Little Mac (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U)

This article is about Little Mac's appearance in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. For other uses, see Little Mac.

Little Mac
Universe	Punch-Out!!
Availability	Starter
Final Smash	Giga Mac
Tier	G (44)
Character Statistics
Number of Jumps	2
Can Wall Jump	Yes
Can Wall Cling	No
Can Crawl	No
Has a Tether	No
Voice Actor
Voiced by	Kōsuke Toriumi

Little Mac is a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Little Mac is notable for having a very powerful ground game, but very weak airborne, as well having very poor recovery moves. However, he has plenty moves super armor and invincibility frames in his attacks. Little Mac was announced on February 13, the same day as Punch-Out!!! 30th anniversary.

He currently ranks 44th on the tier list. He has a wide range of powerful attacks, many of which give him Super Armor, and has a fair number of approach options. However, he has one of the worst air games, severely limiting his attack options, as well as a terrible recovery that is made worse due to his light weight allowing him to be launched easier. He also has no projectiles, requiring him to fight up close.

Attributes

Strengths

• Unmatched speed on ground for both movement and attack.
• Fastest Jab, Rapid Jab and Tilts in the game.
• Most of his attacks have low startup and ending lag.
• High knockback and speed on almost all ground attacks.
• Has the second best wall jump in the game, after Lucario.
• Very fast Counter that has high range and long hitbox.
• Forward Smash has three variations depending on the direction held when launching it. Unlike Samus' Forward Smash, which just changes the angle, Little Mac' changes the animation and properties.
• His KO Punch can dispose of opponents with very little percentage. Although it is not a guaranteed instant KO move, it is very powerful and grant him invincibility frames through most of it.
  • KO bar is filled by causing and taking damage.
  • Can use moves like down tilt to combo into KO Punch.
  • KO punch can attack through shields.
• Short stature gives him small hurtboxes.
• Has a Meteor Smash: Down Aerial.
• Third fastest dash speed, after Sonic and almost tied with Captain Falcon.
  • Additionally, his initial dash makes use of dash dancing and fox trotting to be one of the most usefuls in the game.
• Fastest side dodge in the game, with very little startup and ending lag.
• Super armor frames on many moves, most notably all Smash Attacks and Straight Lunge.
• Low dashing stance can allow him to run below some projectiles, such as Mario's Fireball, as seen in his Official Trailer.

Weaknesses

• Has the worst recovery in the game; an aerial Jolt Haymaker gives very little horizontal movement, while his aerial Rising Uppercut merely launches him upwards, being lower than his second jump.
• Lightweight, being easy to KO.
• Extremely weak and slow aerial attacks.
• One of the lowest jumping heights in the game, (along Ganondorf and Megaman), and the lowest double jump.
• No projectiles or long range options.
• Can't deal with ranged opponents very well.
• Jolt Haymaker can cause very easy self-destructs, as when used on the ground, gives him massive horizantal movement, causing him to fall off the stage if used incorrectly.
• Rising Uppercut only has KO power if used on the ground; its aerial version is very weak, only KO'ing opponents above 150%.
• Even though a normal Straight Lunge fully charged can cause high damage, it has very high ending lag, making him vulnerable for punishment.
• Straight Lunge's KO Punch can be lost if the move is not used within 30 seconds, if Little Mac is KO'ed, or if he is hit right before using it.
• Struggles against the majority of the cast, especially those with powerful gimping potential, such as Sheik and Zero Suit Samus.
• Possesses a very weak meteor smash because his down aerial is an aerial attack, which Little Mac lacks in.

Summary

Little Mac's best asset is his ground game. On the ground, he is lightning fast and has special moves that have incredible knockback; everyone knows what a polar character Little Mac is, being an outstandingly dominant force on the ground but reduced to a flailing and ineffective fighter in the air.

If one is playing as Little Mac on a stage with lots of platforms, stay on the safest platform to ensure he has the smallest amount of risk of falling off the edge. Make the opponent come to Mac and fight on his terms. If it is a travelling stage that forces Mac to move off a safe platform, make sure he has minimal air time when moving from platform to platform. It is key to stay on the ground where Little Mac is the powerhouse. To main Little Mac, traversing the stage is a very important factor to ensure Little Mac doesn't fall short of the ledge.

Now that's not to say that Mac should never go in the air. While Little Mac's aerials are atrocious in attack power, they can be good for setting up combo strings, especially his forward and neutral airs. His up airs can be useful after launching an opponent into the air from the ground, but don't use it for juggling because the awful knockback will make it a waste of time. Use the up air simply as a method of racking on damage. His back air is kind of the same as forward air, but has a shorter range. His down air has absolutely no meteor smash power behind it; it is very weak and shouldn't be used off stage if at all.

So that covers his aerials, but it is really his ground game that players should focus on. His neutral jab is an amazing jab capable of racking up lots of damage and a decent launch with the finisher. His tilts are good for combo strings, with his down tilt setting up for all kinds of combo opportunities, especially if Mac has the K.O. Punch.

Little Mac's smash attacks are his money-makers though. During the attack frames they have Super Armor behind them. If an opponent is coming at Mac while Mac is charging a smash attack, remember two things:

1. Little Mac doesn't have Super Armor while charging the smash, only during the attack frames; if a players thinks an opponent is going to interrupt the charge, release the attack sooner. It is better to get off a smash attack at half-charge and have it hit rather than to fully charge one only to have it interrupted.

2. Little Mac's Forward Smash can be angled, which also changes the animation the attack undergoes. If an opponent tries to short hop for their attack, tilt the forward smash upwards; the uppercut from this will pack lots of power on them.

His down smash is another great move, covering lots of ground and great for edge-guarding. Little Mac's up smash is a fantastic kill move.

His throws are not very powerful, not doing too much damage or knockback, but that makes them all the better for starting combos. This is important with all Smash characters but most certainly Mac: rack up damage using combos from tilts and throws and then finish it off with a smash attack.

Mac's neutral special is a great move that has Super Armor frames while charging it and while launching the attack. If an opponent is going for a grab, launch the attack immediately or cancel the charge with a shield and evade the grab. Don't fully charge the move either; if an opponent is able to predict when the attack will be launched (at full charge) they can easily dodge, run up behind Mac, and punish, which is easy to do because the move can leave him wide open if he misses.

The Jolt Haymaker is a good move on the ground but terrible in the air, as everybody knows. If Mac finds himself cornered at the edge by an opponent, Jolt Haymaker towards the center of the stage to get back to the middle of the ring and damage the opponent while doing it. Don't use it excessively or Mac will make an input mistake and go in the wrong direction--right off the edge.

Rising Uppercut is a great combo finisher when started on the ground and is also useful out of shield when an opponent is right nearby. In the air it is rather weak in terms of recovery.

Slip Counter is an extremely useful move both in the center and at the ledge. If an opponent cornered Mac at the ledge and is going for a launching smash attack, Slip Counter is the way to go; just be sure not to let it loose too early and don't use it too often--throwing out counters all day will get Mac grabbed time and time again.

Aside Rapid Jabs and Forward Tilt for racking up damage, his Forward Smash Tilted Down is very powerful, being one of his strongest attacks, being able to cause over 25% if fully charged, being useful to punish opponents who side dodge a lot. A good way to approach with Little Mac is by doing dash-dances, fox trots, Perfect Pivot into Forward Tilt or Rapid Jab, or even moving slowly and counter every move, in order to intimidate and pressure the opponent. When playing as Little Mac the idea is to make the opponent feel powerless, since every attack Little Mac throws packs a punch. In addition, his instant KO ability is very powerful, as no other character in the game is able to kill their opponents instantly regardless of percentage.

The K.O. Punch. This move is another great finisher for combos; a good way to trap opponents just long enough for Mac to throw it out on them is to use down tilt, neutral air, and down air. It can also be used as a recovery if used correctly because it can give Mac just enough forward momentum to get him to the edge.

However, as soon as Little Mac leaves the ground and into the air he becomes horrible, his jumps are short and sluggish and his recovery is the worst in the game. If he is sent flying off the stage at a high percentage, specially if the knockback is horizontal, there is a high chance he won't come back. Little Mac also has few tools for edge-guarding, and if done it should always be executed from the edge and not the air. Unless players are 100% certain they'll be able to guard the edge, they shouldn't do it in the first place. The opponent will find a way to read their attack, dodge accordingly, and then reverse the roles, putting Mac in a bad position. Putting it into boxing terms, since Little Mac is a boxer; in boxing, the boxer doesn't want to get stuck in the corner or the opponent will be able to beat on them relentlessly. Boxers want to stay in the center; the same goes for Little Mac in Smash. Stay centered on the stage and away from the edge for the most part. Rely on Mac's smash attacks to launch the opponents away from the center of the stage rather than risk getting K.O.'d at the ledge.

Overall, Little Mac is a very good fighter, however he must stay at low percentages and at the ground to survive. Because of his poor recovery, rushing recklessly with Little Mac is usually not a good idea, even with his all powerful attacks. While a powerhouse, Little Mac's gameplay reflects a bit of his Punch-Out!! games; he is powerful, but must time his attacks to avoid retaliation, countering opponents and punishing when they miss.

Moveset

Ground Attacks

• Neutral Attack: Little Mac jabs once, does a right hook, and then a left hook, with the final hit having smash power. If the button is tapped quickly it'll turn into quick jabs that end in a left hook with smashing power. Careful doing this on the edge because the move pushes you back slightly. Does 13% with the 3 hit combo, and 17% for a single set of quick jabs with the finisher, if all hit.
• Side Tilt: Little Mac does two straight jabs with smashing power, good for launching at high %. Does 12% if both connect.
• Down Tilt: Little Mac hits the opponent's legs, with slight upward smash power. Does 8%. Useful for comboing into Up Tilt and Smashes. It is also useful for edge-guarding, being able to hit opponents grabbing the ledge.
• Up Tilt: Little Mac does a quick arc punch over his head, with very little smash power. Does 9%. Useful for comboing into Up Smash or Up Special.
• Dash Attack: Little Mac gives an overhead downward punch, similar to his up-tilted Side Smash, and is very close range to where he's standing. Does 10% damage. Good for smashing at high % and can KO around 150%.

Smash Attacks

• Side Smash: Little Mac is unique as his Side Smash changes depending on which direction the player tilts before launching the attack - Straight Right Punch if no direction is tilted; Uppercut if tilted diagonally upwards; Body Hook if tilted diagonally downwards. The uppercut has more launch power but less damage. Body hook does more damage but has less launch power.
• Down Smash: Little Mac sweeps the ground with a punch, in front first before rotating to attack behind him. Very fast smash. Causes medium horizontal knockback. Damage: Uncharged: Front & Back 12. Fully Charged: Front 16, Back 17.
• Up Smash: A strong uppercut that hits in front of him, and has a wide arc above him that does not reach behind him. Very high knockback. Adds a fire effect and more damage & knockback if the enemy is hit with the very start of the move. Uncharged: Start 20, rest of the move 15. Fully Charged: Start 28, rest of the move 21.

More to be added

Other attacks

• Ledge Attack: Little Mac rises, lifting his legs and rushing forward for a painful leg blow. Does 7% and has slight smashing, but is unable to KO even at max %.
• Ground Attack: Coming Soon
• KO Punch: Once Little Mac's bar is filled, it will be replaced with the abbreviation "KO!". This is activated using the Smash Attack button, and a blue burst will appear from his glove as he does an uppercut. If any targets are caught, the time is slowed and zoomed to the person(s) that got hit by it. Despite its name the KO punch will not instantly KO a person at low percentages but has extremely high smash power and can effectively KO opponents at as little as 20%. The KO bar is filled as Little Mac attacks (safe, but slow gain) and takes damage (dangerous, but fast gain)

Aerial Attacks

• Neutral Air: Little Mac punches diagonally downwards very quickly. Very close range, no knock back, 2% damage.
• Forward Air: Little Mac throws a quick uppercut, does 5%, has slight smashing power and can kill at extremely high percentages. Its launching trajectory tends to send opponents slightly downwards, being a useful tool to start combos.
• Back Air: Little Mac throws a quick punch behind him, has around the same smashing power as his forward air, but does 6% damage.
• Down Air: Little Mac throws a punch straight down, does 4%, with slight smashing power. Can cause Meteor Smash at high percentages. Although weak for a Meteor Smash, it is quite fast and doesn't have a sourspot, meaning it will always send opponents downwards. It has the highest knockback scaling of all his aerials.
• Up Air: Little Mac throws a punch similar to that of his up tilt, does 5%, slight smashing power and can KO at extreme percentages.

Grabs and Throws

• Grab: Grab has little to no range, you have to be right next to the target to grab.
• Pummel: Little Mac punches target in the stomach, 2% per hit.
• Down Throw: Little Mac lets go of the target and hammers them downwards with both hands, sending them up and doing 9% damage. Can't easily kill on its own, but can combo with Rising Uppercut for a devastating attack.
• Forward Throw: Little Mac punches the target forward, doing 8% but not sending them far, can combo with Jolt Haymaker for a decent attack.
• Back Throw: Little Mac turns, and punches the target in the gut, sending them backwards slightly, does 9% and can also combo with Jolt Haymaker because he turns the same direction.
• Up Throw: Little Mac throws an uppercut into the target, sending them slightly forward and upwards. Does 7% and is harder to combine with Rising Uppercut unless they get thrown high enough for you to move closer.

Special Moves

Little Mac's Special Moves
	3DS/Wii U	Ultimate
Standard Special	Straight Lunge
Side Special	Jolt Haymaker
Up Special	Rising Uppercut
Down Special	Slip Counter
Final Smash	Giga Mac	Giga Mac Rush

Little Mac's Custom Special Moves
	Custom 1	Custom 2
Standard Special	Flaming Straight Lunge	Stunning Straight Lunge
Side Special	Grounding Blow	Guard Breaker
Up Special	Tornado Uppercut	Rising Smash
Down Special	Compact Counter	Dash Counter

Taunts

• Up: Throws left arm up in the air in triumph. Doc Louis may say "Hit 'em baby!"
• Side: Pulls on the string of his right glove with his mouth to tighten it (easier to see if zoomed in), then bumps both gloves together. Doc Louis may say "Let 'em have it Mac!"
• Down: Throws several punches, as though he is warming up. Doc Louis may say "Show 'em what ya got, Mac baby!"
• At random times, Doc Louis, Mac's Trainer, will speak something while Mac is taunting.

Other features

To be added

In competitive play

To be added

List of Combos

Ground Combos

To be Added

Aerial Combos

Although Little Mac has the worst aerial game, his best aerial is his neutral air. He can use his neutral Air to give quite decent damage by using his neutral Air and then Footstool Jumping, he can finish with Rising Uppercut that will result in a K.O. if the opponent is near to the upper blast line. Another use for his neutral air can be for dragging his oppenent to the ground should they be too high in the air to attack, as it can be used rapidly, locks his oppenent close to him, has nearly no landing lag, and extremely hard to escape, allowing him to continue or finish a combo.

Little Macs up Air can also be used for comboing. Hitting an opponent on the ground while landing with an up Air will send them at a perfect angle to follow up. At high percents you can even combo it into a Rising Uppercut to finish them off.

Trophy descriptions

Little Mac

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.

• Punch-Out!! (10/1987)
• Punch-Out!! (05/2009)

Little Mac (Alt.)

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!

• Punch-Out!! (10/1987)
• 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.

Classic (3DS)

Alt. (3DS)

Classic (Wii U)

Alt. (Wii U)

Giga Mac

Alternate costumes

Gallery

Reveal trailer

Gallery

Trivia

• Little Mac is the first Brawl Assist Trophy to become a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4.
  • Little Mac is the second character to go from item to playable character, the first being Charizard.
• One of Little Mac's alternate colors turns him into the Wireframe Mac from the first Punch-Out!! game.
  • Sakurai has said that the person who drew the pixel art for Wireframe Mac was Shigeru Miyamoto.
• Mac's alternate costume has him wearing his iconic pink hoodie and sweat pants.
  • This makes Little Mac 1 of 10 fighters with alternate costumes. The others being Wario, Wii Fit Trainer, Villager, Olimar, Robin, Cloud, Corrin, Bayonetta and Bowser Jr.
• Little Mac has the most palette swaps in the series (16, beating Wario's record of 12 in Smash Bros. Brawl).
• Doc Louis is shown on his victory screens as well as a championship belt around Little Mac's waist.
• Little Mac's trailer could be a possible reference to the famous "Training Montage" used in fighting movies, starting with Rocky Balboa.

External links

• Little Mac's page on the official website
• All-Star Mode Gameplay