Okuser
Smash Ace
People commonly say that the Pikachu / Falcon matchup is slightly in Falcons favor or they might say it's even and their reasoning behind it is "well, Falcon can combo Pikachu!" Except, Falcon can do his combo's on the majority of the characters in the game and people dont automatically dismiss those matchups (like falcon vs fox) in Falcons favor.
Heres why this matchup is in Pikachus favor:
1. Pikachu can get a virtually garunteed kill at any % with a simple throw off-stage on falcon. If Pikachu gets an offstage throw on Falcon at any % it is a garunteed kill if the Pikachu follows up correctly. The Falcon has no recovery mix-ups with which to defend himself.
Falcons grab only leads to a kill on pikachu from 0-50%. Pikachus grab is a virtually garunteed kill on Falcon at ANY %.
2. Falcons weight is perfect for Pikachus combo's, Pikachu can combo Falcon into an off-stage position in almost any situation. and obviously, getting Falcon off-stage with Pikachu leads to a garunteed kill.
3. This match-up largely boils down to who can get the first hit. Pikachus aerial frame data and hitboxes far outclass Falcons aerials, leading to easier approaches and combo starters for the Pikachu.
4. Falcons combos on Pikachu are inconsistant and do not always lead to a guaranteed kill. Various circumstances can lead to Pikachus survival of Falcons combo. If the Pikachu has good DI mixups during Falcons combo it can lead to Falcon being forced to pick an option that won't lead to a kill. The Falcon can also get unlucky and start a combo at a certain % which leads to pikachu getting a free ledge tech to escape, or it can lead to a premature Up-B that doesn't kill Pikachu. Pikachu surviving the combo puts Falcon in a super awkward position where he no longer has any kill set-ups and he must secure a kill on pikachu with either F-Smash, Bair, or Nair, or Uair and B-throw at higher %'s. Pikachus aerial frame data/hitbox advantages on Falcon means that you are going to have a tough time securing a kill.
TL;DR Pikachu gets free-stage recovery while Falcon gets killed GARUNTEED at any % if he is put off stage. Pikachus combo's are just as deadly as Falcons because the Pikachu only needs to put the Falcon into an off-stage position to secure the kill. The Falcon must start his combo at a very specific percentages with a telegraphed move and then must execute the combo perfectly and secure the kill or else the pikachu gets a completely free stage-recovery at high percent and then it becomes ridiculously dangerous for the Falcon. Pikachus superior aerials give him a slight advantage in the neutral game when both characters are trying to land the first hit.
So all things considered. This matchup is ridiculously high risk and inconsistent from the Falcons perspective. 60:40 Pikachus favor easily.
It might be a fair statement to say that Falcon has "the best matchup against pikachu of any character" but it's still 60:40 in Pikachus favor. The only character that can truly deal with Pikachu .... is Pikachu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AoGPLoIoiY&t=850s
this set shows exactly what I'm talking about pretty clearly. you can count how many times Boomfan starts a combo but is unable to convert it into anything. and virtually everytime he is put off stage it leads to a garunteed kill without a blatant mistake from the pikachu. Pikachu has it sooooo easy in this matchup compared to the amount of work the Falcon has to do.
I basically made this thread because I'm tired of watching videos and hearing the commentators say "Oh looks like this match is gonna be Falcon vs Pikachu. X-player that is Falcon has the advantage here!". it's just not even remotely ****ing true. I'm pretty sure the "Falcon beats Pikachu" MYTH was started by Pikachu players so that they could trick people into willingly picking themselves into a bad matchup.
Heres why this matchup is in Pikachus favor:
1. Pikachu can get a virtually garunteed kill at any % with a simple throw off-stage on falcon. If Pikachu gets an offstage throw on Falcon at any % it is a garunteed kill if the Pikachu follows up correctly. The Falcon has no recovery mix-ups with which to defend himself.
Falcons grab only leads to a kill on pikachu from 0-50%. Pikachus grab is a virtually garunteed kill on Falcon at ANY %.
2. Falcons weight is perfect for Pikachus combo's, Pikachu can combo Falcon into an off-stage position in almost any situation. and obviously, getting Falcon off-stage with Pikachu leads to a garunteed kill.
3. This match-up largely boils down to who can get the first hit. Pikachus aerial frame data and hitboxes far outclass Falcons aerials, leading to easier approaches and combo starters for the Pikachu.
4. Falcons combos on Pikachu are inconsistant and do not always lead to a guaranteed kill. Various circumstances can lead to Pikachus survival of Falcons combo. If the Pikachu has good DI mixups during Falcons combo it can lead to Falcon being forced to pick an option that won't lead to a kill. The Falcon can also get unlucky and start a combo at a certain % which leads to pikachu getting a free ledge tech to escape, or it can lead to a premature Up-B that doesn't kill Pikachu. Pikachu surviving the combo puts Falcon in a super awkward position where he no longer has any kill set-ups and he must secure a kill on pikachu with either F-Smash, Bair, or Nair, or Uair and B-throw at higher %'s. Pikachus aerial frame data/hitbox advantages on Falcon means that you are going to have a tough time securing a kill.
TL;DR Pikachu gets free-stage recovery while Falcon gets killed GARUNTEED at any % if he is put off stage. Pikachus combo's are just as deadly as Falcons because the Pikachu only needs to put the Falcon into an off-stage position to secure the kill. The Falcon must start his combo at a very specific percentages with a telegraphed move and then must execute the combo perfectly and secure the kill or else the pikachu gets a completely free stage-recovery at high percent and then it becomes ridiculously dangerous for the Falcon. Pikachus superior aerials give him a slight advantage in the neutral game when both characters are trying to land the first hit.
So all things considered. This matchup is ridiculously high risk and inconsistent from the Falcons perspective. 60:40 Pikachus favor easily.
It might be a fair statement to say that Falcon has "the best matchup against pikachu of any character" but it's still 60:40 in Pikachus favor. The only character that can truly deal with Pikachu .... is Pikachu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AoGPLoIoiY&t=850s
this set shows exactly what I'm talking about pretty clearly. you can count how many times Boomfan starts a combo but is unable to convert it into anything. and virtually everytime he is put off stage it leads to a garunteed kill without a blatant mistake from the pikachu. Pikachu has it sooooo easy in this matchup compared to the amount of work the Falcon has to do.
I basically made this thread because I'm tired of watching videos and hearing the commentators say "Oh looks like this match is gonna be Falcon vs Pikachu. X-player that is Falcon has the advantage here!". it's just not even remotely ****ing true. I'm pretty sure the "Falcon beats Pikachu" MYTH was started by Pikachu players so that they could trick people into willingly picking themselves into a bad matchup.
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