WALUIGI HAS JOINED THE BRAWL
Standard A button attacks
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A 3% AA 5% AAA 10% So, there's your standard A button combo that every character has. It should be noted that you don't ever have a reason to tap the A button only once or twice. If you're going to use this standard attack, then use the whole combo. This will benefit you anyway, as the whole 3 hit combo is very fast, and surprisingly enough the final hit has low but decent knockback. It's a quick, nifty way to get someone out of your face for second. If you're fast, after you've knocked someone away you can follow them with a Down B special, and deal some damage before they can recover.
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Dash Attack Individual hits 1% each Final hit 2% If you connect with the entire animation, you'll hit 7 times for a total of 8%. I've heard talk that this move is useless, but not really. Once caught in the flurry, a character can't escape the rush until the move is over, and the final hit has very low knockback (larger at higher percents), but it's enough to get people away for a brief moment. If you're in a Free for all battle, and you have multiple opponents in front of you, the move can catch all three of them at once. However, this is difficult to do, and it's not recommended. But the option is there. Be careful with this dash attack. You can use it, but do so sparingly; it's one of the moves that leaves Waluigi horribly vulnerable if it doesn't connect.
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Forward Tilt 10% Damage builder. Low knockback at higher percentages.
Up Tilt 9% Low knockback, but very good for setting up aerial combos. Send your opponents up and hammer with them with Waluigi's superior aerial ability.
Down Tilt 9% At low percents, this move will typically only cause your enemies to flinch. Occasionally, they may lose their footing and fall to ground, but it's a quick recovery from there and you really won't be able to take advantage of it. Around 90%, this'll start causing some very, very minor knockback. Use it to set up a quick smash attack.
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Aerial Attacks Aerials are one of Waluigi's greatest assets. His general floatiness and quick attacks make it simple to pound out two to three attacks in a single jump with time to spare. In two jumps, you can potentially hit with up to six attacks, and quickly build up the damage. Abuse fast falling while doing this (while falling, tap the control stick downto fall much faster) and with some quick reactions, you can combo your enemies to hell and back.
Neutral Air 14% This move has been strengthened since the last game. It comes out very quick, and at higher damages (around 100) it can actually be used as a reasonably effective kill move. This is a decent option for approaching an opponent from above, but don't rely on it too much. Out of all of Waluigi's aerial attacks, this one is the most laggy, meaning it takes much longer after using this for Waluigi to revert to "normal" and be able to use other attacks. It's not hard to do, but try to only use it when you're positive it will connect.
Up Air 13% Mid range knockback at higher percentages. It's best used for racking up damage during combos.
Down Air 11% Good for approach from above, and mid range knockback. Most often, when this move hits, your enemy will fly to the side of you. However, on occasion this move will count as a meteor smash, and can be used to spike your opponent down into oblivion. UPDATE: I was previously having problems getting the spike to work reliably, as the conditions seemed to have changed since Melee. However, my personal method was flawed. Thankfully, reader TheUnruly1 stepped in and helped me get my *** in gear. Here's what he had to say: "It actually needs to connect *above* his knees and up, or at least above the most useful, downward-reaching part of the move. And during the first couple of frames the attack is out." That's right as rain folks. This is harder to do than it was in Melee, and the window of oppurtunity seems to be shorter. The range he gives is accurate, but can be tough to actually manage. It almost makes it easier to do if you are rising up to meet someone falling towards you, and it may help to start out trying to use it that way so you'll get a sense of it's range. As for the timing, you'll want to start the attack the instant before it would connect. Practice this and get the timing down to an art, and you'll be able to pull off the Meteor Smash just about anytime you need it.
Forward Air 10% How disappointing. In melee, this was a very powerful kill move. It has been downgraded severely. The speed of the attack is as great as ever, with mid level knockback, but it will only KO at very high percents, nearing 150 even for lighter characters. You can use this move to get people the hell away from you, but do not try to rely on it for kills.
Back Air 12% Mid knockback. Fun to use when edge guarding, and more likely to kill than Forward Air.
______ Other attacks
Attacking when hanging from a ledge This is the move you use if you press the A button when hanging from a ledge. If your own damage is lower than 100%, then this attack will do 8% to your opponent. If your own damage is higher than 100%, then this attack will do 10% to your opponent.
Down Taunt 2% Waluigi was once the only character who could do damage with his taunt. Nowadays, Snake can as well (thanks to theblackbreath for alerting me to this fact). Waluigi's, however, is still more fun to use, heh. If you somehow manage to connect with this little kick, you'll do 2% damage and send your opponent straight up in the air. The knockback however, is set, and your opponent will fly the same distance whether their damage is 0% or 999%. An interesting bit though, is that if your enemy is hanging from a ledge, and you manage to kick them with this taunt while they are hanging, they will be instantly spiked straight down to their deaths, damage ignored and unable to recover. This is undeniably fun. Unfortunately, this move has no practical use. If you have the guts to attempt to use it as an attack during a heated fight, and you actually manage to connect with it, consider it a humiliation tactic.
Crawling Not really an attack, but it seemed the most appropriate place to put this. Waluigi is one of the handful of characters who is able to crawl. Personally, I haven't found much use for crawling, enough so that I often forget that it can be done at all. It is there though, and Waluigi can do it (rather humorously, he scooches along while crouched), so keep it in mind. Thanks to Kevin G. for pointing out that I forgot to add this.
------ Smash Attacks
Forward Smash Uncharged 14% Fully charged 19% This move is deadly. Use it for kills. The knockback is fantastic, and it can kill as low as 50-60% when fully charged, give about 10-15 for the heavier characters. For reference, Bowser, the heaviest character, will die from this attack at about 75%. Even the quick uncharged version of this smash will start killing in the 70% range. If you can sweetspot this smash and hit with the very tip of Waluigi's fingers, the knockback will be slightly greater. The added distance is moot, however, as by the time an opponent's damage is high enough for it to matter, the move will be capable of killing them anyway.
Up Smash Uncharged 12-15% Fully Charged 16-21% Mid range knockback. The uncharged version of this attack won't be useful for kills until much higher percents. The fully charged version will start to kill around 80-90%. Try to use this to hit people who may be on platforms above you. It can work pretty well as a surprise attack this way.
Down Smash Uncharged 16-18% Fully Charged 22-23% Mid knockback. A full charge will start to kill in the late 80s. If you're quick, this move is good for clearing space around you to create some breathing room.
------ B Special Moves
B - Fireball 6% This is a fairly short range projectile compared to others in the game. It's too slow to abuse it, but throwing fireballs during small breaks in the action can help to build up damage over time. Keep in mind that Waluigi's fireball is not affected by gravity, and will fly straight and true until it disappears.
Up B - Super Jump Punch/Fire Jump Punch Standard hit - 1% Perfect "Fire" hit - 25% Usable for Recovery As attacks go, this move is very dangerous to use, but the payoff is immense if you succeed. If you hit the opponent, but your aim is off, the move will do a measly 1% damage and leave you horribly vulnerable. However, if you get a perfect hit, it will ping, Waluigi's fist, and subsequently, his opponent's whole body will set on fire, and the enemy will be sent flying straight up at high speed. The perfect hit will do 25% damage. 3 Fire jump punches will rack up 75% damage, and will kill anyone, anywhere. The thing is, the speed and distance of the knockback for this move is ridiculous, and if you're good enough to hit somebody with it in the air, you can kill them at very low percentages. Make absolutely sure to use fastfalling (again, tap down on the control stick while falling to fall faster) after performing this move as an attack, especially if you miss. It takes a long time for Waluigi to hit the ground again, and you'll be wide open until he recovers. Out of all of Waluigi's moves, this technique has the highest payoff, but with the greatest risk. Be careful! As a recovery move, it's best for gaining height if you're trying to return from below the stage. Waluigi has become more mobile while falling after this move than he was in the last game, so you can use it a little bit farther away from the edge than you might think is safe. However, it depends on your distance and your height. Experiment so you can feel what the limits are.
Forward B - Purple Missile Anywhere from 5 to 26%, depending on the charge. Misfire will hit for 25% Usable for recovery This move is chargeable. Hold the B button to start the charge. When it's full, Waluigi will start flashing, but he won't be able to move. He'll still in the squatting, pre- launch position until you release the B button to fire. The higher you charge, the greater the resulting speed and distance that be reached when you release. There is a small chance that this move will "misfire". When this happens, Waluigi will explode, and fly very far, very fast. The distance and speed will vary depending on how much you charged before you released. When the misfire happens, Waluigi will catch fire, and any opponents he hits in the process will be sent flying, potentially to their deaths if the damage is high enough. There's no way to be sure when this will happen, but a misfire won't be able to screw you up nearly as bad as it could in Melee, so don't worry about it overmuch. The Purple Missile is Waluigi's best method for horizontal recovery. I somehow forgot to mention on interesting side effect of the Purple Missile, and thanks to romanshelton flamedtechno for reminding me. When the purple missile is about halfway and above to being fully charged, it is possible, if facing a wall when firing it, that Waluigi will get his head jammed into the wall. It's not a random effect, and you can do it reliably once you work out the point where the charge is great enough to put you through the wall. Mind you, it doesn't work on every surface. Unfortunately, this technique is just for kicks (and can leave you vulnerable if your opponent dodges and you get stuck in a wall behind them). As far as recovery goes, it can help you get closer to the ledge while getting a breather, but don't depend on it. Getting stuck will hold you to the wall for a few seconds, but it will NOT reset your jumps. In short, if you've already used your second jump and are too far below the stage's ledge for the Super Jump Punch to save you, then you're boned anyway. Sorry!
Down B - Waluigi Cyclone 5 hits First 4 - 2% each Final - 4% Usable for recovery. This move is incredibly versatile. When this hits, the opponent is sucked into the cyclone to take each hit. The first four build damage, and the final hit low to mid knockback. Use this on the ground and hold left or right, and will Waluigi will zip off in that direction while spinning. This is harder to control than it was in Melee (you can still move quickly back and forth, but the range is smaller) but it's still very effective. You can use this method for crowd control, combo setups, and as a very speedy way to close the distance with your opponent. Something special about the cyclone is that if you repeatedly and quickly tap B after activating it, you can use it gain height. This has a couple of different uses, but you need to remember how to use it properly. If you started the move on the ground and you start tapping, you quickly gain a good amount of height. This allows you to safely attack from below. If you started the move in the air and start tapping, the result depends on your inertia. If you were moving up, say out of a jump, the height gain is fantastic, and can be used for attacking and recovery. However, if you were falling at the time, the move will hold you in the air for the duration, but you won't gain any real height. Remember not to use it while falling if there isn't any ground beneath you! You can use the Cyclone for pursuit of an airborne enemy. This will be discussed further in the strategy section. As a recovery move, this is great for getting some height while far from the stage, and works wonders for catching the ledge from below the stage. Again, make sure you're moving up when you start tapping during the spin. If you're falling, you won't gain any height.
_____ Throws
Grab Attack - Headbutt 3%
Up Throw 8% Mid range. Use it to set up combos.
Forward Throw 9% Low range.
Back Throw 12% Very high range. This move has been beefed up again since Melee. At high percents, it is definitely capable of a KO, especially closer to the edge of a stage. Waluigi's grab range isn't real great though, so be careful when attempting to use this.
Down Throw 6% Will give your enemy some bounce! This can be used to chaingrab, but it's slow, and Waluigi's short grab range makes it difficult. It's not all that useful, but it can be done.
______ Final Smash
POSITIVE ZONE Damage Varies When Waluigi's Final Smash is activated, things get trippy, and Waluigi performs a strange dance that has a number of effects. Once the dance is complete, you'll be able to move and attack your disadvantaged enemies. The following list, referenced with thanks from smashbros.com, are the possible status effects that can happen to the enemies that are caught in range of the Negative Zone. Lowered attack power. Lighter weight. (Will fly farther when hit) Increased tripping. Low level, but constant, damage increase. Flower on head. Dizziness. (dazed and unable to move) Taunting. Sleeping. Slowed movement. (similar to the watch item) It won't cause all of these every time, but rather a varied mix of them each time. Negative Zone is far more effective than one might think. However, this Final Smash does have an area of effect. Don't hammer the B button the moment you get the smash ball, if your opponents aren't around you, they won't get caught in the circle, and the smash will be wasted. First thing to note is this, if you catch your enemies in the smash, but none of the side effects halt their ability to move, they will still be able to attack you. Thankfully, it doesn't matter, as Waluigi is entirely invincible until he completes the dance. Hopefully though, the smash will stop them in their tracks, and even if it doesn't, you'll be in a good position. You can now systematically visit each of your downed opponents, and nail them with a perfect Super Jump Punch, or alternatively, a fully charged forward smash. If you're in a free for all and you're quick, you can easily kill all three of your opponents this way. It seems I stand corrected about one thing. Thanks go to David M. and Jason J., who wrote in to tell me that you can in fact get more than one kill on the same opponent while this smash is active.
Playstyle:
Combo potential - Waluigi is a beast in the air. He falls slow enough and has fast enough attacks that it's easy to get out several standard aerial attacks in two jumps. Use this to your advantage to rack up the damage and control where your opponent flies. Learn the versatility of Waluigi
Cyclone - Use this to close the distance with your opponent quickly, and use it to clear crowds. The last hit has knockback, so use it to quickly surprise your opponent and send them up to set up combos. One useful thing about the Cyclone is pursuit. Quickly tapping the B button after starting the move will let you gain a lot of height. You can, for example, use an Up throw on an enemy, then chase them up with the cyclone and nail them before they can react. If you hit an opponent high enough straight up, quickly jump, and while you're still moving up, start tapping the cyclone. If you're quick and you time it right, you can interrupt their fall with your attack, and if their damage is high enough the final hit can score a KO. If you learn how to do this well, you can get a lot of vertical KOs. Finishing Moves - You're best finishers are as follows. Forward Smash - Charge it up if you can. Perfect (Fire) Super Jump Punch - Devastating. But be careful with it. Aerial Neutral A - This has surprising power. Experiment with it and you'll see what it can do. Back Throw - It has the power, just use it sparingly. Waluigi's grabs aren't the greatest, and you'll be vulnerable if you miss. Aerial Down A - It has the potential to spike. Use it often, especially while edge guarding. Don't be afraid to meet your opponent with this. Even if it doesn't spike, the sideways knockback is effective. Recovery - Waluigi has three different recovery moves, and can return from very far away if you use them properly. Here's an example. First off, when sent flying, immediately use directional influence (hold the control stick in the opposite direction of your flight) to slow yourself down. Once heading back towards the stage, start charging the purple missile. Charge time depends on your distance and height, so use your best judgment, just know that you'll rarely have time to charge it all the way. Once you've reached the length of your missile, use your double jump, and near the height of your jump, start up the Waluigi cyclone and tap to gain as much height as possible. This will put you close enough to either get back to safety, or put you in range to successfully recover with the Super Jump Punch. Mix things up, depending on where you've been sent, and eliminate unnecessary moves if you're close enough to not need them. One last note on the Cyclone. If you're returning to the stage from above and your opponent is waiting for you, use the Cyclone rather than an A attack. The priority is better, and you'll have a better chance of coming out on top after the clash. Team Battles - The most effective partners for Waluigi are those that make up for his weaknesses (range, projectiles,), and are strong enough to be able to cover him in return when he's vulnerable. Ness and Lucas are both good choices for coverage, strength, and range. Sonic and other speed characters are also effective to help set up kills. Rack up the damage and finish them off before they can blink. Waluigi can also effectively cover a primarily projectile user, providing the close range dominance while his partner builds up the damage while afar. Super Jump Punch Combo- Thanks to Booken The Blue and Daniel for writing to me on this subject. I added the comments, but the moves are all them. The gist of this combo is using the A standard attacks to set up the Fire Jump Punch. Booken's version (1 tap of the A button) and Daniel's (2 taps) can be equally effective based on the situation, but can be dangerous for you if you screw it up. In short, get up close, tap A once, or twice for a longer stun, and while the opponent flinches from the attack, quickly use the Super Jump Punch. It works pretty well, and is good for building damage provided you can hit with it, but it is kind of reckless. If you're slightly off on your aim, or the opponent is able to shield the jump itself, you'll be entirely vulnerable to an enemy that is in the perfect position to counterattack. Take note though, that while it can work on any character, it's much easier to use on larger slower characters. The faster your opponent, the more likely they'll be able to dodge this. You can probably spam it on the likes of Bowser, but use it sparingly on the likes of Fox. They'll punish you horribly if you miss. KamikaziCat wrote in with two combos he created. Here's what he had to say, copied directly from his email. "Screw Punch I have created a technique that Requires the use of an item, Grab a screw ball and run up to and enemy and quickly jump twice. Right as you finish your second jump use the up b and usually you will use the super Jump punch. The best thing is that they are already in the air so chances of killing are a lot higher. Waluigi's Gambit This one is only useful when you have an enemy who is charging a easily recognizable smash. Get just outside their smash range, and Roll towrds them. Immediatly do the up b. You have a good chance that it will do the super jump punch. The problem is that if you go too far you will fall into a medium to full charged smash.