Giant Bowser

This article is about Bowser's giant transformation after being crushed. For information about other uses, see here.

Giant Bowser
Applies to	Bowser
Item needed	N/A
Power(s) given	Increased size
First appearance	Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (2009)
Latest appearance	Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey (2018)

Giant Bowser is a form that Bowser takes on in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey. It is almost exactly like his regular form, only several times larger. He can transform into this form by either being crushed by something or by eating large amounts of meat in his dreams.

History

Mario & Luigi series

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story / Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

“GAHAHA! See that? All Bowser, baby!”

—Giant Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

Giant Bowser battling Bowser Castle

In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and its 3DS remake, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, Giant Bowser is a playable character, who is only used during giant battles. When he is crushed, Mario and Luigi must go to the Rump Command, where they play a minigame to spike Bowser's adrenaline. Once this is done, Bowser will grow large enough to fight whatever is threatening him. The first time this happens, Bowser attempts to fire a Banzai Bill at his castle, but the castle activates rockets installed by Fawful and lands on top of Bowser. However, he grows giant and lifts the castle up. He then fights it as a boss. Later, he is exploring Blubble Lake when he comes across a large propeller, belonging to the Tower of Yikk. After he activates the propeller by sneezing, the tower comes to life and stomps on him. Bowser is enlarged once again to fight it. Later he must battle the Fawful Express at Bowser Castle (which runs Bowser over) and a robotic, "Fawfulized" version of Peach's Castle called Super Peach's Castle of Fury (which crushes Bowser).

At a few points in the game, Bowser requests that he be enlarged, only to be reminded that it only works in mortal danger.

Giant Bowser in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey

Giant Bowser has the same role in main story of the game's remake, with the addition of a giant battle mode in the Gauntlet of the Challenge Node, which involves Bowser re-fighting the previously defeated giant bosses, except they are much stronger and harder to beat. This form also briefly appears in the Bowser Jr.'s Journey side story, specifically the instance that appeared during the Tower of Yikk boss fight. This also nearly endangered Bowser Jr., Lemmy, and Larry of the Koopalings. Bowser Jr. also speculated that this form was what Starlow alluded to when she said that his father Bowser was "working hard".

Attacks

During giant battles, the handheld device is held sideways, with Bowser to the left (right in the remake) on the Touch Screen and the boss on the other screen, opposite of what screen Bowser is on. All of Giant Bowser's attacks are executed with the stylus or mic (in the original game).

Attack	Image	In-game Description	Effects
DS: Punch		DS: Slide farther and faster to increase your punch power!	Bowser will step up to the boss and rear back. When an arrow appears, the player must slide across it as fast and hard as they can to make Bowser deliver a punch. This is Giant Bowser's primary attack.
3DS: Punch Attack		3DS: The faster you slide, the stronger it hits.
DS: Flame		DS: Blow into the mic to release flaming breath!	Bowser will prepare to breathe fire. When the blowing symbol appears, the player must blow into the mic as hard and long as they can to unleash Giant Bowser's fire breath. In the remake, the action command is changed to tapping the screen when the attack fully charges. This attack deals minimal damage and is usually used to clear away smaller enemies, though it is critical in the battle against the Fawful Express.
3DS: Fire Blast		3DS: Time it right to inflict maximum damage.
DS: Refreshroom		DS: Restores 50% of HP.	Mushrooms can be collected from some giant bosses' attacks. For example, when the Tower of Yikk sends Leaf Guys carrying bombs, some will be carrying Mushrooms. Giant Bowser can hold more than one at a time. When he eats one, 50% of his HP is restored. In the Gauntlet, no mushrooms appear at all.
3DS: Mushroom		3DS: Restores Bowser's HP when eaten!
Spinning Slide (3DS only)		Use this move to end the fight!	First, the player must repeatedly tap the screen to launch the enemy into the air, then as it falls down, the player must slide a clockwise circle to do a powerful punch.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team

Dream Team Enemy
Bowser
Location(s)	Dreamy Neo Bowser Castle
Level	35
HP	2800
Power	649
Defense	402
Speed	111
Experience	0
Coins	2000 (100%)
Coin Rate	100%
Item Drop(s)	Max Candy (100%), Max Nut (100%), 1-Up Deluxe (100%), Supreme Hammer (100%)
Rare Drop(s)
Related	Bowser X, Bowser, Bowser Jr., Giant Bowser X

“Transforming into a giant... I invented that, pal! No way some green stache gets to bite MY style!”

—Giant Bowser, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team

Super Bowser's distorted battlefield

Giant Bowser (known in-game as Bowser) reappears in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team as the final giant boss of the game. Giant Bowser is faced in Neo Bowser Castle's dream world, where Bowser gains this form upon eating a large amount of meat from his minions. However, when he learns that there is no more meat, he flies into a rage and starts wreaking havoc. When Mario and Dreamy Luigi finally catch him, Dreamy Luigi grows into Giant Luigi to fight against Bowser. Notably, in a callback to the previous game, where Giant Bowser was the fighter, the giant battles come full circle, as the two giants, both whom had been controlled by the player, start fighting. Also, Bowser says, "SHOWTIME!" before the fight begins, calling back to Bowser's Inside Story, where he did the same.