-Philip Coast Philip-
Smash Ace
I didn't get a chance to play at all this summer, but I just played a match today and found out some new stuff. Here's the optimal way to hold the controller.
My configuration:
-Use right hand
-Thumb on stick
-First knuckle of index finger (or tip of your finger if you have small hands) on A Button
-Middle finger on R
-For B, I extend my index finger out and hit/mash it with the underside of my finger, or just reach my knuckle up, depending on the move
-To short-hop, I just quickly press down+c with my knuckle. Takes some getting used to, but it works.
-For Z, I only use it to roll up on edges, where I have a second to reach under and press it with my ring finger
-How I hold the controller: Use my pinky and ring finger and the side of my hand to cradle the side of the controller for support/stability, while on my leg. Rule is, you can only use one hand...
Let me just say, for everything, pointing the stick in the right direction is a little hard at first, especially for certain moves, but you just have to learn to be gentle at first and then build into it. If you try, you can get better fast at it. Also, this might hurt your hand/wrist at the beginning, but it goes away once you get used to it.
Attacking:
Basically, I attack with A so I can use R to R-cancel. Z-canceling isn't really an option unless you're playing left-handed, but that doesn't really allow you to attack well. This also means that you can't grab out of shield. For Up+B, I lift my hand up so I can have a better control of the joystick (since you don't need any of the other buttons during B-moves), so I use the tip of my pointer finger for B. Otherwise, I just use my knuckle or the underside of my index finger for B-moves, being careful not to hit the A button. I've gotten it to the point where R-canceling is a reflex after every move just like Z or L-canceling. For Smash attacks, I find that you just gotta get used to pressing directions with your thumb, accurately. Dsmash and Fsmash are easy, but Usmash is a little awkward at first. Tilts aren't that hard either - really, it's all about getting used to the stick with your thumb. And jabs of course are cake.
Aerials are a little harder. All of them are easy going straight up, but doing them with a fast-fall, or in a lateral direction as well as vertical, is a bit more work. For example, falling into someone at an angle with Pikachu's fair. Dropping through platforms out of shield to a Bair is easy with R, if you know you're going to hit, but I find it's bad to build up a habit of using R to attack, because then I'll want to attack with R, not A (You need to be able to R-cancel). Hopefully I can get it down to the point where... well, like in Melee, where I freely interchange stick+A and c-stick input for certain attacks, depending.
Defense/Recovery:
Use R as shield. It's easy to jump with up when you first start, but eventually you'll need to reach up and hit Down+C with your knuckle if you want to short-hop. Dash-dancing is pretty easy once you get it down. R to grab, of course. Also, Up+B out of shield is pretty easy.
I change my hand position really quickly sometimes, like while recovering, to allow myself to control the joystick better for precise moves - it's not like my hand is in a constant position; there's a lot of movement to hit all the buttons just right, at times.
To ledgehop, I find it's possible to use Up+C to jump (middle finger I think), but if you're comfortable using Down+C then that should be your first choice. When falling down and you're spamming jump to recover, Up+C works well for that - don't rely on Up because it's harder to spam quickly with one hand.
DI is possible, it's just tough for now.
And taunt-canceling is hard still... >.<
Characters (limited data for now, sorry, and you could probably guess on a lot of these):
Pikachu: Since Pika relies on a lot of fast, short-hopped attacks, playing her is pretty tough so far. Dash-dance to grab and aerials are the strengths, (and Fsmash), but I don't have much info yet.
Falcon: Fairly easy to combo with, since it's usually Uairs, but controlling him and recovering with him are a chore, making him an awkward choice. Also R-canceled dair to usmash or uair is confusing sometimes. Not much info yet.
Jigglypuff: I can successfully short-hop, r-cancel drill-kick, utilt, utilt, jump rest, it's not that hard after awhile. Same with grab combos. I think she's got good potential, you just have to get the short-hops straight, and learn to be agile. Sometimes I mess up her rising pound and kill myself, but I just need more control and practice.
Yoshi: His "easy" recovery makes him a good choice, and his drill kick and ranged moves help him out. Not much info yet.
Samus: She's my favorite, so far (but I'm probably biased, so... >_>). Her inability to be comboed well helps out a lot, as being able to maneuver around and dodge stuff. Her attacks are pretty easy to do. Short-hop Ff'd dair to bair isn't that bad, and her ledgehops and what not are fine too. What's hard is dash-dancing with her and being aglie. Good choice.
Link: He's pretty fun to play with actually. All his stuff is pretty easy, except for shffl'd bair. Er... shuffz'd? Shffr'd. There we go. Shuffered...anyway.
Kirby/Ness/Fox/Mario/Luigi/DK - Not much info.
Anyone else have info on this? I'll try updating this as I experiment more...
***
Video:
Samus vs Pikachu 2 - kongo (old video, from when I first started - about 10 hours in of playing)
My configuration:
-Use right hand
-Thumb on stick
-First knuckle of index finger (or tip of your finger if you have small hands) on A Button
-Middle finger on R
-For B, I extend my index finger out and hit/mash it with the underside of my finger, or just reach my knuckle up, depending on the move
-To short-hop, I just quickly press down+c with my knuckle. Takes some getting used to, but it works.
-For Z, I only use it to roll up on edges, where I have a second to reach under and press it with my ring finger
-How I hold the controller: Use my pinky and ring finger and the side of my hand to cradle the side of the controller for support/stability, while on my leg. Rule is, you can only use one hand...
Let me just say, for everything, pointing the stick in the right direction is a little hard at first, especially for certain moves, but you just have to learn to be gentle at first and then build into it. If you try, you can get better fast at it. Also, this might hurt your hand/wrist at the beginning, but it goes away once you get used to it.
Attacking:
Basically, I attack with A so I can use R to R-cancel. Z-canceling isn't really an option unless you're playing left-handed, but that doesn't really allow you to attack well. This also means that you can't grab out of shield. For Up+B, I lift my hand up so I can have a better control of the joystick (since you don't need any of the other buttons during B-moves), so I use the tip of my pointer finger for B. Otherwise, I just use my knuckle or the underside of my index finger for B-moves, being careful not to hit the A button. I've gotten it to the point where R-canceling is a reflex after every move just like Z or L-canceling. For Smash attacks, I find that you just gotta get used to pressing directions with your thumb, accurately. Dsmash and Fsmash are easy, but Usmash is a little awkward at first. Tilts aren't that hard either - really, it's all about getting used to the stick with your thumb. And jabs of course are cake.
Aerials are a little harder. All of them are easy going straight up, but doing them with a fast-fall, or in a lateral direction as well as vertical, is a bit more work. For example, falling into someone at an angle with Pikachu's fair. Dropping through platforms out of shield to a Bair is easy with R, if you know you're going to hit, but I find it's bad to build up a habit of using R to attack, because then I'll want to attack with R, not A (You need to be able to R-cancel). Hopefully I can get it down to the point where... well, like in Melee, where I freely interchange stick+A and c-stick input for certain attacks, depending.
Defense/Recovery:
Use R as shield. It's easy to jump with up when you first start, but eventually you'll need to reach up and hit Down+C with your knuckle if you want to short-hop. Dash-dancing is pretty easy once you get it down. R to grab, of course. Also, Up+B out of shield is pretty easy.
I change my hand position really quickly sometimes, like while recovering, to allow myself to control the joystick better for precise moves - it's not like my hand is in a constant position; there's a lot of movement to hit all the buttons just right, at times.
To ledgehop, I find it's possible to use Up+C to jump (middle finger I think), but if you're comfortable using Down+C then that should be your first choice. When falling down and you're spamming jump to recover, Up+C works well for that - don't rely on Up because it's harder to spam quickly with one hand.
DI is possible, it's just tough for now.
And taunt-canceling is hard still... >.<
Characters (limited data for now, sorry, and you could probably guess on a lot of these):
Pikachu: Since Pika relies on a lot of fast, short-hopped attacks, playing her is pretty tough so far. Dash-dance to grab and aerials are the strengths, (and Fsmash), but I don't have much info yet.
Falcon: Fairly easy to combo with, since it's usually Uairs, but controlling him and recovering with him are a chore, making him an awkward choice. Also R-canceled dair to usmash or uair is confusing sometimes. Not much info yet.
Jigglypuff: I can successfully short-hop, r-cancel drill-kick, utilt, utilt, jump rest, it's not that hard after awhile. Same with grab combos. I think she's got good potential, you just have to get the short-hops straight, and learn to be agile. Sometimes I mess up her rising pound and kill myself, but I just need more control and practice.
Yoshi: His "easy" recovery makes him a good choice, and his drill kick and ranged moves help him out. Not much info yet.
Samus: She's my favorite, so far (but I'm probably biased, so... >_>). Her inability to be comboed well helps out a lot, as being able to maneuver around and dodge stuff. Her attacks are pretty easy to do. Short-hop Ff'd dair to bair isn't that bad, and her ledgehops and what not are fine too. What's hard is dash-dancing with her and being aglie. Good choice.
Link: He's pretty fun to play with actually. All his stuff is pretty easy, except for shffl'd bair. Er... shuffz'd? Shffr'd. There we go. Shuffered...anyway.
Kirby/Ness/Fox/Mario/Luigi/DK - Not much info.
Anyone else have info on this? I'll try updating this as I experiment more...
***
Video:
Samus vs Pikachu 2 - kongo (old video, from when I first started - about 10 hours in of playing)
