Dash Attack

Artwork of Wario damaging Toad from a Dash Attack in Mario Strikers: Battle League

“With my 'body slam', I'm not afraid of pirates.”

—Wario, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 instruction booklet, page 4.

The Dash Attack, also known as Body Slam, Barge, Wario Attack, Dashing, Attack, and Shoulder Barge, is one of Wario's signature attacks. It consists of him charging at high speed while ramming everything on his path using his powerful shoulders. The move first appeared in Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, and has most prominently appeared in the Wario Land series. The main purpose of the attack is damaging enemies, but it can also hit switches or break open treasure chests and blocks.

Roy Koopa is shown to perform a similar attack in his sprites for Super Princess Peach as well as in New Super Mario Bros. 2. In Yoshi's Island DS, Baby DK likewise performs a similar move.

History

Wario Land series

This move is a simple attack in the Wario Land games; it can be used to attack one enemy at a time or to destroy blocks, and normally allows Wario to move faster than running. Jumping in the middle of this attack changes it into a Jump Attack, which ends upon landing or turning around. The cave master from Wario Land II makes use of a similar attack when he is confronted by Wario in order to knock him out of the arena, forcing Wario to restart the battle; in turn, Wario must attack the cave master the same way three times to claim victory. In Wario Land 3, it can be upgraded to break harder blocks and attack several enemies at once. Wario Land 4 was the first game to introduce the name "Dash Attack" (and subsequently its aerial variant Jumping Dash Attack), however, unlike its contemporary usage, this term was used to describe a more powerful variant of the same ability where Wario quickly rushes as his speed greatly increases; then, he is able to run into multiple blocks and enemies without stopping. He is also able to break the more solid, blue blocks. His regular attack is also present, but compared to this "Dash Attack", it is less powerful and Wario bounces back against blocks. To avoid future confusion in later games, the name Dash Attack was given to Wario's regular attack, with the original "Dash Attack" move getting removed, but also giving Wario different alternatives to perform similar moves like the Max Fastosity Dasherators seen in Wario Land: Shake It!.

Wario's Woods

In Wario's Woods, when Toad takes time in a round, Wario will temporarily take the place of Birdo and perform an attack periodically, knocking the ceiling a step downwards.

Wario World

Wario using Dash Attack toward a large Magon in Wario World

In Wario World, the Dash Attack makes Wario take off in a burst of speed when the player presses the Button. This is handy for quickly moving around or barreling through enemies. Another move, coupling a Dash Attack with a punch, can be executed by pressing, holding, and releasing the Button.

WarioWare series

In the WarioWare games, the Dash Attack appears in a few microgames referencing the Wario Land games, for example, in Loot Scoot, it enables Wario to break through walls and repel mummies to escape an avalanche of gold and treasure; another example is found in a microgame simply titled Wario Land (specifically based on Wario Land 4) where Wario must use the Dash Attack to successfully take out a Spear-Mask while avoiding its front spear. In WarioWare: Get It Together!, the Dash Attack is Wario's main gameplay mechanic. Performed by pressing , it can be used in microgames to push and break objects.

Wario: Master of Disguise

In Wario: Master of Disguise, Thief Wario can use a short-ranged Dash Attack. Unlike in past platformers featuring the move, Wario immediately returns in place after executing it.

Super Smash Bros. series

In the Super Smash Bros. series, the Dash Attack appears as Wario's forward smash attack in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and like in Wario: Master of Disguise, Wario stays in one spot while executing it, unless he is in his Wario-Man form. The move returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which calls it Shoulder Tackle in the tips, but was aptly made his dash attack; for this game, the move behaves more similarly to the Dash Attack from the Wario Land games, covering a longer distance.

Mario Strikers: Battle League

A Dash Attack is used by Wario in Mario Strikers: Battle League as he tackles.

Gallery

Artwork

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  Nintendo Character Manual

• 

  Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3

• 

  Virtual Boy Wario Land

• 

  Wario Land II

• 

  Wario Land II

• 

  Wario Land II
  (Nintendo Magazine System)

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  Wario World

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  Wario: Master of Disguise

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  WarioWare: Get It Together!

Screenshots

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  Wario using the attack in Wario's Woods title screen

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  Wario knocking the cave master in Wario Land II

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  Wario attacking during Wolfenboss' battle in Wario Land 3

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  The original "Dash Attack", seen in Wario Land 4

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  The Dash Attack Wario uses as a forward smash in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

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  The Dash Attack utilizes its more traditional properties during Wario's Final Smash.

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  Wario attacking a Volcannon in Wario Land: Shake It!

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  Wario's Dash Attack in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Sprites

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  Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
  (Jet Wario)

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  Virtual Boy Wario Land
  (Bull Wario)

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  Wario Land 4
  (Normal)

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  Wario Land 4
  ("Dash Attack")

• 

  Densetsu no Starfy 3

Names in other languages

Dash Attack

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	体当たり攻撃 Taiatari Kōgeki	Tackle Attack	Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
	体当たり Taiatari	Tackle	Virtual Boy Wario Land
	アタック Atakku	Attack	Wario Land II / Wario Land 3 / Wario Land 4
	ダッシュアタック Dasshu Atakku	Dash Attack	Wario Land 4 / Wario World / Wario Land Shake
	ダッシュ[?] Dasshu	Dash	Wario World
	ショルダータックル[?] Shorudā Takkuru	Shoulder Tackle	Wario: Master of Disguise
French	Attaque smash[?]	Smash attack	Wario Land 3
	Attaquer	Tackle	Wario Land 4 (Attack)
	Charge	Charge	Wario Land 4 (Dash Attack)
German	Rippentriller[?]	Rib Trill, possibly a pun on Lippentriller ("lip trill"), a type of trill performed on brass instruments	Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
	Angreifen	Attack	Wario Land 4 (Attack)
	Tempo-Attacke	Speed Attack	Wario Land 4 (Dash Attack)
Italian	Schiacciata a terra	Ground slam	Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
	Attacca	Attack
	Attacco rapido	Rapid attack	Wario Land 4 (Dash Attack)
	Attacco fulmineo	Lightning attack
Spanish	Empellón[?]	Shove	Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
	Atacar	Attack	Wario Land 4 (Attack)
	Ataque relámpago	Lightning attack	Wario Land 4 (Dash Attack)
	Ataque raudo[?]	Swift attack	Wario Land: Shake It!

Jump Attack

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	ジャンピングアタック Janpingu Atakku	Jumping Attack
	ジャンピングダッシュアタック Janpingu Dasshu Atakku	Jumping Dash Attack	Wario Land 4
Italian	Attacco salto	Jump attack