Can I play Bowser's Fury without Bowser Jr.?

A brand new adventure awaits

Super Mario 3D World is back as Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, and it's shaping up to be much more than a simple port of the Wii U original. Complete with new features like a photo mode and online multiplayer, Super Mario 3D World improves on the original game in almost every way possible, but the new mode,Bowser's Fury, is the real draw here. Built from the ground up for the Switch, Bowser's Fury pits Mario against Fury Bowser, a supped up, Kaiju version of the nefarious Koopa. Mario's not alone though, as he's assisted by none other than Bowser's son, Bowser Jr.

Bowser Jr. tags along with Mario throughout the new adventure, attacking enemies and uncovering hidden secrets using his magic paintbrush from Super Mario Sunshine. Talk about a throwback! But can players play through Bowser's Fury alone? The answer is no. Bowser Jr. sticks with you throughout the entirety of Bowser's Fury. However, there are a few options available to you if you don't need or want him with you.

An old rival becomes a new friend

In the recent overview trailer released by Nintendo, it showed the kid Koopa in action and it seems like he assists Mario on his own accord, though a second player can join in and control him. The second player controls Bowser Jr. in a simple fashion. Think how the second player controlled Cappy in Super Mario Odyssey, or if you're a bit older, like Tails in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Still, if you don't have a second player handy the computer will control Bowser Jr. for you.

If you don't want Bowser Jr.'s assistance, you can't send him away. But, there are options to limit how intrusive he is. If you don't want him bonking enemies or dropping hints for you, there's an option to have him help as little as possible.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury is shaping up to be one of the best games on the Switch. Fans of the original game will get to revisit this Wii U favorite with a host of new cat bells and whistles, while also getting a brand new feature-filled adventure as an add-on. As far as Wii U re-releases go, this one might take the cake. Preorder Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury so you can play it first when it launches on Nintendo Switch on February 12, 2021.