Fire Mario is the ultimate offensive 'build' in Super Mario Bros., obtained by collecting a Fire Flower while in Super Mario form. As Fire Mario, you retain all the benefits of Super Mario (extra hit point, brick-breaking) but gain the ability to shoot fireballs by pressing the B button. These fireballs travel horizontally and can defeat most enemies, including Goombas, Koopa Troopas, Hammer Bros., and even the fake Bowsers in castles. Fireballs are ineffective against Buzzy Beetles and Bowser himself. This form is incredibly powerful for clearing paths and dealing with difficult enemies from a safe distance. Prioritize getting and maintaining Fire Mario, especially in levels with many enemies or challenging castle sections.
While the Fire Flower is a permanent power-up in Super Mario Bros., it functions as a consumable resource in Paper Mario: Sticker Star for strategic combat.
While Fire Mario offers simple projectile attacks in the original platformer, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga evolves this mechanic into a complex elemental ability used for both puzzles and combat.