Dr. Mario (SSBU)

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Dr. Mario in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	Mario
Other playable appearances	in Melee in SSB4
Availability	Unlockable
Final Smash	Doctor Finale

“	He has more attack and launch power than Mario, but his jump and recovery is not as good. Pro tip: You can repeatedly press the B button when using his down special, Dr. Tornado, to float a bit!	”
—Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site

Dr. Mario (ドクターマリオ, Doctor Mario) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was officially confirmed as playable on June 12th, 2018. Dr. Mario is classified as fighter #18.

As in Smash 4, Charles Martinet's portrayal of Mario from Brawl was repurposed for Dr. Mario in Ultimate.

How to unlock

Complete one of the following:

• Play VS. matches, with Dr. Mario being the 62nd character to be unlocked.
• Clear Classic Mode with Mario or any character in his unlock tree, being the seventh character in his unlock tree after Roy.
• Have Dr. Mario join the player's party in World of Light.

With the exception of the third method, Dr. Mario must then be defeated on New Donk City Hall.

Differences from Mario

As a clone of Mario, Dr. Mario is a middleweight with the ability to wall jump. Dr. Mario sports subpar mobility, however, having the sixty-second fastest walking speed, seventy-first fastest dashing speed, seventieth fastest air speed, poor air acceleration, tying for the forty-ninth through fifty-first fastest falling speed, tying for the forty-seventh through forty-ninth fastest fast falling speed, having average gravity and traction, and below-average jump force. As a result of these traits, Dr. Mario's approach and recovery are inferior to Mario's, and renders him with sluggish movement, despite his increased walking and dashing speeds.

Like Mario, Dr. Mario has excellent frame data, with his entire moveset having low startup lag, excluding specials. As a result, Dr. Mario is effective at punishing his opponents, while he himself is difficult to punish. Dr. Mario has excellent combo starters in his forward tilt and down tilt, since both attacks come out rather quickly, and deal low knockback to the opponent. All of Dr. Mario's aerials have decreased landing lag compared to his previous appearance in SSB4 (but still higher than Mario's), contributing to his combo game, and making set-ups easier to create.

Aesthetics

• Dr. Mario's stance has him moving less than Mario.
• Dr. Mario is less vocal than Mario. Some of his attacks also emit different sound effects.
• Dr. Mario's on-screen appearance; taunts; idle poses; and victory poses are different from Mario's.
• Dr. Mario's defeated/No Contest animation is different from Mario's. He looks in front of him with a neutral expression, whereas Mario looks slightly to the left with a smiling expression.
• Dr. Mario keeps his fingers close to each other during his screen KO, whereas Mario spreads his apart.

Attributes

• Aside from Dr. Mario's up tilt; forward aerial; clean back aerial; down aerial; up special; and down special, his other moves' damage outputs use a positive multiplier. As a result, he is significantly stronger than Mario. However, this multiplier does not apply to items or reflected attacks.
• Dr. Mario's walking, dashing and aerial speeds use a negative multiplier. As a result, Dr. Mario is significantly less mobile than Mario.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack has more ending lag.
• Forward tilt has a longer duration.
• Up tilt deals more damage. This makes it significantly more effective for KOing, but less effective for combos.
• Dash attack has different knockback. Dr. Mario's dash attack also launches the opponent vertically, whereas Mario's can launch them diagonally or horizontally. These differences make it more effective for combos at low percentages.
• Due to its higher damage output, forward smash is more effective at KOing in spite of its lower knockback scaling.
• Forward smash has slightly less range.
• Dr. Mario's forward smash's sweetspot and sourspot are on his arm and electricity respectively, whereas Mario's are on the flame and his arm respectively.
• Dr. Mario's forward smash has an electric effect, whereas Mario's has a flame effect..
• Up smash has different knockback. Dr. Mario's up smash also launches the opponent horizontally, whereas Mario's launches them vertically. These differences make it significantly more effective for combos at low percentages and KOing while near the edge, but make it significantly less effective for KOing and punishing.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have more landing lag.
• Dr. Mario's neutral aerial deals more damage and has higher knockback the longer it is active, whereas Mario's functions oppositely.
• Clean and late forward aerials deal more damage.
• Early forward aerial deals slightly less damage.
• Clean forward aerial has less base knockback.
• Dr. Mario's clean forward aerial launches the opponent diagonally, whereas Mario's meteor smashes them.
• Clean back aerial deals more damage, making it more effective for KOing in spite of its lower knockback.
• Up aerial has less knockback. Dr. Mario's up aerial also launches the opponent diagonally, whereas Mario's launches them vertically. These differences make its beginning frames capable of edge-guarding, and its ending frames better for aerial combos. However, they also make its beginning frames unusable for KOing, and significantly less effective for juggling and SHFF'd combos.
• Dr. Mario's down aerial is a single-hit stomp kick, whereas Mario's has been Mario Tornado as of Brawl. Unlike Mario's, it is a meteor smash.

Grabs and throws

• Back throw has Dr. Mario heave the opponent behind him, as opposed to swinging them around like Mario. It has reduced startup.
• Back throw cannot hit nearby opponents unlike Mario's.
• Due to its higher damage output, back throw is as effective at KOing in spite of its lower knockback scaling.
• Due to its higher damage output, up throw is as effective for combos at low percentages in spite of its lower knockback.
• Down throw has different knockback, making it significantly less effective for combos.
• Dr. Mario's down throw launches the opponent vertically, whereas Mario's launches them diagonally. This makes its combos less susceptible to directional influence.

Special moves

• Unlike Fireball, Megavitamins cannot be absorbed.
• Megavitamins bounce twice and at a higher angle, whereas Fireball bounces three times and at a lower angle.
• Compared to Cape, Super Sheet's hitbox is positioned slightly upward. This results in it having slightly more vertical range, but slightly less horizontal range.
• Super Sheet has a different animation where Dr. Mario swings the sheet upward.
• Unlike aerial Cape, aerial Super Sheet does not stall Dr. Mario. This makes more effective at B-reversing, but unusable for recovery.
• Dr. Mario's Super Jump Punch consists of a clean hitbox and a late hitbox, whereas Mario's consists of six hitboxes.
• Due to its higher damage output, Dr. Mario's clean Super Jump Punch is significantly more effective for KOing in spite of its lower knockback. Dr. Mario's Super Jump Punch also has a longer duration than Mario's.
• Dr. Mario's Super Jump Punch retains its vertical distance from Melee, whereas Mario's has increased, making it less effective for recovery.
• Unlike Mario's Super Jump Punch, Dr. Mario's Super Jump Punch lacks intangibility on start-up.
• Dr. Mario's Super Jump Punch does not produce Coins upon contact, whereas Mario's does.
• Dr. Mario retains Dr. Tornado as his down special, whereas Mario's has been F.L.U.D.D. as of Brawl.
• Unlike F.L.U.D.D., Dr. Tornado deals damage.
• Compared to F.L.U.D.D., Dr. Tornado is significantly more effective for recovery.
• Compared to F.L.U.D.D., Dr. Tornado has significantly less range, making it less effective for edge-guarding.
• Doctor Finale produces 2D and 3D Megavitamin-based effects and emits Megavitamins' contact sound effect, whereas Mario Finale produces 3D fiery effects and emits a burning sound effect.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

Dr. Mario has been overall buffed in Ultimate. His damage output has been increased substantially throughout his moveset, now being able to rack up damage far more reliably than in Smash 4. His recovery, while still being rather lackluster, has nevertheless improved slightly; his Dr. Tornado has less ending lag, allowing him to act out of it sooner, and the re-addition of directional air dodges gives him another option to possibly extend his recovery. Dr. Mario has received a few nerfs, however, with one of them being a small decrease to his already sub-par mobility, given the nerfs to his air speed and jump height.

Compared to Mario, Dr. Mario is still a slower and stronger clone of him. However, he is not classified as an Echo Fighter, likely due to debuting in Melee rather than SSB4 or Ultimate as with the Echo Fighters. Aside from having an updated idle animation, an altered animation for his side special, as well as receiving a new back throw and down aerial, he does not appear to have been further decloned. He has also received many of the same changes as Mario.

Aesthetics

• As with all veterans returning from Smash 4, Dr. Mario's model features a more subdued color scheme. Like Mario, his hair and clothing now feature simple detailing, with his head mirror's headband reverting back to a cordovan brown from his design in Super Smash Bros. Melee, instead of a dark taupe gray.
• The inside of Dr. Mario's pants are now slate grey instead of white.
• Dr. Mario has a new idle animation with less exaggerated bouncing. It no longer reverts to Mario's idle when holding an item.
• Dr. Mario's helpless animation is altered slightly, with his body faced more towards the screen.
• The victory animation where Dr. Mario rubs his chin now has him tap the toe of his shoe on the ground before contemplatively rubbing his chin.
• The victory animation where Dr. Mario throws Megavitamins now has him looking towards the camera with a happy expression when holding the Megavitamins in his hands.
• The victory animation where Dr. Mario poses with his stethoscope is now more exaggerated.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Dr. Mario's jumpsquat animation now takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Dr Mario's attributes have been adjusted relative to Mario's. He now has attributes as if he was Mario with +22 attack and -65 speed equipment (SSB4)
  • Dr. Mario dashes slightly faster (1.3312 → 1.397792).
  • Dr. Mario's initial dash is faster (1.3312 → 1.936).
  • Dr. Mario walks slightly faster (0.9152 → 0.917301).
  • Dr. Mario's air speed is slower (0.9292 → 0.9238784).
  • Dr. Mario jumps lower.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Jab deals more damage (2.8% → 2.9% (hit 1), 1.68% → 1.7% (jab 2), 4.48% → 4.7% (hit 3)).
  • Jab was reverted to match Mario's, meaning that it can now jab lock.
  • The last hit of neutral attack comes out faster and goes higher. These changes allow it to connect better from the first two hits.
• All tilt attacks deal more damage (7.84% → 8.2% (forward tilt), 7.056% → 7.4% (up tilt), 5.6%/7.84% → 5.8/8.2% (down tilt), 8.96%/6.72% → 11.5%/7% (dash attack (clean/late))).
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has more base knockback, decreasing its combo potential but increasing its kill power.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has more base knockback and a more horizontal launch angle, lowering its combo potential.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack travels further.
  • Dash attack has an altered animation that no longer lowers Dr. Mario's hurtbox, which prevents him from sliding under certain attacks unlike his previous dash attack.
• All smash attacks deal significantly more damage (19.04%/15.68% → 20.9%/17.2% (forward smash), 15.68% → 16.4% (up smash), 11.2%/13.44 → 11.7%/14.1% (down smash (hit 1/hit 2))).
• Forward smash:
  • The electricity produced from Dr. Mario's forward smash is now magenta/lavender instead of light blue. That electricity also stems out from the player being hit with his forward smash.
  • Forward smash deals consistent damage.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash's animation has been altered, resembling both the Sweep Kick move from Super Mario 64, and the break dance Mario performs on the cover of Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (12 frames → 7 (neutral), 28 frames → 17 (forward), 16 frames → 10 (back), 14 frames → 8 (up), 21 frames → 13 (down)).
• All aerials deal more damage (5.6%/8.96 → 5.8%/9.4% (neutral aerial (clean/late)), 11.2/16.8/10.08% → 11.7%/17.6%/10.5 (forward aerial (early/clean/late)), 13.44/7.84 → 14.1/8.2 (back aerial (clean/late)), 7.84% → 10.2% (up aerial), 10.976% → 14.1% (down aerial)).
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has a different animation, with Dr. Mario now punching downwards with his opposite hand and twisting around afterwards instead of flipping.
• Down aerial:
  • Dr. Mario has a new down aerial, a downward stomp similar to that of Captain Falcon and Ganondorf, as opposed to a drill kick. Compared to the old down aerial, it deals more damage, has reduced ending lag, has a larger autocancel window and can meteor smash.
    • However, the new down aerial has slower start-up (frame 11 → 16), less active hitboxes, and lacks a landing hit.

Throws/other attacks

• Pummel deals less damage but is noticeably faster.
  • Pummel has a slightly different animation: Dr. Mario now uses one hand during his pummel instead of both of his hands like in previous installments, to keep consistent with his grab animation.
• All throws deal more damage (8.96% → 9.4% (forward), 12.32% → 12.9% (back), 7.84% → 8.2% (up), 5.6% → 5.8% (down)).
• All of Dr. Mario's throws have been altered with more exaggerated animations.
• Back throw:
  • Dr. Mario has a new back throw where he heaves the opponent overhead behind him.
  • The new back throw is slightly faster.
  • The new back throw does much higher knockback, now KOing at around 90% against middleweights near the edge.
  • The new back throw doesn't have a collateral hit.

Special Moves

• Megavitamin:
  • Dr. Mario no longer opens his mouth when using Megavitamin.
  • Megavitamins deal more damage (5.6%/4.48% (clean/late) → 5.8%/4.7%) and knockback.
    • Because of this higher knockback, it can no longer jab reset.
  • Megavitamins are slightly larger.
• Super Sheet:
  • Super Sheet has an updated animation to differentiate it from Cape. The sheet now starts flat on the floor, with Dr. Mario lifting it up above his head. This now indicates the move's better vertical reach.
  • Like Mario's Cape, Super Sheet forces opponents to show their backside while they are using their moves, regardless of whether their stance is mirrored or not.
  • Super Sheet deals slightly more damage (7.84% → 8.2%).
• Super Jump Punch:
  • Super Jump Punch deals slightly more damage.
• Dr. Tornado:
  • Dr. Tornado now hits seven times instead of four, and deals much more damage (8.736% → 14.816%).
  • Dr. Tornado now has a percent-based heavy armor during start up.
  • Dr. Tornado now deals significantly more knockback, KOing very early at the side of the stage.
  • Dr. Tornado has less ending lag. This improves its safety and makes it better as a recovery option offstage.
  • Dr. Mario now opens his hands when using the move, and he rises slightly upwards on the ground
  • Dr. Tornado has a vortex form around Dr. Mario when used.
  • Dr. Tornado has a slightly altered animation in the air.
• Final Smash:
  • Dr. Mario appears to be much angrier than in the previous game when unleashing Doctor Finale.

Moveset

• Dr. Mario can wall jump.

The following damage values were calculated without the 1.2× damage multiplier that is active during one-on-one fights.

For aerial attacks, full hop damage values are shown. Hovering over them shows the short hop damage values (aerial attacks performed during a short hop have a 0.85× damage multiplier).

Note: All numbers are listed as base damage, without the 1v1 multiplier.

		Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack			2.9%	Two punches, followed up by a kick. Useful for spacing and comes out quickly. The first hit can jab lock.
			1.7%
			4.7%
Forward tilt			8.2%	A wheel kick. Like neutral attack, it's useful for spacing. Can be angled.
Up tilt			7.4%	A spinning uppercut. Can combo into itself at low percentages, and into aerials at high percentages.
Down tilt			5.8% (foot), 8.2% (body)	A legsweep. Dr. Mario's best combo starter, as it can lead into most of his attacks.
Dash attack			11.5% (clean), 7% (late)	A baseball slide. Launches opponents vertically, which can potentially make it a combo starter.
Forward smash			17.2% (electricity), 20.9% (arm)	Steps back, then does a palm thrust that produces electricity. Deals immense damage and knockback, giving it great KO potential. Its sweetspot is located on Dr. Mario's arm.
Up smash		Ear, Nose, and Throat	16.4%	An upward arcing headbutt. Unlike most up smashes, this one launches opponents horizontally behind him. Renders Dr. Mario's head intangible for a short time.
Down smash			11.7% (front), 14.1% (back)	A 360º sweep kick. Dr. Mario's fastest smash attack, making it a rather useful defensive option. Its back hit is stronger.
Neutral aerial		Dr. Kick	5.8% (clean), 9.4% (late)	A sex kick that has the rare property of having its late hit being stronger than its clean hit. Its clean hit can jab lock and start combos, and its late hit has good edgeguarding potential.
Forward aerial		Dr. Punch	11.7% (early), 17.6% (clean), 10.5% (late)	Throws an overhand punch. Unlike Mario's, it does not have a meteor smash hitbox. It has slow startup, but is extremely powerful at its sweetspot, making one of the strongest forward aerials in the game.
Back aerial			14.1% (clean), 8.2% (late)	A dropkick. Comes out quickly and has above-average knockback, which makes it a viable edgeguarding and KO move.
Up aerial			10.2%	A bicycle kick. The move oddly launches diagonally unlike Mario's, which can be ideal for edgeguard mixups.
Down aerial		Bone Drill	14.1%	Performs a downwards stomp kick similar to Captain Falcon's. Can meteor smash from the waist down.
Grab			—	Reaches out. Has average range and above average speed.
Pummel			1.5%	Headbutts the opponent. Moderately fast.
Forward throw			9.4%	Spins and throws the opponent away. Can be used to set up an edgeguard. Decently quick.
Back throw			12.9% (throw)	Dr. Mario heaves the opponent over him and then throws them diagonally. Dr. Mario's strongest throw, granting KO potential at around 90% near the ledge against middleweights.
Up throw			8.2%	Heaves the opponent upward. Can put the opponent into a juggling situation.
Down throw		Hospital Bed	5.8%	Throws the opponent down to the ground. As it launches opponents directly upward unlike Mario's version, it is one of Dr. Mario's best combo starters, being useful for setting up aerial combos.
Forward roll Back roll Spot dodge Air dodge		—	—
Techs		—	—
Floor attack (front) Floor getups (front)			7%	Sweepkicks, then gets up.
Floor attack (back) Floor getups (back)			7%	Punches on both sides, then gets up.
Floor attack (trip) Floor getups (trip)			5%	Sweepkicks, then gets up.
Edge attack Edge getups			10%	Performs a dropkick while climbing up.
Neutral special		Megavitamins	5.8% (early), 4.7% (late)	Throws a Megavitamin. Useful approach and pressure option.
Side special		Super Sheet	8.2%, 1.5x times the reflected projectile	Flips his white sheet upward. Can turn opponents around (which also reverses their controls and aerial momentum) and can function as a reflector. However, it does not stall Dr. Mario's descent in midair, making it useless for recovery unlike Cape.
Up special		Super Jump Punch	14.1% (clean), 7% (late)	A jumping uppercut. It functions better as an attack than a recovery option, as it has great KO potential and fast startup. However, it travels a very short distance.
Down special		Dr. Tornado	1.8% (hits 1-6), 3.5% (final hit)	A series of clothesline spins. Can hit up to 7 times, with the final hit sending opponents diagonally. This move can be used to aid in recovery, as mashing the B button will make Dr. Mario rise up. The maximum height that can be gained from this move is greater than the Super Jump Punch, although this requires extremely fast button mashing that can be done more easily in slow motion in training mode.
Final Smash		Doctor Finale	3.1% (Front Megavitamin), 2.3% (Back Megavitamin)	Similar to Mario Finale, but the fireballs are replaced with huge Megavitamins, and their trails consist of red, yellow, and blue pixelated streaks and circles. Slightly stronger than Mario Finale.

On-screen appearance

• Starts behind a wall of Megavitamins, which then start to disappear starting from the top to reveal him. Has his eyes closed until all of the Megavitamins are gone, in which he opens them and assumes fighting stance.

Taunts

• Up taunt: Looks to the ground and rubs the sole of one of his shoes to the floor.
• Side taunt: Pulls out a randomly colored Megavitamin, tosses it up in the air with his shoulder, and then catches it and swipes it away.
• Down taunt: Balls one of his fists and lightly pounds his shoulder.

Idle poses

• Pounds his fist into his palm.
• Rolls his neck as if stretching it.

Victory poses

• Throws two randomly colored Megavitamins in different directions, dusts his gloves, and pulls out two more Megavitamins of the same color.
• Waves his stethoscope in front of him, off to his side, then to the other, and then back in front of him.
• Taps his shoe on the ground, puts his right hand on his chin in a thinking manner, and then glares at the screen while rubbing his chin.

• 
• 
• 

Classic Mode: Colorful Treatment Plan

Dr. Mario's opponents are all trios of the same character in red, blue, and yellow costumes, referencing the three viruses: Fever, Chill, and Weird.

Round	Opponent	Stage	Music	Notes
1	Mr. Game & Watch Team	Flat Zone X	Chill (for 3DS / Wii U)
2	Kirby Team	Green Greens	Fever
3	Yoshi Team	Yoshi's Island	Chill (Brawl)
4	Wii Fit Trainer Team	Wii Fit Studio	Fever
5	R.O.B. Team	Battlefield	Chill (for 3DS / Wii U)
6	Wario Team	Luigi's Mansion	Tetris: Type A
Bonus Stage
Final	Master Hand	Final Destination	Master Hand	On intensity 7.0 and higher, Crazy Hand fights alongside Master Hand, and the track Master Hand / Crazy Hand plays during the battle.

Role in World of Light

Although Dr. Mario does not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, he was vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (sans Kirby) when Galeem unleashed his beams of light. Dr. Mario has his own awakening battle separate from that of Mario, who appears in the opening cutscene.

Dr. Mario can be awakened in a cloud that is found on a pathway connected by a ribbon that also leads to a city-like area.

Alternate costumes

Gallery

• 

  Dr. Mario's fighter card.

• 

  Dr. Mario idling on Wuhu Island.

• 

  Taunting on Mario Galaxy.

• 

  Attacking Link with his forward smash on New Pork City.

• 

  Jumping in Mushroomy Kingdom.

• 

  Tossing a Megavitamin on Moray Towers.

• 

  Holding a Fairy Bottle while running towards Link on Great Bay.

• 

  Taunting next to Little Mac on Tomodachi Life.

• 

  Snared by Mimikyu on Pictochat 2.

• 

  Using his down aerial on Wario on Skyworld.

• 

  Performing Doctor Finale on Wii Fit Studio.

Character Showcase Video

<youtube>w0qVpaEtEF4</youtube>

Trivia

• Dr. Mario is the only character with custom equipment incorporated into his attributes.
• With Link and Young Link now representing different incarnations of Link and Zelda and Sheik now representing different incarnations of Princess Zelda, along with Zero Suit Samus briefly transforming into her Varia Suited form for her Final Smash, Dr. Mario is the only playable character to represent an alternate identity for another character with no gameplay connection between the two.
• During Luigi's character showcase trailer, Dr. Mario's Super Sheet uses Mario's Cape animation, rather than the new animation specific to Dr. Mario.
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the first Smash Bros. game where Dr. Mario is not holding his Vitamins in his official art.
• Dr. Mario's official art resembles one of the victory animations he has in Super Smash Bros. 4.
• One of the images on the Smash Bros. website shows Dr. Mario and Link, with the former holding a Fairy Bottle and the latter laying face-down. This is a reference to the fact that Fairies are a healing item in the The Legend of Zelda series, alluding to Dr. Mario's status as a doctor.
  • This is further joked with in Dr. Mario's highlight video, in which he fights King Dedede on top of Onett's Drugstore.
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the first Smash game to feature Dr. Mario and have his inclusion be planned from the start.
• Like Melee, Dr. Mario can be unlocked by playing Classic Mode as Mario (though Dr. Mario is one of the last characters in his unlock column).