Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Mario

As Nintendo's biggest mascot, it's no surprise that Mario returns for the fourth generation of the company's crossover series. Like in every multiplayer game he has been in, Mario is all about ease of use and balance. His weight, speed and power sets the standard for every other characters, and his moveset is simple enough for newcomers, while varied enough to make him remain interesting to veteran players. While Mario doesn't have relentless offensive power like Little Mac or defensive keepaway abilities like Robin, he can function well with these playstyles and many more. Mario's main flaw is simply his lack of specialization, which makes it increasingly difficult to stay relevant as newer additions to the roster causes a noticeable power creep. Nevertheless, Mario is a reliable, solid character who can be a strong contender against any opponent he faces.

Moveset Analysis

Standard Attacks

Control			Attack	Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
(+)	(+)	(+)	Basic Combo	Mario punches with each hand, then kicks. This moves is fast and good for getting foes off you if they're too close for comfort.
(+)	(+)	(+)
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+	Forward Roundhouse	Mario does a roundhouse kick forward, which can be angled up or down if you tilt the movement input slightly in the respective direction. It has good range and knocks opponents moderately far, which can help set up an edgeguard. It is also an adequate move to pivot cancel into, since Forward Smash is best saved for KOs.
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+
+	+	+	Uppercut	Mario does a spinning uppercut. The move can chain into itself at low percents and launches opponents just high enough to combo into your aerials. It is one of Mario's main combo starters.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Crouch Kick	Mario does a crouching roundhouse kick that has moderate endlag. Fairly useless compared to Mario's other grounded attacks, since it is too slow to follow up and doesn't have KO power. Mario's aforementioned Up Tilt has similar knockback back is faster, while most of Mario's grounded attacks have better range.
+	+	+
while dashing	while dashing	while dashing	Slide Kick	Mario kicks while sliding. The move has a fairly long duration and moves Mario forward, being stronger at the beginning of the slide than at the end. It can be used to punish missed attacks when you're just out of range, but the duration and knockback of the slide makes it difficult to get any follow-ups.
while dashing	while dashing	while dashing

Smash Attacks

Control			Attack	Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
Smash ( or )+	Smash ( or )+	( or )++	Burning Palm	Mario reels back and sends out his palm, creating a strong fireball that surrounds his hand. A pretty straightforward smash attack which KOs at normal percentages. The initial animation can let Mario narrowly evade attacks by reeling back, and the fireball lets him hit enemies just out of range. However, it is fairly slow, so it is best used to punish whiffed attacks and careless recoveries rather than as a move one randomly throws out hoping for a KO.
Smash ( or )+	Smash ( or )+	Smash ( or )+
Smash +	Smash +	++	Headbutt	Mario swipes his head in an arc above him, knocking enemies skyward. Mario's head is invincible during the attack, making it a strong anti-air. The move can be used to end early Up Tilt chains to rack up more damage. It is also a decent upward KO move.
Smash +	Smash +	Smash +
Smash +	Smash +	++	Spin Kick	Mario does a breakdance, hitting foes in front of and behind him. Of Mario's three smashes, this is his fastest smash attack. It does have less knockback than his other smashes, but the speed more than makes up for it. The multi-directional nature of the attack also makes it good for hitting foes out of their roll dodges. Usually you should use this attack simply to get opponents offstage as it sends foes away horizontally, setting up an edgeguard scenario on your favor.
Smash +	Smash +	Smash +

Air Attacks

Control			Attack	Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
			Drop Kick	Mario kicks, hitting any nearby enemies. This move hits the hardest at the very beginning, with both damage and knockback gradually decaying with time. This is one of Mario's best aerials, as it covers a pretty wide range and is very fast, with nearly unnoticeable startup and endlag. It is good for intercepting midair opponents if you're uncertain that other air attacks will hit, as well as for air-to-ground assaults. You can also use it defensively, using the immediate knockback of the move to get out of an enemy's combos or a crowd of foes.
+	+	+	Meteor Punch	Mario swipes his fist downward. It is a moderately strong meteor smash for the first half of the attack, which hits enemies straight down, strong enough to KO most characters without excellent recoveries past 70%. After the starting sweetspot, the move deals weaker horizontal knockback instead, which is easier to recover from. It is a slightly risky edgeguard, but landing the meteor smash part of the move offstage will all but guarantee a KO.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Back Kick	Mario kicks backwards with both legs. Another one of Mario's excellent aerials, this attack is both quick and has good reach, making it an awesome spacing tool to keep opponents at bay. At low to mid percentages against certain characters, it can combo into itself. It is also one of Mario's most reliable edgeguarding moves, and can even serve as a KO move if left unstaled.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Flip Kick	Mario kicks in an arc upward. This is an attack you will use very frequently in combos. It has weak knockback, great speed and good horizontal range, making it naturally strong at juggling opponents. Use this liberally to rack up guaranteed damage on your opponents.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Mario Tornado	Mario spins rapidly, dealing multiple hits before when final strike that knocks enemies skyward. It's not particularly powerful, but it can do quite a bit of damage if all hits connect. You can use it as a finisher to Up Air strings, keeping your foes above you for possible follow-ups. It is also particularly good in free-for-alls, as it has a large enough hitbox to draw in multiple opponents at once. The move actually has special hitboxes when it hits the ground, which can catch nearby opponents dropping their shield or trying to punish your landing animation.
+	+	+

Throws

Control			Attack	Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
after grab	after grab	after grab	Nosebutt	Mario hits the grabbed foe with his nose. Decently damaging, although not particularly fast.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Spin Throw	Mario turns around once and throws the grabbed opponent forwards. It is a quick and straightforward throw simply meant to keep foes out or get them offstage.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Spin Chuck	Mario turns around multiple times and throws the grabbed foe backwards. This is Mario's strongest throw in terms of both damage and knockback, but also the slowest, so you're likely to get hit before you can finish executing the move. It's another move to get opponents offstage, since the knockback of the move is not enough to KO until very high percentages.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Upwards Hurl	Mario tosses the grabbed foe upwards. This move has awkward knockback, in that it does too much knockback to be used in combos reliably, and too little to be a good KO move. There's not much reason to use it over Down Throw other than on fastfallers at low percentages.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Throwdown	Mario throws the grabbed foe into the ground, bouncing them back up. Arguably Mario's best throw, since it keeps the thrown opponent close enough to easily follow-up at low percentages. You can easily get an Up Tilt juggle going, or simply use a quick smash attack to knock them away for raw damage.
after grab	after grab	after grab

Special Attacks

Control			Attack	Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
			Fireball	Mario throws out a fireball that causes 4% damage. The fireball behaves like in its home series, bouncing along the ground. This simple projectile is what you should be throwing out whenever you're not close to an enemy. The bouncing trajectory of the fireball makes it impossible to duck under, and often forces opponents to jump, shield or dodge to avoid, actions which you can capitalize on. It is also good for simply dealing damage. Be sure to mix up your fireball trajectories by throwing them either standing or from different jump heights.
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+	Cape	Mario swings his cape, briefly reflecting projectiles and thrown items as well as reversing the direction of any nearby opponent. Due o the interval between each cape use, this moves is better used to counter single, powerful projectiles like Samus's Charge Shot rather than continued projectile spam. Using it on opponents will often cause their attacks to miss and briefly disorient them, which can create an opening for your own attacks. However, it is best used to disrupt a recovering foe, and can often spell doom for them if they rely on a recovery with a set trajectory. The Cape can also help your own recovery, but it no longer gives you any distance as in past games, merely stalling your momentum in the air.
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+
+	+	+	Super Jump Punch	Mario jumps diagonally into the air, hitting enemies in his path. This attack is Mario's designated recovery move, and is certainly adequate enough for this purpose. While its range is average, it suffers from a predictable recovery path, which lets foes intercept you easily. As it leaves you in helpless freefall when the move ends, it is not very good for purposefully attacking enemies, since you are very vulnerable if you miss or if there are other opponents nearby. If the stage has platforms within reach, you can reduce the time you're helpless for by using Super Jump Punch on to the platform. This attack becomes a decent move to knock away foes pressuring your shield in such situations.
+	+	+
+	+	+	F.L.U.D.D.	Mario charges up the F.L.U.D.D., which he can then activate to propel a stream of water. The water pushes opponents away, but doesn't actually damage them or cause them to flinch. This is arguably the most situational move in Mario's arsenal, an odd addition in an otherwise beginner-friendly moveset. The main advantage of the F.L.U.D.D. over Mario's other edgeguard options is the ability to push opponents further from the stage without knocking them out of a helpless state, which can range from comedically effective to absolutely useless depending on the character you're battling. It can also mess up a foe's movement even when they're not helpless, potentially putting them in a disadvantageous position, but once again, these situations are unpredictable and seldom occur. Regardless, if you're serious about using the F.L.U.D.D., be sure to charge it whenever it is safe to do so, using to store a partial charge, since the move requires a full charge to have a significant effect.
+	+	+

Taunts

Control			Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
		+	He grows bigger, as if he'd gotten a Super Mushroom.
( or )	+		He spins around and takes off his hat.
( or )	( or )	( or )
		+	He flips over in midair and falls down.

Final Smash - Mario Finale

Mario unleashes two massive fireballs, which spin around as they expand vertically, forming a fiery cone. The fireballs do continuous damage to any fighters caught by it, while dragging them forward. It is important to note that the Final Smash KOs by carrying fighters off the screen by constant, minor knockback instead of one heavy-hitting blast. This means that while using the move on the edge of a stage facing the center will let you cover the most range, using it nearer to the blastline you're facing gives you a higher chance of KOing low percentage opponents.