- Game Versions
- Smash 3DS, Smash Wii U
I have defended Little Mac to the ends of the Earth since he was announced last year, and ever since the 3Ds version dropped, the Smash community as a whole has swept him aside as a quick hitting, easily gimpable noob slayer. And while it is true that Mac is an easy character to pick up, he is a hard character to master, and for those of you who have played against a Little Mac who knows what they are doing, it can be intense. So hopefully this guide will help those of you who, like me, really enjoy Little Mac as a character, and love how he plays.
**The Approach:**
This is where a lot of Mac mains struggle, and where most people in the smash community draw their impressions from. I hope I am not the one who has to tell you, that a dash attack can easily be shield grabbed, and could easily mean the end of your stock. Dash attacks, while being a solid attack, are not your best friend when it comes to approaching. Being a melee based fighter like Little Mac, with no projectiles, can make the neutral game a little harder. But, when approaching, it's important to remember your movement options:
**The Foxtrot:**
This technique is probably most useful when playing Mac, as it adds a few levels of depth to your approach. For those who do now know what a foxtrot is, a foxtrot is a method of moving in where you constantly flick the control stick left or right, executing the start of a character's dash animation. [This smashboards](http://smashboards.com/threads/perfect-pivot-foxtrotting-dashdancing.371139/) post explains the concept of foxtrotting in smash 4 a little better.. The foxtrot can be used for mindgames, as it makes it more difficult for your opponent to read your approach, and prepare for it. Another use for foxtrotting is for executing a smash attack in between dash animations, and for a character with smash attacks as fast as Mac, this can prove to be a great way to run up and throw out an unexpected smash attack.
**The Tuck and Roll:**
What most people forget about Little Mac, is that like Megaman and his moveset, Little Mac is created to reflect the strengths of the character. And as a boxer, his playstyle is revolved around looking for an opening and striking. Running in super aggressively may work for some people, but in most cases will get you grabbed and thrown off the stage. The tuck and roll method of approaching is a method in which you run towards your opponent (or foxtrot to make it even more useful) and quickly roll behind them. It’s a little difficult to run and roll in the direction you are running, so for some less experienced smash players, this may take some practice. But ultimately this technique is good for getting that first hit, because if your opponent is going for a shield grab , you can punish their shield by rolling behind them at the last second and grabbing them, or if they decide to go for an attack, you can quickly roll behind and attack. Getting these first hits is essential to racking up damage, as with a character as powerful as Little Mac, getting a few good hits in could be fatal.
**The Pivot Approach:**
It’s no secret that pivots in Smash 4 are becoming more useful as the meta evolves, and they can prove to be a good approach option for Mac. A pivot grab or even a pivot f-tilt can make for a good approach, but it all depends on your playstyle and the character you are up against.
**Damage Output:**
Now those of you who have played against a Little Mac, he has the power of Bowser with the speed of Sonic. Using the two of these traits together properly, can help get some good strings and knock out your opponent faster than they can blink. His moves come out fast, hit hard, and do a lot of knockback, so you will be relying more on tech chases/chases than actual strings. That’s not to say that he doesn’t have strings, as his down tilt will string into a lot of other moves if you are quick enough (d tilt into an upsmash or an f-tilt comes to mind). Now when talking about damage input, there are a few things that separate a scrub Mac from a Mac main, and these are things you should never do.
Never execute the rapid jab, always do a gentleman.
For those of you who don’t know what the gentleman is, it is a jab combo that some characters have that consist of 3 hits, instead of the usual rapid jabs. Now before the 1.4, the rapid jab had a damage output of about 20-22%, and because of it’s power, it’s riskiness was justified. THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE. The rapid jab combo only does about 10-11%, and because of it’s easily DI’able nature and ending lag, is a risky move with not enough reward to compensate. So, the 3 hit jab, or the “gentleman,” is your primary jab option.
DON’T USE THE JOLT HAYMAKER RECKLESSLY
Little Mac’s side b is a great move that often goes overlooked, as too many Mac players have used it to kill themselves. It is a great move for jumping over projectiles, and catching people in the air. Just know your distance, and use it accordingly.
Neutral B is a move that is useless, 99.99% of the time.
Seriously. This move sucks. In doubles/free for alls it may be good for getting people who aren’t paying attention, but as far as competitive play… it’s pretty bad.
Now there is an issue that Little Mac has that I don’t really see a lot of people discussing, so I thought I’d try and bring it to the forefront for those of you who are thinking about picking up Little Mac as a main.
THE GOD DAMN BLIND SPOTS
Little Mac has a few blind spots on some of his moves. I have tried to find a video explaining these, but to no avail. So I will try my best to explain:
On some moves such as his forward smash and his f-tilt, Little Mac will move forward slightly when he attacks. And in some unfortunate cases, Little Mac will move past his opponent, and punch the air, making for some pretty brutal punishes towards you. All I can really say is to learn your spacing on his moves, and don’t get too close to your opponent. You would be amazed how easily this could happen if you aren’t careful.
Now that I’ve covered some preliminary things, now it’s time to break down his moves, and their potential.
**Jab:**
Gentleman only good for quick hits with minimal knockback.
**Forward tilt:**
One of Mac’s best moves. It is shield safe (in most cases) provides two hits, does decent knockback, and is a kill move at high percents. It spaces pretty well, and is pretty quick.
**Up tilt:**
A good move, but is pretty much is the Lucina to the Marth that is his Up-smash. It is a move that is strictly outclassed by another move, but is still good to use. It has a decent amount of ending lag, so be aware of that before you use it.
**Down tilt:**
This is Mac’s bread and butter when it comes to strings. This move is a great shield poke, can pop your opponents into the air, and can string into a lot of other moves. The down tilt can combo into the f-tilt, anther down tilt, a grab, or even the K.O punch if you move quick enough. It is also a pretty shield safe move, and can be used to push away a shielding opponent.
**Up Smash:**
A great move for attacking unsuspecting opponents coming from the air. It has loads of super armor, and is a great kill move. Another use for this move, is for run up punishes. The move has a sweet spot on the first few frames, so if you’re opponent needs to be punished, all you need to do is run up and up smash, and send them flying with that sweetspot.
**Down Smash**
An amazing ledge guarding tool (that we will cover later), and great for roll punishes. It also has super armor so… abuse it. Also note that the down smash has a lot of horizontal knockback, so use that for guarding the ledge from your opponent.
**Forward Smash**
This move has 3 variations. If you start the attack and keep the control stick forward, it will provide a straight punch that does a lot of knockback and has a lot of power. If you start the move and then move the control stick upward, you’ll do an uppercut type move. This will move you forward a little bit, and does a lot of vertical knockback. It’s great for catching falling opponents. If you use the move and hold the control stick down, you’ll do a body hook. This move has increased damage, but less knockback, so use it at earlier percents.
**Down Special, the Counter:**
As far as counters go in Smash 4, this one is probably higher up on the list. This move, is used on the ground, will give Mac invincibility frames on his counter attack, but will not grant that invincibility in the air. This move also can be used to recover, as Mac will counter strike by lunging forward.
**Up Special, the Rising Uppercut.**
This move itself is good, but due to Mac’s poor air game, should be used sparingly. It will go about twice the distance when grounded, so it is useful for approaching someone standing on a platform above you, but not much else. It is a kill move at higher percents, end does a decent amount of damage.
**Neutral Special, the Straight Lunge**
See above.
**Side Special, the Jolt Haymaker.**
A great move, that goes under appreciated. It can be used as a semi movement option, as it is a fast way to be launched forward. One of it’s main problems is that at lower percents, it doesn’t do a lot of knockback, so by the time you hit the ground and get up, your opponent is already up and can punish you. The best way to deal damage with this move is to hit b again right after initiating the attack, so the punch will be used in mid air. this will provide enough space between you and your opponent so that you can safely get up from the attack after your opponent gets up. It’s also important to note that when executing this attack, Little Mac will be invincible, so use it to rush any projectiles coming your way.
It’s also important to know that Little Mac’s super armor is INCREDIBLE.
It is a very useful tool that makes his ground game unbeatable, and frankly, not enough people abuse this wonderful trait Mac has. He will come out on top on almost any ground based clash, and if you time his attacks right, his super armor could save you from those deadly hits at higher percentages.
Now that we’ve discussed his strengths… it’s time for his weaknesses…
**The air, the ledge, the achilles heel; Mac ain’t no air fighter.**
We all know Little Mac has horrible air game. It’s universally known that Little Mac is exceptional on the ground, but suffers in the air. And frankly, there is no other way around this. But there are a few ways to help yourself recover from the air, and could very well save you:
* Side B is a last resort recovery option.
* Ever since 1.0.4, Little Mac’s side B has been absolute **** in the air. It doesn’t go very far, and can easily be gimped as it doesn’t grant invincibility in the air. You are much better off trying to recover from under the platform with an up B than across it with a Side B.
* Counter can be used to recover.
This is risky, but if you successfully counter a move, you will be launched forward farther than the Side B will, and you can easily get back on the stage. DON’T USE IT WHEN YOU’RE TOO LOW HOWEVER, as you will die shoulders up, into the dark abyss.
*Wall jumps are your best friend.
Seriously, Mac players need to realize how much wall jumps benefit his recovery. A well placed wall jump and a 8side b right out of it prove for a very safe recovery, and can help Mac come back from surprising heights. Wall jumps are your best friend, you need to use them.
*Make sure you are close enough to the edge when using your Up B to recover.
Little Mac’s aerial Up B is pretty bad, and it doesn’t allow for much horizontal distance. Get as close as you can when recovering, or you can find yourself falling inches short of the ledge.
* (for the stylish) a Nair gimp is one of the most satisfying things to land.
If someone is coming for you and you are pretty far off stage and are feeling risky… just nair. You can catch them in the air and nair them to death. And it’s hilarious.
Now that’s about as deep as recovering goes for Little Mac… so really I guess the only advice I can give is DON’T GET IN THE AIR. Mac has almost unmatched speed and rolling capability, use them to your advantage.
Now there is one more thing that needs to be covered when playing Little Mac… and that is his signature one hit (for the most part) knockout… the K.O punch.
**Landing the K.O Punch (Hit em babeh)**
Now the K.O punch has power. It is the (second) strongest move in the game, and make Mac the amazing comeback kid that he is. And to fully realize the potential of this OHKO, you first need to realize how to attain this punch.
Taking damage will fill up the meter 3x faster than dealing it will.
Personally, I think that’s bull****. But I didn’t make the game, so I digress. Landing hits will gradually fill up your K.O meter, but taking hits will give you more power, and in most cases, it’s the damage that you take that makes the K.O punch such a comeback move. When this punch is obtained, it can easily be lost. At full power, 2-3 hits can lose the K.O meter, so it’s important to act fast. Just remember, just because you have the punch, doesn’t mean you have to use it.
There will be other punches. Don’t let one whiffed K.O punch cost you a stock. Only use the K.O punch for punishes, and hard reads. Obviously reading is the reason you would use it in the first place, but as you get to know your opponent, look for those openings in their attacks where you think a K.O punch would fit. Remember, characters will always be the same, but the players will be different. Everyone you face as different behaviors, study them, and read accordingly. It’s also important to know that the K.O punch is not an instant kill. It varies from character to character, so use this list as a reference. That list may not be as accurate after the patch, but the basic percentages should be similar.
The K.O punch will not deal heavy knockback in the air. NEVER use this move in the air. It will hardly send them flying and will leave you open for a long time. Now there is an aerial approach option, as using an aerial followed by the K.O punch will get you grounded to use the punch properly, but that is meant to get you on the ground, and doesn’t mean use the punch in the air. Just stay grounded, look for an opening and punch, and don’t use the K.O punch if you don’t have to.
I hope this guide helps you fellow Mac mains out there. He is a character that is often overlooked, and can be deadly in the right hands. Just keep the average Smash mentality away when using this character, and think like a boxer; tuck and roll, and look for an opening to strike. Keep that playstyle and follow these tips, and your Mac will be punching out your friends in no time.
**The Approach:**
This is where a lot of Mac mains struggle, and where most people in the smash community draw their impressions from. I hope I am not the one who has to tell you, that a dash attack can easily be shield grabbed, and could easily mean the end of your stock. Dash attacks, while being a solid attack, are not your best friend when it comes to approaching. Being a melee based fighter like Little Mac, with no projectiles, can make the neutral game a little harder. But, when approaching, it's important to remember your movement options:
**The Foxtrot:**
This technique is probably most useful when playing Mac, as it adds a few levels of depth to your approach. For those who do now know what a foxtrot is, a foxtrot is a method of moving in where you constantly flick the control stick left or right, executing the start of a character's dash animation. [This smashboards](http://smashboards.com/threads/perfect-pivot-foxtrotting-dashdancing.371139/) post explains the concept of foxtrotting in smash 4 a little better.. The foxtrot can be used for mindgames, as it makes it more difficult for your opponent to read your approach, and prepare for it. Another use for foxtrotting is for executing a smash attack in between dash animations, and for a character with smash attacks as fast as Mac, this can prove to be a great way to run up and throw out an unexpected smash attack.
**The Tuck and Roll:**
What most people forget about Little Mac, is that like Megaman and his moveset, Little Mac is created to reflect the strengths of the character. And as a boxer, his playstyle is revolved around looking for an opening and striking. Running in super aggressively may work for some people, but in most cases will get you grabbed and thrown off the stage. The tuck and roll method of approaching is a method in which you run towards your opponent (or foxtrot to make it even more useful) and quickly roll behind them. It’s a little difficult to run and roll in the direction you are running, so for some less experienced smash players, this may take some practice. But ultimately this technique is good for getting that first hit, because if your opponent is going for a shield grab , you can punish their shield by rolling behind them at the last second and grabbing them, or if they decide to go for an attack, you can quickly roll behind and attack. Getting these first hits is essential to racking up damage, as with a character as powerful as Little Mac, getting a few good hits in could be fatal.
**The Pivot Approach:**
It’s no secret that pivots in Smash 4 are becoming more useful as the meta evolves, and they can prove to be a good approach option for Mac. A pivot grab or even a pivot f-tilt can make for a good approach, but it all depends on your playstyle and the character you are up against.
**Damage Output:**
Now those of you who have played against a Little Mac, he has the power of Bowser with the speed of Sonic. Using the two of these traits together properly, can help get some good strings and knock out your opponent faster than they can blink. His moves come out fast, hit hard, and do a lot of knockback, so you will be relying more on tech chases/chases than actual strings. That’s not to say that he doesn’t have strings, as his down tilt will string into a lot of other moves if you are quick enough (d tilt into an upsmash or an f-tilt comes to mind). Now when talking about damage input, there are a few things that separate a scrub Mac from a Mac main, and these are things you should never do.
Never execute the rapid jab, always do a gentleman.
For those of you who don’t know what the gentleman is, it is a jab combo that some characters have that consist of 3 hits, instead of the usual rapid jabs. Now before the 1.4, the rapid jab had a damage output of about 20-22%, and because of it’s power, it’s riskiness was justified. THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE. The rapid jab combo only does about 10-11%, and because of it’s easily DI’able nature and ending lag, is a risky move with not enough reward to compensate. So, the 3 hit jab, or the “gentleman,” is your primary jab option.
DON’T USE THE JOLT HAYMAKER RECKLESSLY
Little Mac’s side b is a great move that often goes overlooked, as too many Mac players have used it to kill themselves. It is a great move for jumping over projectiles, and catching people in the air. Just know your distance, and use it accordingly.
Neutral B is a move that is useless, 99.99% of the time.
Seriously. This move sucks. In doubles/free for alls it may be good for getting people who aren’t paying attention, but as far as competitive play… it’s pretty bad.
Now there is an issue that Little Mac has that I don’t really see a lot of people discussing, so I thought I’d try and bring it to the forefront for those of you who are thinking about picking up Little Mac as a main.
THE GOD DAMN BLIND SPOTS
Little Mac has a few blind spots on some of his moves. I have tried to find a video explaining these, but to no avail. So I will try my best to explain:
On some moves such as his forward smash and his f-tilt, Little Mac will move forward slightly when he attacks. And in some unfortunate cases, Little Mac will move past his opponent, and punch the air, making for some pretty brutal punishes towards you. All I can really say is to learn your spacing on his moves, and don’t get too close to your opponent. You would be amazed how easily this could happen if you aren’t careful.
Now that I’ve covered some preliminary things, now it’s time to break down his moves, and their potential.
**Jab:**
Gentleman only good for quick hits with minimal knockback.
**Forward tilt:**
One of Mac’s best moves. It is shield safe (in most cases) provides two hits, does decent knockback, and is a kill move at high percents. It spaces pretty well, and is pretty quick.
**Up tilt:**
A good move, but is pretty much is the Lucina to the Marth that is his Up-smash. It is a move that is strictly outclassed by another move, but is still good to use. It has a decent amount of ending lag, so be aware of that before you use it.
**Down tilt:**
This is Mac’s bread and butter when it comes to strings. This move is a great shield poke, can pop your opponents into the air, and can string into a lot of other moves. The down tilt can combo into the f-tilt, anther down tilt, a grab, or even the K.O punch if you move quick enough. It is also a pretty shield safe move, and can be used to push away a shielding opponent.
**Up Smash:**
A great move for attacking unsuspecting opponents coming from the air. It has loads of super armor, and is a great kill move. Another use for this move, is for run up punishes. The move has a sweet spot on the first few frames, so if you’re opponent needs to be punished, all you need to do is run up and up smash, and send them flying with that sweetspot.
**Down Smash**
An amazing ledge guarding tool (that we will cover later), and great for roll punishes. It also has super armor so… abuse it. Also note that the down smash has a lot of horizontal knockback, so use that for guarding the ledge from your opponent.
**Forward Smash**
This move has 3 variations. If you start the attack and keep the control stick forward, it will provide a straight punch that does a lot of knockback and has a lot of power. If you start the move and then move the control stick upward, you’ll do an uppercut type move. This will move you forward a little bit, and does a lot of vertical knockback. It’s great for catching falling opponents. If you use the move and hold the control stick down, you’ll do a body hook. This move has increased damage, but less knockback, so use it at earlier percents.
**Down Special, the Counter:**
As far as counters go in Smash 4, this one is probably higher up on the list. This move, is used on the ground, will give Mac invincibility frames on his counter attack, but will not grant that invincibility in the air. This move also can be used to recover, as Mac will counter strike by lunging forward.
**Up Special, the Rising Uppercut.**
This move itself is good, but due to Mac’s poor air game, should be used sparingly. It will go about twice the distance when grounded, so it is useful for approaching someone standing on a platform above you, but not much else. It is a kill move at higher percents, end does a decent amount of damage.
**Neutral Special, the Straight Lunge**
See above.
**Side Special, the Jolt Haymaker.**
A great move, that goes under appreciated. It can be used as a semi movement option, as it is a fast way to be launched forward. One of it’s main problems is that at lower percents, it doesn’t do a lot of knockback, so by the time you hit the ground and get up, your opponent is already up and can punish you. The best way to deal damage with this move is to hit b again right after initiating the attack, so the punch will be used in mid air. this will provide enough space between you and your opponent so that you can safely get up from the attack after your opponent gets up. It’s also important to note that when executing this attack, Little Mac will be invincible, so use it to rush any projectiles coming your way.
It’s also important to know that Little Mac’s super armor is INCREDIBLE.
It is a very useful tool that makes his ground game unbeatable, and frankly, not enough people abuse this wonderful trait Mac has. He will come out on top on almost any ground based clash, and if you time his attacks right, his super armor could save you from those deadly hits at higher percentages.
Now that we’ve discussed his strengths… it’s time for his weaknesses…
**The air, the ledge, the achilles heel; Mac ain’t no air fighter.**
We all know Little Mac has horrible air game. It’s universally known that Little Mac is exceptional on the ground, but suffers in the air. And frankly, there is no other way around this. But there are a few ways to help yourself recover from the air, and could very well save you:
* Side B is a last resort recovery option.
* Ever since 1.0.4, Little Mac’s side B has been absolute **** in the air. It doesn’t go very far, and can easily be gimped as it doesn’t grant invincibility in the air. You are much better off trying to recover from under the platform with an up B than across it with a Side B.
* Counter can be used to recover.
This is risky, but if you successfully counter a move, you will be launched forward farther than the Side B will, and you can easily get back on the stage. DON’T USE IT WHEN YOU’RE TOO LOW HOWEVER, as you will die shoulders up, into the dark abyss.
*Wall jumps are your best friend.
Seriously, Mac players need to realize how much wall jumps benefit his recovery. A well placed wall jump and a 8side b right out of it prove for a very safe recovery, and can help Mac come back from surprising heights. Wall jumps are your best friend, you need to use them.
*Make sure you are close enough to the edge when using your Up B to recover.
Little Mac’s aerial Up B is pretty bad, and it doesn’t allow for much horizontal distance. Get as close as you can when recovering, or you can find yourself falling inches short of the ledge.
* (for the stylish) a Nair gimp is one of the most satisfying things to land.
If someone is coming for you and you are pretty far off stage and are feeling risky… just nair. You can catch them in the air and nair them to death. And it’s hilarious.
Now that’s about as deep as recovering goes for Little Mac… so really I guess the only advice I can give is DON’T GET IN THE AIR. Mac has almost unmatched speed and rolling capability, use them to your advantage.
Now there is one more thing that needs to be covered when playing Little Mac… and that is his signature one hit (for the most part) knockout… the K.O punch.
**Landing the K.O Punch (Hit em babeh)**
Now the K.O punch has power. It is the (second) strongest move in the game, and make Mac the amazing comeback kid that he is. And to fully realize the potential of this OHKO, you first need to realize how to attain this punch.
Taking damage will fill up the meter 3x faster than dealing it will.
Personally, I think that’s bull****. But I didn’t make the game, so I digress. Landing hits will gradually fill up your K.O meter, but taking hits will give you more power, and in most cases, it’s the damage that you take that makes the K.O punch such a comeback move. When this punch is obtained, it can easily be lost. At full power, 2-3 hits can lose the K.O meter, so it’s important to act fast. Just remember, just because you have the punch, doesn’t mean you have to use it.
There will be other punches. Don’t let one whiffed K.O punch cost you a stock. Only use the K.O punch for punishes, and hard reads. Obviously reading is the reason you would use it in the first place, but as you get to know your opponent, look for those openings in their attacks where you think a K.O punch would fit. Remember, characters will always be the same, but the players will be different. Everyone you face as different behaviors, study them, and read accordingly. It’s also important to know that the K.O punch is not an instant kill. It varies from character to character, so use this list as a reference. That list may not be as accurate after the patch, but the basic percentages should be similar.
The K.O punch will not deal heavy knockback in the air. NEVER use this move in the air. It will hardly send them flying and will leave you open for a long time. Now there is an aerial approach option, as using an aerial followed by the K.O punch will get you grounded to use the punch properly, but that is meant to get you on the ground, and doesn’t mean use the punch in the air. Just stay grounded, look for an opening and punch, and don’t use the K.O punch if you don’t have to.
I hope this guide helps you fellow Mac mains out there. He is a character that is often overlooked, and can be deadly in the right hands. Just keep the average Smash mentality away when using this character, and think like a boxer; tuck and roll, and look for an opening to strike. Keep that playstyle and follow these tips, and your Mac will be punching out your friends in no time.
