Editing Mario (SSBM)

{{ArticleIcons|melee=y}}
{{Disambig2|Mario's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''|the character in other contexts|Mario}}
{{Infobox Character
|name = Mario
|image = [[File:Mario SSBM.jpg]]
|symbol = preBrawl
|game = SSBM
|ssbgame1 = SSB
|ssbgame2 = SSBB
|ssbgame3 = SSB4
|ssbgame4 = SSBU
|availability = [[Starter character|Starter]]
|tier = C+
|tierPAL = E
|ranking = 15
|rankingPAL = 15
}}
'''Mario''' ({{ja|マリオ|Mario}}, ''Mario'') returns as a [[starter character|starter]] character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''. He was announced at [[E3]] 2001. He also has a [[clone]], {{SSBM|Dr. Mario}}, with whom he shares a lot of attributes and special moves.

As in ''Super Smash Bros.'', Charles Martinet's portrayal of Mario from ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario 64}}'' was re-purposed for ''Melee'', with the ones used in the previous ''Smash'' title returning alongside new ones.

Mario is ranked 15th out of 26 on the current tier list, placing him in the C+ tier. This is very similar to his previous ranking in ''Smash 64'', where he is ranked 7th out of 12. It also puts him three places lower than his younger brother, {{SSBM|Luigi}}, and two places lower than his clone, {{SSBM|Dr. Mario}}. Like in ''Smash 64'', Mario acts as a well-rounded character, with average attributes for the most part. He has impressive [[combo]] abilities due to a variety of weak but fast attacks. He also packs a very versatile [[grab]] game: his powerful [[back throw]] can [[KO]] most opponents, while his [[up throw|up]] and [[down throw]]s can start or extend combos and [[chain-grab]]s. Mario also has a solid [[edgeguarding]] game, with fast, active aerials, and a [[Cape|side special]] that can easily and efficiently [[gimp]] almost any [[recovery]]. 

Unfortunately, Mario's negatives largely offset his positives. He has few reliable finishers, with most moves being low-power combo tools that rely on edgeguarding to take stocks, His recovery is also predictable and short, (although he can extend it with tech, this is too difficult to be practical) which leaves him vulnerable to being gimped. His mediocre [[range]] leaves him with little counterplay to characters with [[disjoint]]ed hitboxes, and Mario's [[Fireball]]s aren't a sufficient compromise when landing aerials and grabs offers such high payoff. 

Overall, while Mario possesses an equal amount of weaknesses as positives, he has disadvantageous matchups against higher tiered characters, especially against those who can outrange and/or edgeguard him, greatly limiting his potential in competitive play. Very early on, Mario was considered to be among the best characters in the game, but as the metagame developed, Mario's reception would drop to only being merely average at best - especially in contrast to his clones. Despite being overshadowed by them, and even said clones often being deemed nonviable at top-level play, Mario has been able to place well in notable tournaments thanks to the efforts of players such as {{Sm|пooп}}, {{Sm|Mango}}, and prior to his ban, {{Sm|A Rookie}}.

==Attributes==
[[File:Mario's Recovery Options.gif|thumb|Mario using his various recovery options to recover onto the stage. This is a [[TAS]] clip from ''[[Perfect Control]]''.]]
As a character, Mario falls under the archetype of being of an all-rounder character, with no particularly strong or weak traits; indeed, in terms of [[weight]], [[falling speed]], [[air speed]], size, and [[dash]] speed, Mario tends to fall in the middle of these attributes.

One of Mario's strengths is his rather good combo ability. While not having an extremely high air or falling speed, Mario can easily and efficiently combo most other characters in the air; Mario has plenty of low lag and low knockback aerials, and the addition of a good [[wavedash]] and fast ground attacks give Mario plenty of combo potential. Mario also has a good [[SHFFL]].

Mario also has an above average approach. Despite an only average air speed and dashing speed, Mario still has good options for getting closer to opponents. His Fireballs have good range and can disrupt opponents at a distance; differing terrains such as slopes and platforms can also give the Fireball many options. Mario, due to his average attributes in traction and falling speed, has a rather long and floaty wavedash; coupled with decently ranged smash attacks, Mario has good wavesmashing abilities.

Mario is also a surprisingly good edgeguarder. He has a [[meteor smash]] in his forward aerial, albeit it having high [[startup]] and [[ending lag]] and not being too powerful, and his back aerial sends opponents on a decent angle for edgeguarding. Mario's Fireballs can also [[gimp]] recoveries; its low knockback makes it effective in the regard. Most notably, however, Mario has what is likely the absolute best edgeguarding weapon in all the game: his [[Cape]]. When used, it can effectively and quickly gimp almost every recovery in the game; it's especially useful against linear recoveries, such as Fox's [[Fire Fox]] or Luigi's [[Green Missile]].

Mario also has a surprisingly good grab game. Despite a rather poor grab range, Mario's throws are notable for their versatility; his forward and back throws can easily set up gimp KOs, especially the latter, while his up and down throws can act as combo starters, as well as very effective chain grabs: Mario's up throw can chain grab fast fallers such as {{SSBM|Fox}}, {{SSBM|Falco}}, and {{SSBM|Captain Falcon}}, while his down throw can chain grab heavy characters, as well as being able to chain grab {{SSBM|Pikachu}} and {{SSBM|Pichu}} up to high percents, if not to a KO.

However, Mario suffers from some KOing problems. He lacks particularly powerful or reliable finishers; while his forward smash has good range, coupled with a very visible and easy to land sweetspot, his other smashes are rather short ranged. Additionally, while Mario's back throw is strong, it calls for advantageous positioning, as well as grabbing the opponent first; this can be a challenge, due to Mario's poor grab range. Mario's single meteor smash is also rather unwieldy and risky to use, often better serving as an on-stage combo extending tool, rather than a method of an off-stage KO.

Mario also suffers from a below average recovery, in the general sense. Super Jump Punch only grants average, to slightly below average horizontal and vertical distance; it can be used for the advanced technique known as a "[[Super_Jump_Punch#Super_Jump_Punch_wall_jump|Super Jump Punch wall jump]]", which enables his [[wall jump]] after spending his up special, followed by another up special. However, not only does this require pressing against the wall, it is among the most difficult [[advanced technique]]s to reliably execute in the game. [[Mario Tornado]] can only grant vertical distance if the B button is [[mash]]ed very quickly. Mario's [[Cape]] can also grant a very slight recovery boost, more than {{SSBM|Dr. Mario}}'s [[Super Sheet]], while also stalling better, though it can generally only add a slight boost once per recovery (as is the case with Mario Tornado) requiring a [[landing lag|normal landing]] on stage to regain them as recovery distance tools. Furthermore, his [[Fireball]]s can stuff the opponents edgeguarding attempts while recovering from high corners, but they add no recovery distance.

Overall, Mario is largely considered an average-at-best character choice competitively. While he does have some great combo ability and a somewhat extendable recovery, he struggles with finishing off opponents and having short range in his attacks, and despite having chain-grabs on fast-fallers, struggles with a short grab range as well, leaving him with a mostly unspectacular presence in the modern metagame. For this reason, it is particularly notable when Mario is wielded successfully against a formidable opponent.

==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''==
When making the transition from ''Smash 64'' to ''Melee'', Mario got a mix of [[buff]]s and [[nerf]]s, but was neither strongly buffed or [[nerf]]ed. Mario is faster on the ground and he greatly benefits from the introduction of [[air dodging]] giving him a solid [[wavedash]] which makes his grounded movement much more solid overall. The speed of Mario's attacks has been considerably improved as most of his attacks have decreased ending lag and a decent amount of them have decreased startup lag as well, and his new forward smash, a palm thrust that emits a fiery blast, has more range and is more reliable due to the addition of a sweetspot located on the explosion. His edgeguarding has also considerably improved as his back aerial is considerably faster and his up aerial has been retooled to give it more edgeguarding potential. His new side special [[Cape]] also gives him a new powerful edgeguarding tool as well as an extra tool for recovering.

As for his nerfs, Mario's damage output has been decreased and his KO power has been considerably decreased as many of his previous KO moves have been greatly weakened making it far more difficult for Mario to KO his opponents. In particular, his new forward aerial, while now capable of meteor smashing and losing its sourspot, is much slower and weaker and has less range. His strongest KO moves (his forward and down smashes) while faster now have sourspots making them more difficult to use effectively. While Mario has a few new options to recover such as his cape and [[wall jump]], his recovery is overall worse (especially when relative to the cast) as his air speed is slower, he falls faster, his fireballs are smaller making them a worse option to wall out opponents while recovering and his [[Super Jump Punch]] travels less distance making him easier to edgeguard.

Overall, Mario is largely a much weaker character as his damage output is lower, his combo game is weaker in some aspects and many of his previous KO moves can no longer KO under 90-120%. In exchange, his attacks are much faster and his grounded movement has been improved especially due to the introduction of wavedashing. Mario remains in a similar spot on ''Melee'''s tier list and he overall struggles against higher tiered characters, limiting his success in competitive play.

===Aesthetics===
*{{change|The graphical upgrades of the [[Nintendo GameCube]] allow for a more detailed appearance of Mario. His appearance more closely resembles official N64-era renders of him from games such as ''{{iw|mariowiki|Super Mario 64}}'' and ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario Party}}''. His physique looks much more similar to its official art, while his red cap and shirt are slightly darker and the seams on his overalls are more accentuated.}} He also has a slightly darker skin tone, and his hair and shoes are a much darker brown color.
*{{change|Mario's green alternate costume from ''Smash 64'' is now accessible through normal battles instead of just Team Battles.}}
*{{change|Mario gains a new [[victory pose]]: he makes a fire and when the fire disappears, Mario strikes a pose. It replaces his hopping victory pose in ''Smash 64''.}}

===Attributes===
*{{buff|Mario [[walk]]s much faster (0.8 (24) → 1.1).}}
*{{buff|Mario [[dash]]es slightly faster (1.467 (44) → 1.5).}}
**{{nerf|However, Mario's initial dash is much slower (1.8 (54) → 1.5) and covers less distance.}}
*{{buff|Mario's [[traction]] is slightly higher (0.0533 (1.6) → 0.06), making it easier for him to punish [[out of shield]].}}
*{{nerf|Mario's [[jumpsquat]] is longer (3 frames → 4).}}
*{{nerf|Mario's [[air speed]] is slower (1 (30) → 0.86 (NTSC) / 0.83 (PAL)).}}
*{{nerf|Mario's [[air acceleration]] is lower (0.0667 (2) → 0.045), though it's no longer the slowest in the game.}}
*{{nerf|Mario's [[jump]] height is extremely lower (45.33 (1360) → 29), going from the 6th highest out of 12 characters to the 4th lowest out of 26.}}
**{{change|Mario's [[short hop]] is also drastically lower (26.6067 (798.2) → 11.025). This improves his ability to hit opponents low on the ground with short hop aerials, as well as his ability to quickly land and continue aerial pressure, but also hinders his ability to [[auto-cancel]] his aerials and performing two aerials in a short hop.}}
*{{change|Mario's [[gravity]] is higher (0.08 (2.4) → 0.095).}}
*{{change|Mario [[falling speed|falls]] faster (1.467 (44) → 1.7), improving his vertical endurance but making him more susceptible to combos.}}
**{{nerf|However, Mario's [[fast fall]]ing speed is slightly slower (2.333 (70) → 2.3). The difference between his falling speed and fast falling speed is much lower (increase: 59.1% → 39.3%), which makes it more predictable when landing and gives him fewer options in the air.}}
*{{nerf|Exclusively to the PAL version, Mario's [[weight]] is lower (100 (1) → 98).}}
*{{buff|Mario now has the ability to [[wall jump]], improving his recovery.}}
*{{buff|The introduction of [[air dodging]] benefits Mario overall as he can now [[wavedash]]. His wavedash is overall solid due to his short jumpsquat/average traction; improving his movement options.}}

===Ground attacks===
*[[Neutral attack]]:
**{{buff|Both the first and third hits deal more damage (2% (hit 1)/4% (hit 3) → 3%/5%).}}
**{{buff|The first two hits now have [[set knockback]] (8 (base), 50 (scaling) → 20 (set)/100), and their angles have been altered (361° (hit 1)/70° (hit 2) → 83°/85° (both)), allowing them to connect more reliably.}}
**{{buff|The first two hits transition into the later hits sooner (frame 10 (hit 1)/8 (hit 2) → 6 (both)).}}
**{{buff|All hits have less ending lag (FAF 18 (hit 1)/20 (hit 2)/26 (hit 3) → 16/19/23).}}
**{{nerf|Mario can no longer cancel the first hit into [[grab]].}}
**{{nerf|The second hit has a shorter duration (frames 3-5 → 3-4)}}
**{{nerf|The third hit has more startup lag (frame 3 → 5).}}
**{{change|The third hit no longer has [[Priority#Moves that cannot rebound|anti-rebounding priority]].}}
*[[Forward tilt]]:
**{{buff|Forward tilt has less startup (frame 8 → 5) and ending lag (FAF 43 → 33).}}
**{{nerf|It has a much shorter duration (frames 8-17 → 5-7).}}
**{{nerf|It deals less damage (14% (up)/13% (side)/12% (down) → 10%/9%/8%) and has decreased base knockback (10 → 6), significantly hindering its KO potential.}}
***{{nerf|Additionally, the down angled variant now has very weak set knockback (1), making it extremely punishable on hit at any percentage.}}
*[[Up tilt]]:
**{{buff|Up tilt has less startup (frame 5 → 4) and ending lag (FAF 42 → 30).}}
**{{buff|It now launches opponents towards Mario (86° → 96°).}}
**{{nerf|It has a shorter duration (frames 5-16 → 4-12).}}
**{{nerf|It deals less damage (10% → 8%).}}
**{{change|It has more base knockback but lower knockback scaling (0 (base), 150 (scaling) → 26/125).}}
***{{buff|This along with its lower ending lag makes it much safer on hit at lower percents.}}
***{{nerf|However, this along with its lower damage also hinders its KO potential.}}
*[[Down tilt]]:
**{{buff|Down tilt has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 35).}}
**{{nerf|It deals less damage (12% → 8%/9%) and knockback (0 (base), 100 (scaling) → 10/80).}}
**{{nerf|It has a shorter duration (frames 5-11 → 5-8).}}
**{{nerf|Mario no longer moves forward while using it, giving it much less range.}}
**{{nerf|It now launches opponents vertically (361° → 80°). This hinders its spacing potential while not granting it combo potential due to its low power and high ending lag.}}
*[[Dash attack]]:
**{{buff|Dash attack has less startup (frame 8 → 6) and ending lag (FAF 41 → 38).}}
**{{nerf|The late hit has a shorter duration (frames 12-28 → 10-25).}}
**{{nerf|It deals less damage (12% (clean), 10% (late) → 9%/7%).}}
**{{nerf|It has more base knockback but lower knockback scaling (16 (base), 100 (scaling) → 70/50 (clean), 10/100 → 45/30 (late)), hindering its KO potential.}}
**{{change|It now launches opponents behind Mario (361° → 110° (clean)/120° (late)).}}
*[[Forward smash]]:
**{{change|Mario has a new forward smash: he leans forward and thrusts his hand in front of him, emitting a small fiery explosion from his palm.}}
**{{buff|It has less startup (frame 16 → 12) and ending lag (FAF 54 → 42); now matching {{SSBM|Luigi}}'s version.}}
**{{buff|The fire hitbox deals more damage (18% (up)/17 (side)%/16% (down) → 19%/18%/17%).}}
***{{nerf|However, it deals less knockback (30 (base), 100 (scaling) → 25/95), hindering its KO potential despite its higher damage.}}
**{{nerf|The non fire hitboxes deal less damage (18% (up)/17 (side)%/16% (down) → 15%/(11%/10%)/13%) and knockback (30 (base), 100 (scaling) → 25/96).}}
*[[Up smash]]:
**{{change|Up smash's animation has been altered with Mario now taking a massive step forward as he leans for the headbutt.}}
***{{buff|The animation change gives the move more horizontal range than before.}}
***{{buff|It also gives the move significantly less ending lag (FAF 60 → 40) than before.}}
***{{nerf|However, Mario no longer performs a small jump, reducing its vertical range.}}
**{{nerf|It has more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 7-15 → 9-11).}}
**{{nerf|It grants less [[intangibility]] to Mario's head (frames 7-10 → 9-11).}}
**{{nerf|It deals much less damage (19% → 15%), knockback (26 (base), 120 (scaling) → 32/97), and launches at a slightly lower angle (85° → 83°). This greatly hinders its KO potential; no longer being one of the strongest up smashes.}}
*[[Down smash]]:
**{{buff|Down smash has less startup lag (frame 8 → 5) and a shorter total duration (FAF 45 → 38).}}
**{{nerf|It has a much shorter duration due to now possessing a front hit and a back hit rather than a constantly active hitbox (frames 8-29 → 5-6 (front), 14 (back)).}}
***{{nerf|This also gives the move more ending lag as its total duration was not fully compensated (now having 23 frames of cooldown as opposed to 15).}}
***{{buff|However, this also allows the move to hit twice.}}
**{{nerf|The front hit deals less damage (17% → 16%) and knockback (20 (base), 100 (scaling) → 40/75), significantly hindering its KO potential.}}
**{{nerf|The back hit deals much less damage (17% → 10%/12%) and knockback (20 (base), 100 (scaling) → 35/75), drastically hindering its KO potential.}}

===Aerial attacks===
*{{nerf|Due to his lower short hop, Mario can no longer auto-cancel neutral, forward or down aerials in a short hop, nor can he perform two aerials in a short hop.}}
**{{nerf|When combined with the weakening of [[L-canceling]] and the reduction to [[shieldstun]], this hinders the combo potential, shield pressuring potential and safety of Mario's aerials.}}
*[[Neutral aerial]]:
**{{buff|Neutral aerial has less ending lag (FAF 50 → 46).}}
**{{buff|It auto-cancels slightly earlier (frame 37 → 36).}}
***{{nerf|However, it no longer auto-cancels as soon as its hitboxes are no longer active.}}
**{{nerf|It deals less damage (14% (clean)/11% (late) → 12%/8%) without full compensation on its base knockback (15 (clean)/0 (late) → 20/15).}}
**{{nerf|It has a shorter duration (frames 3-10 (clean)/11-36 (late) → 3-6/7-32).}}
**{{nerf|It has more landing lag (14 frames → 16).}}
*[[Forward aerial]]:
**{{change|Mario has a new forward aerial: an overhanded downward swing with an enlarged fist; officially referred to as "Meteor Knuckle".}}
**{{change|It is now a [[meteor smash]] (361° → 280°).}}
***{{buff|This significantly improves its combo potential against grounded opponents.}}
***{{nerf|However when combined with the introduction of meteor cancelling, this significantly hinders its reliability.}}
**{{buff|It has less landing lag (30 frames → 21).}}
**{{nerf|It has noticeably increased startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 11-26 → 18-22).}}
**{{nerf|It has much more ending lag (FAF 40 → 60).}}
**{{nerf|It has a much longer animation (39 frames → 74).}}
**{{nerf|It auto-cancels later (frame 27 → 43).}}
**{{nerf|It deals less damage (16% → 15%) and knockback (10 (base), 100 (scaling) → 30/70), significantly hindering its KO potential.}}
**{{nerf|It has less range.}}
*[[Back aerial]]:
**{{change|Back aerial has a new animation where Mario kicks more sideways with his right side facing up, instead of kicking backward face-down. Mario also recovers differently without curling up into a flip.}}
***{{buff|This new animation is much shorter (39 frames → 28), decreasing its ending lag (FAF 40 → 29), as well as the amount of time Mario cannot grab the ledge after using the move.}}
**{{buff|It has less startup lag with a longer duration (frames 10-19 → 6-17).}}
***{{buff|When combined with its decreased ending lag, this makes it a more effective tool for [[edgeguarding]] and [[wall of pain]]s.}}
***{{nerf|However, the clean hit has a shorter duration (frames 10-13 → 6-8).}}
**{{buff|It auto-cancels slightly earlier (frame 20 → 19).}}
**{{nerf|It deals less damage (16% (clean)/10% (late) → 11%/9%), greatly hindering the clean hit's KO potential.}}
***{{buff|The late hit has increased base knockback (0 → 7) although this does not fully compensate for its reduced damage.}}
*[[Up aerial]]:
**{{buff|Up aerial has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 30).}}
**{{buff|It has much less landing lag (40 frames → 15).}}
**{{change|Its angle has been altered (80° (clean)/70° (late) → 55°).}}
***{{buff|This grants the move edgeguarding potential.}}
***{{nerf|However, this significantly hinders its combo and juggling potential removing one of Mario's most powerful combo tools.}}
**{{nerf|It deals less damage (12% → 11%) and has decreased knockback scaling (120 → 100).}}
**{{nerf|It has more startup lag with a shorter duration due to no longer having a late hit (frames 2-4 (clean)/5-11 (late) → 4-9). It is no longer the fastest aerial in the game in terms of startup lag.}}
**{{nerf|It auto-cancels later (frame 12 → 16).}}
*[[Down aerial]]:
**{{buff|Down aerial has a shorter total duration (FAF 39 → 38).}}
**{{buff|It has less landing lag (36 frames → 23).}}
**{{buff|It now has a landing hitbox.}}
**{{nerf|Each hit deals less damage (3% → 2%), greatly reducing the move's maximum damage potential (24% → 12%).}}
**{{nerf|Due to hitting seven times instead of eight:}}
***{{nerf|It has a shorter duration (frames 10-11, 13-14, 16-17, 19-20, 22-23, 25-26, 28-29, 31-32 → 10-11, 13-14, 16-17, 19-20, 22-23, 25-26, 28-29), increasing its ending lag.}}
***{{nerf|It no longer auto-cancels as soon as its hitboxes are no longer active.}}
**{{nerf|It is no longer a meteor smash (-70° → 94°), removing its edgeguarding potential and making it connect less reliably.}}
**{{nerf|The weakening of L-cancelling combined with the move losing its ability to auto-cancel in a short hop and with it gaining a landing hitbox has significantly hindered down aerial's followup potential.}}
***{{nerf|These changes combined with the changes to shieldstun and its lower damage have drastically hindered down aerial's shield pressuring potential; no longer being able to lead into [[shield break combo]]s.}}

===Throws/other attacks===
*[[Grab]]s:
**{{buff|Mario now has a [[pummel]], [[up throw]] and a [[down throw]], increasing his options out of a grab. He can also [[chaingrab]] characters with said throws.}}
**{{nerf|Grabs have more startup lag (frame 6 → 7 (standing), 11 (dash)) and ending lag (FAF 16 → 31 (standing), 41 (dash)).}}
**{{change|Mario's throws are now weight-dependent.}}
*[[Forward throw]]:
**{{buff|Mario releases opponents from forward throw earlier (frame 14 → 12) and it has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 28).}}
**{{nerf|It deals less damage (12% → 9%) and knockback (80 (base), 70 (scaling) → 60/65).}}
*[[Back throw]]:
**{{buff|Back throw's collateral hit has much less startup lag with a longer duration (frames 18-44 → 1-43).}}
**{{change|Mario releases opponents from back throw slightly earlier (frame 45 → 44).}}
**{{nerf|It deals less damage (16% → 12%) and knockback (70 (base), 70 (scaling) → 80/65), making it much weaker.}}
**{{nerf|The collateral hit deals less damage (12% → 10%).}}
**{{nerf|It has slightly more ending lag (FAF 66 → 67).}}
**{{nerf|It has been hindered greatly by the introduction of [[DI]], as opponents now have ample time to correctly DI the throw and survive it for even longer.}}

===Special moves===
*[[Fireball]]:
**{{buff|Fireball has less startup (frame 16 → 14) and ending lag (FAF 46 → 44).}}
**{{buff|Fireballs travel faster.}}
**{{change|Fireballs can only bounce two times instead of three although it still covers the same amount of distance when used on the ground.}}
**{{nerf|Fireballs are smaller, reducing their hitbox.}}
**{{nerf|Fireballs have a much shorter maximum duration (frames 16-154 → 14-88).}}
***{{nerf|These changes combined with Mario's faster falling speed greatly hinders the moves use as an offensive recovery tool.}}
**{{nerf|Fireballs deal less damage (7% → 6%) and have decreased base knockback (10 → 5).}}
*[[Cape]]:
**{{change|As with all returning veterans, Mario now has a side special; Cape. It is based on the cape feather power-up in [[Super Mario World]]. It can reflect projectiles as well as reverse an opponent's direction if it hits them. It also gives Mario a slight boost when used in the air. This gives Mario an option to deal with projectiles; as well as an additional edgeguarding and recovery option.}}
*[[Super Jump Punch]]:
**{{buff|Super Jump Punch can now be cancelled with a wall jump near the apex of the move, aiding Mario's recovery if he is close to a wall.}}
**{{nerf|It deals slightly less damage (16% → 15%).}}
**{{nerf|It has more startup lag (frame 2 → 3).}}
***{{nerf|Its intangibility also has more startup lag (frame 2 → 3).}}
**{{nerf|It has more landing lag (25 frames → 30).}}
**{{nerf|It grants Mario noticeably less distance, worsening its recovery potential.}}
**{{change|The first hit has increased set knockback (110 → 130).}}
**{{change|Hits 2-5 have increased set knockback (100 → 110/150).}}
**{{change|Hits 6-9 no longer have consistent set knockback (100 → 90/120).}}
**{{change|The final hit has altered knockback (0 (base), 170 (scaling) → 40/140).}}
*[[Mario Tornado]]:
**{{buff|Mario Tornado has less ending lag (FAF 87 → 80).}}
**{{buff|Mario travels slightly faster when using it on the ground.}}
**{{buff|The first and final hit deal more damage (1% (both) → 2% (hit 1)/5% (hit 8 ground)/3% (hit 3 air)).}}
**{{buff|The last hit no longer has set knockback (120 (base), 1 (set), 0 (scaling) → 60/0/115 (ground), 70/120 (air)), allowing it to KO at high (albeit unrealistic) percentages.}}
***{{nerf|However, this hinders its safety at lower percents.}}
**{{buff|The loop hits have longer durations (1 frame → 2).}}
**{{change|The first hit's angle has been altered (180°/90° → 140°).}}
**{{change|The loop hits have decreased base knockback (70 → 40).}}
**{{change|The 7th hit's angle has been altered (180° → 100°).}}
**{{change|The final hit's angle has been altered (90° → 80°).}}
**{{nerf|It has significantly more startup lag (frame 1 → 8), greatly hindering its utility.}}
***{{nerf|In addition to this, the first hit has altered knockback (70 (base), 1 (set) → 0/40). As a result, it prevents it from causing hitstun.}}
**{{nerf|Due to hitting up to only 8 times instead of 14:}}
***{{nerf|Its maximum damage potential is slightly lower (14% → 13% (ground)/11% (air)).}}
***{{nerf|It has a much shorter duration (frames 1-4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 43-44 → 8-9, 12-13, 15-16, 18-19, 21-22, 24-25, 27-28, 38-39).}}
**{{nerf|The aerial version's final hit can no longer meteor smash opponents, significantly hindering its edgeguarding potential.}}
**{{nerf|There is now a small delay before the last hit, allowing foes to escape the attack more easily.}}
**{{nerf|Mario's faster falling speed and gravity makes the move less effective as a recovery tool.}}
***{{nerf|Due to these changes, the move is now considered to be nearly useless besides for recovering, and as a situational vertical launcher.}}

==Version history==
Mario was nerfed in the [[PAL]] version of ''Melee''. As most higher tier characters were nerfed as well, his viability remains similar.

'''NTSC 1.01'''
*{{nerf|Fireball no longer increase speed when used off slopes at certain angles.}}
'''PAL'''
*{{nerf|Mario is slightly lighter (100 → 98).}}
*{{nerf|Mario's air speed was reduced even further (0.86 → 0.83).}}

==Moveset==
''For a gallery of Mario's hitboxes, see [[Mario (SSBM)/Hitboxes|here]].''
[[File:MarioAerialAttacksSSBM.png|thumb|Mario's aerial attacks.]]
{{MovesetTable
|game=SSBM
|neutralcount=3
|neutralname=Left Jab ({{ja|左パンチ|Hidari Panchi}}, ''Left Punch'')<br>Right Cross ({{ja|右パンチ|Migi Panchi}}, ''Right Punch'')<br>Toe Kick ({{ja|けりあげ|Keri Age}}, ''Kicking Lift'')
|neutraldesc=Punches twice, then kicks upward. Originates from Mario's standard combo in ''[[Super Mario 64]]''.
|neutral1dmg=3%
|neutral2dmg=2%
|neutral3dmg=5%
|ftiltname=Plumber Kick ({{ja|ミドルキック|Midoru Kikku}}, ''Middle Kick'')
|ftiltangles=3
|ftiltupdmg=10%
|ftiltsidedmg=9%
|ftiltdowndmg=8%
|ftiltdesc=Does a back spinning kick with his right leg. It comes out fast and is useful for spacing, but has low knockback. Can be angled.
|utiltname=Uppercut ({{ja|アッパーカット|Appākatto}})
|utiltdmg=8%
|utiltdesc=Does a spinning uppercut. It's an effective juggler and combo starter at low percentages, and can KO at very high percentages. It is based on the Mega Glove combo in ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario RPG}}''.
|dtiltname=Leg Sweep ({{ja|スピニングローキック|Supiningu Rō Kikku}}, ''Spinning Low Kick'')
|dtiltdmg=8% (foot), 9% (leg)
|dtiltdesc=Does a legsweep. The move itself deals very low knockback, and is only useful at high percentages.
|dashname=Slide ({{ja|スライディング|Suraidingu}}, ''Sliding'')
|dashdmg=9% (clean), 7% (late)
|dashdesc=Does a baseball slide, which knocks the opponent behind Mario. Very similar animation to Mario's dashing attack from ''Super Mario 64''.
|fsmashname=Fire Glove ({{ja|ファイア掌底|Faia Shōtei}}, ''Fire Palm Heel/Sole'')
|fsmashangles=3
|fsmashupdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|19}} (fire), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|15}} (arm)
|fsmashsidedmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|18}} (fire), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|11}} (left arm), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|10}} (right arm)
|fsmashdowndmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|17}} (fire), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|13}} (arm)
|fsmashdesc=Launches a blast of fire from his palm. Its sweetspot is the fire blast and has [[Priority#Transcendent_priority|transcendental priority]], and the sourspot is at Mario's arm. When sweetspotted, it has high knockback, KOing at around 70% when fully charged. Average strength compared to other forward smashes, being the 13th strongest in terms of knockback. Can be angled.
|usmashname=Lead Headbutt ({{ja|スマッシュヘッドバット|Sumasshu Heddobatto}}, ''Smash Headbutt'')
|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|15}}
|usmashdesc=Headbutts upward. A fast, strong move with more range behind Mario than in front. Mario's head is intangible while the hitboxes are active.
|dsmashname=Breakdance Sweep ({{ja|ダブルキック|Daburu Kikku}}, ''Double Kick'')
|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|16}} (front), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|10}} (back feet), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|12}} (back legs)
|dsmashdesc=Performs a breakdancing sweep kick. Extremely fast, one of Mario's stronger moves. This is based off Mario's crouching attack from ''Super Mario 64''.
|nairname=Plumber's Boot ({{ja|マリオキック|Mario Kikku}}, ''Mario Kick'')
|nairdmg=12% (clean), 8% (late)
|nairdesc=A [[sex kick]]. Mario kicks forward. As with other sex kicks, it does weaker damage and knockback after a few frames.
|fairname=Plunger ({{ja|メテオナックル|Meteo Nakkuru}}, ''Meteor Knuckle'')
|fairdmg=15%
|fairdesc=Throws an overhanded punch with an enlarged fist. Slow, predictable and has high [[ending lag]], but it is a [[meteor smash]], with no sourspot. Still, it is relatively weak and not very reliable to use for an [[edgeguard]], but can be used to send opponents into his forward smash and combo.
|bairname=Drop Kick ({{ja|ドロップキック|Doroppu Kikku}})
|bairdmg=11% (clean), 9% (late)
|bairdesc=Does a dropkick. Has low startup, and can be good for [[spacing]] and edgeguarding.
|uairname=Bicycle Kick ({{ja|エアスラッシュ|Ea Surasshu}}, ''Air Slash'')
|uairdmg=11%
|uairdesc=Does a bicycle kick. Good move for juggling and comboing, but has low knockback. Has similar utility to a [[Ganondorf_(SSBM)/Up_aerial|Vulture Kick]] when edgeguarding, though it only covers opponents at above and equal height. Can be used to [[Drop_cancel#Aerial_interrupt|aerial interrupt]] for faster grounded follow-ups on platforms.
|dairname=Drill Kick ({{ja|ドリルキック|Doriru Kikku}})
|dairdmg=2% (hits 1-7 & landing)
|dairdesc=Performs a downwards drill kick. Hits multiple times and has a landing hitbox that deals weak knockback. All hits can deal up to ≈12.92% if they connect.
|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})
|grabdesc=
|pummelname=Clutch Headbutt ({{ja|つかみヘッドバット|Tsukami Heddobatto}}, ''Grab Headbutt'')
|pummeldmg=3%
|pummeldesc=Headbutts opponent. Relatively slow.
|fthrowname=Heave-Ho ({{ja|ヒコーキ投げ|Hikōki Nage}}, ''Airplane Throw'')
|fthrowdmg=9%
|fthrowdesc=Spins around once, and throws his opponent forward with decent knockback.
|bthrowname=Airplane Swing ({{ja|ジャイアントスイング|Jaianto Suingu}}, ''Giant Swing'')
|bthrowdmg=12% (throw), 8% (collateral)
|bthrowdesc=Similar to his throw against Bowser in ''Super Mario 64''; spins around three times and throws his opponent backward. Surprisingly high knockback, can hit enemies mid-swing. One of the stronger back throws in the game, with KO potential under 150% near the [[edge]] (though it has slightly lower [[knockback growth]] than Dr. Mario's).
|uthrowname=Mario Launch ({{ja|スルーアップ|Surū Appu}}, ''Throw Up'')
|uthrowdmg=8%
|uthrowdesc=Throws his opponent upward. Good for leading into an up tilt, or starting combos at higher percentages. Can [[chaingrab]] [[fastfaller]]s.
|dthrowname=Down the Drain ({{ja|スルーダウン|Surū Daun}}, ''Throw Down'')
|dthrowdmg=6%
|dthrowdesc=Throws his opponent on the ground. At lower to mid percentages, it can chaingrab characters with moderate falling speeds (such as {{SSBM|Pikachu}}), and at high to very high percentages, it can chaingrab fast-fallers.
|floorbname=&nbsp;
|floorbdmg=6%
|floorbdesc=Swirls around in a similar fashion to his down smash.
|floorfname=&nbsp;
|floorfdmg=6%
|floorfdesc=Gets up and punches behind him, then in front.
|edgefname=&nbsp;
|edgefdmg=6% (body), 8% (legs)
|edgefdesc=Does a somersault and then kicks upward onto the stage.
|edgesname=&nbsp;
|edgesdmg=10%
|edgesdesc=Slowly gets up and kicks forward with one leg.
|nsname=Fireball
|nsdmg=6%
|nsdesc=Shoots a fireball as a [[projectile]], which travels forward and loses momentum with each bounce. Because of this, they are best used in the air to stuff edgeguarding attempts while recovering at higher locations. They can be [[spam]]med, though with some difficulty, and are a decent way to [[approach]]. The move can be more efficient when falling to meet the enemy at ground level, while still moving, and negating lag.
|ssname=Cape
|ssdmg=Ground: 10% (close), 8% (far)<br/>Air: 9% (close), 7% (far)
|ssdesc=Flicks his Cape from ''[[Super Mario World]]'' forward, hitting opponents with the [[reverse]] effect, as well as being able to [[reflect]] projectiles. Very useful for [[gimp]]ing certain recoveries, though its vertical range is not as long as Dr. Mario's [[Super Sheet]]. However, it boosts Mario's [[recovery]] slightly more than Super Sheet, and also loses slightly less momentum, stalling better in the air. Has transcendent priority.
|usname=Super Jump Punch
|usdmg=5% (hit 1), 1% (hits 2-8), 3% (hit 9)
|usdesc=Does a jumping uppercut diagonally upward, being a multi-hit attack that causes {{s|mariowiki|coin}}s to fly out of the opponent. Mainly a recovery move. Additionally, if used while Mario is directly next to a wall and the [[control stick]] is flicked backward at the apex of the jump, with very tight timing, the move will be canceled (referred to as a [[Super_Jump_Punch#Super_Jump_Punch_wall_jump|"super jump punch wall jump"]]) into a [[wall jump]] without making Mario [[helpless]], like the move normally does. It is also a great [[Out of shield|out-of-shield]] option. Deals up to ≈14% if all hits connect.
|dsname=Mario Tornado
|dsdmg=2% (hit 1), 1% (hits 2-7), 5% (hit 8 ground), 3% (hit 8 air)
|dsdesc=Does a multi-hit spinning attack, very similar to the {{s|mariowiki|Spin Jump}} from ''Super Mario World''. The final hit knocks the opponent straight up, and the move can rack up damage, though it has some [[ending lag]]. It can be used for a slight recovery boost by [[button mashing|rapidly tapping]] the [[B button]], though this requires very fast mashing. It can be redeployed as a recovery tactic if hit during the spinning animation of the move. Has transcendent priority. Deals up to ≈12.01% on the ground and ≈10.19% in the air if all hits connect.
}}

===Stats===
'''NTSC'''
{{Attributes
|cast = 26
|weight = 100
|rweight = 8-10
|dash = 1.5
|rdash = 10-13
|run = 1.5
|rrun = 11-15
|walk = 1.1
|rwalk = 12-15
|trac = 0.06
|rtrac = 15-23
|airfric = 0.016
|rairfric = 10-13
|air = 0.86
|rair = 16
|baseaccel = 0.02
|rbaseaccel = 2-23
|addaccel = 0.025
|raddaccel = 22-23
|gravity = 0.095
|rgravity = 14-16
|fall = 1.7
|rfall = 16-18
|ff = 2.3
|rff = 14-18
|jumpsquat = 4
|rjumpsquat = 8-15
|jumpheight = 29
|rjumpheight = 21-23
|shorthop = 11.025
|rshorthop = 17-19
|djump = 26.7
|rdjump = 11-13
|ellag = 4
|rellag = 2-23
}}

'''PAL'''
{{Attributes
|cast = 26
|weight = 98
|rweight = 10
|dash = 1.5
|rdash = 10-13
|run = 1.5
|rrun = 11-16
|walk = 1.1
|rwalk = 12-15
|trac = 0.06
|rtrac = 15-23
|airfric = 0.016
|rairfric = 10-13
|air = 0.83
|rair = 18-20
|baseaccel = 0.02
|rbaseaccel = 2-23
|addaccel = 0.025
|raddaccel = 22-23
|gravity = 0.095
|rgravity = 14-16
|fall = 1.7
|rfall = 16-18
|ff = 2.3
|rff = 14-18
|jumpsquat = 4
|rjumpsquat = 8-15
|jumpheight = 29
|rjumpheight = 21-23
|shorthop = 11.025
|rshorthop = 17-19
|djump = 26.7
|rdjump = 11-13
|ellag = 4
|rellag = 2-23
}}

===[[Announcer]] call===
[[File: Mario Announcer SSBM.wav]]

===[[Taunt]]===
{{Taunt/SSBM|char=Mario|desc=Grows to a super size, as if taking a [[Super Mushroom]] power-up, before shrinking again. This also increases the size of his hurtbox. The size increase stacks with special matches and actual super mushrooms. It is the second longest taunt in ''Melee''.}}

===[[Idle pose]]===
{{Idle|desc=Adjusts his cap.|image=Mario Idle Pose Melee.gif}}

===[[Crowd cheer]]===
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1"
|-
!{{{name|}}}
!Cheer (All versions)
|-
! scope="row"|Cheer
|[[File:Mario Cheer SSBM.ogg|center]]
|-
! scope="row"|Description
|Ma - ri - o!
|}

===[[Victory pose]]s===
{{Victory/SSBM
|victory-theme=MushroomKingdomThemeMelee.ogg
|victory-desc=An orchestrated cover of the iconic "Level Completed" music from ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|desc-1=Winds up for a punch and steps forward while punching in front of the screen, shouting "Here we go!"
|desc-2=Makes fire explode from his palm and strikes a pose.
|desc-3=Does a short spin-jump and lands in a strong-man pose, shouting "Here we go!"
|char=Mario}}

==In [[competitive play]]==

===Most historically significant players===
<!--This character has a ten player limit for this section. Before adding and/or removing a player, read these guidelines: https://www.ssbwiki.com/SmashWiki:Notability#%22Most_historically_significant_players%22_guidelines -->

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

*{{Sm|A Rookie|USA}} - The greatest Mario player of all time, and once widely considered to be the best Mario player in the world. While he almost exclusively played in events located in Florida, he was the first to make multiple top 24 placements at majors with Mario, placing 17th at {{Trn|Kings of Cali 4}}, {{Trn|Press Start}}, and {{Trn|Low Tier City 6}}. He was also listed as a "hidden boss" on the final ballot of the [[2017 SSBMRank]]. Following sexual misconduct allegations, his activity dwindled, and he has yet to attend an in-person tournament since 2020.
*{{Sm|Green Mario|USA}} - One of the first notable Mario players, and was the definitive best in the [[Super Smash Bros. Melee in competitive play#The "Golden Age" (2004-2008)|Golden Age]]. He set records with Mario that remain unbeaten today, including being both the first Mario player to have entered top 24 in a major, placing 17th at {{Trn|Pound 2}}, and being the first Mario player to ever reach top 32 of a supermajor, placing 25th at {{Trn|MLG Orlando 2006}}. He has been inactive since 2017.
*{{Sm|KoopaTroopa895|USA}} - One of the best Mario players during the 2010s. His 25th place at {{Trn|Kings of Cali 4}} is one of the best major results seen with Mario during the 2010's, outside of A Rookie's results (alongside {{Sm|SchlimmShady}}). He has also amassed some of Mario's best wins in the modern era of ''Melee'', beating top players such as {{Sm|Spark}} and {{Sm|Nintendude}}. After 2020, he switched to {{SSBM|Marth}}.
*{{Sm|Mango|USA}} - Once mained Mario under the tag "Scorpion Master", and occasionally used him in side events or online tournaments. While he has mostly used Mario for [[sandbagging]], he has shown prominence with the character, placing 2nd at {{Trn|Good Shit German}} and garnering some of Mario's best wins &mdash; against {{Sm|HugS}}, {{Sm|SilentSpectre}}, and {{Sm|Westballz}} &mdash; while under the alias. As such, he is still considered one of the greatest Mario players of all time, in spite of his short tenure with the character.
*{{Sm|Matt Deezie|USA}} - One of the first tournament organizers ever seen in ''Melee'', and the best Mario player in the world in the game's first two years. Placed top 5 at a few [[Tournament Go]] events, with his best being 3rd at {{Trn|Tournament Go 2}} and 2nd at {{Trn|IVGF NorthWest Regionals}}. He eventually switched to playing {{SSBM|Fox}} before retiring from competitive ''Melee'' altogether during the [[golden age]].
*{{Sm|пooп|Netherlands}} - One of the best players from The Netherlands, and is currently considered to be the best active Mario player in the world. To date, he remains one of the few Mario players with success in the post-[[Slippi]] metagame, placing well at regionals such as 17th at {{Trn| DreamHack Rotterdam 2022}} and {{Trn|Valhalla IV}}, 25th at {{Trn|SAPF}} and {{Trn|HFLAN Melee Edition 2020+1}}, and 49th at major tournament {{Trn| Fête 3: By the Sea}}, and has also taken sets off of some of Europe's best, having upset {{Sm|Sharp}} at Valhalla IV. He ranked 3rd on the [[Dutch Power Rankings#2025|Dutch Power Rankings]] and 22nd on [[European_Melee_Power_Rankings#EURank_2025|EURank 2025]].

===Tier placement and history===
Very early into ''Melee'''s [[Super_Smash_Bros._Melee_in_competitive_play#Early_history_.282001-2004.29|history]], when few players knew the potential of now top-tier characters, Mario was considered one of the best characters in the game, ranking as high as 5th on the first tier list. This could be attributed to Mario's simple but effective [[combo]] setups, strong attacks, low learning curve, and lack of any outstanding drawbacks due to his well-rounded toolkit, as well as his extendable [[recovery]]. Mario also notably won the first ever ''Melee'' tournament [[Premium Fight]], and {{Sm|Matt Deezie}} who is credited with the onset of the global tournament scene placed well with him at notable events of the time.

As the metagame advanced, however, Mario's average at best attributes were magnified as many players discovered the other character's more superior potential, such as {{SSBM|Peach}}, {{SSBM|Captain Falcon}}, and the {{SSBM|Ice Climbers}}. This caused Mario to slowly slip down the tier list as the years progressed, as well as caused his metagame to quickly stagnate in return. A primary example comes from {{Sm|Mango}}, who, under the alias "Scorpion Master", was the only person who placed highly at majors and supermajors. Even so, he rarely placed high enough to earn money from playing Mario, finishing in 25th place at [[Apex 2010]] instead of his usual Top 8 placements when using better characters. Other Mario mains, like {{Sm|A Rookie}} and {{Sm|KoopaTroopa895}}, have either failed to place consistently high in majors and supermajors, dropped Mario for better characters, or have stopped playing entirely, resulting in his metagame stagnating. Conversely, Mario's semiclones like {{SSBM|Luigi}} and {{SSBM|Dr. Mario}} have had their respective metagames pushed in a deeper scale compared to Mario, with {{Sm|Shroomed}} (and later, {{Sm|Franz}}) achieving consistently high placements in majors - while {{SSBM|Luigi}} players have achieved consistent Top 64 placements in numerous majors. 

On the current [[tier list]], he ranks 15th place, in the C+ tier. Excluding the [[List_of_SSBM_tier_lists_(NTSC)#April_Fools.27_Sixth_tier_list_.28March_31.2C_2004.29|April Fools Sixth tier list]], Mario is one of the few (if not only) characters who has almost without exception consistently diminished in tier placement since release, going from 5th place in 2002, gradually declining to 15th place (his lowest) in 2021. Since the post-Slippi era, Mario has failed to live up to his early successes in the 2000s-to-early-2010's era, and his metagame has continued to remain rather stagnant, while characters like {{SSBM|Donkey Kong}}, {{SSBM|Link}} and {{SSBM|Young Link}} have had their own metagames continued to be pushed. While Mario is widely agreed to certainly not be a terrible character, he is considered to be outclassed overall, with most players considering his semiclones Luigi and Dr. Mario to be superior in regards to their advantages and neutral games.

==In 1-P Mode==
==={{SSBM|Classic Mode}}===
In Classic Mode, Mario can appear as an ally in team and giant fights, a solo, team, giant, multi, and metal opponent. In Mario's appearances, he either appears on [[Princess Peach's Castle]] or [[Rainbow Cruise]]. On a team with Bowser, he appears on {{SSBM|Battlefield}} and with Peach, he appears on [[Mushroom Kingdom II]]; during the battle against Mario + Bowser on Battlefield, the stage will play the Princess Peach's Castle track.

===[[Adventure Mode]]===
Mario is one of only two characters who can appear twice in Adventure Mode, alongside his brother Luigi.

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

Later on, in the second half of Stage 11, [[Metal Mario]] will fight the player's character on the Battlefield stage, where he functions as simply a Mario permanently under the influence of the [[Metal Box]] item. If the player unlocked Luigi, Metal Mario will be joined by [[Metal Luigi]], and they both team up on the player, making for a harder fight.

===[[All-Star Mode]]===
In All-Star Mode, Mario and his allies are fought on Rainbow Cruise.

===[[Event Match]]es===
Mario is featured in the following event matches:
*'''[[Event 1: Trouble King]]''': The player plays as Mario and fights against {{SSBM|Bowser}} in a two-stock match on {{SSBM|Battlefield}}.
*'''[[Event 10: All-Star Match 1]]''': Mario is the first opponent to be fought in this series of staged battles. The player battles him on {{SSBM|Yoshi's Island}}, which will transition to the next stage if Mario gets defeated. With a timer of four minutes, the player must defeat him along with {{SSBM|Donkey Kong}}, {{SSBM|Yoshi}}, {{SSBM|Peach}}, and Bowser.
*'''[[Event 19: Peach's Peril]]''': Mario must protect Peach from a slightly larger Bowser on {{SSBM|Final Destination}}. Both Mario and Peach have 1 stock each while Bowser has infinite lives.
*'''[[Event 22: Super Mario 128]]''': The player chooses any character and must defeat a total of 128 tiny Marios on [[Mushroom Kingdom II]].
*'''[[Event 25: Gargantuans]]''': A scenario designed as a homage to {{s|wikipedia|kaiju}} movies and their various tropes. On the [[Fourside]] stage, with unlimited time, the player plays as a giant-sized Bowser (as "Godzilla") with 1 stock against a giant-sized Donkey Kong (as "King Kong") with 2 stock. A tiny Mario and a tiny Peach are also present in this match, who usually gets KO'd in one hit.
*'''[[Event 31: Mario Bros. Madness]]''': The player chooses any character and must fight Mario and {{SSBM|Luigi}} in a two-timed match on {{SSBM|Mushroom Kingdom}}. The player must have the most points within the two minutes to clear this event.
*'''[[Event 38: Super Mario Bros. 2]]''': The player chooses any character and must defeat Mario, Luigi, and Peach in a two-stock match on [[Mushroom Kingdom II]]. Both the characters and the stage are a direct throwback to the original ''Super Mario Bros. 2'', an NES sequel to ''Super Mario Bros.''

===[[Congratulations_screen#Super_Smash_Bros._Melee|Congratulations Screens]]===
<center>
<gallery>
MarioClassicMode.jpg|Classic Mode
MarioAdventureMode.jpg|Adventure Mode
MarioAllStarMode.jpg|All-Star Mode
</gallery>
</center>

==[[Trophies]]==
In addition to the normal trophy about Mario as a character unlocked by completing {{SSBM|Classic Mode}} as Mario on any difficulty, there are two trophies about him as a fighter, unlocked by completing {{SSBM|Adventure Mode}} and [[All-Star Mode]] respectively as Mario on any difficulty. Each of the trophies can also be unlocked by playing 100, 200, and 300 versus matches respectively as Mario:

{{Trophy/Fighter
|name=Mario
|image=Mario Trophy Melee.png
|mode=Classic
|desc=Known worldwide as Mr. Nintendo, Mario uses his incredible jumping ability to thwart the evil Bowser time after time. While he's best known as a hero, Mario has played many roles, including racer, [[Dr. Mario (SSBM)|doctor]], golfer, and villain. His tastes have changed over 20 years of gaming; he long ago swapped the colors of his shirt and overalls.
|gamelist={{Trophy games|game1=Donkey Kong|release1=Arcade 1981}}
|game=Melee
}}
{{clrl}}

{{Trophy/Fighter
|name=Mario
|image=Mario Trophy (Smash).png
|mode=Adventure
|desc=Mario is a character without any glaring weaknesses and plenty of strong attacks: he's even equipped with a Meteor Smash. He's a straightforward character who'll reflect the actual skills of the player. Mario's Cape will turn other characters in the opposite direction and can also reflect missile weapons.
|gamelist=:B: Fireball
:Smash B: Cape
|game=Melee
}}
{{clrl}}

{{Trophy/Fighter
|name=Mario
|image=Mario Trophy (Smash 2).png
|mode=All Star
|desc=Mass determines how easily a character can be sent flying, as well as a character's physical strength: Mario's mass is the standard upon which other Smash fighters are measured. His Super Jump Punch sends foes skyward in a shower of coins, while the Mario Tornado pulls in nearby foes, spins them silly, and scatters them every which way.
|gamelist=:Up & B: Super Jump Punch
:Down & B: Mario Tornado
|game=Melee
}}
{{clrl}}

==[[Alternate costume (SSBM)#Mario|Alternate costumes]]==
{|style="margin:1em auto 1em auto;text-align:center"
|-
|colspan=5|[[File:Mario Palette (SSBM).png]]
|-
|{{Head|Mario|g=SSBM|s=25px}}
|{{Head|Mario|g=SSBM|s=25px|cl=Yellow}}
|{{Head|Mario|g=SSBM|s=25px|cl=Black}}
|{{Head|Mario|g=SSBM|s=25px|cl=Blue}}
|{{Head|Mario|g=SSBM|s=25px|cl=Green}}
|}

==Gallery==
<center>
<gallery>
Mario SSBM art.png|Official artwork of Mario.
MarioInGameArtworkSSBM.png|Artwork of Mario from the [[CSS]].
Mario Landing SSBM.jpg|Landing on [[Corneria]].
MarioTornadoMelee.jpg|Using [[Mario Tornado]] on [[Brinstar]].
Mario SuperJumpPunchSSBM.jpg|Using [[Super Jump Punch]] on {{SSBM|Ness}} on {{SSBM|Kongo Jungle}}.
Ssbmmario4.jpg|Using [[Fireball]] on [[Onett]].
Mario Cape Kirby SSBM.jpg|Using [[Cape]] on {{SSBM|Kirby}} on [[Mute City]].
Mario Forward Smash Image SSBM.jpg|Using his [[forward smash]] on Brinstar.
Mario Forward Aerial Image SSBM.jpg|Using his [[forward aerial]] against Kirby.
</gallery>
</center>

==Trivia==
*Mario's Up Special attack is the only Up Special move in ''Melee'' that allows the player to break out of their freefall.
*A taunting Mario with a [[Super Mushroom]] in Giant Melee Mode is the largest possible character size that can be achieved without hacking.
*Mario's taunt is the second longest taunt out of all the characters, the longest one being {{SSBM|Young Link}}'s.
*If the [[Master Hand glitch]] is used in an event and sets a record, the score is shown on Mario.
*When Star KO'ing Giant Mario or Giant {{SSBM|Dr. Mario}}, their voice will immediately fade out. This will not happen with any other character.

==External links==
*[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/flash/0807/index.html Mario's page at Smabura-Ken]

*[[smashwiki:26TP/Mario|Translation]] 
{{SSBMCharacters}}
{{EnemiesAdvSSBM}}
{{Mario universe}}
[[Category:Mario (SSBM)| ]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSBM)]]
[[es:Mario (SSBM)]]
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