Special Shot

A Special Shot is a move that any playable character can perform in Mario sports games, debuting in Mario Hoops 3-on-3. It generally involves the character performing a powerful strike to the ball when certain conditions are met.

Mario Hoops 3-on-3
In Mario Hoops 3-on-3, Special Shots are activated by touching the Touch Screen at points to make a certain letter or symbol. The symbols include an M, an L, a triangle, a W, a B, an N, an S, or a star, with each character having a set symbol. The symbol must be tapped out twice to perform the Special Shot, and characters cannot move while starting the Special Shot. A player is highly vulnerable to tackles while bouncing the ball in the special formation, so it is unwise to attempt a special shot when being swarmed by opponents.

Special Shots are unstoppable if executed from inside the 3-point line, and will always make it in the basket. However, if executed outside the 3-point line, a teammate needs to run up and dunk the ball. Sometimes, the teammate will fail to receive the ball. If an opponent is blocking that teammate, the shot will miss.

Listed below are the Special Shot symbols and their associated character(s) and special shot(s).

M

 * Mario's Fire Shot
 * Yoshi's Flutter Dunk
 * Donkey Kong's Konga Dunk
 * Diddy Kong's Jet Shot
 * Moogle's Moogle Dance

L

 * Luigi's Green Fire Shot

Triangle

 * Peach's Heart Shot
 * Daisy's Flower Shot
 * Dixie Kong's Cannon Shot
 * Birdo's Egg Shot

W

 * Wario's Move-It Dunk
 * Waluigi's Twist Dunk

B

 * Bowser Jr.'s Graffiti Shot
 * Bowser's Bomber Dunk
 * Boo's Thriller Dunk

N

 * Paratroopa's Wing Shot
 * Ninja's Leaf Veil

S

 * Fly Guy's Thunder Shot
 * Cactuar's 1000 Needles

Star

 * White Mage's Holy Shot
 * Black Mage's Meteor Shot

Mario Sports Mix
In Mario Sports Mix, special shots make a return appearance. While the shots play similarly to that of the special shots from Mario Hoops 3-on-3, these shots are blockable, and can be preventable. Also, the method of unleashing a special shot is different as the moves can only be used once the player's special shot meter reaches a maximum level. Each character has a different, and unique special shot that is based on their properties and features. Additionally, the special shots tend to vary in the way it is used in each of the four sports: Basketball, Volleyball, Hockey, and Dodgeball.

Mario Tennis Aces
In Mario Tennis Aces, Special Shots can only be used when the energy gauge is full, and allow the player to aim their shot in a first-person perspective. These shots are capable of breaking the opposition's racket in one hit, though they can be blocked, so not all Special Shots are a guaranteed win. Blocking a Special Shot successfully can either drastically push back or spin out the character.

When the player triggers the Special Shot, a short animation is played where the character is shown performing the shot using external forces or special powers. The table below lists all separate names used for the Special Shots as revealed by the Toad commentators during tournaments, along with a description for the action each character carries out to perform the shot. These and Zone Shots are the only types of shots for the player to get a net.

Mario Golf: Super Rush
In Mario Golf: Super Rush, Special Shots can only be used when the energy gauge is full, similar to Mario Tennis Aces. There are four different types of Special Shots: "Strike" shots are capable of blasting away balls hit by other players on impact, "Stinger" shots can launch the ball straighter and farther than "Strike" shots, the "Skipper" shots can bounce the golf ball three times, with the third one just lands on the target, and the rest that use neither of these labels can create special abilities that affect the floor like ice, lightning, and bombs. Special Shots are also capable of giving balls status effects for their next shot, impacting how straight they roll.

When the player triggers the Special Shot, they first see them prepare for their shot by performing an action, and by activating the Special Shot, they can be seen using external forces or special powers. The table below lists all separate names used for the Special Shots as revealed by the Toad commentators, along with a description for the action each character carries out to perform the shot, both before and while activated.