Ground Pound

"Yoshi will "Pound The Ground". This has many uses, and it rocks!"

- Hint Block

The Ground Pound (also called the Hip Drop, Gyro Jump, Simian Slam, Buttus Bashium, Pound The Ground, Butt Stomp, Bomb, Rump Crush, and the Bomber) is an ability that has affected the Mario series dramatically, along with moves such as the Wall Jump and Spin Jump. The move is usually executed by crouching in midair, but is sometimes used by pressing the jump button twice instead (this is usually in mini-game applications, such as in the Mario Party games).

The move can break or activate blocks from above, the opposite effect of a normal Jump. It is sometimes the only way to defeat an enemy or complete a task, and is usually more powerful than a regular jump. The Ground Pound is a common move that almost any character can use, even Boo, Dry Bones, and Birdo.

Super Mario Bros. 3
The move was first introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3 by Bowser. This version was different from later versions, as Bowser will look toward the screen when he ground pounds. Later versions have it where the character is facing in the same direction through the whole move.

Super Mario 64
In Super Mario 64, the Ground Pound move is activated by pressing the A button to first jump in the air, and then pressing the Z button (normally used to crouch). The Ground Pound does not serve any particular function in this game, other than activating Blue Coin Blocks, and of course defeating certain enemies and bosses. However, it can also be used to make a quick landing while flying with the Wing Cap.

Mario also uses this move in the Bob-omb Battlefield level in the episode: Behind Chain Chomp's Gate, where he must Ground Pound the small wooden peg holding the Chain Chomp's leash in place in order to free it and reclaim the Power Star.

It is used once again in Whomp's Fortress, where the player must Ground Pound King Whomp's back a total of three times in order to defeat him.

Super Mario Sunshine
The use of the Ground Pound is greatly expanded in Super Mario Sunshine. One of its main uses involves using it to flip small circular manhole covers that appear in both Delfino Plaza and Ricco Harbor. This allows Mario to access secret underground tunnels which often have Blue Coins or 1-Up Mushrooms hidden within them.

The Ground Pound is also used as a means of collecting Shine Sprites. For example, Mario must ground pound a small stone wheel located on top of the lighthouse in Delfino Plaza in order to release the Shine Sprite hidden there. However, a normal Ground Pound will not have any effect. He must therefore first use the Rocket Nozzle to blast himself into the air, and then do a Ground Pound. This will result in an extra powerful Ground Pound, which is powerful enough to break the stone wheel apart.

This move is also used in Episode 3 of Gelato Beach, Wiggler Ahoy! Full Steam Ahead!, when Mario must battle Wiggler. After spraying the Dune Buds, causing Wiggler to flip onto his back, he must Ground Pound specific segments of his body three consecutive times in order to defeat him. It is also used in the level just before this: Mirror Madness! Tilt, Slam, Bam!, where the player must use it to fling the Plungelos off of the large mirrors near the tower.

Finally, the Ground Pound plays a major role during the final boss battle with Bowser and Bowser Jr. in Corona Mountain. Mario must again use the Rocket Nozzle to blast himself into the air, and then Ground Pound five separate ends of the large slime-filled hot tub Bowser is sitting in, eventually resulting in the entire hot tub tipping over, and Bowser being defeated.

It can also be used to break apart large square watermelons (often found in secret levels) when they block the way or to pound large nails into the ground.

The Ground Pound can also be used to prevent Mario from taking a considerable amount of damage due to a fall from a great height if used shortly before he hits the ground.

Super Mario Galaxy
In Super Mario Galaxy, the Ground Pound is mainly used to activate large switches emblazoned with the Ground Pound logo. These switches appear in just about every galaxy, and can perform any number of functions when pounded, from making Star Bits appear (inside the volcano in the Melty Molten Galaxy) to causing an entire section of the wall to fall down (the Honeyhive Galaxy).

In addition to this, beetle-like creatures called Mandibugs make their appearance in this game, and they have the Ground Pound symbol right on the back of their shell. For obvious reasons, Mario must defeat them using a Ground Pound. The boss Bugaboom fought later in the game is also defeated in a similar fashion, though he must be Ground Pounded three times.

The Ground Pound is also used to pound wooden pegs into the ground. An excellent example of this is in The Dirty Tricks of Major Burrows in the Gusty Garden Galaxy, where Mario must Ground Pound wooden pegs sticking out of three large apple-shaped planetoids in order to send the large Worm inside burrowing through to the next one.

Many stone wheels with the Ground Pound symbol on them also appear in this game, and are usually found stacked on top of one another. Mario must simply Ground Pound over the entire stack to obliderate them all. This is seen in the Toy Time Galaxy, where Mario must Ground Pound the stone wheel antenna on the head of the Heavy-Metal Mecha Bowser in order to defeat it.

Undergrunt Gunners are also defeated through the use of the Ground Pound, as the glass case covering the cockpit of their large cannons must be Ground Pounded three times in order to break it and defeat them.

Also, quickly after a Spin in midair, Mario or Luigi can do a Lock-on Ground Pound if an enemy is nearby, which will cause them to come crashing down directly on the enemy without needing to aim first.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
The Ground Pound can also be used in Super Mario Galaxy 2, and serves the same purpose as in its predecessor, though with a few minor differences. For example, small glowing yellow planetoids with the Ground Pound symbol on them appear out of the ground in every Bowser level, which the player must Ground Pound in exactly the right place to send them flying into large stone locks blocking the way through the door to the next area.

These planetoids also appear during every Bowser battle, and therefore serve as the player's main means of dealing damage to Bowser in his giant form. The player must Ground Pound several of these planetoids into Bowser during the battle, hitting him a total of four times to defeat him (with the exception of the final battle, in which Bowser will return after being defeated and the player must Ground Pound four more planetoids into him).

Bugaboom reappears in this game in the Puzzle Plank Galaxy, and is defeated in the same way as he was in Super Mario Galaxy.

The Whomp King also makes a reappearance in this game in the Throwback Galaxy, and must be defeated in exactly the same way as in Super Mario 64 (by Ground Pounding his back three times).

Finally, the Ground Pound also plays a key role in the defeat of Bowser Jr.'s Boomsday Machine, as Mario must Ground Pound the glass case covering the cockpit of the machine (in much the same way as he dealt with Undergrunt Gunners in the first game).

The Lock-on Ground Pound move can also be used in this game, and is activated in the same way: by spinning and Ground Pounding at the same time.

New Super Mario Bros.
The Ground Pound makes several appearances in the New Super Mario Bros. When Mario or Luigi jumps and then presses down on the D-Pad, the player will perform a Ground Pound. Plus, at the World 5 Castle, the player will fight Petey Piranha, who will perform an angled Ground Pound after flying in the air for a few seconds. Once Petey Piranha touches the ground, he will become dizzy and fall down, giving Mario or Luigi a chance to stomp him. In addition, Ground Pounds deal double damage on enemies and/or bosses. However, the double damage effect was removed on bosses in the sequel (due to the fact it made the game too easy). If the player is Mini, then Ground Pounds are required to deal damage, but the damage would only be equal of a regular jump.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
The Ground Pound from New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the same as the ground pound from New Super Mario Bros.

Yoshi series
The Ground Pound was made famous by Yoshi in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Indeed, the Ground Pound has been referred to as "Yoshi's proudest move."

Mario Party series
The move has appeared in most Mario platformers, and could be used in many Mario Party mini games, commonly to flatten opponents and stun them for a few seconds.

Wario series
Wario is another character who has infamously used the Ground Pound. In Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, he is able to do the move with the help of a special cap. In Wario Lands 2 and 4, he can do this without any ability of any kind. In Wario Land 3, two of the various treasures that Wario collects deal with Ground Pounding―the first introduces the move while the second makes it more powerful.

In Virtual Boy Wario Land, Waro can Body Slam, which very closely resembles ground pounding in two of his forms (Bull Wario and King Dragon Wario). This means a powerup item is required for him to preform this maneuver.

Super Smash Bros. series
Bowser's ground pound move was later seen in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl known as the Bowser Bomb. Bowser either faces the screen or has his back to the screen when he uses his ground pound, similar to his ground pound in Super Mario 3. Yoshi also comes with his own Ground Pound known as the Yoshi Bomb in the SSB series.

Paper Mario
The Spin Jump move in this game is extremely similar to a Ground Pound.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Yoshi Kid can use this attack. To use this attack the player must rapidly tap the R button, this is one of the few attacks that Two Stylish moves can be executed. The closer the player gets to filling the gauge the more damage that will be dealt. No FP is needed to use this attack, and the attack is an initial attack. Also, the Spin Jump returns.

Super Paper Mario
In Super Paper Mario, a Pixl named Thudley grants everyone the Ground Pound ability.

Trivia

 * Bowser uses a move very similar to a Ground Pound called the Bowser Bomb in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.