Hyper_Ridley
Smash Champion
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Super Macho Man is one of the most well-known characters in the Punch-Out! series of boxing games. He is a rather arrogant body builder from Hollywood who is more concerned with the fame associated with a boxing champion rather than the skills. He is often shown boasting about how great his body is or going on dates with the women of Hollywood. Ironically his hair is already grey and he doesn’t dye it despite caring so much about how looking “cool”. In Punch-Out! Wii he was given voice acting, sounding like a stereotypical surfer using lingo such as “dude” or “bogus”.
In all games, Super Macho Man is a powerful opponent, appearing as either the semi-final boss, final boss, or as the champion of the semi-final circuit. His signature move, the “Super Spin Punch”, has him performing multiple, fast clothesline punches, and being hit by just one of the 4+ punches in a single use can instantly knockdown Little Mac.
In Brawl, Super Macho Man has an overall “balanced” set of core stats. His movement speed and traction are both average. His jumps are both slightly above average but so is his fall speed, and his aerial control is average. He is the size of Ganondorf thanks to those big muscles of his, and he’s about as heavy as Ike.
Down Special - Too Cool for You
Macho Man pulls out his signature sunglasses and puts them on. They’re in some back pocket or something, there, not a prop! (h)
This takes .45 seconds with below average end lag on top of that. Once Macho Man has his trusty sunglasses on, he really starts showboating for the crowd. Many of his moves will now have altered properties as he performs flashier versions of them to make the match more exciting! You can remove the glasses by performing the input again. His glasses will also break if he takes 45% damage to his head with them on. The glasses retain their damage after he puts them away, and he doesn’t get a new pair till he respawns.
Neutral Special - Super Spin Punch
Macho Man unleashes his signature attack! After doing a classic arm flex, he suddenly spins around a full 360 degrees with his arm outstretched. The flex gives the move above average startup lag, but the payoff is an attack with decent priority that deals 20% and knockback that KOs at 65%, and it deals great damage to shields too with decent shield stun. Because Macho Man is spinning, this move even hits to both sides and since his arm is outstretched it has nice range. Below average end lag.
With his sunglasses on, it’s time for potentially the most extreme PAUNCH ever in Smash Bros history! Macho Man begins to strike several dramatic poses over 2 full seconds while yelling “Super! Macho! Man!” He then performs three consecutive spinning punches that have the same properties to the regular version, with below average lag in between each punch. While the startup is extremely long, after .55 seconds pass of it, Macho Man has full invincibility for the rest of the startup time. This is an absolutely devastating move to shields if your opponent is unable to dodge it via other means, being able to destroy even Bowser’s shield from full if all 3 hits connect.
Side Special - Photo-op
Macho Man places his hands on hips with a smug expression on his face and he yells out, “Photo OP!” As he says this, an off-screen camera takes his picture, and the flash of the camera takes up an area on the screen the size of DK overlapping Macho Man. Enemies caught in the flash will be dazed for as long as a deku nut stuns them. The effect cannot stack to prevent stalling. There is above average startup lag and low end lag to the move. If Macho Man has his sunglasses on, the flash will be 1.4 times bigger due to it reflecting off the lenses. If performed in the air, a holograph platform appears as he stalls in place. Can’t let the picture can be blurry now, can we?
Up Special - Powerful Jump
Macho Man performs a literal third jump by harshly “stomping” the air, propelling him upwards as far as Mario’s Super Jump Punch at a similar speed. There is below average startup lag to the move and low end lag coming out of it. Macho Man’s feet are the hitbox for this move, dealing 12% and a moderately powerful meteor smash with below average priority (ZOMG a boxer attacking with his feet this moveset sucks even if Macho Man’s doing it unintentionally!). Macho Man does not enter freefall after performing the attack. Overall a mediocre recovery tool at best but it could be used sometimes for gimps since you can spike an enemy while recovering back in the same move.
Jab - ...
Macho Man performs a…wait for it…JAB on the enemy. This has good priority and is quick to start up with end lag that is still below average. It deals10% with knockback that KOs at 250%, and has a nice horizontal range due to Macho Man extending his arm all the way, but due to his height it might miss opponents low to the ground. The move also deals higher than average shield-stun.
If he has his sunglasses on, Macho Man will wind up before throwing the punch. He must be going for a big hit now! This version of the attack has the same startup lag as Wario’s FTilt and it is indeed stronger, dealing 13% with knockback that KOs at 170%. The priority, range, and end lag remain the same.
Forward Tilt - Backhand Swat
Macho Man performs a spinning backhand punch that has below average priority and deals 11% with knockback that KOs at 180%. It also deals nice damage to shields as well as pushing a shielding enemy away as far as 1/3 of battlefield. This is definitely a good thing, since while the move has below startup lag, it has above average end lag as Macho Man resets his position, so the shield push actually keeps this move safe on block. Don’t expect to get the same leniency with enemies that spam dodges however.
With his sunglasses on, Macho Man really ramps up the heat by allowing you to cancel this move into another use of it, thereby turning him into a whirling frontal assault of backhands. Of course, just sitting there spamming this move is about as effective as a Marth spamming his DTilt; any competent player will hit you through the blind spots. Of course, this can be absolutely vicious when used against a wall to rip apart shields, though that won’t come into play unless you have an enemy or teammate who can create them. Both versions of the move are great for damaging and spacing against shields, though it’s difficult to perform follow-up attacks.
Down Tilt - Crunch
Macho Man rises from his crouch while performing a mighty uppercut. An uppercut from a downwards input? What witchcraft is this?! This uppercut has short horizontal range in front of Macho Man due to the way he curls his arm but it strikes an area as tall as he is. Combine this with its okay priority and low startup lag and you have a nice defensive move. It deals 11% with vertical knockback that KOs at 140%, and it deals good shield stun as well. It has below average end lag.
With his sunglasses on, Macho Man bangs his fists together twice before attacking. This gives the move above average startup lag but the priority is now above average and it deals good damage to shields in addition to the shield stun. These changes make the attack into a high-risk/high-reward type of maneuver instead of the defensive function it serves with the normal variation.
Up Tilt - Mach(o) Tornado
Macho Man spreads his arms as he begins to spin around like a top in a motion similar to Luigi’s Down Special, or even better, Zangief’s Lariat attack from Street Fighter if you’re familiar with it. You can move him left and right as he spins around at a decent speed. He spins around for .6 seconds, dealing 12 hits in that time to each side. His arms are the only hitboxes for the move, and they have below average priority and deal 1% per hit with the final hit dealing purely horizontal knockback that KOs at 150%. Essentially no startup lag with average end lag. The move deals a nice amount of shield damage on the last hit.
With his glasses on, his movement during the spin increases to be almost as high as Luigi’s Down Special, and by rapidly tapping the attack button you can have Macho Man slowly rise up like similar spinning-style attacks in Brawl, making it much more difficult to dodge. However, the priority of the move is decreased to be almost as low as a typical Captain Falcon attack, making it much easier for a direct counter.
Dash Attack - Surf’s Up
Macho Man spreads his arms as he skids forwards as far as Luigi’s Dash as a good speed. In this pose Macho Man looks very much like he’s surfing across the stage. His arms are a hitbox with below average priority that deal 10% with knockback that KOs at 210%. Low startup lag, but above average end lag as Macho Man stumbles forwards for a moment at the end of the slide. He will fall off the edge of platforms and enter freefall for .4 seconds as he “wipes out”. With his sunglasses on, Macho Man won’t “wipe out”, so he will stop at the edge of platforms and not stumble at the end of the move, giving it low end lag.
Forward Smash - Power Hook
Macho Man performs a strong arcing right hook while yelling “Pump it!” There is average startup lag to the move, but below average end lag. The punch has below average priority and deals 18% (30% charged) with knockback that KOs at 110% (80% charged). Against defending opponents the move deals nice shield stun.
With his sunglasses on, Mach Man apparently becomes the star of an anime as his glove acquires a fiery aura of raw power! This causes the move to have above average priority and deal great damage to shields instead of shield stun. In fact, it always drains a shield’s life by 50% of its max power, making it a vicious way to finish off shields after damaging it via other means. On the downside, this attack gets its power by drawing from Macho Man’s own shield, lowering it by 33%! While Macho Man’s shield will never break itself with this move, stopping at 1%, it would still be an unwise decision to spam this lest you leave yourself defenseless.
Down Smash - Feel the Burn!
Macho Man brings his arms to his sides and flexes for as long as you charge. When you are finished charging, he will have a red aura around himself. For 2-7 seconds depending on charge time, Macho Man’s attacks deal2 more damage 1.3x shield damage and shield-stun, but nothing else is increased. Average startup lag, low end lag.
With his glasses on nothing special happens if you simply charge up the move fully…normally that it. However, if Macho Man takes damage while charging…he still takes the damage and knockback. Some action star he is! But wait, it seems that he has acquired the aura like he does with the regular variant of the move, and no matter how much he “charged” beforehand, it will last for 5 seconds. If Macho Man completes the charging uninterrupted, he gets a bonus that lasts for the next hits he deals. Now that’s more like it, coming back after taking a beating, just like in all fighting sports movies!
Up Smash - Release the Bogus!
Macho Man pulls back an arm before delivering a spinning uppercut! Macho Man moves forwards as he performs the mighty punch as far as 1/5 of battlefield, and he spins around in place as the move winds down which gives it a lingering hitbox at the end with low end lag! The uppercut portion of the move has below average priority and deals 14% (26% charged) with knockback that KOs at 120% (80% charged) and extreme shield stun. The lingering spinning part lasts for .3 seconds and deals 6% with knockback that KOs at 200%, and it has high priority. There is average startup lag to this move.
If you have Macho Man’s sunglasses equipped, you don’t get any gameplay changes, but you DO get a fun easter egg. Macho Man yells out “Release the beast!” as he performs this attack. However, if he does not hit anybody, he ends up cutting off the last word as he grumbles “bogus”.
Neutral Aerial - Dramatic Twist
Macho Man performs a feat that would cause the Brawl engine to explode. He doesn’t perform a sex kick, oh no. He performs a sex PUNCH! Macho Man jabs his arm forwards with low startup lag as it lingers for .3 seconds before retracting for below average end lag. The initial hit deals 9% with knockback that KOs at 180%, the lingering hit deals 6% with flinching knockback. The attack has below average priority the entire time.
With his sunglasses on, Macho Man performs the unthinkable; a two-hit combo of sex punches! Oh my God Pandora’s Box has been opened! Both punches perform the same as the regular version, except that the initial hit of the first punch deals high hitstun instead of knockback for the second hit to auto-combo, and there is low lag in between the punches. Overall, both variations of this attack are great for pressuring shields and either starting, linking, or ending a combo. Definitely one of Macho Man’s key moves, but that’s only fitting when it’s so amazingly creative, M I RITE?
Forward Aerial - Slow-mo Pound
Macho Man raises a fist before bringing it down hard in front of himself. This has average startup lag and the punch has average priority, but it deals a nice 14% and the move deals set downwards knockback as far as 2 Ganondorfs on top of each other, or nice shield damage against a defending opponent. If the opponent hits the ground from the blow, they will bounce back up for half the distance they traveled and end up “floating” in place for .6 seconds as gravity slowly takes control of their momentum. Considering the move has low end lag even if he hits the ground, this can be a great combo starter!
With his Sunglasses on, Macho Man’s fall speed is reduced to almost nothing as he does a “slow motion” attack. This of course increases the startup lag to go along with it to nearly the same amount as a Falcon Punch, BUT the priority is drastically increased to be considered good, and the damage is now a very impressive 24%. The knockback and the bounce effects remain intact, so you can combo this strong move into others for even more damage potential.
Back Aerial - Falling With Style
Macho Man leans back as he continues falling, folding his arms behind his head and crossing his legs in a classic relaxation pose. There is low startup lag as he enters this pose, and he holds it as long as you hold the attack button. His entire body is a low priority hitbox that deals 10% with set vertical knockback that goes as high as Mario is tall. There is average end lag to leave this pose, but if you let him touch the ground while doing it he will cancel the move into his lying-down back position. Try to connect with the move just as you touch the ground so you can combo into his back-rising attack!
Up Aerial - Soaring Smash
Macho Man performs a powerful forwards punch angled slightly upwards. This has low startup lag and average end lag. It has below average priority and deals 11% with vertical knockback that KOs at 145%. The force of the punch also causes Macho Man to rise upwards as far as Link’s Spin Attack when he performs it and as far horizontally as 1/5 of Battlefield. When you combine this with his up-special Macho Man has a pretty decent recovery overall. To prevent it from becoming an infinite recovery, only the first use of the move has the rising effect, replenished when Macho Man lands.
With his sunglasses, you can press the attack button at the apex of the first punch’s lift for Macho Man to perform a fierce downwards punch that causes him to plummet to the ground (an UAir stall-then-fall!). This punch has okay priority and deals 10% with flinching knockback, or enhanced shield stun if applicable. There is below average end lag to this move, making it good for retreating to the ground after a recovery, but if you don’t reach solid ground you can say goodbye to your stock!
Down Aerial - Rapid-Fire Fists
Macho Man turns upside down and performs 4 quick jabs towards the ground. There is low startup lag to the move, low lag in between each punch, and below average lag on the end of the move. Each punch has below average priority and deals 3% with flinching knockback. Rather than increased knockback, the last hit deals enhanced shield stun if applicable.
With his sunglasses on, Macho Man attacks at blistering speeds, performing 8 punches in the same time frame as the regular version. Each one deals 1% so this move has less damage potential, but each individual punch has slightly more priority than the one before it, with the last punch bordering on truly good priority.
Grab Animation
Macho Man attempts a traditional boxing clinch. This has low startup lag but poor range and punishable end lag. If Macho Man is not wearing his sunglasses, he will automatically perform his Forward Throw once he connects with the clinch, but with his sunglasses you have access to a full set of 4 throws and pummel.
Pummel - Headbutt
Exactly what the name says. 2% and is mildly spammable. Your standard pummel.
Forward Throw - Strong Shove
Exactly like the name says, Macho Man simply shoves his enemy out of the clinch to put some distance between himself and his opponent. This deals 6% with set knockback as far as 1/3 of Battlefield. This is mainly so that grabbing without Macho Man’s sunglasses isn’t a complete waste of time, otherwise you’ll usually stick to other throws.
Back Throw - Faceoff
Macho Man shoves his enemy away just in front of himself as they stare each other down. After 1 second passes, a either a sword or a shield icon will randomly appear in between the two combatants. Depending on what it is, both players need to try and hit the correct button first; attack for sword, and shield for shield (lol). The player who reacts quicker deals a fast jab to the loser, dealing 12% and set knockback as far as a Battlefield platform. While the input that appears is random, it’s a timing based exercise so it’s really down to player ability in the end.
Up Throw - Weight Lifting
Macho Man decides to show just how strong he really is by lifting his opponent clear off the ground! As you might expect, the success of this depends on how heavy is enemy is.
If Macho Man’s target is, say, as light as Fox, Macho Man is a bit TOO successful. His effort to lift them over his head ends up tossing them skyward for 9% and vertical knockback that KOs characters that light at around 90%.
On the other hand, if they’re as heavy as Dedede, Macho Man pulls a muscle trying to lift them up, and he staggers back while holding his back in pain. This does no damage but leaves Macho Man vulnerable to an attack for a moment.
For everybody stuck in the middle, Macho Man lifts the enemy and holds them over his head for a moment. He then slams the enemy onto the ground for 8%, leaving them lying on their back as Macho Man flexes to add insult to injury. This prevents Macho Man from performing a follow-up attack, but he has super armor during the .5 seconds he flexes, preventing the enemy from punishing him a rising attack.
Down Throw - Macho Pummel
Macho Man quickly throws his opponent to the ground and proceeds to rapidly punch them several times while they’re lying down. He deals 10 punches of 1% each, and then he yells “Get back up!” as he reaches down to pick up the opponent again. At this point, Macho Man can pick up the opponent for a re-grab, but the opponent can press the shield button as Macho Man grabs them to instantly break the hold, and the “grab-break” animations will be treated as trough Macho Man were the one being released, thereby putting him at a disadvantage. However, Macho Man can press the shield button before he makes contact with the opponent to cancel the re-grab attempt. If you’re a gutsy player you can try performing this move multiple times to rack up good damage and then canceling when you think your opponent might try to counter the re-grab.
Rising Attack - Shades of Gold
Macho Man decides to try sunbathing in the middle of battle. How vain of him. The instant you input for this move, Macho Man swats at the air above him while saying “Get outta my way!” This deals a paltry 8% but deals good set horizontal knockback as far as ½ of battlefield. After the swat is finished, Macho Man normally gets back up on his own, but if you hold the attack button, he will remain lying down, his body slowly tanning the entire time. Let go of the attack button for Macho Man to near-instantly get back up, and you can even roll from this position like a normal wake-up game. Tanning has no effect on gameplay, but you can use the delayed get-up for things such as dodging a teammates high attack or something. Or for lulzy screen-****s, do as you wish.
Ledge Attack - Macho Slam
Macho Man hates climbing up ledges! So, he’ll make the ledge lower to him. Macho Man harshly slams one fist onto the stage, which causes the entire screen to lower down as far as Ganondorf is tall. However, the opponents and Macho Man do not move with the screen, so now all Macho Man has to do is move onto the stage in the air. While he CAN perform this move multiple times, the screen resets itself after 2 seconds.
Grand Finale
Oh yeah, Macho Man’s gotten the smashball! When he activates this move, he’ll put on his sunglasses (yes even if they were broken he gets a new pair) and proceed to perform a simple hook directly in front of himself. If he hits someone (and this can only harm one opponent, targeting the closest enemy), the enemy is stunned as Macho Man prepares to show you his moves!
The action freezes as the camera zooms in on Macho Man as he delivers a barrage of lightning fast punches to the opponent, so fast that it looks like there are several Macho Men with all the after-images. This goes on for 5 full seconds as the camera circles around Macho Man and his prey, dealing 60% in total. After the punch barrage, Macho Man pulls back a fist and gathers energy into it as he yells out “SUPER! MACHO! MAN!” Macho Man delivers an EPIC uppercut to his opponent, dealing 40% as the camera freezes for a second at the moment of impact, and when the screen returns to normal the opponent is launched with vertical knockback equivalent to Marth’s final smash. This is essentially an OHKO, but it can only hit one opponent and has melee attack range.
The trophy of this final smash shows several transparent Macho Men in the midst of performing the punch barrage on Meta Knight. Now look who’s got lagless attacks!
Macho Man is a heavyweight who can combo. OH MY GOD I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH THESE IN MAKE YOUR MOVE 6 DIE HR DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE! Now wait just a minute. While it is true that Macho Man has his share of true combos, most of the time Macho Man isn’t actually comboing during hit-stun…he’s comboing against shields!
Yes, Macho Man is in fact a character who specializes in the fine art of “shield-breaking”. Of course, in order to damage shields at all you have to put the opponent on the defensive, and thankfully Macho Man is decent at approaching, unlike a certain shadow-wolf who had to go offensive to win. While his priority is on the low end, Macho Man has acceptable movement speed, and his attack speed is actually better than average for the most part too! Combine this with his long-arms and you might think you know why Macho Man is a good offensive character, right? Well, not quite.
The key to Macho Man’s success is his selection of lingering attacks. UTilt, USmash, NAir, Bair, and DAir can all qualify for this. Your opponent can’t spot-dodge them or else he takes damage as the dodge ends, and if he rolls away Macho Man can either chase after him some more. While Macho Man’s attacks do have low priority they also come out fast, so the opponent’s best option most of the time is to shield the attack. This is great news for you, since Macho Man has a bevy of moves that either deal higher shield-stun or shield damage, allowing you to take off a chunk of an opponent’s shield simply with the simplest of moves. These “shield combos” are short, around 2-4 hits, but those extra hits will make all the difference. FTilt is a notable combo ender since it deals higher pushback on shields. While this means you’ll have to approach again, it’s great if you sense an enemy waiting to attempt a shield-grab so you can get out of harms’ way.
Once you’re opponent’s shield is broken, it’s time to annihilate them! This is when you show-off some real combos, such as Bair - Rising Attack. Of course, the real meat and potatoes of these moments is KOing time! Simply let ‘er rip with a Super Spin Punch and let the crowd go wild! Bonus cool points if you perform the extended version! Macho Man isn’t so great at gimping so he has to shield-break and pulverize as quickly as possible.
Of course, there will be times when an opponent is able to resist your approaches. Maybe they’re just so good at reaction that they can predict when you’ll attack and out-prioritize you. Thankfully, Macho Man isn’t terrible when it comes to defense. His range gives him some good poking tools such as retreating Fairs. If you have time for it, defensive play is a great time to charge up a DSmash for a boost to your offensive shield-breaking game! Macho Man also has an acceptable recovery, so when combined with his weight he’ll stick around longer than average.
When it comes to Macho Man’s sunglasses, there is no one defined way to utilize them. In some cases, the altered move is purely an upgrade, such as his grab-game. In others, his moves take on more of a high-risk/high-reward status (gotta give the crowd drama!). One universal attribute is that Macho Man has no moves that directly protect his head, which is where opponents need to aim to eliminate the glasses. Some players may chose to outright ignore them, some players may chose to use them to heck and back, some players may find themselves finding situationally great uses for them; at the end of the day, Macho Man’s Down Special is YOUR hype-building tool to use as you see fit.
Overall, Macho Man has plenty of tools to win matches if you enjoy seeing a dazed opponent with their shield broken.. He can take out 40% of a shield just by nicking the last hit of a “multi-hit DAir”, and he has a combination of range and speed to successfully approach. When the shield is broken he has damage-racking combos as well as powerful finishers. He can still play somewhat defensively when he’s forced to, and his recovery isn’t too bad either. However, his low priority stops his approaches from being unstoppable and his defense from being impregnable. He also can’t gimp very well. Still, Super Macho Man has 3 good traits for every 1 bad, which when combined with the unique title of “best shield breaking character” keep him in the higher tiers and an excellent choice for competitive play. Unleash the Bogus!
Vs Meta Knight: 65/35 Super Macho Man’s favor
Meta Knight crushes Macho Man’s pitiful priority and makes Macho Man’s attack speed look like Ganondorf’s. Of course, Meta Knight does this to every character not named “MK ditto” so these are hardly flaws on Macho Man’s part. What’s truly notable about this matchup is MK’s DEFENSIVE options. See, you may not realize this, but Meta Knight has a rather weak shield and is a light-weight. I know, Meta Knight is not perfect in every way, scary thought. Anyways, Once Macho Man starts pressuring MK’s shield he can take it out very easily, and then take out Meta Knight without having to build so much damage, negating MK’s godly recovery. Conversely, Macho Man has the range and speed to at least attempt resisting MK’s pressure as well as decent weight and recovery so he can take a few sword slashes. Meta Knight already has many matchups are close to even despite his dominating traits, so when matched up against a character who can actually take advantage of his weaknesses while providing some resistance to his strengths it shouldn’t be surprising to see MK take the fall for once.
Vs Bowser: 70/30 Bowser’s favor
Bowser is in many ways the opposite of Meta Knight. Rather than recover Bowser can simply live to enormous percents, and while he can’t go on the offensive he has godly defensive moves such as FTilt, The most powerful shield in the game, and an amazing out-of-shield Whirling Fortress. Macho Man will have to get past the Koopa King’s defenses just to slowly chip away at his shield, and then he’ll have to repeat this more times than he is comfortable. While Macho Man could try to play defensively himself and force Bowser into attempting an approach, Bowser can just out-camp him AND deal too much damage with his own defense for Macho Man to reliably stall him out, giving Bowser the win.
Vs Yoshi: 65/35 Super Macho Man’s favor
Yoshi’s shield is infamous for having no good out-of-shield options, but in this case his shield might actually come in handy. His shield IS more durable than average, and upon taking a hit he can use his super-roll to escape continued pressure from Macho Man. Of course, Yoshi shares Macho Man’s low priority so it’s easier for the body builder to approach, and Yoshi’s eggs are worthless just like most projectiles in Brawl so he can’t really camp. Yoshi is surprisingly heavy so he can take a few hits, but he has some trouble both KOing or gimping Macho Man. Overall, Macho Man wins, but Yoshi isn’t as helpless as you might think considering the poor reputation of his shield against the ultimate anti-shield character.
Vs Jigglypuff: 75/25 Super Macho Man’s favor
Jigglypuff is pretty much a heavily downgraded version of Meta Knight, so off the bat Macho Man has a solid advantage. What really kills poor Jigglypuff here is her shield; it’s just as weak as MK’s with the additional “feature” of Jigglypuff instantly dying the moment it breaks! Macho Man doesn’t even have to rack damage to score wins with his godly shield-breaking powers, though even if he did Jiggylpuff is the lightest character in the game and would die extremely quickly anyways. MAYBE Jigglypuff can wall-of-pain Macho Man or something and score a gimp KO…
Vs Little Mac: 60/40 Little Mac’s favor
Little Mac has a bunch of traps to help him defend against Macho Man, but on the same token Macho Man’s power allows him to utilize Mac’s dumbbells and punching bag against him. To make things even more annoying, Little Mac is perfectly capable of amounting an offense with his aerial moves and Side Special to cover him. On the bright side, Macho Man beats Little Mac in the range department and can sometimes match him with priority, so it’s not exactly one-sided. As for tagging punch, Macho Man is quick enough for it not be a major issue, especially considering he mainly uses his laggy finishers once Little Mac’s shield is broken. Overall, Little Mac has a bit of an advantage, but it’s still perfectly viable for Macho Man to win..
Vs Bald Bull: 65/35 Bald Bull’s favor
Bald bull is great at defense with his multitude of grab moves, AND with his FAir and BAir he live to high percents even after Macho Man breaks his shield. The key to Macho Man’s victory is to try and play defensively himself. Macho Man’s lingering hitboxes allow him to counter Bald Bull’s Nair, and Macho Man is generally fast enough to beat-out Bull’s moves. If Bald Bull tries using Anticipation to set-up for a Bull Charge, this is your chance to rush at him and attempt to force a shield. Sadly, even with this Bald Bull still has the advantage, though Macho Man puts up a decent effort.
Vs Von Kaiser: 50/50
Von Kaiser’s strength is also his loss in this match-up. All those self-damaging moves aren’t gonna be doing him any favors once Macho Man breaks his shield and uses a Super Spin Punch! Sure, he could go for a healing move, but when Macho Man’s going on the offense there won’t be much time to use them in the first place. While neither character is known for gimping, Von Kaiser does have some great damage rackers such as his BThrow as well as some good finishers. This is actually a rather even matchup, as neither character’s primary strategies (spacing for Kaiser, shield breaking for Macho Man) really interfere with each other
Vs Bear Hugger: 65/35 Bear Hugger's favor
Oh lord, this is an even more defensive character than Bald Bull! Good luck ever pressuring his shield when he doesn’t even have to use it as his primary defensive tool. If there’s one thing Macho Man needs to win, it’s his attack speed. Bear Hugger’s extreme slowness makes it so that Macho Man can at least try to punish whiffed attacks with regular combos, and slowly knock Bear Hugger off the stage where even Macho Man can gimp the tub of lard. Macho Man will want to rush at Bear Hugger the moment the match begins to at least try and prevent him from activating his glove spit. This is still Bear Hugger’s game, but at least Macho Man has a fighting chance.
Vs King Hippo: 80/20 Super Macho Man’s favor
King Hippos is almost entirely ruined by his attack speed. Macho Man can simply bait an attack then retaliate with his quick attacks. Since he’s already decent at comboing for a Brawl character, just imagine what kinds of damage Macho Man can do with Hippo’s double-hitstun penalty. Hippo’s super-armor does nothing but make the match drag on longer as Macho Man tries to draw out an attack. Of course, when it comes time for KOing Macho Man has some issues, due to Hippos having a defensive stance like Bear Hugger so his regular shield is never in danger. And of course, Hippos can crush Macho Man if he lands so much as one hit. But at the end of the day, Macho Man can simply bait and punish one move, then spend the rest of the game stalling and countering Hippo’s desperation attacks.
Vs Mr. Sandman: 70/30 Super Macho Man’s favor
So both characters want to approach for combos, only Sandman wants to land Knuckle Sandwhich to damage rack and Macho Man wants to force Sandman to shield. While Sandman’s offensive nature means that he’d rather cut through Macho Man’s attacks with his good priority rather than shield, by the same token Macho Man has superior attack speed that allows him to strike first to begin with. This means Sandman may have to go defensive in order to counter-attack with his priority, but this also means that his slow attacks make it more likely for him to be forced into shielding! If Sandman insists on remaining offensive, Macho Man has enough defense to try and defend himself until the momentum shifts into his favor. Sorry Sandman, but Macho Man is reclaiming his title.
Vs Great Tiger: 90/10 Super Macho Man’s favor
Great Tiger is the supposed Meta Knight of the Punch-Out! characters, so let’s see if Macho Man can once again pull out an upset victory. Since Macho Man has vastly higher attack speed than Great Tiger he should have no problem interrupting Great Tiger’s moves. Sure, Great Tiger has his duplicates and his DTilt and blahblahblahblah mind-games. But who cares? His moves are still slow as heck and if he performs a DTilt you can always just stay out of range for his “fake-out” move, then punish him. Great Tiger will be forced into shielding, you break his shield, you release the bogus into Great Tiger’s behind and send him to the mat. If anything, Great Tiger is a slightly less fail version of Ganondorf. Macho Man wins, flawless victory, fatality.
Up Taunt:
Need I say more?
Side Taunt: Macho Man stomps a foot into the ground and spreads his arms. If he has his sunglasses on, a small shockwave spreads from his feet, creating a motion a motion blur all around him. Hey Vegeta, what does the scouter say about his power level?
Down Taunt: Macho Man performs a stereotypical arm flex. That’s already mainly enough to rival Captain Falcon, don’t brick your Wii by trying to make it more elaborate.
Victory Animation 1: Super Macho Man flexes for off-screen cameras that take pictures as he says “Make sure you get my good side. Oh wait, I ONLY have good sides!”
Victory Animation 2: Super Macho Man arrogantly proclaims “Welcome to MY world!” A helicopter ladder lowers from the top of the screen and he climbs onto it before being taken away.
Victory Animation 3: Macho Man puts on his sunglasses and spreads his arms as two beautiful women run up to him and latch onto his arms. Macho Man puts his arms around the women’s shoulders and says “Let’s go back to my place and release the bogus!” The women both look very excited to hear this and they walk with him off the screen.
Loss Animation: Macho Man doesn't lose. He just choses not to win.
Snake: Macho macho man!
Otacon: I’ve got to be a macho man!
Snake: Macho macho…wait, why are we singing this? We sound so gay.
Otacon: Snake, when we discussed that Spadefox freak we revealed that we are Teran and Straked, both of whom ARE gay.
Snake: Oh, right…macho macho man!
Otacon: I’ve got to be…
Are you ready? 'Cause I'm gonna put on a show!
SUPER MACHO MAN
Super Macho Man is one of the most well-known characters in the Punch-Out! series of boxing games. He is a rather arrogant body builder from Hollywood who is more concerned with the fame associated with a boxing champion rather than the skills. He is often shown boasting about how great his body is or going on dates with the women of Hollywood. Ironically his hair is already grey and he doesn’t dye it despite caring so much about how looking “cool”. In Punch-Out! Wii he was given voice acting, sounding like a stereotypical surfer using lingo such as “dude” or “bogus”.
In all games, Super Macho Man is a powerful opponent, appearing as either the semi-final boss, final boss, or as the champion of the semi-final circuit. His signature move, the “Super Spin Punch”, has him performing multiple, fast clothesline punches, and being hit by just one of the 4+ punches in a single use can instantly knockdown Little Mac.
In Brawl, Super Macho Man has an overall “balanced” set of core stats. His movement speed and traction are both average. His jumps are both slightly above average but so is his fall speed, and his aerial control is average. He is the size of Ganondorf thanks to those big muscles of his, and he’s about as heavy as Ike.
SPECIALS
Down Special - Too Cool for You
Macho Man pulls out his signature sunglasses and puts them on. They’re in some back pocket or something, there, not a prop! (h)
This takes .45 seconds with below average end lag on top of that. Once Macho Man has his trusty sunglasses on, he really starts showboating for the crowd. Many of his moves will now have altered properties as he performs flashier versions of them to make the match more exciting! You can remove the glasses by performing the input again. His glasses will also break if he takes 45% damage to his head with them on. The glasses retain their damage after he puts them away, and he doesn’t get a new pair till he respawns.
Neutral Special - Super Spin Punch
Macho Man unleashes his signature attack! After doing a classic arm flex, he suddenly spins around a full 360 degrees with his arm outstretched. The flex gives the move above average startup lag, but the payoff is an attack with decent priority that deals 20% and knockback that KOs at 65%, and it deals great damage to shields too with decent shield stun. Because Macho Man is spinning, this move even hits to both sides and since his arm is outstretched it has nice range. Below average end lag.
With his sunglasses on, it’s time for potentially the most extreme PAUNCH ever in Smash Bros history! Macho Man begins to strike several dramatic poses over 2 full seconds while yelling “Super! Macho! Man!” He then performs three consecutive spinning punches that have the same properties to the regular version, with below average lag in between each punch. While the startup is extremely long, after .55 seconds pass of it, Macho Man has full invincibility for the rest of the startup time. This is an absolutely devastating move to shields if your opponent is unable to dodge it via other means, being able to destroy even Bowser’s shield from full if all 3 hits connect.
Side Special - Photo-op
Macho Man places his hands on hips with a smug expression on his face and he yells out, “Photo OP!” As he says this, an off-screen camera takes his picture, and the flash of the camera takes up an area on the screen the size of DK overlapping Macho Man. Enemies caught in the flash will be dazed for as long as a deku nut stuns them. The effect cannot stack to prevent stalling. There is above average startup lag and low end lag to the move. If Macho Man has his sunglasses on, the flash will be 1.4 times bigger due to it reflecting off the lenses. If performed in the air, a holograph platform appears as he stalls in place. Can’t let the picture can be blurry now, can we?
Up Special - Powerful Jump
Macho Man performs a literal third jump by harshly “stomping” the air, propelling him upwards as far as Mario’s Super Jump Punch at a similar speed. There is below average startup lag to the move and low end lag coming out of it. Macho Man’s feet are the hitbox for this move, dealing 12% and a moderately powerful meteor smash with below average priority (ZOMG a boxer attacking with his feet this moveset sucks even if Macho Man’s doing it unintentionally!). Macho Man does not enter freefall after performing the attack. Overall a mediocre recovery tool at best but it could be used sometimes for gimps since you can spike an enemy while recovering back in the same move.
STANDARDS
Jab - ...
Macho Man performs a…wait for it…JAB on the enemy. This has good priority and is quick to start up with end lag that is still below average. It deals10% with knockback that KOs at 250%, and has a nice horizontal range due to Macho Man extending his arm all the way, but due to his height it might miss opponents low to the ground. The move also deals higher than average shield-stun.
If he has his sunglasses on, Macho Man will wind up before throwing the punch. He must be going for a big hit now! This version of the attack has the same startup lag as Wario’s FTilt and it is indeed stronger, dealing 13% with knockback that KOs at 170%. The priority, range, and end lag remain the same.
Forward Tilt - Backhand Swat
Macho Man performs a spinning backhand punch that has below average priority and deals 11% with knockback that KOs at 180%. It also deals nice damage to shields as well as pushing a shielding enemy away as far as 1/3 of battlefield. This is definitely a good thing, since while the move has below startup lag, it has above average end lag as Macho Man resets his position, so the shield push actually keeps this move safe on block. Don’t expect to get the same leniency with enemies that spam dodges however.
With his sunglasses on, Macho Man really ramps up the heat by allowing you to cancel this move into another use of it, thereby turning him into a whirling frontal assault of backhands. Of course, just sitting there spamming this move is about as effective as a Marth spamming his DTilt; any competent player will hit you through the blind spots. Of course, this can be absolutely vicious when used against a wall to rip apart shields, though that won’t come into play unless you have an enemy or teammate who can create them. Both versions of the move are great for damaging and spacing against shields, though it’s difficult to perform follow-up attacks.
Down Tilt - Crunch
Macho Man rises from his crouch while performing a mighty uppercut. An uppercut from a downwards input? What witchcraft is this?! This uppercut has short horizontal range in front of Macho Man due to the way he curls his arm but it strikes an area as tall as he is. Combine this with its okay priority and low startup lag and you have a nice defensive move. It deals 11% with vertical knockback that KOs at 140%, and it deals good shield stun as well. It has below average end lag.
With his sunglasses on, Macho Man bangs his fists together twice before attacking. This gives the move above average startup lag but the priority is now above average and it deals good damage to shields in addition to the shield stun. These changes make the attack into a high-risk/high-reward type of maneuver instead of the defensive function it serves with the normal variation.
Up Tilt - Mach(o) Tornado
Macho Man spreads his arms as he begins to spin around like a top in a motion similar to Luigi’s Down Special, or even better, Zangief’s Lariat attack from Street Fighter if you’re familiar with it. You can move him left and right as he spins around at a decent speed. He spins around for .6 seconds, dealing 12 hits in that time to each side. His arms are the only hitboxes for the move, and they have below average priority and deal 1% per hit with the final hit dealing purely horizontal knockback that KOs at 150%. Essentially no startup lag with average end lag. The move deals a nice amount of shield damage on the last hit.
With his glasses on, his movement during the spin increases to be almost as high as Luigi’s Down Special, and by rapidly tapping the attack button you can have Macho Man slowly rise up like similar spinning-style attacks in Brawl, making it much more difficult to dodge. However, the priority of the move is decreased to be almost as low as a typical Captain Falcon attack, making it much easier for a direct counter.
Dash Attack - Surf’s Up
Macho Man spreads his arms as he skids forwards as far as Luigi’s Dash as a good speed. In this pose Macho Man looks very much like he’s surfing across the stage. His arms are a hitbox with below average priority that deal 10% with knockback that KOs at 210%. Low startup lag, but above average end lag as Macho Man stumbles forwards for a moment at the end of the slide. He will fall off the edge of platforms and enter freefall for .4 seconds as he “wipes out”. With his sunglasses on, Macho Man won’t “wipe out”, so he will stop at the edge of platforms and not stumble at the end of the move, giving it low end lag.
SMASHES
Forward Smash - Power Hook
Macho Man performs a strong arcing right hook while yelling “Pump it!” There is average startup lag to the move, but below average end lag. The punch has below average priority and deals 18% (30% charged) with knockback that KOs at 110% (80% charged). Against defending opponents the move deals nice shield stun.
With his sunglasses on, Mach Man apparently becomes the star of an anime as his glove acquires a fiery aura of raw power! This causes the move to have above average priority and deal great damage to shields instead of shield stun. In fact, it always drains a shield’s life by 50% of its max power, making it a vicious way to finish off shields after damaging it via other means. On the downside, this attack gets its power by drawing from Macho Man’s own shield, lowering it by 33%! While Macho Man’s shield will never break itself with this move, stopping at 1%, it would still be an unwise decision to spam this lest you leave yourself defenseless.
Down Smash - Feel the Burn!
Macho Man brings his arms to his sides and flexes for as long as you charge. When you are finished charging, he will have a red aura around himself. For 2-7 seconds depending on charge time, Macho Man’s attacks deal
With his glasses on nothing special happens if you simply charge up the move fully…normally that it. However, if Macho Man takes damage while charging…he still takes the damage and knockback. Some action star he is! But wait, it seems that he has acquired the aura like he does with the regular variant of the move, and no matter how much he “charged” beforehand, it will last for 5 seconds. If Macho Man completes the charging uninterrupted, he gets a bonus that lasts for the next hits he deals. Now that’s more like it, coming back after taking a beating, just like in all fighting sports movies!
Up Smash - Release the Bogus!
Macho Man pulls back an arm before delivering a spinning uppercut! Macho Man moves forwards as he performs the mighty punch as far as 1/5 of battlefield, and he spins around in place as the move winds down which gives it a lingering hitbox at the end with low end lag! The uppercut portion of the move has below average priority and deals 14% (26% charged) with knockback that KOs at 120% (80% charged) and extreme shield stun. The lingering spinning part lasts for .3 seconds and deals 6% with knockback that KOs at 200%, and it has high priority. There is average startup lag to this move.
If you have Macho Man’s sunglasses equipped, you don’t get any gameplay changes, but you DO get a fun easter egg. Macho Man yells out “Release the beast!” as he performs this attack. However, if he does not hit anybody, he ends up cutting off the last word as he grumbles “bogus”.
AERIALS
Neutral Aerial - Dramatic Twist
Macho Man performs a feat that would cause the Brawl engine to explode. He doesn’t perform a sex kick, oh no. He performs a sex PUNCH! Macho Man jabs his arm forwards with low startup lag as it lingers for .3 seconds before retracting for below average end lag. The initial hit deals 9% with knockback that KOs at 180%, the lingering hit deals 6% with flinching knockback. The attack has below average priority the entire time.
With his sunglasses on, Macho Man performs the unthinkable; a two-hit combo of sex punches! Oh my God Pandora’s Box has been opened! Both punches perform the same as the regular version, except that the initial hit of the first punch deals high hitstun instead of knockback for the second hit to auto-combo, and there is low lag in between the punches. Overall, both variations of this attack are great for pressuring shields and either starting, linking, or ending a combo. Definitely one of Macho Man’s key moves, but that’s only fitting when it’s so amazingly creative, M I RITE?
Forward Aerial - Slow-mo Pound
Macho Man raises a fist before bringing it down hard in front of himself. This has average startup lag and the punch has average priority, but it deals a nice 14% and the move deals set downwards knockback as far as 2 Ganondorfs on top of each other, or nice shield damage against a defending opponent. If the opponent hits the ground from the blow, they will bounce back up for half the distance they traveled and end up “floating” in place for .6 seconds as gravity slowly takes control of their momentum. Considering the move has low end lag even if he hits the ground, this can be a great combo starter!
With his Sunglasses on, Macho Man’s fall speed is reduced to almost nothing as he does a “slow motion” attack. This of course increases the startup lag to go along with it to nearly the same amount as a Falcon Punch, BUT the priority is drastically increased to be considered good, and the damage is now a very impressive 24%. The knockback and the bounce effects remain intact, so you can combo this strong move into others for even more damage potential.
Back Aerial - Falling With Style
Macho Man leans back as he continues falling, folding his arms behind his head and crossing his legs in a classic relaxation pose. There is low startup lag as he enters this pose, and he holds it as long as you hold the attack button. His entire body is a low priority hitbox that deals 10% with set vertical knockback that goes as high as Mario is tall. There is average end lag to leave this pose, but if you let him touch the ground while doing it he will cancel the move into his lying-down back position. Try to connect with the move just as you touch the ground so you can combo into his back-rising attack!
Up Aerial - Soaring Smash
Macho Man performs a powerful forwards punch angled slightly upwards. This has low startup lag and average end lag. It has below average priority and deals 11% with vertical knockback that KOs at 145%. The force of the punch also causes Macho Man to rise upwards as far as Link’s Spin Attack when he performs it and as far horizontally as 1/5 of Battlefield. When you combine this with his up-special Macho Man has a pretty decent recovery overall. To prevent it from becoming an infinite recovery, only the first use of the move has the rising effect, replenished when Macho Man lands.
With his sunglasses, you can press the attack button at the apex of the first punch’s lift for Macho Man to perform a fierce downwards punch that causes him to plummet to the ground (an UAir stall-then-fall!). This punch has okay priority and deals 10% with flinching knockback, or enhanced shield stun if applicable. There is below average end lag to this move, making it good for retreating to the ground after a recovery, but if you don’t reach solid ground you can say goodbye to your stock!
Down Aerial - Rapid-Fire Fists
Macho Man turns upside down and performs 4 quick jabs towards the ground. There is low startup lag to the move, low lag in between each punch, and below average lag on the end of the move. Each punch has below average priority and deals 3% with flinching knockback. Rather than increased knockback, the last hit deals enhanced shield stun if applicable.
With his sunglasses on, Macho Man attacks at blistering speeds, performing 8 punches in the same time frame as the regular version. Each one deals 1% so this move has less damage potential, but each individual punch has slightly more priority than the one before it, with the last punch bordering on truly good priority.
THROWS
Grab Animation
Macho Man attempts a traditional boxing clinch. This has low startup lag but poor range and punishable end lag. If Macho Man is not wearing his sunglasses, he will automatically perform his Forward Throw once he connects with the clinch, but with his sunglasses you have access to a full set of 4 throws and pummel.
Pummel - Headbutt
Exactly what the name says. 2% and is mildly spammable. Your standard pummel.
Forward Throw - Strong Shove
Exactly like the name says, Macho Man simply shoves his enemy out of the clinch to put some distance between himself and his opponent. This deals 6% with set knockback as far as 1/3 of Battlefield. This is mainly so that grabbing without Macho Man’s sunglasses isn’t a complete waste of time, otherwise you’ll usually stick to other throws.
Back Throw - Faceoff
Macho Man shoves his enemy away just in front of himself as they stare each other down. After 1 second passes, a either a sword or a shield icon will randomly appear in between the two combatants. Depending on what it is, both players need to try and hit the correct button first; attack for sword, and shield for shield (lol). The player who reacts quicker deals a fast jab to the loser, dealing 12% and set knockback as far as a Battlefield platform. While the input that appears is random, it’s a timing based exercise so it’s really down to player ability in the end.
Up Throw - Weight Lifting
Macho Man decides to show just how strong he really is by lifting his opponent clear off the ground! As you might expect, the success of this depends on how heavy is enemy is.
If Macho Man’s target is, say, as light as Fox, Macho Man is a bit TOO successful. His effort to lift them over his head ends up tossing them skyward for 9% and vertical knockback that KOs characters that light at around 90%.
On the other hand, if they’re as heavy as Dedede, Macho Man pulls a muscle trying to lift them up, and he staggers back while holding his back in pain. This does no damage but leaves Macho Man vulnerable to an attack for a moment.
For everybody stuck in the middle, Macho Man lifts the enemy and holds them over his head for a moment. He then slams the enemy onto the ground for 8%, leaving them lying on their back as Macho Man flexes to add insult to injury. This prevents Macho Man from performing a follow-up attack, but he has super armor during the .5 seconds he flexes, preventing the enemy from punishing him a rising attack.
Down Throw - Macho Pummel
Macho Man quickly throws his opponent to the ground and proceeds to rapidly punch them several times while they’re lying down. He deals 10 punches of 1% each, and then he yells “Get back up!” as he reaches down to pick up the opponent again. At this point, Macho Man can pick up the opponent for a re-grab, but the opponent can press the shield button as Macho Man grabs them to instantly break the hold, and the “grab-break” animations will be treated as trough Macho Man were the one being released, thereby putting him at a disadvantage. However, Macho Man can press the shield button before he makes contact with the opponent to cancel the re-grab attempt. If you’re a gutsy player you can try performing this move multiple times to rack up good damage and then canceling when you think your opponent might try to counter the re-grab.
SITUATIONALS
Rising Attack - Shades of Gold
Macho Man decides to try sunbathing in the middle of battle. How vain of him. The instant you input for this move, Macho Man swats at the air above him while saying “Get outta my way!” This deals a paltry 8% but deals good set horizontal knockback as far as ½ of battlefield. After the swat is finished, Macho Man normally gets back up on his own, but if you hold the attack button, he will remain lying down, his body slowly tanning the entire time. Let go of the attack button for Macho Man to near-instantly get back up, and you can even roll from this position like a normal wake-up game. Tanning has no effect on gameplay, but you can use the delayed get-up for things such as dodging a teammates high attack or something. Or for lulzy screen-****s, do as you wish.
Ledge Attack - Macho Slam
Macho Man hates climbing up ledges! So, he’ll make the ledge lower to him. Macho Man harshly slams one fist onto the stage, which causes the entire screen to lower down as far as Ganondorf is tall. However, the opponents and Macho Man do not move with the screen, so now all Macho Man has to do is move onto the stage in the air. While he CAN perform this move multiple times, the screen resets itself after 2 seconds.
FINAL SMASH
Grand Finale
Oh yeah, Macho Man’s gotten the smashball! When he activates this move, he’ll put on his sunglasses (yes even if they were broken he gets a new pair) and proceed to perform a simple hook directly in front of himself. If he hits someone (and this can only harm one opponent, targeting the closest enemy), the enemy is stunned as Macho Man prepares to show you his moves!
The action freezes as the camera zooms in on Macho Man as he delivers a barrage of lightning fast punches to the opponent, so fast that it looks like there are several Macho Men with all the after-images. This goes on for 5 full seconds as the camera circles around Macho Man and his prey, dealing 60% in total. After the punch barrage, Macho Man pulls back a fist and gathers energy into it as he yells out “SUPER! MACHO! MAN!” Macho Man delivers an EPIC uppercut to his opponent, dealing 40% as the camera freezes for a second at the moment of impact, and when the screen returns to normal the opponent is launched with vertical knockback equivalent to Marth’s final smash. This is essentially an OHKO, but it can only hit one opponent and has melee attack range.
The trophy of this final smash shows several transparent Macho Men in the midst of performing the punch barrage on Meta Knight. Now look who’s got lagless attacks!
PLAYSTYLE
Macho Man is a heavyweight who can combo. OH MY GOD I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH THESE IN MAKE YOUR MOVE 6 DIE HR DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE! Now wait just a minute. While it is true that Macho Man has his share of true combos, most of the time Macho Man isn’t actually comboing during hit-stun…he’s comboing against shields!
Yes, Macho Man is in fact a character who specializes in the fine art of “shield-breaking”. Of course, in order to damage shields at all you have to put the opponent on the defensive, and thankfully Macho Man is decent at approaching, unlike a certain shadow-wolf who had to go offensive to win. While his priority is on the low end, Macho Man has acceptable movement speed, and his attack speed is actually better than average for the most part too! Combine this with his long-arms and you might think you know why Macho Man is a good offensive character, right? Well, not quite.
The key to Macho Man’s success is his selection of lingering attacks. UTilt, USmash, NAir, Bair, and DAir can all qualify for this. Your opponent can’t spot-dodge them or else he takes damage as the dodge ends, and if he rolls away Macho Man can either chase after him some more. While Macho Man’s attacks do have low priority they also come out fast, so the opponent’s best option most of the time is to shield the attack. This is great news for you, since Macho Man has a bevy of moves that either deal higher shield-stun or shield damage, allowing you to take off a chunk of an opponent’s shield simply with the simplest of moves. These “shield combos” are short, around 2-4 hits, but those extra hits will make all the difference. FTilt is a notable combo ender since it deals higher pushback on shields. While this means you’ll have to approach again, it’s great if you sense an enemy waiting to attempt a shield-grab so you can get out of harms’ way.
Once you’re opponent’s shield is broken, it’s time to annihilate them! This is when you show-off some real combos, such as Bair - Rising Attack. Of course, the real meat and potatoes of these moments is KOing time! Simply let ‘er rip with a Super Spin Punch and let the crowd go wild! Bonus cool points if you perform the extended version! Macho Man isn’t so great at gimping so he has to shield-break and pulverize as quickly as possible.
Of course, there will be times when an opponent is able to resist your approaches. Maybe they’re just so good at reaction that they can predict when you’ll attack and out-prioritize you. Thankfully, Macho Man isn’t terrible when it comes to defense. His range gives him some good poking tools such as retreating Fairs. If you have time for it, defensive play is a great time to charge up a DSmash for a boost to your offensive shield-breaking game! Macho Man also has an acceptable recovery, so when combined with his weight he’ll stick around longer than average.
When it comes to Macho Man’s sunglasses, there is no one defined way to utilize them. In some cases, the altered move is purely an upgrade, such as his grab-game. In others, his moves take on more of a high-risk/high-reward status (gotta give the crowd drama!). One universal attribute is that Macho Man has no moves that directly protect his head, which is where opponents need to aim to eliminate the glasses. Some players may chose to outright ignore them, some players may chose to use them to heck and back, some players may find themselves finding situationally great uses for them; at the end of the day, Macho Man’s Down Special is YOUR hype-building tool to use as you see fit.
Overall, Macho Man has plenty of tools to win matches if you enjoy seeing a dazed opponent with their shield broken.. He can take out 40% of a shield just by nicking the last hit of a “multi-hit DAir”, and he has a combination of range and speed to successfully approach. When the shield is broken he has damage-racking combos as well as powerful finishers. He can still play somewhat defensively when he’s forced to, and his recovery isn’t too bad either. However, his low priority stops his approaches from being unstoppable and his defense from being impregnable. He also can’t gimp very well. Still, Super Macho Man has 3 good traits for every 1 bad, which when combined with the unique title of “best shield breaking character” keep him in the higher tiers and an excellent choice for competitive play. Unleash the Bogus!
MATCHUPS
Vs Meta Knight: 65/35 Super Macho Man’s favor
Meta Knight crushes Macho Man’s pitiful priority and makes Macho Man’s attack speed look like Ganondorf’s. Of course, Meta Knight does this to every character not named “MK ditto” so these are hardly flaws on Macho Man’s part. What’s truly notable about this matchup is MK’s DEFENSIVE options. See, you may not realize this, but Meta Knight has a rather weak shield and is a light-weight. I know, Meta Knight is not perfect in every way, scary thought. Anyways, Once Macho Man starts pressuring MK’s shield he can take it out very easily, and then take out Meta Knight without having to build so much damage, negating MK’s godly recovery. Conversely, Macho Man has the range and speed to at least attempt resisting MK’s pressure as well as decent weight and recovery so he can take a few sword slashes. Meta Knight already has many matchups are close to even despite his dominating traits, so when matched up against a character who can actually take advantage of his weaknesses while providing some resistance to his strengths it shouldn’t be surprising to see MK take the fall for once.
Vs Bowser: 70/30 Bowser’s favor
Bowser is in many ways the opposite of Meta Knight. Rather than recover Bowser can simply live to enormous percents, and while he can’t go on the offensive he has godly defensive moves such as FTilt, The most powerful shield in the game, and an amazing out-of-shield Whirling Fortress. Macho Man will have to get past the Koopa King’s defenses just to slowly chip away at his shield, and then he’ll have to repeat this more times than he is comfortable. While Macho Man could try to play defensively himself and force Bowser into attempting an approach, Bowser can just out-camp him AND deal too much damage with his own defense for Macho Man to reliably stall him out, giving Bowser the win.
Vs Yoshi: 65/35 Super Macho Man’s favor
Yoshi’s shield is infamous for having no good out-of-shield options, but in this case his shield might actually come in handy. His shield IS more durable than average, and upon taking a hit he can use his super-roll to escape continued pressure from Macho Man. Of course, Yoshi shares Macho Man’s low priority so it’s easier for the body builder to approach, and Yoshi’s eggs are worthless just like most projectiles in Brawl so he can’t really camp. Yoshi is surprisingly heavy so he can take a few hits, but he has some trouble both KOing or gimping Macho Man. Overall, Macho Man wins, but Yoshi isn’t as helpless as you might think considering the poor reputation of his shield against the ultimate anti-shield character.
Vs Jigglypuff: 75/25 Super Macho Man’s favor
Jigglypuff is pretty much a heavily downgraded version of Meta Knight, so off the bat Macho Man has a solid advantage. What really kills poor Jigglypuff here is her shield; it’s just as weak as MK’s with the additional “feature” of Jigglypuff instantly dying the moment it breaks! Macho Man doesn’t even have to rack damage to score wins with his godly shield-breaking powers, though even if he did Jiggylpuff is the lightest character in the game and would die extremely quickly anyways. MAYBE Jigglypuff can wall-of-pain Macho Man or something and score a gimp KO…
Vs Little Mac: 60/40 Little Mac’s favor
Little Mac has a bunch of traps to help him defend against Macho Man, but on the same token Macho Man’s power allows him to utilize Mac’s dumbbells and punching bag against him. To make things even more annoying, Little Mac is perfectly capable of amounting an offense with his aerial moves and Side Special to cover him. On the bright side, Macho Man beats Little Mac in the range department and can sometimes match him with priority, so it’s not exactly one-sided. As for tagging punch, Macho Man is quick enough for it not be a major issue, especially considering he mainly uses his laggy finishers once Little Mac’s shield is broken. Overall, Little Mac has a bit of an advantage, but it’s still perfectly viable for Macho Man to win..
Vs Bald Bull: 65/35 Bald Bull’s favor
Bald bull is great at defense with his multitude of grab moves, AND with his FAir and BAir he live to high percents even after Macho Man breaks his shield. The key to Macho Man’s victory is to try and play defensively himself. Macho Man’s lingering hitboxes allow him to counter Bald Bull’s Nair, and Macho Man is generally fast enough to beat-out Bull’s moves. If Bald Bull tries using Anticipation to set-up for a Bull Charge, this is your chance to rush at him and attempt to force a shield. Sadly, even with this Bald Bull still has the advantage, though Macho Man puts up a decent effort.
Vs Von Kaiser: 50/50
Von Kaiser’s strength is also his loss in this match-up. All those self-damaging moves aren’t gonna be doing him any favors once Macho Man breaks his shield and uses a Super Spin Punch! Sure, he could go for a healing move, but when Macho Man’s going on the offense there won’t be much time to use them in the first place. While neither character is known for gimping, Von Kaiser does have some great damage rackers such as his BThrow as well as some good finishers. This is actually a rather even matchup, as neither character’s primary strategies (spacing for Kaiser, shield breaking for Macho Man) really interfere with each other
Vs Bear Hugger: 65/35 Bear Hugger's favor
Oh lord, this is an even more defensive character than Bald Bull! Good luck ever pressuring his shield when he doesn’t even have to use it as his primary defensive tool. If there’s one thing Macho Man needs to win, it’s his attack speed. Bear Hugger’s extreme slowness makes it so that Macho Man can at least try to punish whiffed attacks with regular combos, and slowly knock Bear Hugger off the stage where even Macho Man can gimp the tub of lard. Macho Man will want to rush at Bear Hugger the moment the match begins to at least try and prevent him from activating his glove spit. This is still Bear Hugger’s game, but at least Macho Man has a fighting chance.
Vs King Hippo: 80/20 Super Macho Man’s favor
King Hippos is almost entirely ruined by his attack speed. Macho Man can simply bait an attack then retaliate with his quick attacks. Since he’s already decent at comboing for a Brawl character, just imagine what kinds of damage Macho Man can do with Hippo’s double-hitstun penalty. Hippo’s super-armor does nothing but make the match drag on longer as Macho Man tries to draw out an attack. Of course, when it comes time for KOing Macho Man has some issues, due to Hippos having a defensive stance like Bear Hugger so his regular shield is never in danger. And of course, Hippos can crush Macho Man if he lands so much as one hit. But at the end of the day, Macho Man can simply bait and punish one move, then spend the rest of the game stalling and countering Hippo’s desperation attacks.
Vs Mr. Sandman: 70/30 Super Macho Man’s favor
So both characters want to approach for combos, only Sandman wants to land Knuckle Sandwhich to damage rack and Macho Man wants to force Sandman to shield. While Sandman’s offensive nature means that he’d rather cut through Macho Man’s attacks with his good priority rather than shield, by the same token Macho Man has superior attack speed that allows him to strike first to begin with. This means Sandman may have to go defensive in order to counter-attack with his priority, but this also means that his slow attacks make it more likely for him to be forced into shielding! If Sandman insists on remaining offensive, Macho Man has enough defense to try and defend himself until the momentum shifts into his favor. Sorry Sandman, but Macho Man is reclaiming his title.
Vs Great Tiger: 90/10 Super Macho Man’s favor
Great Tiger is the supposed Meta Knight of the Punch-Out! characters, so let’s see if Macho Man can once again pull out an upset victory. Since Macho Man has vastly higher attack speed than Great Tiger he should have no problem interrupting Great Tiger’s moves. Sure, Great Tiger has his duplicates and his DTilt and blahblahblahblah mind-games. But who cares? His moves are still slow as heck and if he performs a DTilt you can always just stay out of range for his “fake-out” move, then punish him. Great Tiger will be forced into shielding, you break his shield, you release the bogus into Great Tiger’s behind and send him to the mat. If anything, Great Tiger is a slightly less fail version of Ganondorf. Macho Man wins, flawless victory, fatality.
EXTRAS
Up Taunt:
Need I say more?
Side Taunt: Macho Man stomps a foot into the ground and spreads his arms. If he has his sunglasses on, a small shockwave spreads from his feet, creating a motion a motion blur all around him. Hey Vegeta, what does the scouter say about his power level?
Down Taunt: Macho Man performs a stereotypical arm flex. That’s already mainly enough to rival Captain Falcon, don’t brick your Wii by trying to make it more elaborate.
Victory Animation 1: Super Macho Man flexes for off-screen cameras that take pictures as he says “Make sure you get my good side. Oh wait, I ONLY have good sides!”
Victory Animation 2: Super Macho Man arrogantly proclaims “Welcome to MY world!” A helicopter ladder lowers from the top of the screen and he climbs onto it before being taken away.
Victory Animation 3: Macho Man puts on his sunglasses and spreads his arms as two beautiful women run up to him and latch onto his arms. Macho Man puts his arms around the women’s shoulders and says “Let’s go back to my place and release the bogus!” The women both look very excited to hear this and they walk with him off the screen.
Loss Animation: Macho Man doesn't lose. He just choses not to win.
- Incoming Transmission. Press Select -
Snake: Macho macho man!
Otacon: I’ve got to be a macho man!
Snake: Macho macho…wait, why are we singing this? We sound so gay.
Otacon: Snake, when we discussed that Spadefox freak we revealed that we are Teran and Straked, both of whom ARE gay.
Snake: Oh, right…macho macho man!
Otacon: I’ve got to be…
- end transmission -
