- Game Versions
- Smash 3DS, Smash Wii U
Hello, welcome to my Bowser Jr Guide. This guide will give you the basics and a run down of everything you need to know so you can apply your knowledge at home vs some friends, or at tournaments crushing brackets. This guide will go in-depth on many topics you need to know to use Jr.
- Who I am and why you should follow this guide
- Introduction to the Koopalings
- Move Breakdown (Frame Data & Damage)
- Basic Terminology
- Combos & Mix-ups (Bread & Butter)
- Advance Tech
- Match Ups (WIP)
- Pros & Cons
- Cited Sources
My name is TrickyTrismo or you can call me Tricky. Bowser Jr is my most invested character in the Smash Bros series as of late. I've been in the lab with him for almost a whole year, gathering data on all his moves and basic true combos on characters. My tournament experience has broadened my knowledge of his limitations and his strengths. I've played many players in my region and some outside (Some being, DMG | Hooded, S~R GVO, Z8, Wrath, Remzi, Qwerty, SS | WaDi, and BlackYoshi ), and have gotten their inputs on how he fairs Vs their characters. As of recent (2016), I was sponsored by LooK Gaming (they sponsor Falln aswell ) and I've been writing up this guide studying this character to bring you a clear cut guide that you can come back to if you forget anything important.
Bowser Jr is a pretty simple character on the outside. However, he can become pretty complex. Many assume he's just a bad Sonic clone. Some say he could be in the top of mid tier, while the rest don't know what to think of him because they're virtually non-existent. People have very mixed feelings about this character, but I think it comes from a lack of knowledge about the character and the players who use him. He is a very underused character, meaning without proper knowledge he can conquer pools because no one can handle him, they don't know his kits abilities. People can use him and go unnoticed, but be doing really really well but have their tournament run cut off. Someone who has taken this character to the farthest of limits, Tweek. He is virtually the pioneer of Jr along with ViceGrip. Winning tournaments with a Mid-Tier character at the beginning of the Smash 4 scene. Seeing a character dominate brackets at places like Xanadu, Ktar, and other big weeklies. This character has hidden potential. Tweek and ViceGrip showed it. I'm gonna help you get acquainted with Jr so you can one day surpass these 2 amazing players.
Attacks | Hitbox Active | FAF | Base Dmg. | Angle | BKB/WBKB | KBG
Jab 1 | 4-6 | 20 | 3 | 361 | 10 | 50
Jab 2 | 4-6 | 40 | 2 | 80/70 | 24 | 50
Rapid Jab |
Rapid Jab Finisher | 9-11 | 40 | 3 | 361 | 60 | 170
Dash Attack | 8-20 (Rehit rate: 3) | 50 | 1.5 | 25 0 | 100
Dash Attack (Final Hit) | 25-26 | - | 4 | 60 | 100 | 70
Ftilt (All Angles) | 7-9 | 34 | 8 | 361 | 30 | 110
Utilt | 7-14 | 33 | 6 | 97 | 48 | 99
Dtilt (Hit 1) | 4-6 | 41 | 1.5 | 94/45 | W: 30 | 100
Dtilt (Hit 2) | 12-14 | - | 1.5 | 94/55 | W: 30 | 100
Dtilt (Hit 3) | 23-25 | - | 5 | 45 | 20 | 150
Fsmash | 18-32 (Rehit rate: 3) | 56 | 1 | 93 | 20 | 10
Fsmash | (Final Hit) 36-38 | - | 11 | 46 | 40 | 136
Usmash | (Launcher) 7-9 | (Ground Only) 57 | 1 | 97 | W: 80 | 100
Usmash | 10-24 (Rehit rate: 4) | - | 1.3 | 110/190/140 | W: 12/17/50 | 100
Usmash | (Hit 6) 25 | - | 1 | 120 | W: 35 | 100
Usmash | (Final Hit) 30-31 | - | 6 |85 | 32 | 175
Dsmash | 15-16 | 60 | 18 | 53 | 40 | 89
Standing Grab | 12-13 | 36
Dash Grab | 13-14 | 45
Pivot Grab | 12-13 | 42
Fthrow | Yes | 3, 6 | 45 | 60 | 70
Bthrow | Yes | 12 | 45 | 50 | 65
Uthrow | Yes | 7 | 80 | 55 | 85
Dthrow | No | 0.5 (Rehit rate: 5), 4 | 55 | 80 | 110
Nair (Early) | 7-8 | 44 | 6 | 361 | 50 | 100 | 18 | 1-6, 42>
Nair | 9-13 | - | 5 | 361 | 40 | 100 | - | -
Nair (Late) | 14-19 | - | 3 | 361 | 30 | 100 | - | -
Fair (Early) | 10-13 | 44 | 11/9 | 45 | 33 | 93 | 27 | 1-2, 34>
Fair | 14-17 | - | 9/7 | 45 | 33 | 93 | - | -
Fair (Late) | 18-23 | - | 7/5 | 45 | 33 | 93 - | -
Fair (Landing) | 2 (Ground Only) | - | 2 | 60 | 60 | 100 - | -
Bair | 12-13 | 46 | 14/8 | 361 | 30/7 | 92 | 24 | 1-11, 30>
Bair (Late) | 14-18 | - | 10 | 361 | 7 | 92 | - | -
Uair | 6-9 | 26 | 10 | 68 | 30 | 100 | 15 | 16>
Uair (Late) | 10-13 | - | 6.5 | 68 | 30 | 80 | - | -
Dair | 15-38 (Rehit rate: 4) | 57 | 1.3 | 270/366/365 | W: 30/B: 30/30 | 100 | 25 | 54>
Dair (Final Hit) | 39 (Aerial Only) | - | 2 | 64 | 70 | 130 | - | -
Dair (Landing) | 1-2 | 26 (On Hit) | 2 | 50 | 40 | 180 | - | -
Clown Cannon (No Charge) | 43- | 81 | 8.5 | 50 | 40 | 82
Clown Cannon (No Charge, Late) | ? | - | 5.9 | 50 | 40 |82
Clown Cannon (Full Charge) | 103- | 141 | 20 | 50 | 40 | 82
Clown Cannon (Full Charge, Late) | ? | - | 14 | 50 | 40 | 82
Clown Kart Dash (Ground Dash) | 20- (Jump Cancellable: Frame 21-) | - | 4 | 80| 60 | 80
Clown Kart Dash (Spinout) | 5 - 12 | - | 8 | 361 | 60 | 80
Abandon Ship! (Initial) | 21 - 22 | - | 5 | 80 | 50 | 25
Abandon Ship! (Explosion) | 60-61 | - | 13 | 55 | 85 | 70
Abandon Ship! (Hammer) | 8, 13 | 40 | 15/10 | 361 | 50 | 90
Mechakoopa (Projectile) | 54-197 (Tackle), 258 (Generated on: Frame 13) | 68| 2, 7 | - | - | -
Mechakoopa (Explosion) | - | - | 7 | - | - | -
Z Drop (Ground) | 6 | 24
Forward (Ground) | 8 | 25
Back (Ground) | 11 | 25
Up (Ground) | 12 | 24
Down (Ground) | 7 | 20
Dash (Ground) | 5 | 38
Forward (Air) | 8 | 25
Back (Air) | 11 | 25
Up (Air) | 12 | 24
Down (Air) | 7 | 20
Frames | The "time units which smash runs". Considering this game runs at 60fps, a move which has 20 frames lag will take 1/3 seconds to recover.
DI | Directional Influence. The semi-control on the trajectory you have after receiving an attack, depending on the attack angle, and receiver weight and falling speed. For example, for horizontal attacks, holding upwards and diagonal to the opposite you'll be sent will send you a little higher but shorter; holding down (and maybe diagonally opposite to where you'll be sent) will send you lower but longer. For vertical attacks, either pressing left or right will send you in a more diagonally way. It's worth to mention, that you'll be sent the same distance, you just change your trajectory partially. The DI will be the last input read right after finishing the freeze frames.
SDI | Smash Directional Influence, also known as Hitstun shuffling. A mechanic which allows players to slightly alter the position during the freeze frames of being hit by an attack. Although it has been reduced drastically after brawl, it's important to know this if you want to escape multi-hit attacks. Can be performed by quickly tapping the stick in the direction you want to position.
SPO | SpinOut (Side B Variation)
SBC | Side B Cancel
ABS | Abandon Ship (Up B)
Ledge Cancel | Canceling an aerial, movement or approach by sliding off the ledge of a platform
B Reverse | The mechanic to quickly turn around, while reversing you horizontal momentum.
Knockback | The basic magnitude implemented to measure the amount of distance you'll be sent flying. It's heavily dependent on the damage dealt, current target's damage, character weight, base knockback of the move (The raw power of an attack, I.E. the home-run bat has insane base knockback), scaling knockback (how strong it scales in a damaged foe), and some other factors, such as rage, launch ratio, etc. Also for general moves, the greater the knockback, the longer you'll be stunned after getting hit.
Landing Lag | The cool-down or recovery time needed to recover from air moves which were interrupted by landing on ground. For example, a general landing lag (for every fighter) is 20 frames lag after an interrupted air-dodge.
Sakurai's Angle | A special knockback angle (361°) used for many attacks, where the angle launched depends on the knockback applied to the foe and if he/she is grounded or not. For example: Attacking a grounded foe with any move below 60 knock back value will send him at an angle of 0°, while attacking the same grounded foe with 88 knock back value will send him/her at an angle of 37°. For any knockback between 60 and 88, the angle will be calculated linearly. All aerials foes will be sent at 45°.
OoS | Out-of-Shield. The action you can perform immediately after a shield, like jumping, grabbing, rolling, etc.
FAF | First Actionable Frame, which is essentially the first frame after doing something where you can choose another option (i.e. Shield, Attack, Air dodge, etc.)
BKB/WBKB | Base Knock Back / Weight Based Knock Back - BKB is how much knockback a move has not factoring KBG. It's just a number for knockback calculations; KBG is more indicative of how much knockback a move will provide. WBKB is base knockback that varies with a character's weight. Again, it's not as important as KBG when trying to figure out what moves will kill head-on. It is handy for figuring out how far your opponent will fly not factoring KBG, leading to predictable trajectories that you can chase. For example, ZSS's D-smash has an angle of 45, and low KBG. This means that at most percents after hitting D-smash, I can predict that the opponent will fly away within a dash-able distance, at 45 degrees, where I can chase with Boost Kick.
SBC + Up Air
This is one of Jr's best combo's/strings and can potentially make opponents gain over 30% of damage if use properly. It has low knockback at lesser percents and is true all through out, timing changes depending on percent and this combo can kill at 160% or 150% if you have rage.
SBC + Down Air
This combination should be used at early percents. It is a good option, but on shield you have to drift away or a pivot grab or regular grab will ruin you. It can also lead to kill confirms. Bair or Fair also combos from the down air. Up Air can even.
SBC + Forward Air/ Back Air
This combo can lead into many mix-ups when they land, you can jab after the combo ( not a full jab just hit 1) and grab, or do a full jab if they un-shield. Near 30% you can fair > fair and get them off stage. Back Air is the same but more knockback so this can kill at certain percents.
This is one of Jr's best combo's/strings and can potentially make opponents gain over 30% of damage if use properly. It has low knockback at lesser percents and is true all through out, timing changes depending on percent and this combo can kill at 160% or 150% if you have rage.
SBC + Down Air
This combination should be used at early percents. It is a good option, but on shield you have to drift away or a pivot grab or regular grab will ruin you. It can also lead to kill confirms. Bair or Fair also combos from the down air. Up Air can even.
SBC + Forward Air/ Back Air
This combo can lead into many mix-ups when they land, you can jab after the combo ( not a full jab just hit 1) and grab, or do a full jab if they un-shield. Near 30% you can fair > fair and get them off stage. Back Air is the same but more knockback so this can kill at certain percents.
Cannon Ball Cancel
When Bowser Jr is on stage, his neutral B can potentially leave him wide open/very punishable if used on stage because of the bad lag afterwards. There is a way to make it a great spacing tool against players without being punished however.
While on near the ledge, activate the cannon ball neutral b in the air by double jumping and holding b. Before you hit the ground again, shoot the cannon ball and when the recoil activates. Bowser Jr should be pushed to grab the ledge stopping ending lag when Bowser Jr retreats the cannon back into the clown cars mouth.
You can also do this tech off stage facing the blast zone. With a good read, this could when you the game with the cannon balls pure strength as a projectile. Beware of Rosalina, Villager and Reflector characters.
Mehchakoopa Air Dodge Reset
To perform the air dodge Reset mechakoopa, air dodge twice in the air with the mechakoopa (
, or ,) in the air so it doesn't damage you when holding it in your hand.
While this is available to you, you can hold it in shield and if the opponent attacks, they will get damaged while you can shield and take no damage at all.
Abandon Ship Ledge Cancel
This tech is good on stages with more than 1 platform (battlefield, town and city, delfino, etc.). When you pop out the clown car, come near the edge of a platform and slowly get close to the edge then "slide" and when you touch tje edge of the platform, your clown car will be back and you wont have lag when you land on stage like you usually would if you landed regularly.
Mechakoopa Bounce
To perform this tech right, you need to jump into the air and let out the mechakoopa.
Before it starts to do the running animation, grab it and you will be able to bounce it on the ground by throwing it under you. it isn't that useful unless the Jump Cancel Glide Toss technique is implicated in but it's still a good option to catch a pivot grab or pivot ftilt
Koopa Kart Gear Shifting
Inputting a side-b and letting go will make Bowser Jr go normal speed.
Holding the direction you are facing however makes you go faster than before. This can be a great mix-up if used correctly.
Jump Cancel Glide Toss + Mecha Koopa Bounce
Guide on how to perform the JCGT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3_vOtY5kCc
With the mechakoopa bounce tech, throwing the mechakoopa down with the jump cancel will make it go high into the ground, and land on the ground covering a aerial option or a rolling option the opponent might make.
Using it on stages like battlefield makes it very versatile.You will be open to attack in one spot throwing up because it's a obvious option to do and makes you punishable depending on your location. With he glide cancel though, you can move faster after throwing it down ward covering a movement option the opponent might make off a platform. Up Smash, Down Smash are recommended to use if you want to mixup the opponent and get a killing option onstage.
Abandon Ship Ledge Cancel + Mechakoopa Air Dodge Reset
Mechakoopa ADR + Abandon Ship LC works like this. You hold the mechakoopa after the ADR. While it is activeand not about to explode you can Clown Kart Dash then abandon ship, or go ahead and abandon ship and get the opponent by surprise. This is a good approach option to kill with because once you are in the air the Mechakoopa explodes killing the opponent, get damage, or be a good follow up on the hammer aerial (out of ship). Afterwards, you can cancel the Abandon Ship's end lag by sliding off the ledge of stages with multiple platforms.
When Bowser Jr is on stage, his neutral B can potentially leave him wide open/very punishable if used on stage because of the bad lag afterwards. There is a way to make it a great spacing tool against players without being punished however.
While on near the ledge, activate the cannon ball neutral b in the air by double jumping and holding b. Before you hit the ground again, shoot the cannon ball and when the recoil activates. Bowser Jr should be pushed to grab the ledge stopping ending lag when Bowser Jr retreats the cannon back into the clown cars mouth.
You can also do this tech off stage facing the blast zone. With a good read, this could when you the game with the cannon balls pure strength as a projectile. Beware of Rosalina, Villager and Reflector characters.
Mehchakoopa Air Dodge Reset
To perform the air dodge Reset mechakoopa, air dodge twice in the air with the mechakoopa (
, or ,) in the air so it doesn't damage you when holding it in your hand.While this is available to you, you can hold it in shield and if the opponent attacks, they will get damaged while you can shield and take no damage at all.
Abandon Ship Ledge Cancel
This tech is good on stages with more than 1 platform (battlefield, town and city, delfino, etc.). When you pop out the clown car, come near the edge of a platform and slowly get close to the edge then "slide" and when you touch tje edge of the platform, your clown car will be back and you wont have lag when you land on stage like you usually would if you landed regularly.
Mechakoopa Bounce
To perform this tech right, you need to jump into the air and let out the mechakoopa.
Before it starts to do the running animation, grab it and you will be able to bounce it on the ground by throwing it under you. it isn't that useful unless the Jump Cancel Glide Toss technique is implicated in but it's still a good option to catch a pivot grab or pivot ftilt
Koopa Kart Gear Shifting
Inputting a side-b and letting go will make Bowser Jr go normal speed.
Holding the direction you are facing however makes you go faster than before. This can be a great mix-up if used correctly.
Jump Cancel Glide Toss + Mecha Koopa Bounce
Guide on how to perform the JCGT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3_vOtY5kCc
With the mechakoopa bounce tech, throwing the mechakoopa down with the jump cancel will make it go high into the ground, and land on the ground covering a aerial option or a rolling option the opponent might make.
Using it on stages like battlefield makes it very versatile.You will be open to attack in one spot throwing up because it's a obvious option to do and makes you punishable depending on your location. With he glide cancel though, you can move faster after throwing it down ward covering a movement option the opponent might make off a platform. Up Smash, Down Smash are recommended to use if you want to mixup the opponent and get a killing option onstage.
Abandon Ship Ledge Cancel + Mechakoopa Air Dodge Reset
Mechakoopa ADR + Abandon Ship LC works like this. You hold the mechakoopa after the ADR. While it is activeand not about to explode you can Clown Kart Dash then abandon ship, or go ahead and abandon ship and get the opponent by surprise. This is a good approach option to kill with because once you are in the air the Mechakoopa explodes killing the opponent, get damage, or be a good follow up on the hammer aerial (out of ship). Afterwards, you can cancel the Abandon Ship's end lag by sliding off the ledge of stages with multiple platforms.
W.I.P (WE ALMOST DONE BOYS!)
Kart Dash | Gives JR a lot of movement, and knocks the opponent up. It's a basic combo tool and is one of his best moves. It is a super armor version of Sonic Spindash. | Shields are a safe haven for the opponent. If you dair after the Kart Dash, they can attack right as you land or grab out of shield. it also has a slow little start up, so you won't hit on time, you'll back and then head forward which could be your demise
Cannon Ball | Very strong move and can be canceled with the grab of the ledge | Slow startup and can be easily punished
MechaKoopa | His mechakoopa has major stage control and can be utilized to be picked up and thrown at enemies trying to evade your approaches. It can be used as a Stage Hazard or a Zoning Projectile | If shielded, mechakoopa can be picked up and used against you. Reflector characters have advantage against your Mechakoopa and characters like Rosalina and Villager disable it in play completely.
Abandon Ship | His Up B allows him to shoot up high and snap ledge. With this ability, the use of an air dodge and attack that can kill at your disposal, it can also be used on stage if your opponent is in mid air. You can air dodge an incoming attack and then hit them with your hammer | It requires sacrificing your weight, movement options and safe "get on stage" options. You are lighter and in free fall. You cannot get your kart back until you are hit and it has exploded.
Kurogane Hammer - http://kuroganehammer.com/Smash4/Bowser Jr
Tweek (Beautiful Mind) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86KuML2lONA
ViceGrip (Grand Finals) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgBFl-Y3X9A
Commander Ducky (Tech Demonstrations) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQhTVOYNUjA
Bowser JR Discord - (no link)
Tweek (Beautiful Mind) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86KuML2lONA
ViceGrip (Grand Finals) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgBFl-Y3X9A
Commander Ducky (Tech Demonstrations) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQhTVOYNUjA
Bowser JR Discord - (no link)
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