How did you play when you were still "casual"?

[GeflGabe]

This question may not apply to everyone but...
How did you guys play smash when you were still "casual"? Can you recall? I remember I played in a extremely cringe worthy way. Every time I preform dash attacks, the memories of my low skill level of the past comes rushing back.

Spoiler: Disclaimer:

In case you still play casually and read this, I don't mean to offend anyone with this thread nor start an argument. I believe casual play is fun to play, even after getting the hang of competitive play and going back. Competitive play isn't for everyone and I respect whatever play style you may have.

 

[Argos]

I mean, I'm not sure how "competitive" I am, but I'd like to think I don't spam Thunder nearly as much as I used to.

 

[mario123007]

Flick the c stick a lot, period.

 

[FamilyTeam]

My friends can definitely attest to this:
As , my gameplan before our first local always basically followed this flowchart:

• Fireball when someone is away;
• Rack up damage with Side and Up Smash;
• Dash Attack people when I could.

It... was frankly embarassing, looking back at it. This is how I had played Mario since the 64 days, actually, I only started stepping my game up with Smash 4. Atleast I was so familiar with Mario by then that learning his stuff was easy.

I already had a bit more of "finesse" by the time I started playing , but before I started playing her with any level of seriousness, I only played her as a bit of a joke. Back then:

• I'd just approach with Shield Breaker and Fair with little regard for anything;
• I'd spam Side Smash like mad and it kind of was the only thing that even made me do damage;
• and also I'd be completely clueless as to how Dancing Blade works.

I'm glad I can say that I'm not like this anymore.

 

[Goont]

When I played casual I just relied on items and Smash attacks. I mainly went against CPUs, so they tended to be very predictable, and bland to fight against. But I was much younger, so I had a blast with Melee and Brawl even if I didn't play them competitively. That said, I've had much more fun with Smash 4 against online players, no items, and studying the characters moves and combos much more.

 

[FightingPorygonTeam]

I played a lot of characters and spent most of my time trolling or just doing annoying stuff.

Kind of similar to how I play now.

 

[Matt11111]

Mario. Forward smash, Super Jump Punch. That's all. Didn't care I had like 20 moves at my disposal. What a skrub I was.

 

[Frizz]

I think I play Robin the same way I do now, for the most part anyway. You know, spamming projectiles and calling it "zoning"?
The only difference is that I now incorporate wavebouncing most of the time whenever I have him cast a spell from his tomes. I also use Pivot F-Tilt and D-Tilt as spacing options.
As for Wario? I don't believe anything's changed much, really. I've learnt a few tricks a bit here and there which I use sometimes, but aside from that, I play him the same old same old. Nothing special.

 

[Arthur97]

While I am certainly not on the competitive level, I think I utilize more of a character's movesets now such as tilts.

 

[Arrei]

As a "casual" I still had basic understanding that some moves were slower and unsafe, while others were good to use as your bread and butter. I didn't use tilts a lot though - most of my time was spent throwing jabs, aerials, and smash attacks. Edgeguarding was also rare for me, outside of trying to spike.

Something that hasn't changed, however, is that back then my preferred method of play was just to turn items on Very High and revel in the chaos. I still do massively prefer that mode of play from a fun standpoint.

 

[Arthur97]

Arrei brings up another point, I am more likely to follow off stage now. Not necessarily likely, but more likely I would say.

 

[KirbCider]

Well, I'm still causal player and don't really view myself as "Competitive"; however...

Back in Melee and Brawl I'd spam, never shielded or edge guarded, and would use Smash attacks endlessly. After Smash U came out that is where I began to actually, ya know... Learn the game instead of playing it mindlessly. I'm honestly glad I'm no longer a cringey player that has no clue what he is doing, and even now I'm still learning new things and improving as I go. It's funny how things change.

I bet if I played against my past self now I'd have more disappointment than I already do in my life.

 

[Bowcaster]

Back in Brawl I used the Wii Remote and NunChuck and thought grab was a waste of time. I'd just Dash Attack and Up Smash

 

[Arthur97]

Back in Brawl I used the Wii Remote and NunChuck and thought grab was a waste of time. I'd just Dash Attack and Up Smash

I actually used just the Wii Remote for a while near the end of Brawl. That was actually probably about the time when I started to improve. I use a Pro Controller now.

 

[Bowcaster]

I actually used just the Wii Remote for a while near the end of Brawl. That was actually probably about the time when I started to improve. I use a Pro Controller now.

To be fair it's not as bad as I thought. There are just about enough buttons to play properly

 

[Arthur97]

I adapted fairly well since I used the tap jump until the 3DS.

 

[Mythzotick]

Aah yes. Those were the good old days when I was nothing but a filthy casual; spamming smash attacks and special moves. I didn't even know tilts were a thing back then until I saw do his volcano kick in Melee; which was years later that I finally realized how to do a tilt. Let's be real here. Who here found out how to do tilts because you saw and wondered how Ganondorf could use his u-tilt?

 

[Mega-Spider]

Let's see...

I haven't played the original that much, so I can't really say anything about it. In Melee, I played Kirby before I found out he was outright awful, and just played the game mindlessly. Brawl was the first game in the series that I played, and this was where my love for Kirby began. I'll admit: I used to be one of those players who used to spam Stone and Hammer because I didn't know any better. My friends hated me because I used Kirby that way, lol. Plus, I played Wiimote and Nunchunk.

By Smash 4, I stepped up my game when I found out that one of my best friends played Smash competitively. Because I'm a huge Mega Man fanatic, he became my main since Day 1. While I dual-main Megs and Kirby, Kirby wasn't a main of mine at first, since this was when he was actually pretty terrible, unlike now where he's okay for the most part. When Sonic got his B-Throw nerfed (not to mention my disillusionment of the Sonic franchise after Rise of Lyric), I welcomed Kirby back to being my main, or dual main in this case.

 

[JayE]

Back when I was only a casual player in Melee and Brawl, I rolled a lot and spammed a lot, but not as much as my friends and people I played against. Even though I was a scrub and didn't know anything about competitive play at that time, I was overall better than all my friends and family I played against. In a sense I was the "Best casual" player. In Brawl I was able to beat my friends in 2v1 situations by myself. I guess I had a better sense than others in the game, I thought more about ideas and what I could potentially do. Maybe I was naturally better, I don't know. And because of that, I'm the best player in my group of friends and town lol
I don't want to come off as arrogant or cocky, thats not who I am.. but thats what I remember as a casual.

 

[Stoneman]

Back when I was only a casual player in Melee and Brawl, I rolled a lot and spammed a lot, but not as much as my friends and people I played against. Even though I was a scrub and didn't know anything about competitive play at that time, I was overall better than all my friends and family I played against. In a sense I was the "Best casual" player. In Brawl I was able to beat my friends in 2v1 situations by myself. I guess I had a better sense than others in the game, I thought more about ideas and what I could potentially do. Maybe I was naturally better, I don't know. And because of that, I'm the best player in my group of friends and town lol
I don't want to come off as arrogant or cocky, thats not who I am.. but thats what I remember as a casual.

I can relate, before I got competetive I felt like I had to not try so hard to keep things interesting to my friends, then in melee a dr mario edge campy recovery caping d bag,lol,came along and brought out my competitive side. I haven't looked back.

 

[JayE]

I can relate, before I got competetive I felt like I had to not try so hard to keep things interesting to my friends, then in melee a dr mario edge campy recovery caping d bag,lol,came along and brought out my competitive side. I haven't looked back.

Yeah, some people just have a better understanding of the game, a knack for it. They either learn faster or better, everyone learns differently.
Sometimes I look back to my casual days and how much I'm improved... its pretty surprising honestly. When I watch old videos of mine compared to the newer ones, I can see how the dedication to the game paid off. And even as a casual, I was trying to get better of course, but I would have never thought that I would get to this level. Its satisfying to see how far you've come, lol.

 

[Stoneman]

Yeah, some people just have a better understanding of the game, a knack for it. They either learn faster or better, everyone learns differently.
Sometimes I look back to my casual days and how much I'm improved... its pretty surprising honestly. When I watch old videos of mine compared to the newer ones, I can see how the dedication to the game paid off. And even as a casual, I was trying to get better of course, but I would have never thought that I would get to this level. Its satisfying to see how far you've come, lol.

Agree lol. I fell in love the first night I played on the 64, it was probably my first all nighter as a kid. I think my sheer love for the game gave me an edge, but I didn't even know shield grabbing was a thing until someone told me thats how the doc was grabbing me everytime I hit his shield... and that was only a few yrs ago lmao XD

 

[Tino]

I'm still a casual and I pretty much play Smash just like the old days. Free-for-alls, items on and all that good stuff.

 

[Bowcaster]

Nout wrong with that!

I'm still a casual and I pretty much play Smash just like the old days. Free-for-alls, items on and all that good stuff.

 

[JayE]

I still do free for alls with items when I have friends over, nothing wrong with casual play. And even if you're a competitive player, sometimes its nice to just play free for alls for fun with 4 or more people, to get a break from competitive 1v1s or doubles. Not saying competitive smash isn't fun, its super fun, but free for alls can be enjoyable for almost anyone. Its nice to go back to the good ol' days.

 

[Arthur97]

Nothing quite like 8 player Ganondorf is there?

 

[Stoneman]

lol i remember when we did free for all casuals, it was joes house and his rules, any items we want w one condition, no throwing them at ppl lmao, eventuallywe just turneditems off, and personally i prefer it like that
edit: and o yea always gang up on the guy w most stocks haha

 

[Tino]

Nout wrong with that!

Of course not. That's how Smash is meant to be played.

 

[Lazerpants]

i remember back in my brawl days i would play and spam neutral b and smash attacks. i would also play a lot ofand i would just hold down his jab for the entire match and it was unbeatable, at least for my friends (; i recall liking to use a sideways wiimote, don't ask.

 

[MajinBuu272]

i tended to go for a move untill i land it or forget i had specific moves.
example: realizing i can grab then continually fishing for grabs , same goes for some characters' down special

 

[Dilan Omer]

I would fair with/ all the time bassically the only thing I did

I couldnt land any aerial besides Up Air and Up B the rest of her moveset I just couldnt land.

Put 65 hours on ZSS and 48 on Marcina. I increased dramaticly in skill in a year.

I couldnt land a nair with or DAIR spike with but now I can do it easily

 

[Flatmesa]

I always kept spamming Side Special and Counter with Ike.

Ruthless.

 

[Deleted member]

smash attacks and side B offstage as .

you all remember those days.

 

[Arrei]

smash attacks and side B offstage as .

you all remember those days.

I still feel like the biggest idiot in the world when I pull out Mac for funsies and do that.

 

[Effay]

well when i first started i wanted to be a good player who only played fox and was known for being s00per good with him
butt the only moves i knew were tilts (allofthem) and laser so i didnt good right away

 

[MajinBuu272]

#1 way i can tell that i used to roll a lot is because of how much my mewtwo amiibo rolls and its irritating to see it do that

 

[ELITEWarri0r115]

Forever stuck as casual more than competitive.

 

[Uffe]

Items on high, knock back ratio or whatever at 200%, and I actually didn't spam. When it came to Smash, no matter how casual feeling my brother and I played, there was always some sort of competitiveness there.

 

[import3dguest]

When I played Melee as a little kid, I would constantly spam Fox's side B and none of my friends knew how to deal with it.

 

[TowerLight]

I mained meta knight in brawl and thought I was god's gift to smash

Nuff feckin said