Applying pressure with Ike.

[Rango the Mercenary]

As we know, Ike isn't suited for rushdowns, or at least against most characters. One thing I've learned is to be patient, careful, and to mind one's spacing. He has some of the worst hitlag out of anyone in the game and is easily punishable on most of his moves. Thanks to autocanceling, approaching with Bair and Fair make it easier to get in on someone. Why give another player the time to calculate a strategy against you?

How do you keep your pressure on other players without giving them time to breathe? Stage control adds up to a large part of Ike's game, and so do his grab combos. Against characters like Sheik, aerial approach is impossible. Against Lucario, you're constantly walking on eggshells. His harder matchups almost force straight defense and punishment.

 

[Mario766]

Auto cancel aerials and spacing. Players have to respect Ike's range, so if you're in range for F-Air they have to play around it if you're spacing out of their range. This doesn't work against really fast characters like Sheik, though. Some match-ups Ike HAS to play defensive, others he can play more offensive. I'd stick to a spacing punish game for the most part. You're looking for the hit that leads into options, not looking to get that one hit that does an absurd amount of damage like Brawl.

 

[RoronoaTREY15]

Hey I was just wondering if u guys (or someone) could post a vid of his auto cancel aerials. I guess I am not doing it right cause I'll get blown up often lol. I was also wondering when u guys would ideally use dtilt.

 

[Rango the Mercenary]

If you're short hopping, hit A the MOMENT you jump for Fair or Bair. If you do a full jump, you can do it midway through ascension and still auto-cancel. You can also do it the moment you jump and fastfall for the auto-cancel.

 

[RoronoaTREY15]

Will this work on shield? Or is this more of a defensive maneuver? Maybe I am doing but right, but I'm getting shield grabbed lol. And should I be able to grab/jab my opponent if I do it right?

 

[Rango the Mercenary]

Will this work on shield? Or is this more of a defensive maneuver? Maybe I am doing but right, but I'm getting shield grabbed lol. And should I be able to grab/jab my opponent if I do it right?

Stay out of shield-grabbing range. Max-range your Fairs and Bairs. Your Nairs as well, even though they don't auto-cancel.

You can definitely attack upon landing if you auto-cancel right, but you're better off doing something akin to shield-bait, dash-grab, or Dtilt.