Do we like them?

Do we like Bowser?

A character from Super Mario Bros. (1985–present)

Our score: 4 out of 10. He's a serial kidnapper with big plans and a worse success rate. But he's a doting dad, a loyal boss and a good sport. We'd back him at go-karts, not for the throne.

Bowser is the king of the Koopas, a hulking, fire-breathing turtle-dragon. He first appeared in 1985's Super Mario Bros. as the final boss. In most games he's the main antagonist and Mario's archenemy. His usual plan is to kidnap Princess Peach and take over the Mushroom Kingdom, and Mario keeps stopping him.

He is a stereotypical villain on paper: a conquering king with castles, airships, armies and a lava-filled throne room. But the games play him for laughs. He is vain, short-tempered and endlessly persistent, and he never learns. He also has a soft side as a dad to Bowser Jr., and his minions stay loyal to him.

Our score is 4. He's the villain, and he does cause real trouble, from kidnapping to invasions. But the stakes are slapstick and he bounces back from every defeat. He also joins the Mario Kart, Mario Party and sports crowd without a grudge. That makes him much easier to like than most evil kings.