Mario


 * For fighter info, see Mario (SSB), Mario (SSBM), Mario (SSBB) and Mario (SSBWU/3DS).

Mario (マリオ) is arguably Nintendo's most popular character as well as its mascot, the face of the gaming world, and is the long-running eponymous hero in the extensive Mario series of video games. He appears as a playable fighter, unlocked from the start of the game, in each of the four Super Smash Bros. generations. He's often shown in intro videos and trailers, and played a very prominent role in the Subspace Emissary.

Character Description
Mario was first created by Shigeru Miyamoto as the protagonist for the game Donkey Kong for the arcade. Miyamoto would follow this up with more arcade games such as Donkey Kong Jr. and Mario Bros. before giving Mario his iconic title: Super Mario Bros. for the Famicom/NES. The game was incredibly well-received, and is considered one of Mario's greatest adventures to date, as well as one of the greatest video games of all time. This game introduced many major themes of the Mario series that are now considered trademarks. For over twenty years afterward, Mario would star in hundreds of universally acclaimed games on Nintendo systems. Mario and his accompanying franchises can be viewed as Nintendo's thematic tileset with which to create games of a whimsical, colorful, and light-hearted nature.

Mario is rarely depicted speaking coherent English sentences. In contemporary Mario games, his high-pitched Italian voice, provided by Charles Martinet, is used mainly for grunts and yells, and the character's occasional catchphrases, such as "Mama-mia!", "It's-a-me, Mario!", and "Let's-a go!"

Mario has been playable in hundreds of games that span dozens of genres. One of his most prominent is the traditional 2D side-scrolling platformer, with games such as various sequels to Super Mario Bros.: Super Mario Bros. 3, which introduced iconic features, like the Super Leaf, the SNES launch platformer, Super Mario World, which introduced Yoshi, Mario's faithful dino companion, and the DS homage to these games, New Super Mario Bros.. Mario has also evolved into 3D platformers, with seminal titles such as the Super Mario 64, the first iteration of Mario in three dimensions, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. Mario and friends also star in series such as Mario Kart, an off-the-wall racing franchise, Mario Party, a long-running party series, various Mario-themed sports titles such as Mario Golf and Mario Tennis, hands-on RPGs like Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario, and a puzzle game, known as Dr. Mario (his persona in this game is also a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee. For fighter info, see Dr. Mario).

Abilities
Mario seems to possess superhuman abilities, such as superhuman strength and stamina, the ability to control fire, and more. He is seen lifting the giant King Bob-omb, and, even a more impressive feat, swinging the great King Bowser around by the tail and throwing him great distances in Super Mario 64. He lifts a comically overweight Luigi in the form of an attack in Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. Mario is also seen lifting a fortress that weighs an estimated 100,000 tons in Super Mario World and then kicking it away.

One of Mario's trademarks is his incredible jumping ability. Though the height of his jumps varies between games, they are always greater than that of a normal human being. He is also able to perform many of these incredible jumps in quick succession.

Mario appears to be able to run at superhuman speeds, and is also able to jump off of walls indefinitely. He seems to be skilled in gymnastics, as he can walk on tightropes, swing vertically on bars, and climb fences both horizontally and vertically. As seen in Super Mario RPG and the Super Smash Bros. series, Mario is able to summon fire from his hands without the use of a Fire Flower. With the use of other power ups, such as the Ice Flower, Super Leaf, or Super Bell, Mario (and anyone else who obtains these items) is able to create ice and use it to freeze opponents, fly into the air, and climb up walls respectively.

As a playable character


Mario makes his first appearance in a fighting game in the original Super Smash Bros. as a playable character unlocked from the start. He is based on his appearance in Super Mario 64. Like in many other games, he is touted as the most balanced character with no real strengths or weaknesses, therefore, new players of the game are encouraged to play as him. In the competitive meta-game, he can combo well but lacks a multipurpose finisher. His lack of outstanding strengths make him only a high tier fighter, not top tier.

His neutral special move shoots a Fireball in the direction he is facing which travels a short distance and bounces off of any surface it hits before disappearing. his recovery, the Super Jump Punch, is an uppercut which hits multiple times (and coins briefly appear with each hit). His down special move is the Mario Tornado, where he whirls his body to damage foes around him, before throwing them up into the air.

Mario's in-game character description reads:
 * Mario


 * Although best known as the mustachioed plumber who battles the Turtle Tribe with his distinct jumping action, this internationally-famous hero has also acted as a referee, a driver, and even a doctor! He's been linked to Princess Peach of Mushroom Kingdom for years, but to this day their true relationship remains a mystery.


 * Works:
 * Super Mario Bros. (NES),
 * Super Mario Kart (SNES),
 * Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64)

As a playable character
By tradition, Mario returns as the most balanced character of the Melee roster, and new Melee players are encouraged to try out the game as him because of that reason given. As a starting playable character in this game, he is touted as the most balanced character of the game's character roster, much like his appearances in other games, with no real strengths but no outstanding weaknesses either.

His new side special move is whipping out his yellow Cape from Super Mario World to turn the enemy in front of him facing the opposite direction, which is useful for diverting enemy attack and recovery.

In the competitive meta-game, he can easily combo opponents, has a long wavedash, and is good at juggling opponents. However, it is his lack of a reliable finisher that causes him to remain in the game's Middle Tier; his Smash attacks do not even feature all that much knockback and range, which impairs his ability to fight a character like Marth. He also has low grab range and bad recovery. It is notable that in both versions Mario has great combo potential coupled with the lack of a good finisher.

Trophies
By tradition, Mario as a playable character is featured on his personal 3 trophies. His normal trophy is acquired by beating the Classic mode with Mario on any difficulty, and his Smash Red and Smash Blue trophies are acquired the same way by beating the Adventure and All-Star modes, respectively.

Other trophies featuring Mario are Raccoon Mario, Metal Mario, Paper Mario, and Mario and Yoshi. The last trophy in particular is especially notable for being one of two "gift trophies" never findable during normal play, and in fact can only be acquired through hacking. There is also a trophy for Baby Mario, a baby version of Mario that has appeared in some Mario games.

Mario's Classic Mode trophy, and his Baby Mario trophy, read as follows:


 * Mario


 * Known worldwide as Mr. Nintendo, Mario uses his incredible jumping ability to thwart the evil Bowser time after time. While he's best known as a hero, Mario has played many roles, including racer, doctor, golfer, and villain. His tastes have changed over 20 years of gaming; he long ago swapped the colors of his shirt and overalls. 
 * Donkey Kong [Arcade 1981]


 * Baby Mario


 * Long ago, when the stork was carrying Baby Mario and Baby Luigi to the Mario household, the stork was ambushed, causing Baby Mario to tumble onto Yoshi's Island. This marked the beginning of the Yoshi's adventure to deliver Baby Mario to his parents. Since then, Baby Mario's been spotted on golf courses and tennis courts.
 * Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island [10/95]

As a playable character
In a maneuver both traditional and expected, Mario is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. He is ostensibly meant to be the most balanced character like before. His appearance is based on his current appearance in the later Mario games, such as Luigi's Mansion and Super Mario Sunshine. He has undergone a visual redesign, like his Fireball, which looks more realistic. However, he is essentially the same fighter as he appeared in Melee, retaining all of his moves (although his former Down B attack, the Mario Tornado, has become an aerial attack, unexpectedly replaced by F.L.U.D.D.).

Like all of the games other returning characters, he comes equipped with a high-end new Final Smash attack which can be used once he collects a Smash Ball. His Final Smash is the Mario Finale, where he projects a colossal, intertwining fireball to engulf all opponents in his direction. The Mario Finale extends to both well above and well below Mario's position, so Smash Bros. DOJO!! recommends that he is standing on a moderately elevated platform for maximum effect. He has, however, been severely nerfed in both power and range.

Trophies
Mario has a trophy that is awarded each time the Classic mode is completed with Mario on any difficulty. You can get a Mario Finale Trophy each time you complete All-Star mode with Mario. See Mario Finale for the trophy description of Mario's Final Smash:


 * Mario


 * A familiar overall-clad figure who is Nintendo's flagship character. His courage and jumping ability have seen him through countless adventures. He's a multi-talented plumber with the knowledge of a physician, a top-notch golfer, and a veteran tennis umpire. Is his jumping prowess a boon from his girder-climbing days?
 * (NES) Donkey Kong
 * (NES) Super Mario Bros.


 * Baby Mario


 * Mario as a baby...a crybaby at that. Although he lacks overalls, we can see the trademark red hat even at this young age. Everyone's favorite hero was riding Yoshi and adventuring from his youngest days, and even as a baby, it's clear that Mario had quite the nose.
 * (DS) Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
 * (DS) Yoshi's Island DS

As a playable character


Unsurprisingly, Mario is returning as a veteran for Super Smash Bros. (Wii U and 3DS). Similarly to other characters, Mario is a mix between his Melee and Brawl incarnation in that he regained his good power and range with his attacks, while also sporting a somewhat floaty airgame but a reliable Final Smash. Unfortunately, he suffers from some recurring characteristics that aren't too good for him like poor grab range and still has F.L.U.D.D. as his down special which hardly serves much of a role in competitive play (custom moves compensate for this in some ways, however). Overall, he sports very balanced attributes making him a great character for beginners to use.

Trophies

 * Mario
 * As iconic as iconic gets, this gaming celebrity is known for saving the world from Bowser. He's got amazing jumping skills and makes use of a wide range of transformations. In his free time, he plays too many sports to count. In Smash Bros., he's a well-rounded fighter you can rely on. Say it with me: "It's-a me, Mario!"
 * (NES) Donkey Kong Classics (09/1988)
 * (NES) Super Mario Bros. (10/1985)


 * Mario (Alt.)
 * Super Jump Punch is an up-special move that lets you leap high into the air, carrying any fighters you strike along with you. You'll be invincible for a moment after you launch this attack. The default side-special move, Cape, will flip a fighter around. Keep a foe from returning with this move!
 * (NES) Donkey Kong Classics (09/1988)
 * (NES) Super Mario Bros. (10/1985)


 * Mario + Standard Kart
 * Customizing your ride is part of the fun of Mario Kart 7. Choose the best frame, tires, and glider to make your own dream machine! You can come up with some outlandish combinations, but I think Mario looks best when you keep things simple.


 * Mario + Standard Bike
 * In Mario Kart Wii, bikes were the big, new thing. This Standard Bike M is, as you'd expect, a very standard bike—its speed, weight, acceleration, handling, off-road, drift, and mini-turbo stats are all decidedly middle of the road. This makes it a great choice for Mario Kart beginners or for series veterans trying out bikes for the first time.
 * (Wii) Mario Kart Wii (04/2008)


 * Tanooki Mario & Kitsune Luigi
 * If you find a Super Leaf, Mario transforms into Tanooki Mario! His newfound tail works as a weapon and as a propeller to slow his fall. His brother, Luigi, won't turn into a Tanooki, though—he becomes Kitsune Luigi. Wouldn't want to have trouble telling the two apart, would we?


 * Statue Mario
 * Statue Mario is invincible and will be ignored by his enemies. If he transforms in midair, he'll do a nice Thwomp impression but he can't move! Well, unless a moving platform carries him into unlucky enemies. Give it a try in Super Mario 3D Land!


 * Boomerang Mario
 * If you know how the Boomerang Bros. like to fight, they really aren't that tough. But if Mario BECOMES a Boomerang Bro—Boomerang Mario—what then? Will his opponents be stunned by his new moves? At the least, throwing a boomerang makes things more fun!


 * Paper Mario
 * A paper-thin version of Mario from the Paper Mario series. Most recently, he set off on a sticker-packed adventure to find the wish-granting Royal Stickers. Stickers aren't just for collecting, though - they're for makin bridges, opening ancient doors, and even for taking on foes in battle!


 * Mario (With Propeller Box)
 * Mario with his head in a Propeller Box. He looks like something you'd see in a parade. But wait! That propeller isn't just for show—Mario can use it in the middle of a jump to go even higher. And it'll slow his fall back to the ground too!


 * Mario (Gold Block)
 * Oh no! Has the karma for smashing all those blocks finally caught up with Mario, and now he's doomed to wear a block on his head forever? Not at all! This Gold Block gives Mario coins whenever he runs and jumps. Cha-ching! Everyone loves getting more coins!


 * Mario Golf: World Tour
 * Looks like Mario is really on his game today! Or he just sent his ball off the course and into the trees—it's hard to tell. Getting a ball out of the rough is part of golf! It adds a bit of adventure to the game, though the undersea course in this world tour probably adds more.


 * Bee Mario
 * Do you hear that buzzing? Whatever could it...bee? Bee Mario! Finding a Bee Mushroom allows Mario to buzz around in the air, land on flowers, and stick to walls covered in honey. Oh, this is the bee's knees! However, Bee Mario can't sting his foes. But that's fine--you don't really want to be that kind of bee, do you?
 * (Wii) Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
 * (Wii) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)


 * Boo Mario
 * Are you afraid of ghosts? Maybe it will help to see the world as they do. Become Boo Mario with a Boo Mushroom, and then explore their world! Shake your Wii Remote to make Boo Mario go through walls. Boo Mario blends in OK, but even as a ghost he keeps his trademark hat. The other Boos don't seem to mind, thankfully.
 * (Wii) Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
 * (Wii) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)


 * Spring Mario
 * Boingee boingee boingee... It's Spring Mario, bouncing along and having a grand time! Just get a Spring Mushroom, and then press the A Button right when you land for a super-high jump! If you have a fear of heights, though, there's nothing wrong with staying in place and just bouncing a little.
 * (Wii) Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
 * (Wii) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)


 * Rainbow Mario
 * What would you get if you combined Mario with a bouncing, rainbow-colored star? An amazing, invincible Rainbow Mario, of course! Plus, Mario will glow with twinkling stars and have and an energetic song play for the duration. Doesn't that make you want to run out and grab a Rainbow Star right now?
 * (Wii) Super Mario Galaxy (11/2007)
 * (Wii) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)


 * Propeller Mario
 * You can tell just by the sound that there's something different about the propeller on Mario's head. It must be because it's made of rubber! In any case, Propeller Mushrooms transform Mario into Propeller Mario. Shake the Wii Remote to send Mario zooming up into the air!
 * (Wii) New Super Mario Bros. Wii (11/2009)
 * (Wii U) New Super Mario Bros. U (11/2012)


 * Penguin Mario
 * Ahh, the life of a penguin... So carefree. At last, Mario too can enjoy the feeling of gliding across the ice by donning the Penguin Suit. Not only that, but this suit unlocks other penguin abilities too! Mario can swim gracefully and, just like a penguin, dream of a day when he can fly.
 * (Wii) New Super Mario Bros. Wii (11/2009)
 * (Wii U) New Super Mario Bros. U (11/2012)


 * Cloud Mario
 * Guess what happens when Mario collects a Cloud Flower! Oh, wait. You can already see exactly what happens... That's right, Mario dons a fluffy hat, overalls, and a scarf and gets a whole lot lighter. He can jump farther, stay in the air longer, walk on clouds, and even make cloud platforms. This outfit is all silver lining!
 * (Wii) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)


 * Rock Mario
 * If you're a fan of rock and roll, try picking up a Rock Mushroom. When Mario's transformed into Rock Mario, a simple shake of the Wii Remote can turn him into a big, rolling boulder, allowing him to plow through crystals and tough foes. The most amazing thing about Rock Mario, though, is that he can still jump.
 * (Wii) Super Mario Galaxy 2 (05/2010)


 * Flying Squirrel Mario
 * When Mario grabs a Super Acorn, he turns into Flying Squirrel Mario! Like a real flying squirrel, he can hold out his arms and glide through the air. That must feel really, really awesome! This power isn't just for fun, though—it has practical uses, too, like helping him grab the coins in midair. Da-ding! Da-ding! Da-ding!
 * (Wii U) New Super Mario Bros. U (11/2012)


 * Baby Mario
 * A baby version of Mario, sans mustache, who first appeared in Yoshi's Island. Still in diapers, he mostly leaves the adventuring to Yoshi unless a Super Star is involved. If that happens, he becomes invincible and runs around with a cape—a little smooth-faced Super Mario!


 * Paper Mario
 * The paper-thin Mario from the Paper Mario series recently quested for the wish-granting Royal Stickers. These magic stickers are for more than just collecting, though. Mario can use them to change his paper world, and nothing helps him in battle more than a sticker!

Trivia

 * The trophy for Baby Mario claims that he lacks overalls, but overalls can be clearly seen on the trophy.
 * In Brawl, his clothes look more realistic; his overalls and red shirt are more detailed.
 * Nintendo has confirmed that Mario's genus is Homo Nintendonus, meaning that he, along with Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, and Rosalina, is technically not human.