Giga Bowser (Final Smash)

Giga Bowser
Giga Bowser in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
User	Bowser
Universe	Mario Super Smash Bros.

Giga Bowser (ギガクッパ変身, Giga Koopa Transformation) is Bowser's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. 4.

Overview

Upon activating the Final Smash, Bowser transforms into Giga Bowser, granting him immense strength and his primeval moveset from Super Smash Bros. Melee. In Brawl, his transformation begins as he is engulfed in a bright sphere of crackling yellow-green electrical energy. In Smash 4, the visual presentation is slightly different, featuring a green glow and lastly electrical crackles after the transformation concludes, though the outcome remains unchanged. Giga Bowser can be freely controlled for 660 frames (11 seconds) in Brawl and 480 frames (8 seconds) in Smash 4.

Despite the core changes made to Bowser over the course of the Super Smash Bros. series, Giga Bowser retains many of his legacy attacks across each appearance, such as his classic back aerial and running animations. Consequently, Giga Bowser functions more as a semi-clone rather than a direct moveset upgrade. While in this form, Bowser possesses passive super armor, yet he still accumulates damage, potentially leaving him severely weakened and vulnerable to KOs once the transformation expires.

Many of Giga Bowser's attacks inflict elemental effects, and his smash attacks can even achieve one-hit KOs, making for a very effective Final Smash. However, despite the armor, Giga Bowser still suffers from hitlag as the timer ticks down, meaning it can be difficult for him to inflict damage as opponents stall him using rapid multi-hit attacks or items such as the Smart Bomb.

Giga Bowser, like all Final Smashes that make the user briefly change forms, is no longer directly playable in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, though he does appear as a Boss Battle. While Giga Bowser can technically still be controlled, the player can only punch one time per activation as part of the new Final Smash Giga Bowser Punch.

Instructional quotes

instruction booklet		Transform into the fearsome Giga Bowser, who doesn't flinch at any attack. You can't stay transformed for long, so wreak as much havoc as possible while you can.
trophy description		Bowser, transformed into the terrible and brutal form first seen in Super Smash Bros. Melee. While in this form, he cannot be stunned or budged. His appearance is so fierce, it's as if he doesn't even belong in the Smash Bros. universe. He cannot maintain this form for long, so dealing out damage efficiently is key.
case foldout		Transform into Giga Bowser, who doesn't flinch at all.
trophy description		Prepare to behold Bowser in all his Koopa glory. This fearsome form first appeared all the way back in Melee. While transformed, Bowser deals extra damage, is better at launching foes, and even gains special effects on some of his attacks. He won't flinch and can't be thrown, but he does still take damage. The definitive way to prove that Bowser's the king. This fearsome form made its debut all the way back in Melee. While transformed, Bowser deals more damage, launches foes further, and certain attacks have extra effects like freezing opponents. He won't flinch, and he can't be thrown either, but he will still take damage.

Changes from Melee to Brawl

Giga Bowser in Brawl.

Aesthetics

• Most of Bowser's new attacks and options (such as Flying Slam and crawling) are also available for Giga Bowser. However, his forward aerial, back aerial and a few other moves remain the same as in Melee.
• More attacks have visual side effects.
• Giga Bowser's voice clips and sound effects are now Bowser's voice clips and sound effects played at 75% speed and lower pitch, rather than sharing Bowser's.

Attributes

• Giga Bowser has immunity to knockback essentially having armor for his entire presence.
  • However, he is still affected by freeze frames, and thus powerful or long lasting multi-hit attacks can hinder Giga Bowser's movement such as a Smart Bomb that can sometimes hold him off long enough for him to revert back to Bowser.
• Giga Bowser's weight has almost been tripled (140 → 400), However, due to him gaining immunity to knockback, this change has no impact.
• Giga Bowser walks almost three times as fast (0.6 → 1.5) going from having the slowest walking speed to having the fastest walking speed.
• Giga Bowser's dash (1.5 → 1.7) and initial dash (1 → 1.9) are faster.
• Giga Bowser's traction is higher (0.06 → 0.067).
• Giga Bowser's falling speed is slightly higher (2.4 → 2.5).
• Giga Bowser's gravity is lower (0.25 → 0.1975).
• Giga Bowser's air speed is much faster (0.8 → 1.222).
• Giga Bowser's air acceleration is lower (0.05 → 0.04).
• Giga Bowser's jumpsquat is longer (6 frames → 7).
• Giga Bowser's soft landing is faster (30 frames → 18).
• Giga Bowser jumps dramatically higher (33.21125 → 73.85696598).
• Giga Bowser's shield is now unbreakable.
• Giga Bowser is no longer affected by Metal Boxes, Super Mushrooms, and Poison Mushrooms.

Ground moves

• Neutral attack deals more damage (5% → 7% (hit 1), 6% → 9% (hit 2)) improving its KO potential despite the second hit having less base knockback (30 → 20).
• Dash attack deals more damage (13%/10%/8% → 15%/13%/9%) although its base knockback was compensated on the clean hit (120 → 100 (clean), 80 → 70 (mid)) and it deals more shield damage (1 → 10 (early/mid), 0 → 3 (late)).
• The late hit deals less knockback (60 (base), 100 (scaling) → 50/80).
• All of Giga Bowser's tilts now have a darkness effect.
• Forward tilt deals much more damage (13%/12%/11% → 20%/17%/18%) improving its KO potential despite the non angled and angled down versions having lower knockback scaling (100 → 80).
• Non angled forward tilt has more ending lag (frame 37 → 41).
• Up tilt has a longer duration (frames 7-10 → 7-12), deals more shield damage (0 → 15) and has increased knockback (15 (base), 105 (scaling) → 30/100).
• Up tilt no longer deals consistent damage (13% → 15%/14%/13%/12%/11%).
• Both hits of down tilt deal more shield damage (0 → 10 (hit 1), 5 (hit 2)) and the second hit is much stronger dealing more damage (9% → 15%) and having higher base knockback (10 → 50). The first hit is now a meteor smash which can bury opponents allowing it to connect more reliably with the second hit and granting it edgeguarding potential.
• The first hit deals less damage (10% → 9%).
• Forward smash deals more damage (20%/16% → 28%/24%) and more shield damage (0 → 20).
• Forward smash deals much less knockback (50 (base), 100 (scaling) → 5/60).
• Up smash deals more damage (20%/17% → 26%/24%) and shield damage (0 → 20).
• Up smash deals less knockback (40 (base), 100 (scaling) → 30/60 (clean), 100 (scaling) → 60 (late)).
• Down smash deals much more damage (2% → 3% (loop hits), 10% → 13% (final hit), 20% → 34% (total)) and the final hit deals more shield damage (0 → 15) and has higher knockback scaling (120 → 130) significantly improving its KO potential.

Special moves

• Fire Breath weakens over time.
• He jumps a lower height when using Bowser Bomb.

Changes from Brawl to SSB4

Giga Bowser in SSB4.

• Giga Bowser has a lighter coloured, less detailed model, while still retaining many of his physical features from Brawl.
• As the case for most other Final Smashes, Giga Bowser was slightly nerfed from his Brawl incarnation, with slightly decreased duration, damage, and knockback on his attacks.

Attributes

• Giga Bowser duration is 3 seconds shorter.

Ground attacks

• The second hit of neutral attack has significantly faster start-up (frame 25 → 10).
• Both hits of neutral attack deals 1% less damage (hit 1: 7% → 6%; hit 2: 9% → 8%).
• Forward tilt deals less damage (20% up/17% side/18% down → 14%) on all angles. In addition it no longer has the higher knockback growth (100 → 80) when angled upward.
• Up tilt deals 1% less damage on all hitboxes (15%/14%/13%/12%/11% → 14%/13%/12%/11%/10%).
• Down tilt has slightly more base knockback (50 → 60).
• Down tilt deals less damage (hit 1: 9% → 8%; hit 2: 15% → 13%).
• The late hit of dash attack's first hit deals 1% less damage (13% → 12%).
• Forward smash has increased knockback (5 (base)/60 (growth) → 45/72.)
• Forward smash deals 4% less damage (28% head/24% body → 24%/20%). In addition it has gained a sourspot on the lower body that deals 18% damage.
• Forward smash launches at a more horizontal angle (Sakurai angle → 45°).
• The first hit of up smash has increased knockback (30 (base)/60 (growth) → 35/65), and no longer has a sourspot on the head. Both hits last 1 frame longer.
• The first hit of up smash has 1 frame more start-up (frames 16 → 17).
• Down smash has 1 frame more start-up (frames 14 → 15).

Aerial attacks

• Neutral aerial deals 1% less damage (15% → 14%) and lasts 1 frame shorter (frames 6-28 → 6-27).
• Forward aerial deals 1% less damage (15% → 14%).
• Back aerial deals 1% less damage (17% → 16%).
• Up aerial deals 2% less damage (20% → 18%).

Throws/other attacks

• Pummel has slightly faster start-up (frames 11 → 9).
• Down throw has 1 frame more start-up (frames 45 → 46).

Special moves

• The farthest hitboxes of Fire Breath come out 1 frame earlier (frames 13 → 12).
• Flying Slam has 1 frame more start-up (frames 13 → 14).

Moveset

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

For a gallery of Giga Bowser's hitboxes, see here.

	Move	Description	Segment		Damage	Angle	Hit Frames		BKB	KBG	WBKB	Type
Neutral attack		Two quick claw swipes; the least notable of Giga Bowser's attacks, although it possesses high range.	Hit 1		7%		8	11	0	100	20
			Hit 2		9%		25	27	20	110	0
Forward tilt		Punches while leaning forwards. When angled to the side, it has a 50% chance of tripping fighters, and can deal shield damage. When angled upwards, it deals the most damage and knockback, but can't trip fighters, nor deal shield damage. When angled downwards, it has a 100% trip rate, but does not deal shield damage.	Angled up		20%		12	16	28	100	0
			Angled side		17%				28	80
			Angled down		18%
Up tilt		Giga Bowser swats the air above him. Has a trip chance of 50%, but since targets have to remain on the ground for it to happen, it's unlikely to occur unless the fighter is giant-sized or metal.	Hand		15%		7	12	30	100	0
			Elbow		14%
			Arm		13%
			Upper Body		12%
			Lower Body		11%
Down tilt		Does two low claw swipes. The first one is not only a Meteor Smash, but it buries grounded opponents. Deals dark damage.	Hit 1		9%		14	18	10	80	0
			Hit 2		15%		27	31	50
Dash attack		A running headbutt. The second hit can bury.	Hit 1 (clean)		15%		11	14	100	30	0
			Hit 1 (late)		13%		15	18	70
			Hit 2		9%		26	30	40	80
Forward smash		Rears back and then performs a strong headbutt, causing an explosion around his head. However, its knockback stats are rather weak, which makes opponents not fly very far at low damage, even when the attack is fully charged. As a result, this attack is inferior to Bowser's forward smash, which deals better knockback overall.	Head		28%		28	40	5	60	0
			Body		24%
Up smash		Pounces on all fours and jumps straight up, hitting with the electric spikes on his shell. When he lands, he creates a shockwave that damages enemies farther away, but only if they're on the ground. This attack has a massive hitbox and is very effective for setting up a fatal up aerial.	Hit 1	Body	26%		16	21	30	60	0
				Head	24%
			Hit 2		12%		31	32	60
Down smash		Retracts into his shell and spins, creating a swirling blizzard that freezes foes. Has limited suction. Unlikely to KO normal-sized and tiny fighters, as they'll often become frozen before the final hit connects, completely negating the final hit's high knockback growth. Giant and metal fighters, however, are more likely to be KO'd by this attack, as the first seven hits are unlikely to freeze them, unless their current damage is high.	Hits 1-7	Edges	3%		14-15, 17-18, 20-21, 23-24, 26-27, 29-30, 32-33		40	50	0
				Body
			Hit 8		13%		35		30	130
Neutral aerial		Giga Bowser spins around inside his shell.			15%		6	28	20	80	0
Forward aerial		Swats forward rather quickly. Has great horizontal reach.			15%		8	11	50	80	0
Back aerial		Giga Bowser thrusts his shell out behind him. Unlike Bowser's, this is a semi-spike.			17%		10	14	25	80	0
Up aerial		Swings his head upward. Has huge vertical knockback, this is arguably Giga Bowser's best finisher. This attack is further complimented by its large hitbox and Giga Bowser's high jumping height.			20%		22	26	60	80	0
Down aerial		Retracts into his shell and spins himself into the ground. If the attack is not autocancelled, the impact causes a shockwave that launches nearby targets on the ground upwards with very high knockback; the landing hitbox has no effect on aerial targets.	Hits 1-9		3%		14-15, 17-18, 20-21, 23-24, 26-27, 29-30, 32-33, 35-36, 38-39		0	100	10
			Landing		10%		1	2	60	130	0
Pummel		Does an explosive headbutt.			6%		11	12	0	100	30
Forward throw		Giga Bowser flings the opponent using his head.			18%		36		60	50	0
Back throw		Turns around and chucks the foe away. Identical to the forward throw, through it occurs much faster and uses darkness instead of flame.			18%		19		60	50	0
Up throw		Giga Bowser tosses the foe upwards, retreats into his shell, and spins, damaging the foe with his spikes.	Hits 1-8		2%		17-20, 21-24, 25-28, 29-32, 33-36, 37-40, 41-44, 45-48		0	100	0
			Throw		10%		49		60	110