Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Pichu can make the matchup feel hectic by slipping around Dr. Mario’s swings with a tiny hurtbox and very fast burst-ins, and once Doc gets pushed offstage his weaker recovery becomes the real problem.
But Doc does not need to win a long movement battle here. Pichu is the lightest character in the game and also damages itself, while jab, forward tilt, up tilt, dash attack, every smash attack, fair, bair, uair, dair, Thunder Jolt, and Thunder all leave openings for Up B, Up Smash, or other strong shield punishes.
The plan is to use pill to slow down short hop and ground entry, keep center stage, and make Pichu hit shield first. Only down tilt and neutral air stay relatively awkward to punish in place, so those spots should be answered by tracking the next landing or grab instead of forcing a button every time.
If Dr. Mario keeps the game onstage, cashes out on shield, and avoids deep offstage chases, Pichu’s light weight and recoil work directly in Doc’s favor.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Dr. Mario OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab | 2 | -11 |
| |
| Forward Tilt | 5 | -11 |
| |
| Up Tilt | 7 | -10 |
| |
| Down Tilt | 7 | -4 |
|
|
| Dash Attack | 6 | -20 |
| |
| Forward Smash | 16/19/22/25/28/31 | -16 |
|
|
| Up Smash | 9 | -21 |
| |
| Down Smash | 8/11/15/19/23 | -21 |
| |
| Neutral Air | 3 | -4/-4 |
|
|
| Forward Air | 10/14/18/22 | -10/-10 |
| |
| Back Air | 5/11/15/19/26/30 | -16/-16 |
|
|
| Up Air | 4 | -8 |
|
|
| Down Air | 14 | -16 |
|
|
| Neutral B | 18 | -29/-30 |
| |
| Side B | 17 | -20 to +3 |
| |
| Up B | ** | — | ||
| Down B | 9 | -27 |
| |
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 9 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Pill should be used to interrupt Pichu’s short hop, crouch movement, and forward burst after Thunder Jolt, creating shield situations in center rather than trying to win a pure projectile war.
- After blocking jab, forward tilt, up tilt, dash attack, any smash attack, fair, bair, uair, dair, Thunder Jolt, or Thunder, Dr. Mario should always take the punish with Up B, Up Smash, OOS Nair, OOS Uair, or Grab and push Pichu straight toward kill percent.
- Down tilt and neutral air should not trigger automatic retaliation every time, because the in-place punish is much thinner there; instead, Doc should read the next drift, grab, or repeat entry.
- Stocks should be closed with shield punishes, Up Smash, back throw, and ledge bair rather than by extending long offstage chases where Pichu’s recovery mixups can flip the risk back onto Doc.
- When cornered, Dr. Mario should prioritize getting back to center over forcing a jump-out scramble, then let the next contact happen on his shield where the matchup swings hardest.
Actions to Avoid
- Throwing out high fair or raw down B carelessly at Pichu’s small hurtbox and handing over whiff punishes that lead straight into offstage pressure.
- Mashing after every blocked down tilt or neutral air and getting caught by a grab or immediate re-entry because the punish never truly reached.
- Overchasing offstage for an early kill and spending Up B or down B first in a matchup where Pichu’s recovery routes can still force a reversal.
- Playing too passively just because Pichu takes recoil, then giving up center and letting Thunder Jolt pressure plus up-throw setups repeat for free.