Why is bowser so dumb?

The Lord Bowser said:
why would he add self-defeating mechanisms.
Maybe from a gameplay standpoint, they are, but it's a way of saying that Mario cleverly outwits his foes.
 
I still have my headcanon that apart from times where you gotta throw something back or whatever, Peach put those there with her vague as shit magic power.
 
Bowser is dumb for various reasons:
1) being a game series aimed at children, most of the villains are usually the joke-type of villain that do evil things even if they theorically wouldn't benefit from them that much either because they need the hero to seem smarter than the villain or to allow them to be defeated, in this case it's both for Mario as Bowser having a huge "PRESS ME TO KILL BOWSER"-button/axe that destroys the bridge he's on and he doesn't even attempt to stand on the safe floor (or, you know, press the button himself as soon as Mario tried crossing the bridge?) clearly shows he's made to be dumb-is for the sake of him being the villain of a children's game
2) technically there are still smart villain who manage to get defeated even in media aimed at a younger audience, but in Mario the hero is an ex-plumber who's only abilities are an above-average agility (especially jumping), a lot of bravery and being great at fixing broken pipes (not that it'd matter as fixing the Mushroom Kingdom's sewers won't be something that'll help him rescue Peach), while he's still a pretty strong and prominent guy compared to many of the inhabitants of the Kingdom (who are usually either weak, evil or, if they are strong, are cowards like Toads)

So yeah, the series being aimed at children and the fact that Bowser is just a lighthearted joke-villain in a world of sunshine and rainbows is why he seems so dumb, he's supposed to be or the series would lose its child-like and happy-go-lucky feel, as having Bowser to either truly evil things or actually act smart and be a real threat to the Kingdom might make the game significantly darker in a way or another.
 
Why Bowser has an Axe:
Bowser wants to use the axe himself.
Don’t ask me why he hasn’t even tried to pull it. Also don’t ask me why he hasn’t learned that Mario will always get it first. But if Bowser is dumb, Toads are far dumber.
 
The Bowser Impostor in 8-4/D-4 from The Lost Levels is smarter than Bowser himself. I mean, if Mario doesn't have a Fire Flower, he's impossible to defeat. Bowser is known for his obsession with destructible bridges over lava, and, so the thing goes. :bowser:
 
Maybe it's a pride thing? We do know that Bowser sees Mario as his eternal worthy adversary and desires to take him out on his own terms, considering that he even saved Mario from a stray Bullet Bill in Super Sluggers while his guard was down... so maybe he deliberately ignores the axe/bridge kill switch?

Usually I avoid using the axe/switch if Mario has a power-up one hand to try give more of a fair fight.
 
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