This is a tutorial for Version 2 of the Bowser skip in 16-4.

Background

Current record holder Juice found that Version 1 of the Bowser skip is inconsistent. Turns out, the walking pattern (which happens ~74% of the time) can sometimes block you when going underneath if you go at the wrong time which is hard to control. This doesn't have a good fix as changing the original setup by delaying longer or shorter makes Mario too fast or slow to go under the jump pattern consistently.

Bowser skip V.2

Introducing, The 2nd version of the Bowser skip which has 2 variations

The Idea is that we can wait for Bowser to shoot a Fireball or Jump so that we can go over Bowser every time and don't have to deal with getting past his walking pattern. The downside is this is slower on average by about 1.5 seconds, and Jumping over Bowser will need practice. Also note that always going above Bowser means we can bypass him as big Mario.

Option 1 - Fire-Mario

• much safer (always get 2 or 3 attempts)
• don't have to worry about random fireballs from offscreen
• 0.5-1s slower
• requires duck jump (jump over Bowser is harder)

Option 2 - Small-Mario + shellmet

• 0.5-1s faster

• no duck jump needed (jump over Bowser is easier)

• riskier, more costly to back up

How to do the skip

If you're learning this, I'd recommend starting with the Fire option until your confident with this skip. Also, if you lose your shellmet you can back it up with the Fire-Mario skip.

Small-Mario + shellmet

1. stop on the block to the right of the first Lava-bubble and wait for bowser to start his fire or jump pattern
2. Start holding right to do a running jump with an aerotwirl AFTER you hit the ceiling
3. Keep holding right

Fire-Mario

1. stop on top of the first lava bubble and wait for bowser to start his fire or jump pattern
2. Start holding right to do a running duckjump with an aerotwirl AFTER you hit the ceiling
3. keep holding right

Also keep in mind Jumping over Bowser there are 2 Hitboxes to avoid, his head/face and the top of his shell. In the Fire pattern, Bowsers head comes forward meaning you need to jump earlier.

Bowser Patterns

Bowser has 5 patterns: Walk, Jump, Fire, Multi Fire, Big Jump. But if we do the skip first try, we only have to worry about: Walk, Jump, Fire. If Bowser ever does Multi Fire or a Big Jump it's best to wait these patterns out.

Bowser will always do either zero, 2, or 4 steps before he Jumps or shoots fire so this is what to look for.

Other stuff that's good to know

• Bowser can be up against the right wall or a block away from it depending on if he did his Walk pattern or not. this slightly changes when to jump over him.

• If Bowser is against the wall you may get Bounced around behind him, Just keep holding right and you are usually good unless you have bad positioning and get a bad pattern (very unlikely you die here but possible)

• Sledge Bros are only an issue if you don't get It first try. Lava-bubbles should be ignored because your about to d-boost anyway. as Small-Mario, you don't want to stand on the first Lava-bubble.

• The setups aren't exact, and you don't have to follow them, but this is what I found to work best. you don't want to be much further back cause then you have to react faster to Bowser.

• Bowser is most likely to take 4 steps and jump (~27.3%)

Final words

I will also recommend watching some of this video of me attempting this 128 times to get a better feel for all the things Bowser can do and the ways that things can go wrong (watch as much as you want). Also feel free to ask questions on discord. I spent a lot of time putting this together so I hope this is a useful resource for any current and future SMC runners.