In smash 4, there are many different characters. What's amazing is how each character plays so differently. There are several types of character styles.
Zoners
Zoners rely on projectiles to chip damage from afar and find oppurtunities to come in close. They aren't the best up close, but their moves up close are very strong. Only several zoners, like Link, Samus and Toon Link, have several combos that aren't limited to projectiles, but are still projectile heavy.
Spacer
Spacers usually aren't up close. They're similar to zoners, but rely on their melee attacks to gain damage. Their combos aren't long, but potent in sense that they always give good positioning. Their melee attacks are also much longer than others outside other disjoints. Both Spacers, as well as zoners, are never aggressive, and always find openings.
Trapper
They're like zoners with the projectile aspects, but the way their zoning works is more tricky and requires positioning to bring the best of them. Good examples are Duck Hunt's setups with the explosive can. They're still not aggressive, but they still possess powerful attacks, despite their slow movement.
Rushdown
Rushdown characters are extremely fast, and have an amazing up-close game. They're best when close to the opponent and pressuring them. They also rack up damage quickly with combos (ex.meta knight, sheik), or amazing kill power (ex.little mac, roy). With these guys, it's all about getting in.
Bait and Punish
Bait and punish characters have good combos and kill power, but they don't have the best movement or frame data. They have to wait for good opportunities, like a zoner or a spacer, but play very patiently with any safe move they have. They are also potent to breaking shields, like Bowser and DK. They benefit best with rage, since these characters have some of the strongest punishes in the game.
Momentum/ Hit and Run
These characters are kind of the opposite of bait and punish. Rather than slow, patient movement, these characters have very fast movement and frame data, while boasting great combo game and kill power. They usually do best when they have a lead, most notably Sonic, Mii Brawler and ZSS .
Mixups
Mixup characters are very risky to play , due to small range and mostly have non-safe kill options. However, their combo game is the most potent, since they have so many more ways to change up combos over others. When done right, these characters can link very long strings, or rack up massive damage.
All Rounders
All Rounders can do a little bit of everything. They're good at all, but not the best at all. However, anything they can do is extremely potent. The only thing they lack is range, with these characters having somewhat weak projectiles.
Puppeteer
These two characters, RosaLuma and Olimar, aren't best at close. They do best from mid to long range with they're special mechanic, having another "character" beside them. Their buddy(ies) help out the main fighter by applying extra damage that their leader can't do on their own. They usually die after a while, but can be brought back. The puppeteer characters need a good use of their own moveset and the moveset of the "puppet".
Dynamic
Even though it's only Shulk, I feel like this area is the most interesting. Dynamic styles play nothing like the rest. While they may play one way, they have certain mechanics that allow multiple ways to fight. Shulk's case would be monado arts, such as jump giving better recovery and neutral, and speed allowing better rushdown/ spacing capabilities.
It's important to know what kind of style each character has since all styles matchup to others differently, and you may fit to a particular/ multiple styles, especially since every fighter is one or multiple styles, like Falco: while being mixup heavy, is also a spacer. For example, if you like a speedy zoner, Toon Link would be a good option. If you prefer a patient approach and massive kill power, Bowser or Lucario will work nice. Each one is so different, but that's what makes them so great.
THE END OF THE GUIDE
Zoners
Zoners rely on projectiles to chip damage from afar and find oppurtunities to come in close. They aren't the best up close, but their moves up close are very strong. Only several zoners, like Link, Samus and Toon Link, have several combos that aren't limited to projectiles, but are still projectile heavy.
Spacer
Spacers usually aren't up close. They're similar to zoners, but rely on their melee attacks to gain damage. Their combos aren't long, but potent in sense that they always give good positioning. Their melee attacks are also much longer than others outside other disjoints. Both Spacers, as well as zoners, are never aggressive, and always find openings.
Trapper
They're like zoners with the projectile aspects, but the way their zoning works is more tricky and requires positioning to bring the best of them. Good examples are Duck Hunt's setups with the explosive can. They're still not aggressive, but they still possess powerful attacks, despite their slow movement.
Rushdown
Rushdown characters are extremely fast, and have an amazing up-close game. They're best when close to the opponent and pressuring them. They also rack up damage quickly with combos (ex.meta knight, sheik), or amazing kill power (ex.little mac, roy). With these guys, it's all about getting in.
Bait and Punish
Bait and punish characters have good combos and kill power, but they don't have the best movement or frame data. They have to wait for good opportunities, like a zoner or a spacer, but play very patiently with any safe move they have. They are also potent to breaking shields, like Bowser and DK. They benefit best with rage, since these characters have some of the strongest punishes in the game.
Momentum/ Hit and Run
These characters are kind of the opposite of bait and punish. Rather than slow, patient movement, these characters have very fast movement and frame data, while boasting great combo game and kill power. They usually do best when they have a lead, most notably Sonic, Mii Brawler and ZSS .
Mixups
Mixup characters are very risky to play , due to small range and mostly have non-safe kill options. However, their combo game is the most potent, since they have so many more ways to change up combos over others. When done right, these characters can link very long strings, or rack up massive damage.
All Rounders
All Rounders can do a little bit of everything. They're good at all, but not the best at all. However, anything they can do is extremely potent. The only thing they lack is range, with these characters having somewhat weak projectiles.
Puppeteer
These two characters, RosaLuma and Olimar, aren't best at close. They do best from mid to long range with they're special mechanic, having another "character" beside them. Their buddy(ies) help out the main fighter by applying extra damage that their leader can't do on their own. They usually die after a while, but can be brought back. The puppeteer characters need a good use of their own moveset and the moveset of the "puppet".
Dynamic
Even though it's only Shulk, I feel like this area is the most interesting. Dynamic styles play nothing like the rest. While they may play one way, they have certain mechanics that allow multiple ways to fight. Shulk's case would be monado arts, such as jump giving better recovery and neutral, and speed allowing better rushdown/ spacing capabilities.
It's important to know what kind of style each character has since all styles matchup to others differently, and you may fit to a particular/ multiple styles, especially since every fighter is one or multiple styles, like Falco: while being mixup heavy, is also a spacer. For example, if you like a speedy zoner, Toon Link would be a good option. If you prefer a patient approach and massive kill power, Bowser or Lucario will work nice. Each one is so different, but that's what makes them so great.
THE END OF THE GUIDE
- Applicable Games
- Smash Wii U
