How to get better

[Treece]

Hello!
I'm not sure whether this should be in competitive or in general discussions, but I'll put this here anyway and bite a warning if it's in the wrong section.
In any case, what are your guys' tips (in general) in getting better at Smash?
Just general tips about initiating a combo or such instead of character specifics please.

 

[Luigi player]

Learn the new DI. Makes you much better since you'll live longer. Learn the physics of the game / the characters so you can play comfortably in any situation.

 

[Renji64]

Watch good players. Find some people to play and have fun you will get better.

 

[KaZe_DaRKWIND]

-Research matchups
-Learn your character on your own then look at how the pros play
-Try and find a style you like and then make it your own by changing it to fit you
-Play against people better than you. You will lose a lot but by playing these people you will either learn how to get better and eventually beat them, or give up.
-Have at least 2 mains in case someone tries to pick a direct counter to your character. You could try to counter the counter but just having one or more characters on backup is what most people do and is most effective.

 

[Captain Norris]

Use the Jump button instead of tap jump.

 

[SaintChairface]

Use the Jump button instead of tap jump.

I'm gonna beg to differ on this point. If you can learn to tilt and not smash, you can learn to utilt/usmash/uair without tap jumping.
Leaving the tap jump on can actually give you extra options, depending on which characters you choose to play. In particular you can use tap jump to make jump canceling for out of shield options easier.

 

[Reila]

Git gud

Honestly, this thread interest me too, since I plan to get better in Smash (if the online is as good as people are saying, of course).

 

[SaintChairface]

-Research matchups
-Learn your character on your own then look at how the pros play
-Try and find a style you like and then make it your own by changing it to fit you
-Play against people better than you. You will lose a lot but by playing these people you will either learn how to get better and eventually beat them, or give up.
-Have at least 2 mains in case someone tries to pick a direct counter to your character. You could try to counter the counter but just having one or more characters on backup is what most people do and is most effective.

In between learning the mechanics of the game and your specific character choice and diving head on into meta game, it might also serve you well to invest time into understanding the game strategically.

Learn the general flow of a match
Learn to recognize who has the advantage and why (not just who has more stock or less damage but who is in control)
Learn about neutral game and controlling space

You might be best served in this stage of learning by just watching videos or streams and paying attention to the commentators opinions on what's going on. If your feeling extra studious you might consider picking up a book on competitive gaming like Sirlin's Playing to Win

 

[Raijinken]

Play a lot, practice a lot, and play against humans (assuming the skill level is at least comparable, or if they're far better, that they're able to throttle their skill so you can learn) whenever possible. Learn characters, pick a main or two, learn stages, play Classic/All Star with all characters on high difficulties, etc.

Exhaust the game's single player content, you will then be ready for at least basic multiplayer play.

 

[Treece]

I've been playing Melee and Brawl for YEARS, though it has been couple of years since I touched Brawl.
Thus I feel a bit out of it and feel like reached my limit (Lv. 9 CPU matches often end up in their win or Sudden Death) and I can't seem to see any way of improving it.

 

[SaintChairface]

I've been playing Melee and Brawl for YEARS, though it has been couple of years since I touched Brawl.
Thus I feel a bit out of it and feel like reached my limit (Lv. 9 CPU matches often end up in their win or Sudden Death) and I can't seem to see any way of improving it.

CPU opponents will teach you bad habits in a similar way to how playing against only one real opponent will. What you actually wind up doing in the end is training yourself to recognize the patterns that the AI is built on just like learning all of a friend's tells and habits. In the end, you're not really learning to win, you're just learning to beat that one player/cpu.

 

[A Lucky Person]

Learn how to tilt properly, apply mixups, don't spam the same moves/tactics. Also learn the game's mechanics so that you understand how they work (e.g. sixing, ledge mechanics, hitstun, etc.).

DON'T play level 9 CPUs. They are so methodical in their tactics that you'll start to play like a level 9 yourself, and you won't be prepared for a human. M2K practiced on low-level CPUs in order to get incredible. Utilize training mode and watch what professional players do.

Find a few characters you like and focus on them. I'm caught between 12 characters for Smash 4, but that'll be narrowed down in the first few weeks I get the game.

 

[Treece]

Learn how to tilt properly, apply mixups, don't spam the same moves/tactics. Also learn the game's mechanics so that you understand how they work (e.g. sixing, ledge mechanics, hitstun, etc.).

DON'T play level 9 CPUs. They are so methodical in their tactics that you'll start to play like a level 9 yourself, and you won't be prepared for a human. M2K practiced on low-level CPUs in order to get incredible. Utilize training mode and watch what professional players do.

Find a few characters you like and focus on them. I'm caught between 12 characters for Smash 4, but that'll be narrowed down in the first few weeks I get the game.

Okay, but how do I train? I mean, lower CPU does not put much of a fight. What aspects of play should I focus on?

 

[Captain Norris]

I'm gonna beg to differ on this point. If you can learn to tilt and not smash, you can learn to utilt/usmash/uair without tap jumping.
Leaving the tap jump on can actually give you extra options, depending on which characters you choose to play. In particular you can use tap jump to make jump canceling for out of shield options easier.

Up airs will cause you to jump in this game.

 

[Senario]

Hello!
I'm not sure whether this should be in competitive or in general discussions, but I'll put this here anyway and bite a warning if it's in the wrong section.
In any case, what are your guys' tips (in general) in getting better at Smash?
Just general tips about initiating a combo or such instead of character specifics please.

1. Pick one character and play only them until you get good. Do not pick up 3+ chars and hope you are good at all. Learn one or two at a time at most.

2. Spacing, learn the ranges of your moves so you can use them as part of the footsie game. You do not want to get shield grabbed.

3. Learn the mobility options of your game. Mobility is key and being consistent and knowing what to do when is important.

4. Learn character specific tricks as they often make a big difference. For example pressing back, let go, B for needles, and l or r to cancel them is a useful sheik tech in melee.

5. Know what can and cant link together for a combo. And which are situationalbut useful.

 

[fearless.leader]

Practice against three level 9 little macs on a team against you on final destination.

 

[SaintChairface]

The lower level cpus do weird things that keep you on your toes more often than a 9 does. 9s follow a pretty strict scripted strategy, and train you only in dealing with that script. Traditionally 2s and 3s move around and attack enough to simulate a person without falling into patterns. You aren't really trying to imitate a person though when you fight computers, they're really more of a mobile punching bag

I'm finding that the 7s and 8s in the demo play pretty loose though, and might be worth a go for some training purposes.

Up airs will cause you to jump in this game.

I'll give it to you that the vertical axis on the circle pad is ridiculously oversensitive, but I've been on the demo for a week and it's not unreasonably difficult to get an up air without tap jumping

 

[Captain Norris]

The lower level cpus do weird things that keep you on your toes more often than a 9 does. 9s follow a pretty strict scripted strategy, and train you only in dealing with that script. Traditionally 2s and 3s move around and attack enough to simulate a person without falling into patterns. You aren't really trying to imitate a person though when you fight computers, they're really more of a mobile punching bag

I'm finding that the 7s and 8s in the demo play pretty loose though, and might be worth a go for some training purposes.


I'll give it to you that the vertical axis on the circle pad is ridiculously oversensitive, but I've been on the demo for a week and it's not unreasonably difficult to get an up air without tap jumping

If you are in the heat of the moment in a tournament you probably paid to get in for, and you have tap jump on, and you get knocked out because you tried to up air while fast falling and got punished, I would be pretty mad.