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Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Wii U Bowser Jr..png
  • 3DS unlock conditions: Clear Classic Mode on 6.0 intensity of higher as Bowser or play 100 Vs. matches, then defeat Bowser Jr. on 3D Land.

The future king of Koopas enters the fray, joined by Bowser's elite commanders! Armed with his Jr. Clown Car, Bowser Jr. has access to a variety of weaponry. At first glance, one might think Bowser Jr. is a zoning-heavy character with two projectiles, but the long animations for using these moves limit their potential. Instead, Bowser Jr. primarily relies on fake-outs and approaches with his Clown Kart Dash, a very unpredictable attack. Additionally, Bowser Jr. is equipped with strong, ranged aerials and smash attacks that can really hurt if they connect. Bowser Jr. suffers from the weaknesses commonly plaguing heavyweights, as many of his stronger attacks are sluggish and hard to land. His recovery, while capable of traveling very far, has very exploitable weaknesses that causes him to be edgeguarded pretty easily. Bowser Jr.'s kit is quite different from other characters, but they can always keep your enemies guessing if mastered.

Basic attributes[edit]

While his diminutive size might suggest otherwise, Bowser Jr.'s clown car makes him a very heavyweight character, outweighing Samus and almost rivaling Ganondorf. His ground speed is pretty poor, being one of the slower characters in the game. His air speed and fall speed is rather average.

Bowser Jr.'s Clown Car provides him with a unique survivability bonus. Any attack that strikes the Clown Car will deal reduced knockback, but hitting Bowser Jr. directly will cause him to take increased knockback instead. As a result, Bowser Jr.'s crouch is the only one in the game with a direct perk, since it makes Bowser Jr. tuck himself entirely into the Clown Car.


Moveset Analysis[edit]

Standard Attacks

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) 2 button(+2 button2 button2 button) Boxing Machine Bowser Jr. punches twice, then follows up with a continuous barrage of jabs before finishing with a powerful straight.
A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) A button(+A buttonA buttonA button)
(Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button (Left nunchuk or Right nunchuk)+A button (Left dpad or Right dpad)+2 button Fork Stab Bowser Jr. stabs forward with a massive fork.
(Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button (Left control or Right control)+A button (Left cpad or Right cpad)+A button
Up lstick+A button Up nunchuk+A button Up dpad+2 button Fork Swing Bowser Jr. uppercuts with a giant fork.
Up lstick+A button Up control+A button Up cpad+A button
Down lstick+A button Down nunchuk+A button Down dpad+2 button Tongue Slap Bowser Jr. knocks enemies around with a mechanical tongue.
Down lstick+A button Down control+A button Down cpad+A button
A button while dashing A button while dashing 2 button while dashing Lunging Sawblade Bowser Jr. charges forward and grinds enemies with a spinning saw.
A button while dashing A button while dashing A button while dashing
A button while hanging A button while hanging 2 button while hanging Bowser Jr. climbs up and swings down wrecking balls.
A button while hanging A button while hanging A button while hanging

Smash Attacks

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
Smash (Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button Smash (Left nunchuk or Right nunchuk)+A button (Left dpad or Right dpad)+1 button+2 button Drill Crush Bowser Jr. takes out two drills and slowly brings them together.
Smash (Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button Smash (Left control or Right control)+A button Smash (Left cpad or Right cpad)+A button
Smash Up lstick+A button Smash Up nunchuk+A button Up dpad+1 button+2 button Propeller Shredder Bowser Jr. inverts himself and minces enemies with the Clown Car's propeller.
Smash Up lstick+A button Smash Up control+A button Smash Up cpad+A button
Smash Down lstick+A button Smash Down nunchuk+A button Down dpad+1 button+2 button Double Demolition Bowser Jr. slams down wrecking balls on either side of him.
Smash Down lstick+A button Smash Down control+A button Smash Down cpad+A button

Air Attacks

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png 2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Glove Cyclone Bowser Jr. spins around with boxing gloves extending out.
A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Right lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Wrecking Swing Bowser Jr. swings a wrecking ball up in front of him.
Right lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Left lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Wrecking Bludgeon Bowser Jr. turns around and strike with a wrecking ball.
Left lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Up lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Hammer Smack Bowser Jr. swings a hammer above him.
Up lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Down lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Drill Dive Bowser Jr. drills downward.
Down lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png

Throws

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
A button after grab A button after grab 2 button after grab Rubber Hammer Bowser Jr. whacks the grabbed opponent with a toy hammer.
A button after grab A button after grab A button after grab
Right lstick after grab Right nunchuk after grab Right dpad after grab Glove Uppercut Bowser Jr. punches the grabbed opponent forward.
Right lstick after grab Right control after grab Right cpad after grab
Left lstick after grab Left nunchuk after grab Left dpad after grab Ultra Hand Swing Bowser Jr. spins and tosses the grabbed opponent backward.
Left lstick after grab Left control after grab Left cpad after grab
Up lstick after grab Up nunchuk after grab Up dpad after grab Ultra Hand Toss Bowser Jr. tosses the grabbed opponent upward.
Up lstick after grab Up control after grab Up cpad after grab
Down lstick after grab Down nunchuk after grab Down dpad after grab Ground Bore Bowser Jr. drills the grabbed opponent into the ground.
Down lstick after grab Down control after grab Down cpad after grab

Special Attacks[edit]

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
B button B button 1 button Clown Cannon Bowser Jr. fires a massive cannonball that travels forward before dropping down. The move can be charged to increase its speed and strength.
B button B button B button
Piercing Cannon Bowser Jr. fires a fast flying cannonball that can pass through multiple foes, but is a lot weaker with each hit.
Air Cannon Bowser Jr. fires a strong gust of air to push enemies away without dealing any damage. This move has noticeable backward recoil.
(Left lstick or Right lstick)+B button (Left nunchuk or Right nunchuk)+B button (Left dpad or Right dpad)+1 button Clown Kart Dash Bowser Jr.'s Clown Car grows wheels and he charges forward at high speed, ramming into them to deal damage. Inputting the opposite direction causes him to spin out, giving him more distance and striking foes again. Bowser Jr. can jump cancel this attack at any time, even after hitting an enemy, making it a strong mix-up and combo move.
(Left lstick or Right lstick)+B button (Left control or Right control)+B button (Left cpad or Right cpad)+B button
Koopa Drift The Clown Car now automatically spins out unless jump canceled early, and the Clown Car jump height has been reduced. However, the spin out attack now hits enemies multiple times while dragging them forward.
Grounding Dash The Clown Car shoots forward with a huge burst of speed and can bury grounded foes, but the spin out does no damage.
Up lstick+B button Up nunchuk+B button Up dpad+1 button Abandon Ship! Bowser Jr. ejects from the Jr. Clown Car, launching him skyward while the Jr. Clown Car falls and self-destructs. The Clown Car's explosion can hurt enemies, as can Bowser Jr. if you press the attack button while he is falling, which causes him to swing a hammer for high knockback. Being attacked out of the jump renders Bowser Jr. unable to attack for a short while until the Clown Car respawns, which can hinder his recovery.
Up lstick+B button Up control+B button Up cpad+B button
Meteor Ejection Bowser Jr. jumps a lower height, but the Clown Car causes a meteor smash when it explodes.
Koopa Meteor The Clown Car shoots up before exploding, sending Bowser Jr. falling to the ground at high speed.
Down lstick+B button Down nunchuk+B button Down dpad+1 button Mechakoopa Bowser Jr. spawns a Mechakoopa that wanders around. It will explode when it touches an enemy or after enough time has passed. The Mechakoopa can be picked up by any player and thrown as a bomb.
Down lstick+B button Down control+B button Down cpad+B button
Impatient Mechakoopa Bowser Jr. launches a Mechakoopa forward that explodes the moment it touches the ground.
Big Mechakoopa Bowser Jr. creates a massive Mechakoopa that moves slowly. The Mechakoopa will not attach itself to enemies, so it must be thrown like an item.

Taunts

Control Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
Up dpad 1 button Up dpad+A button Bowser Jr. leans out and breathes fire.
Up dpad Up dpad Up dpad
(Left dpad or Right dpad) 1 button+2 button A button Bowser Jr. takes out his hammer and swings it around.
(Left dpad or Right dpad) (Left dpad or Right dpad) (Left dpad or Right dpad)
Down dpad 2 button Down dpad+A button Bowser Jr. spins a few times in his Jr. Clown Car.
Down dpad Down dpad Down dpad

Final Smash - Shadow Mario Paint[edit]

Bowser Jr. transforms into the menacing Shadow Mario, who paints a massive X on the screen, then falls back to the stage from the center top. Any enemies that touch the X will take a bit of damage and knockback, and the hits refresh faster the longer the X is out, until it disappears in a strong explosion. Bowser Jr. can still move about and fight while the X is onscreen. This final smash is one of the weaker ones in the game, but makes up for it by being extremely difficult to avoid. The painted X is an overlay on the screen, so its size remains constant even when the camera is zoomed out. In addition, Bowser Jr. can still cause havoc by knocking enemies into the X.