Editing Bowser Jr. (SSB4)

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:{{cquote|''Bowser Jr. Clowns The Competition!''|cite=Introduction Tagline}}
:{{cquote|''Bowser Jr. Clowns The Competition!''|cite=Introduction Tagline}}
'''Bowser Jr.''' ({{ja|クッパJr.|Kuppa Jr.}}, ''Koopa Jr.'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. After initially being [[leak]]ed on August 19th, 2014 as part of the [[ESRB leak]], he was revealed as a fighter with ''Smash for 3DS''{{'}}s launch in Japan on September 13, 2014, followed by his official trailer being shown off during the [[Nintendo Direct#Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: 50-Fact Extravaganza|''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' 50-Fact Extravaganza]] on October 23rd, 2014.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0BBGzfw0pQ Wii U - Super Smash Bros. for Wii U 50-Fact Extravaganza]</ref> Caety Sagoian reprises her role as Bowser Jr.'s voice actor from ''{{s|mariowiki|Mario Strikers Charged}}'' and onwards, albeit via recycled voice-clips from various [[Mario (universe)|''Mario'' spin-off games]]. The [[Koopalings]] also retain their voice-clips from the ''{{iw|mariowiki|New Super Mario Bros.|disambiguation}}'' games, in which they were voiced by Lani Minella ([[mariowiki:Larry Koopa|Larry]], [[mariowiki:Morton Koopa Jr.|Morton]], [[mariowiki:Wendy O. Koopa|Wendy]], and [[mariowiki:Lemmy Koopa|Lemmy]]), Mike Vaughn ([[mariowiki:Iggy Koopa|Iggy]] and [[mariowiki:Ludwig von Koopa|Ludwig]]) and Dan Falcone ([[mariowiki:Roy Koopa|Roy]]), in place of their respective voice actors (excluding Roy) from ''{{s|mariowiki|Mario Kart 8}}''.
'''Bowser Jr.''' ({{ja|クッパJr.|Kuppa Jr.}}, ''Koopa Jr.'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. After initially being [[leak]]ed on August 19th, 2014 as part of the [[ESRB leak]], he was revealed as a fighter with ''Smash for 3DS''{{'}}s launch in Japan on September 13, 2014, followed by his official trailer being shown off during the [[Nintendo Direct#Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: 50-Fact Extravaganza|''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' 50-Fact Extravaganza]] on October 23rd, 2014.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0BBGzfw0pQ Wii U - Super Smash Bros. for Wii U 50-Fact Extravaganza]</ref> Caety Sagoian reprises her role as Bowser Jr.'s voice actor from ''{{s|mariowiki|Mario Strikers Charged}}'' and onwards, albeit via recycled voice clips from various [[Mario (universe)|''Mario'' spin-off games]]. The [[Koopalings]] also use their voice clips from the ''{{iw|mariowiki|New Super Mario Bros.|disambiguation}}'' games, in which they were voiced by Lani Minella ([[mariowiki:Larry Koopa|Larry]], [[mariowiki:Morton Koopa Jr.|Morton]], [[mariowiki:Wendy O. Koopa|Wendy]], and [[mariowiki:Lemmy Koopa|Lemmy]]), Mike Vaughn ([[mariowiki:Iggy Koopa|Iggy]] and [[mariowiki:Ludwig von Koopa|Ludwig]]) and Dan Falcone ([[mariowiki:Roy Koopa|Roy]]), in place of their respective voice actors (except Roy) from ''{{s|mariowiki|Mario Kart 8}}''.


Bowser Jr. is ranked 47th out of 54 on the [[tier list]], placing him in the F tier. Due to his [[disjointed hitbox]]es, Bowser Jr. has surprisingly good range for a [[weight|heavyweight]], allowing him to attack from a relatively safe distance, which is supplemented by a majority of his attacks being powerful enough to KO under 100%, true to the archetype of a heavyweight. He also sports an excellent [[neutral game]]: [[Clown Kart Dash]] functions as an excellent approaching option and provides an impressive amount of versatility, while [[Mechakoopa]] is useful for pressuring and stage control. Despite being a [[Weight|heavyweight]], Bowser Jr. also sports a deceptively good air game, courtesy of his fairly quick aerial mobility and his aerial attacks' follow-up and juggling potentials.
Bowser Jr. is ranked 47th out of 54 on the [[tier list]], placing him in the F tier. He is able to attack from a reasonably safe distance, which is supplemented by a few of his attacks being powerful enough to KO under 100%. He also has a very capable [[neutral game]]: [[Clown Kart Dash]] functions as an excellent approach option and provides an impressive amount of versatility, while [[Mechakoopa]] is useful for pressuring and stage control. Despite being a [[Weight|heavyweight]], Bowser Jr. also sports a deceptively good air game, courtesy of his fairly fast aerial mobility and his aerial attacks' follow-up and juggling potentials.


However, Bowser Jr. has noticeable flaws. His overall grounded mobility is quite sluggish, which necessitates using Clown Kart Dash in order to catch up with speed demons. Lag is another glaring issue; several of Bowser Jr.'s attacks have among the largest amounts of ending lag in the game, requiring players to use [[read]]s or [[baiting]] in order to secure KOs with him. Bowser Jr.'s [[grab]] game is also limited by his set of grabs' high lag, and his grab game is further made worse by unimpressive throws, with only his [[back throw]] being useful, as a situational KOing option. Lastly, Bowser Jr.'s [[recovery]] is predictable and unsafe, as [[Abandon Ship!]] is very susceptible to [[gimp]]s due to offering no overhead protection, it can only travel in a single direction, and it can be rendered unusable if he is hit even by a weak attack.
Despite his strengths, Bowser Jr. has noticeable flaws. His overall grounded mobility is slow, which necessitates using Clown Kart Dash in order to keep up with faster opponents. Lag is another glaring issue; many of Bowser Jr.'s attacks have among the largest amounts of ending lag in the game, requiring players to use [[read]]s or [[baiting]] in order to secure KOs with him. Bowser Jr.'s grab game also suffers from his standing, pivot and dash grabs' overall lag, and his grab game is further made worse by very unimpressive throws, with only his back throw being useful, as a situational KOing option. Lastly, Bowser Jr.'s recovery is predictable and unsafe, as [[Abandon Ship!]] is very susceptible to [[gimp]]s due to offering no overhead protection, it can only travel in one direction, and it can be rendered unusable if he is hit even by a weak attack.


Bowser Jr. had minimal presence throughout the entire [[metagame]], owing to a small playerbase and results. Although he previously attained stronger tournament results and a deeper metagame from {{Sm|Tweek}}, he later switched to using the higher-tiered {{SSB4|Cloud}}, leading to a stagnation of Bowser Jr.'s own metagame. Bowser Jr. still made waves of attention from time to time, such as with Jade defeating {{Sm|Trela}}'s {{SSB4|Ryu}} at [[CEO 2016]], but he struggled to make an impact at most tournaments.
Bowser Jr. had minimal presence throughout the entire [[metagame]], owing to a small playerbase and results. Although he previously attained stronger tournament results and a deeper metagame from {{Sm|Tweek}}, he later switched to using the higher-tiered {{SSB4|Cloud}}, leading to a stagnation of Bowser Jr.'s own metagame. Bowser Jr. still made waves of attention from time to time, such as with Jade defeating {{Sm|Trela}}'s {{SSB4|Ryu}} at [[CEO 2016]], but he struggled to make an impact at most tournaments.
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==Attributes==
==Attributes==
Bowser Jr. is tied with {{SSB4|Samus}} as the [[Weight|sixth-heaviest]] character, yet he possesses overall decent mobility. While he has the eleventh-slowest [[walk]]ing speeds, the tenth-slowest [[dash]]ing speeds, low [[traction]], a fast [[falling speed]] and above average [[gravity]], all of which are typical of a heavyweight, he has a surprisingly fast [[air speed]] and above-average [[air acceleration]]. Outside of this, Bowser Jr. possesses a few unorthodox, yet noteworthy, traits. Like [[Duck Hunt (SSB4)|Duck Hunt's dog and duck]], he and his [[Koopa Clown Car#Super Smash Bros. 4|Junior Clown Car]] have a pair of separate hurtboxes. However, the properties of Bowser Jr. and his Clown Car's hurtboxes are much more apparent: attacks that hit the Clown Car will deal 0.88× damage, whereas those that hit Bowser Jr. himself will deal 1.15× damage.<ref name="ClownCar">[http://smashboards.com/threads/bowser-jr-s-damage-mitigation-mechanic.369430/ Bowser Jr.'s damage mitigation mechanic]</ref> However, Bowser Jr.'s hitbox [[priority|out-prioritizes]] the Clown Car's hitbox<ref name="Hitboxes">[https://ssbworld.com/blog/45/bowser-jr-s-hurt-boxes:-an-inconvienent-quirk Bowser Jr's Hurtboxes: An Inconvienent Quirk]</ref>, making him vulnerable to receiving more damage more often than not. Although the knockback calculation ignores this, he will still be KO'd earlier than most heavyweights, as the knockback formula takes the target's damage after the attack damage has been added. One unique quirk Bowser Jr. possesses is that all, excluding one, of his attacks have disjointed [[hitbox]]es (with the only exception being [[Clown Kart Dash]]), which gives him decent overall range for his weight class.
Bowser Jr. is tied with {{SSB4|Samus}} as the sixth [[Weight|heaviest]] character, yet he possesses overall decent mobility. While he has slow [[walk]]ing and [[dash]]ing speeds, a fast [[falling speed]] and above average [[gravity]], all of which are typical of a heavyweight, he has a surprisingly fast [[air speed]] and above-average [[air acceleration]]. Outside of this, Bowser Jr. possesses a few unorthodox, yet noteworthy, traits. Like [[Duck Hunt (SSB4)|Duck Hunt's dog and duck]], he and his [[Koopa Clown Car#Super Smash Bros. 4|Junior Clown Car]] have two separate hurtboxes. However, the properties of Bowser Jr. and his Clown Car's hurtboxes are much more apparent: attacks that hit the Clown Car will deal 0.88× damage, whereas those that hit Bowser Jr. himself will deal 1.15× damage.<ref name="ClownCar">[http://smashboards.com/threads/bowser-jr-s-damage-mitigation-mechanic.369430/ Bowser Jr.'s damage mitigation mechanic]</ref> However, Bowser Jr.'s hitbox takes priority over the Clown Car's hitbox<ref name="Hitboxes">[https://ssbworld.com/blog/45/bowser-jr-s-hurt-boxes:-an-inconvienent-quirk Bowser Jr's Hurtboxes: An Inconvienent Quirk]</ref>, making him vulnerable to receiving more damage more often than not. Although the knockback calculation ignores this, he will still be KO'd earlier than most heavyweights, as the knockback formula takes the target's damage after the attack damage has been added. One unique quirk Bowser Jr. possesses is that all but one of his attacks have disjointed [[hitbox]]es (with the only exception being [[Clown Kart Dash]]), which gives him decent overall range.


[[Clown Kart Dash]] is considered to be Bowser Jr.'s best move in his kit overall because of its versatility, with its most apparent benefit being much quicker mobility to compensate for his otherwise sluggish grounded mobility (which can be made even faster via [[jump-canceling]]) and grants him an excellent approaching option. Clown Kart Dash is also integral to Bowser Jr. due to its mindgame and damage racking potentials. It can function either as a strong head-on attack or initiate aerial combos due Bowser Jr. being able to jump during it, which are further improved by jump canceling. Lastly, it can function as a horizontal recovery option, which is further supplemented by its {{iw|wikipedia|doughtnut|driving}}-based attack and possessing [[armor]] that can withstand a maximum of 7%.
[[Clown Kart Dash]] is considered to be Bowser Jr.'s best move overall because of its versatility, with its most apparent benefit being much better movement to make up for his slow dashing speed (which can be made even faster via [[jump-canceling]]) and grants him an excellent approach option. Clown Kart Dash is also integral to Bowser Jr. due to its mindgame and damage racking potentials. It can function either as a strong head-on attack or initiate aerial combos due Bowser Jr. being able to jump during it, which are further improved by jump canceling. Lastly, it can function as a horizontal recovery option, which is further supplemented by its {{iw|wikipedia|doughtnut|driving}}-based attack and having [[armor]] that can withstand a maximum of 7%.


[[Abandon Ship!]] is another useful move that possesses impressive knockback and grants Bowser Jr. considerable vertical distance. Unlike most [[recovery|recoveries]], Abandon Ship! does not initiate [[helpless]]ness; this allows Bowser Jr. to not only [[air dodge]] if necessary, but also allows him to perform a powerful hammer-swing upon pressing the attacking input, which is an almost guaranteed KOing option upon usage in sync with Clown Kart Dash at high percentages. [[Mechakoopa]] is an extremely useful tool for zoning, combos, follow-ups, and even defensive purposes due to its ability to block incoming projectiles, like {{SSB4|Link}} and {{SSB4|Toon Link}}'s [[Bomb (Link)|Bombs]] can.
[[Abandon Ship!]] is another useful move that possesses impressive knockback and grants Bowser Jr. considerable vertical distance. Unlike most recovery moves, Abandon Ship! does not initiate helplessness; this allows Bowser Jr. to not only air dodge if necessary, but also allows him to perform a powerful hammer swing upon pressing the attack button, which is an almost guaranteed KOing option when used in sync with Clown Kart Dash at high percentages. [[Mechakoopa]] is a very useful tool for zoning, combos, follow-ups, and even defensive purposes due to its ability to block incoming projectiles like {{SSB4|Link}} and {{SSB4|Toon Link}}'s [[Bomb (Link)|Bombs]] can.


Bowser Jr.'s good aerial mobility supplements the utility of his [[aerial attack]]s. His neutral aerial is useful as both an edge-guarding and out of shield option. His forward and back aerials are useful as edge-guarding, spacing and KOing options. While Bowser Jr.'s up aerial only hits above him, it is capable of juggling and can KO on stages with low ceilings, such as {{SSB4|Battlefield}} or [[Town and City]]. Down aerial can shield stab and functions well when performed out of Clown Kart Dash at lower percentages, due to the hitbox it produces compensating for its high landing lag.
Bowser Jr.'s good aerial mobility supplements the utility of his aerial attacks. His neutral aerial is useful as both an edge-guarding and out of shield option. His forward and back aerials are useful as edge-guarding, spacing and KOing options. While Bowser Jr.'s up aerial only hits above him, it is capable of juggling and can KO on stages with low ceilings, such as {{SSB4|Battlefield}} or [[Town and City]]. Down aerial can shield stab and works well used out of Clown Kart Dash at lower percentages, due to the hitbox it produces compensating for its high landing lag.


Bowser Jr.'s [[smash attack]]s are go-to KO options, all dealing high knockback and overall damage: forward smash has low ending lag, pokes shields, and can be angled. In addition, it deals multiple hits, and the move's hitboxes last long enough to catch [[spot dodging]] opponents; up smash has instantaneous startup and ending lag, pressures shields, and denies aerial approaches; and finally, down smash, one of the strongest in ''SSB4'', has high range and secures stocks when landed, killing the earliest out of Junior's smash attacks.
Despite his great aerial mobility and damage racking potential, Bowser Jr. is not without his flaws. One of his biggest problems is that his recovery is glaringly susceptible to gimps. While Abandon Ship! grants him impressive vertical distance, a weak hit from an attack can result in Bowser Jr. not being able to respawn his Clown Car if the player does not [[button mash]]. Another major problem that Bowser Jr. faces is a lack of viable options on shield, making him susceptible to punishes. Bowser Jr. is also a very straight-forward character, which can make him quite predictable at times. In addition, Mechakoopa is the crux of Bowser Jr.'s neutral game, making it easy (especially for characters such as {{SSB4|Rosalina & Luma}}) to shut down his options. Also, his [[Clown Cannon]] is a slow move that, unlike most chargeable projectiles, cannot be stored. Despite his overall grab range being rather long, his grabs have very high start-up and ending lag, while his throws are not very useful in general due to their inability to KO at reasonable percentages or initiate combos. Lastly, Bowser Jr. suffers from poor KO potential due to having very few reliable KOing options (his smash attacks and his forward/back aerials), which is further compounded by said options being burdened with considerable ending lag.


Bowser Jr. is not without his flaws, however. Chief among them is Bowser. Jr's extremely [[gimp]]able recovery: while Abandon Ship! grants him impressive vertical distance, even a weak hitbox from an attack can result in Bowser Jr. his Junior Clown Car being unavailable to respawn without excessive [[button mash]]ing, often preventing him from using his recovery more than once if Bowser Jr. is reckless. This is further compounded by the fact that Abandon Ship! lacks protection from overhead, with the hammer-swing attack's hitbox and Abandon Ship!'s explosion failing to compensate for it, leaving him quite vulnerable to [[edgeguarding]]. Another circumstantial problem that Bowser Jr. faces is a lack of viable options on [[shield]]: most of Bowser. Jr's attacks are burdened with high lag and, outside of [[Clown Cannon]], lack strong [[shield damage]], making him susceptible to punishment if his attacks are performed unwisely. In addition, his grab is one of the slowest non-[[tether grab]]s, his aerials are either burdened with high lag or have poor range for being disjointed and his Mechakoopas will deactivate if colliding with a shield, making him susceptible to punishes, and as his [[traction]] is among the lowest in the game, this gives him a poor out-of-shield game.  
Bowser Jr. gains very few buffs from his [[Character customization|custom moves]]. Piercing Cannon is faster and pierces opponents, but it deals less damage and knockback. Air Cannon is also faster and briefly stalls Bowser Jr. in midair, but replaces the cannonball with a windbox, which re-purposes it from an offensive option to a defensive option. Big Mechakoopa is stronger and larger, but it sacrifices Mechakoopa's ability to trip up opponents. Outside of these, Bowser Jr.'s remaining customs are less effective than the default versions.


Furthermore, despite Bowser Jr.'s excellent [[neutral game]] due to the utility of his special moveset, Bowser Jr. is also a straightforward character, which can make him quite predictable at times. In turn, Mechakoopa is the crux of Bowser Jr.'s neutral game, making it easy for opponents to shut down his options, especially for characters with [[reflection|reflectors]] and/or moves capable of [[absorption]], such as {{SSB4|Fox}} and {{SSB4|Rosalina & Luma}}, respectively. Additionally, [[Clown Cannon]] is a sluggish projectile that, unlike most chargeable projectiles, cannot be stored. Finally, Bowser Jr. is otherwise over-reliant on Clown Kart Dash for approaching, as his great aerial mobility is offset by his somewhat sluggish grounded mobility without the usage of Clown Kart Dash. Altogether, this means that Bowser Jr.'s neutral game is overall predictable and his playstyle is linear.
Overall, Bowser Jr. fares well with a bait and punish playstyle like [[Bowser (SSB4)|his father]] does, but he can also be potent at pressuring the opponent thanks to Clown Kart Dash and Mechakoopa. However, his slew of his easily exploitable weaknesses can make him a bit underwhelming overall and greatly overshadowed compared to the rest of the cast. While his flaws have resulted in his lack of representation in the Western scene, the Japanese scene views him more favorably. Additionally, professionals like {{Sm|Tweek}} have shown that he can be viable when his strengths are played wisely and to their fullest.
 
Despite his [[grab]]'s relatively long range and possessing a fairly fast [[pummel]] with passable damage output, his grab game is also rather mediocre: his grabs are burdened with noticeable start-up and ending lag, while his throws lack general utility due to their inability to KO at reasonable percentages or initiate combos. However, there are some notable exceptions: his [[down throw]] overall outclasses Bowser Jr.'s back throw due to its much stronger knockback, able to KO middleweights at around 160% at the edge of Final Destination, although this can easily be prevented with good [[DI]]. His [[forward throw]] can set up [[tech-chasing]] at low precents and set up edgeguards, and the latter trait is shared with his [[back throw]]. Lastly, Bowser Jr. also surprisingly struggles securing KOs at times due to possessing a few reliable KOing options (his smash attacks and his forward/back aerials), which is further compounded by said options being burdened with considerable ending lag. While all of Bowser Jr.'s throws can KO at higher precents, they are only capable of effectively doing so if Bowser Jr. stacks high levels of [[rage]] (up throw) and/or if near the ledge (back throw), or even both (forward throw).
 
Despite possessing [[disjointed hitbox]]es, a majority of his attacks, such as his tilts, have rather poor range for a disjoint, so he fares surprisingly poorly against swordfighters considering his disjointed moveset, such as {{SSB4|Marth}} and {{SSB4|Cloud}}. Finally, Bowser Jr. receives more damage if he is hit instead of his Koopa Clown Car, so he suffers from high vulnerability to aerial approaches and after using Abandon Ship!, and he also struggles with dealing with pressure from his opponents. As mentioned before, this is especially prevalent since Bowser Jr.'s hurtbox out-prioritizes the Clown Car's hurtbox, which means that Bowser Jr. can be KO'd earlier in comparison to other heavyweights of the same class. Since he typically [[priority|out-prioritizes]] his Clown Car when thrown, Bowser Jr. is also especially vulnerable to grabs and can be knocked out earlier than most characters of his weight class by strong killing throws, such as {{SSB4|Ness}}.
 
Bowser Jr. gains only a few improvements from his [[Character customization|custom moves]]. Piercing Cannon is quicker and pierces opponents, but it deals less damage and knockback. Air Cannon is also quicker and briefly stalls Bowser Jr.'s momentum in midair, but replaces the cannonball with a windbox, which re-purposes it from an offensive option to a defensive option. Big Mechakoopa is stronger and larger, but it sacrifices Mechakoopa's ability to trip up opponents. Outside of these, Bowser Jr.'s remaining custom moves are less effective than the default variations.
 
Overall, Bowser Jr. is best described as a powerhouse who fares well with a defensive bait-and-punish playstyle at the same extent of [[Bowser (SSB4)|his father]], but he can also be potent at pressuring and zoning out the opponent thanks to Clown Kart Dash and Mechakoopa. Like {{SSB4|Bowser}}, Bowser Jr. also benefits from comparatively excellent damage output, KO power and shield-breaking capabilities with Clown Cannon, while still retaining good range due to his disjointed hitboxes and overall decent mobility, although he is typically outclassed by his father in terms of these offensive traits. However, his slew of his easily exploitable weaknesses prevent his strengths from easily maintaining track of and getting mastered to the fullest, which is further compounded by the overwhelming mechanic of the Clown Car, which means that he lacks the respectable endurance of other heavyweights. While his flaws have resulted in his lack of representation in the Western scene, Japan regards him more favorably. Additionally, professionals, like {{Sm|Tweek}}, have shown that he can be viable when his strengths are mastered wisely and to their fullest.


==Update history==
==Update history==
Bowser Jr. has been buffed slightly via game updates. The most notable instance occurred in update 1.1.4, which moderately decreased his smash attacks' ending lag and made his forward and back aerials stronger. The changes to the shielding mechanics brought in updates [[1.1.0]] and [[1.1.1]] also slightly benefit him due to some of his moves possessing high damage outputs and/or hitting multiple times.
Bowser Jr. has been buffed slightly via game updates. The most notable instance occurred in update 1.1.4, which moderately decreased his smash attacks' ending lag and made his forward and back aerials stronger. The changes to the shield mechanics in updates [[1.1.0]] and [[1.1.1]] also slightly help him due to some of his moves possessing high damage outputs and/or hitting multiple times.


'''{{GameIcon|ssb4-3ds}} [[1.0.4]]'''
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4-3ds}} [[1.0.4]]'''

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