When the first trailer for Bowser’s Fury dropped, I lost my mind. I don’t even feel like this is an overreaction – I flipped out, I whooped, I hollered, and I could not believe my eyes. There are only two ways to look at the confrontation between a giant Cat Mario and the monstrous Fury Bowser: a Godzilla-style kaiju battle of epic proportions, or an incredible homage to the undisputed godfather of all shonen battle series, Dragon Ball – or, more likely, both.
It’s no coincidence that the rest of Bowser’s Fury is just as fresh, funny, and inventive, while still paying homage to the classics. Cat Mario’s facial expressions and demeanour during the game’s few cutscenes feel like a Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd dynamic, and believe me, reader, I loved every minute of it. It’s rare that Miyamoto loosens the restraints on the tight Super Mario style guide, and to see that style being played with here was incredibly refreshing.
But when I checked Twitter after the trailer dropped, I didn’t quite see the response I was expecting. Yes, people were absolutely excited to play a faster, sharper version of Super Mario 3D World, and the reception to Bowser’s Fury was positive, but I needed more. The kaiju Cat Mario that appears once Mario obtains the Giga Bell power-up is absurd, okay? This hulking creature sports streaky yellow fur, and a mane that shoots straight up into the air, clearly evoking Goku’s iconic Super Saiyan transformation. It was the first time I’d seen anything like it in a Mario game, and it called for the memers to come out in full force to celebrate this triumph. But people were just… positive. Just, positive. It looked good, they said. Few memes, if any. I was, admittedly, a bit disheartened.
In the strangest way, it made me realise how enjoyable the social media hype cycle surrounding Nintendo games is. Nintendo games are family-friendly, of course, which means you’ll seldom see blood and gore. But much of the vocal online audience for these games are a bit older, and the memes and online discussion bring a bit of maturity to the table that might not be present in the games themselves. Need I remind you of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s introduction of Castlevania’s Belmont family as playable characters, which filled Twitter with people screaming “LUIGI IS DEAD.”
I suppose, deep down, I still miss the powerful presence of the late Etika, the admittedly raunchy and self-proclaimed Nintendo-badboy. Etika brought with him mature humour to the social media conversation that surrounds Nintendo games, which still managed to be self-aware. These are games made for children to play, after all. No one has really taken his place, and it’s left a vacuum in what I look for in these silly games for kids that I hold so dear. And I just know he would’ve made some kind of joke or quip about kaiju Mario that would’ve been in my head for weeks.
Ultimately, the point I’m trying to make is that the gigantic Cat Mario facing off against Bowser is like King Kong vs Godzilla, except Mario has the powers of Super Saiyan Oozaru Baby from Dragon Ball GT. And it’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen in my life. The conversation surrounding this clash of the titans has been quiet so far, but with the release of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury today, I hope to see some damn good memes real soon.
Next: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury Review – Wii U Redemption
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TheGamer Guides Editor.
Am I supposed to write this in the third-person? Do you know how awkward it is talking about yourself like you’re someone else? No one would ever believe someone else has this many nice things to say about me.
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