Smash 4 Aerial Speed List: Horizontal, Fall and Fastfall

[Trifroze]

Horizontal speed was measured by travelling from the mid point of FD to the end using Super Leaf in 1/4 speed. Fall and FF speeds were measured by dropping down to the bottom from a max height custom stage. Tried these several times with every character with a stopwatch for the sake of accuracy, and rounded them into 1 decimal each. Did this simply because it hasn't been done before to my knowledge. All categories are from fastest to slowest.

Horizontal speed is pretty much automatically better, much like running speed. It lets you follow up on combos better, gives you more options when returning to the stage vertically and makes you cover more distance relative to the distance you fall when recovering.

However a quick falling speed isn't automatically better. Fast fallers (not to confuse with fastfalling) can juggle floaty characters more in the air but also get themselves juggled more with moves such as utilts. They also have less trouble returning the stage vertically, have faster shff aerials, faster empty hops for jumping over projectiles or approaching, and they can also make edgeguarding moves that are harder to react to. It's also easier to escape some aerial combos by falling down too quick for your opponent to connect additional hits.

On the other hand, slow falling speed essentially means the ability to travel more distance in the air while sinking down less, however it is also greatly affected by horizontal aerial speed. Roughly this translates to much better recovery and horizontally longer jumps which allows you to edgeguard people offstage further with less fear of not making it back. You can also escape combos in situations where you don't fall back down to your opponent's range quickly enough for follow-ups.

Spoiler: Horizontal speed

1. Shulk (jump): 3.5
2. Mii (short/thin): 3.9
3. Shulk (speed): 4.0
4. Jigglypuff: 4.3
4. Yoshi: 4.3
6. Wario: 4.6
7. Donkey Kong: 4.8
7. Greninja: 4.8
7. Mr. Game & Watch: 4.8
7. Mario: 4.8
7. Mewtwo: 4.8
7. Sonic: 4.8
7. Zero Suit Samus: 4.8
14. Bowser Jr.: 5.1
14. Captain Falcon: 5.1
14. Duck Hunt Duo: 5.1
14. Ike: 5.1
14. Mega Man: 5.1
14. R.O.B.: 5.1
14. Sheik: 5.1
14. Shulk: 5.1
22. Little Mac: 5.4
22. Lucario: 5.4
22. Lucina: 5.4
22. Marth: 5.4
22. Pac-Man: 5.4
22. Robin: 5.4
22. Zelda: 5.4
29. Bowser. 5.7
29. Fox: 5.7
29. Meta Knight: 5.7
29. Ness: 5.7
29. Peach: 5.7
29. Rosalina & Luma: 5.7
29. Wii Fit Trainer: 5.7
36. Dr. Mario: 5.9
36. Samus: 5.9
36. Toon Link: 5.9
36. Villager: 5.9
40. Diddy Kong: 6.1
40. Link: 6.1
40. Palutena: 6.1
40. Pikachu: 6.1
44. Dark Pit: 6.3
44. Falco: 6.3
44. Pit: 6.3
47. Charizard: 6.5
48. Olimar: 6.7
49. Ganondorf: 7.0
49. Kirby: 7.0
51. Luigi: 7.7
52. King Dedede: 8.6
53. Shulk (shield): 8.8

Spoiler: Fall speed

1. Fox: 2.8
2. King Dedede: 3.0
3. Falco: 3.1
3. Greninja: 3.1
3. Shulk (jump): 3.1
6. Captain Falcon: 3.2
6. Diddy Kong: 3.2
6. Sheik: 3.2
9. Little Mac: 3.3
9. Mega Man: 3.3
9. Zero Suit Samus: 3.3
12. Ganondorf: 3.4
12. Meta Knight: 3.4
12. Mii (short/thin): 3.4
15. Donkey Kong: 3.5
15. Ike: 3.5
17. R.O.B.: 3.6
17. Wario: 3.6
19. Bowser Jr.: 3.7
19. Duck Hunt Dog: 3.7
19. Link: 3.7
19. Lucario: 3.7
19. Lucina: 3.7
19. Marth: 3.7
19. Pikachu: 3.7
26. Dark Pit: 3.8
26. Pit: 3.8
28. Bowser: 3.9
28. Dr. Mario: 3.9
28. Mario: 3.9
28. Robin: 3.9
28. Shulk: 3.9
33. Palutena: 4.0
33. Charizard: 4.0
33. Sonic: 4.0
36. Zelda: 4.2
37. Mewtwo: 4.3
37. Ness: 4.3
37. Pac-Man: 4.3
40. Wii Fit Trainer: 4.4
40. Villager: 4.4
40. Yoshi: 4.4
40. Olimar: 4.4
44. Toon Link: 4.5
44. Samus: 4.5
46. Mr. Game & Watch: 4.6
47. Luigi: 4.7
48. Rosalina & Luma: 4.8
48. Kirby: 4.8
50. Peach: 4.9
51. Jigglypuff: 5.9

Spoiler: Fastfall speed

1. Fox: 1.7
1. King Dedede: 1.7
3. Greninja: 1.8
4. Link: 1.9
4. Captain Falcon: 1.9
4. Falco: 1.9
4. Diddy Kong: 1.9
8. Shulk (jump) 2.0
8. Sheik: 2.0
8. Little Mac: 2.0
8. Mega Man: 2.0
12. Ike: 2.1
12. Zero Suit Samus: 2.1
12. Ganondorf: 2.1
12. Donkey Kong: 2.1
12. R.O.B.: 2.1
12. Mii (short/thin): 2.1
18. Meta Knight: 2.2
18. Bowser Jr.: 2.2
18. Wario: 2.2
21. Lucario: 2.3
21. Mewtwo: 2.3
21. Duck Hunt Dog: 2.3
21. Lucina: 2.3
21. Marth: 2.3
21. Pit: 2.3
21. Dark Pit: 2.3
21. Robin: 2.3
29. Pikachu: 2.4
29. Shulk: 2.4
29. Dr. Mario: 2.4
29. Mario: 2.4
33. Charizard: 2.5
33. Sonic: 2.5
33. Palutena: 2.5
36. Zelda: 2.6
36. Bowser: 2.6
36. Olimar: 2.6
39. Villager: 2.7
39. Pac-Man: 2.7
39. Samus: 2.7
39. Ness: 2.7
39. Yoshi: 2.7
44. Kirby: 2.8
44. Luigi: 2.8
44. Mr. Game & Watch: 2.8
44. Toon Link: 2.8
44. Wii Fit Trainer: 2.8
49. Rosalina & Luma: 2.9
50. Peach: 3.0
51. Jigglypuff: 3.6

 

[Indigo Jeans]

Awesome! So Greninja really is in about the same gravity/fall speed tier as Fox and Sheik. Though for some reason I'm surprised at Dedede's values even though I know I shouldn't really be

 

[DavemanCozy]

This is great, buuuut you missed Jigglypuff

 

[WolfieXVII ❂]

Awesome list

 

[Spirst]

Something I'm interested in is the fall speed for Greninja doing a FF while inputting a Shadow Sneak. You can delay the shadow sneak indefinitely which makes this easier to test. His fall speed lessens noticeably when doing so.

 

[Trifroze]

Updated Jigglypuff, I honestly thought I got everyone since there were 48 entries. I wasn't really feeling it.

Tried the Greninja thing. Didn't seem to be able to FF while delaying shadow sneak so I kept getting the regular falling speed time.

 

[Othayuni]

NEAT

I also have to make this message ten characters

 

[BJN39]

Dang, Zelda's fall and FF speeds are SOLID.

 

[san.]

Now we just need air speeds and we'll be good.

 

[Trifroze]

Now we just need air speeds and we'll be good.

Updated with those as well now, tested by using Super Leaf on FD.

Someone on reddit had done the same test but it wasn't very accurate. To get more definitive results this was done in 1/4 speed and half FD length to allow every character to cross the full distance before the item runs out, and so that they're already fully accelerated when the timer begins.

 

[Amazing Ampharos]

This thread is excellent work that I expect will quickly find a place in the academy. I'm impressed at the science, and using the Super Leaf to negate the gravity problem for horizontal movement is really smart. The only downside is that Mii Fighters aren't included, but due to varying Mii sizes that I believe change these values, I can understand leaving them out.

I would like to point out that this is quality information but is not complete information as it does not include the acceleration parameters of air speed that are very important (fall speed also has acceleration but it's somewhat less important). Like in Brawl, Yoshi had one of the highest top air speeds as he does here, but his accerlation was nothing special while Wario is "only" 5th best in top speed but 1st best by a really huge margin in acceleration. Then you had G&W who was a huge oddball who accelerated relatively poorly but decelerated very, very fast which gave him overall really great but very unconventional aerial mobility. Of course, these parameters are likely only going to be extracted via hacking; the scientific tests for accleration aren't really reasonable, and the top speeds are very important values frequently reached in actual gameplay that, outliers aside who are usually pretty easy to identify through gameplay, do roughly map to who can move through the air well versus poorly. This paragraph should not be considered as a criticism of the research, which is again excellent, but instead as a warning to people who will be using it that this data does have limits.

 

[Trifroze]

Certainly, if anything this is placeholder information until someone cracks the game, but should give a fairly accurate idea of what it represents.

 

[Nobie]

These stats make me realize just how difficult Mega Man can be to KO outright, especially off the top of the screen. Possibly no other character has such a strong combination of weight, mid-air horizontal movement, fall speed, and fastfall speed on top of being so small (the closest might be Wario or Captain Falcon), something that's probably done to balance out his peculiar moveset.

 

[~ Gheb ~]

I've tested the claim of @Jigglymaster that Mii Brawler has the higest aerial speed and can confirm that it's indeed true.

 

[Othayuni]

Who knew falco was so slow in the air? Seems inappropriate, but there it is.

Concerning the advantages and disadvantages of fall speed, I'd propose that fast fallers in addition to quick juggles also have stronger shffs and more sudden offstage edge guarding moves, while slow fallers can sometimes edge guard further out and in general not have to worry as much about accidentally falling too far while edge guarding, to their death. Do you agree?

 

[Trifroze]

Who knew falco was so slow in the air? Seems inappropriate, but there it is.

Concerning the advantages and disadvantages of fall speed, I'd propose that fast fallers in addition to quick juggles also have stronger shffs and more sudden offstage edge guarding moves, while slow fallers can sometimes edge guard further out and in general not have to worry as much about accidentally falling too far while edge guarding, to their death. Do you agree?

I agree, the last point I already added though with slightly different wording. However I'll make additions about the first two points. Thanks.

E: Also brought up faster empty hops for quick fallers and some combo escapability (probably not a word) qualities for both.

 

[Othayuni]

I agree, the last point I already added though with slightly different wording. However I'll make additions about the first two points. Thanks.

E: Also brought up faster empty hops for quick fallers and some combo escapability (probably not a word) qualities for both.

Awesome! Sorry for the redundant point, it just slipped my vision. I'm glad you liked the others!

 

[Mario & Sonic Guy]

It feels sad knowing that Rosalina is slower in the air than over half of the roster.

 

[Othayuni]

Aw. But hey, never let it be said she doesn't have redeeming qualities. She's so wonderful. I guess she's got to have some limitations.

 

[toadster101]

Spoiler: Horizontal speed

1. Shulk (jump): 3.5
2. Shulk (speed): 4.0
3. Jigglypuff: 4.3
3. Yoshi: 4.3
5. Wario: 4.6
6. Donkey Kong: 4.8
6. Greninja: 4.8
6. Mr. Game & Watch: 4.8
6. Mario: 4.8
6. Sonic: 4.8
6. Zero Suit Samus: 4.8
12. Bowser Jr.: 5.1
12. Captain Falcon: 5.1
12. Duck Hunt Duo: 5.1
12. Ike: 5.1
12. Mega Man: 5.1
12. R.O.B.: 5.1
12. Sheik: 5.1
12. Shulk: 5.1
20. Little Mac: 5.4
20. Lucario: 5.4
20. Lucina: 5.4
20. Marth: 5.4
20. Pac-Man: 5.4
20. Robin: 5.4
20. Zelda: 5.4
27. Bowser. 5.7
27. Fox: 5.7
27. Meta Knight: 5.7
27. Ness: 5.7
27. Peach: 5.7
27. Rosalina & Luma: 5.7
27. Wii Fit Trainer: 5.7
34. Dr. Mario: 5.9
34. Samus: 5.9
34. Toon Link: 5.9
34. Villager: 5.9
38. Diddy Kong: 6.1
38. Link: 6.1
38. Palutena: 6.1
38. Pikachu: 6.1
42. Dark Pit: 6.3
42. Falco: 6.3
42. Pit: 6.3
45. Charizard: 6.5
46. Olimar: 6.7
47. Ganondorf: 7.0
47. Kirby: 7.0
49. Luigi: 7.7
50. King Dedede: 8.6
51. Shulk (shield): 8.8

 

[TheReflexWonder]

Something that would be really helpful would be a percentage conversion of the speed increase from normal fall to fast fall, similar to what's been done here--

http://www.ssbwiki.com/Fast_falling

 

[KuroganeHammer]

Something that would be really helpful would be a percentage conversion of the speed increase from normal fall to fast fall, similar to what's been done here--

http://www.ssbwiki.com/Fast_falling

ENJOY YOUR NEW PROJECT

 

[Trifroze]

I checked those around a bit, iirc the lowest I got was 33% increase (Bowser) and highest was 42% (Kirby).

Gonna do this properly later unless someone gets there first, the statistics are up there so only the math work is needed. Could also measure approximate acceleration rankings, i.e. it's pretty easy to notice Dedede and Sonic are bad while Wario is godlike for example.

 

[Codaption]

Rather nitpicky here, but Monado Kirby would be nice to see.

Unfortunately, it seems like the testing of fall speed is affected by gravity as well. Not really sure how you could test one without the other.....

(Also, I'm assuming "acceleration" is your air speed after jumping during a dash?)

 

[Trifroze]

Acceleration means how fast you can change directions while in the air.

Added Mewtwo.

 

[Codaption]

Ah..thanks.