Modium's
                Mario Character Guide (Version 1.9)
                     Super Smash Bros. Melee
                        Nintendo Gamecube

=======================================================================
                          [email protected]
                http://www.geocities.com/modium/
                    http://www.gamefaqs.com
                ^Latest version can be found here^
   This file is copyright (c)2001 Modium. All rights reserved.
=======================================================================


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-=-= What's New =-=-
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Version 1.9 (4/22/02)-
Sorry to anyone who has e-mailed me in the last month or two, I've been having
(and still are having) computer troubles.
Big news though..I got an e-mail from GameSpot(http://www.gamespot.com) asking
to
use this guide. Of course I'm letting them. In fact, the update is just to add
the GameSpot info today. Thanks to GameSpot for this awesome opportunity.

Version 1.8 (2/15/02)-
Finally getting around to adding a couple sections I've been meaning to add to
this guide, like Home Run Contest Strategies, and Items.
Also, note my new (but temporary site) used to host my guides, pictures, and
rants. Neato.

Version 1.7 (2/01/02)-
Completely changed the moves list. Also, changed everything to Modium instead
of
EndoNintendo. The website is unfortunately dead now :(
On a related note, I'm available if any good sites need someone to write stuff.
:)

Version 1.6 (1/20/02)-
Been pretty hectic around here this year. Got my computer to work long
enough to update with some additional strategies from Guide contributers.

Version 1.5 (12/20/01)-
Stopped playing long enough to add Classic Mode walkthrough and Break The
Targets walkthrough. Submitted to GameFAQs again tonight, and updated
site.
Changed name to Mario Character Guide. Sounds better than Mario FAQ.

Version 1.3 (12/18/01)-
I apologize for the rushed release of the FAQ, I didn't even take time to
add an update for 1.2, the release version.
Added the Adventure Mode section, at Concept([email protected])'s
suggestion. Added the Recovery Kick and the Mid-air moves to the strategy
section.

Version 1.1 (12/12/01)-
Worked more on FAQ, and fixed the formatting to make it into a .txt file.
Hoping to have it finished by tonight.

Version 1.0 (12/10/01)-
Started FAQ.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-=-=-=- Intro -=-=-=
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Mario is Nintendo's main mascot, and in Super Smash Bros. Melee, he's a very
strong fighter as well. Mario is a great recommendation as a starting
character,
due to his ease to master. However, most people don't notice some of the little
touches you can use to make Mario a formidable foe against the other, more
"advanced" characters in SSBM.

This is not meant to be any kind of all-encompassing guide to everything in
the world, just a guide for effectively using Mario and exploiting his
strengths.
If I missed anything important, feel free to let me know: [email protected], if
you're willing to be polite. Also, feel free to submit your own strategies and
tips for using Mario.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-=-=- Move List -=-=
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
NOTE: The move list for Mario taken from Devin
Morgan's([email protected])
Super Smash Bros Melee FAQ. Full document can be located here:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/gamecube/file/super_smash_bros_melee_b.txt

====Normal Moves========Move Name============Damage======Notes====
A                       Punch                2-3
A, A, A                 Punch-Punch-Kick     9-10
Up, A                   Uppercut             5-7
Down, A                 Sweep Kick           4-5
Forward, A              Straight Kick        6-7
Dash + A                Slide Kick           5-7

====Smash Moves========Move Name============Damage======Notes====
Up + A                 Downward Punch       8-10
    Fully Charged                          13-14
Down + A               Spinning Sweep Kick  10-11
    Fully Charged                          12-14
Forward + A            Fire Punch           11-12
    Fully Charged                          14-17

====Aerial Moves========Move Name============Damage======Notes====
A                       Jump Kick            7-10
Up + A                  Backwards Spin Kick  10-11
Down + A                Diagonal Spin Kick   5           Hits around 5 times.
Back + A                Hind Kick            9-11
Forward + A             Downwards Punch      13-15       Takes time to charge.

====Special Moves========Move Name============Damage======Notes====
B                        Fireball             4-6         Projectile Attack.
Up + B                   Jumping Uppercut     11-14       Hits up to 9 times.
Down + B                 Tornado Punch        9-10        Hits up to 7 times.
Forward + B              Cape Spin            9-10        Deflects projectiles.


Note: All of Mario's Special Moves can be used in the air as well.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-=-=-= Strategy =-=-
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Like I stated, Mario is a great beginner's character. He's well-balanced, his
attacks are all easy enough to pull off, and there's no real skill required
to hold your own with Mario. However, if you take the time to practice with
Mario and learn to exploit his moves, you could be a pretty forbidable foe
to take down.

Jumping
-Jumping is what Mario is famous for, and for good reason. In SSBM, he can
jump pretty high, but most importantly, he jumps very fast. It's important
to jump around alot while playing Mario, because it makes you harder to target
with powerful moves, and also will let you move quickly away from enemies to
make them take the offensive. The only downside to jumping around alot is if
you get hit hard, you'll fly further. You have to be careful when you jump,
and if you get thrown off of the edge of the level, always try to grab the
legde instead of landing near it. Usually, smart opponents will be waiting
to knock you back off before you even land.

Up+B - Jumping uppercut
-This is one of the most important moves to use while playing Mario. It makes
a great starting move when pulling off a juggle combo. Jumping uppercut will
knock the opponent high in the air, and then normal attacks will allow you to
get a few extra hits in, before a nice hard Smash move. The Jumping uppercut
is also useful against weak foes (i.e. the (insert character) Teams in
Classic Mode) and other weaker opponents, as it will sometimes force an
opponent offscreen, or at least off of the edge of the stage, and will
inflict a nice percentage of damage as well.

Smash attacks
-Smash attacks are arguably the most important moves in SSBM, as they allow
you to win matches by knocking your opponent offscreen. Smash moves are tricky
to pull off, and it's recommended you practice to familiarize yourself with
how to pull off Smash moves before trying anything too risky. Mario's Smash
moves are, just like all the rest of his attacks, powerful enough. Not overly
stong, but not wimpy either. You should try not to use Smash moves too often
when your opponent has a low damage percentage, just stick to normal attacks
and specials. When your opponent charges at you, or is in the air, about to
land near you, give them a good Smash attack, and hopefully you'll land it,
catching them off guard. This is why it's best to hold off on the Smash moves
until your opponent is pretty hurt, it lets you play a bit of a mind game with
them. They'll pretty much forget their percentage, and just charge at you,
leaving them open for you to use a well-timed Smash move.

Side+B - Cape Spin
-If you see a projectile headed your way, don't bother using your shield to
block it, use Mario's Cape Spin to send it back to your opponent. You'll be
able to catch them off guard with their own projectile, and then you can feel
free to move right in and attack with your own preference of moves and
attacks, or you can keep on defense, waiting for them to get close enough to
attack. Either way, the Cape Spin is an overlooked move of Mario's that will
definitely come in handy.

A (on ground) - Recovery Kick
-When you land on your back, this is a great way to surprise opponents waiting
to ambush you. When you land, instead of jumping up, just wait till your
opponent comes near, and press A and to the left or right, and you'll swing
your legs around and nail your opponent. This is a good way to set up a combo
right after taking a bad hit.

A (in the air) - Mid-air Moves
-In the middle of a jump, or after you've gone flying, you can use the A button
to really deck an opponent who gets too close. Up+A will kick above you, which
will usually send the opponent flying high up in the air, and set them up for
a combo when they get close to the ground. Just pressing A in mid air will kick
to whichever side you're facing. This one packs quite a punch and will usually
send your opponent flying a decent length away if you score a dead hit. Side+A
will make Mario throw an extra-hand punch, which takes a while to execute,
which will make it hard to get the timing down. This move isn't as good as the
mid-air kicks, and I'd recommend sticking with the kicks more often.

B - Fireball
-Mario's lone long-range move, this can come in handy when battling an
opponent who likes to be defensive. While it won't break through their shield,
it can whittle away at it, until your opponent is forced to let off the shield
before they get stunned. Mario's Fireball can also be used to lure an opponent
closer to you if they're playing hard to get, while inflicting a tiny bit
of damage as well.

Down+B - Tornado Punch
-This is a useful move for when an opponent gets very close to you, and you
want to shake them off. It can be used in the air, but it's best used on the
ground, because it's pretty tough to control while jumping. If you can hit
your opponent just right, you can send them flying upwards a little bit, and
then you can add some normal attacks or a Smash move afterwards. Not the
best move, but it can be pretty useful.

Normal attacks
-Now here's an easy way to raise somebody's damage percentage. Mario's normal
attacks are extremely quick and easy to execute, so it's often a good idea to
throw in a normal attack here and there, after pulling off a special move.
Also, you can use Mario's normal attacks in combination with his Smash moves
to defeat some opponents pretty quickly. Just keep moving, and bust out some
normal attacks, then quickly jump away to whittle them down, and then smash
them off the edge when their guard is down. Don't overlook the normal attacks,
they can turn the tide of a battle in the right hands.

Throws
-Mario's got some pretty nice throws as well. At high percentages, Mario's
high throw (Hit Z, then Up on the analog stick) can hurl an opponent straight
up into the air, sometimes even defeating them. Throws are useful when an
opponent gets close to you, and you want to send them away without leaving
yourself vulnerable with a Smash move.

Items
-Using items should always be a part of your SSBM strategy no matter who
you choose to be. Pokeballs are usually always a great item, so you should
get those quickly and throw them. Not only will the Pokemon that come out of
it cause damage, but if you score a hit with the Pokeball itself, your opponent
will be sent flying. A couple other items that are useful with Mario are the
Beam Sword, Star Rod, and the Bunny Hood from Majora's Mask. They'll speed
you up and make you jump even higher. Just be careful, it's easy to lose your
bearings when you're not used to going that fast.

Additional strategy by The_Flying_V ([email protected])

"I like to use Mario's speed to my advantage so you
could add combos and rake in the points.

For example, if I were Mario I would sprint to wards
my opponent and use the tornado (B+down) and when he
is in the air you could use the coin punch (B+up)
before he can recover and finish him off with an air
smash attack.

This only works for the players with speed like Mario,
Luigi, Pikachu, fox, C. Falcon and young Link."

Additional Strategy by David Cartoon ([email protected])

"Rolling (L/R and analog left or right) - Mario have pretty good speed and
distance with his roll, also called rolling dodge.  A good technique to try
is a punch-punch-kick sequence then roll behind your opponent and continue the
combo with a kick you like, either a straight kick or one of the sweeps.  This
is
great for combos and also gets you out of the way before your opponent can
retaliate."

Additional Strategy by Luigi1018 ([email protected])

In any stage with an tall wall(i.e. Lylat System: Cornia, Eagleland: Fourside)
when your opponent(especially lighter characters) have damaage of about 100%,
use
a smash attack on them which in the direction of the wall.  Their character
should
be flung right back at you from the wall.  Then, when they get near you, right
before they land onthe ground, use smash up attack immediately.  They should be
sent flying out of the ring, depending on the size of the stage.  This is also
a
great juggling move.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-=-=-= Classic =-=-=
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Level 1 - Mario Vs. 1 Normal Character
-The opponent here will be random, and won't pose any threat, no matter the
difficulty. Just wail on them, and after a while, Smash them away.

Level 2 - Mario & 1 Ally Vs. 2 Normal Characters
-Here you'll have an ally, usually the character you just defeated. Try to
concentrate on one enemy, while you're ally handles the other one. If you
finish yours off first, be a sport and help out with the other enemy.

Level 3 - Break the Targets
-See the "Break the Targets" section below.

Level 4 - Mario Vs. 1 Normal Character
-Same strategy as the first level, just use your best moves and take your
opponent out.

Level 5 - Mario & 2 Allies Vs. Giant Character
-This one's usually easy, considering your opponent will be outnumbered 3-1.
Just wail away on him with your 2 allies, and Smash him once his percentage
is in the late 100's.

Level 6 - Snag The Trophies!
-You don't have to get any trophies, but it's a nice bonus if you're a
collector.  Just run in the direction the tropies drop from, and hit them
towards the center. You can easily get one trophy here, and getting all 3
isn't too hard either.

Level 7 - Mario Vs. 1 Normal Character
-Same strategy as Levels 1 and 4 applies here. Just take out your enemy
in a one-on-one match. This one will usually be a tad harder than the first
two, but still shouldn't pose much of a threat.

Level 8 - Mario Vs. Team of 10
-The thing to remember here is that your opponents are very weak. You can
knock them off the screen with just a single Smash move, or using Mario's
Up+B move. Just be cheap and use Smash moves and Up+B and they'll do down
very easily.

Level 9 - Race to the Finish
-The quickest way to finish this level is just to go into any one of the
doors. If you want to get more coins to use in the Trophy lottery, just
learn the layout of the level and try to make it as far as you can before
time runs out.

Level 10 - Mario Vs. Metal Character
-This one's not too hard either. Use Mario's general quickness to jump
around and avoid your opponent, and once you get their damage over 100%,
get very close to the edge, and Smash them off of the side as hard as you
can.

Level 11 - Master Hand
-He's not too tough to take on. You should be able to get in 1 or 2 normal
attacks before he attempts to attack you. After he does an attack, just avoid
it using the tips below, and get him a couple more times before he gets his
next attack off.
Note: You have to damage him to get his HP down to zero, as opposed to
knocking him off the edge. In Very Easy, he has 150 HP, and in normal he has
300 HP.

Here are most of his attacks. I may have missed a couple here, I'll add them
in soon enough.

Blasting off like a rocket: Stay away, and when he moves into the foreground
towards you, jump as high as you can and get hangtime.

Backs up, off the Edge of the arena: Jump around alot, and try to avoid him.
He'll try to snatch you up. If he does, jump around and jam on the analog
stick to break free quicker.

Flies into the air, turns into a fist and punches into the foreground: Jump
as high as you can again. This one's easier to avoid.

Moves a little to the left, turns into a fist and hangs above your head:
Just jump to the side when he starts to come down and you'll avoid it.

Moves to the right: He'll sweep across the arena, just jump and avoid it.

Lowers: He'll sweep across the arena with his fingers, just jump and avoid
him when he gets close.

Raises: He'll shoot lasers from his fingers. When you see him start, quickly
move to the right of his fingers, under his wrist, and nail him from below.


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
=- Break the Targets -=
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

First off, punch the target on your platform, to the right of you.

Next, jump to the right, and on your way down, punch the target on the left.

Jump up, and punch the target to the right of the one you just punched.

See the two pillars supporting the platform you're on (the lowest one)? Stand
between them, but on top of the platoform they support. Shoot a fireball to
the left of you to hit that target, and turn to the right to hit the one below
you, to the right.

Get close to the right side of the platform, then do a double jump to the
right, as high as you can. At the height of your jump, do your Up+B move
towards the left, and you should hit the target in the little alcove. Just
make sure to land back on the platform.

Get on top of the shortest platform (2nd one from the top). Dash from the
right side, and jump off the left. Do a triple jump (using Up+B) and you
should land on one of the falling platforms. Just do a double jump, and you'll
land on the next platform. Do this until you're high enough to land on the
highest platform to the left, with the target. Land there, and break the
target.

Get on a platform, and jump a little below the tiny opening leading to the
target on the left. Hug the wall for a little, and when you're just below the
opening, do your second jump in the air, to the left, and you should be in the
opening. Break the target to your left.

Ride a platform down, almost to the bottom. Jump off and land on the platoform
to the left of the target to your left. Break the target with a fireball.

Jump onto one of the falling platforms, and ride it down. Wait until you're
almost in the water, and then, do a double jump to the right with as much
hangtime as you can manage. Do your triple jump (Up+B) right to the left of the
target, towards the right, and you'll hit it.


   -ADDITIONAL STRATEGY-

Jzlzsz ([email protected]) sent in this great stratgy for getting a faster time
on Mario's target test. I admit, I didn't design my strategy for speed, so much
as to just get through it. Thanks alot!

1.Dash right and jump hard while kicking up to hit the first target on your
 right and send you towards the two midair targets.
2.Align yourself in between the 2 targets in midair and do an uppercut. You can
 actually hit all three targets with one move (this takes practice).
3.Hold left hard as you fall to still land on the platform.
4.Move left slightly and throw a fireball off the right side to hit another
 target.
5.Dash left a little more and throw a fireball, it should hit the left target,
 as soon as you let this one go, go jump on the highest moving platform you
 can.
6.Double jump off the moving platforms and hit the highest target.
7.Fall on the platform right above the firball target tunnel. Time your
 fireball to hit the target in one shot.
8.Fall through a platform and hit the bottom-left target.
9.Double jump to upper cut quickly to reach the final target.

This seems to work well for me and I have been able to achieve a time of 17.52
seconds. I hope this helps!


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-=-=- Adventure -=-=
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Level 1 - Mushroom Kingdom
-All said, this level is really easy. On very easy, it's a joke, and on normal,
it's a slightly less-funny joke. You should just jump over all the enemies, or
just land on top of some of them if they get in your way. After a few moments,
you'll stumble upon Toad running around frantically, and some Yoshis will come
down from the sky, three at a time. They can easily be taken out with smash
moves, or your Up+B attack, one hit for each of them will take them out. After
that, just continue on through the koopas and goombas, keeping an eye out for
trophies. You'll come to the end of the level in a matter of seconds.
Note: (SPOILER) If you finish the level with a 2 in the seconds digit of the
timer (XX:X2:XX) you'll fight Luigi in the next battle, instead of Mario. The
same strategy below applies for each.

-Ater finishing the level, you'll have to take on Peach and Mario at the same
time. This isn't too tough of a fight, just don't let them gang up on you. Keep
attacking one in an attempt to isolate them, and then try to Smash them off the
edge while they're recovering. Taking them out seperately will ensure you an
easy
victory, because on higher difficulties, they'll really start to gang up on
you.

Level 2 - Kongo Jungle
-Your first match in Kongo Jungle will be against two tiny DK's. They're not
too
hard, and the only problem you should have is hitting them because they're so
low
to the ground. Up+B, Down+B and normal attacks are very effective here. Just
Smash them as they start to hover around 100%, and they should go flying.

-The antithesis of your last battle, this one will be against a Giant DK. He's
even stronger than a normal DK, but he shouldn't be any trouble. You can feel
free
to Smash him once he gets over about 80%. This won't usually take him out
immediately, but it will send him flying, and give you some time to set up
another
attack while he's recovering. One thing to watch out for is his Up+B move,
which
he'll use as his third jump. Don't stand too close to the edge waiting to nail
him again, or he'll end up hitting you pretty good with it.

Level 3 - Underground Maze
-The Underground Maze is tricky to navigate, because it is a Maze, after all.
Basically, you'll run around in tunnels from the central "hub" with the water
at the bottom and the ReDeads trudging around. Every so often you'll come along
a large open room, with some platforms in it. Each of these large rooms will
have
the Master Sword in the center, except for one randomly-selected room. Once you
find the room with the Triforce instead of the Master Sword, the level will be
complete. You should always enter the large rooms by jumping as soon as you
enter
the room, and then executing your double jump, while checking below you for the
Master Sword or Triforce. If you see the Master Sword, use Up+B to use your
triple-jump, and if you did it right, you should completely pass the room by.
If
you don't pass the room by, you'll have to take on Link. He's pretty easy, just
use normal attacks, and mix it up with the occasional Up+B move, just be quick.
Once you've gotten him over about 50%, feel free to Smash him and he should go
down. Just keep looking for the room with the Triforce.

-Next, you'll be taking on Princess Zelda in Hyrule Castle. She's not too hard,
but Hyrule Castle is a large level, so it may take you a while to beat her.
Just
chase her around, raising her percentage with your attacks of choice, and using
items on her, and she should go down with a good Smash or item-toss once she's
over 100%.

Level 4 - Brinstar
-Samus can be hard here, but you just have to keep up with her. She's very
quick, and has a large variety of different attacks. The Items will be your
friends in this battle, as you should throw stuff at her whenever you can, due
to Mario's lack of a good long-range attack. Pokeballs also work great here,
just like everywhere else. Just be persistant and she'll go down before long.

-Here's a good exercize in platform-jumping. Just keep jumping up the platforms
and try as hard as you can not to miss any. One thing you should keep in mind
is that Mario's triple jump (UP+B) doesn't send him straight up, but it will
place you a little bit in the direction you're facing when you do the jump.
So, if you double-jump and you're almost at a platform, don't do the Up+B move
directly underneath the platform, do it from the direction opposite you're
facing. i.e. if you're facing right, do the Up+B from a little to the left
of the platform. It sounds confusing, but you'll pick it up, if you haven't
already.

Level 5 - Green Greens
-One Kirby, very easy here. Just keep nailing him until you've done a decent
amount of damage, and then just Smash him away. Look out for the bomb blocks
on the left and right sides of the level as well.

-Okay, here's a team of Kirbys. This one isn't any harder than the first match
here, just use the same strategy as the Yoshi Team in Level 1. Up+B or Smash
attacks will take out a Kirby in most situations with 0%, so just let them have
it as soon as they fall from the sky. Once again, avoid the bomb blocks.

-Okay, Giant Kirby. Still pretty easy, just keep wailing on him, and avoid
directly attacking him (he is Giant after all) and he should go down with a
good Smashing at around 100-150%.

Level 6 - Corneria
-You'll have to fight Fox here, and he'll be tough if you're not used to
fighting him. He's the fastest character in the game, and he'll exploit that on
every difficulty level. You'll want to just keep up with him here, and get a
good
hit in here or there. If you can get a juggle going, wait until he's about to
land, and give him a good Smash or Up+B or Down+B. If this doesn't finish him
off soon, keep trying it.

-After defeating Fox, he'll get some backup. You'll fight him again, but this
time, Airwings will fly through the level and start blasting into the air. Just
try to stay low during this fight, the right side of the level works great.
When
you see the Ships start shooting, try to knock Fox upwards, so he'll get caught
in the blasts. Yes, they're dumb enough to keep shooting Fox, and that will be
your biggest advantage in this fight. Exploit it, and he'll go down fast.
Note: (SPOILER) Randomly, I've seen this match be up against Falco, instead
of Fox. He's a clone though, so the same strategy applies.

Level 7 Pokemon Stadium
-Not hard at all here, just Smash or Up+B the 12 incoming Pokemon as soon as
they land, and nail them with the Pokeballs that rain down. They'll go down
extremely fast.

Level 8 - F-Zero Grand Prix
-Okay, in this one you'll have to race along the F-Zero track, while a race
is going on. Just keep running, and right before the crafts come speeding by,
you'll hear a beeping noise, that's your cue to find shelter.
At the start, Smash the control stick to the right to run as fast as you can,
and don't stop till you hear the beeping noise. There will be a platform above
a small ledge. Hop up on the platform until the cars pass, then run again until
you hear the beeping noise again. There should be a platform right in front of
you, so hop up on there 'till it's safe, then hit the ground running again.
After a few seconds of running, the track will end, and there will be a
floating platform in front of you. Leap onto it, keep running, leap onto the
next platform, then you'll see a ramp, and at the same time, you'll hear the
beeping. Hop over the ramp, and onto the next platform. If you're quick enough,
you'll be safe. Wait until the coast clears, hop onto the next tiny platform,
then onto the edge of a track from there, and SMASH that stick to run as fast
as your short plumber legs will carry you. If you were quick enough, you'll
make it to the end of the Level in time. Take a breather, you've earned it.

-You'll be taking on Captain Falcon here, and he's tough due to his speed AND
power. Just him him with the attacks you feel most comfortable with (I'd
recommend Up+B and normal attacks) and stay away from the edges. After you
wear him down, juggle him into the air, then Smash him as he lands.

Level 9 - Onett
-Three Nesses, not too hard here. On Easier difficulties, they'll go down
with a good Smashing. On tougher difficulties, just wear them down and
Smash away. be sure to avoid the cars below, and stay in their faces as
much as you can.
Note: One cheap trick that usually works for me is I take a Mr. Saturn that
falls from the sky, and chuck it at Ness at almost point-blank range, and
then pick it back up and throw it again and again until I knock him high
enough into the air, then have a Smash attack waiting when he comes down.
Yes, I know it's cheap, but it's also effective, and very fun. 8)

Level 10 - Icicle Mountain
-I hate hate hate this level, mainly because you can't see the enemies on
platforms above you until after you get hit. Just keep triple-jumping up
the center of the level, from platform to platform, and trying to avoid the
enemies the best you can (seeing as how you can't see them until it's too
late). Within a few moments, the level will start scrolling upwards very
quickly, just keep triple-jumping as fast as you can, and try to ignore
everything else. In a little while, the screen will slow down and you'll
encounter 2 pairs of Ice Climbers. This is pretty unfair, seeing as how it's
4-on-1, but they're pretty weak. Plus, the level is very small, horizontally,
so hitting one with a good Smash attack will send them flying. FYI, the ones
in the dark coats are the Male Ice Climbers, and they're the ones you have
to knock out to win. Once you knock out a Male, the Female counterpart should
go down along with him. Just use those Smash attacks to send them towards the
sides of the level.

Level 11 - Battlefield
-Here you'll take on 15 Wire Frames, 4 at a time. The same "Team" strategy
applies here as in the Pokemon, Yoshi, and Kirbys battle, although the
Wire Frames are slightly tougher to take down. Just use your Smash attacks
and Up+B and they'll all go down quickly.

-Family reunion time, sort of. You'll be fighting Metal Mario and Metal
Luigi here. They're not tough, but they do move rather quickly and like to
gang up on you. Just nail them with normal attacks and Smashes, and then
juggle them with specials and more normal attacks once they're up there.
Once again, try to separate them as well, it'll make the battle that much
easier on you. Once you get their damage percentage up there, just let them
have a nice Smash attack, and they should sink like cinderblocks.

Level 12 - Final Destination
-Ah, tradition. You've got to fight Bowser here, one on one. He isn't hard
at all, especially for the final enemy here. Just use his slowness to your
advantage, and jump around alot, and keep decking him when you get a chance.
Items also can be of help here too (the irony of breathing fire at Bowser..).
After he's up to around 150%, start trying to Smash him, and he should go
flying pretty easily. Now sit back, grab a drink and watch the credits, fly
by. You've earned it.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-=-=-=- Items -=-=-=
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

When using Mario, and subsequently the rest of the characters in the game, I
tend
to rely alot on items, So here I'll try to provide some basic info and strategy
on using items.

 !Throwing Items!
Before I start, I want to emphasize throwing items around during a fight. No
matter which item you throw, it will damage the enemy, and most items will
knock
them back a bit, but it's definitely more than a standard attack would do.
Whenever you're bored with an item, throw it at your enemy. The best time to do
this is after you knock them off a ledge. As they recover, hurl an item at
them,
and it just may be enough to keep them from recovering. A basic time to throw
an
item would be is if an enemy is coming towards you, just throw the item to
knock
them back and that should set you up for a couple hits while they're knocked
back.
The most accurate way to throw am item is to wait until you're directly above
an
enemy and BAM, hurt it right down on their head. This will definitely come as
an
unexpected surprise to them.
Due to the weak power and general slowness of Mario's fireball attack, I'd
highly
recommend throwing items at long range enemies.


Food-
Not much to say here. It usually recovers a few points of damage, so grab it if
you're damage percentage is getting too high. Useful in a pinch, but not worth
crossing the entire level to get to.

Freezie-
Now this is a useful item. If you throw it and hit an enemy with it, it will
freeze them in a large mass of ice, and hurl them in the air, or if they're on
the ground when you hit them, it will freeze them on the ground. Use their
temporary lack of mobility to your advantage by either smashing them, or using
your cape spin to inflict tons of damage while they're frozen.
Another good thing to do with a freezie is to wait until they're trying to
recover back onto the stage from a nasty fall, and hit them with this to ensure
that they'll lose a life because they can't recover. Devious, I know.

Maxim Tomato-
This item will decrease your damage by 50%, so it's definitely worth picking
up,
even if it's just to keep your opponent from grabbing it. You should try to
grab
it whenever you see it.

Mr. Saturn-
Not too good of an item, its only functions are doing a little damage when you
throw it, and if you don't pick it up, it will try to push items off of the
side
of the level. The one useful combo I've found involving Mr. Saturn is to get
pretty close to your opponent and constantly tap the A button with Mr. Saturn
in
hand. The result will be you throwing it, picking it back up, and throwing it
again over and over. Once you start this, it's hard for the enemy to have a
chance
to recover, so after a few throws, you might want to throw it, and then just
smash an enemy away.

Heart Container-
Great item, even moreso than the Maxim Tomato. This will reduce your damage
percentage by 100%, so make sure to make every attempt to grab it when it
appears.
It's definitely one of the rarest items, so it won't come very frequently. It
can
change the tide of a battle pretty quickly, so make sure to keep your opponent
from picking it up.

Pokeball-
This is an item I always make sure to grab, and so does the CPU. Not only will
throwing it cause a bit of damage, but when it hits the ground, a Pokemon will
pop out. I'd say around 80% of the time, the Pokemon will be very useful to
you.
It would take way too much time and space to list out Pokeball strategies here,
just let me remind you that it is one of the most useful items in the game, and
refer you to Bsabbagh's Pokemon FAQ right here at GameFAQs:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/gamecube/file/super_smash_bros_melee_pokemon.txt

Warp Star-
Great item we've got here. What it does, is when you grab it, it immediately
carries you well above the screen at lightning speed, and hurls you back down
at
the ground, resulting in a sizeable explosion, and inflicting loads of damage
on
enemies who happen to be where you land. You can use their recovery time to
your
advantage by setting up a smash attack while they're sent flying. You can also
adjust where you will land with the warp star, but not by much, and controlling
it is very stiff. You won't be able to tell easily at all where you'll land if
you
control it, so just count on holding the stick to one side in the air and
landing
a short ways in that direction.

Bob-omb-
This item can be good or bad. It will fall from the sky and just sit there for
a
few moments doing nothing, and then it will start to walk back and forth and
flash. You should try grab it right when it lands and throw it at your enemy
and
make them go boom. The downside to this is that if you're close enough, you'll
go
boom too. If you wait too long to pick it up, it will start moving and if you
come
into contact with it when it's moving, it'll blow you up and send you flying
into
the stratosphere. The same goes for your opponent as well. If left alone for
long
enough, it will blow itself up soon enough.

Ray Gun-
This item isn't too good. It lacks stopping power, doesn't do much damage, and
it doesn't fire fast at all. Use it if a far-off enemy is trying to recover or
just throw it to inflict some damage.

Motion-Sensor Bomb-
Another good item. If you throw it, it will cause a little damage to your
opponent
but it will stick to the first surface it touches. After a few moments, it will
be
activated, and whoever gets close to it will be caught in its explosion. It
gives
you the chance to pull of sneak attacks, just try to lure opponents into it
after
they've forgotten about it. The only thing you need to watch out for is
touching
it yourself. Just remember where you put it.

Super Scope-
The Super Scope is another good item, worth picking up. If you keep pressing
the A
button while holding it, you'll fire a steady stream of small shots, that will
not
only damage opponents, but if you keep pressing A, they will be caught in the
line of fire and not be able to do anything but take damage. Holding A will
cause
it to charge up a blast, but I wouldn't recommend this much because it leaves
you
open too projectile attacks, and it's tough to aim. It will eventually run out
of
ammo, so chuck it when it refuses to shoot.

Super Mushroom-
Not much to say here. Just touch it, and it wil, make you grow bigger. Your
attacks will be stronger and you'll be sent flying alot less distance. It will
wear off in a few moments, so make the most of it while you can.

Fire Flower-
Not too good an item. When you hold A, it will shoot out a steady stream of
fire,
but the drawback is it pushes anyone it harms backwards, so you won't be able
to
hit an enemy with a steady stream of fire. If you throw it, it will catch an
enemy
on fire for a second, but even that effect is underwhelming.

Poison Mushroom-
Recognizable by it's more purple hue, as opposed to the Super Mushroom's bright
red hue, this will do the opposite and shrink you down to a fraction of your
normal size. Your attacks will barely do any damage when you're tiny, and
you'll
be sent flying easily, so avoid enemies until it wears off.

Lip's Stick-
Hitting an opponent with this will do a little damage, but will also force a
small flower to grow on their head. This flower will slowly do damage to the
enemy
while it's on their head. You can get rid of it faster by jerking the analog
stick
around quickly. If you Smash the Lip's Stick, the flower will be larger. Also,
subsequent attacks with it will cause the flower on an opponent's head to grow,
resulting in more cumulative damage.

Starman-
No downside to this item, just touch it and you'll be invincible for a short
time.
Run around and start hitting enemies as hard as you can without fearing
retaliation while you have the chance.

Star Rod-
An OK item, this will do considerable damage to an enemy if you swing it. If
you
charge it up with a Smash attack, it will shoot out a star straight ahead,
which
will do more damage than a standard attack. Due to Mario's lack of a decent
projectile, this is a pretty nice weapon to have and to Smash.

Parasol-
A pretty good item, even though it won't do much damage, even if you Smash it.
The biggest draw here is  if you start falling, the Parasol will open, and let
you slowly drift downwards, instead of sharply falling, which will greatly help
your recovery. Pick it up if you're trying to survive with a moderate amount of
damage inflicted on yourself already.

Beam Sword-
Another good item. If you swing it, it does pretty good damage, but if you
Smash
it, it sends enemies flying pretty darn far. Charge it and unleash it whenever
an opponent comes close. With any luck, you'll be able to get them more than
once
with it.

Screw Attack-
This item has two uses. If you jump while holding it, each jump you make
(counting
both single and double-jumps) will make you spin and slow white in the air, and
also deal damage to whoever you come into contact with while performing it.
Also,
if you throw it at an enemy, it will cause them to do a spin attack into the
air,
no matter what they're doing at the time. The only real use for that is if
they're charging up a major attack or something.

Home-Run Bat-
One of the best. A normal hit with the bat doesn't do much, but if you Smash
it,
it will send enemies flying incredibly far, even if they have 0%. The only
tricky
part is getting the timing down for the Smash attack. Work on the timing in
training mode, and you'll be able to slug everyone out of the fight when you
grab
it.

Metal Box-
A real double-edged sword, where neither the positive or the negative prevails.
If you attack it, you'll turn into a Metal version of Mario, and you'll be alot
heavier. The plus is that it will be harder to send you flying. The bad part is
you'll fall alot faster in the air, so if you venture to far off of the edge of
the level, you'll drop like an anvil. It doesn't matter much either way, so I
definitely wouldn't go out of my way to grab this one.

Fan-
This one is mostly just a weapon for throwing, but if you grab it and get close
enough, you can attack with it insanely fast by tapping the A button over and
over
again. Use it to rack up damage on an enemy pretty quickly, then throw it and
get
away fast, before they have a chance to counter. Not a great weapon, but you
won't
regret picking it up.

Bunny Hood-
A good  support item, this will make you move alot faster, and jump almost
three
times as high as before. Grab it whenever you see it to improve your quickness
so
you can jump over to an enemy, get in a quick attack or two, then jump away
again.
The only downside to it is sometimes, if you're not used to moving that fast
and
jumping that high, you might lose track of yourself and where you're headed.
With
a little practice time, you'll be able to use it with no problem.

Hammer-
A great item that you'll rush to grab. Pick it up, and you start pounding in
front
of you with the giant hammer repeatedly for a short while. It does massive
damage,
sends enemies flying very far, and whilg using it, you're almost completely
invulnerable (except for attacks from below, so watch out).
Also, at random, I'd around around 1 or 2 times out of 10 (I may be way off
with
the figure, it's just my own estimate) the head will fall off the hammer when
you
pick it up, leaving you swinging the handle that does no damage automatically
for
a short period of time. When this happens, just avoid enemies at all costs.

Cloaking Device-
This one is more of a hassle than it's worth. Playing against the Computer,
this
has no effect other than making Mario look all cool and invisible. It can be
easy
to lose track of yourself if you're not using the naming feature of SSBM, where
it puts your name above your character's head. In Multiplayer, if you have your
name off, both you and your friends will have a hard time seeing you, and if
you
are using your name, it's almost worthless because you have an arrow pointed
right
at you the whole time.

Green Shell-
Pretty good item, just throw it at an enemy, and it will knock them into the
air
and keep sliding off of the inevitable edge. Just be careful not to throw it
into
a wall, or throwing it into the air, because you're not invulnerable to the
shell
either.

Barrel Cannon-
Well, you can throw it at an enemy to do a small amount of damage, or hop
inside.
Once inside, it wil, spin around. When you hit any button, you'll be launched
in
the direction of the arrow on the barrel. It's really only useful for the
Donkey
Kong levels, where the barrel cannons are below the level and can save you from
certain death.

Red Shell-
Red Shells are almost identical to green shells, except instead of sliding off
the
edge of a platform, they will reverse and head the opposite way, and back and
forth and back and forth for a short while. The risk is greater, because you
can
take damage as well as your opponents, but there's the possibility they'll keep
getting knocked in the air a few times in a row, leaving you open to deck them.

Party Ball-
It's another variation of the item crate. If you attack it enough, a little
party
tone will be played, and random items will drop out. The most occasional item
combinations are few bombs, a whole lot of food, and just random items. Attack
them if you feel like it, but you won't go crazy over what's inside most of the
time.

Flipper-
If you throw it at an enemy, it will knock them back and begin to spin and
slowly
start to slow down, until it eventually stops in place. If anybodygoes near it
while it's spinning, they'll get knocked backwards and it will spin faster
again.
Just try to avoid it once you've thrown it, and it will disappear after a short
while.



-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
- Home Run Contest =
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

My HRC record - 1309.4 Ft.

Strategy-
Well, speed is off the essence here, so you'll have to practice alot to get the
strategy to pull off a high score here. First thing to do is turn to the left,
and
SLIGHTLY move to the left. You won't be able to grab the bat by just turning,
so
it's important that you slightly move left.  Next, walk quickly over to the
bag,
and perform your Up Smash attack on it, without charging it at all. Keep
holding
up on the joystick so you don't jump, and perform your standard Up attack on
it,
once it comes back down, and repeat the standard Up attack when it comes back
down. When it comes back down again, it should be at around 30%. Now here's the
important part: You're going to Do your Up Smash attack on it when it comes
back
down, but you have to be to the right of the bag when you Smash it, so you may
want to move a little to the right quickly when it's in the air. After smashing
the bag (once again, no charging the Smash) it should land close to the left
edge,
so dash over there quickly before it hits the ground, and immediately use your
Cape Spin (Side+B) on the bag repeatedly as soon as it comes into range. You
should be able to pull off 5 Cape Spins easily, and then Smash the bag with the
bat before time runs out. However, with enough practice, you should be able to
hit the bag with 6 Cape Spins and hit it with the bat before time runs out.

Hitting it with 5 Cape Spins before smashing the bag will result in it taking
off
with around 106%. It will usually go around 1050-1150 Ft.
Hitting it with 6 Cape Spins before smashing the bag will result in it taking
off
with around 116%. It will usually go around 1200-1300 Ft.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-=-=-= Notes =-=-=-=
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Like I stated, this is not meant to be any kind of all-encompassing FAQ, just
a simple guide for anyone looking for tips on how to use Mario. I'm not the
best SSBM player in the world, so if you have any tips that should be in this
FAQ that I overlooked, write to me ([email protected]) and let me know, and I'll
gladly include your tip and give you credit for it. If you have any criticism
(intelligent critiicsm-only, please), send that to me too. This is my first
FAQ, so I'm trying to do my best on it. Thanks to everyone for reading this,
I hope it helped some.

Special thanks to Concept([email protected]) for helping out with some of
content and the layout, and for proofreading most of it for me.

Special thanks to Devin Morgan([email protected]) for making a great
SSBM FAQ and providing a Move List for Mario, which I used in this Guide.
The full version of his FAQ can be found here:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/gamecube/file/super_smash_bros_melee_b.txt

Thanks to The_Flying_V ([email protected]) for the additional Mario strategy.

Thanks to David Cartoon ([email protected]) for the Strategy on using Rolls.

Thanks to Luigi1018 ([email protected]) for the extra tactic in KO'ing
opponents easily.

Thanks to Jzlzsz ([email protected]) for contributing his speedy strategy for
getting a faster time on the Target Test


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-=-= Legal Stuff =-=
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

All information in this FAQ is copyright (c)2001 Modium. If you want to
use this FAQ on your site, write to me and ask permission first. It it for
personal and private use only. The only sites that have permission to use this
FAQ so far are as follows:

GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com)
GameSpot (www.gamespot.com)

If you find this FAQ at anywhere else, contact me as soon as possible. If you
use any information whatsoever from this FAQ, please give me full credit. Do
not alter information in any way. The most recent version of this FAQ can be
found at www.gamefaqs.com

Super Smash Bros. Melee Copyright 2001 Nintendo/HAL Laboratory, Inc.

Characters Copyright Nintendo/HAL Laboratory, Inc./Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK
inc./
APE inc.

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