M35 Mako

The M35 Mako infantry fighting vehicle was designed for the Systems Alliance's frigates. It is designed to fulfill the role of rapid deployment that its predecessor, the M29 Grizzly, fell short of accomplishing. Though the interior is cramped, an M35 is small enough to be carried in the cargo bay and easily deployed on virtually any world.

With its turreted 155mm mass accelerator cannon and coaxial-mounted machine gun, the Mako can provide a fire team with weapon support as well as mobility. Since Alliance marines may be required to fight on any world in a variety of planetary environments, the Mako is environmentally sealed and powered by a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell.

The vehicle's armor is tough enough to withstand high drops, extreme heat and cold and rough terrain. The Mako's suspension and propulsion system allow the vehicle to adapt to various terrain, as well as enabling the vehicle to change direction quickly via independently reversible wheels (similar to a tank).

For deployment on low-gravity planetoids, it is equipped with micro-thrusters and a small element zero core, which can be used to increase mass and provide greater traction. While not large enough to nullify the vehicle's mass, the core can reduce it enough to be safely air-dropped (a maneuver normally requiring a minimum of 100m of open terrain). This allows frigates to deploy their shore parties while limiting the ship's exposure to defensive anti-aircraft artillery. When used in conjunction with thrusters, it also allows the Mako to extricate itself from difficult terrain.

The Mako's hull is covered with laser detection arrays, which forewarn the crew of enemy laser-guided ordnance. Ground-penetrating radar allows detection of anti-vehicle mines and other subsurface anomalies. These will be brought to the attention of the crew by the vehicle's micro-frame computer system.

Several combat support vehicles using the Mako's basic chassis are manufactured for Alliance surface garrisons. These include a recon drone controller, a mobile air defense platform, and the M38 military ambulance nicknamed "Moby" because it is painted white during peacekeeping operations. Shipboard Marines exclusively use the tactically flexible and heavily armed base model.

The SSV Normandy carried a Mako, which was used as a land vehicle. Commander Shepard used the vehicle countless times in the mission to stop Saren. Notably, Shepard's squad used the Mako on Ilos to travel through the Conduit. The Mako was teleported instantaneously to the Citadel, where it smashed over two geth troopers before finally coming to rest on its side. It was overturned and severely damaged in the landing, so Shepard's squad was forced to abandon it and fight on foot.

Sometime after the battle, the Mako was repaired or replaced. When a Collector Cruiser destroyed the SSV Normandy in a surprise attack, the wreckage crashed on the surface of Alchera. The Mako can be found largely intact resting on a rock at the crash site, prompting a flashback and demonstrating the vehicle's resilience.

Glitches and Bugs

 * On Therum it is possible to take the Mako through the narrow gap in between the two rocks leading to mine shaft where you find Liara. Drive in to the gap, then from inside the gap drive up the left rock until you are completely on your side, wedged between both rocks. Slowly inch forward and use boosts to slide through the gap. The geth will not attack the Mako, and they die after only a couple of cannon shots. Do not try to boost up the walkway in the Mako, since this causes the Mako to disappear and you can not get out. Also saving and loading doesn't fix this; the only option is to load your last save since you can not return to the Normandy, and you can't Save/Load to fix it.
 * It's possible to repair the Mako shields and hull damage by saving and then loading your game. Sometimes you need to save/load twice. So save/load to restore shields then do it again for hull repairs.
 * When entering the Mako during combat, sometimes the Mako will rocket in the air erratically while acting as if it is colliding into random objects, while slowly taking damage every time it touches the ground, and you cannot control it anymore. There is generally no way to stop the Mako after this occurs except for returning to the Normandy or saving (where you will drop straight down upon reloading). It is unknown what sort of attacks causes this to occur.
 * It is also possible to turn the Mako upside down, after which you will be unable to move it or exit it. This can be done attempting to climb objects. In both versions, the Mako can be righted again by firing your jets once the vehicle is completely stationary.
 * Sometimes under extremely rare circumstances a Thresher Maw can flip the Mako upside down by bursting out of the ground next to the vehicle without destroying it in the process - however, this is a death sentence since the Thresher Maw will almost certainly attack the vehicle again and finish the job before the player can react. This may also have the effect of flinging the Mako across the landscape away from the Thresher Maw.

Trivia

 * The larger vehicles which are similar to the Mako, seen on several mission planets and uncharted worlds, are actually old M29 Grizzly units.
 * Though the Mako is absent gameplay wise in Mass Effect 2, it is still visible at the Normandy Crash Site on Alchera, where it apparently came to rest onto a rock, seemingly intact, though its wheels are somewhat damaged. When approaching the vehicle, Shepard sees a flashback of the Mako standing in the cargo bay.
 * Given its predecessor was nicknamed "Grizzly", the Mako is likely named after the mako shark.
 * The Mako seems to draw design cues from the 20th century Russian BTR-series of APCs, especially in the turret, body shape and side entry door areas (even though they aren't used in the game, they are visible.)
 * The Mako also bears some similarity to the 6x6 variants of the MOWAG Piranah.
 * As a nod to the sometimes outrageous ability of the Mako to climb cliffs, there is a 'Mako Mountain Climbing Team' t-shirt in BioWare's official store.
 * The Mako can carry at least 4 people, as demonstrated during the Feros mission it is occupied by your squad and Lizbeth Baynham (who can be seen exiting the Mako when it is close to the ExoGeni hideout).
 * You can purchase an RC Mako Avatar prop for 240 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live.
 * If the player dies whilst in the Mako, when the "Mission Failed" screen appears and the camera circles the player's body, the Mako's turret will rotate to follow the camera. This also occurs if the Mako is destroyed and the player attempts to reenter it. If the Mako is destroyed but you are not in it, try returning to the Normandy or use PC Cheats to spawn a new one.
 * As a nod to the Mako's unpopularity among fans, during the vehicle chase in Mass Effect 2's Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC, Liara will remark that the aircar the player is driving is still "better than the Mako".
 * A version of the Mako can be seen in the comic Mass Effect: Evolution, suggesting that it has been used by the Systems Alliance Navy since at least the First Contact War. Former BioWare writer Chris L'Etoile noted this as a continuity error.
 * The Mako makes another small comeback in Mass Effect 3, with squadmate James Vega approving of it, remarking that its sheer firepower and resistant armor makes up for its immobility. Several Mako are also seen in the retaking of Earth, where they form the bulk of the Alliance mobile armor under Hammer Team.