The Cat Shine Crossroads: What Happens After 40 Cat Shines in Bowser’s Fury?
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In Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, the acquisition of Cat Shines is central to progression, with specific thresholds unlocking new challenges and content. One of the most significant of these is the 40 Cat Shine mark. So, what exactly happens after you’ve gathered 40 Cat Shines in Bowser’s Fury? The primary consequence is that Fury Bowser returns for a second, more demanding encounter.
Fury Bowser’s Second Appearance
Upon reaching 40 Cat Shines, the familiar Giga Bell icons on Lake Lapcat will become active once more. This signals that Fury Bowser is ready for another showdown. When you interact with any of these Giga Bells, you’ll trigger the second phase of the Fury Bowser boss battle. This encounter mirrors the first fight to some extent; you’ll utilize the Giga Bell to become Giga Cat Mario and engage Fury Bowser in combat.
However, there’s a crucial twist: after depleting half of Fury Bowser’s health, he doesn’t go away for good as he did after the first fight, he retreats temporarily. This means that after reducing him to half health, you’re not done with him yet and the challenge is far from over.
The Persistent Fury
After the first encounter post 40 Cat Shines, you’ll notice a change in Fury Bowser’s behavior. Unlike the early stages of the game where he might retreat due to a Cat Shine or after a short period, he now persists, making him a regular occurrence. The only way to make him retreat again at this stage is to collect more Cat Shines (50 to move into the next phase of the game) or to fight him in a boss battle using the Giga Bell.
The game now demands that you collect at least 50 Cat Shines to properly progress. This is because Fury Bowser will only retreat completely and the main story of the game will only advance after you collect 50 Cat Shines and defeat him again for the second time. You are able to keep collecting additional Cat Shines after defeating him the second time at 50 cat shines.
Therefore, the 40 Cat Shine mark in Bowser’s Fury signifies a significant increase in challenge and sets the stage for the final act of the game, with the second fight with Fury Bowser at 50 Cat Shines triggering the ending. It’s a point where you’re no longer in the early game, the game begins to demand greater focus on boss battles and challenges rather than exploration alone.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does Bowser Go Away After 40 Cat Shines?
Yes and No. After collecting 40 Cat Shines and defeating Fury Bowser for the first time, he will retreat to the background for a short time. However, unlike the earlier stages of the game, he will not go away permanently. Fury Bowser will return frequently. Once you have 40 cat shines the only way to make him retreat is by defeating him at a Giga Bell, collecting another Cat Shine or collecting more Cat Shines (50 for example) to move onto the next stage of the game.
2. What Happens After Getting 50 Cat Shines?
After collecting 50 Cat Shines, you’ll be able to see the ending of Bowser’s Fury, after defeating Fury Bowser for the second time. However, if you want to unlock the game’s secret ending, you must aim for 100% completion.
3. How Do I Unlock the Secret Ending?
The secret ending is unlocked by collecting all 100 Cat Shines in Lake Lapcat. Then, you must defeat Fury Bowser one last time at the Wasteland Giga Bell region. This is a challenging task that requires exploration and skill.
4. Can Bowser Retreat at Any Point?
Yes, during the early stages of the game (before you get 40 cat shines), Fury Bowser will retreat after about a minute and a half if you simply avoid him. However, he will always be back, unless you have collected a new cat shine or you have fought him. After you have gained 40 cat shines the only way to make him retreat is by fighting him at a Giga Bell or Collecting a new Cat Shine.
5. Can I Beat Bowser’s Fury With Only 40 Cat Shines?
No, you can’t beat Bowser’s Fury with only 40 Cat Shines. You need to collect 50 Cat Shines to progress to the game’s end. However, you can still continue playing the game and collecting cat shines even after completing the main story.
6. What Turns Bowser into “Bowsette”?
“Bowsette” is not an official character. She is a fan-made, gender-swapped version of Bowser where he is transformed by the Super Crown power-up to resemble Princess Peach. This is a concept born from the fandom.
7. How Long Does it Take to 100% Bowser’s Fury?
It takes approximately 13-15 hours to achieve 100% completion in Bowser’s Fury. Achieving 100% completion across both Super Mario 3D World and Bowser’s Fury can take around 20 hours.
8. What Should I Do After Getting 100 Shines?
After collecting all 100 Cat Shines, you will unlock the final boss fight with a more powerful Fury Bowser with a new look. This is a much more difficult challenge, demanding skill and preparation.
9. Who is Bowser’s Dad?
Bowser’s father is called Morton Koopa Senior also known as King Koopa. He was the head of the Koopa Kingdom before Bowser took over.
10. Is There a Secret Boss in Bowser’s Fury?
Yes, after collecting all 100 Cat Shines you will have to fight Fury Bowser in a new upgraded form. This is considered the game’s secret boss fight.
11. Can I Avoid Fighting Fury Bowser With the Giga Bell?
Yes, if the Giga Cat Bell isn’t available, you can collect a Cat Shine, and Fury Bowser will be damaged by the light and retreat temporarily. In the early stages of the game, you could get him to retreat from the map if you avoided him for around a minute and a half, but after getting 40 cat shines this is not an option anymore.
12. What is Bowser’s Weakness?
Bowser’s primary weakness is his susceptibility to heat, which is ironic for a character with fire-based attacks. While not a direct gameplay weakness, he is frequently defeated by lava or other fire-based attacks in gameplay.
13. What Does a Lucky Bell Do?
The Lucky Bell turns Mario into Lucky Cat Mario. This form gives access to special powers and is only found in specific locations. An example is in Scamper Shores where it’s on an elevated platform that requires the Propeller Box to reach.
14. How Do I Summon Fury Bowser?
Fury Bowser can be summoned by scanning a Bowser amiibo. There are multiple Bowser amiibos, which include the Super Smash Bros., Super Mario, and Super Mario Odyssey sets.
15. How Old Is Bowser?
According to Nintendo, Bowser is canonically 34 years old. This was revealed by Nintendo as one of the many mysteries of the Super Mario Bros universe.