The act of repeatedly, sometimes erratically, striking a button or some buttons on a video game controller, whether or not it was asked for in that game. A person who takes part in the action of button mashing would therefore be called the button masher. They are usually found playing arcade style fighting games (i.e. Tekken 3, Street Fighter, etc.) or console fighting games (i.e. Dead or Alive, Super Smash Bros., etc.). A high percentage will also be found succeeding at Marvel vs. Capcom and other similar games. Their actual skill level for the games they play on a scale from 1-10 (1 being the lowest): 2.4
Button mashing is a technique of playing video games. Most button mashers are inexperienced newbies who don’t know how a fighting engine, or the timing, for some fighting game works. This technique is usually quite easy to beat as long as you have the jist of how to play that particular game. However, there are some games that button mashing will actually help intermediate and semi-advanced players, such as trying to find super KO combos in Marvel vs. Capcom. Sometimes, two or more buttons must be pressed at one time, so button mashing can produce fruitful results.
There are also games in which button mashing is required. Examples of this are found in Mario Party and ESPN International Winter Sports 2002 (the curling segment, etc.) where certain minigames require the repeated tapping of one or more buttons. Also in Mario Party, there was the infamous multiple joystick rotation. Players would be asked to rotate the joystick of the Nintendo 64 controller as fast as possible in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. Many would revert to placing their palms on top of the joystick and spin their entire hand, causing the deaths of many N64 controllers and an uncomfortable burning sensation in mid-palm. Fortunately, this technique was taken out in Mario Party 2.
In addition to the multiple joystick rotation, button mashing will wear down controllers and arcade machines faster than if they were used in their normal fashion. So please be kind to the equipment that brings us joy and laughter, and keep the button mashing to a minimum. Know your game and victory will be ripe for the picking.