Mario vs Bowser: Who Is the Reigning King of the Franchise?

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Mario vs Bowser: Side by Side Comparison

Before even beginning to compare the games that feature Mario or Bowser, it’s important to acknowledge that Mario already has an advantage. Before Super Mario Bros., which was Bowser’s first appearance, Mario had already starred in both Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. in the arcades. Additionally, the franchise is named after Mario and his brother Luigi, not Bowser. Still, the two characters have appeared in roughly every game that features the Mario name, spin-offs included. Even in scenarios where Bowser doesn’t make an appearance, he’s still referenced at some point during the proceedings. To date, the following are all the games that feature Mario, Bowser, or both:

Mario vs Bowser: 5 Must-Know Facts

Here are some of the must-know facts to consider when comparing Mario and Bowser:

• As the name of the franchise, every single game with “Mario” in the title features the iconic Nintendo mascot. While Bowser is also in many of these games, he is missing from several.
• Bowser has been Mario’s nemesis in every single mainline Mario game except one: Super Mario Bros. 2. Because the ending reveals the game to take place inside of a dream, this accounts for the different antagonist. Additionally, the game is different in the West than it is in the East, thanks to the notorious difficulty of the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2.
• Mario’s appearances in Nintendo titles predates Bowser’s by about 5 years.
• Several of the Mario sports titles do not include Bowser, instead focusing on the core heroes from the Mario Bros. universe.
• It has not been confirmed yet whether Bowser appears in the recently announced Super Mario Bros. Wonder, but Mario is obviously front and center in the game’s promotional materials.

Mario vs Bowser: Mostly Enemies, Sometimes Friends

Although Mario and Bowser’s relationship has traditionally been one of enemies, there are some rare occasions where the two team up. Most notably, the RPG spin-offs of the Mario franchise often feature Bowser as a supporting party member with Mario. Thank to the fact that these games take place outside the main storyline for the Mario games, developers have some freedom in how they implement Bowser as a character. The Super Mario Bros. Movie version of Bowser (voiced by Jack Black) was extrememly popular, meaning fans may be in store for more of these unexpected team-ups in the future.

Mario vs Bowser: Franchise Namesake and Iconic Mascot

Not only is Mario the namesake of the Mario franchise, he is undeniably the mascot of Nintendo. Nintendo has tried several times to switch up their mascot, each time failing to produce a character as iconic and recognizable as Mario. While many of these attempted mascots would go on to star in memorable and iconic franchises of their own, Bowser is stuck playing second fiddle to Mario. He has never had his own mainline game or spin-off, and is usually only featured as a side character or a surprise companion in games featuring the Mario moniker. In addition to wanting to claim the Mushroom Kingdom for himself, it’s no wonder that Bowser despises Mario with having to always play second fiddle.

Bottom Line

In terms of who the reigning king of the Mario franchise is, the crown undeniably has to go to the namesake and main character Mario. Not only does Mario feature in every single game bearing his name or the name of one of his companions, his appearance is synonymous with the Nintendo brand. The iconic Italian plumber has been Nintendo’s mascot for almost 40 years, and Bowser (despite his recent surge in popularity) can’t even begin to compare. That said, Bowser is one of the most iconic (if not the most iconic) villain in gaming history and liklely has more game appearances than any other gaming big bad. While a noteworthy and classic character in his own right, Bowser simply isn’t the face of an entire industry juggernaut.