Usually, no. Nintendo describes Bowser as Mario’s “archrival,” though the two sometimes team up in particular games. That occasional cooperation does not establish that they are ongoing friends.
How Nintendo describes their relationship
Nintendo’s official Super Mario character page calls Bowser Mario’s “archrival” and says he is “always causing trouble in the Mushroom Kingdom.” That is the franchise’s broad recurring framing: Bowser is generally Mario’s opponent.
Why they sometimes work together
Nintendo Australia notes that Bowser and Mario “have been known to team up from time to time,” despite Bowser’s unfriendly attitude. Its article, published 13 April 2023, describes Bowser’s roles across the games as friend, foe, and father. The word “friend” refers to a role Bowser may have in some games; it does not say he is permanently friends with Mario.
One example Nintendo names is Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury for Nintendo Switch. The relevant point is that a game can give the pair a reason to cooperate without changing their usual rivalry into a standing friendship.
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What the answer depends on
- Across the series: Bowser is presented as Mario’s archrival and a troublemaker in the Mushroom Kingdom.
- In a particular game: their roles can shift, and they may team up.
So the clearest answer is that Bowser and Mario are usually rivals, but sometimes cooperate when a game’s story calls for it. Nintendo’s descriptions do not establish a secret friendship or a single fixed relationship in every game or adaptation.
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