Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup gets harder for Bowser the longer Joker is allowed to run around at mid range and chip away with Gun and Eiha. Even though base Joker does not kill as hard, Arsene sharply raises the pressure on Bowser’s landing and recovery, so a passive game plan is dangerous. The win condition is to mix in shield against entries like forward air, up air, and the first hit of side B, then turn one close-range defensive win into real damage with Bowser’s 6f Up B or grab. It is more stable to walk and use short dashes to slowly take space, then pressure shield and jump with down tilt, nair, and grab instead of forcing oversized swings. During Arsene, do not keep playing extended whiff-punish battles. Stall the timer, focus only on ledge and landing, and make your reliable damage count once Joker is back to normal.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Bowser OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -16 |
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| Jab 2 | 3 | -17 |
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| Jab 3 | 3 | -26 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8/13 | /-15(/-11) |
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| Up Tilt | 8/11/14/17/20 | -27 |
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| Down Tilt | 8 | -22(-19) |
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| Dash Attack | 6/15 | **/-23 |
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| Forward Smash | 16 | -21 |
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| Up Smash | 10 | -32(-30) |
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| Down Smash | 12/16 | -24/-20(—/-18) |
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| Neutral Air | 12 | -5 |
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| Forward Air | 7/12 | -10/-9 |
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| Back Air | 7 | -5 |
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| Up Air | 5… | -12 |
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| Down Air | 13 | -7 |
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| Neutral B (1) | 12/37/65 | ** | ||
| Neutral B (2) | 12/18/24 | ** | ||
| Side B (1) | 16 | -27 |
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| Side B (2) | 16 (1/6/11/16) | ** | ||
| Up B (1) | 20 | ** | ||
| Up B (2) | ** | — | ||
| Down B (1) | 3 (Start of Block) | — | ||
| Down B (2) | 4 (Start of Counter) | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 9 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- You are not endlessly trading with Gun and Eiha, and you are using walk and shield to push Joker toward the corner
- You are punishing shielded forward air, up air, first-hit side B, and overly deep approaches with Up B or grab
- When Rebel’s Guard appears, you are not forcing a single big hit and are instead disrupting Joker’s meter plan with grabs and patience
- During Arsene, you are not overcommitting to kill reads and are prioritizing ledge control and timer drain
- You are not chasing too deep offstage and are instead covering Joker’s post-recovery position with flame, back air, and landing traps
Actions to Avoid
- Repeatedly throwing out dash attack or forward tilt from the start and letting Joker punish both the whiff and the Rebel’s Guard callout
- Trying to answer Arsene pressure with immediate big swings out of shield and getting baited by the mobility gap
- Chasing Grappling Hook or Arsene up B too deep offstage and losing your own recovery for it
- Panicking at downward Gun and jumping up from directly below into forward air or back air