"Let's Keep It Clean! Now Come Out Boxing!"
Little Mac joins the Brawl!
-Backstory-
Little Mac is a young, 17-year old boxer from the Bronx as well as the star of Nintendo's popular franchise, Punch-Out!! Originally appearing in Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, Mac rose the ranks, fighting various wacky opponents along the way to the final showdown against Iron Mike himself. Mac defeated Mike Tyson in a final boxing match and then seemingly went away...
Super Punch-Out!! came and went with mild reception, most notably because it seemed to lack Little Mac, the fan favorite character, instead replacing him with some weird little blonde guy. According to the main developers of Punch-Out!! Wii, Mac was missing from Super Punch-Out!!, but according to Nintendo of America, the character in Super Punch-Out!! was simply a more matured Mac...
Regardless of Super Punch-Out!!, Mac returned in Super Smash Brothers Brawl as an Assist Trophy as well as Captain Rainbow where a morbidly obese Little Mac needed Rainbow's help to get back into shape.
Fianlly making his return to the ring, Mac returned in Punch-Out!! Wii, fighting a slew of old rivals and a few new ones. After defeating Mr. Sandman and various other foes, Nintendo's own Donkey Kong challenged Mac to one final boxing match. Mac toppled the ape and went down in history as the TRUE Punch-Out!! champion!
-Special Mechanics-
Mechanic One: Doc To The Rescue! – Several moves in Mac’s set rely heavily upon direct interactions with Mac’s coach, Doc Louis. Doc stays in the background during a majority of the fight, only coming onto the actual playing field for some moves (such as the Side Special). While Doc is invulnerable to attack mostly (Ryuk’s down tilt can still hurt him…), Doc is a necessary part of Mac’s playstyle, without managing where Doc is, you may not be able to pull out the moves you need to, when you need to. The Side Special gives some more details about the Doc mechanic.
Mechanic Two: Have a Heart! – In Punch-Out, Mac needed hearts if he wanted to attack. Running out of hearts left Mac unable to attack and vulnerable to counterpunches. Fortunately this only happened if you got too aggressive with a foe and kept hitting them when their guard was up. Mac would also lose some hearts if he started taking a serious beating from an opponent.
In Smash, the Heart Mechanic works in a very similar way. Next to Mac’s % at the bottom is a small image of a heart with a number in it. This number starts at 30 for every fight, but diminishes if you punch a shielding opponent, get out prioritized, or start taking a beating from your opponent. If the heart meter reaches zero, Mac will become notably winded as well as turning a vaguely purple color. During this time, Mac’s speed will drop by about a third, his jumps will reduce by about one third of their normal power and his attacks will become unusable (although he can still have Doc set up equipment during this time).
With this many drawbacks, you must be screwed, right? Well…not entirely. When Mac enters his exhausted state, Doc will become worried about him and respond faster. Some set ups for attacks (which will be pointed out later) will increase dramatically due to Doc’s concern for the boy from the Bronx. You can use this to your advantage, but make sure you don’t neglect Mac’s hearts, if you lose heart, you just have to fight back harder Mac, baby!
Now, in order to restore Mac’s heart meter back to its former glory once it’s been depleted to zero is actually quite simple. Wait for an opponent to attack Mac, and then dodge it using any dodging method (forward/backward roll, spot-dodge, air-dodge) and Mac will instantly regain spirit, boosting him back up to 25 hearts. So in theory, a competent Mac player could use his exhausted state to set up some of his attacks, dodge one of his opponent’s blows and then launch a full out assault with his restored hearts. You CAN also use the Down B while exhausted to recover 15 hearts instantly.
As Doc would say: “A comeback is like a yo-yo. You’re gonna go down, but you’re comin’ right back up!”
-Stats-
Size: 5/10
There’s a reason why he’s called Little Mac...Mac isn’t very tall, but he’s fortunately a small target then! He’s about Mario’s height, maybe a tad taller.
Weight: 5/10
107 lbs. Isn’t gonna get Mac very far. Fortunately he’s not the lightest of lightweights, but he’s got some problems staying on stage sometimes.
Walking Speed: 5/10
Mac can really shuffle when he needs to! His walking stat is rather impressive!
Running Speed:7/10
And his running stats are no disappointment either! Mac’s a boxer so he has to be fast or he’ll be tasting canvas in seconds!
Traction: 7/10
A boxer also has to be graceful on his feet. Slipping and sliding everywhere won’t help him keep his title belt, so fortunately Mac has some good control over his traction.
Power: 6/10
Mac’s fought amongst the toughest of them, so it’s no surprise he can hold his own with some powerful punches!
Attack Speed: 7/10
With numerous quick blows, Mac’s got some lightning fast attacks. Unfortunately, some of his other attacks require some serious set up
Range: 3/10
Punches only go so far, so Mac suffers direly in the range section. Fortunately he’s got Doc to help him out a bit though!
Priority: 4/10
Mac’s a little guy…and he’s only fighting with his fists, so unfortunately, his priority is gonna suffer a tad bit.
First Jump: 4/10
Not spectacular by any means, Mac’s only human, you can’t really blame him for not having the best recovery.
Second Jump: 5/10
…so much for being human eh? A second jump better than his first really aids Mac’s recovery!
Recovery: 5/10
Mac’s Up B recovery can be either phenomenal or lackluster depending on a few variables…I’ll get to that later…
Fall Speed: 4/10
Mac’s light so he won’t fall too quickly, fortunately this aids his air game tremendously.
Crouch: 4/10
Mac sits on his haunches, his gloves raised in front of his face. This reduces his height by about 1/3 of his total height.
Crawl: No
Wall Jump: No
Wall Cling: No
Hover: No
Glide: No
Basic Pose
Mac bounces on his feet, his arms raised to chest level as he rocks his shoulders back and forth, basic boxing stance pretty much.
Idle Pose
Mac lowers his gloves to his sides and bounces on the balls of his heels, still rocking his shoulders and breathing in and out audibly.
Walking Pose
Mac quickly shuffles forward, his gloves in front of his face and his right foot always leading.
Running Pose
Mac starts to hop forward as he shuffles along, clearly and noticeably picking up speed.
Dashing Pose
Mac gets really low to the ground and sprints forward, his gloves still covering up his face as he runs. It’s essentially the same animation from his Brawl Assist Trophy.
Crouching
Little Mac bends at the knees, raising his gloves before his face as he slowly breathes in and out.
Jump 1
Mac kicks off the ground, his right arm slightly extended before him.
Jump 2
Little Mac kicks off of thin air! He suddenly leaps high into the air, pumping his fists downward as he jumps!
Shield
Mac blocks high holding his forearms before his face as the standard bubble shield forms around him.
Forward Roll
Mac’s forward roll has him sliding forward while behind the stage (as if he spot dodged) while sliding around the foe. Goes about a Bowser width forward and leaves him facing the opposite direction he was originally facing making it great for juking behind a foe for some quick punches.
Backward Roll
Instead of a backward roll, Little Mach simply leans backwards, allowing him to quickly dodge attacks and then retaliate. Very little ending lag on this roll, but no distance moved.
Side-step Dodge
Mac raises his gloves over his face and in true Punch-Out fashion leans to side of the stage furthest from the camera. Very little lag but it also has a rather short duration period, similar to Meta Knight’s.
Air Dodge
Mac pulls his gloves to his face and twists his body so he’s facing towards the camera.
Swimming
Unfortunately for him, Mac’s gloves get in the way of him doing any fancy swimming…however he can still tread water. While actually swimming, he does the breaststroke.
Drowning
Mac thrashes around before going under, one glove still raised above the surface for a moment before he loses his stock.
Dizzy
Mac’s arms slump to his side as he rocks slowly, stars circling his head.
Asleep
Taking advice from Mr. Sandman, Mac goes to dreamland, dropping to one knee and slouching over.
Extended Recovery
Mac has a little extra added onto his gameplay; an extended recovery. If Doc is close enough to the edge of the stage, he’ll hold his hand out to Mac as he tries to recover. This adds about a Kirby width to the ledge for Mac and Mac only. Unfortunately, Doc isn’t quite as strong as Mac; if Doc helps pull Mac up, it’ll take half a second longer for Mac to get on stage than it normally would.
-Special Attacks-
Neutral B: Tagging Punch
Mac jabs forward with a single punch with zero start up and end lag. If it connects, this punch deals 1% with no knockback or flinching. So…if it’s a single punch that does no knockback and minimal damage, what good could it possibly do you?
Simple; because this attack is so fast, it can be used to smack the opponent before they can smack you! If Mac hits an opponent as they’re attacking (during the start up frames of the attack), their attack will be nullified, causing the opponent to flinch like one of Falco’s lasers. Yes, the priority for this move is unparalleled so long as Mac strikes during the start up of the opponent’s attack. Any later and Mac will get swatted away, too soon and Mac will simply jab them once.
When Mac successfully “counterattacks” a foe with this move, a large yellow star will appear over Mac’s head, this will come into play during the Up B recovery option, so read there for more details.
Obviously this attack can’t simply be spammed against an competent opponent; if you do nothing but jab at them in hopes that they attack you, any smart opponent would simply grab Mac and throw him; this attack can NOT out prioritize grabs.
Like boxing, you have to wait for your chance to strike with this move! Wait till your opponent lets their guard down for an aggressive attack, then counterpunch to send ‘em reeling!
Side B: Doc Stole My Bike!
A rather unconventional dash attack; Doc hops on his bike and exits the background, appearing on the field and hastily biking towards Mac’s position! Doc travels about as fast as a dashing Link and is a high priority, low knockback hitbox, dealing 11% if he smacks into a foe!
However…Doc IS only riding a bike. If the opponent hits the front wheel (with a down tilt ONLY) it’ll pop! This, obviously, means that Doc won’t be reaching your position for a while longer. Fortunately he whips out a bicycle pump and inflates the tire. The entire act of re-inflating the tire takes two seconds. What’s to stop an opponent from constantly popping the tires, rendering Doc useless, you ask? Easy; he patches it up with an “X” shaped patch. “X” shaped patches make everything better. Everything. Until Doc reaches Mac’s location, he’ll be untouchable.
Now, besides acting as a rather odd Side B (with the potential to hit -ANYWHERE- on the stage), this serves as Mac’s prime way of getting Doc to come to him (if for whatever reason Mac can’t get to Doc). Now to prevent this from being broken; Doc can only peddle after Mac for five seconds; any longer and he becomes winded, resting for four seconds before the Dash Attack can be used again.
If Mac is at zero hearts when he uses this attack, Doc show his concern by speeding up considerably; instead of biking at a Link dashing speed, he’ll move at a Charizard dashing speed.
Up B: Star Uppercut
This is where the stars from the Neutral B and/or Up Throw come from! In Punch-Out!!, the Star Uppercut is Mac’s trademark finishing blow; a powerful spiraling uppercut to the jaw will send most anyone to the mat! In Smash, it’s also one of Mac’s most flexible KO moves as well as his prime mode of recovery. The exact recovery height, damage and knockback is all variable depending on how many Stars Mac has obtained via either his Neutral B or Up Throw.
Zero Stars: Assuming Mac hasn’t obtained ANY Stars from his opponent, Mac’s basic uppercut will be incredibly weak, causing only 6% and very low-low knockback. In terms of recovery, it acts sort of like Zero Suit Samus’ Down B vertical distance with almost no horizontal recovery. Obviously this isn’t going to help you recover very well…
One Star: With one Star, Mac’s gloves will have a faint bronze aura around them. When activated, Mac unleashes a moderately powerful uppercut, dealing 9% and low-medium knockback. In terms of recovery, Mac will travel vertically about the distance of Bowser’s Up B and about a Kirby width of horizontal distance.
Two Stars: Mac’s gloves obtain a glowing silver aura with two Stars. Upon use of Mac’s Up B with two Stars, Mac’s uppercut will deal 11% and medium knockback. In terms of recovery, this uppercut will boost Mac about the distance of Ganondorf’s Up B vertically, and Diddy Kong’s Side B horizontally.
Three Stars: With three Stars, Mac’s Up B is nearly unmatched, plus his gloves glow an awesome gold color! This move will deal a whopping 15% and high knockback…providing you hit with it that is. In terms of recovery, Mac is given an EXCELLENT recovery option here, vertical distance rivals that of King Dedede’s Up B (albeit a tad shorter…) with just as much air control as the penguin king for horizontal distance.
Unlike Punch-Out!!, Mac won’t lose his Stars if hit (Because…ya know? That’d kind of defeat the purpose of being a recovery option…), but instead loses any stars he was in possession of before being KO’d. So oddly enough, you’re actually most vulnerable right after spawning…
Down B: Quick Breather!
This move will only work providing that Doc is standing within one Bowser width of Mac. Upon activation of the Down B (providing Doc is right there) Doc will set down a stool from the back of his bike that Mac will sit down upon. While sitting down, Mac will regain a heart per half second and heal 1% per full second sitting down.
Now, before the cries of “broken!!” ring out, there’s a few things that help keep this move in check. Obviously, the biggest of which is the fact that the move can only be used providing Doc is right there. If Doc is across the stage, you’re unable to use it. Second of all, while it may have very little start up lag (after all, he’s just putting a stool down…), this move suffers from considerable end lag (one second) as Mac has to stand up, shake himself out and THEN will Doc put the stool back on the bike.
Needless to say this move is very situational; if you happen to have some down time in a match (such as your opponent was just KO’d) or if you’re just fighting a particularly campy foe, this move can be great for helping to revive Mac a little bit…just don’t abuse it, okay?
Another point of interest; if Mac has exhausted his heart supply, Doc will eat a chocolate bar while Mac sits on the stool. For whatever reason, this aids in the healing process! Mac will instantly recover 15 hearts as well as 6%. Unfortunately, this adds to the move’s end lag (by about a second) as Doc must finish his candy bar before he can do anything else. THIS however is perfect for last ditch efforts as Mac can move after healing…he just can’t use Doc; make it count
-Standard Attacks and Tilts-
A Combo: Jumping Rope
Upon activation of this move, Doc will pull a jump rope off the back of his bike and hand it to Mac instantly, yes, this move is incredibly fast. Tapping the A button causes Mac to, what else? Jump rope! The faster you tap the button the faster Mac jumps rope. This causes minor knockback and about 4% with moderate priority. Once you stop tapping the A button, Mac will drop the rope instantly, allowing him to move about freely (although Doc can’t move for a bit afterwards as he has to pick up the rope again).
But wait, there’s more! While tapping the A button at the maximum speed, the jump rope will begin to blur, appearing as if there is a ring of orange around Mac. At this time, Mac is invulnerable to projectile attacks (except explosions). Of course, if Mac starts to slow down he’ll become vulnerable again…so make sure you can keep up the pace!
Dash Attack: Bull Charge
Mac stops in place and then hops a short distance into the air. A moment later, Mac hops forward three times and launches a powerful uppercut right into the opponent’s face dealing 12% and medium-high knockback.
Needless to say this move has an incredibly high duration period making it quite difficult to land. As Mac hopes, he travels about 1/3 of Final Destination before uppercutting, so make sure you have the room to land this attack…timing isn’t so much a factor as much as luck is with this one.
Side Tilt: Through The Pain!
Another attack requiring Doc’s set up. Upon activation of the side tilt, Doc will pull two dumbbells from the back of his bike and place them down before him. This gives Mac a few options for this attack…choose which one seems the most appropriate for the given situation.
The first option is the direct attack. Pick up the dumbbells like a weapon and throw them at a foe! They travel surprisingly fast and cause quite a sting, dealing 4% and low-medium knockback. Unfortunately they’re rather low priority…not really the best use for this move.
The MAIN use for this move is to give Mac a nice attack bonus! Press the side tilt command again while standing next to the grounded dumbbells and Mac will pick them up, proceeding to do some reps. Tapping the A button causes Mac to start doing the reps, the faster you tap, the fast he lifts those weight! Upon completion of eight reps (eight taps of the A button), Mac will take on a red tinge; at this time, his damage and knockback for the next attack (whether it hits or misses…) doubles! This is an excellent way to steal some low % KO’s from lighter opponents and to finish off the heavier ones! High risk, high pay off; all or nothin’ Mac, baby!
Up Tilt: Doc’s Gotcha!
Providing that Doc is somewhere nearby when you activate this move, Doc will rush on stage and hoist Mac into the air triumphantly! Er…isn’t this a bit early for a celebration? Regardless, Doc thrusting Mac into the air makes Mac act like a high priority hitbox that deals 10% and medium upward knockback! Talk about using your head huh?
This move suffers from a bit of end lag as Doc realizes his silly mistake and sets Mac down. He then quickly runs back to his bike behind the stage.
Down Tilt: Melted Chocolate
It seems that Doc doesn’t realize he’s on the battlefield. Pulling out a bar of chocolate, Doc takes a bite out of it and then drops it to the ground accidentally. Looking visibly disappointed, Doc watches as the chocolate bar melts, creating a sticky puddle of chocolate, bleck!
Any opponent that steps in this chocolate goo will be stuck their momentarily until the wriggle free. The puddle does no damage but lasts for six seconds before disappearing. Moderate beginning and ending lag for this move…fortunately it can be used most anywhere.
-Smash Attacks-
Side Smash: Cyclone Punches
Mac begins winding up for a series of devastating punches, better watch out! Once the charge is unleashed, Mac throws four punches in quick succession at his opponent’s stomach. Each Punch does 3-5% per hit with minimal knockback (except the final hit that causes medium knockback).
This is Mac’s trademark punch from Super Punch-Out!! Be cautious though, it’s got a nasty bit of punishable start up lag but, fortunately, not very much on the end lag. Overall, this is one of Mac’s most viable KO moves as you’re almost guaranteed to land all four hits if you land the first one...just make sure you do land the first punch or Mac will be easily punished.
Up Smash: Weight Lifting
Doc hurls a rather sizeable barbell onto the stage directly before him. As the move charges, Doc begins adding weights two at a time to the barbell, effectively increasing its weight! Now, this Smash attack is actually rather unique; Mac can charge it from anywhere (since it’s not actually him doing the work), but once the charge is released, Doc will simply leave the weight where it is.
The weight acts like a throwable projectile, much like Bonsly or Peach’s turnips. Depending on the weight, Mac will either instantly pick up the weight (as if it were like a bat) or slowly pick it up (like a crate or a barrel). Hitting the opponent with the barbell causes medium-high knockback (higher if the barbell has more weight on it) and about 18-23%.
Be cautious however…any opponents can also pick the barbell up and throw it off stage…or of course, they could always throw it directly into Mac’s face…
Down Smash: The Sandbags
Doc pulls a large sandbag off of the back of his bike and eventually places it on the ground before him. Depending on how long the Smash is charged for, the sandbag Doc pulls out will vary in height. At minimum charge, the sandbag is the height of Kirby; at max, it’s Ganondorf’s height. Now, a sandbag isn’t gonna do much on its own, is it?
Of course not! Striking the sandbag causes it to swing in the opposite direction it was hit from; the harder the hit, the faster and more powerful the swing is. Now clearly…getting hit by a sandbag is gonna hurt…this attack deals about 10-19% depending on where the bag hits the foe. At the very end, it’ll cause around 19% and medium knockback. Near the middle or at the top however will only cause around 10% and low-medium knockback. The additional length added to the sandbag obviously makes it easier to hit with both…
But of course…what goes around comes around; if an opponent hits the sandbag towards you…you may want to duck.
Neutral Air: Double Lariat
It seems as though Soda Popinski isn’t the only Russian that Mac’s been learning some moves from! Extending his arms out at his sides, Mac begins to spin rapidly, striking the foe with several low knockback, moderate priority hits that each cause 3% (up to six hits).
Not only can this be used as an effective damage racking attack, it also keeps Mac somewhat a loft, allowing him to extend his horizontal recovery. A good idea for Mac’s recovery is to use your second jump, extending your horizontal distance with the neutral air and then use the Up B for full recovery.
Forward Air: Speed Bag Pummel
Mac begins to quickly cycle his gloves before him, striking the foe with numerous (about 12 max) blows that deal 1% each with little knockback. This attack is a prime damage racking move as it comes out almost instantly. Unfortunately, it lacks the range and knockback necessary for it to be a great aerial attack, but it’s certainly not terrible…
Back Air: Mac Attack
Mac holds his fist before him as it begins to tremble, he’s storing up energy for a killer blow! Spinning around, Mac jabs fiercely forward with a powerful punch! An opponent struck by Mac’s powerful punch will receive medium-high knockback and take a solid 15%. This attack however suffers from about ¾’s of a second worth of lag, making it highly unspammable…this is another one of Mac’s all or nothing attacks…
Up Air: Throwing Off The Gloves
Well…this move name is quite literal! It seems as if Mac’s borrowed Aran Ryan’s Glove-On-A-Rope to use against his opponents in Brawl! Swinging his arm in an arc over his head, Mac’s right glove flies off and smacks the foe causing 11% and low-medium knockback. This attack also suffers from a tiny bit of start up and end lag, but it’s exceptional for spacing purposes.
Down Air: The Bronx Bomber
Pulling back his left fist, Mac shoots towards the ground before him at a 45-degree angle. If he makes contact with a foe as he falls, Mac will punch them diagonally downward into the ground. Once Mac touches the ground next to the opponent, he hits them a second time with a fierce uppercut, sending them flying into the air again. If Mac doesn’t encounter an opponent in the air, he’ll still launch the uppercut regardless of whether or not an opponent is there making this a punishable move if missed.
This move has a slight bit of start up lag (nothing to noticeable, basic stall then fall lag) and fairly decent priority. The first punch (while falling) deals 5% and a diagonal downward spike. The uppercut however deals an additional 7% and knocks the foe airborne with medium knockback.
This attack is, oddly enough, exceptional for knocking foes into the air, allowing Mac to either set up his equipment or to pursue his foes with some more aerial attacks.
-Grabs & Throws-
Grab: Being a boxer, Mac doesn’t actually GRAB his opponents, but instead launches a single punch towards the opponent’s head. If the head connects, they’ll start rocking back and forth like they’re in their dizzy animation. From here, Mac will be able to launch his pummel and various throws. Unfortunately, this also gives Mac the distinct disadvantage of having a grab that can simply be ducked…
Pummel: Gut Feeling
Mac socks the opponent constantly in the gut like a punching bag, dealing 1% per hit. Fortunately this attack is incredibly quick, potentially racking up 10% at a time.
Forward Throw: Gut Buster
Mac launches a fierce punch straight into the opponent’s stomach dealing 9%! Ouch! Once hit, the opponent clutches at their stomach and slowly waddles back about a Bowser width before keeling over.
Like most of Mac’s other throws, this one does set knockback and is more about giving Mac time to set up his other attacks than actually acting as a potential KO move. A word of notice however, if the opponent would normally waddle off the edge while moving backwards, they’ll simply keel over when they reach the edge instead of walking off.
Upward Throw: Seeing Stars
Mac crouches down and then unleashes a painful uppercut to the opponent’s jaw, sending them flying into the air with low-medium knockback. Fairly basic huh?
Well, there’s a bit more to this, and it’s actually rather luck based. Each time Mac uses this attack, he has a one in ten chance of a star appearing. As any Mac players knows, stars = good; these stars act identically to the ones that appear after successfully using Mac’s Neutral B and aid Mac’s Up B recovery in the same way.
Maybe you could rely on this if you’re rubbish at countering with the Neutral B…
Downward Throw: On The Ropes
Mac jabs the opponent in the head with a fierce blow; they’re down for the count! The opponent spins in place for about half a second before falling down, flat on their face. Mac is now free to move around and set up various equipment before the opponent gets back up.
If you’re knocked “to the mat,” tap the A button to crawl to your feet. The more damage you have, the harder it is to get up. Fortunately, you also have super armor during the “getting up” animation so Mac players can’t simply knock you down and then beat you up. This attack does 7% and no knockback.
Back Throw: Juke and Jive
The opponent, slightly staggered from being “grabbed” throws a feeble punch at Mac who quickly spins around them and retaliates with a quick jab to the back of the foes head. The opponent is sent spinning forward in a similar way to Meta Knight’s Side B, flying two Bowser’s widths forward (or backward rather). The opponent suffers from considerable end lag (albeit with super armor) as they’re slightly dazed still before standing; Mac however is perfectly free to set up any equipment he may need before the opponent can snap out of their daze. This attack deals 8% and mild, set knockback.
Another quick note however; if the opponent does not touch the ground after spinning away, they don’t enter a dazed state meaning you can’t just camp the edges and throw your opponent to their doom.
-Situational Attacks-
Ledge Attack (Under 100%): Chin Ups
Mac begins doing chin ups, pulling himself up twice before actually pulling himself onto the stage. Each time he pulls himself up he takes a swipe at the stage with his right glove dealing 6% and medium knockback.
Ledge Attack (Over 100%): Fading Fast
Mac pulls himself up wearily before taking a few exhausted swipes forward. Deals 3% and low knockback.
Rising Attack (From Back): Sit Ups
Mac begins doing sit ups rapidly, striking foes with his upper body! This attack deals 3% and can hit up to four times as he does four sit ups total. Very short range and low-medium knockback.
Rising Attack (From Stomach): Push Ups
Tell me you didn’t see this coming? You didn’t? Liar. Mac begins doing push ups, four in total…essentially it’s the same as the other rising attack, but with a slightly longer hitbox.
Mac’s glowing, what will happen now?! With a tap of the B button, Mac jabs forward with a single punch. Impressive, no? Really? It’s not? Well of course its not if you miss the punch! A flubbed jab means a flubbed Final Smash, it’s all or nothing, Mac, baby!
If you connect with the jab…that’s where the -REAL- fun begins! The screen then pivots to a behind the back view of Little Mac with his opponent directly before him! The Final Smash essentially recreates Punch-Out!! Although with a few changes…
Since your opponents are not boxers (unless you’re fighting another Mac of course…) they won’t really know what to do here! The confused opponents can’t even attack you now! Pressing the A button causes Mac to jab forward with his right fist, whereas pressing the B button causes a punch from the left! Holding up causes Mac to aim for the head!
An overall rule for this Punch-Out!! is that head shots do more damage, 4% in fact whereas body blows only do 2%. Now, why wouldn’t you want to use head blows exclusively? Simple; the opponent may not be able to fight back…but if they hold up, they’ll begin to cower, covering their head with their hands! Fortunately this leaves their body wide open to punches! However, if the opponent holds down, they’ll block their body with their hands leaving their face wiiiiide open for some forced reconstruction!
Perfecting Mac’s Final Smash means recognizing when to attack the face and when to work the body; if you attack blindly, you’re gonna end up not doing much damage. Use the opponent’s slow reaction time against them; Mac can punch much faster than they can block.
Overall this lasts for 12 seconds. As a side note, any opponents not directly involved in the Punch-Out!! will be magnified, receiving 1% per second.
Up Taunt: Boxer Shuffle
Mac jabs forward with a flurry of punches, all while showing off his fancy footwork!
Side Taunt: The Champ Is Here!
Mac throws both arms into the air as he turns to face the camera! Mac really is the true underdog story!
Down Taunt: Shadow Boxing
Mac jives while casing his shadow on the ground before him or any walls behind him. Occasionally, the shadow won’t move the same as Mac, causing him to look at it with a puzzled expression.
-Victory Animations-
Victory Pose 1: Title Holder
Mac holds his title belt over his head as Doc runs in from the side of the screen. Doc throws his arms around Mac’s waist and lifts the triumphant Mac onto his shoulder and shouts, “Woowee! Mac, baby!”
Victory Pose 2: Close Call
Mac appears in the center of the win screen, slightly hunched over. He stands up and waves to a seemingly invisible audience as Doc dashes up, raises his hand and says, “He can always take a whoopin’!”
Victory Pose 3: Back To Training!
Mac glances around and then pumps his fits, keeping them held up at about head level to both sides of him. Doc then bikes past, stops and calls out “Good job Mac, baby! But we gotta get back to trainin’, baby!”
Victory Pose 4: Yoshi Pizza
Sundance walks out onto the victory screen dressed as a stereotypical Italian-American gangster and pulls out a box containing a YOSHI-SHAPED PIZZA. Little Mac and Sundance then begin to eat the pizza while the losers watch on. Mac's normal victory theme also changes to this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyYZUhSeRYc
Lose Pose
Mac claps as he sits on a stool, Doc standing behind him while eating a chocolate bar.
Victory Theme: Get Up Mac!
Entrance
Doc rides onto the stage on his bicycle followed shortly after by Little Mac who runs after him, wearing his pink sweatshirt. Doc climbs off the bike and into the background while Mac throws off his sweatshirt, raising his fists and reading himself for the fight.
Upon use of Little Mac's Down B special, Doc will sometimes have a little conversation with him about the current opponent he's fight. If there's more than one, he'll pick a random opponent.
: Mac, baby! This guy looks awfully familiar…you sure we haven’t seem him somewhere before? Anyway, hit him fast and dodge that jump punch!
: Mario’s little bro may not be as famous as his brother, but his fiery uppercut’s nasty! Don’t let him get too close, baby!
: Mac! Mario might get mad if you smack Peach around too much! Fireballs, baby! Fireballs!
: You’ve fought bigger, nastier guys than this overgrown turtle, Mac! Take him to the mat with some fast punches!
: Him again?! Don’t let him make a monkey out of you Mac, dodge his punches and counterpunch!
: For a chimp he’s got some quick moves! If he starts throwin’ banana peels, keep an eye on your footin’, baby!
: This guy’s playin’ dirty Mac, baby! You’ve seen all kind’sa crazy stuff, but this guy’ll fightcha with his tongue! Stay sharp!
: Mac, Wario likes lots of garlic; what do you think is better? Garlic, or chocolate? Hahahaha.
: A sword?! That’s just cheatin’! Mac, hit this sucka with an uppercut and don’t let him get back in the ring!
: Well it’s normally not right to hit a girl, Mac…so I’m not sure what to tell you…
:shiek:: Normally it’s not right to hit a girl, Mac, but I’m pretty sure that princess changed into a guy! Take him…her…it…potato, whatever! Take ‘em to the mat Mac!
: This guy makes Mr. Sandman look like a beansprout, Mac. But you know what they say, the bigger they are, the harder they hit! Wait, that’s not right…
: Didn’t you fight this guy already Mac, baby? Either way, jab, hook, counterattack, do what it takes to take this pipsqueak down!
: Mac, baby! What do you think about me gettin’ one of those suits of armor? I think I’d look pretty good in one of those, baby!
: That robot had a lady inside of it? Now I've seen everything Mac, baby...
: Mac, baby! Don’t go hittin’ girls alright? Wait…That’s a guy! Change of strategy, Mac; beat him senseless!
: Two against one isn’t fair Mac! Even the odds with some smooth punches! You think they get hot in those parkas…?
: Mac, baby! You think robots like chocolate? I couldn’t imagine something that doesn’t like a good ol’ chocolate bar…
: Now this is my kinda guy, Mac, baby! Big, round, likes chocolate! We’d get along just fine!
: I’ve heard lots about this guy Mac, baby! Dirtiest character around! But you’ve got speed and strength to spare! Take this cheater down!
: Well he’s big, and he never shuts his trap…but he’s nothin’ like King Hippo, baby! Treat him like that lug and you’ll be eating canvas!
: What a wimp, Mac, baby! This guy sits around eatin’ chocolate bars while he gets somebody else to do all the fightin’! Show him what it means to work for once with some fancy footwork!
: Mac, baby! This guy’s a fast one! He’ll go to all kinds of crazy lengths to dodge your attacks! Remember to double tap R, or Z to…wait a second…
: Pizza? Cake? Bread? This bird’s makin’ me hungry Mac, baby! I might just take a little break for a quick chocolate bar…
: Didn’t we alright take down this sucka, Mac? Either way, watch out! He’s got strength and speed to boot!
: This guy’s got a killer straight Mac, baby! I once heard it blew up an entire galaxy…nah…what kind of punch could do that?!
: Mac, baby! Watch where you’re punchin’! Slip up and you could be in for a shocking surprise! Get it? Hahahahaha!
: Look at this sucka watchin’ his friends fight! Be careful, Mac, three against one are odds I don’t like…!
: Seems like this guy’s been goin’ through some crazy trainin’ of his own! All I know is he uses aura…so make his aura black and blue, Mac, baby!
: This puffball’s got a killer hook! Toast this marshmallow and we’ll be makin’ s’mores, Mac, baby!
: Alright Mac, show this pretty boy some real fightin’ skills alright? Some blows to that face of his oughta sort him out!
: He’s a powerhouse, Mac, baby, but he’s slow as molasses! Use your speed, baby! Use your speed!
: He may be a little kid, but he’s got some nasty psychic voodoo goin’ on! Smack the taste outta his mouth and end the match quick Mac, baby!
: This kid better get used to fightin’ folks bigger than him otherwise he won’t get anywhere, right Mac, baby?
: Watch out, Mac, baby! You’re fightin’ a livin’ chocolate man! Chocolate
doesn’t fight fair, so watch your back and punch hard!
: This guy’s armed to the teeth with weapons, baby! He’s also a master of stealth…fortunately, that doesn’t do much out here! Hit hard, baby!
: He’s fast Mac, baby! But he’s not unstoppable! Hit hard and he’ll be picking glove out of his teeth for weeks!
Where else would Mac’s home stage be other than the ring where all the action takes place?! The Ring is a simple arena that plays out on a relatively flat boxing right. The ropes around the ring act sort of like the Bumper item, throwing away any opponents who bump into them. The Ring is surprisingly big (about the size of Final Destination) and without walk off edges (due to the ropes blocking the side blast zones. The only way to KO here is either straight up or over the side of the ropes…for whatever reason this ring floats in space. Don’t ask why.
During the course of the match, several famous Punch-Out!! contenders will appear to shake things up a bit…
Ah, good ol’ Glass Joe…poor guy never seems to win a fight! When Joe climbs into the ring, things are about to get…the exact same. Glass Joe doesn’t really DO much…on occasion he’ll take a swing at the players, but mostly he just stands about, cowering and covering his face. Poor Joe can in fact be KO’d by dealing 30% worth of damage to him; once KO’d, he releases a shower of croissants which each heal 2%.
All the way from the Hippo Islands (where ever those are…) comes the massive King Hippo! Once Hippo’s waddled his way into the ring, move space will become noticeably more constricted. Getting too close to Hippo will leave you with an overhead smash to the head. However, like Joe, Hippo can also be KO’d; by deal 50% worth of damage to Hippo, the massive monster of a man will fall. If you attack his head, his pants will drop; hit him in the gut for double damage!
Bald Bull
Bald Bull’s possibly the toughest of the foes that appear on this stage, if only for one reason…he can’t be KO’d…except by one character. Bald Bull will shuffle his hands about and then jab forward with a powerful hook! He’ll also occasionally unleash his Bull Charge attack which will send you flying, even at low percents! Now, Bald Bull has 80% worth of health…but like his previous appearances (at least the tougher time around) Bald Bull CAN’T be knocked down! Except by Mac’s uppercut. Yes. Mac alone is capable of taking down Bald Bull…fortunately he’s only a stage hazard.
Soda Popinski
He may not be able to drive so he’ll walk all over you! The…soda pop…addicted Russian is the last opponent possible on the stage. When Popinski appears, he’ll start unleashing a flurry of uppercuts! These cause a nasty amount of damage, so be careful! Overall, Popinski has 100% health…if you can topple him, you can topple anyone!
Regardless of health however, each opponent will vanish after 20 seconds…
STAGE MUSIC
Punch-Out Theme Remix:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRgk0hLdQt8
Minor Circuit Fight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KmocGW5x_0&feature=related
Major Circuit Fight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0V6Q-YLuN0&feature=related
World Circuit Fight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebYp_adEDYk&feature=related
Soda Popinski:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhQO57hmPQ
Disco Kid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSUt6AghGLk&feature=related
Bear Hugger:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed6Hs-NUDsk&feature=related
Aran Ryan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nno-FUI0HAQ&feature=related
Mr. Sandman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7VoqXGtOi0
Glass Joe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts_qn-yCcPA&feature=related
-Assist Trophy-
Mac's rival in the original NES Punch-Out!! and real life boxer Mike Tyson joins the fray as a summonable Assist Trophy! When summoned, Mike will stand where he was called to and violently uppercut any opponents too foolish to get close to the former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Iron Mike's uppercuts do about 15% and high knockback, so make sure you avoid him or you'll be sent flying! Mike stays around for a full 10 seconds; if you managed to avoid him for all 10 seconds, he'll say, "I've never seen such finger speed before!" as he vanishes. Yep, that's it. No ear biting jokes here...wait...
Vs.Wispa:
100/0
Mac has a 100/0 match up against Wispa due to Doc being on his side. Doc can't resist a good chocolate bar.
PLAYING AS - Float Like A Butterfly
When playing as Mac, once must follow the basic rule of boxing; stay on your toes and wait for an opening. If you rush in blindly expecting to take out foes with your side smash or aerial attacks, you may be in for a rude awakening. The key aspects of Mac’s playstyle is to set up your plans in advance, make sure Doc is close at hand when you need him and use the Tagging Punch when you see an opening.
If a Mac player wants to be good, they have to plan, plan plan. Make sure Doc sticks close or your lack of important equipment based moves may be your downfall. Fortunately, Mac has an exceptional game against projectile campers (which is fantastic considering he’s got such short range) due to his various equipment aspects. For example, Mac’s Neutral Combo can counter most projectiles just fine. Another line of defense can be the down smash sandbag set up; the sandbag will endure most projectiles, allowing Mac to have a temporary wall between himself and his foes allowing him to use his Down B to restore health while safely tucked away from projectile spammers.
When Mac gets up close, Tagging Punch will be your real bread and butter. Without a mastery of this attack’s timing, maining Mac is a long, tough road. Not only is this the best way to aid Mac’s recovery, it also can help save yourself from some very nasty Smash attacks. While the timing is easiest with Smash attacks, theoretically any attack can be countered so long as it doesn’t come out instantly…just the timing’s very difficult. Regardless, abuse this move if your foe is too close for comfort, build up your Stars and unleash a powerful uppercut right in their face for an easy KO!
Several of Mac’s prime KO moves have a considerable amount of lag (side smash, dash attack, back air) or other limiting factors (Up B). Considering this another reason to plan ahead with Mac, your best KO moves are going to require a bit of planning in order to trap your foe with them.
As far as Mac’s heart system goes, keep a careful eye on the number at the bottom. If your hearts dip too low, abuse this opportunity to set up some equipment with Doc or have Doc race to your location…sometimes it’s actually best to let yourself tire out just so you can get Doc there faster! Speaking of setting up the equipment and planning ahead, almost all of Mac’s throws provide perfect opportunities for this, use them!
PLAYING AGAINST – Sting Like A Bee
A fight against an experienced Mac player can be hell if you’re unprepared; fortunately, that’s exactly what you should do, make your opponent unprepared. If Mac sets up a piece of equipment, destroy it or use it against him. If Mac summons Doc, burst his tires so the Mac player is required to think with what they have for a while.
Mac players, especially n00b Mac players tend to be over reliant on the Tagging Punch. While this has the possibility to cancel out all your powerful KO moves, it does nothing against throws; Tagging Punch happy Mac? Toss him aside! It’s also recommended to stay low while fighting a Mac player; because his “grab” is so easy to dodge, his options will become limited at close range.
Projectile spamming usually works well against the short-ranged boxer but make sure to watch your surroundings as Doc could plow into you without warning. If the Mac player tries to abuse their Down B move, punish them severely and quickly!
Another prime way to successfully gimp a Little Mac main is to reduce their opportunities to gain Stars. Without Stars, Mac’s recovery is far less than stellar, so long as you don’t let Mac counterattack, you should be fine in this aspect.
One final tip is to watch the opposing Mac’s heart meter; if it starts to dip, you can be assured that the Mac player will attempt to back roll your next attack or find a time to use their Down B. Stay aggressive against Macs, but watch just how aggressive you’re being…