TheSuper Mariofranchise is built on its recognizable characters. Just about every gamer can identify names like Mario, Princess Peach, and Yoshi, and they’re all characterized mostly the same across every game. One name that has proven to be an exception to this expectation, however, isSuper Mario’s lifelong antagonist, Bowser. The king of the Koopas has evolved considerably over three decades, as Nintendo has turned him from a simple final boss to an antagonist with depth and character. Bowser’s evolution has recently reached its highest point, with his depiction in Illumination’sThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Voiced by the always remarkable Jack Black,The Super Mario Bros. Movieshows Bowser as a multifaceted villain motivated by both power and love. While he’s certainly a threat to Mario and company, it’s Bowser’s hopeless romantic side that has grabbed the attention of many fans. The film’s depiction of Bowser has him infatuated with Princess Peach, even going so far as to writea love song for her titled “Peaches”. Jack Black’s performance and the film’s writing of the character is both comedic and refreshing, giving futureSuper Mariogames an opportunity to embrace this bold direction for Mario’s greatest villain.
RELATED:5 Best Music Themes from Super Mario, Ranked
Bowser’s Evolution From Voiceless Villain to Hopeless Romantic
When Bowser made his first appearance inSuper Mario Bros. so many years ago, his menace came from his imposing design and challenging attack patterns. Since then, Nintendo has taken nearly every opportunity to iterate on the character and flesh out his motivations for kidnapping Princess Peach. One of the most significant developments in this characterization came inSuper Mario Sunshine, when Bowser lied to Bowser Jr. about Peach being his mother. Nintendo has since leaned even further into this infatuation, with Bowser staging an elaborate wedding for him and Peach inSuper Mario Odyssey.
The Super Mario Bros. Movieshows Bowser at his most infatuated, with the aforementioned love song and his awkward bumbling when faced with the princess. He doesn’t lose sense of menace, however, and it’s this duality that Nintendo can use to give Bowser more depth in futureSuper Mariogames. While it seems unlikely for Nintendo to include morevoice acting in the nextSuper Mariotitle, it can use the film’s depiction to ensure he is still recognizable to fans who have become attached to it. Whether he’s more emotive or his romantic gestures are more grand, it would serve to enhance the Koopa’s sense of personality.
How the Next Super Mario Game Can Harness Jack Black’s Bowser
TheSuper Mariofranchise hasn’t received an original entry sinceOdysseyin 2017. For many fans, their most relevant depiction of Bowser is now Jack Black’s version, so it would be smart of Nintendo to use that for its nextMarioadventure. Considering the buzz generated by the “Peaches” ballad,the nextSuper Mariogamecould incorporate some kind of musical number. Goombas and Koopas could get involved as back-up dancers, and Bowser’s usual kidnapping efforts could all be in service to impressing Peach with this new creative endeavor. It would be silly, but it would also be on brand for Bowser’s growth as a character.
The Super Mario Bros. Moviehas continued a string of successful video game film adaptations, andJack Black’s Bowseris an essential part of that. Many movies are only as good as their villain, and Nintendo and Illumination ensured the fire-breathing foe would be both recognizable and refreshingly entertaining for audiences. Whatever Nintendo has in store for its nextSuper Mariogame, it would be wise to take a similar approach when developing Bowser’s personality and motivations. After more than thirty years of terrorizing the Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser still has room for some tricks up his spiky shell.
MORE:The Super Mario Bros. Movie Makes a Great Case for One Underused Power-Up to Return
