Editing Crouch

{{redirect|Duck|the duck from the NES game {{wp|Duck Hunt}} that appears alongside the dog as fighters in [[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]] / [[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U|Wii U]] and [[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]|[[Duck Hunt (character)]]}}
{{move infobox
|image=[[File:Mario Crouch NSMB2.png|200px]]<br>Artwork of [[Mario]] crouching from ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' ([[List of games by date#1985|1985]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns HD]]'' ([[List of games by date#2025|2025]])
|effect=Reduces the user's height
|input=
|before=[[Crouching High Jump]]<br>[[Hand Slap]]<br>[[Backward Somersault]]<br>[[Long Jump]]<br>[[Super jump (Super Paper Mario)|Super jump]]<br>[[Blow]]
|related=
|comparable=
}}

'''Crouching''' or '''ducking''' is a move that has been used in almost every ''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]'' game. To do so, the player must simply press {{button|Paddown}} in 2D games or a shoulder button ({{button|wii|Z}}, {{button|3ds|L}}, {{button|3ds|R}}, {{button|wiiu|ZL}}, or {{button|wiiu|ZR}} depending on the system) in 3D games. If the player releases the button, characters return to their standing position. It is used to duck under projectiles and [[slide]] under walls while moving. Crouching in midair has the player perform a [[Ground Pound]] instead (except while riding [[Yoshi]] in ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'' or [[Capture|capturing]] an object/enemy in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'').

[[Jump]]ing while crouching in 3D games lets the player do a [[Backward Somersault]] in place or [[Long Jump]] while [[dash]]ing; ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'' is an exception, as [[Mario]] can perform a Backward Somersault, but he cannot crouch or long-jump. 

If characters jump while crouching in 2D games, ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'', ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'', and ''[[Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury]]'', they can jump while still crouching. This can be utilized to get into one-block-tall holes. It can also be used within these tunnels to move slightly with each jump, but if the player releases the crouch button, the character performing it automatically goes towards the opposite direction they are facing. [[Small Mario|Small characters]] can crouch only in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'', ''[[Super Mario World]]'', ''[[Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]]'', the ''[[New Super Mario Bros. (disambiguation)|New Super Mario Bros.]]'' games, ''Super Mario 3D Land'', ''Super Mario 3D World'', ''[[Super Mario Maker]]'' (in the ''Super Mario World'' and ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'' styles only), ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'', and ''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]''.

In ''Super Mario Bros. 2'', crouching for a small period of time charges up characters so they can jump higher (once per charge). This ability is called the [[Crouching High Jump|Power Squat Jump]]. The Backward Somersault in ''Super Mario 3D Land'', ''Super Mario 3D World'', and the ''Super Mario 3D World'' style in ''Super Mario Maker 2'' operates similarly to this. This jump itself can be used in [[SMB2 Mario|SMB2 form]] in the ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' style in ''Super Mario Maker 2''.

Outside the ''Super Mario'' platform games, Mario is able to crouch in the [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]], as well as in ''[[Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars]]'' and [[Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)|its Nintendo Switch remake]] through a small gap in a secret area in the [[Pipe Vault]] to collect a [[Frog Coin]] when {{button|paddown}}/{{button|switch|down}} is pressed while he runs towards the gap. In ''[[Mario & Luigi: Dream Team]]'', [[Giant Luigi]] is able to crouch to dodge one of the [[Zeekeeper]]'s attacks.

In most 3D games (such as ''[[Super Mario 64]]''), ''[[Super Mario Bros. Wonder]]'',<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwyVmKZ7dwM スーパーマリオブラザーズ ワンダー CM ひとりでプレイ篇]</ref> and the ''Super Smash Bros.'' games since ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', attempting to move while in a crouch allows the character to '''crawl''', which allows Mario to scale steep slopes and walk carefully on sloped surfaces. Only a number of characters in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series can do this. In ''Super Mario 3D Land'', ''Super Mario 3D World'', and ''Super Mario Odyssey'', the characters can also [[roll]] while crouching (by attacking while crouching), while in ''Super Mario 64'' and ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'', Mario (and [[Luigi]], Yoshi, and [[Wario]] in the DS version) uses [[Sweep Kick]]s and [[Slide Kick]]s instead.

In ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' and its [[Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D|Nintendo 3DS]] and [[Donkey Kong Country Returns HD|Nintendo Switch]] ports, [[Donkey Kong]] and [[Diddy Kong]] can crouch for the same reasons Mario can, though they do not cover as much distance when sliding. When crouching, the characters can [[blow]]. The player can crouch but not blow while standing on a [[Mine Cart]]. The player can also crouch but not blow while riding inside a Mine Cart, tucking themselves into the cart to avoid hitting obstacles above. Crouching appears again in ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'', though blowing is not a move in the game. Players can slide on [[ice]], which means crouching can be done on ice for a ''Super Mario''-esque slide beneath obstacles.

In {{a|YWW|l}} and {{a|P&YWW|l}}, [[Yoshi (species)|Yoshi]] can crouch for the same reasons Mario can, though they do not cover as much distance when sliding unless they are sliding on [[ice]]. Crouching has the additional effect of having all items or characters following Yoshi stack up behind them, which is occasionally useful because [[Little Mouser]]s can steal [[yarn ball]]s but cannot move into Yoshi. 

In [[Poochy Dash]], a mode exclusive to {{a|P&YWW}}. [[Poochy]] can crouch by splaying out his legs. Poochy slides much farther than Yoshi can, and the move's purpose is to fit through tunnels that Poochy would otherwise collide with. Poochy gradually slows down while crouching, though he is unable to stop in this way. In areas too tight to stand in, Poochy simply does not stop moving. Since Poochy Dash is an auto-runner, Poochy automatically gets up if he would come to a complete stop. If Poochy crouches on the ice in [[Bobsledding Peaks]], including [[Ice Block]]s, he instead flips onto his back and slides, This state allows Poochy to go faster but impairs his jump height unless he jumps off a ramp. The only way to exit this state is to collide with a wall. Bobsledding Peaks starts with a low ceiling that has to be slid under and has very few walls, making using the sliding state for most of the course almost mandatory.

The manual for {{a|P&YWW}} calls Poochy's move in Poochy Dash a "crouch", though {{a|P&YWW}} instead calls the move "slide".

==Official profiles==
===''Super Mario Bros. 3''===
*'''Wii Virtual Console manual description:''' ''"Press down on {{button|wii|Pad}} to crouch. You can also press down on {{button|wii|Pad}} to slide down slopes (except when [[Frog Mario|wearing]] the [[Frog Suit]])."''

===''Super Mario Land''===
*'''3DS Virtual Console manual description:''' ''"Press {{button|3ds|Paddown}} when you are [[Super Mario (form)|Super Mario]] or [[Superball Mario]] to crouch down."''

===''Super Mario 3D Land''===
*'''North American website bio:''' ''"This lets Mario stay low and fit into tight spaces. He can move while crouching too."''
*'''European website bio:''' ''"Hold down the L Button (or the R Button) to crouch. You can move around while crouching - great for when you need to squeeze through a tight space."''

==Gallery==
{{main-gallery}}

<gallery>
Mario Crouching.jpg|[[Donkey Kong (Game Boy)|''Donkey Kong'' (Game Boy)]]
Mariocrouch2.jpg|''[[Super Mario 64]]''
SM3DL-Mario Crouch Artwork.png|''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''
Mariocrouch2Dshade.png|Official 2D artwork 

</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jpn=しゃがむ
|JpnR=Shagamu
|JpnM=To squat
|Fre=S'accroupir
|FreM=To squat
|Fre2=Se baisser
|Fre2N=''Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS''
|Fre2M=To bend down
|Spa=Agacharse
|SpaM=To squat
|Dut=Hurken
|DutM=To crouch
|Por=Agachar
|PorM=To crouch
|Ger=Ducken
|GerM=To duck
|Ita=Abbassato
|ItaM=Crouched/Ducked
|Rus=Пригнуться
|RusR=Prignut'sya
|RusM=To duck
|Rus2=Приседание
|Rus2R=Prisedaniye
|Rus2M=To crouch
|Kor=웅크리기
|KorR=Ungkeurigi
|KorM=Crouching
|Chi=下蹲<ref>[https://www.ique.com/games/mariods/action/kyotsu.htm Official Chinese website for ''Super Mario 64 DS'']. Retrieved March 1, 2020.</ref><ref>[https://www.ique.com/3ds/arej/jrec.pdf Online simplified Chinese manual for ''Super Mario 3D Land'']. Retrieved March 1, 2020.</ref>
|ChiN=iQue
|ChiR=Xiàdūn
|ChiM=To squat
|Chi2=蹲下<ref>[https://www.nintendo.com.hk/3dland/MAA-CTR-AREZ-CHT.pdf Online traditional Chinese manual for ''Super Mario 3D Land'']. Retrieved March 1, 2020.</ref><ref>[https://www.nintendo.com.hk/nsmb2/CTR_ABE_ME_CHT_HP.pdf Online Chinese manual for ''New Super Mario Bros. 2'']. Retrieved March 1, 2020.</ref>
|Chi2N=Nintendo
|Chi2R=Dūnxià
|Chi2M=To squat down
}}

==References==
{{NIWA|SmashWiki=Crouching}}
{{NIWA|title=Crawl|SmashWiki=Crawling}}
<references/>

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[[Category:Moves]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country Returns]]
[[Category:Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]
[[Category:Super Mario 3D Land moves]]
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[[Category:Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels moves]]
[[Category:Super Mario Bros. Wonder moves]]
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[[Category:Super Mario Odyssey moves]]
[[Category:Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars moves]]
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[[Category:Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]
[[Category:Yoshi's Island DS]]
[[Category:Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3]]
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