Editing Dr. Mario (SSBU)

'''Dr. Mario''' ({{ja|ドクターマリオ|Dokutā Mario}}, ''Doctor Mario'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. He was officially revealed on [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L93H7YC-83o June 12th, 2018] alongside {{SSBU|R.O.B.}}, {{SSBU|Duck Hunt}}, and the rest of the returning roster. While Dr. Mario remains a close [[clone]] of {{SSBU|Mario}}, he is not classified as an Echo Fighter. As such, Dr. Mario is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #18]].

As in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', {{iw|mariowiki|Charles Martinet}}'s portrayal of Mario from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' was repurposed for Dr. Mario in ''Ultimate''.<!--Do not add that this is the last Smash Bros. game where Charles Martinet voices Dr. Mario. Besides the fact this isn't done for other characters' pages, Jigglypuff and Lucina still use their voice clips from Rachael Lillis and Laura Bailey respectively in the Smash series instead of their current actors, so it's still possible for Martinet's voice to be reused in future Smash games-->

 

 

 

Overall, Dr. Mario is a character that has good frame data, damage output, and KO potential, but his sluggish movements cause him to rely more on a bait-and-punish playstyle. Although his representation has remained below average for most of the game's lifespan, he has nonetheless seen success from players such as {{Sm|JaZaR}} and {{Sm|Tsumusuto}}.

Dr. Mario functions like a stronger, yet slower Mario, owing to the implementation of multipliers to the majority of his moveset and some of his attributes. Most of Dr. Mario's moveset deals 1.176× more damage compared to Mario's moveset. Conversely, his [[jump|full hop]] height is 0.85× lower; his [[walk]]ing and [[dash]]ing speeds are 0.7942× slower; his [[air speed]], [[air acceleration]], [[short hop]] height, and [[double jump]] height are 0.7648× lower. Most of the multipliers result in Dr. Mario being distinctly affected by passive [[equipment]] physics from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', in which he specifically possesses a +22 Attack value and a -65 Speed value.<ref name="DamageMultiplier">[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rwDPL1jhE-KuEbbcBkkTb44z1smJp9rYme_xb4BIJTk/edit#gid=1974906014]</ref> Although Dr. Mario's lower jump height makes his [[short hop]] more effective than Mario's, these modified attributes collectively render his overall mobility as sub-par. His wall jump and ledge jump also cover less distance as a result. Conversely, Dr. Mario's higher overall damage output results in him being noticeably more efficient at KOing in comparison to Mario. His [[traction]] is also slightly higher than Mario's, though merely average when compared to the roster.

Dr. Mario's grounded moveset has plenty of utility in spite of his slow speed. Neutral attack is Dr. Mario's fastest attack, and the first two hits can [[lock]] opponents. Forward tilt is a great get-off-me option, and possesses situational KO potential at very high percentages unlike Mario's version. Up tilt is a decent anti-air and juggling tool that can KO at very high percentages, and it can also combo into itself, neutral aerial, up aerial, back aerial and Super Jump Punch, but is not as effective as a combo starter as his down tilt; however, the move's horizontal range is shorter than in ''Smash 4'', and its hitboxes start from a higher position, allowing shorter, crouching or prone characters to potentially low-profile the move. Down tilt is one of Dr. Mario's best combo starters; although it is short-ranged, it is very reliable at a wide range of percentages, with its lower knockback scaling compared to Mario's even allowing it to combo at percentages where Mario's would not work, and depending on the percentage, it can lead into neutral attack, forward tilt, up tilt (only on certain characters), itself, up smash (only on certain characters), down smash, neutral aerial, up aerial, back aerial and Super Jump Punch. His dash attack has vertical knockback, allowing it to serve as a combo starter but hindering its edgeguarding potential. His forward smash, while slower than his other smash attacks, is extremely powerful for an attack of its speed, especially if the sweetspot connects; unlike Mario's, it possesses the [[electric]] effect, has shorter range, and the sweetspot and sourspot hitboxes are swapped around. Up smash functions more similarly to Luigi's version than to Mario's version, as it launches the opponent diagonally instead of vertically, and will launch them in the opposite direction of where Dr. Mario is facing as long as they are in front of him; compared to Luigi's, however, it launches at a lower angle, and it has lower base knockback than both Mario and Luigi's up smashes. Nevertheless, up smash's launch angle does make it much better at edgeguarding or setting up edgeguards than both Mario and Luigi's versions, and its higher damage output and knockback scaling compared to both of them also makes it a highly lethal KOing option. His down smash is his fastest smash attack, hitting on both sides (with the back hit being stronger than the front hit), and like Mario's version, it is useful for punishing rolls.

Despite not being an [[Echo Fighter]] of {{SSBU|Mario}}, Dr. Mario is still a close clone of Mario. There is currently no confirmed reason for this oddity, though it is likely due to Dr. Mario debuting in ''Melee'' rather than ''SSB4'' or ''Ultimate'' as with the other Echo Fighters.

 

Dr. Mario uses external modifiers to most of his stats rather than directly modifying them, so he sports subpar mobility compared to Mario. However, Dr. Mario compensates for his slower mobility with another external multiplier that increases the damage of his attacks in comparison, as all of his attacks deal noticeably more damage without any compensation on knockback, which enables him to KO more easily as a result.

*{{change|Dr. Mario's [[Results screen|defeated]]/[[Results screen#No Contest screen|No Contest]] animation is different from Mario's. Mario has a new animation in which he looks slightly to the left with a smiling expression, while Dr. Mario retains his animation from ''Smash 4'', which is identical to Mario's from ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'' (and like the latter, features him with a neutral expression), except that Dr. Mario looks directly in front of himself.}}

*{{buff|Dr. Mario has a much less exaggerated idle animation than Mario's, as he does not move his legs up and down as much. This gives him a consistently lower stance and thus a consistently shorter hurtbox, making him slightly harder to hit compared to Mario if he stands still.}}

*{{change|Some of Dr. Mario's raw properties are modified as if he were wearing equipment of +22 attack and -65 speed in ''Smash 4''.<ref name="DamageMultiplier" />}}

*{{nerf|Dr. Mario's [[Jump|full hop]] height is 15% lower than Mario's (36.33 → 30.8805), although the mobility multiplier is not applied fully due to the new mechanic which speeds up full hops.}}

**{{nerf|Despite this, the mobility multiplier applies fully when using shooting items, which makes it 35% lower than Mario's (36.33 → 23.6174064). It is also applied fully when performing a [[softhop]].}}

*{{buff|Dr. Mario's [[shield jump]] is lower (44.1 → 40), causing him to land sooner.}}

*{{buff|Dr. Mario has higher base acceleration when carrying heavy items (0 → 0.03) causing him to accelerate faster when walking while carrying heavy items.}}

**{{buff|The clean hit has higher base damage (14% → 15%) and has much more knockback scaling (78 → 102), improving its KO potential even further.}}

**{{nerf|The early and late hits have lower base damage (12% (early)/10% (late) → 10%/9%), though with their knockback scaling compensated (80 → 95).}}

**{{nerf|The clean hit has smaller hitboxes (4.5u/5.9u → 4.2u/5.4u), slightly reducing its range.}}

**{{change|Dr. Mario's down aerial is a double foot stomp, whereas Mario's has been [[Mario Tornado]] since ''Brawl''. Unlike Mario's, it hits once instead of six times.}}

**{{change|It can meteor smash and send opponents horizontally instead of vertically (94° (looping hits), 75° (final hit) → (270°/361°). This makes it very good at edgeguarding, tech-chasing and starting combos, but less effective at KOing on-stage, juggling and extending/finishing combos.}}

**{{nerf|It deals slightly less base damage (1.4% (hits 1-5), 5.5% (hit 6); 12.5% (total) → 12%).}}

**{{nerf|It has significantly increased startup lag (frame 5 → 14), less active frames (frame 5/7/9/11/13/23 → 14-17) and more ending lag (frame 38 → 43).}}

**{{nerf|It has significantly smaller hitboxes (4.3u/7.0u (looping hits), 11u (final hit) →  4.5u/5.2u), giving it significantly less range around Dr. Mario. Unlike Mario's, it cannot hit opponents above him.}}

**{{nerf|Up throw has reduced knockback scaling (72 → 65), making it incapable of KOing reliably despite the damage multiplier.}}

**{{change|[[Cappy]] does not appear, and it does not produce {{iw|mariowiki|Coin}}s upon contact.}}

**{{buff|Compared to F.L.U.D.D., Dr. Tornado extends Dr. Mario's recovery, making it significantly more effective to get back on-stage.}}

**{{nerf|Due to lacking a powerful windbox that pushes opponents away, it is less effective at gimping and is worse at stage control.}}

**{{change|Its hitboxes are longer and thinner, better matching the shape of the capsules.}}

**{{change|It launches at an averaged angle (20°-50° → 28°-36°) and has altered knockback.}}

Dr. Mario was previously a poorly regarded character in ''SSB4'' due to a large combination of factors, including his lackluster mobility and short range granting him a poor neutral game, as well as his abysmal recovery and limited combo game, the latter especially compared to [[Mario (SSB4)|his regular incarnation]]. Likely due to these factors, Dr. Mario has been buffed in the transition to ''Ultimate'', though not enough to raise his standing.

One of Dr. Mario's biggest buffs was to his already above-average damage output; all of his moves deal much more damage (excluding his pummel and get-up attacks), which further supplements his damage-racking game and his previously inconsistent KO ability. His recovery, while still poor, has nevertheless improved slightly; [[Dr. Tornado]] has increased distance, and the readdition of directional air dodges gives him another option to possibly extend and mix up his recovery. Additionally, Dr. Mario has a new [[down aerial]] and [[back throw]]; the former can now meteor smash opponents much like Mario's forward aerial, giving him an option that he notoriously lacked in the previous game. Meanwhile, the latter, albeit losing its collateral hitbox, has gained more knockback, now being among the strongest of its kind and even stronger than Mario's own.

Dr. Mario's entire special moveset has also seen numerous buffs. [[Megavitamins]] now deal enough damage and knockback to cause opponents to [[tumble]], and launch at a higher angle, making them viable as a combo starter and even giving them the ability to set up KOs. [[Super Sheet]] has a higher reflection multiplier compared to Mario's Cape, and [[Super Jump Punch]] deals more knockback, making a superior KO move and deadlier [[out of shield]] option. However, Dr. Tornado was buffed significantly; outside of its improved recovery potential, it has gained heavy armor on startup if used on the ground, which makes it useful for tanking through attacks and breaking pressure. Additionally, it deals more damage and knockback, to the point it has gained notoriety for being able to KO offstage effectively at very low percentages; combined with its increased distance, it is now a deadly edgeguarding option. As a result of the improvements to Dr. Tornado, coupled with his revamped down aerial, Dr. Mario's edgeguarding game is now much more powerful in its own right.

In spite of this, Dr. Mario has received a few nerfs. Most notably, Dr. Mario's already sub-par mobility is slightly worse, given the nerfs to his air speed and jump height; while his mobility otherwise remains largely unaltered from his previous appearance, Dr. Mario is now much slower in comparison to the rest of the cast, especially considering most other fighters have received buffs to their mobility. He also shares some other nerfs with Mario, such as up tilt's hitbox placement adjusted, giving it inferior range in front of and underneath him, and his grabs having increased ending lag, hindering their utility and combos.

Compared to {{SSBU|Mario}}, Dr. Mario is still a slower and stronger clone of him. Aside from having an updated [[idle animation]], slightly higher traction compared to Mario, an altered animation for his [[side special]], as well as receiving a new down aerial and back throw, he has not been further decloned. He has also received many of the same changes as Mario.

Overall, Dr. Mario's damage-racking potential has increased and his recovery is safer and slightly better overall, though none of his buffs have benefitted him enough to raise his tier list placement significantly. He also retains many of his weaknesses from ''SSB4'', such as short range, poor mobility, and awful recovery, none of which were toned down in game updates. Thus, despite performing better in ''Ultimate'', Dr. Mario has not improved significantly from his appearance in ''SSB4'', which is made more egregious when coupled with the buffs other veterans have received and the introduction of plentiful, more powerful DLC characters Dr. Mario struggles against. Ultimately, despite his buffs, Dr. Mario is worse relative to the cast in ''Ultimate''.

|neutraldesc=The {{iw|mariowiki|Punch}} + Punch + {{iw|mariowiki|Kick}} combo from ''{{iw|mariowiki|Super Mario 64}}''. Useful for spacing and comes out quickly. The first and second hits can also jab lock. Additionally, unlike Mario, the close-range hitbox of the first hit can [[jab cancel]] into Super Jump Punch at high percentages for a guaranteed KO confirm.

|ftiltdesc=A wheel kick. It deals average knockback, but it is enough to KO at around 150% at the ledge and 209% from center stage.

|utiltdesc=A spinning uppercut. Can combo into itself at low percentages, and into aerials at higher percentages. At high percentages (around 140%-150%), it can serve as a KO option, although it fails to hit most short opponents due to its high hitbox placement. It vaguely resembles the second hit of the [[mariowiki:List of weapons in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars|Mega Glove]]'s combo from ''{{iw|mariowiki|Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars}}''.

|dashdesc=The {{iw|mariowiki|Slide Kick}} from ''Super Mario 64''. Launches opponents vertically unlike Mario's version, which can potentially make it a combo starter if hit late.

|fsmashdesc=A palm thrust that produces a small burst of electricity. Deals immense damage and knockback, giving it great KO potential. Its sweetspot is located on Dr. Mario's arm. One of the stronger forward smashes in the game, and one of Dr. Mario's most viable KOing options, KOing at as low as 55% at the ledge and 78% center stage. Its electric properties also make it safer on shield compared to Mario's, especially if spaced.

|usmashdesc=An upward arcing headbutt. Unlike most up smashes, this one launches opponents horizontally in the opposite direction he is facing. Renders Dr. Mario's head intangible for a short time. It's fast, coming out on frame 9, is powerful and its ending lag is only moderate, making it difficult to punish. The horizontal angle allows the move to combo into itself at low percentages and KO earlier at the ledge if it hits opponents behind him, although it weakens its potential as an anti-air and punishment tool. Its hitboxes and head intangibility last 1 more frame than Mario's, hitting small opponents on the ground more easily.

|dsmashdesc=A breakdancing version of the {{iw|MarioWiki|Sweep Kick}} from ''Super Mario 64''. Dr. Mario's fastest smash attack, making it a rather useful defensive option. Its back hit is stronger, and can punish ledge stalls effectively. It can also semi-spike with above-average knockback, making it a great edgeguarding tool. The front hit KOs at around 130%, while the back hit KOs at 106%.

|nairdesc=A flying kick. It is a [[sex kick]] that has the unique property of having its late hit being stronger than its clean hit. Its clean hit can jab lock and start combos, while its late hit has surprisingly high knockback for a sex kick, KOing at the edge at around 130%. It can autocancel in a short hop.

|fairdesc=An {{iw|wikipedia|overhand|boxing}}. Unlike Mario's version, it does not have a meteor smash hitbox. It is the slowest of his aerials, coming out at frame 16 and having high ending lag and landing lag, and is the only aerial that cannot autocancel in a short hop, but it has extremely high diagonal knockback when hit clean, making it one of the strongest forward aerials in the game. Can KO middleweights as early as 70% near the edge.

|bairdesc=A {{iw|wikipedia|dropkick}}. Comes out quickly, autocancels in a short hop fast fall and has above-average knockback, which makes it a viable edgeguarding and KO move and a [[reverse aerial rush]] option. Can also chain into itself at low percents, or set up tech-chase situations.

|uairdesc=A bicycle kick. The move launches diagonally unlike Mario's up aerial, which can be ideal for edgeguarding mixups. However, this renders it unusable for juggling and lengthy combos past low percentages. It can be used twice in a single [[short hop]], or the second up aerial can be replaced with a neutral aerial instead, and can autocancel in a short hop fast fall. Despite its very quick startup, it works well as a KO option at high percentages, especially offstage.

|dairname=CLEAR! ({{ja|全力メテオキック|Zen Ryoku Meteo Kikku}}, ''Full Power Meteor Kick'')

|dairdesc=A double foot stomp. While it has noticeable startup, it deals consistent damage and can powerfully [[meteor smash]] opponents when hitting with the sweetspot on his legs. It has a sourspot on his hips, which instead launches away with strong knockback. On grounded opponents, the meteor hitbox can open up many KO confirms, notably with forward aerial, back aerial, Super Jump Punch and Dr. Tornado. It can autocancel in a short hop and is decently quick for a meteor smash, coming out at frame 14.

|pummeldesc=A headbutt. It retains its average speed, while being stronger than Mario due to his damage multiplier.

|fthrowdesc=Spins and throws the opponent away. Can be used to set up an edgeguard, or combo into dash attack against certain characters at 0%. Decently quick. It is also slightly stronger than Mario's forward throw, as it can KO middleweights at around 190% at the edge of Final Destination, which is about 10% earlier.

|bthrowdesc=Dr. Mario heaves the opponent over him and then throws them diagonally. Combined with its high damage and knockback, it is one of the strongest back throws in the game, having potential to even surpass {{SSBU|Ness}}' back throw by a small margin when at the ledge. Can KO middleweights at around 109% near the edge of Final Destination with good DI, and even from center stage can generally secure KOs around the 150-160% range.

|uthrowdesc=Heaves the opponent upward. Can put the opponent into a juggling situation. Can combo into up aerial and Dr. Tornado at low percentages. It can KO middleweights at around 225% on Final Destination, which is about 5% earlier than Mario's up throw. Due to its new animation, it heavily resembles the Upward {{iw|mariowiki|Cap Throw}} from ''{{iw|mariowiki|Super Mario Odyssey}}''.

|nsdesc=Throws a {{iw|mariowiki|Megavitamin}}. Useful approach and pressure option. Unlike [[Fireball]], it cannot be absorbed, bounces on a different trajectory, and lacks a [[flame]] effect. It launches opponents slightly upward, which can potentially set up a combo. At higher percents, it can even set up for a KO confirm if timed correctly.

|ssdesc=Flips a white sheet upward. It reflects projectiles and reverses enemies, as well as reversing the opponent's controls for a brief instant. However, it does not stall Dr. Mario's descent in midair, making it useless for recovery unlike [[Cape]]. Compared to Mario's version, Dr. Mario's Super Sheet has slightly increased vertical reach in exchange for slightly lower horizontal reach, and has a longer hitbox and reflecting duration along with a higher reflection multiplier. In essence, it is better for reflection in exchange for bringing less utility.

|usdesc=A jumping uppercut. Unlike Mario's (which deals multiple hits), Dr. Mario's version consists of a powerful main hit that hits once, with a weaker late hit. It functions better as an attack than a recovery option, as it has great KO potential and fast startup, which can make it a deadly [[out of shield]] option. However, it travels a short distance compared to Mario's version. KOs at 124% from center stage.

|dsdesc=Rapidly spins around, trapping opponents and damaging them with a series of [[Wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks#Clothesline|discus clotheslines]] and [[Wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks#Spinning back fist|spinning backfists]] before assuming a [[wikipedia:Spreadeagle (position)|spread-eagle position]] to launch them. Can hit up to seven times, with the final hit sending opponents diagonally. The grounded version grants Dr. Mario 10% [[armor]] during frames 2-9. This move can be used to aid in recovery, as mashing the B button will make Dr. Mario rise up. The maximum height that can be gained from this move is greater than that of Super Jump Punch, although this requires extremely fast button mashing. It gains good vertical and horizontal distance if mashed fast enough, allowing it to extend Dr. Mario's recovery, although it only grants aerial distance once before landing. As an attack, it is notorious for being able to KO very early at the sides of the stage (around 45% at earliest) due to its extremely high knockback growth on its last hit. As such, it is a deadly edgeguarding tool, although it is a bit risky due to Dr. Mario's poor recovery.

|fsdesc=Rears his arms back before thrusting them forward to generate and launch two gigantic Megavitamins, which trap and repeatedly damage any opponents in their path. Compared to [[Mario Finale]], the front Megavitamin deals more damage than the back Megavitamin, and the Megavitamins don't deal flame damage.

 

 

*[[Megavitamins]] fall to the ground, and Dr. Mario appears when they recede. Based on a Megavitamin chain from ''{{iw|mariowiki|Dr. Mario|game}}''.

SSBUDrMarioIdle1.gif|Dr. Mario's first idle pose.

SSBUDrMarioIdle2.gif|Dr. Mario's second idle pose.

*'''Up:''' Flourishes his stethoscope around himself.

*'''Right:''' Taps his shoe on the ground, places a hand on his chin, and then looks at the screen while contemplatively rubbing his chin.

[[File:MarioSeriesVictoryThemeUltimate.ogg|thumb|A flourished remix of the Course Clear Fanfare used in ''{{iw|mariowiki|Super Mario Bros.}}'']]

''See also: [[:Category:Dr. Mario players (SSBU)]]''

*{{Sm|JaZaR|Mexico}} - The best Dr. Mario player in the world since 2023 and the second Dr. Mario player to be ranked on a global ranking, at 144th on the [[LumiRank 2023]]. He is known for his consistent strong performances as Mexican regionals, including winning {{Trn|Laguna Championship 2023}} and placing 3rd at {{Trn|Xcution Summit II}} defeating {{Sm|Skyjay}}. He also has some of Dr. Mario's best major performances, including 13th at {{Trn|Delfino Maza 2023}} and 25th at {{Trn|Smash Factor X}} and {{Trn|S Factor 11}}.

*{{Sm|Lui$|USA}} - The first notable and successful Dr. Mario player in competitive play who primarily played the character in the game's early months. He is known for placing 33rd at {{Trn|GENESIS 6}} with solo-Dr. Mario, 17th at {{Trn|Smash 'N' Splash 5}} with mostly Dr. Mario, and 33rd at {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}} using Dr. Mario to defeat {{Sm|ESAM}}. He eventually dropped Dr. Mario for other characters.

*{{Sm|Meowscarada|USA}} - The best Dr. Mario player in the United States' online metagame. They placed highly at several online events such as 2nd at {{Trn|Frame Perfect Series 2: ONLINE}} and 7th at {{Trn|Smash Out Breast Cancer}}, and was ranked 37th on the [[Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v6]]. Although their activity has largely been in-region in the post-online metagame, they nonetheless have seen strong results, such as placing 2nd at {{Trn|Ignition 300}} defeating some of the Midwest's best players including {{Sm|skittles}} and {{Sm|Ikan}}. They are currently inactive.

*{{Sm|Oryon|France}} - Although more known for his {{SSBU|Wolf}}, he also played Dr. Mario from 2019 to 2021 and was considered the best Dr. Mario player in Europe. He placed 5th at {{Trn|VCA 2021}} playing mostly Dr. Mario, and has also placed 5th at {{Trn|Syndicate 2019}}, 9th at {{Trn|Albion 4}}, and 13th at {{Trn|GENESIS 8}} using Dr. Mario in notable bracket games and sets. He has since dropped Dr. Mario for other secondaries.

*{{Sm|Tsumusuto|Japan}} - The best Dr. Mario player of all-time and the definitive best Dr. Mario player from mid-2019 to 2022. He remains the only Dr. Mario player who has ever finished top 8 at a major, placing 3rd at {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 9}} after defeating {{Sm|Shirayuki}} and {{Sm|Shogun}}. He had placed well at many other majors, including 9th at both {{Trn|Sumabato SP 5}} and {{Trn|Sumabato SP 6}}. He was ranked 115th on the [[OrionRank Ultimate: Eclipse]], the highest ranking yet for a Dr. Mario player.

In the early metagame, opinions on Dr. Mario remained largely the same as they were in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''. Although his power, out of shield options, and damage-racking capabilities were improved in the transition to ''Ultimate'', his sluggish speed, poor recovery, and mediocre range indicated that his worst weaknesses were still largely unaddressed, leaving him with poor matchups against characters such as {{SSBU|Palutena}}, {{SSBU|Shulk}}, and {{SSBU|Lucina}}. Although players such as {{Sm|Lui$}}, {{Sm|Locus}}, and {{Sm|Oryon}} saw success with Dr. Mario, most would either drop him or relegate him to a secondary, worsening his poor representation. As a result, most players, including {{Sm|Dark Wizzy}} and {{Sm|Mr.R}}, viewed Dr. Mario as a bottom tier, with the collective unanimous opinion being that he was one of the worst characters in the game.

 

Despite this negative perception, however, Dr. Mario still saw glimpses of success thanks to the efforts of dedicated mains, including {{Sm|Tsumusuto}} in Japan, {{Sm|JaZaR}} in Mexico, and {{Sm|Mabel}} during the online metagame. Furthermore, Dr. Mario received buffs from game updates that improved his combo and punish games. This left his true viability up to debate, with players such as {{Sm|Nairo}} and {{Sm|Leffen}} believing Dr. Mario was potentially a viable character, while other players maintained that he was still an unviable fighter due to improvements to other fighters, as well as the introductions of {{SSBU|Min Min}}, {{SSBU|Steve}}, and {{SSBU|Sephiroth}}. Nevertheless, Dr. Mario's perception has slightly improved since the early metagame, although he is unanimously agreed to be inferior to {{SSBU|Mario}}.

 

While Doctor Mario's perception has risen, with most players not considering him to be a definitive bottom tier anymore, he is still widely considered a low tier and seen as an unviable character. Doctor Mario has not made any notable impact in the current meta, with there only being a few respectable placements by JaZaR in recent times, thus there has not warranted a justified principle for considering him to possess any viability in the current meta. The first tier list reflects this, as Dr. Mario was ranked just above the likes of {{SSBU|King Dedede}}, {{SSBU|Little Mac}}, and {{SSBU|Ganondorf}}, with him being ranked at 79th. He would rise one spot to 78th on the second and current tier list, but this is likely due to the decline of {{SSBU|King K. Rool}}, as he now falls below the doctor.

[[File:SSBU Congratulations Dr Mario.png|thumb|Dr. Mario's congratulations screen.]]

In reference to the three viruses, [[mariowiki:Virus|Fever, Chill, and Weird]], Dr. Mario's opponents are trios consisting of red, blue, and yellow alternates of a particular fighter.

|6||{{Head|Wario|g=SSBU|s=20x20px|cl=Classic}}{{Head|Wario|g=SSBU|s=20x20px|cl=ClassicRed}}{{Head|Wario|g=SSBU|s=20x20px|cl=ClassicCyan}} {{SSBU|Wario}} Team||[[Luigi's Mansion]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Other|Tetris: Type A}}''||Possibly references his rivalry with Wario in ''{{iw|mariowiki|Dr. Mario 64}}'', as well as Wario's bad diet and hygiene in the ''{{iw|mariowiki|WarioWare|series}}'' series. The music that plays references how ''{{b|Dr. Mario|game}}'' and ''{{iw|harddroptetriswiki|Tetris}}'' have similar gameplay, being both puzzle games that involve moving blocks. The use of Luigi's Mansion could be a reference to how in previous games, "Tetris: Type A" is one of the songs that can play on the stage.

==In Spirit Battles==

SSBUWebsiteMimikyu2.jpg|Snared by [[Mimikyu]] on [[PictoChat 2]].

DrMarioSSBUDoctorFinale.png|Using [[Doctor Finale]] on [[Wii Fit Studio]] against {{SSBU|Toon Link}}, {{SSBU|Wii Fit Trainer}} and {{SSBU|King Dedede}}.

*''Ultimate'' is the first ''Super Smash Bros.'' game where he is not holding a Megavitamin in his official art.

*''Ultimate'' is the first ''Smash'' game to feature Dr. Mario and have his inclusion be planned from the start. In ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', Dr. Mario was a late development addition to pad out the roster. In ''Smash 4'', Dr. Mario was originally going to be an {{SSB4|alternate costume}} of {{SSB4|Mario}}, but remained a clone as a last minute decision in order to appeal to his fanbase from ''Melee''.

*Prior to version 2.0.0, Dr. Mario's down aerial was named Bone Drill, the name used for his down aerial from previous games. The current name, CLEAR!, references the message appearing when a level is completed in the original ''Dr. Mario'', as well as the shout paramedics give when using defibrillators.

**The voice clips of Dr. Mario's forward aerial, back throw, double jump, [[Doctor Finale]], and [[Home-Run Bat]] swing are omitted despite Dr. Mario using them in-game.

*Dr. Mario is the only character with custom [[equipment]] incorporated into his attributes.

*Dr. Mario is the only playable fighter in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' to never appear in an animated trailer.