While many characters seemed to get a handful of helpful buffs in the transition from Smash 4 to Ultimate, Bowser Jr. is one character that still feels quite underwhelming. As a poor low-tier character, Bowser Jr. lacks several options that would allow him to compete against the game’s high-tiers. Nevertheless, Bowser Jr. is not completely helpless on the battlefield, and he has a few tricks which can catch opponents off-guard, particularly those who are unfamiliar with the match-up. This guide will go over Bowser Jr.’s characteristics, as well as the tips low-tier heroes will need if they hope to score big upsets as Bowser Jr.

Neutral and Approach:

Bowser Jr.’s most apparent difficulties relate to his mediocre approach and neutral game. Bowser Jr. is slow, both in the air and on the ground, which can make it difficult to effectively get in against his opponent. His Side-B, Clown Kart Dash, does allow him to cover distance more quickly, and can even be used to combo into aerials if he hits an opponent and jumps out of it afterwards. However, its slow start-up means opponents will typically have time to react and put up shield, making it difficult to convert a Side-B approach into a meaningful follow-up. His dash attack is useable as an approach tool, but it does not combo into any of his other moves, limiting its overall utility.

Bowser Jr.’s options in the neutral are also limited. Despite possessing two projectiles, both have a good share of weaknesses. His Neutral-B, Clown Cannon, has a laggy start-up, making it rather predictable and easy to avoid. His Down-B, Mechakoopa, is similarly slow and can be completely deactivated with shield. As a result, Bowser Jr. is not well-equipped to come to his opponent or to force them to come to him.

Perhaps Bowser Jr.’s saving grace in the neutral is his ability to wall out opponents with his quick neutral-air and his far-reaching forward-air or back-air. He can also keep out grounded opponents with options such as forward tilt and down tilt. Moves like these allow Bowser Jr. to at least protect himself from approaching opponents in the neutral and can be used to lead into some follow-up opportunities.

Punish Game:

Bowser Jr. can somewhat make up for his lackluster approach with his strong punish game. All of Bowser Jr.’s tilts are fast and have a handful of different uses. Forward tilt is particularly good for poking people who dash into Bowser Jr.’s range. While down tilt has less range, it can deal more damage if all of its hits connect, and it is similarly useful for punishing misspaced approaches from the opponent. Up tilt can combo into itself at low percents, and it can set up for juggles by forcing opponents into the air. Bowser Jr.'s jab is one of the strongest in the game, with its final hit acting as a kill move if Jr. can catch his opponent with it near the edge of the stage.

Bowser Jr.’s grab game is fairly weak overall, and he is typically better off relying on his tilts for quick punishes. This is because is grab is fairly slow, and he doesn’t have any true follow-ups out of his throws. At best, his up throw forces opponents into the air and can potentially set up for up-air strings, but this can be accomplished just as easily by launching opponents upward with up tilt.

Any time Bowser Jr.’s opponent is in the air, he can get a lot of mileage out of his up-air. Similarly, he can occasionally string a few forward-airs together or launch an opponent offstage with his strong back-air. Both forward-air and back-air have landing hitboxes as well, preventing opponents from punishing Bowser Jr. immediately after he lands with these moves. Even Bowser Jr.’s hammer attack, which he can use only after an Up-B, is quite strong and can effectively punish any opponent trying to catch his landing after a recovery. In addition, Bowser Jr. can often string multiple aerials together, and continue combos with tilt attacks on the ground.

Naturally, Bowser Jr. has strong punish moves in his smash attacks, the best of which is his forward smash. His forward smash has low ending lag, making it fairly safe to throw out in punish situations, and it is a strong off-the-side kill option. However, its hitboxes can be a little wonky, occasionally allowing opponents to fall out of the move before the final hit, which prevents the move from being completely reliable. Bowser Jr.’s up smash comes out quickly and is his best option for killing off the top. Though a bit laggier than the others, down smash is the strongest of Bowser Jr.’s smash attacks and is a potent kill move as a result.

Edgeguarding:

As slow as he is, finding the opportunities to land kill moves can be a struggle for Bowser Jr. For this reason, he may wish to finish stocks with his excellent edgeguarding options. Forward-air and neutral-air are both excellent for forcing offstage opponents even further away from the stage: forward-air because of its reach and long-lasting hitbox, and neutral-air because of how fast it comes out. Although a little slower, back-air is also an excellent tool for sealing stocks offstage. Jr. can afford to go out a good distance in order to land these options as well, as he possesses a solid recovery himself.

One of the most useful tools in Bowser Jr.’s edgeguarding arsenal is his Up-B, Abandon Ship! Using this special will launch Bowser Jr. upwards while his Clown Kart falls slowly beneath him. The initial contact of the move can catch an opponent’s double jump or intercept their recovery move, while the explosion can launch them further offstage. Bowser Jr. can often repeat this move many times in one edgeguard sequence, and it can kill opponents offstage at high percents. Though less notable than previously mentioned attacks, Jr.’s Clown Cannon can at least cut off some of an opponent’s recovery options offstage, making it easier for him to intercept their recovery.

Though he is undoubtedly one of the weaker characters in Smash Ultimate, Bowser Jr. has some options which can be used to defeat strong opponents. Particularly, those who approach Bowser Jr. recklessly may find themselves getting hit hard by his punish options, and they may also have some difficulty recovering against his plethora of strong edgeguard options. However, opponents who can force Bowser Jr. to approach will certainly give him a hard time, meaning Bowser Jr. can really only thrive if he can force the opponent to play his game.

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