Bowser is a powerhouse with a very respectable shot. Although Petey and DK are a bit more reliable you will still think twice about letting this monster get a shot off. He is very great at defense. His hit rivals Petey's for the best in the game. Although not as wide as Petey, Bowser is massively tall. Bowser can smash airborne players that Petey would fly right under. Although this a small detail, it goes far in making Bowser a menacing defensive force on the field. Bowser's size attributes to another thing as well. He is always in the fucking way. If you thought Boos getting in the way of shots was bad, then Bowser is going to be your nightmare. He is so large that he will often just absorb shots from the opposing team. If Bowser is coming towards an opponent charging up an item shot he will more than likely block it. His lifeless body will then continue to block the rebound shots the opponent trys to take after the first shot. Unfortunately this is a double sided sword, as Bowser has no qualms over blocking any shots that his teammates try to take. There is nothing worse than using a mushroom and having Bowser's girth simply block your path and entirely mess up your timing on the chip you were attempting to perform. Bowser certainly takes up space, and he is in many ways still the same hazard from Super Mario Strikers.

Among other things Bowser can summon mushroom speed whenever he chooses. What the actual fuck. This massive monster who is so large that he noticeably impairs goals with his girth can also move faster than any character on the field whenever he has the ball? Yes, it's true, and Bowser is the only one with this ability known as the shuttle glitch. It can only be performed when Bowser has the ball, and it is done by turning 180 degrees as fast as possible and then reverting the motion while chipping the ball. If done correctly, Bowser will launch off a massive chip as if he had been using a mushroom, and he will also be running at mushroom level speeds for a few seconds. The chip charge is irrelevant to the glitch, meaning Bowser can use this trick for mid-court chips, serve it ins and pretty much any trick. This glitch sounds great in text, but in reality it is much harder to utilize in practice. This would be much more exploitable with a speed captain, but alas, it was Bowser who was granted this speed. This isn't to say that this technique is worthless however. The move itself can often be hard to execute which has hindered it's development. But in the hands of a skilled player the shuttle can most definitely be used effectively for unexpected tricks and start-offs. Keep in mind that if Bowser has the ball too long in the back court people will know that you are up to no good. This move requires a combination of technical skill and mind games to be used effectively. Generally it is not advisable to use an item for the sake of this trick if you could use that same item to get off an item shot. Also this glitch will still work even when shrunken by Bowser Jr.'s special.

Fire Storm! Not a good special. It is usable, but compared to other captains this special is lacking. Bowser is given a limited supply of fire with which he can set enemies on fire including both Kritters. Here are your best options. You can use his fire to ignite defenders in front of you and use your deke to cover the rest of his body. If used well this can get you open for a trick. It can also be used to get an item shot open. The restriction with this special is that it is very situational. Only use it when you are sure that you you will reap the benefits. An example being that Bowser and a Boo are chasing a free ball. Ignite the Boo and get off an item shot. This special definitely requires some thought otherwise it will be of no help to you at all. It can also be used for defense. Prevent a start off by simply setting the opposing captain on fire. It is also very effective at countering other specials. If you are playing Mario or Luigi then saving this to counter their special is not a bad idea. Also, it directly counters Wario's special by igniting his fart gas and causing it to explode. There should be little trepidation in using this special for defense seeing how its offensive capabilities are limited. It should be noted that Bowser CANNOT use the shuttle glitch when Fire Storm is active. Aside from Toad's skillshot Bowser's special is the only other way to set Kritter on fire on competitive stages. When kritter is on fire he is easier to score on and he wont use his hands. This also allows characters to get closer to him before he hits them. You can abuse this to actually walk in the goal but it's not a viable move. Setting Kritter on fire is only really helpful to steal the ball from Kritter, and that is about it.