Super Smash Bros. 4

Little Mac (SSB4): Difference between revisions

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(You make a compelling argument. However. the default isn't just a typical KO move-it's Mac's only means of not getting slaughtered in midair, something you REALLY need when you're Mac, so removing it i)
(Fixed. So,the Smash CAN be considered the same way, but thing is, it STRENGTHENS Mac's only good air tool, and doesn't sacrifice something he desperately needs, which leads to me and most smashes seeing the Tornado as the worst u-special.)
Line 17: Line 17:
Little Mac is currently tied with {{SSB4|Duck Hunt}} for 43rd/44th out of 56 characters in the [[tier list]], placing him and Duck Hunt in the G tier and resulting in them being the second lowest ranking low-tier characters. Little Mac has unarguably the best grounded attributes in the game, with incredible movement and dodging speeds allowing him to position himself quickly, which compliments his frame data while grounded, which is the fastest overall. He also benefits from having a surprisingly effective combo ability on his ground attacks, with his neutral attack being one of the best in the game due to its high priority and speed, along with some of the fastest yet strongest finishers of any character, with his smash attacks being notable for having [[super armor]] during their startup, and his [[KO Uppercut]] being one of the most potent comeback moves in the series. This makes Mac's punishing game extremely powerful, and allows him to make the best of any mistakes from his opponents. However, for all of Mac's outstanding power in what would normally be an above average [[neutral game]], he is incredibly predictable as a consequence of needing to stay grounded to deal any meaningful damage. He is also burdened with a deliberately underpowered air game and infamously terrible off-stage endurance due to being a light [[fast-faller]] with extremely weak recovery moves; as quickly as Mac can net KOs, his opponent can [[gimp]] him almost as easily. As a result, while he has high potential, Little Mac's polarized stats and dangerously risky playstyle hinders more than it helps in high-level play, especially against fighters with good aerial games or even stages that force him to jump, and results in low rankings in tournaments.
Little Mac is currently tied with {{SSB4|Duck Hunt}} for 43rd/44th out of 56 characters in the [[tier list]], placing him and Duck Hunt in the G tier and resulting in them being the second lowest ranking low-tier characters. Little Mac has unarguably the best grounded attributes in the game, with incredible movement and dodging speeds allowing him to position himself quickly, which compliments his frame data while grounded, which is the fastest overall. He also benefits from having a surprisingly effective combo ability on his ground attacks, with his neutral attack being one of the best in the game due to its high priority and speed, along with some of the fastest yet strongest finishers of any character, with his smash attacks being notable for having [[super armor]] during their startup, and his [[KO Uppercut]] being one of the most potent comeback moves in the series. This makes Mac's punishing game extremely powerful, and allows him to make the best of any mistakes from his opponents. However, for all of Mac's outstanding power in what would normally be an above average [[neutral game]], he is incredibly predictable as a consequence of needing to stay grounded to deal any meaningful damage. He is also burdened with a deliberately underpowered air game and infamously terrible off-stage endurance due to being a light [[fast-faller]] with extremely weak recovery moves; as quickly as Mac can net KOs, his opponent can [[gimp]] him almost as easily. As a result, while he has high potential, Little Mac's polarized stats and dangerously risky playstyle hinders more than it helps in high-level play, especially against fighters with good aerial games or even stages that force him to jump, and results in low rankings in tournaments.


''''==Attributes==
==Attributes==
As expected from his trailer, Little Mac is a [[Weight|lightweight]] boxer who performs optimally on the ground but cannot fight effectively in the air. His mobility is measured in a way that reflects this. He has the eighth fastest [[walking speed]], the third fastest [[dashing speed]] and the third highest [[traction]], as well as the fastest [[sidestep]] and [[roll]]s (with the latter also being long-distanced), granting him formidable ground mobility. However, while he has below average [[gravity]], the fastest [[air dodge]] and a high [[wall jump]], he is burdened with the fourth weakest [[jump]] force, average [[air speed]], the second lowest [[air acceleration]] and fast [[falling speed]], making it mandatory to stay on the ground.
As expected from his trailer, Little Mac is a [[Weight|lightweight]] boxer who performs optimally on the ground but cannot fight effectively in the air. His mobility is measured in a way that reflects this. He has the eighth fastest [[walking speed]], the third fastest [[dashing speed]] and the third highest [[traction]], as well as the fastest [[sidestep]] and [[roll]]s (with the latter also being long-distanced), granting him formidable ground mobility. However, while he has below average [[gravity]], the fastest [[air dodge]] and a high [[wall jump]], he is burdened with the fourth weakest [[jump]] force, average [[air speed]], the second lowest [[air acceleration]] and fast [[falling speed]], making it mandatory to stay on the ground.



Revision as of 17:42, March 18, 2016

This article is about Little Mac's appearance in Super Smash Bros. 4. For the character in other contexts, see Little Mac.
Little Mac
in Super Smash Bros. 4
Little Mac
PunchOutSymbol.svg
Universe Punch-Out!!
Availability Starter
Final Smash Giga Mac
Tier G (43/44)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac Punches In!
—Introduction Tagline

Little Mac (リトル・マック, Little Mac) is a newcomer in Super Smash Bros. 4. He was revealed on February 13th, 2014 during a Nintendo Direct, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Punch Out!! franchise, which had debuted in Japan in 1983, but later debuted in North America and Europe in 1984.[1]

Little Mac is voiced by Kosuke Toriumi in all versions of SSB4. Rather than reusing his original design from the NES version of Punch-Out!! like he did as an Assist Trophy for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, he instead sports his updated design from the Wii version of Punch Out!! for SSB4. Additionally, he has alternate costumes that reference other installments in the Punch-Out!! series; he can wear his signature pink jumpsuit used during his training in Punch-Out!!, he can sport a design inspired by the blonde-haired protagonist of Super Punch-Out!! and he can appear in the form of "Wireframe Mac", which is based on the first-person perspective from the original arcade version of Punch-Out!! and comes complete with Little Mac's voice clips being replaced by 8-bit sound effects.

Little Mac is currently tied with Duck Hunt for 43rd/44th out of 56 characters in the tier list, placing him and Duck Hunt in the G tier and resulting in them being the second lowest ranking low-tier characters. Little Mac has unarguably the best grounded attributes in the game, with incredible movement and dodging speeds allowing him to position himself quickly, which compliments his frame data while grounded, which is the fastest overall. He also benefits from having a surprisingly effective combo ability on his ground attacks, with his neutral attack being one of the best in the game due to its high priority and speed, along with some of the fastest yet strongest finishers of any character, with his smash attacks being notable for having super armor during their startup, and his KO Uppercut being one of the most potent comeback moves in the series. This makes Mac's punishing game extremely powerful, and allows him to make the best of any mistakes from his opponents. However, for all of Mac's outstanding power in what would normally be an above average neutral game, he is incredibly predictable as a consequence of needing to stay grounded to deal any meaningful damage. He is also burdened with a deliberately underpowered air game and infamously terrible off-stage endurance due to being a light fast-faller with extremely weak recovery moves; as quickly as Mac can net KOs, his opponent can gimp him almost as easily. As a result, while he has high potential, Little Mac's polarized stats and dangerously risky playstyle hinders more than it helps in high-level play, especially against fighters with good aerial games or even stages that force him to jump, and results in low rankings in tournaments.

Attributes

As expected from his trailer, Little Mac is a lightweight boxer who performs optimally on the ground but cannot fight effectively in the air. His mobility is measured in a way that reflects this. He has the eighth fastest walking speed, the third fastest dashing speed and the third highest traction, as well as the fastest sidestep and rolls (with the latter also being long-distanced), granting him formidable ground mobility. However, while he has below average gravity, the fastest air dodge and a high wall jump, he is burdened with the fourth weakest jump force, average air speed, the second lowest air acceleration and fast falling speed, making it mandatory to stay on the ground.

Little Mac's greatest strength is his incredibly powerful ground game. He possesses the overall fastest set of grounded attacks, with none of them having more than 15 frames of startup or 30 frames of ending lag (excluding up smash, which has 35). This makes Little Mac ground game immensely useful and forces the opponent to play cautiously. Additionally, all of his ground moves are highly damaging, making it easy for him to bring opponents at KO percentages. His jab cancelled neutral attack, up tilt and down tilt are great combo starters, granting him a unique ground combo game, to the point where he can perform shield break combos thanks to their speed. His already strong smash attacks even have launch resistance during startup, making them impossible to interrupt. He additionally possesses a very fast semi-spike in his down smash, giving him a deadly edgeguarding move. Finally, some of his moves have increased hitlag, which makes said moves difficult to punish out of shield.

His special moveset also has some very useful options. Straight Lunge has long distance, very high power and damage-based launch resistance, allowing it to tank low-damage hits and retaliate immediately after. It is held back, however, by its very low speed, limiting its usage and making it easily intercepted in almost every other case. Jolt Haymaker is a strong punch that travels far, can be unleashed on command and grants intangibility during startup, making it ideal for tech-chasing and repositioning. Rising Uppercut is a spiralling uppercut with extremely fast startup and long vertical lift. When combined with its brief intangibility, it is Little Mac's most reliable aerial finisher and a good out of shield option. Slip Counter is a highly damaging counterattack that is fully invincible during the attack. Aside from being great for punishing careless attacks, it is the overall fastest counter in the game, as well as the only one that can hit on frame 4. Lastly, the Power Meter is a mechanic unique to Little Mac. It is a visible meter that charges by either dealing or taking damage. When it is fully charged, Straight Lunge is replaced by the KO Uppercut, a move strong enough to KO any character at 40%. It also has fast startup and is unblockable, allowing it to easily turn the tides of the battle upon a successful hit. It can't be held indefinitely, however, enforcing quick and precise use.

On the other hand, Little Mac is held back by two very easily exploitable weaknesses. The most serious of the two is his recovery. As mentioned earlier, Little Mac's aerial mobility does not help him at all, with his horizontal survivability being one of the shortest among the cast. His fast falling speed makes meteor smashes, semi-spikes and even footstool jumps capable of almost instantaneously gimping him. His special moves also receive some downgrades in the air, further worsening his aerial performance. Straight Lunge loses its long distance and high power, Jolt Haymaker loses its momentum and intangibility, Rising Uppercut loses half of its distance, Slip Counter loses its invincibility and KO Uppercut loses almost all of its power.

Furthermore, Little Mac has an extremely weak air game. While he has an intricate combo move in his neutral aerial, two semi-spikes in his forward and back aerials, a fast anti-air in his up aerial and the fastest meteor smash in his down aerial, all of them have high landing lag, very short range and no realistic power. These factors make Little Mac an easy target in the air, as he has no means of defending himself outside of point-blank range. Additionally, he has no way of KOing reliably in the air without Jolt Haymaker or Rising Uppercut, both of which are inevitable sacrificial KOs if used offstage. As a result, Little Mac is heavy to momentum shifts, as his underwhelming aerial performance can allow opponents to combo him very easily, and in some extreme situations, zero-to-death him. These issues are what force Little Mac to stay grounded, as he cannot afford to take 50% damage just by initiating an aerial approach.

Finally, his ground game is not perfect. While his attacks have decent range and high speed, spacing is still essential if he wants to avoid getting punished. Neutral attack, up tilt and dash attack are particularly prone to this, as they lack hitlag and have just enough ending lag to be punished out of shield. With the exception of downward-angled forward smash and sweetspotted up smash, none of his attacks deal shield damage, making it deceptively difficult to get free punishes on opponents who overuse their shield. His grab game is also surprisingly poor, in stark contrast to his ground game. With short grab range and highly unrewarding throws, Little Mac cannot add any options that can truly give him the upper hand. While his pummel is fast and highly damaging, it is generally not worth the trouble. Lastly, Little Mac is the character most adversely affected by stale-move negation. As only half his moveset has great utility, Little Mac may find his finishers KOing later than usual, simply because of their overall utility.

Little Mac has a number of useful custom moves at his disposal. Stunning Straight Lunge is electric and moves further and faster than Straight Lunge, at the cost of damage and launch resistance. Grounding Blow moves higher and can bury grounded opponents or meteor smash aerial opponents, but its lower power and downward momentum make it much less effective for recovery. Rising Smash is electric and can KO at percentages as low as 70%, but eliminates Little Mac's only means of vertical recovery. Compact Counter is weaker and faster, opening up opportunities for follow-ups, but removes the default's immense power and potential ability to one-hit KO. Dash Counter acts as a double-edged sword, since its added momentum can either greatly help or greatly hinder his recovery. It should be noted, however, that none of these moves are unarguably better than their defaults. As such, the best option depends entirely on the player's preference.

In the end, Little Mac is a highly polarized character. He is deceptively difficult to use at his fullest, due to his overwhelming weaknesses. This has resulted in average tournament representation and, outside of Sol's efforts, poor singles results. Regardless, he should not be underestimated, as in the hands of a competent player, his dominating ground game is guaranteed to pose a challenge.

Update history

Little Mac has received a mix of buffs and nerfs overall via game updates. His recovery was nerfed in update 1.0.4, though he has received minor buffs since 1.0.6, such as giving some his specials longer lasting hitboxes. However, the changes to shield mechanics brought about in updates 1.1.0 and 1.1.1 have also affected Little Mac for the better, as it allows his ground game to pressure his opponents on shield more reliably due to the changes to shieldstun. Little Mac was then further buffed in update 1.1.4, in which the damage of each of his smash attacks was increased, not only making them even more devastating on hit than they already were, but also making them safer on shield thanks to the added damage. In particular, his down angled forward smash now has enough shieldstun to combo into his down or forward tilts, shattering full shields in only 2 moves. In addition, his up tilt has 1 frame less startup and 1 more active frame, eliminating the blind spot near the front of Little Mac's torso. Finally, his up and down throws were given revamped angles to launch opponents more horizontally, making followups like Jolt Haymaker and up tilt easier to land. Overall, Little Mac's ground game has been improved, making his most dominant trait even more imposing, but the worsening of his already terrible recovery has resulted in it becoming even more exploitable.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS 1.0.4

  • Nerf Neutral attack's second and last hits deal 1% less damage: 3% → 2% (second), 8% → 7% (last).
  • Change Forward tilt's first hit's second hitbox x-offset decreased: -5 → -3.8.
  • Change Forward tilt's second hit's first hitbox x-offset decreased: -5 → -3.8
  • Nerf Neutral aerial's SDI multiplier increased: 1x → 2x.
  • Nerf Aerial Jolt Haymaker's distance decreased by 10% and its speed decreased​.

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.0.6

  • Buff Jolt Haymaker's knockback increased.

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.1.0

  • Buff Neutral infinite's finisher comes out 1 frame faster.
  • Buff Fully charged Straight Lunge's start-up decreased: 7 frames → 6.
  • Buff Straight Lunge's early sweetspot and later hitbox duration increased by 2 and 4 frames, respectively.
  • Buff Jolt Haymaker's hitbox duration increased: 5 frames → 7.

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.1.1

  • Buff Uncharged Stunning Straight Lunge deals 1% more damage: 10% → 11%.
  • Buff Fully charged Stunning Straight Lunge's knockback growth increased: 60 → 70.

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.1.4

  • Buff Up tilt's start-up decreased: frame 5 → 4.
  • Buff Up tilt's duration increased: 6 frames → 7.
  • Change Up tilt's angle altered: 85° → 88°.
  • Buff All smash attacks deal more damage: 19%/17% → 20%/18% (upward angled forward), 17% → 18% (sourspotted forward), 22% → 24% (downward angled forward), (20% → 21% (clean up), 15% → 16% (late up), 12% → 13% (down). All of their knockback was compensated however.
  • Change Up and down throws' angles altered: 85° → 80°.

Moveset

  Name Damage Description
Neutral attack   2% A jab followed by a hook followed by either an uppercut (if the attack button is pressed slowly) or a neutral infinite ending with a high-knockback uppercut (only if the neutral attack hits while the attack button is held down). Tied with Zero Suit Samus' neutral attack as the fastest neutral attack in the game. Its unusually high priority allows the move to clash against significantly stronger attacks or even out-prioritize them, such as negating the hitbox of Fox Illusion. Due to its outstanding speed, it can be jab cancelled for almost guaranteed KOs at high percentages, including KO Uppercut and Rising Uppercut, or pressure opponents to keep their shield up which can lead to shield break combos.
2%
7%
1% (loop), 3% (last)
Forward tilt   4% (hit 1), 8% (hit 2) Two alternating jabs. Extremely fast, being the fastest forward tilt. Both hits have the best range of Mac's tilts and when coupled with their strong knockback, this move is a very viable KOing option at high percents. Based on the two alternating jabs Mac used in Brawl as an Assist Trophy.
Up tilt   9% An overhead arcing backfist. Covers all of Mac's body, which allows him to use it as a quick option to cover his attacks. Can combo into itself at low percents if the opponent is close to him, is also useful for catching rolls, and can be pivotted while dashing as a somewhat safe approach option.
Down tilt   8% A crouching short straight-punch. Comes out in 3 frames, tied with Lucas, Ness, Meta Knight and R.O.B. for being the fastest down tilt in the game. This move slightly launches opponents up into the air and is Little Mac's best combo starter, being able to lead into almost all his attacks, most notably forward smash (which has super armor during startup making it impossible to interrupt with attacks after initial hitstun ends), Jolt Haymaker and KO Uppercut. When edgeguarding, this move can also lead directly into a forward smash for potentially deadly results.
Dash attack   10% A lunging overhead punch. It is highly recommended not to be used as an approach option, due to it being extremely punishable on shield, especially when near a ledge due to Little Mac being almost guaranteed to lose a stock if he is grabbed and thrown even at 0%. However, its sheer speed and low ending lag can be used as a decent combo tool at low percents against heavier characters, or as a quick attacking option when an opponent is stuck in ending lag.
Forward smash   20% (hand), 18% (arm) Steps forward and throws a punch of different variations depending on the angle of attack. Extremely fast startup for its strength and respectable ending lag. However, this move can miss if the opponent is touching Little Mac since he steps forward.

Up: An uppercut with vertical knockback. Has the largest hitbox out of all three attacks, which makes it the easiest to connect. Useful for KOing light opponents.

Forward: A cross with high knockback. Useful overall, but loses power quickly if used repeatedly without rest.

Down: A body hook with more damage and shield damage, but less knockback. Breaks shields more reliably than any of Little Mac's other attacks, and can almost break a full shield when fully charged. As of the 1.1.4 update, the increased damage and hitstun of this move can now combo into a tilt immediately after to break full shields, making it even more potent.

All of Mac's smash attacks have super armor, making them good for plowing through other opponent's attacks as a unique way of punishing.

20% (hand), 18% (arm)
24%
Up smash   21% (clean), 16% (late) An uppercut which only hits in front. The first frame of the attack has a sweetspot that deals stronger flame damage. Great for aerial protection or chasing down an opponent, as grounded foes are likely to be hit by the sweetspot. Has noticeable ending lag, making it punishable if shielded. Gains super armor during start-up.
Down smash   13% A 180° spinning, downward angled hook that hits quickly in both directions. While weak compared to his other smash attacks, it is his fastest smash attack, with quick startup, low ending lag, and high range, making it difficult to punish. The move can hit opponents attempting to grab the ledge, and due to its semi-spike angle, it is one of Little Mac's only reliable edge-guarding moves and is useful for hitting off-stage opponents who exhaust their ledge invincibility. Gains super armor during start-up.
Neutral aerial   2% A short, downward angled jab. It is the fastest neutral aerial in the game, coming out on frame 2, but it has limited use thanks to low range and damage output. However, its incredible speed allows it to drag aerial opponents back onto the ground with its quick hits or start intricate footstool jump combos.
Forward aerial   5% (hand), 4% (arm) A low-ranged hook. It has slight start-up and a low damage output. Can combo after a down tilt, although this can be difficult to perform. Its speed can make it useful for edge-guarding, especially against characters with poor recoveries.
Back aerial   6% (hand), 4% (arm) A backfist. Functions similarly to forward aerial, though with less start-up. Because it comes out incredibly quickly, skilled players can use it either to edge-guard or as a way to fend off opponents, although its minuscule hitbox makes this difficult to do reliably.
Up aerial   5% (hand), 4% (arm) An upward arcing hook. Its start-up lag is non-existent, making it a somewhat useful aerial combo move, but its terrible ending lag makes it punishable if missed.
Down aerial   5% (hand), 4% (arm) A very fast downward palm thrust. The middle hitbox can meteor smash, though it is the weakest meteor smash in the game and hence extremely ineffective against anyone but fast-fallers. However, experienced players can jab reset opponents by short hopping and then hitting a floored opponent before finishing them off with any of Mac's attacks.
Grab   Clinches the opponent. One of the most mediocre grabs in the game due to its moderate ending lag and extremely low range, to the point that it sometimes requires Mac to actually be touching the opponent. Pivot grabbing increases the grab's range, which is useful thanks to Mac's outstanding ground speed.
Pummel   2.1% A short straight-punch. A fairly fast pummel, which somewhat makes up for Little Mac's mediocre grab by giving him a good damage racking option.
Forward throw   4% (hit 1), 4% (throw) Quickly hooks the opponent forward. Low knockback growth.
Back throw   4% (hit 1), 5% (throw) Turns around with the opponent and uppercuts them. Can KO at extremely high percentages near the edge.
Up throw   4% (hit 1), 3% (throw) Quickly uppercuts the opponent.
Down throw   4% (hit 1), 5% (throw) Double axe handles the opponent. A decently reliable combo throw, which can follow up with a short-hopped Jolt Haymaker at 0% or a Rising Uppercut at high to ridiculously high percents for a KO, even at 200% if the opponent does not DI away.
Forward roll
Back roll
Spot dodge
Air dodge
Techs
Floor attack (front)
Floor getups (front)
  7% Gets up and punches behind him, then in front of him. Very fast for a get-up attack.
Floor attack (back)
Floor getups (back)
  7% Gets up and punches in front of him, then behind him.
Floor attack (trip)
Floor getups (trip)
  5% Punches in front of him while getting up, then behind him.
Edge attack
Edge getups
  7%
Neutral special Default Straight Lunge 14%/12%/9% (uncharged ground), 25%/20% (fully charged ground), 10%/7% (uncharged air), 15% (fully charged air), 35% (KO ground), 13% (KO air) A chargeable, dashing cross which covers more distance the longer it is charged, although damage does not increase. This attack has low heavy armor while charging and high ending lag when fully charged, but it becomes one of the strongest moves in SSB4 if fully charged, making it optimal to use after a shield break. If the Power Meter is fully charged, it turns into the KO Uppercut instead, an immensely fast and powerful uppercut that, despite its name, is not a a true one-hit KO. Rather, it can KO at very low percentages (such as Jigglypuff at 12%), while also having super armor on frames 8-9.
Custom 1 Flaming Straight Lunge 1.5%/3% (uncharged ground loop/last), 1.8%/6% (fully charged ground loop/last), 1.2%/3% (uncharged air loop/last), 1.4%/5% (fully charged air loop/last), 35% (KO ground), 13% (KO air) A flaming version that charges faster and hits multiple times, but does not travel as far. Can be used as for horizontal recovery if timed properly.
Custom 2 Stunning Straight Lunge 11%/7% (uncharged ground), 20%/18% (fully charged ground), 8%/5% (uncharged air), 12% (fully charged air), 35% (KO ground), 13% (KO air) Travels much farther and faster, and stuns targets when fully charged before knockback kicks in, but has no super armor and deals slightly less damage. Shoots Little Mac forward with horizontal momentum if partially charged, giving him a relatively useful recovery option that doesn't send him into helplessness.
Side special Default Jolt Haymaker 14% A Superman punch. The attack can be executed early by pressing the button again. It propels Mac quite a distance and grants intangibility in the first few frames. When used in midair, it travels slower and covers less distance, especially if his fist is swung early. Like Fox Illusion in previous games, It is advised not to use this attack around the edge of a stage, since it sends him into helplessness. However, it can be one of Mac's more useful recovery options off-stage, since it will quickly snap to the ledge.
Custom 1 Grounding Blow 9% Leaps much higher and buries opponents if done on the ground. While in midair, it will result in a meteor smash if it connects with an opponent. Grants less horizontal movement and rockets Little Mac downwards when off-stage. Safer to use near edges.
Custom 2 Guard Breaker 18% Gives Mac super armor and is unblockable, though it travels slower and cannot be made to attack early. Does not give Mac any distance if used immediately out of hitstun.
Up special Default Rising Uppercut 1% (loop), 3% (last) A right-handed, jumping corkscrew uppercut followed immediately by a left-handed uppercut. The first uppercut hits multiple times while the second uppercut hits once and deals respectable knockback. Goes higher with more maneuverability if used on the ground, while it only grants half the distance and maneuverability if used in the air. Deceptively powerful, to the point that it can reliably KO at high percentages and is Little Mac's only reliable aerial finisher. Gives some of the lowest distance and maneuverability of any recovery move, and only snaps to the edge if the move ends right next to one.
Custom 1 Tornado Uppercut 3%/4% Travels farther with better movement and has a push effect due to emitting a gust of wind, but deals less damage and has set knockback.
Custom 2 Rising Smash 16% (hit 1), 4% (hit 2) An electrical version that does noticeably more damage and knockback, but only hits twice with high start-up and ending lag, as well as covering considerably less distance.
Down special Default Slip Counter 1.3x (min 10%) Mac assumes a full crouch stance. If he is hit, he then dodges backward to avoid the hit and then immediately counterattacks by slipping inside to perform an invincible uppercut. In the air, this can be used to either give Mac a slight boost forward for horizontal recovery, though it can also hinder him due to its slip and the direction his opponent is at.
Custom 1 Compact Counter 0.8x (min 4%) Has a weaker damage multiplier and does less knockback, but is faster overall and thus can provide Mac with a faster recovery option as well. Can be used to initiate follow-ups.
Custom 2 Dash Counter 1.1x (min 7%) Has a slightly weaker damage multiplier and the counter window does not last as long, but Mac dashes forwards upon counterattacking. The dash results in Mac being unable to attack opponents direct in front of him, but it is useful for countering projectiles and horizontal recovery.
Final Smash Giga Mac Little Mac transforms into Giga Mac, which makes his ground attacks even more powerful than his normal form. Some attacks with Giga Mac can one-hit KO opponents at full charge, namely his forward smash angled up or to the side, his sweetspotted up smash, and a clean hit from Straight Lunge. His back throw also becomes stronger than Ness'. Giga Mac's aerial attacks are still fittingly weak, however, in-line with Little Mac's ground-based offense.

Power Meter

As stated in the introduction, Little Mac has a Power Meter. When fully charged, it replaces his neutral special with a single-use attack.

  • Neutral special: KO Uppercut; an extremely powerful uppercut that can KO opponents as low as 12%, though the higher the character's weight, the more damage is needed to KO them. The attack has drastically lower knockback and damage when used in the air, and it cannot KO unless the opponent has at least around 150% damage. It was claimed by Masahiro Sakurai to have the power to one-hit KO opponents.
  • The Power Meter charges by dealing and/or receiving damage. When Little Mac is attacked, it is double to quadruple the amount he would if he would hit an opponent, his meter goes to maximum if taken damage from exactly 100%.

On-screen appearance

  • Enters the stage pulling a series of flashy punches before tossing his pink sweatsuit off himself and into the sky. If one of his sweatsuit costumes are selected, he will still do the tossing animation, but Little Mac will still keep his sweatsuit on.
LittleMacOnScreenAppearanceSSB4.gif

Taunts

  • Up taunt: Turns his back to the screen, bends down, then raises his fist triumphantly. Doc Louis may say "Hit 'em, baby!". (叩け!マック!, Strike! Mac!)
  • Side taunt: Adjusts his boxing gloves while crossing his fists and scoffing. Doc Louis may say "Let 'em have it, Mac!". (ぶちかませ!マック!, Hit them hard! Mac!)
  • Down taunt: Performs a series of punches while facing the screen. Doc Louis may say "Show 'em what you've got, Mac baby!". (お前のパンチを見せてやれ!, Show them your punch!)
Up taunt Side taunt Down taunt
LittleMacUpTauntSSB4.gif LittleMacSideTauntSSB4.gif LittleMacDownTauntSSB4.gif

Idle poses

LittleMacIdlePose2WiiU.jpg LittleMacIdlePose1WiiU.jpg

Crowd cheer

English Japanese
Cheer
Description Little Mac! Get 'em back! Go! Go! Mac!
Pitch Group chant Male

Victory poses

An icon for denoting incomplete things.

Little Mac wears a championship belt in all three of his victory poses.

A remix of the Won Match! theme from the original Punch-Out!! for the NES.
  • Doc Louis holds up Little Mac's arm like a referee would after a boxing match, and cheers him on.
  • Shadowboxes with Doc Louis, then turns to the camera while holding his fist up triumphantly while Doc Louis cheers him on.
  • Runs and turns his back towards the camera, does a little shuffle, then spins before throwing a triumphant uppercut while Doc Louis cheers him on.
LittleMacPose1WiiU.gif LittleMacPose2WiiU.gif LittleMacPose3WiiU.gif

Unless the match is a Team Battle, all of Little Mac's victory poses involve Doc Louis. If Little Mac's team is victorious but he does not have the most points, Little Mac will simply pose alone with his second victory pose.

In all of Little Mac's victory poses, Doc Louis will say one of the following at random:

  • "(in tandem with the announcer) And the winner is... Little Mac! Hahaha!"
  • "Y'know, that belt looks good on you, son."
  • "Ya got what it takes, Mac!"
  • "Nice work, Mac. You got it all figured out."
  • "Way to go, Mac! You're the champ, baby!"
  • "Awesome win, Mac. Way to go!"
  • "You win, Mac!"
  • "Alright! I think I hear a chocolate bar callin'."
  • "Was that a little too easy for ya, son?"
  • "World Circuit's all yours, Mac!"
  • "Ahh, winnin' feels good, don't it?"

If Little Mac is using one of the Wireframe palette swaps:

  • "Nice moves, Mac. I could barely keep my eyes on ya, son."
  • "Ain't you flashy? You making my eyes water, son."
  • "You're lookin' mighty good, son. Just like old times, huh?"

In competitive play

Official Custom Moveset Project

Character Custom sets available
Little Mac (SSB4) Little Mac 2111 2113 2112 2211 2213
2212 2311 2313 2312 2121

Notable players

Reveal trailer

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Trophies

Little Mac
Ntsc 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.
Pal 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!
NES: Punch-Out!! (10/1987)
Wii: Punch-Out!! (05/2009)
Little Mac (Alt.)
Ntsc 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!
Pal 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.
NES: Punch-Out!! (10/1987)
Wii: Punch-Out!! (05/2009)
Giga Mac
This Final Smash turns Little Mac into a hulking monster of a man. In Punch-Out!! for Wii, Little Mac could take this form by building up the gauge with some well-timed blows. In this game, it seriously powers up his attacks and makes him even faster. He'll completely dominate on the ground, but air battles are outside his weight class.

In Event Matches

Solo Events

Co-op Events

Alternate costumes

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Little Mac (Wireframe) Palette (SSB4).png
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)
Little Mac (SSB4)

Gallery

Trivia

  • Little Mac is the only character in SSB4 to display visual "battle damage", though this feature is only shown in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Upon reaching 100% or higher and upon KO'd, bandages and bruises appear on his face. This is a reference to the Wii version of Punch-Out!!, where Mac will gradually begin getting bruised and battered if he fights against an opponent and gets hit too many times.
  • According to Masahiro Sakurai, Little Mac has the lowest online win ratio of all characters as of November 2014.
  • Prior to updates 1.0.5 in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and 1.0.6 in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Little Mac could not properly hold Hammers, with them being at his sides instead of between his hands.
  • Interestingly, Little Mac shares a few animations with Captain Falcon. This includes some of his poses when knocked back with a weak attack, swing animations for battering items such as the Beam Sword and Home Run Bat, being buried and while stunned. This may indicate that Captain Falcon's model was used as a base for creating Little Mac, which is understandable given their similar physiques.
  • Little Mac has the most Alternate costumes out of any character, with 16 instead of the standard eight per character.
  • Although Little Mac has the third-lowest jump height in the game, he has the second-highest wall jump in the game (beaten only by Lucario's) despite his terrible aerial presence.
  • Little Mac possesses some of the fastest attacks in SSB4. This includes his neutral attack (which is tied with Zero Suit Samus' as the fastest in the game), his forward tilt, his down tilt (which is tied with Ness', Lucas', R.O.B.'s and Meta Knight's as the third fastest in the game), and his neutral aerial (which is the fastest in the game).
  • Along with Cloud, Little Mac is one of the only two characters who have special moves that affect the in-game camera, with both KO Uppercut and all of Cloud's Limit Break moves (barring Blade Beam) zooming in and slowing down time upon hitting their victims. Interestingly, both involve taking or dealing damage.
  • Little Mac's wireframe costumes do not appear in hordes in Special Orders in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U or Classic Mode in Super Smash Bros. for 3DS.
  • Little Mac is currently the only character in SSB4 who shares a tier spot with another character. He and Duck Hunt share 43rd/44th place.

References