In this Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Mario Guide, we will guide you on how to play if you choose Mario as your character of choice in a fight. We will highlight all the moves that are specific to Mario, plus his defending moves, special moves and his final smash. In addition, this guide will also give you a better understanding of his moves, for if you find yourself fighting against Mario.

This guide will focus on Mario’s attacks like neutral attacks, special attacks, and grounded attacks. We will also detailed the amount of damage each attack deals to an opponent. In the end, we will finish off with what his final smash looks like and what it does to your foe.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Mario Guide

Below we have listed all the attacks that are specific and special to Mario. Refer to each attack for a better understanding of how Mario combats in the stage.

Introduction

Mario, the humble famous star of many Nintendo video games, is back in the world of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and ready to take all challenges.  Hi small size and seemingly short reach compared to many other fighters in the game can be deceiving. Mario fights in the battlefield like a cannonball, moving safely with aerial attacks and sparring in close with some of the quickest attacks of any other fighter.

Mario is effective direct attacks like the dropkick, down smashing breakdance, and up tilt uppercut are good both for chipping away and for knocking out enemies. There are other moves like his Cape and F.L.U.D.D. special moves that provide curveball options to vary his otherwise steady stock of fireballs and close ranged attacks.

Grounded Attacks

This section of the guide contains all the grounded attacks that Mario can perform while on the stage.

Neutral Attacks

Mario has 4 Neutral attacks. The first neutral attack deals 2.2 damage, the second deals 1.7 damage, while the third deals 4 damage.

Mario’s neutral attacks is a lightning fast short rand jab, and one of the fastest attack in the whole game. You can hold the attack button or press it repeatedly for a three hit combo. Or you can go with a one two punch that is followed by a rising boot kick that knocks victim back. This is great for poking at enemy, and being low risk for a retaliatory attack from the opponent.

The combo can also be used aggressively, whether right after rushing at a target, or dodge rolling to their backs.

Dash Attack

Mario’s Dash Attack deals 8 damage, where he will crouch from a forward run or dash into a sliding kick. This slide distance is not that huge, but on contact can launch the opponent into a potential juggling position.

Smashes

Mario has three smash attacks. All of them are detailed below.

Side Smash

This attack deals 17.8 to 24.9 damage, where Mario rears back a little, then punches forward with a fiery close range blast. This is this only farthest reaching smash that Mario has got. It deals full damage with the fire blast that emanates from his hands.

You can tap the command for a quick flaming punch, and hold it to begin charging. While it is charging, aim up or down with the stick. With this you can fine tune the trajectory of the blast.

Up Smash

This attack deals 14 to 19.6 damage, where Mario leans way back, then whips his head forward in a chopping half circle. The Up Smash can be paired with the Down Smash to clear out opponents that are covering from multiple angles.

Up Smash covers three angles. Starting from the back, then above and finally right in front as his forehead comes down.

Down Smash

This attack deals 10 to 14 and 12 to 16.8 damage. In this attack, Mario lies low and kicks hard the first to the front, then to the back.  The Down Smash is a low profile swing to both sides than the Up Smash, however, it works decently when you are feeling overwhelmed in party battle modes or just plain confused as to which side the threat is coming from.

Defensive Attacks

Mario has 3 Defensive Attacks. The first one is the Ledge attack that deals 9 damage, the second is the faceup Wakeup Attack that deals 7 damage, while the third is the facedown Wake-up Attack and it also deals 7 damage.

Tilts

Mario has three Tilts. All of them are detailed below.

Side Tilt

This attack deals 7 damage, where Mario produces a mighty side kick. This kick can be altered so that its aiming higher toward the head or towards the opponents legs. The damage however is the same from any angle, but a straight side tilt has the most range, even if it is by a tiny margin.

Up close, opponents who block side tilt, then retaliate immediately with a fast attack or grab will punish Mario before he can shield or dodge. So poke with side tilt from the edge of its range, where the kick’s pushback will leave Mario safe from punishment, even if he’s technically at a small disadvantage when shielded

Up Tilt

This attack deals 5.5 damage, where Mario swings upward with an uppercut, while spinning himself around in the process.  The Up Tilt is best at poking around towards the enemy that is in the air

Down Tilt

This attack deals 7 damage, where Mario crouches with a sweeping kick aimed to his front. With the low profile, this move can avoid attacks aimed higher.

Grabs

Mario has 5 Grab attacks. The first Grab Attack deals 1.3×1 to 1.3×5 damage. The second is the Up throw which deals 7 damage and throws victim into potential juggle position. The next is the Front Throw which deals 8 damage, while the Back Throw deals 11 damage. Finally the Down throw deals 5 damage where the opponent is bounced off the ground.

Aerial Attacks

This section of the guide will cover all the Aerial attacks that Mario has.

Neutral Air Attack

This attack deals 8 damage, where Mario juts one leg forward with a flying kick  that stays active for a long time. This is ideal for hopping or jumping forward, kicking with neutral air attack at the apex, then fast-falling.

Forward Air Attack

This attack deals 14 damage, where Mario whirls forward with a walloping overhand punch.

Forward air attack sweeps over Mario a bit like up smash, but the sweet spot is the midpoint, not just over Mario and not at the end of the swing either. Strike with the right spot of the attack to spike the victim down in a meteor smash effect. They’ll be launched downward sharply, bouncing off the ground if it’s in the way. At a high-damage percentage, spiking someone off the stage with a perfect forward air might score a KO outright if they bounce out the top of the stage. And beyond a stage edge, spiking someone with forward air may KO them even at a low-damage percentage if it knocks them so low that their remaining recovery options fail them.

Back Air Attack

This attack deals 10.5 damage, where Mario puts his whole body into a flying sideways boot kick with both boots. Back air attack is more powerful than neutral air attack, though it doesn’t stay active nearly as long. It’s much easier to aim and hit with than forward air attack, though it doesn’t hit as hard.

Sometimes back air is obviously the way to go, like when Mario is launched high and floating down with his back to opponents. It kicks and recovers so quickly that it can be used repeatedly during lengthy airborne periods. With Mario’s back to targets, jumping with back air on the way up and again on the way down, pointed at them, is a decent stalling and space controlling tactic

Up Air Attack

This attack deals 7 damage, where Mario spins backward with an airborne wheel kick that covers upward angles. There are often chances to leap up and swing with up air. Other fighters scampering on platforms or leaping above are prime targets. Popping someone up with up throw, a smash attack, or a forward air spike can give chances to juggle with up air. If enemy damage is high enough, it starts being a KO threat on hit, along with back air. It’s also great for going after fighters trying to make it back to a ledge from high offstage.

Down Air Attack

This attack deals 1.4×5, 5.5 damage, where Mario whirls in a spinning lariat before popping into a clothesline swat to both sides. Mario’s spin can hit up to five times, before the finishing punch launches the victim away. Depending on Mario’s trajectory through the air, along with the target’s, they might fall out of the spin, causing the final blow to whiff. If the entire sequence hits, the final swat pops the enemy into a jugglable position before leaving them knocked down on the ground, though they can recover in midair before landing

Special Moves

Mario has 4 special moves. All of them are detailed below.

Neutral Special – Fireball

This attack deals 5 close and 4 far damage. Mario’s neutral special is his classic fireball toss. After he releases it, the projectile travels forward for just over one second before dissipating. The fireball travels diagonally down-forward until it hits a platform, then starts bouncing. Thrown on solid ground, a fireball bounces three times before vanishing. Mario can throw another fireball while one is already out, putting two on-screen at a time.

Side Special – Cape

This attack deals 7 damage, where Mario whips out a cape and swings it before him. This cape can reflect any incoming projectiles and items, while any opponent that is hit by the cape takes a little damage while getting turned around and having their controls momentarily reversed.

If a cape swing is performed in midair, Mario’s falling momentum is halted briefly during the swing. This can be useful if you happen to be hanging out high above a stage and want to make your falling arc and timing less predictable. It also synergizes well with the edge-guarding example just mentioned: Mario can afford to step off the stage, fall toward the endangered opponent, swing the cape to mess with their recovery plans (while briefly slowing his own fall), before double-jumping/Super Jump Punching back to safety.

Up Special – Super Jump Punch

This attack deals 5, 0.6×5, 3 damage. In this attack, Mario springs upward with the jumping punch he’s honed since time immemorial, ideal for busting brick blocks or knocking upstart challengers out of the way. Catch someone with the beginning of Super Jump Punch’s rise, and Mario carries them upward, scoring several hits as coins spew noisily out of the victim

Down Special – F.L.U.D.D.

This is a water canon that Mario uses, but it needs to be charged before use to refill the water tank. The water jet deals no damage but has a powerful pushback effect, which works against both items and fighters in the stage.

You should always keep the water charged in the water cannon, then wait for the best opportunity to surprise the opponent. This can work great after you have pushed your opponent, and then use the water jet to prevent them from getting back on the stage.

Final Smash – Mario Finale

This is Mario’s most powerful attack with a neutral special move input. When you activate this special move, Mario fries almost one half of the screen towards the direction that he is facing, with a a large gout of swirling flames. This attack is capable of striking multiple targets over a dozen times each, which increases the possibility of multiple knock outs.

For other characters, check out our Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Characters Guide.

Read more Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Guides.

• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Beginners Guide
• Super Smash Bros Ultimate Assist Trophies Guides
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Items Guide
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – How to Unlock Characters Quickly
• Super Smash Bros Ultimate Poke Balls & Master Balls Guide

This concludes our Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Mario Guide. If you want to add anything to this guide, feel free to use the comments section below.