Bowser's Castle

Bowser's Castle or Castle Koopa is a location in the Mushroom Kingdom. It is Bowser's home and his base of operations. It has very different castles, depending which game is it. It is also where Bowser keeps Princess Peach after he captures her.

Super Mario Bros.
Bowser's Castle first appeared in this game at the end of World 8. In World 8-3, Mario or Luigi had to fight Bowser's troops outside of the building.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Bowser's Castle reappeared in this game. It is the longest and final level.

Super Mario World
In this game, Bowser's Castle can be found in the Valley of Bowser. There is two entrances to this castle. The secret entrance and the Main entrance. This level comes after fighting Larry Koopa.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Bowser's Castle reappears in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island as the last level of the game.

Super Mario 64
Bowser's Castle returns in Super Mario 64. Yet this time, instead of being found in the Mushroom Kingdom alone, it is inside Princess Peach's Castle, as all other stages are in this game.

At the end of the stage, Mario must fight Bowser, who is more powerful than ever, due to the fact he has obtained every Power Star and used it to become stronger and more powerful. Like previous fights with Bowser in the game, Mario must grab Bowser's tail and throw him into a spiky ball, therefore hurting Bowser. Once defeating him, the "power of the stars is restored to the castle" and Princess Peach is saved.

New Super Mario Bros.
Bowser's Castle once again appears in New Super Mario Bros. as the final level.

Super Mario Galaxy
Bowser's Castle has a different name in this game, though the idea of the stage doesn't change from previous times. The stage is called Bowser's Galaxy Reactor.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
In this game, Mario and his friends have to advance through the castle and fight Bowser. After Mario, Luigi, Blue Toad, or Yellow Toad defeats him in regular size, Kamek will cast a spell on Bowser to make him gigantic.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Similar to Super Mario Galaxy, this stage isn't called "Bowser's Castle", but is very similar to it. This stage is called Bowser's Galaxy Generator.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Bowser's Castle (called Bowser's Keep in the game) is attacked by Smithy's Army and his minion Exor. Bowser was kicked out of his own castle and was forced to try to break back into his castle with the remainder of his army of Goombas and Koopas.

Paper Mario
In Paper Mario, Bowser's Castle is located directly underneath Princess Peach's Castle. During a ball at the Princess's castle, Bowser forced his castle into the air, causing an earthquake which broke Princess Peach's Castle away from the ground and into the air.

Bowser's base of operation serves as the final dungeon of the game and is led direct in Princess Peach's castle.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Bowser's Castle was taken over by Fawful. It is the first boss fought as giant Bowser. It was later redecorated by Fawful into Fawfuls Theater.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Bowser's Castle returns in the form of Bowser's Sky Castle counting as the final place in level in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. Mario fights Kamek first then confronts Bowser who is wearing the final Royal Sticker. After Bowser is defeated, the Royal Stickers and Kersti return to the Sticker Comet and Mario and Peach watch as the parade goes on. Its design is heavily based on the Bowser's Castle from a fellow 3DS game Super Mario 3D Land and is probably the only Bowser's Caste to not contain any enemy (Kamek counts as a mini-boss fight).

Mario Kart series
Several Bowser Castles appeared in the 8 Mario Kart games. Most of them is really hard, however, some are easier.

Super Mario Kart
Bowser's Castle is separated into three different tracks in Super Mario Kart. It appears as the fourth track in the Mushroom, Flower, and Star cup. The tracks are all harder than the previous track, with Bowser's Castle 1 being the easiest.

Bowser Castle 1
Bowser Castle 1 is the first Bowser's Castle track of Super Mario Kart and returns in Mario Kart: Super Circuit. Super Mario Kart's version appears in Mario Kart: Super Circuit as an Extra Track.

Bowser Castle 1 is the fourth track of the Mushroom Cup, but in this game there are five tracks to a cup. It brought forth the traditions of Bowser's Castle's lava pits, Thwomps, and 90 degree turns. There are many jump pads and boost pads in this track.

Bowser Castle 2
Bowser Castle 2 is the second Bowser Castle in Super Mario Kart and later in Mario Kart: Super Circuit.

Bowser Castle 2 is the fourth course in the Flower Cup. Along with 90-degree turns and thwomps which are natural for the Bowser Castles, Bowser Castle 2 has long straights and a few leaps that can put the player in lava if mistimed. This map's claim to fame is the long runway that leads to an area where the player navigates around two squares with Thwomps. It is too far from the landing point to simply jump, which is why an appropriately placed "STOP" is written before the end of the path. It is rumored that this jump can be completed with a feather on 150cc. This course returns in Mario Kart: Super Circuit as the first track in the Extra Lightning Cup.

Bowser Castle 3
Bowser Castle 3 is the third Bowser Castle in Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart: Super Circuit. It is the fourth course in the Star Cup in Super Mario Kart.

Mario Kart 64
Here, there is only one Bowser Castle, which is in Star Cup. Again, the track is covered in angry Thwomps and lava. Half of the course is outside the castle, while half of it is inside.

It is also the only solo Bowser Castle to not be in the Special Cup.

This course reappears as a retro course in Mario Kart Wii.

Bowser Castle 1
Bowser Castle 1 is the final track of the Mushroom Cup. This version of it is very short, and in some areas, you'll find entire chunks of coins. The background looks like a castle wall with a face of Bowser vandalized onto it. This course reappears in Mario Kart 7 as one of the courses in Shell Cup.

Bowser Castle 2
Bowser Castle 2 is the final course in the Flower Cup. It's considerably longer, and it's also even more dangerous. There's an abundancy of gaps in the lava throughout the course - primarily the middle of the course - and some of them increase the hazard by shooting lava up into the air. The gaps on the steel wire near the end of the course are amongst the most dangerous, not least since a vast majority of them demand usage of Mushrooms to traverse them. Fortunately, dash panels are located near the sides of a few areas; other than that, Thwomps and ninety degree turns run riot throughout the bulk of this course.

The course reappears in Mario Kart DS as the third course in Banana Cup.

Bowser Castle 3
Bowser Castle 3 is found in Star Cup. This version includes more Thwomps, more rail-less roads, and in some places there isn't a road between bits of the course - it's entirely off-road. However, on the plus side, there are Jump pads throughout the course. One of which you can use to escape a significant portion of the track, making less work and quicker lap times. In addition, the total lava pits has been reduced.

Bowser Castle 4
Bowser Castle 4 is a course in Mario Kart: Super Circuit that enjoys the pleasure of preceding Rainbow Road, being the third course in the Special Cup. It's resemblance to Bowser Castle 1 is moreso than in Bowser Castle 2 and Bowser Castle. The course is throttled by moving Thwomps, and near the end there're Mecha Koopas, another Bowser contraption that serves the purpose of being a toy for the Koopas. However, the track's so long you needn't worry about it - for now.

At the beginning, there's a square of lava that spews out fire. It demands timing, and if a Jump fails then you're heading for the lava.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Bowser's Castle is the third track in the Special Cup. In this game, the level is mostly inside, but the beginning is outside. Just like every other Bowser Castle, this one also has Thwomps and lava. This castle debuted the signature Mecha Bowser, which shoots out fireballs.

The racers start outside the castle and drive into a 2-way split both with two hwomps on either side. After coming out of the split they turn into an area filled with lava and fireballs firing out. The track splits and joins back at the launch ramp, while in the middle there is a pit of lava. There is a room with large fireballs spinning counterclockwise in a circular room. Hitting these will cause one to spin out. Towards the end of the room there are boosts to take the racers back outside the castle over some more lava back to the starting line.

Bowser's Castle
Bowser's Castle returns in Mario Kart DS as a new track. It is unique in the fact it is darker, and consists of more metal parts than any other previous Mario Kart Bowser's Castle track. It is the third track in Special Cup, coming after Peach Gardens and before Rainbow Road.

Bowser Castle 2
Bowser Castle 2 returns in Mario Kart DS as the third track of the Banana Cup. The course itself resembles that of the version at Mario Kart: Super Circuit, excluding the obvious differences of the spiked Thwomps, and that the jumps have been shuffled; some are performable without a Mushroom, and some are only possible using both an exploit and a Mushroom. The height of the railings has also been raised, though this is not of any use.

Bowser's Castle
Bowser's Castle returns to Mario Kart Wii with many returning things such as the traditional lava, Mecha Bowser, and Fireballs. But new features included areas where players could do tricks. Of course, this new Bowser's Castle had a completely new layout. Like most of the games, this course is the third track in Special Cup, after Moonview Highway and before Rainbow Road.

Bowser Castle 3
The version at Mario Kart: Super Circuit returns for a spell at Mario Kart Wii. This version belongs to Dry Bowser, who's made the shortcut harder to get at. This version precedes Bowser Castle 4.

Bowser's Castle
Bowser's Castle once again reappears as yet again the third course in Special Cup. It contains many things seen in previous Mario Kart games, such as Thwomps and lava. Like all the other courses in this game, there is an area eligible for gliding. The course's music is combination of Mario Kart Wii's Bowser's Castle music and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'s Bowser's Castle music.

Bowser Castle 1
GBA Bowser Castle 1 from Mario Kart: Super Circuit reappears as a retro course in this stage. Although the game was graphically updated heavily, most other changes were small.

Mario Kart 8
Bowser's Castle returns as a track in Mario Kart 8. It features a giant Bowser statue which punches the track to bend it.

It is also the only Bowser Castle course to not have any Thwomps.

Castillo de Bowser