Mario (PM)

Mario is a playable character in the Brawl mod Project M. He is designed to be a mix of the best attributes of both his Melee version and . He is currently considered a mid tier character, being ranked 20th in the latest official tier list and in the middle of the B tier. This is a great improvement over his Brawl placement of 31st out of 38, and a slight improvement from his Melee placement, where Mario ranked 15th out of 26. In Project+, Mario is ranked 16th on the official in the A tier, a further improvement over his Project M placement.
==Attributes==
Mario is average in most respects and very well rounded. He has a straightforward combo game that can transition well from the ground to the air, many options out of his throws, reliable approach options, and a solid ranged games with his fireballs and cape. While Mario is not the master of any one field, he is capable in all of them. Other characters may outclass him in speed or power, but Mario's overall well rounded set of attributes grants him versatility and the ability to take on most opponents. 
Mario is endowed with a practical set of aerial attacks. His neutral aerial and down aerial serve as approaching tools, up and back can combo or gimp respectively, and his forward aerial is a great finisher. He is also capable off stage. His cape, quick aerials, and surprisingly good recovery allow him to head off stage and finish off opponents attempting returns of their own. On stage, Mario can be as much of a threat. His grab allows for chain throws, can lead into his deadly aerial combos, or can put the opponent off stage to set up a gimp. He can zone or approach with his fireballs, and has great finishers in his forward and up smash.
Despite his strengths, Mario still must cope with his lack of range and limited recovery options. However, the latter may vary if one takes into account all of the different ways that Mario can recover with his specials.
==Changes from Melee to PM==
Mario was overall buffed from Melee to Project M, while still possessing balanced stats and average power attacks. Mario himself is now a slight mix between himself and , with increased air speed, and moves like forward aerial and up smash acting like Dr. Mario's. 
===Aesthetics===
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===Ground attacks===
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===Aerial attacks=== 
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===Grabs and throws===
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===Special Moves===
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**, which were later then removed when 3.5 was released, leaving Mario with only his wind vector.
==Changes from Brawl to PM==
===Aesthetics===
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===Ground attacks===
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===Aerial attacks===
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===Special attacks===
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==Changes from PM to P+==
===v2.0===
Ground attacks:
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Aerial attacks:
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Special attacks:
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Grab and throws:
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===v2.1 - v2.4===
No changes.
===v2.4.1===
Ledge roll:
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===v3.0===
Attributes:
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Down Throw:
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Up Special (Super Jump Punch):
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Down B (Tornado):
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===v3.0.1===
No changes
==Revisions==
===v2.1===
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===v2.5b===
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===v2.6b===
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===v3.0===
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===v3.5===
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===v3.6===
*Not featured in the beta version
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==Moveset==
Up to date as of version 3.6.
 	 	Name 	Damage 	Description
Neutral attack 	Neutral attack 	 	2% 	Two weak punches followed by a stronger forward kick. Originates from Mario's standard combo in Super Mario 64.
Neutral attack 	Neutral attack 	 	3% 	Two weak punches followed by a stronger forward kick. Originates from Mario's standard combo in Super Mario 64.
Neutral attack 	Neutral attack 	 	5% 	Two weak punches followed by a stronger forward kick. Originates from Mario's standard combo in Super Mario 64.
Forward tilt 	↗ 	 	10% 	Kicks straight forward in a back-turning roundhouse kick. This move can be angled up or down, dealing more damage angled upwards and less angled downwards.
Forward tilt 	→ 	 	9% 	Kicks straight forward in a back-turning roundhouse kick. This move can be angled up or down, dealing more damage angled upwards and less angled downwards.
Forward tilt 	↘ 	 	8% 	Kicks straight forward in a back-turning roundhouse kick. This move can be angled up or down, dealing more damage angled upwards and less angled downwards.
Up tilt 	Up tilt 	 	8% 	Punches straight upward in a spiraling stationary uppercut. A good juggling move.
Down tilt 	Down tilt 	 	9% (close), 8% (far) 	Sweeps one leg low to the ground. Often a good combo starter and spacing tool.
Dash attack 	Dash attack 	 	9% (clean), 8% (late) 	Slides low on the ground forward with his left leg extended. Sends foes upwards. Originates from the Slide Kick in Super Mario 64.
Forward smash 	↗ 	 	(fire), (left arm), (right arm) 	Rears back with hands cupped together and then extends palm forward with a blast of fire (electricity in Dr. Mario's case) coming from his left hand. This move can be angled; being stronger if angled upwards.
Forward smash 	→ 	 	(fire), (left arm), (right arm) 	Rears back with hands cupped together and then extends palm forward with a blast of fire (electricity in Dr. Mario's case) coming from his left hand. This move can be angled; being stronger if angled upwards.
Forward smash 	↘ 	 	(fire), (left arm), (right arm) 	Rears back with hands cupped together and then extends palm forward with a blast of fire (electricity in Dr. Mario's case) coming from his left hand. This move can be angled; being stronger if angled upwards.
Up smash 	Up smash 	 	, (spike) 	Headbutts upward. This move can hit enemies behind Mario. An excellent finishing move at around 110%. If the attack connects in front of Mario on a grounded opponent, the opponent will be spiked. Interestingly, Mario's head does not gain intangibility frames when performing the headbutt.
Down smash 	Down smash 	 	(front), (back feet), (back legs) 	Mario performs a break-dancing sweep kick that can hit on both sides. A decent knockback tool. Originates from the Sweep Kick in Super Mario 64.
Neutral aerial 	Neutral aerial 	 	12% (clean), 9% (late) 	Mario extends one foot forward. A standard sex kick.
Forward aerial 	Forward aerial 	 	17% (early fist), 16% (early arm), 15% (late)	Mario winds up his arm and punches downwards. This move is a hybrid of both Mario's, and Dr. Mario's respective forward aerials in Melee. Contacting the enemy with Mario's fist during the earlier frames will result in Dr. Mario's version, playing the role of a powerful vertical finisher. The latter works as Mario's forward aerial, a basic meteor smash, which can set up aerial follow-ups if used on grounded enemy. A slow, but versatile tool.
Back aerial 	Back aerial 	 	11% (clean), 9% (late) 	Mario kicks backwards with both feet. One of Mario's main gimping and combo tools. This move uses its Melee animation.
Up aerial 	Up aerial 	 	11% (clean), 10% (late) 	Does a flipkick upwards. A good midair juggling tool.
Down aerial 	Down aerial 	 	3% (hits 1-3), 2% (hit 4-7 & landing) 	Spins around via a drill kick aimed downward, hitting the opponent multiple times.
Grab 	Grab 	 	— 	
Pummel 	Pummel 	 	3% 	Headbutts opponent.
Forward throw 	Forward throw 	 	9% 	Throws the opponent forward in a single turning fling.
Back throw 	Back throw 	 	12% (throw), 8% (collateral) 	Spins around three times and swings the opponent backwards in a giant swing throw. One of his stronger throws and can hit nearby enemies with the grabbed target. This is similar to how Mario throws Bowser during the boss battles in Super Mario 64.
Up throw 	Up throw 	 	8% 	Throws his opponent upward with both hands. Can lead into an aerial combo.
Down throw 	Down throw 	 	6% 	Slams his opponent on the ground. Has a lot of hitstun, which makes it easier to combo opponents out of this throw and follow up with a forward aerial at higher percentages.
Floor attack (front)	Floor attack (front)	 	6% 	Gets up and punches behind him, then in front.
Floor attack (back) 	Floor attack (back) 	 	6% 	Gets up and does a sweep kicks in a similar fashion to his down smash.
Floor attack (trip) 	Floor attack (trip) 	 	5% 	Gets up and kicks backward and forward.
Edge attack (fast) 	Edge attack (fast) 	 	6% (body), 8% (legs) 	Does a somersault and kicks with both feet.
Edge attack (slow) 	Edge attack (slow) 	 	10% 	Slowly gets up and kicks with one leg.
Down taunt 	Down taunt 	 	3% 	Mario pulls out a fireball (pill when using Dr. Mario costume), rolls it down his arm, uses his shoulder to toss it into the air, then catches it. The fireball/pill can damage nearby enemies.
Neutral special 	Neutral special 	Fireball / Megavitamins	7% 	Shoots a fireball (or a pill) from his hand as a projectile. Bounces after hitting a surface, with its speed and duration decreasing per bounce.
Side special 	Side special 	Cape / Super Sheet 	10% (close), 9% (tip) 	Mario flicks his cape forward. The cape can reflect projectiles and turns the opponent the other way, making it a useful edgeguarding technique, especially against characters with linear recovery moves such as Fox Illusion and Quick Draw.
Up special 	Up special 	Super Jump Punch 	5% (hit 1), 1% (hits 2-5), 3% (hit 6) 	Mario does a jumping uppercut diagonally upward, being a multi-hit attack that causes 2D coins sprites to fly out any opponents who come in his path. Considered Mario's main recovery move. Additionally, if this move is used while Mario is directly next to a wall and the control stick is flicked backward at the apex of the jump, the move will be cancelled into a wall jump that does not cause Mario to become helpless, making him free to use the same move again without landing. The trajectory of the move can be aimed by tilting the control stick forward or backward.
Down special 	Down special 	Mario / Dr. Tornado 	2% (hit 1), 1% (hits 2-7), 5% (hit 8) 	Mario performs a multi-hit spinning attack with his fists outstretched that traps opponents before knocking them away. Mario can rise in the air with this move by mashing the special button, though this can only be used once before touching the ground. Originates from the Spin Jump in Super Mario World.
Final Smash 	Final Smash 	Mario Finale 	3% (big fireball), 2% (small fireball) 	Mario fires two giant fireballs that intertwine with each other and engulf the stage, hitting consecutively. Oddly enough, when using Dr. Mario, he still shoots out fireballs instead of pills.
==In competitive play==
===Most historically significant players===
See also: :Category:Mario players (PM)
* - Placed 17th at with a win over Malachi. Primarily plays 
* - The Best Mario player in the world as of 2025. Ranked 37th on the PMRank 2024, Placed 13th at The Bigger Mile High Club, 5th at Get Out of My Venue, and 4th at Game 5 in the D
* - Formerly The best Mario player in the world from 2016 - 2017. Placed 1st at The True King, 2nd at Do or DI, and 3rd at Olympus. Formerly ranked 24th on the PMRank 2017.
* - Honorable mention on PMRank 2022 and formerly ranked 47th on the PMRank 2017.
* - New England Mario player, formerly ranked 1st on the Massachusetts Power Rankings.
* - Formerly The best Mario player in the world from Late 2018 - Early 2023. Placed 1st at , , and . Formerly ranked 5th on the PMRank 2023.
==Alternate costumes==
===Project M===
The Wario alt was cut in Project M due to costume slot limitations at the time, making space for Dr. Mario, appearing as Mario's alternate costume. Players may switch between Mario and Dr. Mario costumes, similarly to Wario's alternate costume sets for his Wario Land and WarioWare appearances. This costume provides many aesthetic changes; Mario's Fireballs and their related sound effects in his neutral special and down taunt changed to that of the Megavitamins, his forward smash sports an electric effect and Dr. Mario's cape color matches the color used. No differences apply in regular gameplay from these aesthetic changes, but the changed elements will affect The Subspace Emissary and Boss Battles enemies. 
							
							
							
===Project+===
In Project+, Mario's Wario-inspired color returns, and the Dr. Mario costume gets a new purple variant. Builder Mario from Super Mario Maker also appears as a third alternate costume, with two extra alternate colors.
Secret costumes:
 
Z-Secret Costume: Cowboy Mario: Based on Mario's appearance in when participating on the board, with the plaid pattern on the shirt being nearly identical to that of the Cowboy Outfit from .
R-Secret Costume: Beach Mario: Based on the sunglasses and -patterned shirt Mario can wear in , which only darkens the screen and does nothing else beyond that. The former can be obtained from the after 30 Shine Sprites have been obtained, and the latter can be obtained by the same yellow character after defeating Bowser, causing both to be equipped at the same time after speaking to him.
==Trivia==
*The "RSBE-01" written on the Megavitamins of the Dr. Mario render is a reference to Brawls NTSC game identification code.
*In Project M, Mario's Wario-coloured costume was removed; likely because of its slight redundancy (due to Wario becoming playable in Brawl and having the same outfit selectable). This gave room for Dr. Mario to have his black color, making him one of only five characters from Brawl to lose a costume (the others being Marth's light blue costume, Ganondorf's brown costume, Snake's blue costume and all of Sonic's costumes sans default). This colour was brought back in Project+.
==External links==
*Labbing Discord Tech Post
Category:Mario
Category:Characters (PM)