How can I actually get good?

[SirhcEz]

My friend literally dumpsters me everygame.

I picked up falcon an hour ago, so I was kinda hoping for a guide on it, but anyway, so I try to go in for a hit, but he hits me first, always.

How I normally go in on him is a jump f air, or forward dash attack, or dash grab, or roll grab.
Any other way of engaging I get messed up by him.

I really want to get good at this game, but I don't understand how my friend can out trade me in every fight, cancelling my move before it hits him even if I hit it off first.

I really don't know what I am asking help for other than to get good, and learn the game properly because I suck.

 

[Sean de Lure]

dont approach with fair with falcon, ever, the knee is not an approach option
it sounds like he is generally waiting for you to go to him, and throwing out a move when you get close, so run up and shield, or run up jump back to bait a move, and punish the end lag of the move
you have to mix up what you are doing instead of doing the same thing every time, WATCH how he reacts to something you do, adapt to it. Clanking occurs when moves that deal with 9% damage interact, eg (random numbers) bowser fsmash 20 and little mac fsmash 18, when they clank, both players are repelled, no damage is dealt, but the player with the weaker move gets a couple frames of advantage over the one with the stronger attack, going by the previous example, little mac probably will have time to ftilt bowser before bowser can actually do anything (again this is all completely hypothetical). If you are trading with him, use weaker moves to gain a frame advantage. If the moves damages differ by more than 9% the stronger move beats them out. your friend might just be hitting buttons faster than you.
If you truly want to get good at the game, I recommend you go to ssbwiki.com or somewhere to learn the physics of the game. Smashboards should also have info about the game in general somewhere around. Look at the stickied posts on the c falc thread to learn more about the character, there is also a Q&A thread if you have any further questions
Watch top players play, and try to figure out why they got a hit, how they didnt get hit, combos, etc
don't tunnel vision on something that you want, like for example spamming dash grab to start a combo
good luck

(sorry this was poorly written, tired and lazy)

 

[goose32]

As Sean de Lure said, don't use fair as an approach option. It has far too high ending/landing lag to be used that way (still an amazing move, just not as an approach). Shielding out of a dash can be effective, and mix up your approaches. If he's always expecting you to shield right before you get to him, he may start throwing out grabs or using other tools at his disposal. A decent offensive approach that I use a good amount is to do a short hop, fast fall, and throw out a nair. Make sure you land before the second kick comes out, the timing isn't too hard, though. If you do, you'll have almost no landing lag and can quickly transition into a jab; nearly every player will immediately go for an out-of-shield option, like a grab, but your jab will connect first. If he catches on and starts holding shield the whole time, do an empty jump and grab him when you land.

Short - hop bairs are also good, they have very low landing lag and have more shield stun than nair.

Something you ought to learn is in any fighting game, never be predicable. Tiers don't mean crap if a player know what you're going to do and reads the crap out of your movements and attacks, and your friend probably is able to pull off a lot of reads on you.

 

[Nate22Hill]

As Sean de Lure said, don't use fair as an approach option. It has far too high ending/landing lag to be used that way (still an amazing move, just not as an approach). Shielding out of a dash can be effective, and mix up your approaches. If he's always expecting you to shield right before you get to him, he may start throwing out grabs or using other tools at his disposal. A decent offensive approach that I use a good amount is to do a short hop, fast fall, and throw out a nair. Make sure you land before the second kick comes out, the timing isn't too hard, though. If you do, you'll have almost no landing lag and can quickly transition into a jab; nearly every player will immediately go for an out-of-shield option, like a grab, but your jab will connect first. If he catches on and starts holding shield the whole time, do an empty jump and grab him when you land.

Short - hop bairs are also good, they have very low landing lag and have more shield stun than nair.

Something you ought to learn is in any fighting game, never be predicable. Tiers don't mean crap if a player know what you're going to do and reads the crap out of your movements and attacks, and your friend probably is able to pull off a lot of reads on you.

ask this in the Q&A not the falcon section

 

[PepaCorn]

..........

 

[FP-Takyon]

Go in the lab and practice SH FF nair and the timing for it. dash fakeout your opponent on the ground. remember your shield and pivot grab if needed. bair is also good for reverse aerial rushing. once you get the timing down in practice, fight some people to get the application down.

 

[Jrzfine]

If you are serious about becoming competitive and have some time to read, you should give this a try:
http://smashboards.com/threads/drastic-improvement.311129/

A top-ranking smasher and buddy of mine recommended me this. It changed my outlook of the game, and is an absolute must read for those about to start off on the long road of 'getting good'

 

[Pmush]

If you are serious about becoming competitive and have some time to read, you should give this a try:
http://smashboards.com/threads/drastic-improvement.311129/

A top-ranking smasher and buddy of mine recommended me this. It changed my outlook of the game, and is an absolute must read for those about to start off on the long road of 'getting good'

Damn. That was long.