Link's Match-ups: Export #3: Metaknight

[#HBC | Red Ryu]

Match-up #3: Metaknight

Link vs. Metaknight
30:70 Metaknight

This is another of Link harder match-ups. Metaknight is by far one of the hardest for Link to fight. Stay on the ground for a majority of the fight, Metaknight can juggle Link very easily in the air. I know people are going to ask, yes Link can beat tornado, bomb is the best consistent way to beat it. Link does have range to hold up against Metaknight, he lacks the speed to actually use it well. Z-air will outrange him in the air, but it's much harder to hit a grounded MK, he's too short. Jab isn't a bad option to keep MK away. MK won't approach from above, Utilt and Usmash outrange his dair. He'll most likely try to approach from the ground.

MK excels at playing defensively, this won't work too well on a Link that knows how to camp. Metaknight will need to approach, thus you should expect a more aggressive. Link's main advantages come from his projectiles and his ability to KO early. Dair can kill MK on some stages very early, Dsmash can do the same.

Offstage Link gets *****, hard. One of the best edgeguarders in the game vs one of the worst offstage characters in the game. You get the idea. I'd try to boomeranr or Z-air if MK is trying to set-up for a gimp. If you reach the ledge and MK is above, try to ledge drop Z-air the ledge a few times to try and make an opening.

For stages Norfair is a godsent for Link vs MK, it makes the match-up closer to even, like 55-45/60:40 MK. If Norfair is banned in your area then go to Brinstar. Ban Rainbow Cruise and Delfino.

Important posts:

MK mains:

None posted LOL.

Stages:

On Norfair, MKs tend to abuse all their aerial moves.
On Norfair, MK dies really early due to dair. The extremely low ceiling and high platforms make Link's dair a nightmare. Not to mention Link can autocancel dairs extremely easy. No need to worry about dair losing power, it still has enough to kick a light character's butt (like MK). And MKs UpB tends to clash with Link's dair. MKs trying to use UpB will get themselves slaughtered. Dair is arguably one of Link's most spammable moves on Norfair, which is a scary thought for just about everyone else.
An MK that is chasing Link around, comboing him in the air is just asking for an autocancelled dair.
The positioning of the platforms heavily favors Link's projectiles due to their arcs and the directions Link can throw/shoot them. Plus Link can camp his way to victory extremely easy due to the minimal horizontal space the stage takes up. He can easily jump from a side platform, FF onto the middle platform and usmash any attempts to prevent him from making his way to the other side to continue spamming.
Usmash is also heavily spammable on this stage; it goes through platforms and SDI, particularly for a fastfalling character like MK, won't be useful for escaping.
An MK that planks against Link on this stage is just stupid. Sure, you have about 3 ledges to grab on any given side, while Link has infinite spamming options to rack up damage as you attempt to plank.
This stage also makes it easy for Link to whiplash recover. Dsmash at 200% from the center platform? Whiplashed. This is really helpful against a horizontal KOer/gimper like MK.

I need to do this for quite a while. Also I hate how I posted three months back.

 

[KirinBlaze]

We have this amazing old thread that NintenJoe made for the MK Match-Up, idk if it's still stickied or not. But the info it gave was fantastic.

 

[#HBC | Red Ryu]

I've read it before.

You think people would mind if I linked it to the thread here?

 

[Smashbro™]

actually, im a mk user, and my friend is a link user, so i know a lot about how link spams his dair on norfair.

but theres a problem...
in the scientific matter, link has a **** advantage against mk there, but thats not the case.
most meta knight's will try to stay on the ground, and try to up-B through the platform, and side dodge out of link's dair, leaving them open for a d-smash and a ko.
another thing is the capsual. if meta knight gets in the capsual first, you automatically got 20-30 damage on link. meta knight's D-Smash ranges the whole capsual, meaning link cant get in no matter what... exept one thing: the boomerang. use it, and they will know to tornado, leaving them open for a smash attack.

thats my advice for meta knight vs link in norfair.

in other case, its almost impossible to beat meta knight. AVOID HALBERD, LUIGI'S MANSION, AND DELFINO PLAZA AT ALL COSTS!

 

[Ryos4]

I thought luigi's mansion would be a good choice, considering how easy it is to set up a jab-lock with Link. As for Halberd. I find it decent. Sure Link can get gimped but how is that new. Meta being able to fly beneath the stage and then attack from below can be a bad thing. At the same time it kinda makes Meta really predictable if he does it enough. A SH dair could spell disaster for a meta trying to approach from below. Another solid defense is just dropping bombs and abusing air dodges.

But then again thats just my thoughts.

 

[Huggles828]

You can actually shield the lava wave on Norfair, spot dodge it, or grab the edge to be invincible during it. If your shield breaks and they try to punish it, DON'T desperately mash buttons to try to regain your balance. Get ready to DI straight down (YES, straight down) and hit Z twice to grab one of the many edges the very second you get launched (actually, be prepared to do this any time you're in kill range). There are videos of it somewhere on Youtube; I know there's one with Legan doing it against a very good Wario (I think his name was 2+2=?). A non-fastfalled dair will beat MK's UpB from right above him; make sure that you autocancel it rather than planting your sword in the ground.

You're going to have to choose a "cheap" level to stand a chance, like Weegee's Mansion or Norfair. You can pretty much tally a loss on Frigate Orpheon unless you get insanely lucky and it stays on the second stage almost the whole time. Be ready to use our awesome DI and ability to tether the edge immediately after being launched off to the fullest, because once you're past the edge of the stage, your only chance is that MK screws up. You MUST be disciplined in this match. It's so easy to fall into MK's traps of trying to punish his attacks like Mock Whorenado and fsmash and his aerials, but usually they're too fast to punish them if MK plays it right. Often your best option to "punish" MK is to run away as fast as you can and pull out a bomb. You're gonna have to work hard to space properly, so make sure not to give Meta Knight any extra openings. This is one of Link's hardest matchups, so you've gotta be on your toes.

 

[smashkng]

Aren't both Norfair and Brinstar one of MK's best stages? I mean close blast lines is always good for MK, his aerial Up b gets buffed a in smaller stages because it kills really early from close distances.

 

[Ryos4]

Well for characters easily gimpped like Link, the lava can save him. Norfair can do wonders for Link's Hook shot recovery, and theoretically keep him alive well into the 200's with the right DI and timing. Link's ability to camp is also good in this stage. Link's can more or less spam his Dair as much as he wants, which can kill Meta pretty early. And if meta chooses to attack from the safety of platforms above him. A bomb or two to his face may change his mind about it being safe, it not a Dair. Meta's Up special + Link's Dair = Meta death.

Im not really sure about Brinstar, i just hate that stage overall, but Lava is there to support Link.

Just realizing now that i probably just said the exact same thing above. lol.

 

[smashkng]

But isn't MK's Uair>Link Dair? And MK is amazing at hitting during the knockback after hitting the lava. And I think Link MK is easily 90/10 in Brinstar.

 

[Ryos4]

Possibly if only the Sword hits him without Meta actually touching Link's. Most likely it would best be attempted coming at Link from the side, but if your going to do that might as well Fair or something. I'm pretty sure most people with disjointed hit boxes can hit Link out of his Dair from below as long as they approach it correctly. However, since Link can adjust his movement through DI, it probably isn't a safe bet since Dair is so powerful. Its probably best to just stay out of the way and punish afterward.

Im not sure about brinstar. Doesn't the stage spread out of you break the middle part. Thus making the ledges closer for more recovery. The pieces that fall apart in the center seem to provide some sort of hitbox duration extension, each round piece seems each take damage individually, slowing down and extending moves. Which i've managed to actually use to my advantage with Dair once or twice. With meta knight actually flying into the attack, thinking Dair was over. I dont know if Meta can or wants to actually attempt to take advantage of that since he needs his speed and a few extra frames of hit box doesn't really help him more then hamper him.

The Lava can go both ways i suppose, since if Link can predict your Lava knock back, your dead if at what 80% or higher?

If its about going through the stage from below, i think Link might be one of the worst characters to try that against. Bombs and Dair make him pretty threatening when above, especially since bombs can lead into Dair. The only way that would work is by tricking Link, which may not be easy since Link players have to be on their toes at all times against pretty much every character. And if a Link chooses to fight against a Meta, then its obvious he is either good and smart, gutsy, or just plain stupid (which means any stage would be good against him). Meta's options to attack from below don't seem as threatening to Link either. Up special was already discussed. Uair, makes him rise too slowly allowing Link to prepare for it. Tornado, can be stopped from a multitude of Link's moves. Nair which has short range. And maybe his Side special, which i have no idea of how Links fair against.

It really just comes down to Gimping Link, which on any stage will be Link's greatest weakness. It might be a problem here with no Stage to Tech against, but then again he might just fly right through it to the other side if hit hard enough. And as said before Lava can aid Link's recovery.

It's really hard to say if Meta has any huge advantage to using Brinstar that he wouldn't have on any other stage.

 

[MooseLink93]

lol mk is such cheep caracter like i saw this one video on utube nd all the mk did was run away and tornado i mean hes not even playing just running away. antiair stuf like utilt works amazing vs stuff like his air approaches since all he has in that situation is like nado (he has that 4 everything lolz) and dair wich gets outranged by utilt tho you wanna be careful when u space it. zdrop bombs are great 4 countering nado nd hookshot is really bad cuz mk is to asmll to get hit by it. wen hes in the air its safe to throw out a falling uair when your falling the same speed as the mk cuz his dair cant hit you. mk gets killed pretty early onstage compared to link so staying grounded nd onstage should be very important in this battle. your grabs ourange his since u have a chain lolz so pivot grabbing approachs works if they figured out how u play.

 

[Scabe]

I'm going to try go into depth with this matchup. This is the most crucial matchup that we must learn. I'll post up some criteria and stuff later.

 

[Rizen]

Aren't both Norfair and Brinstar one of MK's best stages? I mean close blast lines is always good for MK, his aerial Up b gets buffed a in smaller stages because it kills really early from close distances.

For those who don't have Norfair legal CP Jungle Japes or Final destination. MK has eeeevil lag canceling landing options on Brinstar.

I've found if you're not to far horizontally from the stage and MK is juggling you from below spam Dair and fastfall. Often MK Uair chains than Nairs or upBs to finish it. Dair will take some hits but keep doing it, if MK goes for the KO or you slip a Dar through, MK will be launched up with force from close to the top KO zone. MK's upB does not have armor frames in the air and he will either trade hits with Dair or lose to it depending on how far in front of MK Link is.

 

[IYM!]

link have some adventages in norfair against MK , with 3 points to use the clawshot of each side of the stage
link can stop the Dsmash of MK with the DI Clawshot

also i think than link have adventage in shadow moses island because he has several attacks that can spew up quickly to MK (Dair, Utilt, Dsmash, Usmash and Uthrow) and in that stage are two walls to protect link of the strongest attacks of MK (Up-B , Dsmash, Fsmash, Nair)

and sorrry if my English is bad