- Not to be confused with Shy Squad or Shy Guy Swarm.
Shy Guy Squad is a Special Attack used by Bowser in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey. This attack costs eight SP in both versions of the game, and can be used after Bowser frees the Shy Guys found on Bowser Path. This move is a fast single target attack and is an easy way to inflict quite a lot of damage at once.
When initiated, Bowser will have a spherical pile of Shy Guys in his hand. After tossing the pile off-screen, a group of three Shy Guys will appear on both sides of Bowser, with a rope. Bowser will then curl up into a spike ball and the six of twelve Shy Guys will then roll and push Bowser into the rope. The player will have to continually slide the stylus to the left to build power. The farther Bowser is rolled, the more damage he will cause. Then, Bowser will be fired like a slingshot and hit the enemy at high speeds.
Bowser uses this move against Mario and Luigi during their second battle in Toadley Clinic. Bowser X uses it as well. They must use their hammers to counterattack, hitting Bowser back at the Shy Guys enough times so the attack will end without them taking damage. In both cases, he will not use this attack if Bowser did not free the Shy Guys back at Bowser Path.
In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, the Shy Guy Squad Brawl Attack can no longer slide with the stylus indefinitely, and the attack stops after the Shy Guys push Bowser three times if the player slides the stylus to get an "Excellent".
Gallery
Illustration of the move.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ボコスカヘイホー[?] Bokosuka Heihō |
"Bokosuka Shy Guy", bokosuka being onomatopoeia for the sound of something being beaten up. | |
| German | Schleuder Guys[?] | Slingshot Guys | |
| Italian | Unità Tipo Timido[?] | Shy Guy Unit | |
| Spanish (NOA) | Patrulla Shy Guy[?] | Shy Guy Patrol | |
| Spanish (NOE) | Brigada Shy Guy[?] | Shy Guy Brigade |
Trivia
- Despite Bowser not learning the spike ball technique until much later in the game upon initially finding the Shy Guy Squad, he appears to be using the move during the attack.
- In Broque Madame's minigame, Shy Guy Squad is one of two special attacks that cannot be used, the other being the Broggy Bonker.
- Mario and Luigi can talk to the Shy Guys before Bowser releases them. First they notice Mario, then they see but fail to identify Luigi, and assume that he is a Mario fanboy who got the wrong costume color. After that, they comment that somebody should tell Luigi that he is wearing the wrong costume.