The Arsenal: Mario (Super Mario Bros.)

This is the first of the articles in The Arsenal, where I look at the best weapons and/or items that a character has access to. This article’s spotlight character is Mario, the main character of the Super Mario Brothers series. We will be looking at Mario’s various items and power-ups to determine the best ones he has available to him. Unlike my other list articles, this one is not numbered or rank-based, but instead will be based on different categories. What different niches can be filled with the best items or power-ups?

Best Offensive Power-Up- Fire Flower

First appearing in the original Super Mario Brothers, the Fire Flower is one of Mario’s classic power-ups and one of the most effective. In the normal Super Mario platforming games, the flower lets Mario throw fireballs, but outside of the main series it is implied that it can do more for the red-clad plumber. With Mario being shown with fire attacks outside of fireballs in the Mario Sports series and the Super Smash Brothers series, it is implied that it can give Mario full pyro-kinetic abilities.

Best Defensive Power-Up- Metal Cap

One of Mario’s few defensive power-up items, the Metal Cap is first seen in Super Mario 64 and still makes appearances as the Metal Box in the Super Smash Brothers series. After Mario breaks open the green and white box that contains it, the silver cap temporarily turns Mario into metal. It makes him impervious to damage, allows him to withstand water pressure so he can sink to the bottom of bodies of water, and allows him to cross areas filled with poison gas.

Best Land/Water Movement Power-Up- Penguin Suit

Mario has a few suit power-ups and many of them can affect his abilities on land and in water, but the most effective one for land and water movement is the Penguin Suit. First seen in New Super Mario Brothers Wii, the Penguin Suit (which some people might say looks ridiculous) lets Mario walk on icy surfaces without sliding, slide on ice and water without sinking in, and swim efficiently through water no matter the conditions. It even lets Mario throw ice balls, allowing Mario to freeze enemies into ice blocks, which can then be thrown or used as platforms.

Best Aerial Movement Power-Up- Cape Feather

There are a lot of power-ups that allow Mario to fly from the Wing Cap to the Super Leaf to the Tanooki Suit, but after looking at their abilities, the one that stands out from the rest is the Cape Feather from Super Mario World. Not only can it be used with a spin from Mario to knock out enemies, but it also provides unlimited flight abilities. The cape also makes an appearance in Mario’s move-set in Super Smash Brothers where he can use it to reflect projectile attacks.

Best Size Power-Up- Mega Mushroom

Mario has access to several size changing items to help him grow or shrink. He also has access to several mushroom items that have different effects. While the Super Mushroom is the most well-known of these items, the more effective of both of these types is the Mega Mushroom from New Super Mario Bros. When Mario grabs this extra-large mushroom, he grows to a gigantic size that can stomp and smash through any enemy or obstacle in his way. It only lasts for a few seconds,

Best Invincibility Power-Up- Invincibility Leaf

The Starman from the original Super Mario Brothers may be the most iconic power-up to grant Mario invincibility, but the Invincibility Leaf from Super Mario 3D Land grants him that and more. Not only does it give him invincibility, knocking away any enemy that touches him, it also grants him the abilities of the Tanooki Suit, allowing him to tail whip, glide, and turn into a statue. It even lasts for the entire level that it’s found on and when the level is finished, Mario still has a regular Tanooki Suit to use.

Best Non-Power-Up Item- Ultra Hammer

As the only item on this list that is not a power-up, the hammer is a recurring item in several Mario games, most notably the RPG games like Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi. Mario can use them to smash through obstacles, hit large switches, and combat enemies. The most powerful form of this piece of equipment is the Ultra Hammer from Paper Mario, which can smash through blocks made of wood, stone, and even metal. While Mario has other non-power-up items like the FLUDD water cannon from Super Mario Sunshine, they don’t pack the same power as the Ultra Hammer.

What did you think of this list? What items would you have given Mario? Which characters do you think have an arsenal worth looking at? Let me know in the comment section and thanks for coming.