Mario

Lore & Background

In the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario is a simple plumber with an outsized heart. He spends his days fixing pipes, rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser's clutches, and collecting coins by the thousands. He's not a warrior by training; he's a handyman who happens to be incredibly strong, incredibly brave, and stubbornly optimistic. His hammer, his fireballs, his ability to stomp on enemies—these are the tools of a man who solves problems with whatever's in his toolbox.

When the Smash Bros. tournament calls, Mario shows up the way he always does: with a grin, a thumbs-up, and zero hesitation. He doesn't monologue or brood. He just jumps in, fires a fireball, and hopes for the best. In the multiverse of fighters gathered on those floating stages, Mario is the anchor—the reminder that this is, at its core, a game about having fun. His Mushroom Kingdom allies—Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Toad—share his world, but Mario is the one who carries the banner.

Fans have built a mythology around Mario-as-default that goes beyond gameplay. He's the character you pick when you don't know what to pick. He's the character your friend picks at a party because he's "easy." And yet, in the hands of skilled players, his grounded game, his reliable recovery, and his clean combo strings make him a legitimate competitive threat. He's the Swiss Army knife of Smash, and that versatility is his true power.

In Their Own Story

The stage is a crumbling brick platform floating in a void of soft purple light. Mario lands with a small puff of dust, adjusts his cap, and gives a quick nod to no one in particular. Across the gap, a rival fighter crouches, charging an attack. Mario doesn't crouch back. He just stands there, hands on his hips, grinning.

The rival lunges. Mario sidesteps—barely—fires a fireball that clips their shoulder and sends them tumbling off the edge. They recover with a desperate dash. Mario watches them come back, tilts his head, and says nothing. He doesn't need to. He just waits, patient as a man waiting for a pipe to stop leaking, until they land. Then he's there, hammer raised, and the whole thing is over before the crowd even finishes cheering.

He jogs to the center of the stage, does a little spin, and gives a thumbs-up. The next match is already starting. He's ready for that, too.

Reader's Guide

Name: Mario | Source Franchise: Super Mario (Nintendo) Unlock Method: Default character—available from the start in every Smash title. No unlock required.

Neutral Attack: A three-hit combo of a straight punch, a forward kick, and an overhead swing. Clean, fast, and great for spacing. Side Special – Fireball: A medium-speed projectile that travels in a straight line. Reliable for zoning and edge-guarding. Can be angled slightly up or down. Up Special – Jump: A double-jump that gives Mario one of the most reliable recovery options in the roster. The second jump is a short hop, making it hard to intercept but limiting in range. Down Special – Ground Pound: Mario drops to the ground and slams down, creating a shockwave. Useful for edge-guarding and punishing airborne opponents. Forward Smash: A sweeping hammer swing with good range and knockback. Up Smash: A quick upward kick, strong for anti-air at close range. Back Smash: A backward leg sweep with solid horizontal reach. Neutral Aerial: A spinning kick that hits in all directions around Mario. Forward Aerial: A forward kick, fast and effective for approaching. Back Aerial: A backward kick, useful for spacing in the air. Grab & Throws: Standard grab with forward, back, up, and down throws. The down throw is a quick slam. Final Smash – Super Star: Mario rides a glowing star in a horizontal dash, striking everything in his path.

Alternate Costumes: Classic red, a green Luigi-inspired variant, and additional color swaps (blue, yellow, white) available in later titles.

Unique Mechanics: The double-jump recovery is his signature quirk—reliable but short-range, rewarding precise timing. His Fireball is a staple of Smash's projectile meta. His overall kit is built around grounded play, making him a master of spacing and punish.

Did You Know?

• Mario has been the default, always-available character in every single mainline Super Smash Bros. title since the 1999 N64 original—no unlock, no roster selection, just there from the start.
• His Up Special, Jump, grants a double-jump rather than a traditional recovery move like a Falcon Punch or Roll, making his recovery one of the most predictable yet effective in the game.
• Mario's Fireball has been his Side Special in every Smash title to date, making it one of the most consistent moveset elements in the entire franchise.
• As the default fighter, Mario is the character most often picked by new players at parties, which has made him a cultural shorthand for 'just picking the first guy' in gaming communities.