New to site, got a few questions before starting to better my skillz

[Hiphiphooray]

First time posting on this site. Decided to register and check it out after seeing a sick combo video online. When i showed my friends this video they said it was, "probably hacked." Thats when i decided to focus of learning the tech listed here and become as good as the creators of these videos!

General info about me:
-been playing ssb64 since a kid, but just recently started playing competitively with friends
-my friends and I arent pro, we mainly just roll and grab, and attempt to spike when they are getting back on the edge.
-I have no set main, so im willing to play any character thats easy to get the basics down.
-None of us use tilts.
-We fastfall and roll after being hit though.
-None of us l-cancel or z-cancel (are these the same thing?)
-None of us use combos besides the basic ones like dair into dsmash for jiggly.

Basically, I want to get better than my friends, but am having difficulty learning all these new tech, and having no understanding of when to implement them. Specifically, I'm starting to be able to dash dance, tilt and short hop but i have no idea when and why this would help me.

So overall, for someone like me, who rolls around and focuses on grabs, occasionally spiking and using weak combos, how should I advance to the next level? I'd say my best character is kirby, because i just spam Fsmash and then Dair when they are off the edge of the map. I also use pika and just Fair and backgrab alot. However, ill play any character to get better.

Any tips will help, thanks!

 

[Dragoon Fighter]

You will get better results if you repost this here.

 

[Robsta]

Kirby is a nice character to use, most characters in this game are similar so picking up a new character wont be too challenging. There s no L-Cancelling in 64 that's in Melee, however there is Z-cancelling which is an important thing to learn.

I would suggest looking around the site and learning the following:
-Short Hopping
-Z-cancelling
-Teching
-Edge guarding
-Edge Hogging
-Shield Grabbing
And learning basic character combos.

 

[MattNF]

most characters in this game are similar

uhhhhhhhhh

 

[asianaussie]

Why there and not here?

Almost precisely the same issue.

Tilts are some of the best moves in the game. Kirby, Pika, Link and Yoshi have U-Tilts that **** tremendously. Some F-Tilts are good as gtfo moves - Kirby and Fox come to mind. D-Tilts vary, but some are very useful, some slightly less so. Some characters rely on tilts in combos - Yoshi, Fox and maybe Jiggs come to mind.

Short hops allow you to use aerial attacks on opponents near the ground without jumping and falling into them. It's a matter of speed. Why, you ask? Aerials are also some of the best moves in the game. There are other reasons to short hop, but just stick with this for now.

Explaining dashdancing has never been my forte, I use it unconsciously but I don't know why (it does work though, sets up lots of free hits for me).

The best way to improve is to get online - that's the fastest way to contact and play good opponents. There are issues, but that's ultimately the easiest recommendation.

Otherwise:

First of all, learn all the basics - go into practice mode and learn the timing for Z-cancels (this won't take more than a couple minutes). Then, fight CPUs and try to win a 5 stock match without missing any Z-cancels, but also playing the way you normally do (ie dont change your controller position so you Z-cancel more).

Second, calm yourself when playing. This is the key problem with kids on console - they're hyped up. Watch what your opponent likes to do. If he runs at you then immediately rolls behind you, learn to turn around and punish them. Grabs are still fine for this bit.

Third, what you want to do is diversify. For instance, Pika's grabs are good, but consider using his U-Tilt, which at mid-percents is a one-move combo that links into his strong back-air.

 

[Hiphiphooray]

Thanks for all the replies and help so far. Ill set up my online emulator later this week.
Another difficulty I should probably address is in the controller. I get so frustrated when i attempt Ftilt and get the very slow fsmash. Or when i try to Usmash out of sheild, ill almost always just shieldgrab. Even short hopping is like 50/50 for me. Granted all these things are new to me and will probably get better with time, is there any way i can speed this process, or any tricks to make it easier to use. I use an original N64 controller (i have several old ones, with joysticks mashed to pieces, and a few new ones with solid joysticks).

 

[asianaussie]

the only real advice is to practice

for me, i leave a delay between jamming the stick and pressing A to guarantee my smashes. i've never had trouble jump-cancelling into a smash, so I can't help you there.

 

[DemonicInfluence]

The most important tech to learn is z-canceling. Then short-hopping. Tilts are probably third.

One easy way to practice all 3 is to use kirby. Short hop, down air, z-cancel, utilt. You should hold the stick up while you are in the down air animation. This will make sure you are buffered and then after you z-cancel, you can just press A and you tilt correctly. (keyboard trick )

 

[Dsc]

Short hopping is the MOST important move in the game.

Isnt it

 

[ballin4life]

Short hopping is the MOST important move in the game.

Isnt it

blue yoshi disagrees

 

[NixxxoN]

.... Z CANCEL is even more important than short hopping

 

[SuPeRbOoM]

uh tilting is more important than short hopping

 

[Dsc]

Z cancels wouldnt be used so much if it wasnt for short hopping.

Im not sure about tilts though.

 

[ciaza]

Z cancels wouldnt be used so much if it wasnt for short hopping.

Dsc I hate you.

I'd say the most important move/technique to learn is aerials.

 

[asianaussie]

aerials arent a technique

they're a way of life

 

[Battlecow]

Fools. The most important technique to learn is FALCON PAWNCH

Oh and I left a post on the social thread for you dude.

 

[Blue Yoshi]

Short hopping is the MOST important move in the game.

Isnt it

blue yoshi disagrees

Actually, I completely agree. On keyboard, I can't don't shorthop (as everyone knows), but on controller, I can/do. So of all people, I would be the one who knows how important short hopping is. And trust me, short hopping gives you so many more options, it's not even fair. That's why (for the most part, with a few exceptions) I always ask people not to post vids of me using keyboard online, since... well, I'm not playing anywhere near to my full potential... and don't feel like johning in a youtube video that I'm not short-hopping.

That's also why Jigglypuff is the only character I can play at high-ish level play, since she gets affected the least from no short-hopping. Falcon without shorthop = fail, Kirby even without shorthop = fail. Don't even get me started with Luigi...

 

[Agony]

Pick any character (i'd suggest link) and practice the three techniques mentioned above, 'cause they are equally important to learn.

Once you get used to these, you'll realize why we said you needed to learn them =P

 

[#HBC | ѕoup]

Pick captain falcon
dashdance to impress friends
uair combo them
????
Profit.

that or be a cool kid and play mario.
everybodys doing it.

 

[ballin4life]

Actually, I completely agree. On keyboard, I can't don't shorthop (as everyone knows), but on controller, I can/do. So of all people, I would be the one who knows how important short hopping is. And trust me, short hopping gives you so many more options, it's not even fair. That's why (for the most part, with a few exceptions) I always ask people not to post vids of me using keyboard online, since... well, I'm not playing anywhere near to my full potential... and don't feel like johning in a youtube video that I'm not short-hopping.

That's also why Jigglypuff is the only character I can play at high-ish level play, since she gets affected the least from no short-hopping. Falcon without shorthop = fail, Kirby even without shorthop = fail. Don't even get me started with Luigi...

Blue Yoshi, you can beat people without short hopping right? Can you could beat those same people without z canceling? I would doubt it ... therefore z canceling > short hop. That's what I was going for at least.

Also if short hopping were really so important you'd change your KB settings or get an adapter

 

[Gammelnorsk]

Pick captain falcon
dashdance to impress friends
uair combo them
????
Profit.

that or be a cool kid and play mario.
everybodys doing it.

only people who sit alone at lunch and eat marshmellow + raisin sandwiches play mario

 

[Battlecow]

LOL you just got dissed by the viking metal guy. I feel so sorry for you.

Only people who surreptitiously sniff other people's hair whenever they're near them play jigglypuff

 

[#HBC | ѕoup]

only people who sit alone at lunch and eat marshmellow + raisin sandwiches play mario

 

[Purtle]

I love how this got so off topic

 

[asianaussie]

welcome to the forum lol

 

[Froski]

only people who sit alone at lunch and eat marshmellow + raisin sandwiches play mario

i play mario and i dont do any of that

 

[th3kuzinator]

only people who **** hot women and are successful in life play kirby....

just look at MATTS!

LOL

 

[Froski]

only people who **** hot women and are successful in life play kirby....

just look at MATTS!

LOL

pshhh then i must be a pro at kirby

 

[#HBC | ѕoup]

only people who **** hot women and are successful in life play kirby....

Just look at matts!

i see what you did there.

 

[The Star King]

Yeah, well, mortal angels that have descended from the heavens, and been blessed with divine smash wisdom and infinite coolness play Yoshi. People that use other characters can never hope to have a mere fraction of the raw awesomeness these Yoshi players have at their disposal.

 

[asianaussie]

Um...

what if you play mario AND yoshi

 

[The Star King]

I play everybody, it's all about who you use the most :3