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How to play the Little Mac matchup?

Lumo

Smash Rookie
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
2
Hello!

So I know this is kind of a stupid question (especially seeing how Mac is one of the worst characters in the game, if not the worst), but I have a weirdly hard time dealing with this matchup in particular. I feel like I'm pretty good at using Zelda's tools (Phantom, Nayru's Love, rapid jab) to wall out the opponent, and I have a lot of her grab follow-ups down pat. However I find it really hard to a) maintain stage control with Mac's sheer ground mobility and b) the stupid super-armor frames on his smash attacks which make it so that neither Nayru's Love or Phantom can interrupt it, effectively stuffing out some of her best anti-approach options. On top of that, every time I try to go for a grab to get him off-stage so I can actually deal with him, I get punished (curse you, O 9-frame grab). Then, as a little cherry on top, I can't really out-manuever him on the ground due to Zelda's sub-par mobility, and due to Zelda's powerful but unreliable air game and Mac's awesome advantage state, Zelda loses there. What strategies do y'all use to get past this bad, annoying prick of a character?
 

sessu

Smash Rookie
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
1
Haven't fought too many Macs, but Farore's Wind is probably your friend here.

I'd try the classic "bait him into attacking you then warp into the same spot," and of course you can also use it to evade
 

Lacrimosa

Smash Lord
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
1,255
Location
Germany
Depends on the stage. If you have Battlefield then try staying on the plattforms as he can't really reach you without a punish option.
Otherwise you need to be really patient because Zelda's grab is really slow and can easily be punished by Mac if you miss the grab. Also don't try grabbing him after a forward smash as you will be hit by an ftilt by Mac (most of the times). But you can set up a phantom if he does that but be careful not to go overboard. Just release it when it can hit Mac.
If you have the chance then backthrow him off the stage and use Nayru to get rid of his side b. Don't try an aerial since Mac will hit you and then he's back on stage. You should also go as fast as possible off stage and follow him. The further out you hit him the less chance he has. He can't spike you to my knowledge. So don't try setting up a phantom or use Din's Fire because he is that easy to edgeguard. At least that'y my experience when trying to edgeguard him. I don't say it's optimal but it works against nearly all Little Macs online.

Maybe S StoicPhantom has some ideas as well. I don't know the game well enough to give more detailed advice but I think the advices given should help out a bit, I hope^^.
 
Last edited:
D

Deleted member 189823

Guest
Hello!

So I know this is kind of a stupid question (especially seeing how Mac is one of the worst characters in the game, if not the worst), but I have a weirdly hard time dealing with this matchup in particular. I feel like I'm pretty good at using Zelda's tools (Phantom, Nayru's Love, rapid jab) to wall out the opponent, and I have a lot of her grab follow-ups down pat. However I find it really hard to a) maintain stage control with Mac's sheer ground mobility and b) the stupid super-armor frames on his smash attacks which make it so that neither Nayru's Love or Phantom can interrupt it, effectively stuffing out some of her best anti-approach options. On top of that, every time I try to go for a grab to get him off-stage so I can actually deal with him, I get punished (curse you, O 9-frame grab). Then, as a little cherry on top, I can't really out-manuever him on the ground due to Zelda's sub-par mobility, and due to Zelda's powerful but unreliable air game and Mac's awesome advantage state, Zelda loses there. What strategies do y'all use to get past this bad, annoying prick of a character?
It's not a bad question. A lot of players that don't have that aspect down on how to get certain characters off of them struggle being a punching bag when they rely too much on their zoning tools. And I don't see how this would be a problem, since I don't think he really has a response to Phantom if you're doing it right. It's not like he has the air mobility and height to just jump over it, and it's not like you can't release the charge any time before the full charge.

Beyond that, two huge things about the matchup that I don't think many people know:

1) Kick OoS. We can Kick his face if he just throws out smash attacks on our shield, so that's a big **** you to his For Glory career. Don't let him do this for free, it's a kill at 70.
2) Nayru's. I'm not too sure on the timing, but I tend to just beat out a lot of his attacks by just timing it properly. And yes, this includes his Smashes.
It's also by far your best gimping tool against him. Don't even bother with Phantom. Read high or low recovery and just time it right (at the very start for invincibility).

You might also want to learn to displace Phantom so Zelda is behind it. Any one of RAR or that weird macro stick thing (look it up) works.
 

StoicPhantom

Smash Ace
Joined
Dec 11, 2018
Messages
618
Maybe S StoicPhantom has some ideas as well. I don't know the game well enough to give more detailed advice but I think the advices given should help out a bit, I hope^^.
I've already referenced this topic and tagged the creator in the MU topic, because I felt it best to have it there for anyone looking through the MUs and have a central topic for MU stuff. Good stuff posted here, though.
 
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