Mario (SSBM): Difference between revisions

{{ArticleIcons|ssbm=y}}

{{disambig2|Mario's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''|the [[clone]] of Mario, see {{SSBM|Dr. Mario}}; and for the semi-clone of Mario, see {{SSBM|Luigi}}, and for the character in other contexts|Mario}}

|name         = Mario

|image       = [[File:Mario SSBM.jpg|Mario]]

|symbol       = preBrawl

|game         = Melee

|ssbgame1     = SSB

|ssbgame2     = SSBB

|ssbgame3     = SSB4

|tier         = E

|tierPAL     = E

|ranking     = 15

|rankingPAL   = 15

'''Mario''' ({{ja|マリオ|Mario}}, ''Mario'') returns as a [[starter character|starter]] character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''. He was announced at [[E3]] 2001. He also has a [[clone]], {{SSBM|Dr. Mario}}, whom with he shares a lot of attributes and special moves. He is voiced once again by Charles Martinet, albeit via recycled voice clips from ''[[Smash 64]]''.

Mario is ranked 15th out of 26 on the current tier list, placing him in the E tier. This is very similar to his previous ranking in ''Smash 64'', where he is ranked 7th out of 12. It also places him four places lower than his clone {{SSBM|Dr. Mario}} at 11th place and two places lower than his younger brother {{SSBM|Luigi}}. Like in ''Smash 64'', Mario acts as a well-rounded character, with average attributes across the board. He has above average comboing ability due to the somewhat low knockback and the angles at which his moves tend to send on, and a very versatile grab game: his powerful back throw can KO most opponents with ease and [[gimp]] some recoveries, while his up and down throws can [[chain-grab]]. Mario also has a solid [[edge-guarding]] game, with a solid projectile in his [[Fireball]], and his [[Cape]] which can easily and efficiently gimp almost every other character's recovery. Mario, however, lacks a reliable finisher, with many moves with aforementioned low knockback with the exception of his forward and down smash. His recovery is also predictable and short, though he can extend it, which leaves him vulnerable to being gimped by characters such as {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}}. His mediocre range also leaves him with trouble against characters with disjointed hitboxes such as {{SSBM|Marth}}. Overall, Mario has average matchups in tournament play, with favorable matchups against most lower tiered characters along with an especially favorable matchup against {{SSBM|Pikachu}} & {{SSBM|Yoshi}}, though some other disadvantageous matchups against higher tiered characters, especially against those who can either gimp or outrange him.  

Mario, however, suffers from some KOing problems. He lacks particularly powerful or reliable finishers; while his forward smash has good range, coupled with a very visible and easy to land sweetspot, his other smashes are rather short ranged. Additionally, while Mario's back throw is strong, it requires grabbing the opponent first; this can be a challenge, due to Mario's poor grab range. Mario's single meteor smash is also rather unwieldy and risky to use.

Overall, Mario could be considered to be a poor-man's Marth. While both characters have great combo ability and a similar recovery, Marth has a much easier time finishing off opponents as well as having longer range in his attacks and his grab range making it much easier for Marth to chain-grab fastfallers compared to Mario.

When making the transition from ''Smash 64'' to ''Melee'', Mario got a mix of [[buff]]s and [[nerf]]s, but was neither strongly buffed or [[nerf]]ed. Overall, Mario is largely a much weaker character, proof as many of his previous KO moves, such as his up and down smashes, can no longer KO under 90-120%. However, his attacks are much faster, giving him better combo ability.

*{{change|The higher quality of the [[Nintendo Gamecube]] console allows for a more detailed appearance of Mario. His physique looks much more similar to its official art, while his red cap and shirt are slightly darker and the seams on his overalls are more accentuated.}}

*{{buff|Mario [[walk]]s faster (0.3 → 1.1).}}

*{{buff|Mario [[dash]]es faster (44 → 1.5).}}

*{{nerf|Mario's [[air speed]] is slightly slower (30 → 0.86).}}

*{{change|Mario [[falling speed|falls]] faster (44 → 1.7), improving his vertical endurance but making him easier to combo.}}

*{{buff|Mario can now [[wall jump]], aiding his recovery.}}

*{{buff|The introduction of [[wavedashing]] improves Mario's movement options.}}

*{{change|Mario's green palette swap from ''Smash 64'' is now accessible through normal battles instead of just Team Battles.}}

*{{change|Attacks are generally weaker, albeit, faster.}}

*{{buff|The first and third hit of [[neutral attack]] deal more damage (2%/4% → 3%/5%).}}

*{{buff|Neutral attack's first and second hits now have [[set knockback]], allowing the third hit to connect reliably.}}

*{{change|Third hit of neutral attack can now [[clang]].}}

*{{nerf|Dash attack, all tilt attacks and up and down smash all deal less damage.}}

*{{nerf|Dash attack deals lower knockback.}}

*{{change|[[Dash attack]] now knocks opponents behind Mario.}}

*{{nerf|Down angled forward tilt now has very weak set knockback at the Sakurai angle, making it extremely punishable at any percentage.}}

*{{buff|[[Up tilt]] is faster and combos more reliably at lower percentages.}}

*{{change|[[Down tilt]] now hits opponents vertically instead of horizontally.}}

*{{buff|Mario has a new [[forward smash]] in which he extends his palm and produces small explosion from it. It is faster, deals a little more damage, and has more [[range]].}}

*{{nerf|New forward smash has a sourspot that is much weaker. Its sweetspot deals slightly less knockback as well, despite dealing more damage (30 base/100 growth → 25/95).}}

*{{buff|[[Up smash]] has a new animation; Mario now takes a massive step forward as he leans for the headbutt. This gives it a bit more horizontal range than before.}}

*{{buff|Up smash has significantly less ending lag (IASA 58 → 40).}}

*{{nerf|Up smash is much weaker (26 (base)/120 (scaling) → 32/97) and deals less damage (19% → 15%), no longer being one of Mario's reliable KO moves and is no longer the strongest up smash (this title now belongs to {{SSBM|Pikachu}}). It also has slightly more start-up and a much shorter hitbox duration (7-15 → 9-11).}}

*{{buff|[[Down smash]] is faster.}}

*{{nerf|Down smash deals less damage overall (17% → 16% (front)/10%/12% (back)).}}

*{{buff|[[Neutral aerial]] has much higher knockback scaling.}}

*{{buff|New [[forward aerial]] is an extended downward punch in front of him, which can [[meteor smash]].}}

*{{nerf|New forward aerial is much more laggy and a less reliable [[edgeguarding]] move overall (being much weaker as well), and has less combo potential, now being one of the weakest forward aerials.}}

*{{buff|[[Back aerial]] is more useful for [[edgeguarding]] and also has less startup lag.}}

*{{nerf|Back aerial deals less damage and has lower knockback.}}

*{{change|Back aerial has a new animation, where Mario kicks more sideways with his right side facing up, instead of kicking backward face-down. Mario also recovers differently without curling up into a flip.}}

*{{nerf|[[Up aerial]] deals 1% less damage. The sourspot is also no longer able to combo into moves such as itself and up smash as easily.}}

*{{change|Up aerial's angle changed from 80/70 to 55.}}

*{{buff|Down aerial no longer has set knockback on its last hit, which combined with its new horizontal launch angle gives it KOing and [[spacing]] abilities. It additionally has a landing hitbox that improves its combo potential.}}

*{{nerf|[[Down aerial]] has a much lower maximum damage output (from 24% in ''Smash 64'' to 10% in ''Melee''), it can only hit the target 7 times instead of 8, and is no longer a meteor smash. It can also no longer setup moves such as up aerial and up tilt as easily.}}

===Grabs and throws===

*{{buff|Mario now has a up throw and a down throw, increasing his options out of a grab. He can also [[chaingrab]] characters with said throws.}}

*{{nerf|Back throw deals less damage (16% (throw)/12% (collateral) → 12% (throw)/10% (collateral)), making it much weaker.}}

*{{nerf|Forward throw deals less damage (12% → 9%).}}

*{{buff|[[Fireball]] has less ending lag and travel faster.}}

*{{nerf|Fireballs are smaller and deal 1% less damage.}}

*{{change|Mario's side special, [[Cape]], allows him to deal better with [[camp]]ing and gives him a additional recovery option while in the air. It is also a deadly edgeguarding tool, making Mario one of the best edgeguarders in the game.}}

*{{buff|Super Jump Punch can now be canceled with a wall jump near the apex of the move, further aiding Mario's recovery.}}

*{{nerf|[[Super Jump Punch]] gains much less recovery distance and deals less damage.}}

*{{buff|The last hit of [[Mario Tornado]] no longer has set knockback, allowing it to KO at high percentages.}}

*{{nerf|Mario Tornado no longer meteor smashes. It also can only hit 8 times instead of 14, deals 10% damage instead of 14%, its first hit deals no knockback, and it now has a delay before the last hit allowing foes to escape the attack more easily. Due to this, the move is now considered nearly useless outside of recovering, and as a situational vertical launcher.}}

|neutralname= 

|neutraldesc=Two weak punches followed by a stronger forward kick. Originates from Mario's standard combo in ''[[Super Mario 64]]''.

|ftiltname= 

|ftiltdesc=Does a back spinning kick with his right leg. Good speed, though it has short [[range]] and is lacking in power. This move can be angled up or down.

|utiltname= 

|utiltdesc=Does an uppercut while spinning. Good [[juggling]] move, as well as a rather good [[combo]] starter. Looks similar to the second hit of Mario's Mega Glove combo in ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario RPG}}''.

|dtiltname= 

|dtiltdesc=Sweeps low to the ground with his leg. Very low knockback. At percentages below 100%, this move is very weak and barely stuns the foe. Above 100%, however, this move can be easily followed with a forward smash for a quick KO, though the move's short range makes this unreliable.

|dashname= 

|dashdesc=Slides forward and sticks one leg extended. Knocks the opponent diagonally behind him. Very similar animation to Mario's dashing attack from ''Super Mario 64''.

|fsmashname= 

|fsmashdowndmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|17}} (fire), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|13}} (arm)  

|fsmashdesc=Launches a blast of fire from his palm. The move is relatively quick and powerful. (13th most powerful forward smash in the game, KO percentage wise). When fully charged, sweetspotted, and angled up, it can KO at 72%. Note that hitting the opponent with Mario's arm instead of the blast of fire is the sourspot, and is weaker. The sweetspot has [[Priority#Transcendent_priority|transcendental priority]].

|usmashname= 

|dsmashname= 

|nairname= 

|nairdesc=A [[sex kick]]. Mario sticks his foot out in front of him. As with other sex kicks, it does weaker damage and knockback the later it hits. 9th most powerful neutral aerial in ''Melee'' and is overall the 7th most powerful sex kick.

|fairdesc=Punches in front of him with an enlarged fist. Slow, predictable and has high [[ending lag]], but it is a [[meteor smash]], with no sourspot. Still, it is relatively weak and not very reliable to use for an [[edgeguard]], but can be used to send opponents into his forward smash.

|bairname= 

|bairdesc=Kicks backward. Fast, good for [[spacing]] and edgeguarding.

|uairname= 

|uairdesc=Does a flip kick upwards. Good move for juggling and comboing, but has low knockback.

|dairname= 

|dairdesc=Spins around in the air repeatedly, performing a downwards [[Drill (archetype)|drill]] kick. Hits multiple times and has a landing hitbox deals weak knockback. All hits can deal up to ≈12.92% when used fresh.

|grabname=

|pummelname= 

|fthrowname= 

|bthrowname= 

|bthrowdesc=Similar to his throw against Bowser in ''Super Mario 64''; spins around three times and throws his opponent backward. Surprisingly high knockback, can hit enemies mid-swing. One of the strongest throws in the game, also being the fourth most powerful back throw. It can KO under 150% near the [[edge]].

|uthrowname= 

|dthrowname= 

|dthrowdesc=Throws his opponent on the ground. At lower to mid percentages, it can chaingrab characters with moderate falling speeds (such as {{SSBM|Pikachu}}), and at high to very high percentages, it can chaingrab fastfallers.

|usdesc=Does a jumping uppercut diagonally upward, being a multi-hit attack that causes {{s|mariowiki|coin}}s to fly out of the opponent. Mainly a recovery move. Additionally, if used while Mario is directly next to a wall and the [[control stick]] is flicked backward at the apex of the jump, the move will be cancelled into a [[wall jump]] without making Mario [[helpless]], like the move normally does. It is also a great [[Out of shield|out-of-shield]] option. Deals up to ≈12.92% if all hits connect.

|desc-us=Ma-ri-o!

|desc-jp=Ma-ri-o!

|desc-2=Makes fire explode from his palm and strikes a pose.  

==In [[Competitive play]]==

===[[Character matchups (SSBM)|Matchups]]===

{{SSBMMatchupTable|mario=yes}}

Mario has an above-average matchup spread, as he is not as harshly countered by top tier characters like other mid-tiered characters are. He is countered by two characters ({{SSBM|Marth}} and {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}}) soft countered by eight characters, has four even matchups, soft counters three characters, counters seven (including {{SSBM|Pikachu}}, despite Pikachu being 6 places higher), and hard counters one, {{SSBM|Pichu}}. Mario tends to struggle against characters who can space him easily or edgeguard him, such as {{SSBM|Marth}} and {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}}, and tends to do well against characters who he can combo or chaingrab (especially {{SSBM|Pichu}}). Overall, Mario has the tools to take on most of the cast.

:''See also: [[:Category:Mario professionals (SSBM)]]''

*{{Sm|Eggz|USA}} - Notably defeated [[Noobking]], [[Deva]], [[Hero Sublime]], [[Silent Wolf]], [[Balloon]], [[Jamo]], [[Bladewise]], and [[Gimpyfish]]

*{{Sm|Green Mario|USA}}

*{{Sm|Mango|USA}} (under "Scorpion Master")

*{{Sm|Matt Deezie|USA}} - Former Mario main, best in World when active.

*{{Sm|Maverick|USA}} - Best Mario in Florida

*{{Sm|PPMD|USA}}

Very early in the ''Melee'' [[metagame]], when few players knew the potential of now-top tier characters, Mario was considered one of the best characters in the game, ranking as high as 5th on the first tier list. This could be attributed to Mario's simple but effective [[combo]] setups, strong attacks, low learning curve, and lack of any outstanding drawbacks due to being well-rounded, as well as his extendable [[recovery]]. As the metagame advanced, however, Mario's average statistics were magnified as the potentials for many other superior characters, such as {{SSBM|Peach}}, {{SSBM|Captain Falcon}}, and the {{SSBM|Ice Climbers}}, were discovered. This caused Mario to slowly slip down the tier list as time progressed, as well as lose significant placing in large tournaments; eventually, {{Sm|Mango}} (under the alias "Scorpion Master") was the only person who placed anywhere significant with him, but even he rarely placed high enough to earn money from playing Mario, cashing in at 25th place at [[Apex 2010]] instead of his usual top 8 placements when using better characters. On the current [[tier list]], he ranks 15th place in the E tier; on the other hand, his clone {{SSBM|Dr. Mario}} and semi-clone {{SSBM|Luigi}}, who were once widely considered worse than Mario, have surpassed him in ranking. In today's metagame, some players, such as Shroomed, believe Mario could potentially be better than Doctor Mario, due to his faster aerials, better recovery, and longer reach and disjoint in some of his attacks, such as Forward Smash and Down Smash.

==In [[Solo#1-P_Mode|1-P Mode]]==

In the game's Adventure Mode, Mario teams up with {{SSBM|Peach}} against the player in the second part of the first stage, taking place on Princess Peach's Castle. If the player finished the previous segment, [[Mushroom Kingdom (Adventure Mode)|Mushroom Kingdom]], with the remaining time registering 2 in the seconds digit, {{SSBM|Luigi}} will take his place in a cutscene that will trigger right before this battle.  

File:MarioClassicMode.jpg|Classic Mode

File:MarioAdventureMode.jpg|Adventure Mode

File:MarioAllStarMode.jpg|All-Star Mode

==Trophy descriptions==

:'''Mario'''

:''Known worldwide as Mr. Nintendo, Mario uses his incredible jumping ability to thwart the evil Bowser time after time. While he's best known as a hero, Mario has played many roles, including racer, doctor, golfer, and villain. His tastes have changed over 20 years of gaming; he long ago swapped the colors of his shirt and overalls.''

:*Donkey Kong Arcade 1981

:'''Mario''' [<span style="color:#FF0000">Smash</span>]

:''Mario is a character without any glaring weaknesses and plenty of strong attacks: he's even equipped with a Meteor Smash. He's a straightforward character who'll reflect the actual skills of the player. Mario's Cape will turn other characters in the opposite direction and can also reflect missile weapons.''

:*B: Fireball

:*Smash B: Cape

:'''Mario''' [<span style="color:#0000FF">Smash</span>]

:''Mass determines how easily a character can be sent flying, as well as a character's physical strength: Mario's mass is the standard upon which other Smash fighters are measured. His Super Jump Punch sends foes skyward in a shower of coins, while the Mario Tornado pulls in nearby foes, spins them silly, and scatters them every which way.''

:*Up & B: Super Jump Punch

:*Down & B: Mario Tornado

 

File:Mario Trophy Melee.png|Classic

File:Mario Trophy (Smash).png|[<span style="color:#FF0000">Smash</span>]

File:MarioIdleAnimationSSBM.gif|thumb|Mario's idle pose.

File:MarioInGameArtworkSSBM.png|Official artwork of Mario without background.

File:SSBM Mario Render.png|A render of Mario's in-game model in his neutral alternate costume...

File:SSBM Yellow Mario Render.png|...yellow alternate costume...

File:SSBM Black Mario Render.png|...black alternate costume...

File:SSBM Blue Mario Render.png|...blue alternate costume...

File:SSBM Green Mario Render.png|... and green alternate costume.

*Mario's taunt also expands his hitbox size, getting hit during the taunt animation causes Mario to automatically transform to back to his normal size.

[[Category:Mario (SSBM)]]