Nintendo recently debuted a new trailer for Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, and the trailer’s climactic face-off between Mario and a giant version of Bowser hearkens back to the iconic endings of many Mario titles. When it comes to video games, it’s hard to find a more classic hero/villain pair than Mario and Bowser. While Bowser may not always be the final boss, the duo has been duking it out since the first Super Mario Bros. game in 1985, and Super Mario 3D Word + Bowser's Fury continues that tradition.
Super Mario 3D World originally released in 2013 for the Wii U. In the game, Mario and company try to stop Bowser from invading Sprixie Kingdom and capturing all the Sprixies. The title was well-received, and, according Nintendo, it went on to become the second highest-selling Wii U game of all time, bested only by Mario Kart 8. However, because overall adoption of the Wii U was low, Super Mario 3D World's 5.86 million units sold still pales in comparison to what the franchise is achieving on the Nintendo Switch; for example, Nintendo currently lists the Switch's Super Mario Odyssey at 18.99 million units sold.
It makes sense, then, for Nintendo to give Super Mario 3D World a new lease on life on the Switch, but it’s not stopping with just a run-of-the-mill port. The game also includes Bowser's Fury, an original, standalone adventure wherein Mario (and Bowser Jr., in two-player co-op mode) goes to Lake Lapcat to search out Cat Shrines. During the game, Bowser appears in his giant, flaming Fury form.
Super Mario 3D World's Giant Bowser Isn't The Series' First
Giant Bowser is nothing new, especially when he serves as a Mario game's final boss. In Super Mario Sunshine, a hot tub of green goop leads to a jumbo-sized Bowser. In Paper Mario: Color Splash, Bowser gets possessed by black paint, which makes him larger and more powerful. Bowser eats Grand Stars to grow to a colossal size in Super Mario Galaxy 2. But Fury Bowser appears to be something else entirely - an enormous, menacing kaiju with powerful fire attacks.
At one point in the Super Mario 3D World trailer, Fury Bowser turns towards Mario and Bowser Jr. As noted by Nibel on Twitter, this scene is perfectly reminiscent of the ending of 1995’s Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. In addition to the game’s extraordinary art style, Yoshi’s Island has one of the franchise’s most memorable end boss fights. Players must throw eggs at a giant Bowser that slowly advances towards the camera, growing ever larger in the frame as he gets closer.
The battle was incredibly unique, especially among the 2D platformers of the day, and Super Mario 3D World's subtle nod to the moment is a reward to longtime fans. Hopefully, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury will live up to the spectacle of the games that inspired it.
Source: Nintendo