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Learn More About Smash 4's Neutral Game From Keitaro and False

The Derrit

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The neutral game is a fundamental part of every modern fighting game. In high-speed games like Melee and Marvel vs. Capcom 3, tight spacing and offensive pressure is key. Even in slower games, such as USF4, proper spacing in the neutral game can net you punishes on whiffed attacks or unsafe pressure. However, while the neutral game may be important in most fighting games, it is arguably most important in Smash 4. Attacks on shield and unsafe approaches are easily punished, which requires a very methodical mindset not found in many other fighting games.


Flashy video work!
To explain the high-level thinking behind Smash 4's neutral play, Keitaro and False have created this video showing a few scenarios in which the neutral game is especially well handled. It's a great resource to those who aren't familiar with high-level tactics, so give it a watch.

Smash Theory: The Neutral
It appears they will be creating more videos like this in the future, so until then keep an eye out! Was this useful to you? Make your voice heard in the comments below!

The Derrit liked the slow-motion work. Talk about slow motion with him on Twitter at @TheDerrit.
 

Boomuki

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Make an article about Izaw's perfect pivot video, more people need to see it!
 

Xermo

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That Lapfox music
 

Lil Puddin

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>features mostly high tier/easy to use characters.

Welp, alright, I guess characters like Zelda or Olimar don't really have neutral game against high tiers anyway. lelelel... Wait, I meant that as a joke but it's actually true. I'm sad now. :C
 

Losho

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Really awesome job on this video, great for understanding the game on a deeper level.
 

N.T.A.O ChangeOfHeart 死の剣

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Make an article about Izaw's perfect pivot video, more people need to see it!
You do realize that was discovered from BRAWL. And it's not that hard to execute, you just flick your finger from left to right very fast. This needs to be patched btw. Nintendo do your job. No, just no, don't use USF4 or Marvel vs Capcom as it's not even close.

Examples are welcome but that, no just no.
 
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KH1COM2

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First we get a wavedash variant and now we get this?!?!

Sakurai, I love you so much right now c:
 
D

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... But i want to learn more about Smash 4's OFFENSIVE game. :ohwell:
 

StriderSean

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I'm gonna quote CDI Link: "Wow, my head!"
I've not gotten too into competitive play yet, but jeez, I feel like this is going to make me so much better.
 

jr22

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I love the editing on this video. Can't wait for the next one!
 

LiL.Will

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Yessss bout time there's a competitive smash video on the neutral game you can go defensive or offensive without it.

Very great job and thanks @ The Derrit The Derrit for putting this up.
 

Big-Cat

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... But i want to learn more about Smash 4's OFFENSIVE game. :ohwell:
It IS part of the offensive game.

This video overcomplicates the neutral game, but I'll give it points for showing how important the neutral game truly is. It's just too bad that the high level examples may be too much to swallow all at once.
 
D

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It IS part of the offensive game.

This video overcomplicates the neutral game, but I'll give it points for showing how important the neutral game truly is. It's just too bad that the high level examples may be too much to swallow all at once.
Moral: Smash isn't just defensive

WARNING: TEXT FLOOD BELOW! IF YOU HAVEN'T THE PATIENCE, THEN JUST READ THE FIRST LINE OF THIS POST AND BE DONE, IF YOU CARE FOR AN IN DEPTH EXPLANATION, KEEP READING! (sorry for the caps barrage)
===========================================


I'm a tournament player too so i know all of this stuff, and it doesn't seem complicated to me. The moral of my post was that whenever i watch tournaments in Smash 4, people seem to over-rely on spacing and defensive play, and then since people see tournament players play defensively, they play defensively, then eventually we get Brawl all over again. Anyways, the point is that people need to stop treating this game like Brawl, and try to be more offensive. There are so many characters that are good in this game... like Game and Watch as an example (who, when played offensively can pose a threat, yet when played defensively doesn't have all of the required tools - ex: not the best spacing options + poor ranged projectiles) that are automatically considered to be bad characters.

Another example is Mario, Mario is considered to have been buffed quite a bit from Brawl, yet still a so-so character, and that's because they are playing the plumber defensively. Mario can literally combo all day in a vast percentage range - (about 20-180% with lower %s depending on timing and higher %s depending on mid-air jump timing and attack precision.) - with his up-air, yet, in tournaments, i will see Mario use maybe one up-air before returning to neutral, as opposed
to comboing with up-air until the foe is off-stage and then hitting them with a forward-air to seal the game.

If people would stop spamming bananas as Diddy (which thankfully isn't that annoying anymore), and mashing :GCA: and :GCB: as Sheik for 1 hour at the very least, then maybe... just, maybe, you guys would know that Smash 4 is neither all defense (like how people view it) or all offense (like how i make it seem), it is both offensive and defense, and you may have heard similar before like the "Smash has no playstyle" theory, but that wasn't entirely true as certain playstyles used to outclass and overpower others.
For Example
---
OF = Offense Ratio ; DEF = Defense Ratio
Smash 64 Playstyle: Precise Button Mashing playstyle
OF = 70
DEF = 30

Melee Playstyle: Offensive, Rushdown, Relentless yet Precise, Mindgame-based playstyle
OF = 80
DEF = 20


Brawl Playstyle: Defensive, Patient, Campy, Strategy/Pressure-Based playstyle
OF = 20
DEF = 80

Smash 4's Playstyle?: Rushdown yet Patient, Relentless yet Strategic, Precise, Mindgame/Pressure-based/Calculated playstyle
OF = 50
DEF = 50.
-----
I hope in the near future that Smash 4 will regain it's offensive prowess again. Offense and Defense can co-exist
 

Z1GMA

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What Ken said about parents - that they don't support you in competitive gaming, is very common and it drives me mad.
It's soceity's fault.
As E-sports grow, I think the newer generation of parents will get more and more Open Minded and support their children in following their dreams.
 

HFlash

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Beautifully explained video on the mind set you need to have when playing smash especially the newest iterations. Every smasher should watch this.
 
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Big-Cat

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I'm a tournament player too so i know all of this stuff, and it doesn't seem complicated to me.
Because you are a tournament player. I knew what was going on in that video, but I still think this was a lot to swallow for beginners that would just intimidate them.
 
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Daaaaaaaaang, I'm new to the competitive scene, and this was def a good guide, but all that reading with that Diddy vs Sheik battle... I've got a ways to go. (If I ever play that good...)
 
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