Editing Little Mac (SSBU)

{{ArticleIcons|ultimate=y}}
{{disambig2|Little Mac's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''|the character in other contexts|Little Mac}}
{{Infobox Character
|name = Little Mac
|image = {{tabber|title1=Normal|tab1=[[File:Little Mac SSBU.png|250px]]|title2=Wireframe|tab2=[[File:Wireframe Mac SSBU.png|250px]]}}
|game = SSBU
|ssbgame1 = SSB4
|availability = [[Unlockable character|Unlockable]]
}}
'''Little Mac''' ({{ja|リトル・マック|Ritoru Makku}}, ''Little Mac'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', officially confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Little Mac is classified as fighter #49.

Kōsuke Toriumi reprises his role as Little Mac in the game, albeit via reused voice clips from ''Smash 4''.

==How to unlock==
Complete one of the following:
*Play [[VS. match]]es, with Little Mac being the 20th character to be unlocked.
*Clear {{SSBU|Classic Mode}} with {{SSBU|Mario}} or any character in his unlock tree, being the 3rd character unlocked after {{SSBU|Bayonetta}}.
*Have Little Mac join the player's party in [[World of Light]].
With the exception of the third method, Little Mac must then be defeated on [[Boxing Ring]].

==Attributes==
Little Mac offers a simple yet polarized fighting style, performing well on the ground, but poorly in the air. His name is somewhat of a misnomer in regard to his size: while Mac is rather small in relation to the majority of realistically proportioned characters, he is of average size among the entire cast. This can make him somewhat difficult to hit, but also means that most of his moves have short [[range]], which makes [[spacing]] crucial for avoiding [[punish]]ment.

Little Mac is a [[weight|lightweight]] with the 8th fastest [[walking]] speed, the 3rd fastest [[dashing]] speed, and above-average [[traction]], granting him effective [[out of shield]] options. He also has the 2nd fastest initial dash, which has a long duration of 15 frames, giving him a long pivot and an excellent [[dash dance]] that is surpassed only by {{SSBU|Zero Suit Samus}}'. His [[sidestep]] and [[roll]]s are tied with Fox, Sheik and Zero Suit Samus' for the fastest in the game, with the latter also being long-distanced, making it easy for Little Mac to punish grounded attacks and giving him excellent defensive options. He also has below-average [[gravity]] and fast [[falling speed]] (tied with King Dedede for the 2nd fastest), which collectively give him good vertical endurance in spite of his lightweight. Aside from his great [[air speed]] (tied with Mario, Donkey Kong, Sonic and Inkling's for the 12th fastest) and his [[wall jump]], which is the 4th highest, the rest of Little Mac's aerial attributes are notoriously poor: his [[jump]] is tied with {{SSBU|Ryu}} and {{SSBU|Ken}}'s for the 5th lowest, his [[double jump]] is the 3rd lowest, his [[air acceleration]] is tied with {{SSBU|Ganondorf}} for the 6th lowest, and his directional [[air dodge]] travels the least amount of distance. These attributes effectively force Mac to stay on the ground as often as possible, but in terms of mobility, he is among the fastest characters in the game.

Little Mac's greatest strength is his potent ground game. None of his grounded moves have more than 15 frames of start-up, whereas only his up smash has more than 30 frames of ending lag. Only five non-special moves (forward smash, back air, up smash, down smash and forward air) become active after frame 9, and only the former two after frame 10. His neutral attack, in particular, is tied with Zero Suit Samus' for the fastest in the game, activating on frame 1 and its minimal ending lag and angles allow it to not only jab lock but also make it the only attack in ''Ultimate'' that is capable of jab canceling reliably. Despite his somewhat light weight, Little Mac boasts superb KO potential: his forward tilt, dash attack and smash attacks boast high damage outputs and knockback scaling, yet are also fairly fast. Forward smash can be angled, with the downward variant dealing immense shield damage and the upward variant being one of Mac's most effective vertical KO options on the ground. Up smash's coverage allows it to serve as an effective anti-air, and its sweet spot also deals a lot of shield damage. Finally, down smash is a [[semi-spike]] with a fairly long range, allowing it to [[tech chase]] as well as [[edge-guard]] easily against careless or vulnerable recoveries. Besides their speed and strength, Little Mac's grounded moves are also difficult to interrupt, which combined with his high dashing speed gives him an excellent punish game. His tilt attacks boast [[Priority#Moves that cannot rebound|anti-rebounding priority]]; this prevents them from clanking with opposing ground attacks provided they're within priority range, allowing Mac to punish opponents very quickly due to his own attacks' high speed. While his smash attacks have normal priority, they instead boast [[super armor]] during their use. This offers Mac a unique way of punishing attacks by tanking the hit while immediately retaliating - meaning devastating attacks such as Mr. Game and Watch’s Judge 9, Falcon Punch, Warlock Punch, can all be punished. These traits make him arguably the most difficult opponent to directly challenge on the ground for every other character in the roster, including himself.

Little Mac's special moves also have fairly respectable utility. [[Straight Lunge]] gains distance and power as it charges, deals heavy damage, and boasts light damage-based armor while charging, allowing him to withstand weak attacks before retaliating immediately afterward. As such, it is an effective tool against most [[Neutral attack#Rapid_jabs|rapid jabs]] and multihit moves even while uncharged. The move can also be canceled by shielding, giving it utility for escaping certain combo moves such as [[Witch Twist]], and it can be turned around when released, offering decent mix-up potential and a way to get out of combos. However, Straight Lunge's considerable ending lag limits its offensive utility as it can be easily intercepted or punished, while it's defensive utility depends on the character and the attack. This makes it great defensively against characters with low damage output or with reliance on multihits, such as Sheik or Meta Knight, but it won't help against opponents with high damage output or on single-hit aerials. [[Jolt Haymaker]] propels Mac forward with a leaping punch that travels a fair distance, can be unleashed on command, grants brief [[intangibility]] during start-up, and does not lose power when used in mid-air. This makes it useful for tech-chasing, repositioning, and escaping or punishing laggy moves or projectiles, and making it Mac's only useful KO option while in the air and off-stage. It also does not leave him helpless, making it a much less dangerous recovery move when compared to Little Mac's ''Smash 4'' iteration. [[Rising Uppercut]] grants brief intangibility on start-up and travels fairly high when used on the ground. This makes the move an effective combo breaker; combined with the last hit's high knockback scaling, it has a very fast startup and the fact that it doesn't lose power in the air, is also quite potent out of shield and for scoring aerial KOs. [[Slip Counter]] is an extremely fast [[counterattack]], making it useful for escaping pressure, especially aerial combos. It's also one of the few counters that slide forward before attacking, allowing Little Mac to get close to his opponent or even recover horizontally in response to an edgeguard attempt.

Lastly, Little Mac has a [[fighter ability|unique mechanic]] in the [[Power Meter]]. Shown over the [[damage meter]], the Power Meter charges by dealing 333% or receiving 100%. When fully charged, Straight Lunge is replaced by the [[Straight Lunge#KO Uppercut|KO Uppercut]], which can KO any character before 40%. KO Uppercut is also [[unblockable]] (barring [[Witch Time]]), boasts fast startup, and leaps slightly into the air (allowing it to catch opponents on low platforms such as {{SSBU|Battlefield}}'s); combined with its immense power, this can quickly turn the tide of a match or further secure a lead if used successfully. However, Mac loses the KO Uppercut if [[tumbling|tumbled]] after a 4 second grace period (not including [[footstool jump]]ing), forcing him to use the move quickly. KO Uppercut also has considerable end lag regardless of whether it hits or not, and its short leap can cause Mac to fall off the stage if used while next to an edge. As a result, it is unarguably one of the riskiest, yet most rewarding attacks in the entire series.

Despite his incredible strengths, Little Mac is held back by a slew of exploitable weaknesses, with the most notorious being his deliberately ineffective air game. His air attacks have some perks; neutral aerial is the fastest aerial attack in the game, making it a decent combo breaker, and it can combo into itself; forward and back aerials are semi-spikes, with the former being decent for combos or edgeguarding; up aerial is a fast anti-air, and down aerial is an extremely fast [[meteor smash]]. However, his aerials all have short range, poor damage output, and awful KO potential. While his neutral and down aerials can [[auto-cancel]] from a short hop, his forward, back, and up aerials cannot. This leaves Mac incredibly vulnerable in the air, as he has no means of properly defending himself beyond point-blank range without exhausting any of his special moves. The low power of his aerials also makes them ineffective for flinching opponents, and Mac's only aerial KO options are indeed his special moves, which are highly likely to result in [[sacrificial KO]]s if misused off-stage. This also means that Mac is more severely affected by [[stale-move negation]] than most other characters, as he is effectively limited to using little more than half of his moveset in most situations, although his variety of powerful finishers can compensate it to a degree. Mac's weak air mobility and high falling speed make him incredibly susceptible to [[gimp]]s from [[meteor smash]]es, semi-spikes, and even footstool jumps, especially if he doesn't have his double jump. Compounding this, his directional air dodge has the least distance, and his air dodge's ending lag is only average relative to the cast due to the universal changes to air dodges since now the ending lag depends on the character's falling speed and gravity. Thus, it is not only a situational option while in a disadvantaged state, but also poor as a normal recovery move. Mac can grab the ledge by using a directional air dodge if he is close enough, however, allowing him to cover the remaining distance to the ledge, making it very useful if combined with his double jump and special moves.

His special moves are also considerably less effective while in the air. [[Straight Lunge]] loses much of its power when used in midair, and its long charge time makes it impractical for recovery. Aerial KO Uppercut is also significantly weaker and blockable, although it still has KO potential. While Jolt Haymaker and Rising Uppercut are Little Mac's most effective aerial KO options, they are very poor for recovery, offering poor travel distance, small [[edge sweet spot]]s, and minimal intangibility. Jolt Haymaker does not cause [[helplessness]], allowing Mac to follow up with a wall jump, directional air dodge or Rising Uppercut; however, it travels a mediocre distance and can only be used once before landing or grabbing the [[edge]], leaving Mac one of the most vulnerable characters to edgeguarding as he is unable to use it again if he gets hit. Rising Uppercut loses roughly half its travel distance when used in midair, and while aerial Slip Counter can be a good response to an edgeguard attempt, it loses its intangibility, can be predicted, and its end lag if unsuccessful is likely to result in Mac self-destructing or getting gimped by the opponent if used at a low enough altitude. These traits result in Little Mac having more difficulty with recovering than most other characters, meaning his recovery is commonly cited as one of, if not the worst overall. While his below-average gravity and high falling speed grant solid vertical endurance for a lightweight, they also make him very vulnerable to combos and juggling. Additionally, the super armor granted by Mac's smash attacks still causes him to take full damage and must be timed carefully to avoid being punished. These traits make Mac extremely prone to momentum shifts; his lacking air game and overall frailty allows opponents to easily combo or even [[zero-to-death]] him after one mistake, even if Mac was otherwise dominating the match.

Because of these issues, his [[neutral game]], while decent, is predictable, and while he has a good approach due to his excellent mobility, Mac relies more heavily than most other characters on his shield and dodges for avoiding damage and general positioning, both of which can be predicted and easily punished if overused. His short range can be problematic against characters with long or [[Hitbox#Overview|disjointed]] attacks. He also has trouble dealing with [[camping]]; while his super armor and special moves provide options for dealing with projectiles, he is still forced to approach as he lacks projectiles of his own. His short jumps and weak aerial attacks also leave Mac especially vulnerable to platform camping, arguably more so than any other character in the game. While Little Mac has a strong ground game, it has some flaws of its own. Besides his downward angled forward smash and sweetspotted up smash, none of Mac's other moves deal extra [[shield damage]] and also lack shield stun,  making his jab, up tilt, and dash attack especially unsafe against opponents who shield frequently, due to their short [[freeze frames]] despite not having a lot of end lag. Compounding this is Little Mac's mediocre grab game; Mac's pummel is among the fastest, but his grabs, while having average range, have moderate startup lag and noticeable ending lag, and the ending lag and collateral hitboxes for his throws limit their ability to KO or start combos. However, they still have some uses: his down throw can combo into Rising Uppercut, but has some ending lag and it's susceptible to DI; his back throw has decent power and can KO at around 130%, but its collateral hitbox weakens it; up throw can combo into Jolt Haymaker at low to mid percents, and forward throw can tech chase at the same percentages. While Mac is very effective at tech chasing due to his high ground speed, forward throw and wide, semi-spiking down smash, his combo potential is otherwise underwhelming, which combined with his linear neutral can sometimes make it difficult to safely rack up damage despite his attacks' high damage output. As a whole, Little Mac's poor combo game and lack of true KO confirms require him to win neutral exchanges more often in order to succeed, especially when trying to close out a stock since his most reliable KO options cannot be comboed into effectively at higher percentages outside of Jolt Haymaker or Rising Uppercut. His player also must be careful and know when to attack and play defensively, or else Little Mac could lose the neutral game.

Overall, Little Mac's playstyle is akin to a real boxer, with a defensive bait and punish style: keeping constant control of the middle of the stage, capitalizing on the opponent's mistakes, staying on the ground as much as possible, and utilizing his excellent ground mobility to his advantage, similarly to his fighting style in ''Punch-Out!!''. Because of his glaring weaknesses, players must reach a higher level of play than normal in order to use Little Mac effectively: he can be difficult to utilize despite his straightforward fighting style, as his severe disadvantage state forces him to play carefully despite his high mobility and power. Players must learn to utilize Little Mac's long rolls, fast air and fall speed, and super armor on smash attacks to approach projectile-based opponents, and take advantage of his powerful ground tools to condition opponents to make mistakes.

==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
Despite being a lower mid-tier character in ''Smash 4'', Little Mac has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition to ''Ultimate''. While he has received good improvements both directly and from game engine changes, he also received heavy nerfs to his damage and combo potential. As a result, he is considered to be nerfed overall, and he also is mostly harmed by the universal engine changes, compared to most of the cast who benefit from said changes.

Little Mac's biggest buff involves his notoriously poor [[recovery]]: it has been extended and has greater mixup potential due to readdition of directional [[air dodge]]s, [[Jolt Haymaker]] no longer causing [[helpless]]ness while traveling more distance, and [[KO Uppercut]] granting recovery distance in midair. His attributes have also been modified, as he now has a considerably faster [[air speed]] which helps him recover easier, higher jumps which no longer make him as vulnerable to platform [[camping]] (while also improving his recovery), and the second-highest [[falling speed]] which makes it easier for him to return to the ground. His higher weight not only improves his endurance, but also allows him to benefit from rage more effectively despite its weakening, making him harder to KO when combined with his longer recovery.

Among other buffs, some of Little Mac's ground moves have been improved: his [[neutral attack]] is even faster, can jab cancel with more ease, and can now jab [[lock]]. His [[forward tilt]] connects better on opponents in the air, and [[down tilt]] has more range to the point it outranges some swordfighter's down tilts, such as Meta Knight or Ike. All versions of [[forward smash]] have lost their blind spots, and [[up smash]] has more active [[super armor]] frames. [[Straight Lunge]] now gains damage while charging, can now be shield-canceled, can be turned around if needed, and deals a consistent 30% when fully charged. Aside from its helpless state being removed, Jolt Haymaker also has significantly improved safety on hit. The aerial version of [[KO Uppercut]] also has more knockback, allowing it to KO reliably. His grabs have also received much more range and have lost their previous blind spots, making them much more reliable. Some of his attacks also no longer have a sour spot on Little Mac's arm, causing them to deal consistent damage and knockback.

Little Mac also benefits heavily from some of the universal changes: since the alterations to grounded movement have returned some of the aspects of [[dash dancing]], this grants Little Mac one of the game's best dash dances. The ability to [[dash cancel]] into any grounded attack and the introduction of [[spot dodge]] canceling arguably benefit him more than any other fighter, as not only he now has access to all his grounded options at any time, he is able to avoid most laggy [[punishment]] options and retaliate immediately with his strong grounded game; both of these changes improve his hard punish game. The changes to [[shieldstun]] make it easier for him to punish aerial approaches [[out of shield]] and make his grounded attacks safer, benefitting his ground-based playstyle, while this is complemented by the universal nerfs to grabs and [[shield grab]]s, which now make him more difficult to punish out of shield without a sufficiently ranged move. The nerfs to defensive options ([[shield]]ing, air dodges, [[roll]]s, and spot dodges) further improve his pressure ability and punish game, while he still possesses some of the best defensive options of the cast. Finally, the changes to [[jostle]] mechanics now make his attacks much harder to whiff up close, such as Straight Lunge's infamous whiffs at point-blank range in ''Smash 4'', although it very rarely can still happen.

However, the nerfs Little Mac has received to his strong grounded game and Jolt Haymaker is harsh enough to eclipse his useful buffs. His best moves for racking up damage are weaker as his neutral attack, the infinite and up tilt all deal less damage (with the latter being less safe at low percents), and the former no longer has anti-rebounding priority, while his [[down tilt]] has more ending lag, reducing its combo potential, especially beyond low percents; the latter nerf is especially notable since it weakens or outright removes most of his damage racking abilities and kill confirms. His weaker up tilt also makes it less likely to out-prioritize attacks (since it offers [[Priority#Moves that cannot rebound|anti-rebounding priority]]). Down throw has altered and increased knockback, making it better for combos at low percentages, but worse at high percents. As a result of these changes, Little Mac's grounded game has actually become worse despite his much easier access to his options, as he now has to deal more hits and his moves have less followup potential, while he still lacks useful moves to edgeguard or attack offstage opponents with, apart from the newly buffed Jolt Haymaker and [[down smash]]. His recovery has also ironically become less consistent than before, as Jolt Haymaker can now only be used once before landing, making misuse or interception of it usually fatal for him.

In addition, despite some of the universal changes improving Little Mac, other indirect changes have harmed him just as much. The increased damage on [[edge attack]]s (since they now deal more than 8% throughout the cast) means Straight Lunge's armor can no longer withstand them, removing a mind game option. Since defensive options have been nerfed to become stale if overused, while Little Mac can punish opponents more easily, his defense is more exploitable since his awful aerial game makes him reliant on dodges and shielding. The limitation to a single air dodge until a character gets hit or lands on the ground, as well as the higher ending lag on one, is especially notable, as this makes him even more susceptible to juggling if his air dodge is misused, and much more susceptible to [[gimp]]ing despite his improved recovery, as combined with the ability to use Jolt Haymaker once before landing makes it difficult to fully extend his recovery. The changes to jostle mechanics, while making his moveset more consistent, make it easier to corner Little Mac and read his fairly linear [[approach]]. However, the removal of [[perfect pivot]]ing, the universal reduction of [[jumpsquat]]s and [[landing lag]] are the changes that hinder him more than any other character; the former change eliminates his extremely strong micro spacing tactics, while the changes to dash-canceling do not fully compensate for this. Meanwhile, the latter two changes benefit his terrible aerial game far less while strengthening most of the cast's aerial games to varying degrees, making him more vulnerable to combos and aerial rushdowns, which limits him more to shielding a move or directly contesting them by making use of his smash attacks’ super armor to muscle through them, which can be risky.

Overall, despite some changes to Little Mac's awful recovery and the ability to dash cancel moves, Little Mac has lost many of the tools that made him effective in the previous game. Compared to ''Smash 4'', he is considered to be one of the most nerfed characters in the transition. Little Mac's perception within the competitive community has been negative since the game's release, in spite of dedicated mains (including {{Sm|Kwaz}} and {{Sm|Tarakotori}}) who consistently meet respectable results with him at regional tournaments and some outstanding placements in nationals, but his representation is virtually non-existent in comparison to almost all other characters. As such, while some top players have ranked him above dead last in their personal tier lists, most maintain that Little Mac is a bottom-tier character and arguably the worst in the game alongside {{SSBU|Ganondorf}}.

{{SSB4 to SSBU changelist|char=Little Mac}}

==Update history==
Little Mac has received a mix of buffs and nerfs via game updates, but has been buffed overall. Although update 2.0.0 granted inconsequential buffs to his neutral and up aerials, update 3.1.0 noticeably improved his ground game. Neutral attack was heavily improved in three distinct ways. Its hits connect better thanks to improved ranges and, more notably, its first and second hits had their ending lag reduced to the point that it and {{SSBU|Mr. Game & Watch}}'s neutral attack are currently the only ones in ''Ultimate'' that are capable of [[jab cancel]]ing reliably. Forward tilt connects much better against airborne opponents, which was a notorious flaw that remained unaddressed throughout ''SSB4''{{'}}s lifespan. Down tilt's range was increased to the point that it is actually on par with {{SSBU|Mii Swordfighter}}'s and out-ranges {{SSBU|Ike}}'s, while the duration of up smash's [[super armor]] was increased.

[[Jolt Haymaker]] received a new hitbox that increased its vertical range, thus allowing its grounded version to hit opponents on {{SSBU|Battlefield}}'s low platforms. KO Uppercut, [[Slip Counter]] and uncharged [[Straight Lunge]] had their ending lag noticeably reduced by varying amounts. Lastly, Little Mac indirectly benefits from the update's changes to shield damage for projectiles, as they make it somewhat easier for him to handle camping.

Update 3.1.0 also introduced an unintentional mechanic that decreased the ending lag of neutral attack's third hit by 10 frames if it was inputted manually. This oversight gave his neutral attack the ability to combo into itself (via [[dash-canceling]]), forward smash, grab, or [[Jolt Haymaker]] at low to medium percents. The sheer effectiveness of this mechanic even resulted in {{Sm|Sol}}, a pioneer of Little Mac's metagame in ''SSB4'', christening it the "Dreamland Express" as proposed by his Twitch chat. Although update 4.0.0 removed this mechanic, it is not enough to eclipse the other buffs that update 3.1.0 granted Little Mac in the first place.

In update 7.0.0, Little Mac was among the numerous characters whose shields were enlarged, which decreased his vulnerability to [[shield stab]]bing. Most recently, update 8.0.0 increased the ending lag of both his [[Floor attack|trip attack]] and backward [[rolling tech]] by 1 frame apiece, which standardized them with the rest of the cast's.

Overall, Little Mac's buffs have expanded the utility of his moveset by granting him more potential set-ups, improving his consistency, and making his offense slightly safer. Sol has notably viewed the buffs as sufficient enough to render Mac better than he was in ''SSB4'',<ref>[https://twitter.com/Solreth/status/1134386416111296512]</ref> although he made this statement before the Dreamland Express was removed. However, how these buffs will affect him the long run remains to be seen.

'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|2.0.0}}'''
{{UpdateList (SSBU)/2.0.0|char=Little Mac}}

'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|3.1.0}}'''
{{UpdateList (SSBU)/3.1.0|char=Little Mac}}

'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|4.0.0}}'''
{{UpdateList (SSBU)/4.0.0|char=Little Mac}}

'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|7.0.0}}'''
{{UpdateList (SSBU)/7.0.0|char=Little Mac}}

'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|8.0.0}}'''
{{UpdateList (SSBU)/8.0.0|char=Little Mac}}

==Moveset==
*Little Mac can [[wall jump]].
''For a gallery of Little Mac's hitboxes, see [[Little Mac (SSBU)/Hitboxes|here]].''

{{MovesetTable
|game=SSBU
|neutralcount=3
|neutralinf=y
|neutralname=&nbsp;
|neutral1dmg=1.5%
|neutral2dmg=1.5%
|neutral3dmg=5%
|neutralinfdmg=0.5% (loop), 3% (last)
|neutraldesc=A left-handed jab, followed by a right-handed hook, followed by a left-handed uppercut. If the button is mashed, Little Mac will perform an extremely fast flurry of alternating punches, followed by a right uppercut. Holding the attack button will have Little Mac repeat the first hit rapidly. Like in ''Smash 4'', it is one of the fastest attacks in the game, with the first hit coming out on frame 1. As a result, it is an excellent point-blank interrupting tool. The first two hits can [[lock]] floored characters, although this is difficult to perform on most characters due to the move's height. The first two hits have very low ending lag, allowing either to [[jab cancel]] into [[Rising Uppercut]]; this acts as a KO combo at various percents, with hit 2 working past around 145%, and hit 1 working past 200%. However, this combo can be safely shielded.
|ftiltname=&nbsp;
|ftiltdmg=4% (hit 1), 8% (hit 2)
|ftiltdesc=A {{s|wikipedia|one-two combo}}. The first hit leads into the second hit, which deals excellent knockback that can KO {{SSBU|Mario}} from the edge of [[Final Destination]] at 90%. Due to the first hit coming out at frame 4 and the second at frame 12, it's extremely fast while also being one of the strongest forward tilts in the game. It also has anti-rebounding priority and the longest range of his tilts due to Mac moving slightly forward during both hits, especially the first, making it useful out of a dash, especially coupled with [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCNqH7a3hfQ pivot canceling], being able to punish attacks from more than half of Final Destination away. However, this makes the move inconsistent at high percents. As of patch 3.1.0, the second hit connects more reliably on opponents in the air, unlike in ''SSB4''. It somewhat resembles the Hondo Rush, a technique used by Piston Hondo in the NES and Wii versions of ''Punch-Out!!''
|utiltname=&nbsp;
|utiltdmg=6.5%
|utiltdesc=An overhead arcing backfist. Very fast, coming out on frame 4 and has low ending lag. It covers the entirety of Little Mac's body and a wide arc above him, which allows him to use it as a quick option to punish overhead attacks or rolls. One of Little Mac's combo starters, up tilt has anti-rebounding priority, low knockback and speed. The back hit combos better due to Mac having less end lag. Combos into itself at low percents, and [[Rising Uppercut]] or [[KO Uppercut]] at low/mid percents if the opponent is close to him. It can also lead to tilts or smash attacks depending on an opponent's reaction. However, it is unsafe on hit at very low percents, and has questionable shield safety, but due to Little Mac ducking during the move, it also can low profile some aerials and projectiles, allowing its use as an approach tool, and making direct punishes challenging for some characters. It resembles Don Flamenco's Twirling Backhand used during Title Defense Mode in the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!'', albeit performed vertically instead of horizontally.
|dtiltname=&nbsp;
|dtiltdmg=8%
|dtiltdesc= A crouching {{s|wikipedia|short straight-punch}}. Like his neutral attack and tilts, it has anti-rebounding priority and has an extremely fast startup at frame 3. However, it has lost part of its formidable combo potential from ''Smash 4'' due to its higher ending lag. However, it is still good for combos, since it still possesses its vertical angle, can combo into tilts at 0%, and has consistent combos at mid percents into [[Jolt Haymaker]], and can frame trap into forward aerial, dashing Rising Uppercut, dash attack, and smash attacks. Can confirm into KO Uppercut at extremely specific percents, usually around 60, although the window can widen a lot (down to 40%) with rage. Otherwise, it is mainly used to force opponents into a landing situation for Mac to capitalize on. As of patch 3.1.0, down tilt's range now exceeds those of some swordfighters, now being on par with {{SSBU|Mii Swordfighter}}'s and longer than {{SSBU|Ike}}'s due to a disjoint on the hitbox on Mac's fist, giving it impressive range. It is one of Mac's main neutral tools due to its combo potential, speed, range, and relative safeness on shield compared to the rest of his attacks. It can also 2-frame which can lead to Jolt Haymaker or KO Uppercut for a kill confirm.
|dashname=&nbsp;
|dashdmg=10%
|dashdesc=A lunging {{iw|wikipedia|overhand|boxing}}. It is fast for a dash attack (frame 7), travels a decent distance, and can be a situational burst KO option, having enough knockback to KO Mario at 136% from the edge of Final Destination, thus making it moderately strong for a dash attack. It can also hit opponents hanging on ledges, and due to its generous hitbox, finds a lot of use trapping opponents on ledge. However, due to its lack of shieldstun, it is notoriously punishable on shield, however it can cross up most of the cast on shield. The angle is different for the 3 frames in which the hitbox is active, as it launches at an 80-degree angle at frame 7, 70 at frame 8, and 60 at frame 9. It can combo into itself at low percents. It heavily resembles Von Kaiser's "Von Kaiser Wave," a dashing overhand punch used during his Title Defense battle in the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!''
|fsmashangles=3
|fsmashname=Straight Smash
|fsmashupdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|20}} (fist), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|18}} (arm)
|fsmashsidedmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|20}} (fist), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|18}} (arm)
|fsmashdowndmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|24}}
|fsmashdesc=Steps forward and throws one of three right-handed punch variations, depending on which angle the [[control stick]] is tilted. It's active on frame 14 (15 if angled down) and has a moderate amount of ending lag (26 frames of lag), making it surprisingly fast for its power. Little Mac also rushes forward during before the hitbox becomes active, giving it deceptively good range, but the hitboxes don't reach far in front of him. It's pretty versatile for a forward smash or smash attack in general, as each directional input behaves almost like different moves as opposed to other forward smashes just changing their angle of attack, allowing Little Mac options for powerful knockback either horizontally or vertically, or dealing heavy damage or shield damage.
''Up'': An uppercut. It launches opponents vertically and has the largest hitbox out of all three punch variations, which makes it the easiest to connect while also being a good anti-air. It does powerful vertical knockback that KOs Mario at 102%, allowing it to finish off fighters with poor vertical endurance. It also grants super armor on frames 8-15. On opponents at 0 percent (or at extremely low percents with rage), should Little Mac armor an attack and successfully connect this move, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4DJNmgJDm8&t=20s it can frame trap opponents into many vertical moves including KO Uppercut], due to the [[Special Zoom]] giving Little Mac extra hit advantage. It resembles Little Mac's Star Punch and One-Star Punch in the NES and Wii versions of ''Punch-Out!!'', respectively.

''Forward'': A cross. It has the highest knockback scaling out of all three punch variations, KOing Mario from center-stage at 89%. This makes it the most reliable out of the three in regard to KOing. It also grants super armor on frames 8-15. It is based on the cross Little Mac hits King Hippo with during the cutscene in which he defeats Hippo in the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!''

''Down'': A body hook. It deals the most damage out of all three punch variations, but its extremely low knockback scaling makes it unusable for KOing. Its high [[shieldstun]] makes it safer on shield than the other two punch variations, and it deals heavy shield damage, allowing it to deplete more than half a shield. It also grants super armor on frames 9-15. Down-angled forward smash has a very low angle, and coupled with its extremely low knockback allows it to set up many [[Tech-chasing]] situations.
|usmashname=&nbsp;
|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|21}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|16}} (late)
|usmashdesc=A wide uppercut. Its first frame is highlighted by a spark, which acts as a sweetspot that possesses a [[flame]] effect and deals significant shield damage (breaking a shield at full health if fully charged) and is among the strongest up smashes in the game. Its sourspot also makes it useful for aerial protection and for KOing, thanks to its respectable damage output, high knockback scaling, and hitbox placement. Fast despite its power, coming out on frame 10. However, it has the highest amount of ending lag out of his grounded moves with 34 frames, making it punishable if not used carefully. Despite its appearance, it also only hits in front of Little Mac, but it has good vertical range, reaching high enough to challenge opponents standing on the bottom platforms of {{SSBU|Battlefield}}, and low enough to reach some opponents on a ledge. It also grants super armor on frames 8-13.
|dsmashname=&nbsp;
|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|13}}
|dsmashdesc=Spins 180° to throw a quick, downward angled right hook in each direction. It comes out on frame 10 and acts as a powerful [[semi-spike]] which hits on both sides. Coupled with its long-range, it is one of Little Mac's [[edgeguarding]] options. Like his other smash attacks, it grants super armor (frames 7-10 and 15-17). Unlike most down smashes, both of its hits have the same damage outputs. Down smash also posses a low knockback angle which can set up [[tech-chasing]] situations, and it can hit twice in extremely specific situations if the first hit sends the opponent into the second.
|nairname=Weak Jab
|nairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|2}}
|nairdesc=A downward angled straight jab. Due to its hitting on frame 2 and having almost no ending lag, it is the fastest aerial of any kind in the game. It can be used as a combo breaker of sorts or spammed to combo when in the air, and having a very practical use of getting Little Mac out of hitstun without using a landing option very quickly and efficiently. It also sends the opponent at the auto-link angle, allowing Mac to combo on landing. It has a small hitbox on Mac's back. However, it has an extremely low range, making it risky and difficult to use offensively. The front hitbox has a very weak set knockback while the hitbox behind Mac has knockback. It can autocancel extremely quickly and can be used twice in a short hop without suffering from landing lag if used at the peak of the short hop.
|fairname=&nbsp;
|fairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|5}} (sweetspot), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|4}} (sourspot)
|fairdesc=A hook. It comes out on frame 10 and has a low damage output, but hits at a semi-spike angle, allowing it to act as a [[gimp]]. It can combo out of several of Little Mac's moves, though this is offset by its meager damage. It can combo into Jolt Haymaker, being risky but very rewarding if used precisely: at mid percents leaves the opponent in an unfavorable position, and even KO early offstage. By itself, it can easily gimp poor recoveries past 100%. It can also lead to tech chase situations. Compared to Little Mac's other aerials, it is the most useful and reliable, although it autocancels in a full hop.
|bairname=&nbsp;
|bairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|6}} (sweetspot) {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|4}} (sourspot)
|bairdesc=A backfist. Like his forward aerial, it has a low damage output and hits at a semi-spike angle, but comes out one frame slower and deals 1% more damage. It can edgeguard, but it has a poor range and a short hitbox duration. It's also his strongest aerial, but is still too weak to KO and does not autocancel in a short hop.
|uairname=&nbsp;
|uairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|5}} (sweetspot) {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|4}} (sourspot)
|uairdesc=An upward arcing hook. It is extremely fast for an up aerial (frame 5), though this is significantly offset by its short-range, short hitbox duration, and noticeable ending lag. It autocancels in a full hop If used while near the ground, it can combo into up tilt, Rising Uppercut, or KO Uppercut at high percents. It is also usable as an anti-air against opponents on platforms if no other options are available. It appears to be based on the jump Little Mac performs during his victory animation in the Wii version of Punch-Out!!
|dairname=&nbsp;
|dairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|4}} (spike/sourspot), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|5}} (sweetspot)
|dairdesc=A downwards punch. The fist hitbox is a sourspot but acts as a [[meteor smash]]. It autocancels in a short hop and is one of the quickest meteor smashes in the game due to coming out on frame 7 and having low ending lag, but is situational due to its extremely low knockback and damage, with its meteor smash being ineffective against anyone but fast-fallers unless Little Mac footstool jumps on the opponent immediately after. The meteor smash hitbox also acts like a sourspot, dealing less damage than the hitbox on his arm. However, it can [[lock]] floored opponents, allowing Mac to finish them with any of his strongest attacks. It can also gimp, being good with opponents with poor recoveries, especially vertically. It will only get a kill at 247% at the least.
|grabname=&nbsp;
|grabdesc=[[wikipedia:Grappling hold#Clinch hold|Clinches]] the opponent. In addition to having average range, Little Mac possesses moderate ending lag in his grabs. Unlike in SSB4, Mac's grab no longer has blindspots on his hand and arm. Its range can be increased by performing a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1If8eSLKwI roll cancel boost grab]and it can even be used to [[cross-up]] opponents, although this is difficult to pull off. His dash grab has long-range, as he rushes forward at a rather far distance before the grab box comes out, and his pivot grab also has decent range, but they both have noticeable startup lag as well. It heavily resembles the Bear Hug, a powerful clinch used by Bear Hugger in the Arcade and SNES versions of ''Super Punch-Out!!'' and the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!'' respectively.
|pummelname=&nbsp;
|pummeldmg=1%
|pummeldesc=A body hook. Low damage, but it's one of the fastest in the game, making it great for racking up damage before a throw.
|fthrowname=
|fthrowdmg=4% (hit), 4% (throw)
|fthrowdesc=Rears his arm back and throws an overhand. It's Little Mac's second most damaging throw and can be used to set up an edgeguard. At low-to-mid percents, it can tech-chase, and if the opponent doesn't tech, it can be followed into a dash attack or other options out of a dash at low percents. Nearby opponents will be launched at a near-perfect vertical trajectory.
|bthrowname=
|bthrowdmg=4% (hit), 5% (throw)
|bthrowdesc=Spins the opponent around and throws an uppercut. The most damaging out of all of Little Mac's throws, as well as the highest knockback scaling. This is his only throw with any KO potential, although it is not the strongest KOing option, as it is hindered by its collateral hitbox, causing it to KO Mario starting at 140% from the very edge of Final Destination. Nearby opponents will be launched at a near-perfect vertical trajectory.
|uthrowname=
|uthrowdmg=4% (hit), 3% (throw)
|uthrowdesc=An uppercut. Nearby opponents will be launched at a near-perfect vertical trajectory. Due to Mac's weak aerial presence, this throw has little use apart from mixups involving forcing opponents to land, making it his most situational throw. However, it can combo into Jolt Haymaker at low and mid percents.
|dthrowname=
|dthrowdmg=4% (hit), 3% (throw)
|dthrowdesc=A [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks#Double axe handle|double axe handle]]. Its knockback was increased from the previous installment, which makes it harder to lead into combos. Nearby opponents will be launched at a near-perfect vertical trajectory. It can combo into a jab at low percents. On stages with platforms at mid percents it can put his opponent directly above him in a tech situation, which can be followed up by an up smash, KO Uppercut, Jolt Haymaker, or a down air to lock and open up further followups, should they fail to [[tech]]. Is based on King Hippos Hippo Squeeze n' Squash from the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!''
|floorfname=&nbsp;
|floorfdmg=7%
|floorfdesc=Gets up while throwing a punch behind himself, then in front of himself.
|floorbname=&nbsp;
|floorbdmg=7%
|floorbdesc=Gets up while throwing a punch in front of himself, then behind himself
|floortname=&nbsp;
|floortdmg=5%
|floortdesc=Gets up while throwing a punch in front of himself, then behind himself
|edgename=&nbsp;
|edgedmg=9%
|edgedesc=Throws a lunging punch while climbing up the ledge.
|nsname=Straight Lunge
|nsdmg=12%/10%/8% (uncharged), 10%/8% (uncharged reversed), 30% (fully charged), 28% (fully charged reversed), 35% (KO Uppercut), 13% (aerial KO Uppercut)
|nsdesc=Rears his arm back and then throws a dashing cross. It is chargeable, grants 8% (9.6% on 1v1) [[super armor|heavy armor]] while charging, can be reversed upon release, and moves Little Mac at a good distance forward, which increases with charge. The charge can be canceled by pressing the shield button. When fully charged, it deals consistent 30% damage throughout the move, lacking a weaker late hit and launching the opponent away with extreme knockback, KOing opponents at 30% at ledge. Not fully charged variants have anti-rebounding priority, and due to its lingering hitbox and ability to be canceled, is a viable mixup option to beat out [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTAhN-hmkzA predictable moves or projectiles]. Due to the frame 1 heavy armor, it can be useful to prevent the opponent from starting a combo with a tilt or extending the combo with an aerial attack, giving Mac a way to escape from combos and juggle situations. However, it depends on the move and sometimes the character, as it's not useful against hits that deal more than 8%.

If the [[Power Meter]] is fully charged, it becomes the '''KO Uppercut''', a fast and extremely powerful leaping uppercut, with the ability to [[unblockable|pierce shields]] and also has enough range to reach through the bottom platform of Battlefield. Despite the name, however, it is not a true [[one-hit KO]], but instead, KOs at low to mid percentages (KOs the [[Pichu (SSBU)|lightest character]] starting at 12% and [[Bowser (SSBU)|the heaviest]] starting at 36%), while also granting super armor on frames 8-9. However, KO Uppercut possesses a considerable amount of ending lag, making it punishable regardless if it hits or not, and the Uppercut is immediately lost if Little Mac holds it for 4 seconds and is then hit by any move that causes tumbling. A midair KO Uppercut, although weaker and blockable/counterable, can also be used as a recovery option, and despite the much weaker power, it is still strong enough to KO reliably at high percents, especially at a certain height.
|ssname=Jolt Haymaker
|ssdmg=14%
|ssdesc=An overhand version of the {{s|wikipedia|Superman punch}}. It can be used almost instantly by pressing the special button immediately after first pressing it. Gives brief [[intangibility]] on the ground during startup and its long hitbox duration allow it to punish moves effectively. It deals high damage and good knockback, making it a great combo finisher and reliable KO move at the ledge, even in the air. It does not render him helpless if used in midair, making it a good horizontal recovery option. However, it can only be used once before landing, thus the player must use it carefully due to Little Mac's mediocre recovery. Jolt Haymaker was given more range as of patch 3.1.0, allowing the grounded version to hit opponents on the bottom platforms of {{SSBU|Battlefield}}, and expanding upon its use as a usable punish against jumpy opponents. B-reversing this move (called a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyNdOil6TMI wavemaker]) allows it to rise slightly higher and closer, allowing up tilt to confirm into this move, as well as even having [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyb5m8zKNhQ applications as an edgeguarding tool].
|usname= Rising Uppercut
|usdmg=3% (hit 1), 1% (hits 2-5), 3% (hit 6)
|usdesc=A right-handed, jumping corkscrew uppercut, followed immediately by a left-handed uppercut. The first uppercut hits multiple times, whereas the second uppercut hits once and has extremely high knockback. Thanks to Little Mac's excellent traction, it is a very potent [[out of shield]] option and is also one of his only reliable aerial finishers aside from Jolt Haymaker. It also grants 3 frames of intangibility on start-up, while the grounded version covers a decent amount of vertical distance. Conversely, the aerial version is less effective at covering vertical distance and granting maneuverability compared to the grounded version, which makes it very ineffective for recovery. Using an aerial (primarily his neutral-air) directly before using Rising uppercut will [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=widRuJ29m2k move Little Mac forward just like the grounded version]. It appears to be based on Little Mac's Three-Star Punch in the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!''
|dsname=Slip Counter
|dsdmg=1.3× (minimum 10%)
|dsdesc=Assumes a [[wikipedia:Boxing styles and technique#Stances|full crouch stance]] and, if hit, immediately [[counterattack]]s by {{s|wikipedia|slipping}} inside to throw an uppercut. It shoots Little Mac forward during the counterattack, allowing it to hit distant opponents and act as a recovery extended offstage, albeit with high risk. Due to the counter window being active on frame 5, it has one of the fastest startups of any counter, making it an effective defensive option. However, the mechanics of the uppercut's delivery, such as the short delay and Mac's own movement, can also make it infrequently whiff. Can also be used to [[edgeguard]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvAFdvRDTuo characters with rising hitboxes on their recoveries], such as Link or another Little Mac. It appears to be based on Glass Joe's Delayed Right Hook used during Title Defense Mode in the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!''
|fsname=Giga Mac Rush
|fsdmg=3% (beginning), 2% (beginning late), 59% (entirety)
|fsdesc=Little Mac transforms into his Giga Mac form and rushes forward, attacking any caught opponents with an uppercut. He then proceeds to unleash a rush of punches that concludes with an uppercut. For a Final Smash, it does a massive amount of damage, and the initial dash can be used as a niche recovery option.
}}

===[[Power Meter]] and [[KO Uppercut]]===
[[File:Little Mac SSBU Skill Preview Extra 1.png|thumb|right|Little Mac using KO Uppercut, as shown via [[Move List]].]]
{{cquote|''Deal damage to opponents or receive damage to charge the meter. Charge it to the max to make your neutral special a KO Uppercut.''
|left|cite=Move List Description for the Power Meter.}}
<br>
{{cquote|''Unleash a powerful uppercut that launches opponents. You get various perks for using this on the ground.
|left|cite=Move List Description for the KO Uppercut.}}

Little Mac has a unique mechanic known as the Power Meter, which is permanently shown above his [[damage meter]]. Inflicting damage or receiving damage will charge the meter; when full, Little Mac's neutral special ([[Straight Lunge]]) is replaced by the KO Uppercut. Of note is that the meter is also charged if Little Mac hits a shield or invincibility and if he is hit while in shield or invincibility. KO Uppercut has multiple perks: it can KO almost the entire cast around 35%, has very fast startup, grants [[super armor]] right before the hitbox appears, and is [[unblockable]]. This only applies to the grounded version, as the aerial version is significantly weaker and blockable, KOing opponents at above 80%. It can be used as a last-resort recovery option, but this is ill-advised unless Little Mac is recovering up high, as the move has high endlag and does not snap to the ledge.

KO Uppercut will replace Straight Lunge until it is used, Little Mac is KO'd, or if he is sent [[tumbling]] 4 seconds after he gains a KO Uppercut.

===[[On-screen appearance]]===
*He walks onto the stage while throwing a series of punches before tossing his hooded sweatsuit off. If either of his sweatsuit alternate costumes is being used, he will still perform the tossing animation while keeping his sweatsuit on.
<gallery>
LittleMacOnScreenAppearanceSSBU.gif|Little Mac's on-screen appearance
</gallery>

===[[Taunt]]s===
*'''Up taunt''': Turns his back to the screen, bends down, then raises his fist triumphantly. Sometimes, [[Doc Louis]] will chime in and say "Hit 'em, baby!" ({{ja|叩け，マック！|Tatake, Makku!}}, ''Strike, Mac!'')
*'''Side taunt''': Pulls the string of his right boxing glove tight with his teeth, then gets back to his battle stance while scoffing. Sometimes, Doc Louis will chime in and say "Let 'em have it, Mac!" ({{ja|ぶちかませ，マック！|Buchikama se, Makku!}}, ''Hit them hard, Mac!'')
*'''Down taunt''': Performs a series of punches while facing the screen. Sometimes, Doc Louis will chime in and say "Show 'em what you got, Mac baby!" ({{ja|お前のパンチを見せてやれ！|Omae no panchi wo misete yare!}}, ''Show them your punch!'')
<gallery>
SSBULittleMacTaunt1.gif|Little Mac's up taunt.
SSBULittleMacTaunt2.gif|Little Mac's side taunt.
SSBULittleMacTaunt3.gif|Little Mac's down taunt.
</gallery>
===[[Idle pose]]s===
*Shuffles his feet.
*Shifts his head back and forth in front of his fists.
<gallery>
SSBULittleMacIdle1.gif|Little Mac's first idle pose
SSBULittleMacIdle2.gif|Little Mac's second idle pose
</gallery>

===[[Victory pose]]s===
Little Mac wears a {{s|wikipedia|Champion belt}} in all three of his victory poses.<br>
In Team Battles, Doc Louis will not appear, and he will not say anything.
*'''Left:''' Does a fakeout punch against Doc Louis, who stumbles before they both pose with an arm raised while facing towards the camera.
*'''Up:''' Doc Louis bumps Little Mac with his belly before holding up Mac's arm, as a referee would after a boxing match.
*'''Right:''' Runs and turns his back towards the screen, shuffles his feet, then performs a spinning uppercut while Doc Louis cheers him on.<br>
In all of Little Mac's victory poses, Doc Louis will say one of the following quotes random depending on which pose is selected and which costume is used:
{|class=wikitable
|colspan=3| <center>'''Note:''' Doc Louis will randomly say "Y'know, that belt looks good on you, son." no matter which costume is used.</center>
|-
! Left !! Up !! Right
|-
!colspan=3 | Normal Costumes
|-
| "You win, Mac!" || "World Circuit's all yours Mac!" || "Ahh, winnin' feels good, don't it?"
|-
| "Was that a little too easy for ya, son?" || "(in tandem with the [[announcer]]) And the winner is… Little Mac!" || "Way to go, Mac! You're the champ, baby!"
|-
| "Nice work, Mac. You got it all figured out." || "Ya got what it takes, Mac!" || "I think I hear a chocolate bar callin'."
|-
!colspan=3 | Wireframe Costumes
|-
| "I could barely keep my eyes on ya, son." || "You making my eyes water, son." || "Just like old times, huh?"
|}
[[File:Victory! (Little Mac).ogg|thumb|A remix of the theme that plays when the player defeats an opponent in the NES and Wii ''Punch-Out!!'' games.]]
<gallery>
LittleMacVictoryPose1SSBU.gif
LittleMacVictoryPose2SSBU.gif
LittleMacVictoryPose3SSBU.gif
</gallery>

==In competitive play==
From ''Ultimate'', hopes were high on Little Mac when the game was released, due to improvements to his notoriously awful recovery and ability to cancel grounded moves. However, Mac's changes and the game’s mechanics proved to be detrimental to some of his best tools, especially his ground game, while his weak aerial game, notoriously the worst in ''Smash 4'', was made even worse. With this, his perception dropped significantly, with the general perception of him being not only a bottom tier, but the worst character in the game.

Patch 3.1.0 granted Mac several useful buffs: his neutral attack, down and forward tilts, and decreased lag from his special attacks revamped his ground game to be more daunting than before. As such, his representation and results slowly improved over time thanks due to dedicated mains such as Kwaz and Tarakotori, most notably in Japan. Despite this, Little Mac's most critical weaknesses remain unaltered.

Patch 4.0.0, however, reverted Little Mac's biggest buff: as a result of the fixing of an unintentional mechanic, his manual gentleman jab no longer combos into itself or any KO moves, hindering his combo ability. This change, however, has gone relatively unnoticed by many pro players due to Mac’s lack of competitive presence and therefore has little effect on his already negative perception. While this hasn't stopped Little Mac from gaining some impressive results thanks to the works of {{Sm|Kwaz}}, {{Sm|Tarakotori}}, and {{Sm|Mr.Newport}}, his cons are generally agreed to be too detrimental for him to be viable in the current metagame. Additionally, his multitude of buffs, which improve him at a quality-of-life level, have not patched up his significant disadvantage state, and thus have not made enough impact to shift Mac from being considered the worst character overall. Because of this, he is expected to remain ranked as a bottom-tier, especially if he doesn't receive further buffs from future patches.

===Notable players===
<!--If you are planning to add a player you consider to be notable, please provide tournament results in some shape or form in the edit summary (be it a link to a results thread or bracket of placing high in a tournament of other notable players or a video of them beating a notable player). Winning tournaments without notable players present is generally not enough to warrant a spot.-->
====Active====
*{{Sm|Akaraien|Austria}} - Placed 13th at {{Trn|BOILINGPOINT BRAWL}} and 17th at {{Trn|VCA 2019}}, defeating players such as {{Sm|Whoophee}} and {{Sm|Klemenz}}.
*{{Sm|BlasterZ|Germany}} - Placed 5th at {{Trn|Calyptus Cup Inkstrike}}, 9th at {{Trn|Calyptus Cup X: Purple Age}}, and 25th at both {{Trn|Calyptus Cup Fusion}} and {{Trn|DoKomi 2019}}. He has wins over players such as {{Sm|DarkThunder}}, {{Sm|Jbandrew}}, and {{Sm|otek}}.
* {{Sm|DevvyStar|United States}} - Uses Little Mac as a strong secondary to his main, Isabelle. Placed 49th at {{Trn|Glitch 7 - Minus World}} and 97th at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}} while defeating  {{Sm|Frozen}} and {{Sm|Pink Fresh}}.
*{{Sm|Gaia|Japan}} - Placed 5th at {{Trn|PSG Classic 2019}}, with wins over players such as {{Sm|Dakpo}}, {{Sm|Rickles}}, and {{Sm|Etsuji}}.
*{{Sm|gain|Japan}} - Placed 25th at {{Trn|EGS Cup}}, 33rd at {{Trn|Umebura SP}}. Has taken sets off players such as {{Sm|HIKARU}}, {{Sm|kept}}, {{Sm|Brood}}, {{Sm|Etsuji}}, and {{Sm|Eim}}.
*{{Sm|Kala|Mexico}} - The best Little Mac player in Mexico. Placed 17th at {{Trn|Mexican Gaming Championship}}, 25th at {{Trn|Smash Factor 8}} and 33rd at {{Trn|Smash Fest to the Sky}}.
*{{Sm|Kwaz|USA}} - The best Little Mac player in the United States and one of the best in the world. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|Sweet Spot 6}}, 5th at {{Trn|Overextend}}, 7th at {{Trn|Smash Out 2019}}, 9th at {{Trn|Paradigm Shift 2019}}, 13th at both {{Trn|Be Mine?}} and {{Trn|Frosty Faustings XII 2020}} , 33rd at {{Trn|Low Tier City 7}}, 49th at {{Trn|The Big House 9}}, and 97th at {{Trn|Frostbite 2020}}. Ranked 3rd on the [[Nebraska Power Rankings#Ultimate|Nebraska Ultimate Power Rankings]].
*{{Sm|Mr.Newport|United States}} -  The best Little Mac player in Texas and one of the best in the United States. Placed 13th at {{trn|Ascension V}}, 49th at {{trn|Low Tier City 7}}, and 97th at {{trn|EVO 2019}}. He is ranked 1st on the [[El Paso Power Rankings#Ultimate|El Paso Power Rankings]].
*{{Sm|Sol|United States}} - A pioneer of competitive Little Mac plays, and was considered one of the best Little Mac players in the early metagame. Placed 17th at {{trn|COST 2019}}. Primarily focused on ''Beat Saber'' and ''Pokémon''. However, he has recently gone back into competitive Smash.
*{{Sm|Tarakotori|Japan}} - The best Little Mac player in Japan and one of the best in the world. Placed 13th at both {{Trn|Umebura SP 4}} and {{Trn|Sumabato SP 8}}, 33rd at {{Trn|Umebura SP 6}}, and 49th {{Trn|Umebura SP 3}}. Has wins over {{Sm|kept}}, {{Sm|T}}, {{Sm|Tsu}}, {{Sm|Lunamado}}, {{Sm|Etsuji}}, {{Sm|Abadango}}, {{Sm|Eim}}, {{Sm|Shogun}}, and {{Sm|HIKARU}}.
*{{Sm|Yaminabe|Japan}} - Placed 25th at {{Trn|Umebura SP 6}} and 97th at {{Trn|EVO Japan 2020}}.  Has a win over {{Sm|Brood}}.
*{{Sm|Midoriss|Italy}} - The best Little Mac player in Europe and 9th best player in Italy. Placed 4th at [[Tournament:OTB II|OTB II]], 49th at [[Tournament:ICARUS V|ICARUS V]] and 7th at [[Tournament:Nemiex Pro Tournament III|Nemiex Pro Tournament III]].

====Inactive====
*{{Sm|Lazyboredom|USA}} - Placed 3rd at {{Trn|Just Roll With It! 10}}, 9th at {{Trn|Just Roll With It! 11}} while using both Little Mac and Falco. Ranked 12th on the [[North Carolina Power Rankings#Smash Ultimate|North Carolina Ultimate Power Rankings]].
*{{Sm|Masayan|Japan}} - Placed 17th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 9}} with a win over {{Sm|yuzu}}.
*{{Sm|Reverse Sol|United States}} - Placed 17th at {{trn|Launch}} and 33rd at {{Trn|Glitch 6}}.

=={{SSBU|Classic Mode}}: Friendly Sparring==
[[File:SSBU Congratulations Little Mac.png|thumb|Little Mac's congratulations screen.]]
Little Mac fights fighters that are close range martial artists. During the battles, every item except the [[Sandbag]] is disabled. As such, the Sandbag can be hit but will only spawn visual confetti.

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Round!!Opponent!!Stage!!Music!!Notes
|-
|1||{{CharHead|Incineroar|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Boxing Ring]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Pokémon|Battle! (Elite Four) / Battle! (Solgaleo/Lunala)}}''||
|-
|2||{{CharHead|Ryu|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Suzaku Castle]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Street Fighter|Ryu Stage}}''||Could also possibly reference Piston Hondo, one of Little Mac's recurring opponents.
|-
|3||{{CharHead|Mii Brawler|SSBU|hsize=20px}} (x4)||[[Arena Ferox]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Smash Bros.|Battlefield - Super Smash Bros. Brawl}}''||Mii Brawler costume combinations:
*No headwear and Red Tracksuit
*Ninja Headband and Purple Fighter Uniform
*No headwear and Pink Protective Gear
*[[Flying Man]] Hat and Flying Man Outfit.
|-
|4||{{CharHead|Captain Falcon|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Port Town Aero Dive]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Dream Chaser}}''||
|-
|5||{{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Wire}} Little Mac||Boxing Ring||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Punch-Out!!|Jogging / Countdown}}''||If the player uses the Wireframe Mac costume, the {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px}} default Little Mac appears as the enemy.
|-
|6||{{CharHead|Donkey Kong|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Boxing Ring ([[Ω form]])||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Donkey Kong|Donkey Kong / Donkey Kong Jr. Medley}}''||References the boss battle against Donkey Kong in ''Punch-Out!! (Wii)''.
|-
|colspan="5"|[[Bonus Stage]]
|-
|Final||{{SSBU|Master Hand}}||{{SSBU|Final Destination}}||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Smash Bros.|Master Hand}}'' <small>(Less than 7.0 intensity)</small><br>''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Smash Bros.|Master Hand / Crazy Hand}}'' <small>(Intensity 7.0 or higher)</small>||On intensity 7.0 and higher, {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}} fights alongside Master Hand.
|}

[[Credits]] roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as Little Mac has ''{{SSBUMusicLink|Punch-Out!!|Jogging / Countdown}}'' accompany the credits.
{{clr}}

==Role in [[World of Light]]==
[[File:WoL-49LittleMac.jpg|thumb|Finding Little Mac in World of Light|left]]
Although Little Mac does not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, he was vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (sans {{SSBU|Kirby}}) when [[Galeem]] unleashed his beams of light.

Little Mac can be found near a city area blocked through a door. To reach him, the player must first complete the [[Power Plant]] sub-area so the door can open.
{{clrl}}

===Fighter Battle===
{|class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
!style="width:5%;"|No.
!style="width:5%;"|Image
!Name
!Type
!Power
!Stage
!Music
|-
|49
|[[File:Little Mac SSBU.png|center|108x108px]]
|Little Mac
|{{SpiritType|Attack}} <center>{{color|#dc1029|Attack}}</center>
|3,300
|[[Boxing Ring]] ([[Ω form]])
|''{{SSBUMusicLink|Punch-Out!!|Jogging / Countdown}}''
|}
{{-}}

==[[Spirit]]s==
Little Mac's fighter spirit can be obtained by completing [[Classic Mode]]. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 500 coins. Unlocking Little Mac in World of Light allows the player to preview the first spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. Each fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in ''Ultimate''.

Additionally, Little Mac makes an appearance as a primary spirit as Giga Mac.

<center>
<gallery>
SSBU spirit Little Mac.png|932. '''''Little Mac'''''
SSBU spirit Giga Mac.png|933. Giga Mac
</gallery>
</center>

==In Spirit battles==
===As the main opponent===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
|-
! colspan=4|Spirit
! colspan=7|Battle parameters
! colspan=1|Inspiration
|-
! style="width:5%;"|No.
! style="width:5%;"|Image
! Name
! Series
! Enemy Fighter(s)
! style="width:5%;"|Type
! style="width:5%;"|Power
! Stage
! Rules
! Conditions
! Music
! Character
|-
|217
|{{SpiritTableName|Ricky|size=64}}
|''The Legend of Zelda'' Series
|•{{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Yellow}}
|{{SpiritType|Attack}}
|1,800
|[[Bridge of Eldin]] ([[Battlefield form]])
|N/A
|•The enemy loves to jump<br>•The enemy has increased jump power
|{{SSBUMusicLink|The Legend of Zelda|Tal Tal Heights}}
|
|-
|460
|{{SpiritTableName|Porygon|link=y|size=64}}
|''Pokémon'' Series
|•{{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Wire}}
|{{SpiritType|Shield}}
|1,700
|[[Pokémon Stadium]] (hazards off)
|•Assist Trophy Enemies ([[Akira]])
|•Hostile assist trophies will appear
|{{SSBUMusicLink|Pokémon|Main Theme - Pokémon Red & Pokémon Blue (Melee)}}
|
|-
|568
|{{SpiritTableName|Teddy|size=64}}
|''EarthBound'' Series
|•{{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}
|{{SpiritType|Attack}}
|3,600
|[[Onett]]
|N/A
|•The enemy's melee weapons have increased power<br>•The enemy starts the battle with a [[Killing Edge]]
|{{SSBUMusicLink|EarthBound|Bein' Friends}}
|
|-
|933
|{{SpiritTableName|Giga Mac|link=y|size=64}}
|''Punch-Out!!'' Series
|•Giant {{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Black}}
|{{SpiritType|Attack}}
|13,900
|[[Boxing Ring]]
|N/A
|•The enemy has super armor and is hard to launch or make flinch<br>•[[Stamina battle]]<br>•The enemy is giant
|{{SSBUMusicLink|Punch-Out!!|Title Theme - Punch-Out!! (Wii)}}
|
|-
|934
|{{SpiritTableName|Doc Louis|link=y|size=64}}
|''Punch-Out!!'' Series
|•{{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}
|{{SpiritType|Neutral}}
|3,300
|[[Boxing Ring]]
|•Attack Power ↑<br>•Defense ↑<br>•Move Speed ↑
|•[[Stamina battle]]<br>•The enemy has increased move speed<br>•The enemy has increased defense after a little while
|{{SSBUMusicLink|Punch-Out!!|Jogging / Countdown}}
|Little Mac
|-
|936
|{{SpiritTableName|Bald Bull|size=64}}
|''Punch-Out!!'' Series
|•Giant {{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}
|{{SpiritType|Shield}}
|4,400
|[[Boxing Ring]]
|N/A
|•The enemy's dash attacks have increased power<br>•The enemy has super armor but moves slower<br>•[[Stamina battle]]
|{{SSBUMusicLink|Punch-Out!!|Jogging / Countdown}}
|
|-
|945
|{{SpiritTableName|Piston Hondo|size=64}}
|''Punch-Out!!'' Series
|•Giant {{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}
|{{SpiritType|Attack}}
|2,000
|[[Boxing Ring]]
|N/A
|•[[Stamina battle]]<br>•The enemy favors smash attacks<br>•The enemy is giant
|{{SSBUMusicLink|Punch-Out!!|Jogging / Countdown}}
|
|-
|986
|{{SpiritTableName|Balrog|size=64}}
|''Street Fighter'' Series
|•{{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}
|{{SpiritType|Attack}}
|9,100
|[[Fourside]] ([[Ω form]])
|•Jump Power ↓
|•[[Stamina battle]]<br>•All fighters have reduced jump power<br>•The enemy doesn't like to jump
|{{SSBUMusicLink|Street Fighter|Balrog Stage Type A}}
|
|-
|1,120
|{{SpiritTableName|Urban Champion Fighter|size=64}}
|''Urban Champion'' Series
|•{{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Black}}
|{{SpiritType|Attack}}
|2,100
|[[New Donk City Hall]] ([[Ω form]])
|•Assist Trophy Enemies ([[Kapp'n]])
|•Timed battle<br>•Hostile assist trophies will appear after a little while<br>•The enemy doesn't like to jump
|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Wrecking Crew Retro Medley}}
|
|-
|1,142
|{{SpiritTableName|Commander|size=64}}
|''X''
|•{{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Wire}}
|{{SpiritType|Shield}}
|2,300
|[[Lylat Cruise]]
|•Assist Trophy Enemies ([[Andross]])
|•Hostile assist trophies will appear
|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Tunnel Scene - X}}
|
|-
|1,157
|{{SpiritTableName|Harry|size=64}}
|''Teleroboxer''
|•{{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Wire}}<br>•{{SSBU|Mega Man}} {{Head|Mega Man|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}}
|{{SpiritType|Shield}}
|1,900
|[[Boxing Ring]]
|N/A
|•The enemy's punches and elbow strikes have increased power
|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Tunnel Scene - X-Scape}}
|Player
|-
|1,395
|{{SpiritTableName|Riki (River City)|size=64}}
|''River City'' Series
|•{{SSBU|Little Mac}} {{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Black}}
|{{SpiritType|Shield}}
|3,600
|[[Saffron City]] (hazards off)
|•Attack Power ↑<br>•Item: Balls
|•The enemy has increased attack power after a little while<br>•The enemy favors neutral attacks
|{{SSBUMusicLink|Other|Excite Truck}}
|
|}

==[[Alternate costume (SSBU)#Little Mac|Alternate costumes]]==
{|style="margin:1em auto 1em auto;text-align:center"
|-
|colspan=8|[[File:Little Mac Palette (SSBU).png|link=Palette swap (SSBU)#Little Mac|1000px]]
|-
|{{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=50px}}
|{{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=50px|cl=Yellow}}
|{{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=50px|cl=White}}
|{{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=50px|cl=Blue}}
|{{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=50px|cl=Black}}
|{{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=50px|cl=Pink}}
|{{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=50px|cl=Wire}}
|{{Head|Little Mac|g=SSBU|s=50px|cl=Green}}
|}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
SSBU Little Mac Number.png|Little Mac's fighter card.
Little Mac unlock notice SSBU.jpg|Little Mac's unlock notice.
SSBUWebsiteLittleMac1.jpg|Using [[Jolt Haymaker]] on [[Shadow Moses Island]].
SSBUWebsiteLittleMac2.jpg|Punching {{SSBU|Ganondorf}} on [[Coliseum]].
SSBUWebsiteLittleMac3.jpg|Performing his side taunt on [[Wrecking Crew]].
SSBUWebsiteLittleMac4.jpg|A bruised Little Mac with {{SSBU|Dr. Mario}} on [[Tomodachi Life]].
SSBUWebsiteLittleMac5.jpg|Wireframe Mac using his down smash against {{SSBU|King Dedede}} on [[Luigi's Mansion]].
SSBUWebsiteLittleMac6.jpg|[[Giga Mac]] pummeling {{SSBU|Wario}}.
SSBUWebsiteBowser3.jpg|Attacking {{SSBU|Bowser}} on [[Mushroomy Kingdom]].
SSBUWebsiteCaptainFalcon3.jpg|Little Mac being taunted by {{SSBU|Captain Falcon}} on [[Arena Ferox]].
SSBUWebsiteCorrin3.jpg|Little Mac struck by {{SSBU|Corrin}}'s forward smash on [[Kalos Pokémon League]].
SSBUWebsiteIncineroar2.jpg|Hit by {{SSBU|Incineroar}} on [[Big Blue]].
SSBUWebsiteKirby3.jpg|Using Jolt Haymaker on {{SSBU|Kirby}} in the [[Boxing Ring]].
SSBUWebsitePikachu6.jpg|Getting slammed by {{SSBU|Pikachu}}’s [[down throw]] in the Boxing Ring.
SSBUWebsiteSnake2.jpg|Getting kicked by {{SSBU|Snake}} on Kalos Pokémon League.
SSBUWebsiteMarshadow2.jpg|Little Mac being attacked by [[Marshadow]] on [[Temple]].
SSBUWebsiteRodin4.jpg|Little Mac struck by [[Rodin]]'s version of After-Burner Kick on the [[Great Plateau Tower]].
SSBUWebsite29.jpg|Performing his up taunt on the [[Bridge of Eldin]].
</gallery>

===Character Showcase Video===
{{#widget:YouTube|id=vBM09wj8xwE}}

==Trivia==
*Little Mac's Showcase Video has him follow {{SSBU|Wario}}'s [[Wario Bike|motor bike]] while wearing his pink sweatsuit. This is a reference to the ''Punch-Out!!'' series, where Little Mac runs alongside [[Doc Louis]] on his bicycle.
*Little Mac's pose in his official art resembles the pose he performs while using [[Slip Counter]].
*Little Mac's Classic Mode has a high spawn rate of [[Sandbag]], as a reference to his reveal video where he has a Sandbag in his training ring, as well as usage of similar punching bags by real-life boxers.
*There is a positioning error in Little Mac's [[on-screen appearance]] when facing to the left; before removing his sweatsuit, he will be facing away from the camera. This did not occur in ''Smash 4''.
**Additionally, when using Wireframe Mac's standard alternate costume, he enters the stage wearing his green sweatshirt, but it turns pink when he takes it off, which also did not occur in ''Smash 4''.
*Little Mac, {{SSBU|Ivysaur}}, {{SSBU|Greninja}}, {{SSBU|Olimar}}, {{SSBU|Ryu}}, {{SSBU|Cloud}}, and {{SSBU|Ken}} are the only characters to never appear as minions in any Spirit battles.
*In [[World of Light]], Little Mac is one of the few fighters who is not affiliated with [[Dharkon]] in any way, as all of his encounters as himself or as a puppet fighter are all in association with [[Galeem]]. Olimar, Ivysaur, {{SSBU|Roy}}, {{SSBU|Toon Link}}, {{SSBU|Wii Fit Trainer}}, and {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} all share this distinction as well.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{SSBUCharacters}}
{{Punch-Out!! universe}}
[[Category:Little Mac (SSBU)| ]]
[[Category:Spirits]]
[[es:Little Mac (SSBU)]]
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