Good point. I've had a few people tell me that I got wrecked by Oro because I counterpicked a small stage like Battlefield vs his Ike (I'm not in denial, I know I got wrecked because I'm just not good LOL (yet) ). But it got me thinking, I wish the match was recorded to see what I did wrong. I couldn't get away from Ike and the platforms weren't helping me either.
Allow me to exercise my theorycraft powers. I do have experience in this match-up, but I don't know @
Oro?! or you or how you play. Have you tried asking him directly though?
Mario struggles against the disjoints, because having his Fireballs ignored as well as being outranged and out-prioritized wreaks havoc with his gameplan. Stubby Arm Syndrome progresses to the final fatal stages. You essentially want to play this like Ike plays a spacie match-up: Focus on baiting and punishing so you can get in and make the most of it once you do get in. Use Mario's Dthrow chaingrab on Ike at low percents. Convert as much as you can off a single hit.
The issue being Ike has a better Dashdance, platform game and superior mobility than Mario overall, especially factoring in QD. "projectile beats QD" is a gross oversimplification; it all depends on speed and clankability, and Mario's Fireballs don't cut the mustard against an Ike player that isn't mindless. QD to Nair, Fair (more range AND eating the Fireball, surprise!!) as well as QD -> Wavedash (whether to bait or go into shield), as well as simply using opportune moments to QD attack quickly and invade Mario's space all tilt neutral in Ike's favor more than a cursory glance with have you believe. If you are used to playing Mario a certain way, or using Fireball as a crutch, you're going to have it yanked away hard by an Ike that displays awareness - and because of the sort of character he is, one with very hard punishes after all, all the good Ikes do.
Basically, step 1 is realizing that Mario has to play the game differently versus Ike. Zoning out/choking with Fireballs will not work as well, it is more a matter of getting in, sticking to him like glue and invading his space while respecting it. Outside of a jab that doesn't beat aerials and a horrendously punishable if mistimed Counters, Ike has no good way, unlike Marth, to get a character off him quick. Go in, toss him into the air so he can't grab you and follow him best you can, rendering him nearly helpless as his aerial mobility and aerials with slow start-up leave him unable to deal with you well. Course Mario's aerial mobility isn't super hot either, so platforms will actually help you. Provided you use them right. Be aware that his best option to get away in the air is a Side-B that sends him into special fall, so watch out for it or try to bait it out.
tl;dr It's tought for Mario but he can fight it out. Your recovery is also not super reliable as Ike's gigantic fair, especially with QD -> Walljump can cover a lot of your options, and Mario is slow to recover. Be very cautious offstafe, save your DJ, remember Mario has regular walljumps, not just one out of Up-B and mix it up a lot.
