Mario
- For fighter info, seeMario (SSB),Mario (SSBM),Mario (SSBB),Mario (SSB4), andMario (SSBU).
- For his persona from the puzzle game series, Dr. Mario, seeDr. Mario.
- For the universe, seeMario (universe).
| Mario | |
|---|---|
    Official artwork of Mario in his standard outfit withCappy fromSuper Mario Odyssey,Builder Mario fromSuper Mario Maker, and his wedding outfit fromSuper Mario Odyssey. | |
| Universe | Mario |
| Debut | Donkey Kong (1981) |
| Smash Bros. appearances | SSB Melee Brawl SSB4 Ultimate |
| Most recent non-Smash appearance | Mario & Luigi: Brothership (2024) |
| Console/platform of origin | Arcade |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Male |
| Place of origin | Mushroom Kingdom |
| Created by | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Designed by | Shigeru Miyamoto (Donkey Kong) Yoichi Kotabe (Super Mario Bros. series) Shigefumi Hino (Super Mario World) |
| Voice actor | Charles Martinet |
| Article on Super Mario Wiki | Mario |
Mario (マリオ,Mario) is the eponymous protagonist of theMario series. Unanimously viewed as the mascot ofNintendo,[1] Mario is said to be the most well-known and most popular video game character in the world,[2] having appeared in over 200 video games.
As a member of the "perfect-attendance crew", Mario has been featured as a playable character throughout the entireSuper Smash Bros. series.
Origin
In 1981, years before video games exploded into mainstream popularity, prominent game designerShigeru Miyamoto designed the original arcade gameDonkey Kong, debuting Mario as the main playable character andDonkey Kong as his in-game nemesis. Mario's character design was heavily influenced by the extreme technical limitations of video games at the time; as a small batch of pixels, Mario was given a mustache under his big nose to show he had a face.[3] Red overalls and a blue shirt — the reverse of Mario's current red shirt and blue overalls — were also added to contrast against each other and the background, while a red cap was added to let Miyamoto avoid drawing the character's hairstyle, forehead, and eyebrows, as well as to circumvent the issue of animating his hair as he jumped.[4] Although unnamed in the Japanese release ofDonkey Kong, the character was namedJumpman in the game's English instructions.[5] However, during the localization ofDonkey Kong for American audiences, Nintendo of America's warehouse landlord at the time, the late Mario Segale, confronted then-president Minoru Arakawa, demanding back rent. Following a heated argument in which the Nintendo employees eventually convinced Segale he would be paid, they opted to officially rename Jumpman toMario after Segale;[6] this name would also be carried over into the game's sales brochure.[7]
InDonkey Kong, Mario is portrayed as a carpenter whose girlfriendPauline (originally "Lady" in Japan) is held captive by the gorillaDonkey Kong at a construction site. Mario must jump his way over thebarrels andflames Donkey Kong throws at him in order to climb the scaffolding of the construction site and rescue Pauline. After his initial appearance in this pioneering game, Mario, under his proper name for the first time in Japan, was introduced in the sequelDonkey Kong Junior — in which he was portrayed as the antagonist — and identified as being of Italian ethnicity by Nintendo's then-president Hiroshi Yamauchi. Then Mario and his newly introduced brotherLuigi starred in the 1983 arcade gameMario Bros. as plumbers. Miyamoto's next game was the world-famousSuper Mario Bros. for the Famicom/NES, the game that single-handedly brought video gaming into the mainstream and made Nintendo a major company in a now-major industry. Many iconic aspects of Mario and his franchise were established: Mario and Luigi now live in the magicalMushroom Kingdom ruled by Princess "Peach" Toadstool with her mushroom-like servants known asToads, while theKoopa King,Bowser, kidnaps the princess, provoking Mario to rescue her. InSuper Mario Bros., Mario bounds across side-scrolling platform stages, jumping on the heads of common enemies likeGoombas andKoopa Troopas to defeat them. He starts out small but can grow todouble his size if he grabs aSuper Mushroom, gain the ability toshoot out fireballs by grabbing aFire Flower, andbecome invincible for a short period of time by grabbing aSuper Star.Super Mario Bros. became a franchise with these elements lasered into video game iconography, consistent in most future games in theMario series.
For over 30 years afterward, Mario would star in many games for various Nintendo systems. Mario and his accompanying franchise can be viewed as Nintendo's thematic tileset with which to create games of a whimsical, colorful, and light-hearted nature. Mario himself is meant to be a character anyone can enjoy playing as and can fit well as a protagonist figure and/or main balanced character in many genres of games. To this end, he is not portrayed as a character that undergoes development like what players would see from a character within an expansive story, but rather a character defined by the player's actions with a few defining traits of his own, such as his cheerfulness, whimsy, desire to help others, and humorous high-pitched Italian accent provided by Charles Martinet. As such, Mario is a semi-silent protagonist, who is sporadically depicted speaking coherent English sentences. In contemporaryMario games, most of his vocalizations are grunts, yells, and the occasional catchphrase, such as "Mama Mia!", "It's-a me, Mario!" and "Let's-a-go!", although he is shown to speak at length in some spin-off games and official interviews. Likewise, while Mario largely serves as a "everyman" protagonist to fulfill any role as needed to be, he has shown plenty of characterization; for instance, the ending ofSuper Mario Odyssey has Mario comfort his longtime nemesis, Bowser, after Peach rejects both of their marriage proposals, showing him to be a selfless person who sees the best qualities in others. As an everyman character, the optimistic protagonist and the flagship character for both his series and company, Mario is inherently easy for players of his various games to appreciate, and he is usually the most balanced playable character in any game he appears in. While Mario's definitive, Martinet-voiced depiction was codified bySuper Mario 64, to the extent that Martinet's successorKevin Afghani would effectively perform impressions of Martinet's voices for Mario (and Luigi), most auxiliary media prior to that game (such as a trio of animated series produced by the now-defunctDIC Entertainment andthe 1993 live-action film) provided different portrayals of the iconic plumber, typically as a mild caricature of a working-class Italian-American with a gruff Brooklyn accent, some elements of which were portrayed inthe 2023 animated film.
Genres of games in which Mario appears in a playable role include the traditional 2D side-scrolling platformerSuper Mario Bros. and its various sequels; the famed Super NES launch platformerSuper Mario World, which introducedYoshi as a trustworthy mount of sorts for Mario; andNew Super Mario Bros. and its respective sequels, which are revivals of theSuper Mario Bros. series' gameplay. Mario has also had various 3D platforming adventures, such as the seminalSuper Mario 64 adventure game launched for theNintendo 64, followed up bySuper Mario Sunshine for theNintendo GameCube,Super Mario Galaxy for theWii,Super Mario 3D World for theWii U, andSuper Mario Odyssey for theNintendo Switch. In addition to each of these games being critical successes,64, theGalaxy duology andOdyssey in particular are considered among the greatest and most influential games of all time. Spin-off titles include theMario Kart series of power-up and obstacle course-based racing games, a long-running series of multiplayer-based party games namedMario Party, and various series ofMario-themed sports titles, such asMario Golf andMario Tennis. There have even been RPG spinoffs, namelySuper Mario RPG, thePaper Mario series, and theMario & Luigi series. Finally, there is the puzzle-based spin-off gameDr. Mario, which sees Mario useMegavitamins, a medicine of his own creation,[8] to combatviruses. In addition to being the debut of itsown spin-off series, this game also saw the eponymousDr. Mario becomea playable character in theSuper Smash Bros. series.
InSuper Smash Bros.
As a playable character
Mario makes his first appearance in a fighting game inSuper Smash Bros. as astarter character. His design is based on his appearances inSuper Mario 64 andMario Party. Like in manyMario spin-off games, he is touted as the most balanced character with no real strengths or weaknesses; therefore, new players of the game are encouraged to play as Mario in order to learn the game's fundamentals. In addition, his younger twin brotherLuigi appears as aclone, albeit with a few different attributes.
Mario'sneutral special move isFire Ball, which is moderately fast but deals minor damage. Hisup special move isSuper Jump Punch, which hits multiple times and is used as his recovery move. Lastly, Mario'sdown special move isMario Tornado, in which he whirls his body akin to aSpin Jump in order to damage foes around him with a series ofdiscus clotheslines andspinning backfists.
Mario boasts a potent combo game, thanks primarily to his spammable up tilt and versatile down aerial. His edge-guarding potential is also respectable: down smash, forward aerial and back aerial possess respectable power, while down aerial canmeteor smash. Mario also sports two powerful KOing options in his up smash and back throw, while his forward smash and forward throw also sport KO potential, albeit to a lesser degree in comparison. Lastly, Mario's recovery is fairly good, thanks to Super Jump Punch's traveling distance and Mario Tornado's ability to cover more distance viabutton mashing.
However, Mario's overall range is sub-par, even in spite of having Fireball as a projectile. On a related note, he has difficulty dealing with projectiles and pressure. Mario also has poor mobility, which can hinder his combos and recovery, in addition to further compounding his aforementioned issues with projectiles and pressure. Lastly, the majority of Mario's frame data is laggy.
Due to his lack of both outstanding strengths and weaknesses, Mario is currently ranked 7th out of 12 on thetier list. This places him at the bottom of the B tier, and posits him as a mid tier character.
Mario's in-game character description reads as follows:
- Mario
- Although best known as the mustachioed plumber who battles the Turtle Tribe with his distinct jumping action, this internationally-famous hero has also acted as areferee, adriver, and even adoctor! He's been linked toPrincess Peach ofMushroom Kingdom for years, but to this day their true relationship remains a mystery.
- Works:
- Super Mario Bros. (NES)
- Super Mario Kart (SNES)
- Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64)
InSuper Smash Bros. Melee
As a playable character
Mario returns as a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Melee. Unlike inSSB, his design has been updated to appear almost exactly like his Nintendo 64 render artwork, instead of his in-game appearances inSuper Mario 64 andMario Party. Like his fellowveterans, Mario has now received aside special move. In his case, it isCape, which canreverse the direction an opponent is facing upon contact,reflect projectiles, and even assist with his recovery. AlthoughLuigi has been de-cloned to semi-clone status, Mario nevertheless received another full clone inMelee. In this case, hisdoctor persona from theDr. Mario series appears asa playable character with a few different attributes.
In addition to retaining a useful projectile in Fireball and a potent combo game, Mario's overall frame data has become faster, while his edge-guarding potential, grab game and mobility have each improved in certain ways. Cape's reversal property cangimp recoveries, while his new forward aerial is capable ofmeteor smashing. Like the rest of the cast, Mario has received a pummel, up throw and down throw; in addition to expanding his grab game's options, the latter two are useful forchain grabbing. Lastly, the implementation ofwavedashing improves Mario's approach.
However, Mario continues to lack a reliably safe and/or particularly strong finisher: his new forward smash consists of a sweet spot and sour spot, the back throw is burdened by his overall short grab range, and up smash is much weaker. In addition, Mario's overall range remains poor, which impairs his ability to fight against characters with disjointed ranges, such asMarth.
Due to his continued lack of outstanding strengths or weaknesses, Mario is currently ranked 15th out of 26 on the 13th tier list. This places him in the C+ tier (notably two spots lower than his doctor persona and three spots lower than Luigi), and reaffirms his status as a mid tier character.
Trophies
In addition to the standard three trophies which playable characters inMelee get - a standard trophy won by defeatingClassic Mode, and "Smash Red" and "Smash Blue" trophies won by beating the Adventure and All-Star modes, respectively - Mario, as Nintendo's mascot, also features on a number of other trophies asDr. Mario (seeDr. Mario (SSBM)),Raccoon Mario,Metal Mario,Paper Mario, and Mario & Yoshi. The last trophy, in particular, is especially notable for being one of three trophies (the other two beingSamus Unmasked and (in Western versions only) Tamagon) that cannot be found during normal play: it can only be acquired in theNTSC andPAL versions via hacking device, whereas it could only be acquired in the Japanese version via a special Japanese events or by using a hacking device.[9] There is also a trophy forBaby Mario, a baby version of Mario that mostly appears inYoshi games.
- 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)
.png)
- MarioSMASH
- 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
.png)
- MarioSMASH
- 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
- Raccoon Mario
- In Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Leafs caused Mario to grow raccoon ears and a tail. By sprinting and rapidly wagging the tail, Mario gained the ability to fly for short periods. Like the Cape in Super Mario World, the tail also reduced the speed at which he fell, making midair moves easier. Needless to say, real raccoons were jealous.
- Super Mario Bros. 3 (2/90)
- Metal Mario
- Mario was in for a surprise the first time he hit a Metal Box in Super Mario 64. The metal cap that popped out transformed Mario into living metal, giving him great stamina, a heavy tread, and the ability to walk underwater. In Super Smash Bros., Metal Mario showed up as an incredibly stubborn midlevel boss.
- Super Mario 64 (9/96)
- Paper Mario
- The Star Rod: Bowser stole it, and Mario wants it back. Bowser vs. Mario is familiar for Mario afficionados, but Paper Mario is novel. What this game brings to the 3D polygon-filled gaming world is its art style: everything is wafer thin! What the visuals lack in realism, they more than make up for in unique artistry.
- Paper Mario (2/01)
- Mario & Yoshi
- Yoshi was first introduced in Super Mario World, and the sight of Mario riding the helpful character soon became an enduring image. Despite his Cape, Mario can't fly while astride Yoshi. The pair can make huge jumps and drift slowly back to earth, though. As a last resort, Mario could leap off Yoshi's back to safety.
- Super Mario World (9/91)
- Baby Mario
- Long ago, when the stork was carrying Baby Mario and Baby Luigi to the Mario household, the stork was ambushed, causing Baby Mario to tumble onto Yoshi's Island. This marked the beginning of the Yoshies' adventure to deliver Baby Mario to his parents. Since then, Baby Mario's been spotted on golf courses and tennis courts.
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (10/95)
InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl
As a playable character
Mario returns as a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, but his doctor persona has been cut as a playable character. Mario's design has been updated, as it is now based on his appearance inLuigi's Mansion,Super Mario Sunshine andMario Party 4, albeit with a realistic aesthetic and subdued color scheme. In addition to gaining hisFire Mario attire as analternate costume, Mario has gainedF.L.U.D.D. fromSuper Mario Sunshine as hisdown special move, while Mario Tornado is now his down aerial attack.
Like his fellow veterans, Mario now has aFinal Smash; in his case, it isMario Finale, which consists of him firing a pair of colossal, intertwining Fireballs to engulf all opponents in the direction he is facing. In addition to retaining overall quick frame data and a useful projectile in Fireball, Mario now boasts improved KO potential: forward smash's sourspot is much stronger, down smash's back hit now deals consistent damage, and both Mario Tornado and Super Jump Punch have gained KO potential thanks to their much stronger final hitboxes.
Mario's already respectable edge-guarding potential has also improved. The universal decrease tofalling speeds makes forward aerial easier to meteor smash with. Cape is even more potent for gimping, thanks to it now reversing the opponent's momentum and controls upon contact. Lastly, F.L.U.D.D. is achargeable move that possesses push boxes and, when fully charged, decent range as well.
However, Mario has received significant nerfs as well, largely from changes to gameplay mechanics. In particular, the introduction of hitstun canceling severely harmed Mario's once-useful combo game: up tilt can now only combo into itself at low percentages, while up and down throws have lost both their chain grabbing and combo potentials entirely. The removal of bothwavedashing andL-canceling also hinder Mario: the former results in his approach being unimpressive like inSSB, while the latter results in his aerials' landing lag not being fully compensated.
Due to his nerfs outweighing his buffs, as well as his balanced motif being drastically outclassed by noticeable strengths displayed by various characters, Mario is currently ranked 31st out of 38 on thetier list. This places him in the F tier, and posits him as a bottom tier character.
Trophies
Mario has a trophy that is awarded each timeClassic Mode is completed with him on any difficulty.
- Mario
- A familiar overall-clad figure who is Nintendo's flagship character. His courage and jumping ability have seen him through countless adventures. He's a multitalented plumber with the knowledge of aphysician, a top-notch golfer, and a veteran tennis umpire. Is his jumping prowess a boon from his girder-climbing days?
:Donkey Kong- :Super Mario Bros.
- Baby Mario
Mario as a baby...a crybaby at that. Although he lacks overalls, we can see the trademark red hat even at this young age. Everyone's favorite hero was riding Yoshi and adventuring from his youngest days, and even as a baby, it's clear that Mario had quite the nose.
Mario as a baby...a crybaby at that. Even then he wore overalls, and we can see the trademark red hat at this young age. Everyone's favorite hero was riding Yoshi and adventuring from his youngest days, and even as a baby, it's clear that Mario had quite the nose.
:Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
:Yoshi's Island DS
- Paper Mario
- A legendary hero whose adventure unfolds when he sets out to rescue Princess Peach from the nefarious clutches ofCount Bleck. He has the ability to flip the world from 2-D to 3-D and back again. If he grabs aMega Star, he'll transform into a pixelated giant Mario. In this state, he's invulnerable and capable of stomping through enemies and obstacles with ease.
- A legendary hero whose adventure unfolds when he sets out to rescue Princess Peach from the nefarious clutches of Count Bleck. He has the ability to flip the world from 2D to 3D and back again. If he grabs a Mega Star, he'll transform into a pixelated giant Mario. In this state, he's invulnerable and capable of stomping through enemies and obstacles with ease.
:Super Paper Mario
Stickers
| Name | Game | Effect | Fighter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baby Mario | Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island | AttackFlame+005 Attack +5 | All characters |
| Bubble Baby Mario | Yoshi's Island | AttackBite+006 Attack +6 | Yoshi Wario Pokémon Trainer Wolf    |
| Mario &Luigi | Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga | DefenseFlame+019 Resistance +19 | Mario Yoshi Luigi Bowser Peach    |
| Mario &Yoshi | Super Mario Sunshine | AttackSpecialsIndirect+013 Attack +13 | Mario Yoshi Luigi Bowser Peach |
| Mario | Mario Kart DS | AttackLeg+022 Attack +22 | Mario Yoshi Luigi Bowser Peach |
| Mario | Super Mario Baseball | SpecialCarryHomeRunBatCarry Home-Run Bat | All characters |
| Mario | Super Paper Mario | AttackElectric+020 Attack +20 | All characters |
| Raccoon Mario | Super Mario Bros. 3 | SpecialFlinchResistance+112 +112 | All characters |
| Super Mario Bros. | Super Mario Bros. | AttackArmLeg+015 Attack +15 | Mario Yoshi Luigi Bowser Peach |
.png) Baby Mario (Yoshi's Island) |
.png) Bubble Baby Mario (Yoshi's Island) |
.png) Mario & Luigi (Mario & Luigi: SS) |
.png) Mario & Yoshi (Super Mario Sunshine) |
.png) Mario (Mario Kart DS) |
.png) Mario (Mario Superstar Baseball) |
.png) Mario (Super Paper Mario) |
.png) Raccoon Mario (Super Mario Bros. 3) |
 Super Mario Bros. |
InSuper Smash Bros. 4
As a playable character
Mario appears as a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. 4, with his return being announced on June 11th, 2013 during the E3 2013 Nintendo Direct.[10] Mario's design has been updated, as it is now based on his appearances as ofSuper Mario 3D Land andSuper Mario 3D World. Mario's blue and yellow alternate costumes have also been updated, while he has gained two new costumes: the first is from his appearance inFamily Computer Golf: U.S. Course andNES Open Tournament Golf, while the second is based onWaluigi. On a related note, his doctor persona also returns asa playable character for the first time sinceMelee.
Mario is once again touted as a balanced character, but the plethora of significant buffs he received in several areas actually allow him to function effectively as a pressure-oriented character as well. Most notably, direct and indirect changes have not only rejuvenated Mario's once-lost combo game, but also resulted in it becoming the most effective it has ever been.
Down throw, in particular, benefits tremendously from both the changes to hitstun canceling and the alterations to its knockback and launching angle: in addition to its infamous damage racking potential alongside several consecutive up tilts at low percentages, it can be followed up with aerials at medium to high percentages, including forward aerial for a potential KO combo while near the edge. Although down tilt is not as potent in comparison, its much lower ending lag and hitstun canceling's aforementioned changes nevertheless grant it various follow-ups at low to medium percentages.
Unlike in previous installments, Mario's mobility and power are no longer unimpressive and adequate, respectively. Hisdashing andair speeds have become noticeably faster, while his jump is higher as well. When coupled with the retention of his overall quick frame data, Mario now boasts a surprisingly threateningneutral game, and is an even more potent edge-guarder. On a related note, Mario's recovery has also improved: in addition to his aforementioned aerial attributes,Super Jump Punch now covers slightly more vertical distance and, more importantly, no longer sharply drops him right before its conclusion.
However, Mario did receive some nerfs. Most noticeably, his overall damage output has decreased: while this actually helped in the restoration of his combo game, it nevertheless weakened three of his strongest attacks (down smash, back throw, and clean back aerial). On a related note, Mario's KO potential is very inconsistent because of his very small number of guaranteed KO set-ups, all of which are hard to confirm.
Although two of Mario's special moves were buffed, they also received nerfs which outweigh said buffs.Fireball has increased knockback and range, but is overall laggier and can no longer auto-cancel with a short hop. In comparison,Cape can now instantly sweetspot edges, but grants less of a boost in midair and has lost theadvanced techniques it gained inBrawl.
Aside from his nerfs, Mario retains a few noticeable weaknesses. His unimpressive overall range makes him susceptible to disjointed hitboxes, and thus forces him to typically use his all-rounder playstyle instead of his newfound pressure-oriented one when fighting characters with such hitboxes. In addition, Mario's now-serviceable recovery is still burdened with linearity.
Overall, Mario's impressive strengths, negligible weaknesses, and minimal learning curve have collectively allowed him to be very successful in tournament play, earning strong representation and results throughoutSSB4's lifespan. As a result, Mario is ranked 9th out of 54 on the tier list; in addition to placing him in the A tier, this posits him as a top tier character.
As a costume
Mario's cap is available as headwear for Mii Fighters.
Trophies
- Mario
- As iconic as iconic gets, this gaming celebrity is known for saving the world from Bowser. He's got amazing jumping skills and makes use of a wide range of transformations. In his free time, he plays too many sports to count. In Smash Bros., he's a well-rounded fighter you can rely on. Say it with me: "It's-a me, Mario!"
- :Donkey Kong Classics (09/1988)
- :Super Mario Bros. (10/1985)
- It's-a him! Maaario! Whether he's wearing one of his special outfits or just his normal blue dungarees, this running, jumping, Bowser-bashing, princess-saving hero is an all-round superstar. And in this game, he's got enough tricks up his sleeve to deal with anything. If you don't know which fighter to pick, Mario's a solid choice.
- Arcade:Donkey Kong (1981 (JP))
- :Super Mario Bros. (05/1987)
- Mario (Alt.)
Super Jump Punch is an up-special move that lets you leap high into the air, carrying any fighters you strike along with you. You'll be invincible for a moment after you launch this attack. The default side-special move, Cape, will flip a fighter around. Keep a foe from returning with this move!
Super Jump Punch is an up-special move that lets you leap high into the air, carrying any fighters you strike along with you. You'll be invincible for a moment after you launch this attack. The default side-special move, Cape, will flip a fighter around, making it easy to send a foe who's trying to grab the edge of the stage to their doom!- :Donkey Kong Classics (09/1988)
- :Super Mario Bros. (10/1985)
- Mario's Super Jump Punch takes you high into the air, and if you catch an opponent with it, they'll go up with you. Try to hit them at the very start of the move to do the most damage. His default side special, Cape, can flip fighters around. If you're really crafty, you can even use it to keep someone from getting back on the stage!
- Arcade:Donkey Kong (1981 (JP))
- :Super Mario Bros. (05/1987)
- Tanooki Mario &Kitsune Luigi
- If you find a Super Leaf, Mario transforms into Tanooki Mario! His newfound tail works as a weapon and as a propeller to slow his fall. His brother, Luigi, won't turn into a Tanooki, though—he becomes Kitsune Luigi. Wouldn't want to have trouble telling the two apart, would we?
- When Mario uses a Super Leaf, he grows a tail and turns into Tanooki Mario, a very handy form indeed. Likewise, Luigi turns into Kitsune Luigi. Both of them can swing their tails to attack enemies, or wag their tails to slowly float down after a jump, almost like they're walking on air.
- Statue Mario
- Statue Mario is invincible and will be ignored by his enemies. If he transforms in midair, he'll do a nice Thwomp impression but he can't move! Well, unless a moving platform carries him into unlucky enemies. Give it a try in Super Mario 3D Land!
- Statue Mario's not just invincible – he's invisible to enemies. If Mario turns into Statue Mario in mid-air, he'll slam down and be stuck to the spot. Moving platforms will still carry him, though, and he'll knock down anyone in his way. Try it next time you play Super Mario 3D Land!
- Baby Mario
- A baby version of Mario, sans mustache, who first appeared in Yoshi's Island. Still in diapers, he mostly leaves the adventuring to Yoshi unless a Super Star is involved. If that happens, he becomes invincible and runs around with a cape—a little smooth-faced Super Mario!
- A baby version of Mario (sans moustache) who first appeared in Yoshi's Island. Since he's still in nappies, it's up to Yoshi to keep him safe. Give him a Super Star, though, and he'll turn invincible, just like grown-up Mario! If only it gave him a moustache too... That would be awesome.
- Boomerang Mario
- If you know how the Boomerang Bros. like to fight, they really aren't that tough. But if Mario BECOMES a Boomerang Bro—Boomerang Mario—what then? Will his opponents be stunned by his new moves? At the least, throwing a boomerang makes things more fun!
- "Before you judge someone, walk a mile in their shoes." Mario's taken that to the next level with the Boomerang Bros. – he's put on the whole outfit! As Boomerang Mario, he'll not just have more attack power – he'll have a big dollop of fun flinging that boomerang around. Great times!
- Mario (WithPropeller Box)
- Mario with his head in a Propeller Box. He looks like something you'd see in a parade. But wait! That propeller isn't just for show—Mario can use it in the middle of a jump to go even higher. And it'll slow his fall back to the ground too!
- It's Mario, but with a Propeller Box on his head. It looks like some kind of weird parade costume... Unlike a parade costume, though, the propeller isn't just for show – Mario can use it mid-jump to send himself soaring into the air, and then float gently back down to the ground afterwards!
- Mario +Standard Kart
- Customizing your ride is part of the fun of Mario Kart 7. Choose the best frame, tires, and glider to make your own dream machine! You can come up with some outlandish combinations, but I think Mario looks best when you keep things simple.
- Customising your kart in Mario Kart 7 is a lot of fun. Pick your favourite frame, tyres and glider, and make your mark out on the track! Maybe your favourites are the basic ones. Nothing wrong with that! Flashy is all well and good, but there's something to be said for "simple-but-effective".
- Mario (Gold Block)
- Mario (With Gold Block)
- Oh no! Has the karma for smashing all those blocks finally caught up with Mario, and now he's doomed to wear a block on his head forever? Not at all! This Gold Block gives Mario coins whenever he runs and jumps. Cha-ching! Everyone loves getting more coins!
- Uh-oh! Is this payback for all the blocks Mario's smashed over the years?! Oh, wait. It's actually an awesome bonus! With the Gold Block on his head, running and jumping make that familiar sound: Da-ding! Da-ding! Da-di-di-di-di-ding! That's right – you get coins! Coins galore!
- Paper Mario
- The paper-thin Mario from the Paper Mario series recently quested for the wish-granting Royal Stickers. These magic stickers are for more than just collecting, though. Mario can use them to change his paper world, and nothing helps him in battle more than a sticker!
- A paper-thin version of Mario from the Paper Mario series. Most recently, he set off on a sticker-packed adventure to find the wish-granting Royal Stickers. Stickers aren't just for collecting, though – they're for making bridges, opening ancient doors, and even for taking on foes in battle!
- Mario Golf: World Tour
- Looks like Mario is really on his game today! Or he just sent his ball off the course and into the trees—it's hard to tell. Getting a ball out of the rough is part of golf! It adds a bit of adventure to the game, though the undersea course in this world tour probably adds more.
- Mario looks like he's having a good game here! Or maybe he's just whacked his ball out of sight and into the trees. It's anyone's guess, really. Well, getting a ball out of the rough can still be fun. Things like that give the game a touch of adventure, which is something this world tour is just full of – especially the underwater course!
- Bee Mario
- Do you hear that buzzing? Whatever could it...bee? Bee Mario! Finding a Bee Mushroom allows Mario to buzz around in the air, land on flowers, and stick to walls covered in honey. Oh, this is the bee's knees! However, Bee Mario can't sting his foes. But that's fine—you don't really want to be that kind of bee, do you?
- :Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)
- If you don't want to be Mario any more, be Bee Mario instead! Just find a Bee Mushroom, and you can buzz around in the air, land on flowers and stick to walls covered in honey. See? It'll be the bee's knees! The only bee thing you won't be doing is stinging. But that's not the kind of bee you want to be anyway, now is it?
- :Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (06/2010)
- Boo Mario
- Are you afraid of ghosts? Maybe it will help to see the world as they do. Become Boo Mario with a Boo Mushroom, and then explore their world! Shake your Wii Remote to make Boo Mario go through walls. Boo Mario blends in OK, but even as a ghost he keeps his trademark hat. The other Boos don't seem to mind, thankfully.
- :Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)
- Boos are always tricky to deal with, so if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! All you need to do is grab a Boo Mushroom, and you'll become a Boo, letting you turn invisible, slip straight through walls and even speak Booish! You'd think Boos wouldn't fall for it, what with that trademark cap still firmly on top of your head...but luckily, they do.
- :Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (06/2010)
- Spring Mario
- Boingee boingee boingee... It's Spring Mario, bouncing along and having a grand time! Just get a Spring Mushroom, and then press the A Button right when you land for a super-high jump! If you have a fear of heights, though, there's nothing wrong with staying in place and just bouncing a little.
- :Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)
- Boing! Sproing! Mario's turned into a spring! One touch of a Spring Mushroom and he becomes Spring Mario. He'll bounce SUPER high if you press the A Button right when he lands. Doesn't it make you feel like just bouncing on the spot? Boing, boing, boing...
- :Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (06/2010)
- Rainbow Mario
- What would you get if you combined Mario with a bouncing, rainbow-colored star? An amazing, invincible Rainbow Mario, of course! Plus, Mario will glow with twinkling stars and have an energetic song play for the duration. Doesn't that make you want to run out and grab a Rainbow Star right now?
- :Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)
- What would you do if you found a star that glowed in seven colours? "Grab it quick"? Well, that would be the smart thing to do, because it'd probably be a Rainbow Star! It turns everyone's favourite moustachioed man into a...well, a rainbow-coloured moustachioed man. Not only does he become invincible, but he looks fab!
- :Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (06/2010)
TrophyWiiU.png)
- Mario +Standard Bike
- In Mario Kart Wii, bikes were the big, new thing. This Standard Bike M is, as you'd expect, a very standard bike—its speed, weight, acceleration, handling, off-road, drift, and mini-turbo stats are all decidedly middle of the road. This makes it a great choice for Mario Kart beginners or for series veterans trying out bikes for the first time.
- In Mario Kart Wii, bikes were the big new thing. This Standard Bike M is, as you'd expect, a very standard bike – its speed, weight, acceleration, handling, off-road, drift and mini-turbo stats are all decidedly middle-of-the-road. This makes it a great choice for Mario Kart beginners, or series veterans trying out bikes for the first time.
- :Mario Kart Wii (04/2008)
- Propeller Mario
- You can tell just by the sound that there's something different about the propeller on Mario's head. It must be because it's made of rubber! In any case, Propeller Mushrooms transform Mario into Propeller Mario. Shake the Wii Remote to send Mario zooming up into the air!
- The propeller on Propeller Mario's head makes such an awesome sound. Not like an engine or a motor – it's more like it's powered by an elastic band. Grabbing a Propeller Mushroom turns Mario into this form, letting you send him whirling waaaaay up into the air, making that awesome sound as he goes!
- :New Super Mario Bros. Wii (11/2009)
:New Super Mario Bros. U (11/2012)
- Penguin Mario
- Ahh, the life of a penguin... So carefree. At last, Mario too can enjoy the feeling of gliding across the ice by donning the Penguin Suit. Not only that, but this suit unlocks other penguin abilities too! Mario can swim gracefully and, just like a penguin, dream of a day when he can fly.
- What sort of penguin-y activities do you think Mario can get up to while wearing a Penguin Suit? Sliding around on his belly? Swimming gracefully through water? Tragically looking to the skies, reflecting on unfulfilled dreams of using his penguin wings to fly? Well, the truth is...he can do all of these things, just like a real penguin!
- :New Super Mario Bros. Wii (11/2009)
- :New Super Mario Bros. U (11/2012)
- Cloud Mario
- Guess what happens when Mario collects a Cloud Flower! Oh, wait. You can already see exactly what happens... That's right, Mario dons a fluffy hat, overalls, and a scarf and gets a whole lot lighter. He can jump farther, stay in the air longer, walk on clouds, and even make cloud platforms. This outfit is all silver lining!
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)
- Guess what happens when Mario collects a Cloud Flower! Oh, wait. You can already see exactly what happens... Yes, Mario dons a fluffy hat, dungarees and scarf, and gets a whole lot lighter. He can jump further, stay in the air longer, walk on clouds and even create cloud platforms. It seems Cloud Mario is all "silver lining"!
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (06/2010)
- Rock Mario
- If you're a fan of rock and roll, try picking up a Rock Mushroom. When Mario's transformed into Rock Mario, a simple shake of the Wii Remote can turn him into a big, rolling boulder, allowing him to plow through crystals and tough foes. The most amazing thing about Rock Mario, though, is that he can still jump.
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)
- If you're a fan of rock and roll, try picking up a Rock Mushroom. When Mario's transformed into Rock Mario, a simple shake of the Wii Remote can turn him into a big, rolling boulder, allowing him to plough through crystals and tough foes. The most amazing thing about Rock Mario, though, is that he can still jump.
- :Super Mario Galaxy 2 (06/2010)
- Flying Squirrel Mario
- When Mario grabs a Super Acorn, he turns into Flying Squirrel Mario! Like a real flying squirrel, he can hold out his arms and glide through the air. That must feel really, really awesome! This power isn't just for fun, though—it has practical uses, too, like helping him grab the coins floating in midair. Da-ding! Da-ding! Da-ding! Da-ding!
- When Mario grabs a Super Acorn, he turns into Flying Squirrel Mario! Like a real flying squirrel, he can hold out his arms and glide through the air, which probably feels really awesome. This power isn't just for fun, though – it has practical uses too, like helping him grab coins floating in mid-air. Da-ding! Da-ding! Da-ding! Da-ding!
- :New Super Mario Bros. U (11/2012)
InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate
As a playable character
Mario appears as a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. Initially teased alongsideLink and theInklings during the then-unnamedSuper Smash Bros. trailer at the end of the March 8th, 2018Nintendo Direct,[11] he was formally announced alongside the rest of the cast viaUltimate's E3 2018 trailer on June 12th, 2018.[12]
Mario's design has once again been updated: it is now based on his appearance inSuper Mario Odyssey, complete withCappy in place of his usual hat, and having his wedding attire as a new alternate costume. In addition,Builder Mario fromSuper Mario Maker appears as an alternate costume, with that form and the wedding attire replacing theWario-themed andFire Mario costumes.
Compared to his fellowveterans, Mario has received very few major direct changes in his transition toUltimate, possibly less than any other veteran. However, changes to game mechanics brought about byUltimate have impacted Mario to a higher degree, as they slightly heightened his learning curve, yet made his playstyle more rewarding.
Despite the slight nerfs he received in his transition toUltimate, Mario has maintained his status as a competitively viable character and continues to achieve respectable tournament results. Currently, he is ranked 22nd out of 82 on the tier list, rendering him in the A tier. In addition to this, this also renders Mario as a high tier character.
As a costume
Mario's cap is available once again as headwear for Mii Fighters. Additionally, a costume based on Builder Mario is available for Mii Brawlers.
Spirits
Fighter spirits
1.Mario
2.Builder Mario
3.Mario (Wedding)
.png)
Primary spirits
| No. | Image | Name | Type | Class | Slots | Base | Max | Base | Max | Base | Max | Ability | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 |  | Metal Mario |  | ★★★ | 1 | 2,705 | 8,156 | 510 | 1539 | 2,042 | 6,156 | Weight ↑ | Super Mario Series |
| 81 |  | Goo-Goo Buggy |  | ★★ | 2 | 1,721 | 6,928 | 902 | 3,631 | 753 | 3,031 | Weight ↓ | Mario Kart Series |
| 94 |  | Paper Mario |  | ★★★ | 3 | 3,225 | 9,724 | 1,673 | 5,042 | 1,314 | 3,962 | Water Weakness | Paper Mario Series |
| 112 |  | Papercraft Mario | | ★ | 3 | 1,036 | 5,187 | 613 | 3,068 | 384 | 1,920 | Fire Weakness | Mario & Luigi Series |
| 299 |  | Baby Mario | | ★★★ | 3 | 2,398 | 7,214 | 1,367 | 4,112 | 1,031 | 3,102 | Can Be Enhanced at Lv. 99 | Yoshi Series |
| 300 | .png) | Baby Mario (Superstar Mario) | | ★★★★ | 3 | 4,555 | 11,388 | 2,076 | 5,190 | 1,955 | 4,888 | First-Strike Advantage | Yoshi Series |
| 1,472 |  | Giga Cat Mario | | ★★ | 2 | 1,922 | 7,694 | 1,007 | 4,029 | 807 | 3,230 | Jump ↑ | Super Mario Series |
| 1,491 | .png) | Mario (Mario Golf: Super Rush) | | ★★★ | ⬡⬡ | 3,042 | 9,152 | 1,521 | 4,576 | 1,404 | 4,224 | Speed ↑ | Mario Golf: Super Rush |
Support spirits
| No. | Image | Name | Class | Cost | Ability | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 |  | Boo Mario | ★ | 1 | Lightweight | Super Mario Series |
| 23 |  | Rock Mario | ★★ | 1 | Physical Attack ↑ | Super Mario Series |
| 24 |  | Gold Mario | ★★★★ | 3 | Super Armor | Super Mario Series |
| 75 |  | Starship Mario | ★★ | 1 | Jump ↑ | Super Mario Series |
| 77 |  | Plessie | ★ | 1 | Swimmer | Super Mario Series |
| 132 | .png) | Mario (Mario Tennis Aces) | ★★★ | 1 | Critical Hit ↑ | Mario Tennis Aces |
| 302 |  | Stork | ★★★ | 2 | Strong-Wind Immunity | Yoshi Series |
| 319 |  | Mega Eggdozer | ★★ | 1 | Strong Throw | Yoshi Series |
| 1,133 |  | MONSTER | ★ | 1 | Braking Ability ↑ | Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally Series |
| 1,526 |  | Elephant Mario | ★★★ | 2 | Slow Super Armor | Super Mario Series |
Gallery
Builder Mario, as he appears inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Mario in his Wedding costume, as it appears inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
 Japanese | マリオ,Mario |
 English | Mario |
 French | Mario |
 German | Mario |
 Spanish | Mario |
 Italian | Mario |
 Chinese (Simplified) | 马力欧,Mario |
 Chinese (Traditional) | 瑪利歐,Mario |
 Korean | 마리오,Mario |
 Dutch | Mario |
 Russian | Марио |
 Portuguese | Mario |
Trivia
- The release ofSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate caused Mario's then-voice actor,Charles Martinet, to receive a Guinness World Record for most video game voiceover performances as the same character, performing the role 100 times.
- Despite being a character primarily known for his jumping abilities outside theSuper Smash Bros. series, Mario has below-average jumping abilities inSSB,Melee, andBrawl.
- Despite being able tocrawl in their respective home series, Mario is unable to do so in theSuper Smash Bros. series, a trait he shares withDonkey Kong,Pit,Young Link, andToon Link.
- Mario andMarth are the only characters to have two characters as full clones. In Mario's case, his clones areLuigi inSSB, andDr. Mario inMelee,SSB4 andUltimate.
- As ofMelee, Mario has typically been one of the first characters, if not the very first character, to be confirmed as a playable character for eachSuper Smash Bros. game.
- When not countingMario sub-series charactersYoshi,Donkey Kong andWario, Mario is the onlyMario protagonist to not debut in a game from his own universe.
- However, the arcade version ofDonkey Kong can also count as aMario series game, owing to Mario being the game's sole playable character, as well as effectively being the debut of theMario universe.
- Mario is always the first character to be listed in every roster for theSuper Smash Bros. series on the character selection screen, althoughLuigi andDr. Mario are listed before him after they are unlocked inSmash 64 andMelee respectively. This is seemingly an affirmation of his status as Nintendo's mascot, and the earliest introduced character among the "Original 12" (tied with Donkey Kong).
- Both him andDonkey Kong are the earliest introduced characters at the time ofSSB's release.
- InUltimate, while Mario'sfighter number (01) would otherwise suggest him even more strongly to be the game's definitive main character, his status as theSuper Smash Bros. series' mascot has been shared withLink to a noticeable degree such as with advertisingUltimate, presumably due to the latter's popularity expanding thanks to theSuper Smash Bros. series and his own home series' continued critical and commercial success. However, Mario still has noticeably more prominence as evidence with him appearing front & center on the Home Menu icon forUltimate, appearing as the main fighter on the How to Play video, controls menu, & the Techniques section of the Help menu, where he appears on almost all of the common techniques clips.
- Mario andPikachu are the only members of the "Original 8" to never have been the sole fighters from their respective series.
References
- ^Nintendo's Shining Star: The History of Mario. Gamecubicle. Retrieved on August 23, 2008.
- ^Plunkett, Luke (September 13, 2010). Happy 25th Birthday, Super Mario Bros.. Kotaku. Archived fromthe original on September 16, 2010. Retrieved on October 18, 2010.
- ^Rao, Anjali (February 15, 2007).Sigeru Miyamao Talk Asia interview. Retrieved February 28, 2009
- ^McLaughlin, Rus (September 13, 2010). IGN Presents: The History of Super Mario Bros.. IGN. Retrieved on June 24, 2013.
- ^Mario: Alive, Well, and Living in the Bronx? (Next Generation magazine, issue 26, page 46, February 1997)
- ^Edwards, Benj (April 25, 2010). The True Face of Mario. Retrieved on June 30, 2011.
- ^Donkey Kong.
- ^"I have just developed a new vitamin that should be able to take care of it. I sure hope this stuff works!" -Dr. Mario NES instruction booklet, page 3.
- ^Super Smash Bros. Melee/Version Differences - The Cutting Room Floor
- ^Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Wii U 1st Trailer
- ^Super Smash Bros. is coming to Nintendo Switch!
- ^Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - E3 2018 - Nintendo Switch
| Playable characters | |
|---|---|
| Super Smash Bros. | Captain Falcon ·Donkey Kong ·Fox ·Jigglypuff ·Kirby ·Link ·Luigi ·Mario ·Ness ·Pikachu ·Samus ·Yoshi |
| New inMelee | Bowser ·Dr. Mario ·Falco ·Ganondorf ·Ice Climbers ·Marth ·Mewtwo ·Mr. Game & Watch ·Peach ·Pichu ·Roy ·Sheik ·Young Link ·Zelda |
| New inBrawl | Diddy Kong ·Ike ·King Dedede ·Lucario ·Lucas ·Meta Knight ·Olimar (Pikmin) ·Pit ·Pokémon Trainer (Squirtle ·Ivysaur ·Charizard) ·R.O.B. ·Snake ·Sonic ·Toon Link ·Wario ·Wolf ·Zero Suit Samus |
| New inSmash 4 | (Alph) ·Bayonetta ·Bowser Jr. (Koopalings) ·Cloud ·Corrin ·Dark Pit ·Duck Hunt ·Greninja ·Little Mac ·Lucina ·Mega Man ·Mii Brawler ·Mii Gunner ·Mii Swordfighter ·Pac-Man ·Palutena ·Robin ·Rosalina &Luma ·Ryu ·Shulk ·Villager ·Wii Fit Trainer |
| New inUltimate | Banjo &Kazooie ·Byleth ·Chrom ·Daisy ·Dark Samus ·Hero ·Incineroar ·Inkling ·Isabelle ·Joker ·Kazuya ·Ken ·King K. Rool ·Min Min ·Mythra ·Piranha Plant ·Pyra ·Richter ·Ridley ·Sephiroth ·Simon ·Sora ·Steve (Alex,Zombie,Enderman) ·Terry |
| Character Inspirations forMii FighterCostumes inSuper Smash Bros. 4 | |
|---|---|
 Mii Brawler | Akira ·Captain Falcon ·Flying Man ·Heihachi ·Jacky ·King K. Rool ·Knuckles ·Toad |
 Mii Swordfighter | Ashley ·Black Knight ·Chrom ·Dunban ·Gil ·Link ·Lloyd ·Monster Hunter ·Takamaru ·Viridi ·Zero |
 Mii Gunner | Fox ·Geno ·Inkling ·Isabelle ·K.K. Slider ·MegaMan.EXE ·Proto Man ·Samus ·Tails ·X |
| Headgear only | Barbara ·Chain Chomp ·Chocobo ·Daisy ·Inkling Squid ·Luigi ·Majora's Mask ·Mario ·Meta Knight ·Peach ·Red Shell ·Sheik ·Shy Guy ·Spiny ·Super Mushroom ·Waluigi ·Wario ·Zelda |
