LiteralGrill
Smokin' Hot~
Hey everyone! If you're seeing this thread there's a good chance you came from my article on the front page. These Mewtwo mains had a lot of great stuff to say but sadly I couldn't fit it all into one article so I put their full interviews here! I asked each expert these questions:
Want to see their full answers? Then keep on reading! When you're done, consider checking out the Mewtwo social as well to chat with even more Mewtwo mains.
What are your biggest achievements with Mewtwo? Why should folks consider you a 'Mewtwo Expert'?
Honestly, my biggest achievement when it comes to Mewtwo....is simply having him. I mean, when Smash 4 first came out, I remember waiting anxiously each and every day for Sakurai to post something in regards to him...and when it never happened, I was just kinda in disbelief. With X and Y's recent release and his Mega Evolution...it just seemed like Smash 4 would be the perfect time for his return. But, fortunately, it all worked out for me and all of the other supporters of him.
As for an actual achievement in my own right? Well, I guess you could say I'm happy just doing what I do every time I enter a tournament; playing as him and performing well. A lot of people seem really thrilled with my plays, especially since many consider him a hard to use character. I've told many people that, although I know his weaknesses, Mewtwo himself really does come naturally for me to play, but that could just be a me thing in the end. ^-^;
What interested you in playing Mewtwo?
Hmmm..... probably the fact that he's been with me throughout my entire childhood. I still remember the day when I caught him on my Yellow version, how I screamed and ran to my Mommy shouting "MOM! MOM! I DID IT! I CAUGHT THE MOST POWERFUL POKEMON IN THE WORLD!!"
But, yeah... I love Mewtwo for not only what he is, but who he is. In the Movie itself, which inspired Mewtwo in Smash, he has a lot of character and a lot of heart...albeit the things that he went through when he was young...
In a gameplay standpoint, I love his mobility and his ability to warp. I just feel really in control of where I am and where I want to be when I play him.
What are Mewtwo's biggest weaknesses?
Definitely his weight and height. Although Mewtwo does weigh slightly more than Jigglypuff, his heigh and tail actually cause him to die earlier, thus making him even more easy to KO. I'd say he'd be much more popular if his weight was more in line with his actual weight in games. (269 lbs)
But, I get what Sakurai was thinking when they designed him. He's a Psychic type, relying on his mind and not his actual physical qualities. That's the reason he floats, after all.
It's also important to note that some of his attacks don't actually create a damage frame until after the animation has started, which can catch me off guard at times. I'd like it if that was fixed. xD
What are Mewtwo's biggest strengths?
I'd say his biggest strengths are his powerful d-tilt/standing combo links and above average KOing potential. His attacks also have incredible range and relatively safe disjoints. He has an amazing projectile in Shadow Ball, which has quick startup and is quite safe due to Mewtwo's ability to reflect with Confusion. Shadow Ball also goes well with his overall mobillity. Utilizing it along with Confusion, Teleport and his double jump in the air give him tons of options when it comes to approaching and landing safely.
Is Mewtwo viable on a national level?
Depends on the dedication, honestly. I've seen characters being used on a national level that many once thought to be flat out bad.
Truth is, Mewtwo is not an exceedingly exceptional character in general. He has flaws that are obvious, and his attacks aren't always that safe. If you want to use Mewtwo on a national level, you're going to have to put in the effort to focus on his strengths and have the knowledge to make up for his weaknesses.
What are his worst and best matchups among the 'top tiers'?
His worst MU's are often dependent on one key factor; can they keep the pressure on him?
Mewtwo is exceedingly strong in the midrange due to his fast projectile and ranged psychic attacks. It also puts him in a position where he can bait for a grab which are strong in their own right.
Mewtwo can't stand characters that are fast and always on top of him. He can't charge Shadow Ball, and ...literally, if they're "above" him, he can't hit them with his pokes. (Jab and Dtilt) which can cause some real problems. Little Mac and Sheik really give me a hard time, since they can keep constant pressure...and well, Little Mac can KO Mewtwo almost too easily.
Advice for anyone interested in Mewtwo?
Patience.
Mewtwo isn't easy to use, and isn't for everyone. If you want a character that has powerful mobility, insane grabs, and some unique perks, then Mewtwo might be the one for you. The best advice I can give, specifically, is work on keeping the opponent where you want them to be. If something isn't working right, position yourself in a spot where it is. Stay on your toes, and keep your calm. Like a Psychic Pokemon should be, Mewtwo is all about the mind.
Honestly, my biggest achievement when it comes to Mewtwo....is simply having him. I mean, when Smash 4 first came out, I remember waiting anxiously each and every day for Sakurai to post something in regards to him...and when it never happened, I was just kinda in disbelief. With X and Y's recent release and his Mega Evolution...it just seemed like Smash 4 would be the perfect time for his return. But, fortunately, it all worked out for me and all of the other supporters of him.
As for an actual achievement in my own right? Well, I guess you could say I'm happy just doing what I do every time I enter a tournament; playing as him and performing well. A lot of people seem really thrilled with my plays, especially since many consider him a hard to use character. I've told many people that, although I know his weaknesses, Mewtwo himself really does come naturally for me to play, but that could just be a me thing in the end. ^-^;
What interested you in playing Mewtwo?
Hmmm..... probably the fact that he's been with me throughout my entire childhood. I still remember the day when I caught him on my Yellow version, how I screamed and ran to my Mommy shouting "MOM! MOM! I DID IT! I CAUGHT THE MOST POWERFUL POKEMON IN THE WORLD!!"
But, yeah... I love Mewtwo for not only what he is, but who he is. In the Movie itself, which inspired Mewtwo in Smash, he has a lot of character and a lot of heart...albeit the things that he went through when he was young...
In a gameplay standpoint, I love his mobility and his ability to warp. I just feel really in control of where I am and where I want to be when I play him.
What are Mewtwo's biggest weaknesses?
Definitely his weight and height. Although Mewtwo does weigh slightly more than Jigglypuff, his heigh and tail actually cause him to die earlier, thus making him even more easy to KO. I'd say he'd be much more popular if his weight was more in line with his actual weight in games. (269 lbs)
But, I get what Sakurai was thinking when they designed him. He's a Psychic type, relying on his mind and not his actual physical qualities. That's the reason he floats, after all.
It's also important to note that some of his attacks don't actually create a damage frame until after the animation has started, which can catch me off guard at times. I'd like it if that was fixed. xD
What are Mewtwo's biggest strengths?
I'd say his biggest strengths are his powerful d-tilt/standing combo links and above average KOing potential. His attacks also have incredible range and relatively safe disjoints. He has an amazing projectile in Shadow Ball, which has quick startup and is quite safe due to Mewtwo's ability to reflect with Confusion. Shadow Ball also goes well with his overall mobillity. Utilizing it along with Confusion, Teleport and his double jump in the air give him tons of options when it comes to approaching and landing safely.
Is Mewtwo viable on a national level?
Depends on the dedication, honestly. I've seen characters being used on a national level that many once thought to be flat out bad.
Truth is, Mewtwo is not an exceedingly exceptional character in general. He has flaws that are obvious, and his attacks aren't always that safe. If you want to use Mewtwo on a national level, you're going to have to put in the effort to focus on his strengths and have the knowledge to make up for his weaknesses.
What are his worst and best matchups among the 'top tiers'?
His worst MU's are often dependent on one key factor; can they keep the pressure on him?
Mewtwo is exceedingly strong in the midrange due to his fast projectile and ranged psychic attacks. It also puts him in a position where he can bait for a grab which are strong in their own right.
Mewtwo can't stand characters that are fast and always on top of him. He can't charge Shadow Ball, and ...literally, if they're "above" him, he can't hit them with his pokes. (Jab and Dtilt) which can cause some real problems. Little Mac and Sheik really give me a hard time, since they can keep constant pressure...and well, Little Mac can KO Mewtwo almost too easily.
Advice for anyone interested in Mewtwo?
Patience.
Mewtwo isn't easy to use, and isn't for everyone. If you want a character that has powerful mobility, insane grabs, and some unique perks, then Mewtwo might be the one for you. The best advice I can give, specifically, is work on keeping the opponent where you want them to be. If something isn't working right, position yourself in a spot where it is. Stay on your toes, and keep your calm. Like a Psychic Pokemon should be, Mewtwo is all about the mind.
1: I was ranked #6 on the last Wisconsin PR, I've gotten Top 8 in Milwaukee's Construct tournaments (the biggest tourney series in WI) multiple times, reaching Top 4 a few times as well. I went to Kings of the North 4 last weekend and placed 17th. I'm also on the UW-Madison Collegiate Crew, which will be playing in the next round of the Collegiate Crew Battle.
2: I think Mewtwo just matches my personality. Introverted, stubborn, kind of aloof. Pokemon was also the foundation of my childhood. I mained him in Melee as well.
3: Mewtwo unfortunately is kind of a chimera of weaknesses. People know about the weight (2nd lightest in the game), but Mewtwo's also got a lot of issues with his hitboxes on almost every move he has. He also has one of the largest hurtboxes in the game, as his tail is not fully intangible like Charizard's is. His frame data is pretty bad (fastest move is frame 6, fastest aerial frame 7), he has a horrible time getting off the ledge, his OoS game is among the worst...There's more but you get the idea.
3: Fortunately, Mewtwo probably benefits more than anyone from the low-tier advantage: MU inexperience. If you don't know the optimal response to Confusion, Dthrow, or Jab-Disable/Usmash, or you don't know that Dsmash has very little endlag and I can likely Disable your punish attempt, you're going to have a hard time. Despite his weight, Mewtwo has a lot of comeback potential and can kill very early, and his advantage state is actually not bad. Also Dtilt is one of the Top 5 moves in the game.
4: So as to not get into semantics on the word "viable," I'll just say that I think Mewtwo is among the least viable characters in the game. Where most people put him on tier lists right now (bottom 3/5) is about where he's at. Mewtwo's best top tier MU is probably Rosalina; Mewtwo finds it very easy to get rid of Luma and it's tough for Rosa to land. Fox, Mario and Captain Falcon are generally seen as his worst, and I would add Yoshi (basically nothing we have works on him) and Meta Knight.
5: Base your neutral around Dtilt. Know what options counter it and your options against those options, and mix up from there. Learn ALL your landing options; you will need them. RAR your Nairs. More generally, know what you're getting into. It's going to be difficult and bad things will happen. Embrace the challenge and don't get flustered.
2: I think Mewtwo just matches my personality. Introverted, stubborn, kind of aloof. Pokemon was also the foundation of my childhood. I mained him in Melee as well.
3: Mewtwo unfortunately is kind of a chimera of weaknesses. People know about the weight (2nd lightest in the game), but Mewtwo's also got a lot of issues with his hitboxes on almost every move he has. He also has one of the largest hurtboxes in the game, as his tail is not fully intangible like Charizard's is. His frame data is pretty bad (fastest move is frame 6, fastest aerial frame 7), he has a horrible time getting off the ledge, his OoS game is among the worst...There's more but you get the idea.
3: Fortunately, Mewtwo probably benefits more than anyone from the low-tier advantage: MU inexperience. If you don't know the optimal response to Confusion, Dthrow, or Jab-Disable/Usmash, or you don't know that Dsmash has very little endlag and I can likely Disable your punish attempt, you're going to have a hard time. Despite his weight, Mewtwo has a lot of comeback potential and can kill very early, and his advantage state is actually not bad. Also Dtilt is one of the Top 5 moves in the game.
4: So as to not get into semantics on the word "viable," I'll just say that I think Mewtwo is among the least viable characters in the game. Where most people put him on tier lists right now (bottom 3/5) is about where he's at. Mewtwo's best top tier MU is probably Rosalina; Mewtwo finds it very easy to get rid of Luma and it's tough for Rosa to land. Fox, Mario and Captain Falcon are generally seen as his worst, and I would add Yoshi (basically nothing we have works on him) and Meta Knight.
5: Base your neutral around Dtilt. Know what options counter it and your options against those options, and mix up from there. Learn ALL your landing options; you will need them. RAR your Nairs. More generally, know what you're getting into. It's going to be difficult and bad things will happen. Embrace the challenge and don't get flustered.
-For starters my biggest achievements with Mewtwo would be my solid tournament placings in a few Texas regionals as well high placings in Tourney Locator's Shockwave weekly, where I have beaten top level players like TLoc Denti, Aerolink, Gyo, and Karna. I have brought innovative tech and strategies with Mewtwo to my region and continue to work on developing new strategies to build the Mewtwo meta.
-I have always mained Mewtwo since Melee, he is my favorite Pokemon and Pokemon is my favorite Nintendo title since being a child playing the first generation of games. I have a long history with the character.
-Before mentioning his weaknesses, it is better to first talk about his strengths. Mewtwo has amazing combo potential with his jab and tilts, with both heavy damaging combos and kill confirm combos. His weight and floatiness can actually help him escape many of the other cast's combos. He has a solid grab game with confirms into his grab and powerful throws for both damage and knockback. He is great at spacing with his tail moves and his floatiness can be used to effectively bait air dodges for punishes. His specials are all also very good, with Shadow Ball being very powerful when charged, or can be spammed uncharged. Confusion beats shield and can combo, and disable can be a super clutch move that single handedly wins you a game. With Mewtwo, you want to space and zone the opponent with tilts and Shadow Ball pressure, then link into his many confirms for massive damaging combos.
-Mewtwo's strength is also his weakness. Being the second lightest in the game, one hit can mean the stock for Mewtwo. Also his floatiness makes it very hard for him to land back on the ground, which is where you wanna be in the neutral. It can be very difficult to get back in the neutral when recovering from off stage as his big size and floatiness allows opponents to harass him during his recovery and landing options.
-Mewtwo is definitely viable on a national level. He has plenty of options and tools to handle the top tiers, and although he may lose some match ups, every matchup of his is doable. I do not believe he loses any matchup incredibly badly. However some are much easier with the help of certain stages.
-Out of strictly the top tiers, Mewtwo struggles the most against ZSS and Pikachu. They are very mobile characters who can put Mewtwo in the air easily and harass his landing options. Both the matchups are doable, however it forces Mewtwo to play outside of his comfort zone, as you'll have to be in the air a bit more often then normal. ZSS is probably the more difficult of the two. By far Mewtwo's best matchup would be against Luigi. Mewtwo dominates Luigi, it is one of Mewtwo's best matchups in general.
-My advice to anyone looking to play Mewtwo is completely 100% forget about his weight. I believe his light weight is the biggest thing that distracts people from Mewtwo's many strengths, and creates the illusion that he is a bad, low tier character. I have always said this to those people since the very beginning, his light weight only matters if you get hit. Why are you always getting hit? Focus on his strengths, develop your spacing and combo game, and you will begin to understand how good Mewtwo really is.
-I have always mained Mewtwo since Melee, he is my favorite Pokemon and Pokemon is my favorite Nintendo title since being a child playing the first generation of games. I have a long history with the character.
-Before mentioning his weaknesses, it is better to first talk about his strengths. Mewtwo has amazing combo potential with his jab and tilts, with both heavy damaging combos and kill confirm combos. His weight and floatiness can actually help him escape many of the other cast's combos. He has a solid grab game with confirms into his grab and powerful throws for both damage and knockback. He is great at spacing with his tail moves and his floatiness can be used to effectively bait air dodges for punishes. His specials are all also very good, with Shadow Ball being very powerful when charged, or can be spammed uncharged. Confusion beats shield and can combo, and disable can be a super clutch move that single handedly wins you a game. With Mewtwo, you want to space and zone the opponent with tilts and Shadow Ball pressure, then link into his many confirms for massive damaging combos.
-Mewtwo's strength is also his weakness. Being the second lightest in the game, one hit can mean the stock for Mewtwo. Also his floatiness makes it very hard for him to land back on the ground, which is where you wanna be in the neutral. It can be very difficult to get back in the neutral when recovering from off stage as his big size and floatiness allows opponents to harass him during his recovery and landing options.
-Mewtwo is definitely viable on a national level. He has plenty of options and tools to handle the top tiers, and although he may lose some match ups, every matchup of his is doable. I do not believe he loses any matchup incredibly badly. However some are much easier with the help of certain stages.
-Out of strictly the top tiers, Mewtwo struggles the most against ZSS and Pikachu. They are very mobile characters who can put Mewtwo in the air easily and harass his landing options. Both the matchups are doable, however it forces Mewtwo to play outside of his comfort zone, as you'll have to be in the air a bit more often then normal. ZSS is probably the more difficult of the two. By far Mewtwo's best matchup would be against Luigi. Mewtwo dominates Luigi, it is one of Mewtwo's best matchups in general.
-My advice to anyone looking to play Mewtwo is completely 100% forget about his weight. I believe his light weight is the biggest thing that distracts people from Mewtwo's many strengths, and creates the illusion that he is a bad, low tier character. I have always said this to those people since the very beginning, his light weight only matters if you get hit. Why are you always getting hit? Focus on his strengths, develop your spacing and combo game, and you will begin to understand how good Mewtwo really is.
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