Web Hosting by Netfirms | Free Domain Names by Netfirms

MARIO Every video game needs a hero, but none are as well known, nor can claim to be as well beloved as that endearing, pasta loving plumber Mario. Ever since his emergence from the sketch pad of Shigeru Miyamoto all those years ago, Mario has been the driving force behind almost all of Nintendo's most successful franchises. Stomping on turtles and beating up goombas everywhere from dirty truck stop arcade coin-ops to bad Fred Savage movies, Mario has become a true icon of American culture. Not far from his roots, Mario returns in true form, still beating the heads of defenseless Yoshis and tossing Koopa Kings in and out of the arenas of Super Smash Bros. Melee for the Nintendo GameCube. From a design standpoint, Super Smash Bros. is by and large the house that Mario built. Arguably the most balanced character in the game, that "more familiar than Mickey Mouse" plumber is certainly easy enough for a beginner to pick up and control right from the get go. However, as is the case with most of the Melee fighters, the more advanced a Mario player becomes, the more hidden facets of the Italian's fighting style are revealed; and therein lies Mario's true beauty. A real, honest to goodness Mario expert, having taken the time to master the art of "flying without really flying," can move in seemingly effortless leaps from platform to platform, clearing the screen with well timed hits and kicks that may or may not jar a few golden coins from opponents caught off guard. Playing as Mario in Melee, just as in his signature platformers we've all come to know and love, is all about practice. Beginners may be drawn to him for his namesake, and rightfully so, but his true staying power in the arsenal of any hardened Smash Bros. veteran is in his lack of any real weakness. Classified as a Close Range fighter, Mario is powerful in close quarters, striking with a decent amount of powerful punches and kicks, along with an all new Meteor Smash technique. Though not a Lightweight by any stretch of the imagination, Mario is fortunate to not be plagued by the slow speed on the ground that would qualify him as one of the Heavy Hitters. On the contrary, Mario is a relatively quick fighter that, while not rivaling the raw speed of the your Foxes and Pikachus, can still compete with some of the fastest players in the game. CLASSIFICATION: Close Range Regular Attacks Pausing only for a moment to charge the attack, Mario flings his fist toward his opponent in a small ball of fire that engulfs the unlucky character. While not the most damaging smash move in the game when taken solely at face value, Mario's Smash Attack has a secret. The amount of damage dealt is directly proportionate to the distance away Mario is from his opponent when beginning the Smash; optimal distance is about two steps away from hostile characters. Once again, practice is the key. Pausing for another brief second, Mario twirls both of his legs in a roundhouse sweep that hits opponents low on either side of him. Knocking opponents horizontally, the sweep comes in handy when on more cramped arenas, as it provides quite an easy way of delivering other characters right off the edge, setting them up perfectly for a Forward Smash to the edge of the screen. As well, if backed into a corner, the sweep's relatively long range is useful in breaking down the quick, repetitive attacks of Speedsters. Mario performs a savage head butt, sending nearby characters in a vertical arc that is quite useful as a combo finish when his opponent has a relatively high percentage. Also, this move can be especially useful when dealing with an opponent from above, as it can be used to send some over eager combatants sky high with relative ease. Special Attacks Fireball: Mario's only projectile. While not particularly powerful, the fireball can be severely damaging not so much to an opponent's hit percentage, as to his ego. Following the tradition started by the first Super Mario Bros., Mario's tried and true fireball flies forward and down, bouncing off the ground several times before it fizzles out. At any time during this flight, if the fireball comes into contact with an opponent, it causes the assailed character to recoil, engulfed in a ball of fire which stuns them for a brief second. Therein lies the key to the fireball's strength. When used as a preemptive strike from across the stage, the fireball can set off an opponent's timing, stunning them for a moment, and even causing them to mistakenly commit suicide (if they are sufficiently knocked off balance). Another quite handy, if cheap, usage of the fireball is to nullify a flailing character's "third jump" from enabling them to make it back from being sent off the stage. If timed properly, the fireball can be an extremely maddening sting that causes an already nearly finished foe from having any chance of returning from a Smash Attack. As well, the fireball can be quite useful in "stealing kills" from other characters in a four-player match by simply "reaching out and touching" a falling opponent on his way down. Super Cape: A new addition to Mario's arsenal for Melee is the golden cape he used to fly in Super Mario World. In Smash Bros. Melee, the cape is used as a counter move. Perfect for reflecting projectiles, swords, and even thrown items back at their point of origin, the cape also enables Mario to twirl nearby opponents to face the opposite direction, causing severe confusion in its wake. Also, in the case of desperately trying to make it back to a stage's edge, the cape can be invaluable as a kind of "two and a half jump" that enables Mario an extra boost of horizontal movement just before he employs his Super Jump Punch to try to cover the rest of the distance. Super Jump Punch: Probably one of Mario's most annoying moves from the original Smash Bros., the Super Jump Punch has made the transition to Melee completely intact. When properly pulled off, this move launches Mario in a forward jumping punch that can trap one or more opponents for roughly a second, knocking coins from them as they are suspended in the air. More annoyance than anything else, this move can easily get you into a fist fight with one of your buddies after several repetitions. As it's not exactly the most damaging maneuver in Mario's arsenal, and as it causes him to pause for a moment to return to the ground (leaving him wide open for projectile counter attacks, or opportunistic ground assailants), the Super Jump Punch should be reserved for only the occasions when Mario needs to clear out opponents from above him, leaving him safe to make a landing. Also, the Super Jump Punch is an extremely useful third jump, launching Mario in a upward diagonal path back toward the stage in the case of an accidental fall. Mario Tornado: A close range maneuver for a close range fighter. The Tornado, when timed correctly, can be a devastating end to an all out four player brawl. The move causes Mario to spin in a circle with his fists flying, sending all nearby opponents flying vertically, setting them up perfectly for an Upward Smash. Beware, however, as this move can be countered by an opponent's well placed kick. Use this move conservatively. Strategies for Mario Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Mario is a Close Range attacker, plain and simple. In the vast majority of the battles he will face, that will be his advantage. However, though Mario has his fists, they don't do him a whole heck of a lot of good against a swordsman's cold steel. The good news: with the exception of Marth and perhaps Young Link, none of the swordsmen can compete with Mario's in air speed and agility. Mario's plethora of in air kicks, along with a few quick, repetitive foot sweeps can easily win the day against one of the Links. The trick is to stay out of the reach of his sword, as its cold touch is extremely deadly, especially in close. Hit and run is the order of the day. As well, mid air Fireballs and Super Jump Punches may be just what are needed to throw off the rock solid combos of the Fire Emblem brothers. Stay clear of Marth and Roy's upward swings by always attacking from behind or below them. The secret is to stay mobile. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon Contrary to what may work against a Swordsman, when facing a Speedster, Mario should stay grounded, especially when going in against the Pikas' screen splitting Thunder. What is important in these kinds of battles is to not allow Mario to lose his focus. Keep both Mario's feet on the ground and rely on Fireballs to stop Captain Falcon and the Star Fox teams's attacks dead in their tracks, making only small hops over your opponents' heads when called for. When the opportunity presents itself (like right after a misplaced Falcon Punch) take advantage of Mario's superior Close Range power to really lay into a Speedster. Upward Smashes are especially useful when juggling these lighter characters, and try small jumping kicks to keep them off guard, always remembering to ground yourself before getting too close. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers As with every time one is matched strength for strength, this can be a little awkward. Basically, all the techniques and tricks you've worked up so far kind of go out the window when facing the more well rounded characters like Dr. Mario and Luigi. But while the temptation is to move in close and see just who is the better brawler, the truth is learning to hone your projectiles is the real key to this victory. It kind of goes without saying, but use the items around you to your fullest advantage, especially against a Mario/Dr. Mario. Avoid direct confrontation whenever possible, and try to wear them down with quick kicks and punches. Certainly a healthy amount of Smashes are in order, but don't get cocky. Time Mario's punches and Tornadoes as well as you can, and try to take advantage of their soft underbelly. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Fireballs are your friend, especially when dealing with a couple hundred PK fires coming your way. But the way to really beat past these relatively weak close combatants is to take the battle to them. Move in close with constant Forward Smashes and dashing foot sweeps to keep them off balance, and remember to limit your aerial time as Samus and Ness can knock Mario silly if you let him fly too closely. The trick here is to really lay into them hard and fast, without allowing your Samuses and Mewtwos to pull back and charge their cannons. Close the distance quickly and get the job done before they know what hit them. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Most of the time Lightweights are no problem. Just remember to aim Mario's Smashes and kick straight and true. Your best bet is to treat these characters just like you would a Speedster. Don't waste your time leaping to meet them in the air, but let these puffballs and frilly girls come to you. For a nice change of pace, try charging your Smash attacks for a great "homerun" visual. However, be wary of Kirby's Stone, Jiggly's Rest, Peach's Peach Bomber, and Zelda's lighting quick "Nayru's Love" attack. They come without warning and are surprisingly strong. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Heard the phrase about the quick and the dead? Never as true as it is here. Mario may be strong in the close range, but he's met his match in these characters' massive girth. All is not lost, however, as these guys simply don't have anything on him as far as the air is concerned. Use Mario's inherent agility and speed to win against these slowpokes, striking with leaping kicks and as many fireballs as you can stomach. Try to stay at least a character's width away from Bowser and Donkey, as you'll need that extra space to make your jumps worthwhile. Try to keep from being slapped out of the air by Donkey Kong by moving in with low foot sweeps and a few well-placed throws. One word of advice: make it a point to avoid using the Super Jump Punch, as it only takes one mistake to end up on the bad end of a Warlock Punch.