What is the difference between Mario and Doctor Mario?

Question

In Super Smash Bros 4 (and other Smash Bros Games), both Mario and Doctor Mario are playable characters. But, besides the alternate looks and the different Down-Specials, are there any other differences?

Answer 1

According to the Super Smash Bros 4 wiki:

While Mario continues to use his updated moveset from Brawl, Dr. Mario retains the old Melee-style moveset, albeit with a Final Smash now. The Final Smash is similar to Mario Finale, but instead uses enormous Megavitamins rather than fire.

There are also several differences between them. For example, Dr Mario is:

• Stronger than Mario
  • Having higher damage percents on moves such as up tilt, up smash, back aerial, up aerial, forward tilt and all throws.
• Slower than Mario.
• Does not jump as high as Mario
  • Also has a lower air speed.
• His Doctor Finale deals more damage than Mario's Mario Finale.
• His Jab Combo deals more damage and knockback than Mario's.
• Dr. Mario's Dr. Sheet doesn't stall him in the air like Mario's Cape does, and has less horizontal range.
• Dr. Mario's Down throw has more knockback than Mario's, which allows for different followups.

Answer 2

Doc's up b is one of the best out of shield options in the game, having a huge and fast hitbox that can be reversed on startup.

One of the things that makes him much worse than Mario is the fact that his combos aren't as good because of his u air sending people horizontally instead of vertically like Mario's, and his lessened jump height and air mobility.

That and the fact that Mario's up smash kills faster because Doc's up smash sends the opponents horizontally for some reason... and Mario's forward smash has more range and is most powerful on the tip of the fireball, whilst Doc's f smash is most strong on the palm, making it not as strong spaced out.

Also, docs up b for recovering is only disjointed at the start and doesn't travel much distance, making him easily gimped while Mario's up b is the complete opposite.

Docs pills bounce so high that they can easily be ran under and cause less pressure than Mario's fireballs.

Doc is used for better damage output, and if you main Mario already, it can be better to play Doc against characters that don't get comboed easily, because Doc isn't about the crazy combos. He's more about playing patient and playing the neutral game, because of his lack of follow-ups.