared online that was related to the Marvel Comics character Prowler, especially for his theme. Critics argued that the sound effect used for Bowser Jr. in the film's promotional trailer sounded similar to that of Prowler's theme in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The musician Daniel Pemberton, who was involved in making music for Into the Spider-Verse, also noticed the familiarity between the sounds.^[25]