Metal Mario: Separate character or just a power-up?

Pixelcraftian

Pixelcraftian

Super mario is so awesome
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Metal Mario is cool, but in terms of if he's a separate character or just a power-up confuses me in terms of canon/marioverse stuff.

I'm not saying the Metal Cap turns Mario into a completely different person, obviously. There's a difference between Metal Mario and Metal Mario.

I personally think Metal Mario is a separate character who's more competitive and fight-y compared to Mario, just posting this cuz I wanna hear some thoughts on the whole matter lol
 
The only source that outright says Metal Mario is a separate entity is the North American website for Mario Kart 7, which calls him "Mario's very heavy rival". Otherwise, there's context clues like some of his voice lines in Mario Kart 8 being warped versions of what Mario would say, and of course him and Mario co-existing in spin-offs, which depends on how much stock you put in that. Like a lot of other things, it's probably something that Nintendo cares a lot less about than we do.

Personally I like to go with the interpretation of Metal Mario being a separate entity in certain contexts like Mario Kart.
 
You could say that it's both. Interestingly, while Metal Mario is a separate character in Smash 64, that's not the case in the sequels; he's simply Mario with the Metal Box effect permanently active.
 
I see Metal Mario as a separate character nowadays, as the power-up itself isn't even used too often past Super Mario 64. I also think he's cool despite the haters say, but it might be just my overall bias for the Mario character. I liked his introduction in Mario Kart 7 because he's finally a heavyweight I'm looking forward to using (I had some reservations he wouldn't change weight class but that worry was way overblown); we have a Mario in all weight classes since.

Pixelcraftian said:
I personally think Metal Mario is a separate character who's more competitive and fight-y compared to Mario, just posting this cuz I wanna hear some thoughts on the whole matter lol
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He does sometimes read as Mario's rival but I think he's generally chill guy despite what the appearances suggest. You're not alone though, many people do see him as a bad clone of Mario from Mario Generations mod casting him as a bad guy akin to Shadow Mario (or just that he's a perfect fit over Metal Sonic) and you do fight him in the Smash Bros. games. I have my personal headcanons regarding this character too. One big reason I think he's separate from Mario is that he makes phrases that are altered from Mario with no further context; Cat Peach goes like "CAT-astrophe" or something like that, but Metal Mario goes "Mia mama" like he's supposed to be a doppleganger. It would be strange if we had Tanooki Mario going like "Me! It's-a!"

Oh and also why would Metal Mario appear in the same scoreboard as Mario in a Mario Golf game? Is that just an elaborate mulligan scheme from Mario?

MnSG said:
You could say that it's both. Interestingly, while Metal Mario is a separate character in Smash 64, that's not the case in the sequels; he's simply Mario with the Metal Box effect permanently active.
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Well because they introduced the Metal Box effect and probably didn't have the need to introduce an entirely new sprite when they could just darken Mario's existing sprite. Regardless, I was happy the Metal Mario as a boss character returned in Smash Ultimate as both Bowser's final fight and as a spirit battle.
 
Ignazio Salvaggi said:
I see Metal Mario as a separate character nowadays, as the power-up itself isn't even used too often past Super Mario 64. I also think he's cool despite the haters say, but it might be just my overall bias for the Mario character. I liked his introduction in Mario Kart 7 because he's finally a heavyweight I'm looking forward to using (I had some reservations he wouldn't change weight class but that worry was way overblown); we have a Mario in all weight classes since.


He does sometimes read as Mario's rival but I think he's generally chill guy despite what the appearances suggest. You're not alone though, many people do see him as a bad clone of Mario from Mario Generations mod casting him as a bad guy akin to Shadow Mario (or just that he's a perfect fit over Metal Sonic) and you do fight him in the Smash Bros. games. I have my personal headcanons regarding this character too. One big reason I think he's separate from Mario is that he makes phrases that are altered from Mario with no further context; Cat Peach goes like "CAT-astrophe" or something like that, but Metal Mario goes "Mia mama" like he's supposed to be a doppleganger. It would be strange if we had Tanooki Mario going like "Me! It's-a!"

Oh and also why would Metal Mario appear in the same scoreboard as Mario in a Mario Golf game? Is that just an elaborate mulligan scheme from Mario?


Well because they introduced the Metal Box effect and probably didn't have the need to introduce an entirely new sprite when they could just darken Mario's existing sprite. Regardless, I was happy the Metal Mario as a boss character returned in Smash Ultimate as both Bowser's final fight and as a spirit battle.
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Well........ it's the boss fight in ultimate supposed to be just an alternative form of Mario?
 
9DB7 said:
Well........ it's the boss fight in ultimate supposed to be just an alternative form of Mario?
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It's pretty much Mario with the Metal Box permanently active; Metal Mario is not a separate character in Ultimate.
 
I prefer Metal Mario, at least the design from SM64, as just a power-up. If they want a "Metal Mario" type separate character, Robo Mario is RIGHT THERE with a far cooler design and even lore connecting him to E. Gadd, and they just go with "the power-up but separate"

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Like imagine this guy and Gooigi having a sibling relationship just like the OG Mario Bros.
 
You'll reconsider all your reservations about Metal Mario once Rusty Copper Luigi, his long lost brother, comes and proves you wrong and they challenge Robo Mario and Gooigi to a duel. And I didn't even begin with Vanish Luigi.
 
I would accept Metal Mario as a separate character if Cat Mario is generally accepted as a separate character, who I would say have a bit more to differentiate like how he has his own show and his own voice. As it stands, since Cat Mario is considered as a mere Mario in a power-up state, so too is Metal Mario.

Thank you for reading.
 
Considering Dry Bowser and Bowser are allowed to exist at the same time, I say separate character.
 
Metal began as a power up, but now I see him as a separate character, liquid metal symbiote that retains Mario's shape and perhaps essence/ identity; like Venom's symbiote after leaving Spider-Man.
 
So like Gooigi?
 
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