Metal Mario

Metal Mario is an alternative version of Mario that has appeared in both Mario games and in specific roles in Smash Bros. games.

Character description
Metal Mario is a form that Mario himself takes when he hits a Metal Box item in Super Mario 64. While in a metallic state, Mario can act as normally but has much more power and defense, and sinks to the bottom of any body of water he comes across so that he is literally walking on the floor underwater. Also, Mario loses no health while underwater, because his metallic state makes him not need to breathe.

Metal Mario had since made return appearances as a more "independent" character in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee.

As a boss opponent
Metal Mario appears in the single player mode of this game as more or less a boss opponent to be battled one-on-one. In this battle that takes place in Metal Mario's Residence, he is a very different fighter than the normal Mario; he barely flinches to ordinary attacks, and takes an absurd amount of damage to KO (often over 300%), but succeeding in getting him off the stage almost guarantees victory, as his massive falling speed and terrible recovery make it nearly impossible for him to survive. On lower difficulties he mainly walks around the stage, seldomly attacking, but he can be hard to beat on higher difficulties.

As a boss opponent
Metal Mario more or less reprises his role as a special opponent in a single player mode, in this case as an opponent in the level of the Adventure mode taking place on the Battlefield stage, following the battle with fifteen Fighting Wire Frames. Unlike the last time, Metal Mario is not a unique opponent; he is actually a Mario that is permanently under the effect of the newly introduced Metal Box item. This makes him more aggressive, and his recovery is longer, but the metal does not increase his weight as much as it used to. If the player has unlocked Luigi, Metal Mario teams up with Metal Luigi for that same battle, making it more difficult.

Mario can also become Metal Mario by using a Metal Box

As a trophy
Metal Mario also appears as a trophy which can be acquired randomly through the 1-P mode or the Trophy lottery:


 * Metal Mario
 * "Mario was in for a surprise the first time he hit a Metal Box in Super Mario 64. The metal cap that popped out transformed Mario into living metal, giving him great stamina, a heavy tread, and the ability to walk underwater. In Super Smash Bros., Metal Mario showed up as an incredibly stubborn midlevel boss." (Super Mario 64, 9/96) Also if you zoom into the back of his cap you will see a reflection of the yoshi island stage.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Despite his role as a boss in Super Smash Bros. and Melee, he, alongside Race to the Finish didn't return in Brawl. Mario can also become Metal Mario by using Metal Box or battling in Metal Brawl, however. But you still get to face him and different metal characters in Classic Mode.