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SSBM: Depth Breakdown (12.26.03)
Matt "mattdeezie" Dahlgren
Page 2: Combo System, Advanced Tactics
- Combo System -
The combo system in SSBM isn't like most other games. Combos in SSBM are more positional than guaranteed. This doesn't mean that
there aren't guaranteed combos, it just means that after every hit, the follow ups will vary.
To understand the combo system, one needs to understand directional influence (DI). When attacked, the player can press a direction
to influence the way in which they were hit. This makes many combos which people might think are guaranteed, escapable. This does
not mean that if someone always uses DI that they are safe. DI just puts the opponent in a different position. Since the outcome of
where the opponent is going to be hit can differ from each time, this puts combos as being more on the spur of the moment rather than
memorized. A player has to react to where their opponent has been hit, and then use the correct follow up. Many attacks are guaranteed,
however, a player cannot expect to follow up with the same attack each time a certain move connects.
Especially off of throws, its important to have different follow ups for each of the ways a character can recover. Many throw chains
are guaranteed no matter which way a character utilizes DI, they just need to adapt to the different directions a character will
recover.
Sadly the practice mode in SSBM does not utilize DI, so the combo gauge is not accurate. Usually you need a partner to try and escape
out of different scenarios to find out if some things are truly guaranteed.
- Advanced Tactics -
Well now that the mix-up games are clarified, it doesn't necessarily mean that the game is worthy of high level play. Many players
need an element of technical complexity. Although the base game of SSBM is simplistic and has the same input commands for every
character, there are plenty of aspects of the game that require technical precision.
L-Canceling:
Probably the most important advanced tactic would be the L-cancel (known as Z-canceling in SSB64). L-canceling allows an air attack
to recover much much faster when it hits the ground. This opens up tons of different opportunities. It keeps your character safer on
block, it can set up follow-ups on block, on hit it can make moves combo that wouldn't have resulted in a combo otherwise, and it
allows you to immediately jump after you land. All in all, you should learn to L-cancel all your moves, or at least the moves that
you will be using as jump ins.
To L-Cancel, all you have to do is hit the L-button precisely as your character's air move hits the ground. Different characters and
different moves have different timings for the L-cancel, but all in all it's not too difficult to learn. A solid player should be
able to L-cancel practically all of their air moves.
Only A air moves can be L-Canceled.
Here's some example of L-Canceling strategies:
Fox has a very solid jump in game and a move to use after an L-cancel to keep him relatively safe. His d-b reflector move
(often called a shine) comes out extremely fast and can be immediately canceled into a jump. So lets take his d-air drill kick for a
jump in. Without L-canceling the d-air, if on block the opponent gets a free block throw. However, if the d-air is L-canceled
perfectly, Fox is able to execute a shine attack before the opponent can do anything and keep his jump in completely safe on block.
Better yet, if the opponent goes for the block throw, or for any type of attack, the shine will connect and lead to follow ups. From
here, Fox could jump again and go in for another jump in attack, or he could wavedash toward the opponent and go for a a different
follow-up. On hit, the d-air L-canceled gives either a free throw, or a free shine. Good stuff.
If there is a corner, and you have some serious skills, you can potentially get an infinite combo using the drill kick to shine combo.
After you execute the shine attack, jump cancel the move into a short hop, execute another drill kick to shine attack and repeat. Although
this might sound gamebreaking, the combo is disgustingly hard to pull off. I haven't seen someone hit more than 5 loops in a match, and
even that is pretty damn amazing.
Wavedashing:
The wavedash is done by jumping, then immediately canceling the jump with an air dodge either down/forward or down/backward towards the
ground. If done correctly, the character does not even jump and ends up sliding along the ground. How far your character slides depends
on how much traction they have on the ground. Different characters have different lengths and uses of the wavedash.
Probably the most obvious use of the wavedash is just general spacing. You can cancel a run into a jump at any time, so you by utilizing a
wavedash you can stop a run at any time into a forward or backward wavedash. This is very good for fake outs.
Since the wavedash is so fast, if your character has a bad roll, but a good wavedash, your character can still have a good spacing game
without using their roll. The most obvious example of this would be Samus. She has the worst roll in the game, but a solid wavedash.
A wavedash isn't considered a special movement by the game, so you can do all normal standing attacks out of it. It can allow you to move
in and get a closer smash attack much faster than by a regular dash. It can also allow you to create another dash attack with a tilt
attack if your normal dash-a isn't effective. It can even allow you to get more range and less lag out of a standing throw rather than a
dash throw. The possibilities of the wavedash are endless.
Crouch Canceling:
Crouch Canceling (CC) is really just Directional Influence used on the ground. When attacked and at low percentage, if you hold down
to influence the way you are hit, into the ground, your character ends up not moving and can execute moves instantly. Basically you eat an
attack to gain the advantage. The higher your percentage and the more powerful the move used against you, the less this will work.
Characters tend to lose CC capabilities between 50-100%.
To many, this sounds dumb, but it actually has many solid uses for characters. Peach is usually the best example. Peach's d-smash is a
multi-hit which can do 50+ damage. Peach could CC a dash attack or air attack, d-smash, and punish the opponent tremendously.
Often CC can be used if you are at a low percentage, and need to finish off someone at a high percentage. CC a hit, smash attack, then
you get the kill.
Projectile Canceling:
Like mentioned above, only A air moves can be L-canceled. However there is a way for a few of the B attacks in the game to be canceled
as well.
If you execute certain B moves in the air, right before your character lands, the recovery for the B attack will cancel. This allows
some characters with projectiles to get their projectiles out faster, and allow them to set up more opportunities.
Here's some examples of Projectile Canceling strategies:
Probably the most often used example is Falco. By utilizing a short hop laser, he can execute his laser quite fast, and at different
heights. What the most effective use of this tactics is if Falco does a forward or backward short hop, he can move around the level while
still throwing out projectiles. Falco can throw out enough lasers to keep the opponent in a state of lockdown, and he can gain distance
and give himself free mixups. Short hop laser until you get close enough to go for a throw, smash attack, cross up dash attack, short
hop d-air... etc. There are tons of options.
Another example of Projectile Cancelling would be with Samus. If Samus executes her missile just before she lands, the recovery cancels
and it gives her more options. She can execute another missle right after the Projectile Canceled one, to give two missles right after
each other. She can do a big shot after a missle, she can do a missle and then dash forward... again, lots of options.
The only downside to Projectile Cancelling is that if the B move is executed too late on your fall toward the ground, the B move fails
to come out. However with practice you should be able to get the tactic down 100%.
Throw Chains:
One of the most dominant tactics now used is throw chains. This is the tactic of throwing your opponent in a way so that you can guarantee
another throw. This is generally character specific and damage specific, and not all characters have the ability to throw chain. Most
chains occur off of an up-throw on fast falling characters (Fox/Falco), or off of a down-throw (Sheik vs Yoshi).
Here's an example of a throw chain:
Probably the most dominant throw chain is Marth vs Fox. Fox falls very fast, which means that many characters can get some disgusting
combos on him before he is able to jump out. Marth simply has to grab Fox, up-throw, repeat. In other situations the Fox player could
utilize directional influence to make it harder for the opponent to re-grab, however if you directional influence Marth's up-throw
left or right it puts Fox in perfect range for a tipped f-smash. Death.
Short Jumping/Tilt attacks:
Each character has a short jump and a regular jump. If you tap the jump button lightly your character will perform a short jump. While
this may seem basic, different characters have different button sensitivity to be able to short jump. Short jumping with a character like
Fox can be difficult, especially if you are trying to use it in a combo.
Tilt (medium) attacks can also take some time to get used to. Tilt attacks are performed by tilting the control stick ever so slightly to
a direction and then attacking. On the ground they can be quite easy to pull off, but tilt attacks also have a use in the air. If a
character wants to perform an up-air off of a single jump, since up also acts as a jump option, you have to press tilt up in the air and A.
This allows someone to perform an up-air while falling, without using a second jump. Basically it allows the attack to happen faster, and
conserves the second jump in case you are hit out of it and need it for recovery. While this may not seem like the most practical tactic,
it can open up interesting options.
Changing your Character's Direction Mid-air Using n-b:
I've actually not seen this mentioned anywhere, or seen it named anywhere, but I think its worth noting, especially for projectile users.
When in the air, and in a situation arises where you would like to execute a n-b the opposite direction you are facing, pressing back-b,
will result in a f-b move the opposite direction. To execute the move backwards and change your direction, tap back, wait for a brief
moment, then press B. This can be extremely important for Dr. Mario users, or other characters that are very dependant on their n-b
projectile.
Page 3: Stages & Items // Conclusion >>
<< Page 1: Intro // Basic Mix-Ups
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