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For fighter info, see Wario (Super Smash Bros. Brawl), Wario (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U), and Wario (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate). For universe info, see Wario (universe).

Wario (ワリオ?) is a character and anti-hero from the Mario series, who eventually became popular enough to spawn his own side-franchise. He has made several small cameos in the first two Super Smash Bros. games, and has been made a full playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He is known to be Mario's rival.

Character description[]

When Nintendo's very first handheld system, the Game Boy, launched in 1989, Gunpei Yokoi's Super Mario Land launched with it. Mario's 8-bit adventure was so successful that one year later, a sequel arrived. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins takes place directly after the first game, when Mario comes home after defeating the evil alien Tatanga. When he arrives, he discovers that his castle has been taken over by his antagonistic, greedy counterpart, Wario, and he must retrieve the 6 Golden Coins hidden around the land to get his home back. In the final showdown, Wario was revealed to look very much like Mario himself, except fatter, slightly shorter, and with a big, bulbous nose that had a jagged, pointy mustache jutting out of it. In a three-part battle, Wario uses the same power-ups that Mario had access to throughout the game, and adds his own abilities to the mix. Wario charges at his opponent with his shoulder, and crashes to the floor butt first, which become staple moves for the character in future games. When conquered by Mario, he reverted to a "tiny" form, and escaped out the window to search for better treasures.

And search for them he did, as he landed a starring role in the third game in the series, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3. It takes place directly after 6 Golden Coins, in which Wario sets out to earn as much gold as humanly possible, so he can buy his own castle and rub it in Mario's goody-goody face. This game played differently than the first two games, because Wario brought his own style with him. Instead of deploying acrobatics like Mario, Wario relied on his brute strength, and the ability to sport various hats that gave him different powers, such as a dragon hat that spewed fire. He also gained his own villain in this adventure, the equally greedy Captain Syrup, who captured a Genie to use for her own selfish purposes. By the end of the quest, Wario gives both Syrup and the Genie a sound thrashing, and pays the Genie to grant him his castle.

After antagonizing Mario and his friends yet again in games such as Wario's Woods and Mario and Wario, Wario continued to have three more adventures on various Game Boy platforms. In Wario Land II, Wario experiences a case of bad karma when Captain Syrup kicks him out of his own castle and steals it. Wario Land 3 involves Wario doing his first (slightly) unselfish deed, saving the inhabitants of a music box from the devious Rudy the Clown- on the condition that he gets to keep all the treasure that he earned along the way. In Wario Land 4 he does what Mario had been doing for the last decade beforehand and rescues a princess. Through these games, Wario eventually evolved from the classification of "villain" and earned the title of "anti-hero".

Warioclassic

Wario's appearance in the Mario series and Wario Land series. Artwork from Super Mario 64 DS. Wario uses this outfit and color scheme in Brawl and Smash for 3DS/Wii U as well, giving him a total of 12 and later 8 palette swaps, the most of any character in Brawl.

After all these platforming escapades, Wario, now sporting biker gear as opposed to a yellow and purple version of Mario's duds, notices the boom of the video game industry, and decides to take advantage of this craze by forming his own game company. Due to his short attention span, instead of creating a single game of reasonable length, he opts to make over two hundred games, each of them a mere five seconds long. Too short to even be called "minigames", they were dubbed "microgames". Finally, since he was too lazy to make all these games himself, he hires a handful of his fellow residents of Diamond City to do his dirty work for him, among them the feisty multi-talented Mona, and the Nintendo superfan 9-Volt. Thus, the Wario Ware franchise was born.

As if having two of his own series of games wasn't enough, Wario has also made appearances in a great number of Mario spin-offs, including the Mario Kart and Mario Party games, as well as a great plethora of Mario sports titles such as Tennis, Baseball, Basketball, soccer etc. In these titles, Wario is no longer evil, but more of a bumbling comic relief. His rumored brother bent on bothering Mario's brother, Luigi, is soon revealed, being named Waluigi. Like Donkey Kong, Wario also appeared as a baby in Yoshi's Island DS, where it is revealed that Wario did not have a true home to be returned to by the stork, which may explain his greedy personality and his jealousy towards Mario. However, Wario did team up with Mario and Luigi in Super Mario 64 DS, the DS remake of the iconic N64 launch title, where he made his only playable appearance in the Super Mario series.

Due to Wario's popularity, he has been chosen as one of the newcomers in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Instead of being added as yet another Mario character, Wario enters the arena representing the Wario Ware franchise, as shown by his biker uniform however, most of his moveset was derived from his appearance in the WarioWare games, with only a few moves being taken from the Wario Land series.

In Super Smash Bros.[]

Super Smash Bros

Mario in Wario's outfit in Super Smash Bros.

Wario did not directly appear in the original Super Smash Bros. in any capacity. A popular rumor though claims he was planned to be playable in the game along with Bowser, King Dedede, Mewtwo, and Marth, among other characters, before being cut for space/time constraints. However, unlike the aforementioned four characters, no definitive official source has ever been found that proves Wario was ever planned to be included as a playable character.

In an official poll held on Smabura-Ken (the game's official Japanese website) regarding characters for a potential sequel, Wario was the third most wanted character overall with 65 votes, after Bowser (169 votes) and Princess Peach (66 votes).

As a Alternate Costume[]

Wario's color scheme appears as an Alternate Costume for Mario. This has no effect on gameplay whatsoever.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee[]

In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Wario was planned to be a playable character, being one of the most requested newcomers alongside Bowser and Peach, but was ultimately cut from the roster due to Sakurai not wanting to overrepresent the Mario franchise along with facing time constraints. Sakurai also explained that he could've implemented Wario instead with the development time allocated to Mewtwo or Marth and Roy,

Wario Mario

As a color scheme[]

Wario is once again represented by a costume with his colors being sported by Mario. And like before, this costume change has no effect on gameplay. However, the only changes are the M is now blue instead of yellow and the rivets and buttons are now white instead of yellow.

Trophy Info[]

In addition, Wario has his own trophy in the game, unlocked by beating All-Star Mode on any difficulty level without continuing.

Wario trophy (SSBM)
Wario
An old acquaintance of Mario's. His failure to seize Mario's castle has fueled Wario's desire for a palace of his own. Wario has herculean strength and can do things that even Mario can't imitate. His unexpected skills include a talent with items and the ability to assume many roles, among them a snowman, a zombie, and a bat.
  • Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins [11/92]

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]

As a playable character[]

Wario Clear SSBB

Wario debuts as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl playable from the start. His moveset draws inspiration from WarioWare, with the exception of his forward smash, which is his iconic Shoulder Bash from the Wario Land series, and his dash attack, which is based on his sliding attack in Wario Land: Shake It! while running with the use of a Max Fastosity Dasherator As a fighter, his moves and maneuvers seems to be very erratic and sometimes comical in nature, ranging from a dash where he appears to be dancing, to a fart attack that builds up in power as time passes. Mario still has a Wario costume again and Wario bears his WarioWare biker suit, as well as his original Mario-style suit from the Mario and Wario Land series. His Final Smash transforms him into Wario-Man. Wario's combination of having heavy weight, a surprisingly small frame, and high air speed makes him a very defensive character who is difficult to KO. He is ranked 10th on the tier list in B tier.

Trophy Info[]

Wario
Wario Trophy SSBB
Mario's self-styled rival. He loves money and gross humor. He often sets out in search of hidden treasure. His bold moves come from his superhuman strength and are completely different from Mario's moves. Aside from adventuring, he's also the chairman of game maker WarioWare, Inc. Its franchise game is WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$.
  • (GB) Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
  • (GBA) WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!

Stickers[]

Name Image Artwork from Effect in The Subspace Emissary Characters
Tiny Wario
Tiny Wario Sticker SSBB
Virtual Boy Wario Land Launch Resistance +26 Wario
Wario & Bike
Wario & Bike Sticker SSBB
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! Body and Spin Attack +21 Wario
Wario
Wario Sticker SSBB (1)
Super Mario 64 DS Launch Resistance +57 Wario
Wario
Wario Sticker SSBB (2)
Super Mario Strikers Bite Attack +15 Yoshi, Wario,

Wolf and Pokémon Trainer

Wario
Wario Sticker SSBB (3)
WarioWare: Smooth Moves Arm Attack +30 Wario
Wario-Man
Wario Man Sticker SSBB
WarioWare: Touched! Arm and Leg Attack +18 Wario

In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U[]

As a playable character[]

Wario SSB4

Wario returns as a playable character for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, unofficially revealed as a playable character in 3DS/Wii U with the Japanese release of the 3DS version, first published on September 11th, 2014 in a Twitch livestream, then being officially confirmed on October 3rd, 2014, coinciding with the North American and European release of the 3DS version. A supposed report from the Australia Classification Board provided further evidence for Wario's inclusion, as his design and Wario Waft attack apparently contributed toward the game receiving a PG rating. Rather than being playable from the start, Wario is now an unlockable character, who can be unlocked by clearing 100-Man Smash for the first time or playing 20 (30 in the 3DS version) Vs. Mode matches.

Wario's moveset is mostly unchanged, with the exception of him having his up and side smash attacks replaced with different moves and can no longer fall off his bike from simply riding it or making sharp turns. Additionally, most of Wario's animations are now far more fluid, which is best noticeable with his new running animation.

Wario also lost palette swaps, now only having 8 color swaps (4 biker, 4 overall) like every other character (except Little Mac), as opposed to his 12 color swaps in Brawl, some of his biker costumes were slightly merged, while some of his classic costumes were dropped. Mario also retains his Wario color scheme, except the "M" on his cap is green instead of blue. In the transition from Brawl, Wario gained a number of decent buffs, yet the few nerfs he also received were relatively drastic. The removal of DACUS took away Wario's Gatling Combo, removing an effective part of his offensive game. While Wario's new forward smash delivers much more knockback, it is much slower in start-up lag, and also lacks the transcendent priority and armor of his old forward smash. His superb air acceleration was also reduced slightly, though it remains as one of the best in the game. Some of the buffs Wario gained include extra utility to Wario Bike, as it can now be ridden indefinitely until Wario dismounts manually or is forced off by an attack. It can also now be pulled out immediately upon despawning, ending a wheelie can now slam down on opponents for huge knockback, and throwing it at opponents has the potential to cause large amounts of damage. Wario Waft was also given more knockback at full charge, making it even more deadly. Forward throw also received more KO power, making it a viable KO throw, especially close to edges. Wario currently ranks 41st out of 55 characters on the tier list; while he has secured some noteworthy results in tournaments, his overall representation and results are relatively uncommon when compared to Brawl.

Trophies[]

Wario
WarioTrophyWiiU
A living embodiment of gross, this villain hates Mario and loves money. He claims to have known Mario since childhood, but who can tell if that's true? In Smash Bros., he's a seriously agile heavyweight fighter. He can store up his trademark Wario Waft for explosive results. Did I mention he's gross?
  • (GB) Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (11/1992)
  • (GBA) WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (05/2003)
Wario (Alt.)
WarioAltTrophyWiiU
With his Chomp special, Wario can wolf down almost anything! If you use this to gobble up healing items, they'll work better! When using his Wario Bike side special, you can jump off, pick it up, and throw it. But please, for the love of all things garlicky, JUMP OFF BEFORE YOU RIDE OFF THE STAGE.
  • (GB) Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (11/1992)
  • (GBA) WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (05/2003)
WarioBruiserTrophy3DS
Wario + Bruiser
For most racers the finish line is the goal, but if you combine Wario with this bad boy, the game takes on a whole new meaning. And that meaning is to crash into everyone else. Behind the wheel of the Bruiser, Wario turns Mario Kart into a contact sport.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[]

As a playable character[]

Wario was officially revealed as a playable character in the Nintendo Direct at E3 2018 on June 12th, 2018. Like in 3DS/Wii U, he is an unlockable character.

Wario's moveset appears to be based on his moveset in 3DS/Wii U, with some minor changes. Most notable is the replacement of his sliding dash attack with his iconic shoulder barge Dash Attack from the Wario Land series. He still retains his 8 color swaps (4 biker, 4 overall) from 3DS/Wii U, although his overall costumes now occupy the even-numbered costume slots rather than the second half.

Also, for the first time in the series, Mario no longer has his Wario-inspired alternate costume, as he gains two new costumes from Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Maker.

Wario - Super Smash Bros

Trivia[]

  • Besides the Super Smash Bros. series, Wario was featured in Nintendo's first multi-company crossover game, Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman.
  • Wario is one of three playable characters to be in previous Smash games as a palette swap, along with Dark Pit and Daisy.
  • Wario is the only character in Smash to have a victory theme that was based on an upcoming game at the time (Wario Land: Shake it!).
    • Wario is also one of two characters who had their number of alternate costumes reduced from one game to another, as he had 12 colors in Brawl and 8 in 3DS/Wii U. The other is Little Mac, who was reduced from 16 to 8 from 3DS/Wii U to Ultimate.
  • Wario is the second non-Pokémon fighter to have alterations to his costume aside from recolors.
  • Prior to Ultimate, Wario was the only character who debuted as a starter and later became an unlockable character.

External Links[]

Playable Fighters
Introduced in
Smash 64
Captain Falcon  · Donkey Kong  · Fox McCloud  · Jigglypuff  · Kirby  · Link  · Luigi  · Mario  · Ness  · Pikachu  · Samus Aran  · Yoshi
Introduced in
Meleelogo
Bowser  · Dr. Mario  · Falco Lombardi  · Ganondorf  · Ice Climbers  · Marth  · Mewtwo  · Mr. Game & Watch  · Princess Peach  · Pichu  · Roy  · Sheik  · Young Link  · Princess Zelda
Introduced in
Brawllogo
Diddy Kong  · Ike  · King Dedede  · Lucario  · Lucas  · Meta Knight  · Captain Olimar  · Pit  · Pokémon Trainer (Charizard  · Ivysaur  · Squirtle)  · R.O.B.  · Solid Snake  · Sonic the Hedgehog  · Toon Link  · Wario  · Wolf O'Donnell  · Zero Suit Samus
Introduced in
Super Smash Bros. for 3DS & Wii U
Alph  · Bayonetta  · Bowser Jr. / Koopalings  · Cloud Strife  · Corrin  · Dark Pit  · Duck Hunt  · Greninja  · Little Mac  · Lucina  · Mega Man  · Mii Fighters  · Pac-Man  · Palutena  · Robin  · Rosalina & Luma  · Ryu  · Shulk  · Villager  · Wii Fit Trainer
Introduced in
Smash Ultimate logo glow
Banjo & Kazooie  · Byleth  · Chrom  · Dark Samus  · Daisy  · Heroes  · Incineroar  · Inklings  · Isabelle  · Joker  · Kazuya Mishima  · Ken Masters  · King K. Rool  · Min Min  · Piranha Plant  · Pyra and Mythra  · Richter Belmont  · Ridley  · Sephiroth  · Simon Belmont  · Sora  · Steve and Alex / Zombie and Enderman  · Terry Bogard
MarioSymbol Super Mario universe
Characters Mario (64  · Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Luigi (64  · Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Princess Peach (Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Bowser (Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Dr. Mario (Melee  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Rosalina & Luma (3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Bowser Jr. / Koopalings (3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Daisy (Ultimate)
Piranha Plant (Ultimate)
Side Characters Bosses Metal Mario  · Metal Bros.  · Petey Piranha
Assist Trophies Waluigi  · Hammer Bro  · Lakitu and Spinies  · Chain Chomp  · Thwomp  · Flies & Hand
Mii Fighter Costumes Mario  · Luigi  · Princess Peach  · Daisy  · Wario  · Waluigi  · Chain Chomp  · Spiny  · Shy Guy  · Super Mushroom  · Toad  · Geno  · Builder Mario  · Cappy
Background characters Koopa Troopa  · Banzai Bill  · Goomba  · Pidgit  · Toad  · Boo  · Toad Brigade  · Chain Chomp  · Luma  · Pauline
Stage Hazards Piranha Plant  · Banzai Bill  · Birdo  · Shy Guy  · Shellcreeper and Sidestepper  · Kamek  · Nabbit
Enemies Goomba / Giant Goomba  · Koopa Troopa / Koopa Paratroopa  · Bullet Bill  · Banzai Bill  · Bill Blaster  · Chain Chomp  · Flame Chomp  · Hammer Bro.  · Lakitu and Spinies  · Magikoopa  · Shy Guy  · Spike Top
Stages Peach's Castle  · Mushroom Kingdom (Super Smash Bros.)  · Princess Peach's Castle  · Rainbow Cruise  · Mushroom Kingdom (Super Smash Bros. Melee)  · Mushroom Kingdom II  · Delfino Plaza  · Mushroomy Kingdom  · Figure-8 Circuit · Luigi's Mansion · Mario Bros.  · 3D Land  · Golden Plains  · Paper Mario  · Rainbow Road  · Mushroom Kingdom U  · Mario Galaxy  · Mario Circuit  · Super Mario Maker  · New Donk City Hall
Mushroom Kingdom (Adventure)
Items Banana Peel  · Bob-omb  · Boomerang  · Bullet Bill  · Fire Bar  · Fire Flower  · Freezie  · Golden Hammer  · Grass  · Green Shell  · Hothead  · Lightning Bolt  · Metal Box  · Poison Mushroom  · POW Block  · Red Shell  · Soccer Ball  · Spiny Shell  · Super Leaf  · Super Launch Star  · Super Mushroom  · Super Star
Music Lists List of Music (Mario series)  · List of Music (Mario Kart series)
Songs "Main Theme (Super Mario 64)"  · "Paper Mario Medley"  · "Rainbow Road Medley"  · "Jump Up, Super Star!"
Collectibles Trophies Melee Trophies  · Brawl Trophies  · 3DS Trophies  · Wii U Trophies
Stickers List of Stickers (Super Mario series)
Spirits List of spirits (Mario series)
Masterpieces Super Mario Bros.  · Super Mario Bros. 2  · Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels  · Super Mario World  · Super Mario Kart  · Dr. Mario
Related universes Donkey Kong · Yoshi · Wario · Wrecking Crew
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