Bowser

Bowser  is the main antagonist in most Mario games. He is arguably the most recognizable video game villain ever, having been in the original Super Mario Bros. and in most Mario games ever since. He frequently kidnaps Princess Peach in an attempt to rule the Mushroom Kingdom. He is the king of the Koopa Troopas and has eight children - Ludwig von Koopa, Lemmy Koopa, Roy Koopa, Iggy Koopa, Wendy O. Koopa, Morton Koopa Jr., Larry Koopa, and Bowser Jr. In unusual circumstances, Bowser is known to help Mario if he must. Notable examples would be in Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario RPG: the Legend of the Seven Stars, Super Paper Mario, and briefly in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.

Bowser is portrayed as a large, fire-breathing reptilian beast with a turtle-esque carapace and a deep, rumbling roar. While an intelligent being and often warlock-like in behaviour, Bowser seemingly suffers from an inability to learn from his mistakes, in particular when it comes to his repeated battles with Mario. Of particular note is Bowser's ever-varying size - starting as tall as Super Mario in Super Mario Bros., he has since varied from about twice Mario's size to positively gargantuan, as seen in Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Super Mario Bros. – Super Mario World
Bowser's first appearance was in Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). In this game, Bowser was the final boss, and had many other followers be disguised as him to fool Mario, when you faced the real Bowser, you had to do what you did with the others and just hit the switch at the end to make him drop into a pit of lava. Bowser is the main enemy in this game on the account that he stole the Princess, turned most of the Toads into blocks and mushrooms, and planned to take over the peaceful Mushroom Kingdom. Peach's ability to nullify Bowser's black magic is apparently the reason behind her kidnapping in this game; in some later games Bowser's motivation is less clear.

His next appearance was in Super Mario Bros. 3, which introduced seven of his children, known as the Koopalings. In this game, he sent out the Koopalings to take over all the lands of the Mushroom Kingdom, and he also gave each one a special airship. In the final world, Bowser had army tanks and traps placed all over, and put the castle where he waited for Mario in the middle. Other than planning to take over the Kingdom, he also had the seven kings turned into animals by their own stolen Magic Wands.

Soon after his defeat at the hands of Mario in the events that took place in Super Mario Bros. 3, he decided to place his next stronghold in Dinosaur Land, which he targeted specifically for its abundant natural resources. He captures all of the peaceful Yoshis, and makes sure that his army is spread throughout the land. While Bowser is causing havoc across the land, Mario, Luigi, and Peach go to Dinosaur Land for a vacation totally unaware of what is happening. Once they arive, Peach is suddenly kidnapped by Bowser, and Mario goes out to save her, saving Yoshi and his friends in the process.

Super Mario 64 – Super Mario Galaxy 2
Bowser's 3D debut was in Super Mario 64, in which he captures Peach, traps her in a painting, and steals her castle's Power Stars.

Bowser only makes a short appearance in Super Mario Sunshine as the final boss, although his son, Bowser Jr., is the main antagonist. It is made clear, however, that Bowser has been orchestrating events from behind the scenes and guiding his son's actions; he even tells his son that Peach is his mother and Mario the serial kidnapper. (Bowser Jr. was apparently only briefly fooled if at all, the desire to capture Peach seemingly innate in the Koopa lineage.)

For a long time, Bowser wasn't the main villain, as several other characters have stolen his thunder, especially in the Mario RPG games. Bowser became the main antagonist again in Super Mario Galaxy, in which he aims to conquer the entire universe, and in that game's sequel Super Mario Galaxy 2. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the game concluded with an epic battle against the beast who became enlarged with the help of Kamek's magic.

In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Bowser grows to new heights as he towers over Princess Peach's Castle, once again kidnapping her and taking her into space. The fights against the Koopa King have Mario jumping on spheres that emerge from the ground and float in the air and ground pounding them, delivering enough force to send the planetoid crashing into Bowser. Bowser's attacks consist of punching the planet Mario is on, generating shock waves and breathing fire.

Super Smash Bros. series
Bowser has appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl as a playable character. He is an extremely heavy fighter and attacks by blowing fire, ground pounding, punching with his fists and using his spikes on his shell. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl his Final Smash turns him into the colossal Giga Bowser. Bowser plays a prominent role in the Subspace Emissary in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and eventually joins forces with Mario, Link and others in taking down the antagonist Tabuu after being an enemy to the group for so long.

Mario Party series
In Bowser's relation to the Mario Party series, he is usually the main antagonist. Bowser even has his own minigames to challenge Mario and his friends. Also he is the final boss most of the time. On the game boards Bowser spaces exist. As a result of landing on a Bowser space, Bowser can take coins and stars from players, or challenge the players to a minigame.

Characteristics
Bowser apparently has an obsession with Peach. He has been shown to frequent her fan site (may not be canon) and has made wishes such as "I wish Princess Peach would like me." It is also revealed in Super Paper Mario that he may have a crush on Peach as he jumped at the chance to wed her. His obsession is supported by the fact that in Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, while in Bowser's brain, Mario, Luigi, and Starlow discovered that Peach is Bowser's most well preserved thought. Also, another supporting fact is that on the Super Paper Mario website Bowser says, "Finally married hot princess,".

Bowser is one of the strongest characters in the series, being the Koopa King and more. One of his signature abilities is the ability to breathe fire. Ever since his first appearance he has been known to do it. He can shoot fireballs, or a constant stream of fire that can reach great distances.

Other
As Bowser appeared in Super Mario Galaxy, a trading card was made. It reads:

"Mario's archnemesis returns to the Mushroom Kingdom with a dastardly plan in hand. He surprise-attacks during the Star Festival, descending in his air fleet, and kidnaps Princess Peach! He takes her and her entire castle away into the far reaches of the universe, where Mario must travel to rescue her and restore order to the Mushroom Kingdom."

New Super Mario Bros 2
Bowser appearing in New Super Mario Bros 2 in the antagonist in the game kidnaping Princess Peach and transforming Koopa Tropa in golden enemies.

Trivia:

 * Bowser won the award for Best Overall Villain in the 1991 Nintendo Power Awards for his appearance in Super Mario World.
 * It is revealed that Bowser has a secret nice spot which is showed in some games.
 * Bowser is one of the established video game characters that makes an appearance in the Disney animated film Wreck-It Ralph in 2012.
 * Bowser seems to like meat and dislike vegetables, probably because in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, when he yanked the giga-carrot in Dimble Forest, he shouted to Wiggler 'vegetables is GROSS!!! WHERE IS meat?!'.

List of appearances

 * Super Mario Bros. (NES)
 * Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (NES)
 * Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
 * Super Mario World (SNES)
 * Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)
 * Super Mario Kart (SNES)
 * Super Mario 64 (N64)
 * Mario Kart 64 (N64)
 * Mario Golf (N64)
 * Mario Tennis (N64)
 * Paper Mario (N64)BowserStarRod.jpg
 * Mario Party (N64)
 * Mario Party 2 (N64)
 * Mario Party 3 (N64)
 * Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA)
 * Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (DS)
 * Luigi's Mansion (GCN)
 * Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN)
 * Super Mario Sunshine (GCN)
 * Mario Party 4 (GCN)
 * Mario Kart: Double Dash‼ (GCN)
 * Mario Party 5 (GCN)
 * Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (GCN)
 * Mario Power Tennis (GCN)
 * Mario Party 6 (GCN)
 * Mario Party 7 (GCN)
 * Mario Party Advance (GBA)
 * Mario Superstar Baseball (GCN)
 * Mario Kart DS (DS)
 * New Super Mario Bros. (DS)
 * Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GCN)
 * Super Mario 64 DS (DS)
 * Super Princess Peach (DS)
 * Super Paper Mario (Wii)
 * Mario Party 8 (Wii)
 * Mario Strikers Charged (Wii)
 * Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
 * Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
 * Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
 * Mario Super Sluggers (Wii)
 * Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (DS)
 * New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
 * Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
 * Mario Sports Mix (Wii)
 * Super Mario 3D Land (3DS)
 * Mario Kart 7 (3DS)
 * Super Mario 3D Land (3DS)
 * Mario Party 9 (Wii)

Gallery
Bowser