Bowser Art: GryphonTen Full name: King Bowser Koopa Height: 8'10" (about 270cm) Weight: 675 lbs. Home: Bowser's Castle, Bowser's Keep First appearance: Super Mario Bros. Last appeared in: Mario Golf "I'm the biggest, baddest brute around, and don't you forget it!"

The King of the Koopas

Every great hero needs a villian, and Mario is no exception. King Bowser Koopa first appeared in 1985, as the final boss of Super Mario Bros., and since then, he has never given up in his attemps to take over the Mushroom Kingdom and wed Princess Toadstool. Bowser has apparently fought with Mario ever since the two of them were babies, as we first learned in Super Mario World 2. When he got a bit older, and Mario had seemingly disappeared, young Bowser attempted to take over Yoshi's Island again in Yoshi's Story, but once again found his plans thwarted by the Yoshis. For a long time nothing happened, until one day, Bowser, now a grown-up, first heard word of the famous Mushroom Kingdom. Bowser wanted this kingdom to become part of his already vast Koopa empire, so he decided to conquer it. After turning most of the kingdom's citizens into inanimate bricks or helpless plants, and locking away the Mushroom King's seven highest ranking retainers, Bowser decided to kidnap the Kingdom's princess and marry her, so he could become the new ruler of The Mushroom Kigndom and easily take over the entire Mushroom World.

Of course Mario easily put a stop to this plan in Super Mario Bros., as he rescued both the princess and the seven retainers, but that didn't stop Bowser from trying to kidnap Princess Toadstool again, and again, and again....

In Super Mario RPG, Bowser briefly joined up with Mario, Princess, Geno, and Mallow in order for him to reclaim his castle back from Smithy and his minions. After Smithy was defeated, Bowser went back to his old ways, once again creating trouble in Super Mario 64.

Written by J.J. McCullough.