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Official artwork of Little Mac from ''{{s|wikipedia|Punch-Out!!|Wii}}'' for the [[Wii]].
Official artwork of Little Mac from ''{{s|wikipedia|Punch-Out!!|Wii}}'' for the [[Wii]].
|universe={{uv|Punch-Out!!}}
|universe={{uv|Punch-Out!!}}
|firstgame=[[wikipedia:Punch-Out!! (arcade game)|''Punch-Out!!'' (arcade)]] (1983, technical debut)<br>[[wikipedia:Punch-Out!! (NES)|''Punch-Out!!'' (NES)]] (1987, proper debut)
|firstgame=[[wikipedia:Punch-Out!! (arcade game)|''Punch-Out!!'' (arcade)]]<ref name=SakuraiMac/> (1983, technical debut)<br>[[wikipedia:Punch-Out!! (NES)|''Punch-Out!!'' (NES)]] (1987, proper debut)
|games=''[[Brawl]]''<br>''[[SSB4]]''<br>''[[Ultimate]]''
|games=''[[Brawl]]''<br>''[[SSB4]]''<br>''[[Ultimate]]''
|lastappearance= ''{{s|mariowiki|Luigi's Mansion 3}}'' (2019, cameo)
|lastappearance= ''{{s|mariowiki|Luigi's Mansion 3}}''<ref>[https://youtu.be/Q6p-3VwcD6c?t=467 Luigi's Mansion 3 Gameplay Pt. 1 - Nintendo Treehouse: Live | E3 2019]</ref> (2019, cameo)
|console=Arcade (technical debut)<br>Nintendo Entertainment System (proper debut)
|console=Arcade (technical debut)<br>Nintendo Entertainment System (proper debut)
|species=Human
|species=Human
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}}
}}


'''Little Mac''' ({{ja|リトル・マック|Ritoru Makku}}, ''Little Mac'') is the main character of [[Nintendo]]'s ''{{uv|Punch-Out!!}}'' series of video games. Initially debuting as a nameless boxer in the arcade release of ''[[wikipedia:Punch-Out!! (arcade game)|Punch-Out!!]]'', Little Mac gained his name and backstory beginning with ''{{S|wikipedia|Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!}}'' on the NES. As his name implies, Little Mac has a small frame, which grants him his trademark maneuverability and speed. Trained by [[Doc Louis]], Little Mac entered a boxing tournament and managed to become a champion, defeating several opponents much larger and experienced than him, and some of them have twice his age.
'''Little Mac''' ({{ja|リトル・マック|Ritoru Makku}}, ''Little Mac'') is the main character of [[Nintendo]]'s ''{{uv|Punch-Out!!}}'' series of video games. Initially debuting as a nameless boxer in the arcade release of ''[[wikipedia:Punch-Out!! (arcade game)|Punch-Out!!]]'', Little Mac gained his name and backstory beginning with ''{{s|wikipedia|Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!}}'' on the NES. As his name implies, Little Mac has a small frame, which grants him his trademark maneuverability and speed. Trained by [[Doc Louis]], Little Mac entered a boxing tournament and managed to become a champion, defeating several opponents much larger and experienced than him, and some of them have twice his age.


After making cameos as a regular [[trophy]] and [[Assist Trophy]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', Little Mac transitioned into a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', and has remained as such since then.
After making cameos as a regular [[trophy]] and [[Assist Trophy]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', Little Mac transitioned into a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', and has remained as such since then.


==Origin==
==Origin==
[[File:Littlemacnes.gif|thumb|left|60px|Little Mac in ''{{b|Punch-Out!!|NES}}'' for the NES.]]
[[File:Littlemacnes.gif|thumb|left|60px|Little Mac, as he appears in ''{{b|Punch-Out!!|NES}}'' for the NES.]]


Hailing from The Bronx, New York, 17-year-old Mac aspired to become a professional boxer. However, he stood at only 4'8"/142 cm in the NES installment (changed to a more reasonable 5'7"/172 cm in the Wii installment), so his below-average stature turned most trainers away from taking him on. Upon meeting former heavyweight champion [[Doc Louis]], however, Mac became strong enough to enter a boxing tournament hosted by the World Video Boxing Association (WVBA) under the ring name Little Mac. He defeated opponents who were increasingly larger than him and ultimately became the WVBA champion by knocking out the top-ranked boxer: real-life boxer {{s|wikipedia|Mike Tyson}} in the original NES installment, Mr. Dream in all re-releases of said installment, or Mr. Sandman in the Wii installment.
Mac is a 17-year-old New Yorker from The Bronx who aspired to become a professional boxer. Due to standing 5'7"/172 cm (4'8"/142 cm in the NES installment), however, his below-average stature turned most trainers away from taking him on. Upon meeting former heavyweight champion [[Doc Louis]], Mac became strong enough to enter a boxing tournament hosted by the World Video Boxing Association (WVBA), and entered the tournament as the now rechristened Little Mac. He defeated opponents who were increasingly larger than him and ultimately became the WVBA Champion by knocking out the top-ranked boxer: real-life boxer {{s|wikipedia|Mike Tyson}} in the original NES installment, Mr. Dream in all re-releases of said installment, or Mr. Sandman in the Wii installment.


After conquering a circuit, Mac would continue to train with Doc, often jogging through New York City in a pink sweatsuit while Doc biked ahead. The Wii version also details the other exercises Mac would go through in Doc's gym. The greatest asset Mac gained from this training was Doc's patented Star Punch technique; after stunning an opponent, Mac could deliver a powerful uppercut instead of his usual jabs and hooks. During matches, he uses a defensive playstyle that focuses on dodging the opponent's attacks before counterattacking, which makes up the gameplay of the entire ''Punch Out!!'' series.
After conquering a circuit, Mac would continue to train with Doc, often jogging through New York City in a pink sweatsuit while Doc biked ahead. The Wii version also details the other exercises Mac would go through in Doc's gym. The greatest asset Mac gained from this training was Doc's patented Star Punch technique; after stunning an opponent, Mac could deliver a powerful uppercut instead of his usual jabs and hooks. During matches, he uses a defensive playstyle that focuses on dodging the opponent's attacks before counterattacking, which makes up the gameplay of the entire ''Punch Out!!'' series. In the multiplayer "Head-to-Head" mode in ''Punch-Out!!'' for Wii, Mac has the ability to transform into a giant called [[Giga Mac]]. While in his Giga Mac state, Mac is much slower, but can hit as hard as some of the opponents he faces.


In the multiplayer "Head-to-Head" mode in ''Punch-Out!!'' for Wii, Mac has the ability to transform into a giant called [[Giga Mac]]. While in his Giga Mac state, Mac is much slower, but can hit as hard as some of the opponents he faces. This ability later became his [[Final Smash]] in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''.
Several re-releases of ''{{s|wikipedia|Super Punch-Out!!}}'' refer to the protagonist of the game as "Little Mac", despite him having a different appearance; the protagonist of ''Super Punch-Out!!'' features messy, light brown hair, wears blue shorts, and does not wear a shirt in the ring, though he still retains the green boxing gloves. Although Bryce Holliday, a member of the development team for the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!'', claimed that the two are different characters, Nintendo later clarified that the two are the same character,<ref>[https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/super-punch-out-wii-u/ Super Punch-Out!! for Wii U - Nintendo Game Details]</ref> with Little Mac having changed his appearance after splitting ways with Doc Louis.
 
Several re-releases of ''{{s|wikipedia|Super Punch-Out!!}}'' refer to the protagonist of the game as "Little Mac", despite him having a different appearance; the protagonist of ''Super Punch-Out!!'' features messy, light brown hair, wears blue shorts, and does not wear a shirt in the ring, though he still retains the green boxing gloves. Owing to this, there exists dispute as to whether or not the two are the same character; while a developer for the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!'', Bryce Holliday, claimed that the two are different characters, Nintendo officially states that the two are the same character, with Little Mac having changed his appearance after splitting ways with Doc Louis.
{{clrl}}
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==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
===As an [[Assist Trophy]]===
===As an [[Assist Trophy]]===
[[File:LittleMacBrawlAssist.jpg|thumb|left|Little Mac as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.]]
[[File:LittleMacBrawlAssist.jpg|thumb|left|Little Mac, as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.]]
Little Mac makes an appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' as an [[Assist Trophy]]. When summoned, he dashes about the stage to opponents, attacking by throwing two alternating jabs and an uppercut. The jabs deal a good amount of damage, while the uppercut is devastatingly powerful; it deals 25%, [[KO]]s under 50%, and is an instant [[shield break]]er. With his speed and immense power, Little Mac is one of the most dangerous Assist Trophies in ''Brawl'', and is very capable of KOing each of the summoner's opponents. However, Little Mac is extremely prone to falling off-stage, even more so than other Assist Trophies, which leaves him very unreliable, especially if the opponents can lure him off-stage. The punching sound effects from ''Punch-Out!!'' can be heard as Little Mac attacks. Little Mac receives his own [[trophy]] in the game, like all other Assist Trophies.
Little Mac makes an appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' as an [[Assist Trophy]].<ref name=Brawl/> Instead of using a 3D version of his ''Super Punch-Out!!'' design as he did in the [[Nintendo GameCube]] version of ''{{s|wikipedia|Fight Night Round 2}}'', Little Mac uses a 3D version of his design from the NES version of ''Punch-Out!!'' Fittingly, his punches retain their sound effects from said game.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PfyqOZgR8w Evolution of Little Mac (1983 - 2018)]</ref>
 
When summoned, Little Mac [[dash]]es quickly toward his summoner's opponents, and will attack by throwing a {{s|wikipedia|one-two combo}} and an uppercut.<ref name=Brawl>[https://www.smashbros.com/wii/en_uk/items/assist/assist10.html Smash Bros. DOJO!! - Assist Trophies - Little Mac]</ref> The one-two combo deals respectable damage, whereas the uppercut is devastatingly powerful: it deals 25%, [[KO]]s under 50%, and is an instant [[shield break]]er. Due to his speed and immense power, Little Mac is one of the most dangerous Assist Trophies in the game. However, he is also very inconsistent, as he is easily prone to falling off-stage, especially if the opponents can lure him off-stage. Like his fellow Assist Trophies, Little Mac has his own [[trophy]].
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{{clrl}}


===Trophy===
===Trophy===
[[File:Little_Mac_-_Brawl_Trophy.png|100px|thumb|left|Little Mac's trophy in ''Brawl''.]]
[[File:Little_Mac_-_Brawl_Trophy.png|100px|thumb|left|Little Mac's trophy in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.]]
{{Flag|North America}} ''A lightweight scrapper from the Bronx. After meeting with a former boxing great named Doc Louis who fell from glory, Mac takes Doc on as his coach, and together the pair try for the championship belt in the WVBA. Little Mac works his way up the ranks of the WVBA, taking out foes several times his size. By landing multiple blows, Little Mac gains a "☆" uppercut.''<br>
{{Flag|North America}} ''A lightweight scrapper from the Bronx. After meeting with a former boxing great named Doc Louis who fell from glory, Mac takes Doc on as his coach, and together the pair try for the championship belt in the WVBA. Little Mac works his way up the ranks of the WVBA, taking out foes several times his size. By landing multiple blows, Little Mac gains a "☆" uppercut.''<br>
{{Flag|Europe}} ''A lightweight scrapper from the Bronx. After meeting with a former boxing great named Doc Louis who fell from glory, Mac takes Doc on as his coach, and tries for the championship belt in the WVBA. Little Mac works his way up the ranks, taking out foes several times his size. If he saves up the ☆'s he gets from hitting his opponent, he can throw a powerful uppercut.''
{{Flag|Europe}} ''A lightweight scrapper from the Bronx. After meeting with a former boxing great named Doc Louis who fell from glory, Mac takes Doc on as his coach, and tries for the championship belt in the WVBA. Little Mac works his way up the ranks, taking out foes several times his size. If he saves up the ☆'s he gets from hitting his opponent, he can throw a powerful uppercut.''
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{{Main|Little Mac (SSB4)}}
{{Main|Little Mac (SSB4)}}
[[File:Little Mac SSB4.png|thumb|Little Mac as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''.]]
[[File:Little Mac SSB4.png|thumb|Little Mac as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''.]]
Little Mac is a [[newcomer]] in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''. He was revealed on February 13th, 2014 during a Nintendo Direct, which commemorated the 30th anniversary of the ''Punch-Out!!'' series. Little Mac's grounded movement is extremely quick, with his rolls, sidestep and dashing speed being among the fastest in the game. On a related note, the majority of his grounded attacks boast quick frame data alongside high damage outputs and knockback. Little Mac also has a unique mechanic called the [[Power Meter]], which originates from his home series. When fully charged via damage dealt or taken, the Power Meter allows him to use the [[Straight Lunge#KO Uppercut|KO Uppercut]], an immensely fast and powerful uppercut that is capable of KOing the entire cast at extremely low percentages. While Little Mac is a nigh-unparalleled ground fighter, he has very poor aerial attacks and recovery to compensate.
Little Mac appears as a [[newcomer]] in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''. He was formally revealed during a [[Nintendo Direct]] on February 13th, 2014,<ref name=SSB4>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdQg43n2OaM Nintendo Direct 2.13.14]</ref> which commemorated the 30th anniversary of the ''Punch-Out!!'' series.<ref name=SakuraiMac>[https://sourcegaming.info/2015/07/22/the-little-pepper-is-very-hot-sakurai-famitsu-column-vol-448/ "The Little Pepper is Very Hot!" Sakurai Famitsu Column vol. 448]</ref> Instead of reusing his design from ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', Little Mac now uses a slightly redesign of his appearance in [[wikipedia:Punch-Out!! (Wii)|the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!'']]
 
As in ''Brawl'', Little Mac's [[dash]] is both extremely fast (surpassed only by {{SSB4|Sonic}} and {{SSB4|Captain Falcon}}) and lowers his hurtbox to the point that he can pseudo-[[crouch]] under a number of attacks and certain projectiles.<ref name=SakuraiMac/> By extension, the rest of his grounded mobility is also excellent, courtesy of his [[walk]]ing speed, [[traction]], [[roll]]s, and [[sidestep]] each being in the top 10 of their respective categories.
 
The majority of Little Mac's grounded attacks boast quick frame data alongside impressive power. His forward tilt, the one-two combo he used in ''Brawl'', is a prime example of this potent combination: it hits on frame 4, yet is capable of KOing middleweights below 120% while near the edge of {{SSB4|Final Destination}}. In addition to being very strong, Little Mac's smash attacks notably grant him [[super armor]] during certain frames, and thus allow him to effectively [[Wikipedia:Tank (gaming)|tank]] an opponent's attack despite his status as a lightweight.<ref name=SakuraiMac/> [[Slip Counter]] further supplements his defense, as it is a [[counterattack]] that is tied with [[Double Team]] and [[Witch Time]] as the fastest of its kind in the game.<ref name=SakuraiMac/>
 
Little Mac's [[Final Smash]] is [[Giga Mac]], his gargantuan transformation that debuted in the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!'' As Giga Mac, his entire moveset fittingly becomes drastically stronger.<ref name=SSB4/> Lastly, Little Mac has a unique mechanic called the [[Power Meter]], which originates from his home series. When fully charged via damage dealt or received, the Power Meter allows him to use the [[Straight Lunge#KO Uppercut|KO Uppercut]], an immensely fast and powerful uppercut that is capable of KOing the entire cast at extremely low percentages.<ref name=SakuraiMac/>
 
However, Little Mac's aerial presence is indisputably the worst of any character in the series. This is because of his aerial attacks being almost totally useless and, more infamously, his recovery being very easily foiled because of his very low [[jump]]/[[double jump]] and both [[Jolt Haymaker]] and [[Rising Uppercut]] having very short travel distances and small [[edge sweetspot]]s.<ref name=SakuraiMac/> Although Little Mac is a nigh-unparalleled ground fighter, his ground game is not flawless: his overall range is short because of his average size, while his grab game is very unimpressive because of his throws having very minimal utility.<ref name=SakuraiMac/>


Little Mac is currently ranked 44th on the [[tier list]]. While possessing a fearsome ground game due to his high power, quick movement speed and frame data, Little Mac has a notoriously weak aerial game, and what is often considered the worst recovery in the series due to his options being very short-ranged. This is compounded by the combination of his light weight and the fact that even the slightest hit on him can completely foil any of his recovery attempts. With his exploitable weaknesses, Little Mac has difficulty performing in high-level play, but has nevertheless managed to attain average representation and achieve success at varying levels: {{Sm|Cagt}} has achieved several top 10 placings and a few top 25 placings at local and regional tournaments respectively, {{Sm|Destany}} has won several local tournaments in both singles and [[doubles]] play, and {{Sm|Sol}}, {{Sm|Vash}}, and {{Sm|Alphicans}} have each achieved a few respectable placings in singles play and a few high placings in doubles play at regional and national tournaments.
Due to his exploitable weaknesses counterbalancing his potent strengths, Little Mac has difficulty performing in high-level play. However, he has nevertheless managed to achieve both average representation and varying levels of success: {{Sm|Cagt}} has achieved several top 10 placings and a few top 25 placings at local and regional tournaments respectively, {{Sm|Destany}} has won several local tournaments in both singles and [[doubles]] play, and {{Sm|Sol}}, {{Sm|Vash}}, and {{Sm|Alphicans}} have each achieved a few respectable placings in singles play and a few high placings in doubles play at regional and national tournaments. As a result, Little Mac is currently ranked 44th out of 55 on the [[tier list]]. This places him in the E tier, and posits him as the second lowest ranked mid tier character.


===Trophies===
===Trophies===
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===As a playable character===
===As a playable character===
{{main|Little Mac (SSBU)}}
{{main|Little Mac (SSBU)}}
[[File:Little Mac SSBU.png|thumb|Little Mac in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.]]
[[File:Little Mac SSBU.png|thumb|Little Mac, as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.]]
Little Mac returns as a playable fighter in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. He is now an [[unlockable character]], as opposed to being a [[starter character]].
Little Mac returns as a playable character in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. He was formally announced alongside the rest of the cast via ''Ultimate''{{'}}s E3 2018 trailer on June 12th, 2018.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L93H7YC-83o Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - E3 2018 - Nintendo Switch]</ref> Unlike in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', Little Mac is now an [[unlockable character]], and Giga Mac now [[Giga Mac Rush|performs a rapid barrage of punches]] instead of being a controllable transformation.


Despite being a lower mid-tier character in ''SSB4'', Little Mac received a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition to ''Ultimate'' that resulted in him generally being viewed as being nerfed overall. While he has received good improvements both directly and from game engine changes, he received heavy nerfs to his damage output and combo potential. He also is mostly harmed by the universal engine changes in ''Ultimate'' compared to most of the cast who benefit from said changes.
Despite being a lower mid tier character in ''SSB4'', Little Mac received a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition to ''Ultimate'' that resulted in him generally being viewed as being nerfed overall. While he has received useful direct buffs, he received heavy nerfs to his damage output and combo potential. In addition, the universal engine changes in ''Ultimate'' hinder him more so than help him, which is noticeable by how most of the cast benefits from said changes in comparison to him.


However, since update 3.1.0 granted useful buffs to Little Mac's ground game, his almost nonexistent representation improved to the point of gaining dedicated mains who are recently getting impressive results in both regional and national tournaments.  
However, since update 3.1.0 granted useful buffs to Little Mac's ground game, his almost nonexistent representation improved to the point of gaining dedicated mains who have achieved impressive results in both regional and national tournaments.  
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{{clear}}


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==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:Mac.jpg|Little Mac's official art from ''Brawl''.
File:Mac.jpg|Official artwork of Little Mac from ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.
Little Mac Wireframe.png|Wireframe Mac as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''.
Little Mac Wireframe.png|Wireframe Mac, as he appears in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''.
</gallery>
</gallery>


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Little Mac was the first playable character in the series to have been an [[Assist Trophy]] in a previous game. He would later be followed by [[Dark Samus]] and [[Isabelle]].
*Little Mac is the first playable character in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series to have been an [[Assist Trophy]] in a previous installment. He would later be followed by [[Dark Samus]] and [[Isabelle]].
**In addition, he is the second summonable character in the series who is playable in a later installment, the first being [[Charizard]], who was a [[Poké Ball]] Pokémon in ''SSB'' and ''Melee''.
**In addition, he is the second summonable character in the series who is playable in a later installment, the first being [[Charizard]], who was a [[Poké Ball]] Pokémon in ''SSB'' and ''Melee''.
***Of the four, he is the only former Assist Trophy to represent a new universe, rather than being an addition to an already represented universe; he is also the only one to have made this transition from ''Brawl'' to ''SSB4''.
***Of the four, he is the only former Assist Trophy to represent a new universe instead of being an addition to an already represented universe. He is also the only one to have made this transition from ''Brawl'' to ''SSB4''.
***He is also the only male character who was originally a summonable character to become fully playable, as both Dark Samus and Isabelle are female, and Charizard's gender is left ambiguous, as with other Pokémon.
***He is also the only male character who was originally a summonable character to become fully playable, as both Dark Samus and Isabelle are female, and Charizard's gender is ambiguous because of Nintendo's stance on that topic in regard to Pokémon.
**He is also the only singular representative to become playable after making his debut as a major non-playable character.
**He is also the only singular representative to become playable after making his debut as a major non-playable character.
*Despite being voiced by English-speaking voice actors in the ''Punch-Out!!'' series, Little Mac is voiced by a Japanese voice actor in both of his appearances in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series.
*Despite being voiced by English-speaking voice actors in the ''Punch-Out!!'' series, Little Mac is voiced by a Japanese voice actor in both of his appearances in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series.
*Little Mac is one of two characters who had their number of alternate costumes reduced from one game to the next, as he has 16 in ''SSB4'' and has 8 in ''Ultimate''. The other character is [[Wario]], whose alternate costume count was reduced from 12 in ''Brawl'' to 8 in ''SSB4''.
*Little Mac and [[Wario]] are the only characters whose number of [[alternate costume]]s reduced in the transition from one installment to the next. In the case of Mac, he has 16 in ''SSB4'' and has 8 in ''Ultimate''.<ref>[https://twitter.com/allsourcegaming/status/704350440939360256 Source Gaming on Twitter: "#SmashTrivia Little Mac is the only character in Smash Bros. 3DS/Wii U to have 16 costume choices, instead of 8."]</ref>
*Little Mac is the second character to originate from a real life location, being The Bronx in New York. He was preceded by [[Snake]] and [[Sonic the Hedgehog]], and succeeded by [[Ryu]], [[Simon Belmont]], [[Richter Belmont]], [[Ken Masters]], [[Joker]], and [[Terry Bogard]].
*Little Mac is the second character to originate from a real life location, with his being The Bronx in New York City. He was preceded by [[Snake]] and [[Sonic the Hedgehog]], and succeeded by [[Ryu]], [[Simon Belmont]], [[Richter Belmont]], [[Ken Masters]], [[Joker]], and [[Terry Bogard]].
**Unlike the others, he is the only first-party character to hold this trait.
**Unlike the others, he is the only first-party character to hold this trait.
*Little Mac is the only playable character:
*Little Mac is the only playable character:

Revision as of 18:39, April 21, 2020

For fighter info, see Little Mac (SSB4) and Little Mac (SSBU).
Little Mac
Little Mac - Punch Out Wii.png
PunchOutSymbol.svg

Official artwork of Little Mac from Punch-Out!! for the Wii.

Universe Punch-Out!!
Debut Punch-Out!! (arcade)[1] (1983, technical debut)
Punch-Out!! (NES) (1987, proper debut)
Smash Bros. appearances Brawl
SSB4
Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance Luigi's Mansion 3[2] (2019, cameo)
Console/platform of origin Arcade (technical debut)
Nintendo Entertainment System (proper debut)
Species Human
Gender Male
Place of origin The Bronx, New York, United States
Designed by Makoto Wada
Voice actor Hisao Egawa (Brawl)
Kōsuke Toriumi (SSB4/Ultimate)
Article on Wikipedia Little Mac (Punch-Out!!)

Little Mac (リトル・マック, Little Mac) is the main character of Nintendo's Punch-Out!! series of video games. Initially debuting as a nameless boxer in the arcade release of Punch-Out!!, Little Mac gained his name and backstory beginning with Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! on the NES. As his name implies, Little Mac has a small frame, which grants him his trademark maneuverability and speed. Trained by Doc Louis, Little Mac entered a boxing tournament and managed to become a champion, defeating several opponents much larger and experienced than him, and some of them have twice his age.

After making cameos as a regular trophy and Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Little Mac transitioned into a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4, and has remained as such since then.

Origin

File:Littlemacnes.gif
Little Mac, as he appears in Punch-Out!! for the NES.

Mac is a 17-year-old New Yorker from The Bronx who aspired to become a professional boxer. Due to standing 5'7"/172 cm (4'8"/142 cm in the NES installment), however, his below-average stature turned most trainers away from taking him on. Upon meeting former heavyweight champion Doc Louis, Mac became strong enough to enter a boxing tournament hosted by the World Video Boxing Association (WVBA), and entered the tournament as the now rechristened Little Mac. He defeated opponents who were increasingly larger than him and ultimately became the WVBA Champion by knocking out the top-ranked boxer: real-life boxer Mike Tyson in the original NES installment, Mr. Dream in all re-releases of said installment, or Mr. Sandman in the Wii installment.

After conquering a circuit, Mac would continue to train with Doc, often jogging through New York City in a pink sweatsuit while Doc biked ahead. The Wii version also details the other exercises Mac would go through in Doc's gym. The greatest asset Mac gained from this training was Doc's patented Star Punch technique; after stunning an opponent, Mac could deliver a powerful uppercut instead of his usual jabs and hooks. During matches, he uses a defensive playstyle that focuses on dodging the opponent's attacks before counterattacking, which makes up the gameplay of the entire Punch Out!! series. In the multiplayer "Head-to-Head" mode in Punch-Out!! for Wii, Mac has the ability to transform into a giant called Giga Mac. While in his Giga Mac state, Mac is much slower, but can hit as hard as some of the opponents he faces.

Several re-releases of Super Punch-Out!! refer to the protagonist of the game as "Little Mac", despite him having a different appearance; the protagonist of Super Punch-Out!! features messy, light brown hair, wears blue shorts, and does not wear a shirt in the ring, though he still retains the green boxing gloves. Although Bryce Holliday, a member of the development team for the Wii version of Punch-Out!!, claimed that the two are different characters, Nintendo later clarified that the two are the same character,[3] with Little Mac having changed his appearance after splitting ways with Doc Louis.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

As an Assist Trophy

Little Mac, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Little Mac makes an appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as an Assist Trophy.[4] Instead of using a 3D version of his Super Punch-Out!! design as he did in the Nintendo GameCube version of Fight Night Round 2, Little Mac uses a 3D version of his design from the NES version of Punch-Out!! Fittingly, his punches retain their sound effects from said game.[5]

When summoned, Little Mac dashes quickly toward his summoner's opponents, and will attack by throwing a one-two combo and an uppercut.[4] The one-two combo deals respectable damage, whereas the uppercut is devastatingly powerful: it deals 25%, KOs under 50%, and is an instant shield breaker. Due to his speed and immense power, Little Mac is one of the most dangerous Assist Trophies in the game. However, he is also very inconsistent, as he is easily prone to falling off-stage, especially if the opponents can lure him off-stage. Like his fellow Assist Trophies, Little Mac has his own trophy.

Trophy

Little Mac's trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

North America A lightweight scrapper from the Bronx. After meeting with a former boxing great named Doc Louis who fell from glory, Mac takes Doc on as his coach, and together the pair try for the championship belt in the WVBA. Little Mac works his way up the ranks of the WVBA, taking out foes several times his size. By landing multiple blows, Little Mac gains a "☆" uppercut.
Europe A lightweight scrapper from the Bronx. After meeting with a former boxing great named Doc Louis who fell from glory, Mac takes Doc on as his coach, and tries for the championship belt in the WVBA. Little Mac works his way up the ranks, taking out foes several times his size. If he saves up the ☆'s he gets from hitting his opponent, he can throw a powerful uppercut.

NES: Punch-Out!!

In Super Smash Bros. 4

As a playable character

Main article: Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac as he appears in Super Smash Bros. 4.

Little Mac appears as a newcomer in Super Smash Bros. 4. He was formally revealed during a Nintendo Direct on February 13th, 2014,[6] which commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Punch-Out!! series.[1] Instead of reusing his design from Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Little Mac now uses a slightly redesign of his appearance in the Wii version of Punch-Out!!

As in Brawl, Little Mac's dash is both extremely fast (surpassed only by Sonic and Captain Falcon) and lowers his hurtbox to the point that he can pseudo-crouch under a number of attacks and certain projectiles.[1] By extension, the rest of his grounded mobility is also excellent, courtesy of his walking speed, traction, rolls, and sidestep each being in the top 10 of their respective categories.

The majority of Little Mac's grounded attacks boast quick frame data alongside impressive power. His forward tilt, the one-two combo he used in Brawl, is a prime example of this potent combination: it hits on frame 4, yet is capable of KOing middleweights below 120% while near the edge of Final Destination. In addition to being very strong, Little Mac's smash attacks notably grant him super armor during certain frames, and thus allow him to effectively tank an opponent's attack despite his status as a lightweight.[1] Slip Counter further supplements his defense, as it is a counterattack that is tied with Double Team and Witch Time as the fastest of its kind in the game.[1]

Little Mac's Final Smash is Giga Mac, his gargantuan transformation that debuted in the Wii version of Punch-Out!! As Giga Mac, his entire moveset fittingly becomes drastically stronger.[6] Lastly, Little Mac has a unique mechanic called the Power Meter, which originates from his home series. When fully charged via damage dealt or received, the Power Meter allows him to use the KO Uppercut, an immensely fast and powerful uppercut that is capable of KOing the entire cast at extremely low percentages.[1]

However, Little Mac's aerial presence is indisputably the worst of any character in the series. This is because of his aerial attacks being almost totally useless and, more infamously, his recovery being very easily foiled because of his very low jump/double jump and both Jolt Haymaker and Rising Uppercut having very short travel distances and small edge sweetspots.[1] Although Little Mac is a nigh-unparalleled ground fighter, his ground game is not flawless: his overall range is short because of his average size, while his grab game is very unimpressive because of his throws having very minimal utility.[1]

Due to his exploitable weaknesses counterbalancing his potent strengths, Little Mac has difficulty performing in high-level play. However, he has nevertheless managed to achieve both average representation and varying levels of success: Cagt has achieved several top 10 placings and a few top 25 placings at local and regional tournaments respectively, Destany has won several local tournaments in both singles and doubles play, and Sol, Vash, and Alphicans have each achieved a few respectable placings in singles play and a few high placings in doubles play at regional and national tournaments. As a result, Little Mac is currently ranked 44th out of 55 on the tier list. This places him in the E tier, and posits him as the second lowest ranked mid tier character.

Trophies

Little Mac
North America This little boxer from the Punch-Out!! series makes up in heart what he lacks in height. He wasn't afraid to take on the boxing champs, and he's not afraid of the Nintendo stars. In Smash Bros., he packs a serious punch. When his KO Meter fills up, wade in and trigger a devastating uppercut.
Europe The little guy from Punch-Out!! has come a long way since his humble beginnings fighting the almost literal boxing giants. Above his damage display, you'll notice he has a little meter that fills up as he fights. When it's full, you'll see a flashing "KO" there. That means you can unleash a devastating uppercut!
Little Mac (Alt.)
North America No matter his opponent, Little Mac always puts his best fist forward. He enters a charge state before unleashing his Straight Lunge special and can unleash it while charging by pressing the button again. He won't flinch while charging. At max charge, the launching power of this move is scary!
Europe Little Mac always puts his best fist forward, especially when you use Straight Lunge! You start by charging, then unleash the punch whenever you press the button again. Charge it to the max and its launching power is formidable! Also, attacks won't make you flinch while you're charging or once you've fully charged the move.
Little Mac (Captain Rainbow)
North America Wait. Is...is that Little Mac from Punch-Out!!? We'd heard he went to Mimin Island to train to become a world champion again, but it looks like he went a few too many rounds in the ring with those island mangoes. If you don't help him get back in shape, we might need to come up with a new name for him...
Europe Wait a second. This is Little Mac? What happened to the "Little" part?! The star of Punch-Out!! clearly hasn't been keeping up with his training if he's ended up like this! Now that he's moved to Mimin Island, though, all hope is not lost. It's said wishes come true there - hopefully, that includes Mac's wish to get back to his former glory.
Wii: Captain Rainbow (Japan)
  • Classic (3DS)

    Classic (3DS)

  • Classic (Wii U)

    Classic (Wii U)

  • Alt. (3DS)

    Alt. (3DS)

  • Alt. (Wii U)

    Alt. (Wii U)

  • Little Mac (Captain Rainbow)

    Little Mac (Captain Rainbow)

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

As a playable character

Main article: Little Mac (SSBU)
Little Mac, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Little Mac returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was formally announced alongside the rest of the cast via Ultimate's E3 2018 trailer on June 12th, 2018.[7] Unlike in Super Smash Bros. 4, Little Mac is now an unlockable character, and Giga Mac now performs a rapid barrage of punches instead of being a controllable transformation.

Despite being a lower mid tier character in SSB4, Little Mac received a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition to Ultimate that resulted in him generally being viewed as being nerfed overall. While he has received useful direct buffs, he received heavy nerfs to his damage output and combo potential. In addition, the universal engine changes in Ultimate hinder him more so than help him, which is noticeable by how most of the cast benefits from said changes in comparison to him.

However, since update 3.1.0 granted useful buffs to Little Mac's ground game, his almost nonexistent representation improved to the point of gaining dedicated mains who have achieved impressive results in both regional and national tournaments.

Spirits

  • 932. Little Mac

    932. Little Mac

  • Giga Mac Spirit.png

    933. Giga Mac

Gallery

  • Official artwork of Little Mac from Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

    Official artwork of Little Mac from Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

  • Wireframe Mac, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. 4.

    Wireframe Mac, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. 4.

Trivia

  • Little Mac is the first playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series to have been an Assist Trophy in a previous installment. He would later be followed by Dark Samus and Isabelle.
    • In addition, he is the second summonable character in the series who is playable in a later installment, the first being Charizard, who was a Poké Ball Pokémon in SSB and Melee.
      • Of the four, he is the only former Assist Trophy to represent a new universe instead of being an addition to an already represented universe. He is also the only one to have made this transition from Brawl to SSB4.
      • He is also the only male character who was originally a summonable character to become fully playable, as both Dark Samus and Isabelle are female, and Charizard's gender is ambiguous because of Nintendo's stance on that topic in regard to Pokémon.
    • He is also the only singular representative to become playable after making his debut as a major non-playable character.
  • Despite being voiced by English-speaking voice actors in the Punch-Out!! series, Little Mac is voiced by a Japanese voice actor in both of his appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series.
  • Little Mac and Wario are the only characters whose number of alternate costumes reduced in the transition from one installment to the next. In the case of Mac, he has 16 in SSB4 and has 8 in Ultimate.[8]
  • Little Mac is the second character to originate from a real life location, with his being The Bronx in New York City. He was preceded by Snake and Sonic the Hedgehog, and succeeded by Ryu, Simon Belmont, Richter Belmont, Ken Masters, Joker, and Terry Bogard.
    • Unlike the others, he is the only first-party character to hold this trait.
  • Little Mac is the only playable character:
    • Whose home series is based on a sport.
    • Whose entire moveset is based solely on unarmed hand-to-hand combat.


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Assist Trophy characters
Brawl Andross · Barbara · Devil · Dr. Wright · Excitebikes · Gray Fox · Hammer Bro · Helirin · Infantry & Tanks · Isaac · Jeff · Jill · Kat & Ana · Knuckle Joe · Lakitu & Spinies · Little Mac · Lyn · Metroid · Mr. Resetti · Nintendog · Ray Mk III · Saki · Samurai Goroh · Shadow · Starfy · Tingle · Waluigi
Smash 4 Andross · Ashley · Chain Chomp · Color TV-Game 15 · Dark Samus · Devil · Dillon · Dr. Kawashima · Dr. Wright · Elec Man · Ghirahim · Ghosts · Hammer Bro · Infantry & Tanks · Isabelle · Jeff · Kat & Ana · Knuckle Joe · Lakitu & Spinies · Lyn · Magnus · Metroid · Midna · Mother Brain · Nightmare · Nintendog · Phosphora · Prince of Sablé · Riki · Saki · Samurai Goroh · Shadow · Sheriff · Skull Kid · Starfy · Starman · Takamaru · Tingle · Waluigi
Ultimate Akira · Alucard · Andross · Arcade Bunny · Ashley · Black Knight · Bomberman · Burrowing Snagret · Chain Chomp · Chef Kawasaki · Color TV-Game 15 · Devil · Dillon · Dr. Kawashima · Dr. Wright · Flies & Hand · Ghirahim · Ghosts · Gray Fox · Guile · Hammer Bro · Isaac · Jeff · Kapp'n · Klaptrap · Knuckle Joe · Knuckles · Krystal · Lyn · Metroid · Midna · Moon · Mother Brain · Nightmare · Nikki · Nintendog · Phosphora · Prince of Sablé · Rathalos · Riki · Rodin · Samurai Goroh · Shadow · Sheriff · Shovel Knight · Skull Kid · Spring Man · Squid Sisters · Starfy · Starman · Sukapon · Takamaru · Thwomp · Tiki · Vince · Waluigi · Wily Capsule · Yuri · Zero
v • d • e
Punch-Out!! (universe) Punch-Out!! universe
Fighter Little Mac (SSB4 · SSBU)
Assist Trophy Little Mac
Stage Boxing Ring
Other Doc Louis
Trophies and Spirits Trophies · Spirits
Music SSB4 · Ultimate
Masterpiece Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Little Pepper is Very Hot!" Sakurai Famitsu Column vol. 448
  2. ^ Luigi's Mansion 3 Gameplay Pt. 1 - Nintendo Treehouse: Live | E3 2019
  3. ^ Super Punch-Out!! for Wii U - Nintendo Game Details
  4. ^ a b Smash Bros. DOJO!! - Assist Trophies - Little Mac
  5. ^ Evolution of Little Mac (1983 - 2018)
  6. ^ a b Nintendo Direct 2.13.14
  7. ^ Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - E3 2018 - Nintendo Switch
  8. ^ Source Gaming on Twitter: "#SmashTrivia Little Mac is the only character in Smash Bros. 3DS/Wii U to have 16 costume choices, instead of 8."
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