Treasure hunter and microgame master Wario is back in action! Wario's playstyle certainly defies his appearance. While he looks like a clumsy heavyweight, Wario is actually a surprisingly agile air-based fighter. With extremely quick air attacks and great aerial mobility, Wario can weave around above his opponents like an obese ballerina, and he has a variety of recovery options to boot. Wario not just hovers like a butterfly, he stings like a bee as well, with powerful KO moves and an array of tricky special moves that will keep enemies on their toes. However, having stubby limbs gives Wario some significant range issues, and he often has trouble approaching characters with greater reach. While there are definitely no lack of aerial fighters in the game, Wario's properties and moveset make him one of the more interesting characters of the category.
Basic attributes
As one might expect, Wario is a heavyweight, although he leans closer to characters like Samus and Link than to Donkey Kong and Charizard. His ground speed is pretty average, nothing to write home about. However, his aerial stats are where he shines. Wario has excellent lateral air speed, falling just behind Jigglypuff, and has moderate fall speed instead of being exceedingly floaty. Lastly, Wario is one of the few characters in the game with a crawl, although it's functionally useless as the height reduction is negligible.
Moveset Analysis
Standard Attacks
| Control |
Attack |
Info
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| Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller |
Wii Remote + Nunchuk |
Wii Remote (sideways)
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| Wii Classic Controller |
GameCube Controller |
Nintendo 3DS
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 (+)
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 (+)
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 (+)
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Twin Punches
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Wario punches down, then performs an uppercut. Wario's Standard Attack is slower than average, but he deals more damage with each hit of his standard combo. Granted, it is still one of Wario's faster attacks on the ground, so it's a relatively safe panic move if your opponents are up close, although you're usually better off using his quick air attacks immediately from a jump.
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 (+)
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 (+)
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 (+)
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( or  )+
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( or  )+
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( or  )+
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Wind-Up Strike
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Wario twirls his fist and punches forward. This move can be angled up or down with the control stick. This attack certainly feels awkward, since there is some startup delay with a very obvious animation to indicate it. While its slowness is an issue, it's not too bad of a ground option. It has good reach, so it can be used as a spacing tool, and can even serve as a surprise KO move with Rage in effect as a faster alternative to Side Smash.
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( or  )+
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( or  )+
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( or  )+
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 +
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 +
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 +
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Raise the Roof
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Wario holds both hands above him. Like his Strong Side Attack, this move is also a bit slow to come out. However, it is an excellent anti-air if you can time it well, since Wario's hands are invincible during the attack. With this feature, you can easily stuff most aerial offense coming from above and launch your foe straight upward for a potential juggle. It's a bit cumbersome, but it's one of your more reliable ground attacks if you can utilize it right.
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 +
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 +
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 +
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 +
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 +
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 +
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Finger Poke
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Wario pokes at the ground with his finger. This is Wario's fastest ground attack, and easily his weakest. It does next to no knockback and stun at low percents, and you'll usually get punished if you attempt a follow-up. However, its fast speed makes it good for interrupting attacks and disrupting approaches, as well as for poking through shields.
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 +
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 +
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 +
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| while dashing
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while dashing
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while dashing
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Base Slide
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Wario falls face-first to the ground and slides forward. This dash attack does average knockback and its slide distance make it an adequate punish. However, it has a bit of endlag which makes it very punishable if your foe shields it. Its duration is deceptively long, and a late hit will trip your opponents. This late sourspot is what you should be aiming for, as you can get guaranteed follow-ups off of a trip.
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| while dashing
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while dashing
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while dashing
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| while hanging
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while hanging
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while hanging
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Wario climbs up and punches.
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| while hanging
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while hanging
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while hanging
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Smash Attacks
| Control |
Attack |
Info
|
| Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller |
Wii Remote + Nunchuk |
Wii Remote (sideways)
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| Wii Classic Controller |
GameCube Controller |
Nintendo 3DS
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| Smash ( or )+
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Smash ( or )+
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( or )+ +
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Power Hand
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Wario winds back and delivers a powerful punch. This is an obvious KO move, one of the stronger smash attacks in the game, but it is hard to land due to its sluggish animation. It has a telegraphed startup, and you will likely be punished if you whiff or hit a shielding opponent. You must either use it as a hard punish or utilize its range to the fullest, such as on missed ledge grab recoveries.
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| Smash ( or )+
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Smash ( or )+
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Smash ( or )+
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| Smash +
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Smash +
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++
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Huge Head
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Wario performs a heavy-hitting headbutt. Although this move is slightly faster than Side Smash, it is still pretty slow. While its animation is reminiscent of the Mario Bros.' Up Smash, it doesn't have the horizontal reach, so its range is also more limited. However, it is still an adequate KO move and anti-air. Wario's head is invincible during the attack, so you can use it to stuff and overpower aerial approaches.
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| Smash +
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Smash +
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Smash +
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| Smash +
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Smash +
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++
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Full-Body Breakdance
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Wario spins several times on the floor. Without a doubt, Wario's weakest smash attack. This move is pretty fast, about as fast as his Standard Attack, and it has a very horizontal angle that sets up edgeguards. Unfortunately, the move is held back by its long duration. While certainly not as bad as it was in Brawl, Wario still spins a bit longer than necessary, and is designed to only hit an opponent once. This makes it harder to pursue your foe after a successful hit and makes it easily punished if your foe shields it.
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| Smash +
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Smash +
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Smash +
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Air Attacks
| Control |
Attack |
Info
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| Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller |
Wii Remote + Nunchuk |
Wii Remote (sideways)
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| Wii Classic Controller |
GameCube Controller |
Nintendo 3DS
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Freefall Spin
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Wario spins around with limbs extended.
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| +
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+
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+
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Light Kick
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Wario performs a very quick forward kick.
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| +
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+
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+
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| +
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+
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+
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Back Headbutt
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Wario leans backward, hitting foes with his head.
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| +
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+
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+
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| +
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+
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+
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Launcher Clap
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Wario claps above him, sending enemies upward.
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| +
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+
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+
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| +
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+
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+
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Head Drill
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Wario turns upside-down and drills with his entire body.
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| +
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+
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+
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Throws
| Control |
Attack |
Info
|
| Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller |
Wii Remote + Nunchuk |
Wii Remote (sideways)
|
| Wii Classic Controller |
GameCube Controller |
Nintendo 3DS
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| after grab
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after grab
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after grab
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Money Jab
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Wario jabs the grabbed opponent. Poor damage and somewhat slow, so it's a below average grab attack. It's still usable if you get a grab at mid-high percents.
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| after grab
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after grab
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after grab
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| after grab
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after grab
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after grab
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Bum Bump
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Wario bounces the grabbed opponent forward with his butt. This basic sideways throw is the most damaging throw Wario has. It is nothing amazing, and has the same function as many other throws in the game. Use it to deal raw damage as well as to get an opponent offstage.
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| after grab
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after grab
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after grab
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| after grab
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after grab
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after grab
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Spin Toss
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Wario spins around and flings the grabbed opponent backward. Other players can be hit by the target while Wario is spinning them. Like Forward Throw, this move is usually used to get foes offstage, although it's not as strong as Forward Throw. When playing against more than 2 players, you can use it to clear some space by knocking foes away with your thrown opponent.
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| after grab
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after grab
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after grab
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| after grab
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after grab
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after grab
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Double Upper
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Wario punches the grabbed opponent upward with both hands. This is the closest thing Wario has to a combo throw. It launches foes directly upward, letting you follow-up with Up Air chains at very low percents. It does almost as much damage as Forward Throw, so it is a good throw to rack up damage as well. Since it sends foes straight above you, it can still set up juggles beyond the damage threshold for true combos, as long as you can predict or bait the airdodge.
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| after grab
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after grab
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after grab
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| after grab
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after grab
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after grab
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Butt Crash
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Wario pins the grabbed opponent on the ground and sits on them. This odd throw forces your target behind you, although it lasts a bit too long for combos. It deals decent damage and keeps your opponent close, although it's hard to get any meaningful follow-ups after it.
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| after grab
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after grab
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after grab
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Special Attacks
| Control |
Attack |
Info
|
| Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller |
Wii Remote + Nunchuk |
Wii Remote (sideways)
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| Wii Classic Controller |
GameCube Controller |
Nintendo 3DS
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|
|
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Chomp
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Wario opens his mouth wide. If there is an opponent nearby, he will grab them in his mouth and bite a few times before letting go. Wario can also eat most items as well as projectiles, some of which heals him a small amount, though explosives are harmful to swallow.
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| Inhaling Chomp
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Wario creates a vacuum in front of his mouth that suck foes toward his jaws, but the resulting bite is slightly weaker and the move is slower overall.
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| Garlic Breath
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After a brief delay, Wario emits noxious gases from his mouth, which dizzies nearby foes and trips distant ones.
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| ( or )+
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( or )+
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( or )+
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Wario Bike
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Wario rides on his bike. Holding the control stick in the opposite direction lets him reverse, and hitting the jump button or the special button makes Wario jump off. He also has a special taunt animation while riding the bike. Once Wario leaves the bike on the stage, it can be thrown around like a heavy item. Wario cannot summon another bike as long as a previous one is still on stage, but he can ride a dropped bike by using the move near it.
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| ( or )+
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( or )+
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( or )+
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| Speeding Bike
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Wario's bike has higher velocity, but he cannot reverse direction and the bike is easier to destroy.
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| Burying Bike
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Wario's bike travels very slowly and his bike jump is lower, but the bike will bury foes it runs over.
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| +
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+
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+
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Corkscrew
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Wario spins around into the air, hitting opponents on his way up. You can move slightly horizontal by holding the control stick in a sideways direction.
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| +
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+
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+
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| Widescrew
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Wario's spin attack has less range and is weaker, but he can choose to spin at a flatter angle, almost 90 degrees.
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| Corckscrew Leap
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Wario spins and leaps up higher than Corkscrew, but he can't attack foes with it.
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| +
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+
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+
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Wario Waft
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Wario passively accumulates gases within himself, which can be increased by using Chomp on items and projectiles. Using the move releases the gases, resulting in a waft of varying power depending on how much it is charged. At minimal charge it is worthless, but after 2 minutes of charging, it has extreme KO power and sends Wario flying upward.
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| +
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+
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+
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| Rose-Scented Waft
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Wario's odd waft causes flowers to grow on any affected opponents, resulting in damage over time. It charges faster and has a bigger radius than the default, but significantly reduced KO power.
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| Quick Waft
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Wario builds up gases very quickly, but his wafts are not as strong.
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Taunts
| Control |
Info
|
| Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller |
Wii Remote + Nunchuk |
Wii Remote (sideways)
|
| Wii Classic Controller |
GameCube Controller |
Nintendo 3DS
|
|
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+
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Wario laughs a bit and forces his jaws shut.
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( or  )
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+
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Wario shakes his butt at the screen.
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( or  )
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( or  )
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( or  )
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+
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Wario makes three W signs while saying "Wa wa wa!"
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Final Smash - Wario-Man
Wario chomps down on some garlic and temporarily becomes Wario-Man! In his superhero persona, Wario is a much stronger fighter, gaining invulnerability and enhanced moves. All of his attacks are generally faster and stronger, and Wario can spam them in quick succession. Most of his air attacks let him gain height when used, letting him stay in the air indefinitely, while Down Air causes him to dive downward. His Corkscrew has a lot more height and his Bike is dangerously fast. Finally, an uncharged Wario Waft can now dizzy enemies and a fully-charged waft is a guaranteed KO. Wario-Man is one of the best transformation Final Smashes in the game, as you have excellent mobility and total invincibility. Go on a full offensive while you are transformed, since your opponents will not be able to retaliate due to your invulnerability. Pound on them with lightning-fast moves and finish them off with powered-up smashes. Wario-Man has many odd momentum shifts on his moves that make him weird to control, but it makes him even deadlier once you can utilize them properly in aerial chains.
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