Taunt

Taunt is a move used in the Super Smash Bros. series, Mario Party series, Mario Tennis series, and Mario Golf series.

In the Super Smash Bros. series, this move is typically done as a way to brag after KO-ing another player. Unlike other taunts, Luigi's taunt (which happens to be a modest kick to the ground), Snake's and Greninja's taunts are the only ones capable of harming an opponent character, though they only do about 1% damage. Kirby's copied ability after using his Inhale will disappear after he taunts. If Samus quickly performs her Taunts ↑↓↑ in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, she will turn into Zero Suit Samus instantly. Doing the same thing as Zero Suit Samus will cause her to revert back to normal Samus with her Power Suit back on.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, players are able to Taunt once again but instead of just one taunt in the previous games, nearly every character has three different taunts in this installment, except for Wario, who has four. However, during Wi-Fi mode, the Taunt can be used for an even greater use. When players press one of the directions on the D-Pad during Wi-Fi mode, the characters will not only taunt, but a small speech bubble will appear above them, with a quote that the players set. Players can create any quote they want, and they can set four at one time, with each button on the D-Pad activating a different quote. However, this only works in the With Friends mode of Wi-Fi; in With Anyone mode, the taunt quotes do not work.

In the Mario Party series, each character has a taunt – however, in Mario Party 6, 7, and 8, it is unlockable. This taunt does nothing useful, and the player just shouts something to a character. In the Mario Golf series, when an opponent is about to hit a ball, the player can taunt the opponent – though this is also useless. If one human player is playing against another human, the taunt may distract the other player. The player can also cheer for the opponents as well in the Mario Golf series.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Note: Most returning characters' taunts are retained from Brawl.

Smash Taunts
Smash Taunting is a taunt available only to Snake, Pit and the Star Fox characters. This technique helps the player communicate with the player's allies.

To activate it, the player must execute a down taunt for one frame; however, the taunt only works on specific stages when the player is controlling a specific character.

Snake's Smash Taunt
The player must choose Snake and play Shadow Moses Island. Once in the stage, the player should do a split-second down taunt. Then, if he is not interrupted, he will establish communication with Roy Campbell, Mei Ling, or Otacon, who begin talking about the fighters, similar to how players are able to obtain information during boss fights using the radio in the Metal Gear Solid series. If the player does this while playing against Falco, they will establish communication with Slippy Toad from the Star Fox series. If more than one opponent is taking part in the match, the game will select one to talk about at random. If Snake is KO'd during a conversation, the person on the other end will shout Snake's name, similar to during the Game Over screens of the Metal Gear Solid series.

For a complete list of Snake's conversations, see here.

Star Fox Smash Taunt
In this one, the player must choose Fox, Falco, or Wolf, select the Lylat Cruise stage and do a split-second down taunt.

After the spaceship warps to the next location, a conversation that matches the background begins. There are five background variations, so there are five types of communications per character.

The characters who make appearances here are Fox, Falco, Peppy, Slippy, Krystal, Wolf, Leon, and Panther.

Because the dialog is staged as if allies are observing the fight from the spaceship, the communication always excludes the one who is engaged in the fight. Strangely, whenever Wolf uses his Smash Taunt, Fox never appears in any of his conversations, while Falco does.

When the spaceship warps as someone is executing a Final Smash, or if the Dragoon appears, the communication fails.

In the Super Smash Bros. Melee Corneria stage, the player can start the same set of communications that existed in the previous version of the stage; however, as only Fox and Falco could initiate these communications in Super Smash Bros. Melee, only Fox and Falco can initiate these communications in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as well.

For a full list of the Lylat Cruise conversations, see here.

Pit's Smash Taunt
The player can choose Pit and play as him in Palutena's Temple and in this one, Pit can call Palutena and Viridi by using a Smash Taunt known as Palutena's Guidance. Here, Pit, Palutena and Viridi talk about the characters who is fighting in the match. Chrom will also appear if Robin is Pit's opponent, or Dark Pit will join the conversation if he is the opponent. If more than one opponent is in the match, the game will select one to talk about at random.

See here for a full list of conversations with Palutena's Guidance.

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
Characters can taunt or cheer for the player in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour by using for taunting and  for cheering. This does not directly affect gameplay, but the quotes on the screen can provide as a distraction for the player.


 * In NTSC versions of the game, Shadow Mario's dialogue is purely ellipses. In PAL versions, however, he is more articulate.

Mario Power Tennis
In Mario Power Tennis, the player can taunt by tapping "A" while the ball is on the other side of the court. These taunts lower the power gauge of the foe, making it harder for him or her to get a special attack.

Mario Tennis Open / Mario Sports Superstars
In Mario Tennis Open and the tennis mode of Mario Sports Superstars, the player can taunt by tapping or pressing any shot button before an opponent's serve or before their return. A successfully completed taunts powers up the player's next shot. Most characters have their taunt animations reused from Mario Power Tennis, and characters who were previously playable in Mario Tennis Open are reused in Mario Sports Superstars

Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash
Taunting returns in Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash with the same mechanics from Mario Tennis Open, though characters have different animations and voices. CPUs additionally taunt when the player is serving.