Q&A Game Play Advice and General Discussion

[Pazx]

if i just spam the shield button does that work? or do i have to press it at the exact time and wont work if i spam it?

In previous games if you mash shield it won't work at all (ie if you input shield too early there's a window where you can't input the tech successfully which is longer than the window you have to tech) but I'm not entirely sure if that's in this game. Probably best not to spam the shield button.

 

[McZaxon]

Okay, well, I really don't wanna give you a freakin' headache with overloads of info! But if there's anything else you'd like me to give you a pointer on, feel free to ask!

Haha, none of that gave me a headache at all! I'm very glad you took the time to answer my question! Thank you!

All of your advice was amazing, and i'll make sure to use it at my next tournament next week! My biggest weakness at these tournaments is the fact that I don't normally keep a positive mindset, which is really important. I learned as well that playing with earbuds in my ears and music playing helps me relax as well.

And yeah, auto-pilot happens quite a bit. There are so many instances that I miss pivot grabs or techs because of it. The biggest instance I tend to do it is when an opponent rolls right behind me or somehow ends up right behind me in any way, my first instinct is to shield, not pivot grab or pivot forward A, but shield, so I get grabbed a lot.

Also, do you have any tips on training for Melee alone?

Thanks again for all the advice by the way Axe!

 

[McZaxon]

Okay, well, I really don't wanna give you a freakin' headache with overloads of info! But if there's anything else you'd like me to give you a pointer on, feel free to ask!

Haha, none of that gave me a headache at all! I'm very glad you took the time to answer my question! Thank you!

All of your advice was amazing, and i'll make sure to use it at my next tournament next week! My biggest weakness at these tournaments is the fact that I don't normally keep a positive mindset, which is really important. I learned as well that playing with earbuds in my ears and music playing helps me relax as well.

And yeah, auto-pilot happens quite a bit. There are so many instances that I miss pivot grabs or techs because of it. The biggest instance I tend to do it is when an opponent rolls right behind me or somehow ends up right behind me in any way, my first instinct is to shield, not pivot grab or pivot forward A, but shield, so I get grabbed a lot.

Also, do you have any tips on training for Melee alone?

Thanks again for all the advice by the way Axe!

 

[TheAxeWarrior]

Haha, none of that gave me a headache at all! I'm very glad you took the time to answer my question! Thank you!

All of your advice was amazing, and i'll make sure to use it at my next tournament next week! My biggest weakness at these tournaments is the fact that I don't normally keep a positive mindset, which is really important. I learned as well that playing with earbuds in my ears and music playing helps me relax as well.

And yeah, auto-pilot happens quite a bit. There are so many instances that I miss pivot grabs or techs because of it. The biggest instance I tend to do it is when an opponent rolls right behind me or somehow ends up right behind me in any way, my first instinct is to shield, not pivot grab or pivot forward A, but shield, so I get grabbed a lot.

Also, do you have any tips on training for Melee alone?

Thanks again for all the advice by the way Axe!

You are very welcome my friend! I'm just glad that I was a help and not an annoyance.

Yeah, I feel you buddy. My bad habit is rolling every single time I hit the ground, making it easy for my opponent to figure where I'm gonna be after I land.
What I would recommend for your particular habit is to go online, and dedicate every match to destroying said habit.
Winning won't matter with these matches, their only purpose will be to train you and make you a better Smasher. In fact, to avoid soiling your good name, create a new username called "Practice" or something. That way, you won't feel bad about losing any online matches. Again, when trying to kill a habit like this, play to learn, not to win.
Now, the reason I say online and not against CPU's is because people are the best teachers. They have an actual brain and can learn from your actions then attempt to punish accordingly.
Of course, an amiibo might be a good idea too. However, remember, you won't be fighting amiibo in the tournament. You'll be fighting fellow Smashers.

I'm very sorry, but I am useless when it comes to Melee tips. I actually haven't played that game in years. Smash 4 is the only iteration I can help you with. My apologies.

Hey, is there any way I can watch the tournament that you're going to be in LIVE and cheer you on? Will it be on Twitch?

 

[J_the_Man]

ROB's Nair... What's the proper game plan in dealing with it, and how does one deal with the shield pressure he gets off a blocked Nair with easy followups?

 

[Shaya]

Think of it like a block string. What's he doing after the nair? Jab? Ftilt? Dash attack? Down Smash?
Are those actions less safe on shield? Yes.
How is he setting up the nair? Immediately from a jump? From a fast fall? Those extra requirements take time and allow for anticipation of the next action they take.

It's also a slow aerial in terms of start up, if you power shield it you can do a lot more. Alternatively forward rolling is pretty solid if you're timing it so the start up (which hits below him/behind him a little) isn't what you get knocked by.

 

[TheAxeWarrior]

ROB's Nair... What's the proper game plan in dealing with it, and how does one deal with the shield pressure he gets off a blocked Nair with easy followups?

Shaya's got a good point. Try to figure out what this R.O.B.-user is going to do after the nair. I can actually tell you which strategies would be the best ones to execute after one of R.O.B.'s famous nairs, but I'll have to know what character you main with.

Also, I've found that rolling AWAY from R.O.B. when he attempts a nair is very effective because he can't follow you as quick due to landing lag if he misses. Then, of course, you could punish him with a nice dash attack, dash grab, or pivot grab. However, if you have a terribly short roll (like Villager or Mr. Game & Watch) this might not be a good idea. You could also perfect pivot, but again, that depends on the distance of the fighter's PP.

I can't help much until I know what character you'll be using. But I hope I've been some help at least.

 

[LivingSunshine]

I really want to get better at the game, and I've been practicing a ton over the past few months, but I like playing characters like Samus and Link, and I find myself always in an uphill battle. I want to go to tournaments and get results there, but I really don't want to play someone really high up in the tier list either, because it doesn't give me the same feeling out of winning like the other characters do who aren't as high up.

It also doesn't help that I always get made fun of for playing Samus and Link. Things like "All you do is spam" or "Stop camping". It makes me feel a little worse about playing them, even if they're just excuses.

I really don't know what to do. I'm a really competitive person and I dislike losing, but I don't want to play someone who's way up in tiers just to obtain that victory. Any advice regarding what I should do?

 

[AvengerV]

People who complain about "Spamming" aren't good themselves. But honestly, do what you want play because you like the game not just to win.

 

[NotAnAdmin]

There is no way around playing people who are better than you or chose to main a character that's higher tier. That's just the way it is.
If you want to continue to get better you should seek out those better than you and try to learn from them.

Link and Samus are both known as "spammy and campers" and most can agree it's not fun to play against them when they don't want to approach.
Most people who complain about it aren't really trying to learn how to win in the situation or get better. Don't listen to them, if you want to main them you have to realize that Link and Samus both have a disadvantage at close range, Samus especially. Find people who can help you play better. I'm sure the character specific boards have plenty of tips for you.

 

[LivingSunshine]

There is no way around playing people who are better than you or chose to main a character that's higher tier. That's just the way it is.
If you want to continue to get better you should seek out those better than you and try to learn from them.

Link and Samus are both known as "spammy and campers" and most can agree it's not fun to play against them when they don't want to approach.
Most people who complain about it aren't really trying to learn how to win in the situation or get better. Don't listen to them, if you want to main them you have to realize that Link and Samus both have a disadvantage at close range, Samus especially. Find people who can help you play better. I'm sure the character specific boards have plenty of tips for you.

Thank you for your response, but I don't think you quite got what I meant when I asked for some of it.

I'm not saying that I expect there to be a way around playing better players than myself. I was more so asking if, wanting to be a tournament level player, should I just move to characters higher in the tier list or not, despite not feeling as accomplished by playing them.

 

[NotAnAdmin]

Oh I see.

If you don't like the style of the top tiers you shouldn't feel like you have to play them. 20XX hasn't come for any character and with patches I doubt it will ever come.
Never switch mains unless YOU want to, not because you feel pressured to switch. I play Falco and I'm aware there are many characters that have better tools. I have fun with what Falco has and his character.
The meta may seem very polished at the moment but it's still somewhat loose on the hinges.

If you really want to make a switch give yourself sometime and mess around with different characters, probably in single player and find which ones click. I think that's the best way.

 

[Shamsy]

Hi, I'm Shamsy. I play semi competitively at my scene in SLC, UT.

I play primarily Captain Falcon, and I just seem to have a mental issue when facing our top guy and his Custom Toon Link. This spreads further by way of me losing to his Villager, Robin, and even Olimar as well.

What are some REAL tips to playing vs Fire Arrow/Short Fuse Toon Link and similar characters at a high level?

Googling my question seems to get me no where, people talk about reading rolls/punish grabs/etc. This isn't For Glory, I need much more advanced help.

Thanks!

 

[ZephyrZ]

I don't know Falcon that well, but try researching approach options against campers. Check out Captain Falcon's board under character discussions; you have a popular main, so you might find something there if you search or ask around there.

Another way is to pick up a secondary just for those matchups. There are plenty of characters with good ways of counter projectiles. You don't have to practice them as much as your Captain Falcon, but enough to take out the campers you struggle so much with. I, for one, have way too many secondaries, but I'm not exactly a serious tournament player.

 

[Teh Sandwich]

Doing short dashes canceled by shield is a really good way to close the distance

 

[Shamsy]

Doing short dashes canceled by shield is a really good way to close the distance

My issue is the blast zone on Short fuse bombs covers a huge area above him, and the Fire Arrows wall off any form of ground approach.

 

[BeastModeDreXD]

I've been trying to train with ZSS and learn how to ledge trump, but it just isnt working for her all of the time. It works for my Kirby main, but not with ZSS and she is my primary. How can I properly ledge trump with ZSS?

 

[Shamsy]

I don't know Falcon that well, but try researching approach options against campers. Check out Captain Falcon's board under character discussions; you have a popular main, so you might find something there if you search or ask around there.

Another way is to pick up a secondary just for those matchups. There are plenty of characters with good ways of counter projectiles. You don't have to practice them as much as your Captain Falcon, but enough to take out the campers you struggle so much with. I, for one, have way too many secondaries, but I'm not exactly a serious tournament player.

I considered a pocket character for it, but I'd rather jy

I don't know Falcon that well, but try researching approach options against campers. Check out Captain Falcon's board under character discussions; you have a popular main, so you might find something there if you search or ask around there.

Another way is to pick up a secondary just for those matchups. There are plenty of characters with good ways of counter projectiles. You don't have to practice them as much as your Captain Falcon, but enough to take out the campers you struggle so much with. I, for one, have way too many secondaries, but I'm not exactly a serious tournament player.

I considered picking up a character for such a matchup but I wouldn't even know where to begin. I'd rather just gain a new facet to my Falcon game (:

 

[ZephyrZ]

Well, in this game, Air Dodges have...er, I believe they are called FAFs? Anyway, you can mash out an arial from an air dodge. I use this trick with Mewtwo a lot, since his air dodges and air speed are great.

As I said, I'm no Captain Falcon, but try approaching with an air dodge and mashing Nair.
...Oh, and this doesn't work with short hops, by the way.

 

[McZaxon]

You are very welcome my friend! I'm just glad that I was a help and not an annoyance.

Yeah, I feel you buddy. My bad habit is rolling every single time I hit the ground, making it easy for my opponent to figure where I'm gonna be after I land.
What I would recommend for your particular habit is to go online, and dedicate every match to destroying said habit.
Winning won't matter with these matches, their only purpose will be to train you and make you a better Smasher. In fact, to avoid soiling your good name, create a new username called "Practice" or something. That way, you won't feel bad about losing any online matches. Again, when trying to kill a habit like this, play to learn, not to win.
Now, the reason I say online and not against CPU's is because people are the best teachers. They have an actual brain and can learn from your actions then attempt to punish accordingly.
Of course, an amiibo might be a good idea too. However, remember, you won't be fighting amiibo in the tournament. You'll be fighting fellow Smashers.

I'm very sorry, but I am useless when it comes to Melee tips. I actually haven't played that game in years. Smash 4 is the only iteration I can help you with. My apologies.

Hey, is there any way I can watch the tournament that you're going to be in LIVE and cheer you on? Will it be on Twitch?

Haha. I feel you with the rolling. I've just recently learned to cut out excessive rolling, but find myself still doing it on rare occasions.

I've started doing that now. Its actually been quite resourceful! Actually learning how to play against people has helped me TREMENDOUSLY. I've stopped losing so much now that I take the time to read what each opponent is doing rather then to just go in blindly and hope something works. xD I also have been playing people from here as well and that too has been teaching me a lot.

Haha, i'll probably end up using my sisters profile online now just because she doesn't use it anymore. She could care less about video games anyway. haha. I try to avoid playing CPU's completely. I only really do so on my 3Ds if i'm at work or some place with no friends or wi-fi connection. I have A LOT of amiibos actually...it's kinda sad. Amiibos actually helped me step up my game in the first place. But now there merely for collection as I believe as well that the most important practice is with humans. And no worry about the melee tips! I still have to actually get down wavedashing.

Yes actually there is a twitch channel for our tournaments. it should be on http://twitch.tv/RetroCityGamesNV but you could check [URL='https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fvegassmash&redir_token=x9XMyDqIA0sH5cB-8p4adt8Kr6h8MTQzMTkzNjAxMkAxNDMxODQ5NjEy']https://twitter.com/vegassmash if that twitch channel dosen't work that day. I'll be going by the gamer tag "Dude". My gamer tag might change, but I really suck when it comes to making up usernames so . But singles start at 2:50 PT this Saturday [/URL]the 23rd. Don't cringe too much if you watch me play!

 

[TheAxeWarrior]

Haha. I feel you with the rolling. I've just recently learned to cut out excessive rolling, but find myself still doing it on rare occasions.

I've started doing that now. Its actually been quite resourceful! Actually learning how to play against people has helped me TREMENDOUSLY. I've stopped losing so much now that I take the time to read what each opponent is doing rather then to just go in blindly and hope something works. xD I also have been playing people from here as well and that too has been teaching me a lot.

Haha, i'll probably end up using my sisters profile online now just because she doesn't use it anymore. She could care less about video games anyway. haha. I try to avoid playing CPU's completely. I only really do so on my 3Ds if i'm at work or some place with no friends or wi-fi connection. I have A LOT of amiibos actually...it's kinda sad. Amiibos actually helped me step up my game in the first place. But now there merely for collection as I believe as well that the most important practice is with humans. And no worry about the melee tips! I still have to actually get down wavedashing.

Yes actually there is a twitch channel for our tournaments. it should be on http://twitch.tv/RetroCityGamesNV but you could check https://twitter.com/vegassmash if that twitch channel dosen't work that day. I'll be going by the gamer tag "Dude". My gamer tag might change, but I really suck when it comes to making up usernames so . But singles start at 2:50 PT this Saturday the 23rd. Don't cringe too much if you watch me play!

Haha, yep, same here. Now that's a habit I've had ever since Brawl. But hey, I'm glad you've managed to wean yourself off of that a little at least. Just keep practicing man.

YES! That's good stuff man! Focus, strategize, read, act upon those reads, and punish when you can. Like I said, real people are the best teachers. Battle skilled ones as often as you can.

Oh yeah, as fun as they are to train, amiibo have become a bit of a collector's item for me as well. But can you blame me? I mean, they're freakin' Nintendo figures!! XD

Yeah, still sorry I couldn't be of more help in the Melee department. But I hope my Sm4sh tips were at least helpful.

Nice, thanks for the link! I'll see of I can catch it live. You'll be entering as "Dude?" Okay, got it.

Thank you for your response, but I don't think you quite got what I meant when I asked for some of it.

I'm not saying that I expect there to be a way around playing better players than myself. I was more so asking if, wanting to be a tournament level player, should I just move to characters higher in the tier list or not, despite not feeling as accomplished by playing them.

I second NotAnAdmin's statement about tiers. Sunshine, if I were to give you one piece of advice about Smash, I'd tell you NEVER to cave in! Don't ever main a character just because they're considered "top-tier." I know you've probably already heard this a bazillion times form other people, but main the character that YOU like! Go into training mode, try everyone out, see which one's you either have the most fun playing or just seem to have a connection with. For me, it was Mewtwo, Captain Falcon, and Zamus. Now, you may find that you like the way a certain top-tier character plays, and that's okay! As long as them being high-tier isn't the only reason you're playing as them.
So many people these days just don't seem to have the desire to freaking TRY anymore. They just say "screw it, I'll main Diddy." And, in my opinion, that leads to much less interesting tournaments... Because everyone in 10th place or higher played as muddafraggin Diddy Kong!

Now, while I can't say that Brawl or any game before it was well-balanced (because they weren't .. I'm lookin' at you, Meta Knight Melee Fox), I know for a fact that balancing the roster was the umber one priority in the latest iteration! I don't know if anyone here recalls, but, while the game was still in development, Mr. Sakurai stated that the balance and equality of the roster was much more important to him than the actual size was.
Of course, we ended up with a massive selection of 50+ characters anyway, but I digress.

My point is, it's safe.. Don't be scared, main anyone you want!

Hope this was a help!

 

[McZaxon]

Haha, yep, same here. Now that's a habit I've had ever since Brawl. But hey, I'm glad you've managed to wean yourself off of that a little at least. Just keep practicing man.

YES! That's good stuff man! Focus, strategize, read, act upon those reads, and punish when you can. Like I said, real people are the best teachers. Battle skilled ones as often as you can.

Oh yeah, as fun as they are to train, amiibo have become a bit of a collector's item for me as well. But can you blame me? I mean, they're freakin' Nintendo figures!! XD

Yeah, still sorry I couldn't be of more help in the Melee department. But I hope my Sm4sh tips were at least helpful.

Nice, thanks for the link! I'll see of I can catch it live. You'll be entering as "Dude?" Okay, got it.

All of your Smash 4 tips were very helpful! Almost immediately I've noticed my game going in the right direction. Time will be my friend as I embark upon this journey to git gud. xD

DUDE I KNOW RIGHT? Amiibos just suck the money right out of my wallet. I'm now beginning to buy the more expensive figures on ebay and amazon...my bank account is pretty much begging for mercy.

Yeah more then likely it'll be either "Dude" or McZaxon. If I can think of a better name, I'll let you know.

By the way, mind if I add you?

 

[TheAxeWarrior]

All of your Smash 4 tips were very helpful! Almost immediately I've noticed my game going in the right direction. Time will be my friend as I embark upon this journey to git gud. xD

DUDE I KNOW RIGHT? Amiibos just suck the money right out of my wallet. I'm now beginning to buy the more expensive figures on ebay and amazon...my bank account is pretty much begging for mercy.

Yeah more then likely it'll be either "Dude" or McZaxon. If I can think of a better name, I'll let you know.

By the way, mind if I add you?

Sure, you can add me! My NNID is the same name you see here; TheAxeWarrior.
Send me a request and maybe we can do a few rounds right now?

 

[LivingSunshine]

I second NotAnAdmin's statement about tiers. Sunshine, if I were to give you one piece of advice about Smash, I'd tell you NEVER to cave in! Don't ever main a character just because they're considered "top-tier." I know you've probably already heard this a bazillion times form other people, but main the character that YOU like! Go into training mode, try everyone out, see which one's you either have the most fun playing or just seem to have a connection with. For me, it was Mewtwo, Captain Falcon, and Zamus. Now, you may find that you like the way a certain top-tier character plays, and that's okay! As long as them being high-tier isn't the only reason you're playing as them.
So many people these days just don't seem to have the desire to freaking TRY anymore. They just say "screw it, I'll main Diddy." And, in my opinion, that leads to much less interesting tournaments... Because everyone in 10th place or higher played as muddafraggin Diddy Kong!

Now, while I can't say that Brawl or any game before it was well-balanced (because they weren't .. I'm lookin' at you, Meta Knight Melee Fox), I know for a fact that balancing the roster was the umber one priority in the latest iteration! I don't know if anyone here recalls, but, while the game was still in development, Mr. Sakurai stated that the balance and equality of the roster was much more important to him than the actual size was.
Of course, we ended up with a massive selection of 50+ characters anyway, but I digress.

My point is, it's safe.. Don't be scared, main anyone you want!

Hope this was a help!

I really appreciate the advice, it helped out a lot.

I guess it's just that I really want to get better and get those wins, you know? I want to be able to play Samus or Link, and go up against others and win, even if their character is a higher tier than mine due to my love for the characters. I want to go to a tournament and say "I main Samus!" and actually win against people who look down on me (which often happens) because I play two zoning characters, and that's considered to be bad.

When I lose I feel really disappointed, not because I feel like "Wow this person only won because they played (insert high tier character here)" or another john like that, it's because I wasn't a good enough player to beat them regardless of that.

Maybe that doesn't make much sense, but what I'm trying to say here is that I'm really passionate about the game and the characters that I play, so I feel really disappointed when I lose.

I've tried looking for a sort of "mentor" finder...thing around, but I haven't found anyone willing to do that.

 

[busken]

What do you guys do to improve? Aside from playing against other experienced players, smash ladder, and going to tournaments what methods have you done to improve. I personally analyze my own videos and try to break down the match seeing what I did right and wrong, and for the most part it's working.

 

[NickRiddle]

What do you guys do to improve? Aside from playing against other experienced players, smash ladder, and going to tournaments what methods have you done to improve. I personally analyze my own videos and try to break down the match seeing what I did right and wrong, and for the most part it's working.

Training mode for hours.

 

[BlueBirdE]

I apologize if this has already been answered here or if this is the wrong place but in smash 4 is there a window a frames where an opponent cant shield upon landing. Im not talking airdodge or aerial just from regularly landing?

 

[TheAxeWarrior]

I apologize if this has already been answered here or if this is the wrong place but in smash 4 is there a window a frames where an opponent cant shield upon landing. Im not talking airdodge or aerial just from regularly landing?

There's basically a fraction of a second.. And I mean a FRACTION! You'd have to grab them the very moment they land, as most all characters can dash immediately after landing normally.
The problem with this is that smart opponants will never land like this if you're too close. They'll move away from you, and if you get too close before they land, they'll probably throw out a nair or something to keep you from approaching.

 

[NickRiddle]

If it's the same as Brawl, there are 2 frames on normal landing and 4 frames on fast-fall landing.

 

[dansel]

Hi,

i am rly new to this game, but i try to learn fast. i got an issue to find a spot to use up-tilts. for me they are very hard to perform, but even harder to find the right spot. if i dash, i do just a dashing attack, if i walk, the enemy hits me first. so how do i get in a good position for up-tilts?

 

[TheAxeWarrior]

Yeah, what Nick said..

 

[TheAxeWarrior]

Hi,

i am rly new to this game, but i try to learn fast. i got an issue to find a spot to use up-tilts. for me they are very hard to perform, but even harder to find the right spot. if i dash, i do just a dashing attack, if i walk, the enemy hits me first. so how do i get in a good position for up-tilts?

Hey, don't feel bad about being new here. Everyone's gotta start Smashing at some point in their life, some start a lot later like you.

Anyway, the thing about up-tilts is that (and I couldn't stress this any harder) you can NOT approach with them! Up-tilts are punishing opponents that have left themselves open. For example, your enemy might land in front of you without attacking, you can then u-tilt them because they won't have time to get away.
Try blocking an attack, and then out-of-shielding with an up-tilt.

There are many, MANY more instances where you can use this move, and in some cases it depends on the character, but for now just try this..

 

[dansel]

Ok. i think the best way is to practice by just playing, isnt it ? but i find the match-making is very bad. i play every time against an high skilled oponent xD. it is a little frustrating

 

[TheAxeWarrior]

I really appreciate the advice, it helped out a lot.

I guess it's just that I really want to get better and get those wins, you know? I want to be able to play Samus or Link, and go up against others and win, even if their character is a higher tier than mine due to my love for the characters. I want to go to a tournament and say "I main Samus!" and actually win against people who look down on me (which often happens) because I play two zoning characters, and that's considered to be bad.

When I lose I feel really disappointed, not because I feel like "Wow this person only won because they played (insert high tier character here)" or another john like that, it's because I wasn't a good enough player to beat them regardless of that.

Maybe that doesn't make much sense, but what I'm trying to say here is that I'm really passionate about the game and the characters that I play, so I feel really disappointed when I lose.

I've tried looking for a sort of "mentor" finder...thing around, but I haven't found anyone willing to do that.

Hey, I'm happy I was able to be of help! Always glad to assist Smashers in need.

Yep, I feel you. I think it's every Smasher's desire to become a champion. To win, and earn those wins.
I really love the characters that I play as well, Mewtwo and Captain Falcon. And, although I don't get much trash talk for using Falcon, Mewtwo is considered bottom-tier as of now. But, like you, I wanna go to tournaments and prove to people that any character can win, it just depends on how they're used!
I mean, look at Melee's Mewtwo. He was at the VERY bottom of the tier list.. And then M2K shows up, and conquers with that character!

There is nothing wrong with zoning my friend. It is, in fact, a real technique that certain characters are capable of performing. People that complain about it aren't good at Smash. Because, if they were any good, they'd realize that every strategy has a weakness.
If someone spams projectiles, you can slowly walk towards them and perfect-shield everything they throw at you until you're close enough for an attack or grab, for example.

Yeah, my big problem is that, when I lose, it's because I wasn't focusing hard enough. Sometimes I get lazy and go into auto-pilot. And I think every Smasher can tell you that that is NOT a good thing!

About finding a mentor or teacher, well, I'm afraid that isn't really gonna happen. However, we do have a Meet & Greet thread here where you can challenge players to battle and discuss any improvement either of you need to make.
In fact, if you wanna send me a Wii U friend request, my NNID is TheAxeWarrior. We can Smash sometime if you want. I'll help you get better if I can.

Ok. i think the best way is to practice by just playing, isnt it ? but i find the match-making is very bad. i play every time against an high skilled oponent xD. it is a little frustrating

Yessir, playing against other human beings is the BEST way to learn. Never fight CPU for learning purposes. They just can't do the things that people can, such as learning form the battle, reading, true comboing, and other things.

As irritating as it is to battle people that are way out of your league, it IS a very effective training measure, as you can study and learn how the good Smashers play. You can even create a username called "Practice" or "Learning" or something so you don't feel as bad about losing.

Remember, Dansel, when training to become a better Smasher, winning isn't what's important. It's learning from your losses! And From your wins too, if you can manage to win.
Don't try to win just yet. Focus on improving your skills for now. Save winning for when you're more experienced.

 

[NickRiddle]

TheAxeWarrior, please do not double post. You can edit your previous post, or quote multiple people.

 

[TheAxeWarrior]

TheAxeWarrior, please do not double post. You can edit your previous post, or quote multiple people.

Oh, I didn't think it would count as "double-posting" since I replied to two different people.. Well, now I know. Thanks!

 

[Eonn]

I play a lot of Smash 4 and am getting into Melee, but I'm complete ass at both of them. I don't know what to do against characters who outrange or out prioritize me, I can't edgeguard, I get wrecked by jabs, and I can't punish anything (I'll bait out an aerial or tilt or even a smash but I can't do anything after. I can't punish moves with starting lag either, people will charge smash attacks and I'll literally run into them trying to punish them).

How do I improve/learn fundamentals? How do I punish moves reliably? I watch a lot and have read quite a bit about spacing and such, but I can't seem to apply any of it. What characters in both games are best for learning fundamentals? I'm trying to use Marth in Melee because apparently he is good for learning the game, but that completely covers up my inability to deal with characters who out range me (and I still suck anyway). In Smash 4 I play Pikachu and feel like I do a bit better, but that's only because of gimicks and certain combos or strings I overuse. Who is a good secondary that relies almost entirely on fundamentals (so I can learn them easier) and I can get good mileage out of?

 

[busken]

I play a lot of Smash 4 and am getting into Melee, but I'm complete *** at both of them. I don't know what to do against characters who outrange or out prioritize me, I can't edgeguard, I get wrecked by jabs, and I can't punish anything (I'll bait out an aerial or tilt or even a smash but I can't do anything after. I can't punish moves with starting lag either, people will charge smash attacks and I'll literally run into them trying to punish them).

How do I improve/learn fundamentals? How do I punish moves reliably? I watch a lot and have read quite a bit about spacing and such, but I can't seem to apply any of it. What characters in both games are best for learning fundamentals? I'm trying to use Marth in Melee because apparently he is good for learning the game, but that completely covers up my inability to deal with characters who out range me (and I still suck anyway). In Smash 4 I play Pikachu and feel like I do a bit better, but that's only because of gimicks and certain combos or strings I overuse. Who is a good secondary that relies almost entirely on fundamentals (so I can learn them easier) and I can get good mileage out of?

Fundamentals are just rudimentary maneuvers in the game. Somebody does an unsafe move on your shield; shield grab, understanding the opponent's max range compared to yours to formulate an approach, weighing the opponent's offensive and defensive options, etc. Characters with really simple game play can help you understand the fundamentals because their is so much reward in applying them, and it contributes to maximizing the viability of the character. Little Mac for example rewards good spacing since his smashes are not only above average in speed, but lack the ability to trade with other hitboxes. If spaced correctly his spacing tools such as d-tilt, f-tilt, and f-smash, can help you establish your position in the neutral. Melee Marth also wields long ranged disjoints that not only rewards good spacing, but can help tip toe in and out of their range, and no punishes if the the sword is touched. If you can't seem to apply what you know I recommend going on smashladder.com. Play against other people and record your battles. Try to find your mistakes and make mental notes on how to improve and do better. I myself have seen great improvement in my skill but it takes time. Sometimes it takes me like 30-35 minutes just analyzing the video. Why did he choose that get-up option? how does he react to aerial pressure? did i make a misinput? how did i get him by that? am i using mix-ups? Is he reading my options? How do i react to pressure? Why am i getting shield grabbed? Am i spacing correctly? Why can't I touch this guy? How can I punish his rolls? How can I read his movement? Is this a bad MU? Why am I not good with this character? What are his patterns; what is he constantly doing? Many more questions, you need to ask yourself. Also by the way, stick to one game for now. your lack of competence in applying what you know wont help you if you bounce from different games. Here are some vidoes I want you to watch.

Match Breakdown this videos features Mew2King arguably the one of the best in smash bros. games, and ZeRo smash 4 apex champion, and undefeated in tournament since last year. You should ask yourself these questions when analyzing gameplay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPwplk90u2U

Explains the fundamentals. approaching, spacing, juggling, edge guarding, etc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U88bVYYcxj0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psomk1h3WNk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsH-IvXocUs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69BJsfLbjyI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQaj0NMRF9Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg4DhBLE-eE

This is what you should you use to understand your character and how to know how to punish x with x.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1gmgdhvKFw

 

[McZaxon]

Sure, you can add me! My NNID is the same name you see here; TheAxeWarrior.
Send me a request and maybe we can do a few rounds right now?

Haha, I JUST noticed you posted this, I definitely would've played you if I had saw this at the right time. I'm adding you right now, if you ever see me on, let me know and we'll play a few rounds! :D

 

[Guineapig126]

Hey Smashboards, Guinea here. I just have a really quick question: How do you deal with being nervous in tournaments? Every single time I try, my hands end up shaking and I lose track of what character I am in teams. (Actually today I lost a match with a friend because I thought I was Robin and was trying to DI. Ended up being Sheik and SD'd. ) Is there any way to deal with this other than just to go to more tournaments? I don't get the opportunity to go to them often and was wondering if there were any remedies out there. Thanks!

~Guinea

sorry if this kind of thread gets posted a lot D: