Cat Fight
Smash Lord
I decided to go ahead and make a thread revolving around Snake and what advantages he has on certain stages, and possibly tricks some people may not know about or be too familiar with.
Snake belongs in Metroid:
First and foremost, Brinstar is dark (for the most part). Pictochat was thought to be a pretty Snake advantageous stage because of how the stage is all black, and C4 isn't easily spotted.
Well, Brinstar works the same way. It's very difficult to spot C4 on this stage. I found the fake C4 drop to be very useful because of this. It can make yr opponent think you dropped a C4 somewhere you hadn't, and gives you an opportunity to place it somewhere else, or perhaps stick them when they're not expecting it (or expecting a "NOW!").
Another thing is... well, y'see those little orbs in the center of the stage? It's a ****ing glorious place to get yr opponent when yr Snake. I'm sure people find themselves getting stuck in that small area quite often while dashing or rolling.
Guess what? If you can position yr opponent right and downthrow, they WILL NOT ESCAPE. You can shield regrab for a very long time, or atleast until the acid rises. When the time is right, Utilt, and there goes a stock. :"P
I also have found that after a dthrow on this area can IMMEDIATELY Utilt afterwards because of how the orbs sometimes make the opponent stand up. Lots of time yr opponent may feel discouraged to do anything or wake up right away, and that's when you can take advantage and C4 stick them.
Demonstration in this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4gkEyeNbUw (At 1:20)
Sorry for the poor quality. ;~;
Also, the platforms are small enough for plenty of tech chasing with downthrow.Pivot grab works well in this case. If you mess up yr chase, or if yr just a BA, you can dash towards the opposite side of the platform and pivot grab to downthrow them again, and repeat.
The platform to the right (when attached to the ground) is just low enough for you to Fsmash a lot of the cast when they are under you or waking up from the edge. Now, some of the characters who are vulnerable to this you have to be positioned all the way to the right of this platform. It almost looks like the platform is divided into sections (3 parts). Left, mid, right sections. I'll specify which part of the platform you need to be on in order for the Fsmash to connect for some of the characters. They are as followed:
(Right section)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Right section)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Right section)
(Right section)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Mid, Right Sections)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Right section)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Mid, Right sections)
(Mid, Right sections)
For a lot of the bigger characters it is also possible to position yrself on the left section of this platform and Fsmash while the opponent is behind the explosion, which SHOULD send them to the right of the screen for a much easier KO. Example:
As you can see, the explosion is just a little bit in front of yr opponent but the tentacle allows for the duration of the move to last longer which should help with connecting with the Fsmash.
D = easy dthrow tech chase areas, the ORBS area is probably the easiest and most beneficial as far as being able to take a stock off yr opponent if yr not that great at predicting. O/X is Snake (O) and where his Fsmash blast hits (X).
Lastly, don't be afraid to cypher through the bottom of the stage. If you get cypher grabbed, more than likely, you'll be on the stage. Falling through hasn't happened to me yet, so if anyone can disprove this that'd be cool.
Suggested camo:
When Snake is hanging from the left or right ledges and has Kitty camo, if you drop down and try to hit yr opponent with Uair/Fair through the stage it can catch yr them offguard since you kind of blend in with the stage. Plus, it's basically the same color scheme.
VIDEOS:
Cat Fight (Snake) vs Kenpachi (Sonic)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY-V0tGaSEw
Cat Fight (Snake) vs Shy Guy (Wario)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4gkEyeNbUw
Contributed by Cecilanius:
Who doesn't love PS1? Here y'go:
First I will discuss the neutral area.
Just to get it out of the way, yes, you can platform Fsmash on the right and left platforms on the mid/big sized cast.
Usually I am able to pull off a quick Fsmash the first few seconds of the match because the opponent is not expecting it, and will rush towards you at the beginning of the match. That's always a nice way to discourage yr opponent from coming near you when yr on the platforms.
A good tactic to set up stage control at the beginning of the match is SH C4 drop, fall through platform, Claymore. This sets up for an explosion linking wall. If you get yr opponent on the opposite side (not in the center) of the stage where they would have to approach the platform to get back in the center, a good way to keep them at bay after yr "EL" has been set up is full hop nairs. That way if they try to return to the center from the air they will be dealt a nice 28% and be returned to the edge.
Another good tactic to keep them on that side of the stage is to cook nades. You can shield drop grenade, SH bair to pick it back up, wait a second/or just immediately throw the grenade towards the ground to ricochet into the air (depending on how high or low you want the grenade to bounce).
Of course, these platforms are small enough for easy downthrow tech chase abuse. There are only four ways they can possibly wake up. A to attack, stand up, or left and right rolls. Given that the platforms are so small it should be easy to punish them for anyone of these options even you predict wrong (so long as yr shield is up). If you end up dash grabbing yr opponent and they are hanging off the edge, you can go for either 1.) regrab, 2.), Utilt, or 3.) footstool > whatever you desire.
Lots of times yr opponent may try to tech the platforms after one of yr attacks for "safety". Unfortunately for them, wherever they are, they are surely not safe vs Snake. A full hop nair can hit them on wake-up, or if they happen to shield in time, it can push them off the platform. If they miss the tech, you can punish with Ftilt or jab > Ftilt, jab > Utilt, anything you think the situation calls for.
A good mindgame I've been able to apply in this level and a few others is that when you are recovering from the edge and position yrself above one of the platforms, yr opponent is likey to either stand beneath or to the side of the platform. Either way, if you drop a C4 and detonate it close enough to them to hit, you can FF into a Uair for a KO or around 30%.
Demonstration in this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUMc0pawDP8 (At 1:36 & 1:47)
Even if yr opponent happens to blow the initial detonation, the C4 should have lowered yr opponent's shield enough for the Uair to connect, where after you can grab them at low percents.
Anoter trick involving drop through platforms is that if you shield drop a grenade, pick it back up, and hold down to drop through the platform and throw the grenade at the same time, you will drop through but the grenade will bounce off the platform into the air.
Lastly, if you are standing on the white part of the edge and shield drop a grenade > ACSH bair/uair, you should have enough time to run to the opposite side of the stage and reach the opposite platform where you can then shield the explosion.
Truthfully, there is not much I can give as far as tricks and tactics go for this transition that aren't universal now.
But I'll give it a shot:
Platform Fsmash on the house's platform works well since the wall cuts the stage in 1/3 leaving yr opponent a smaller area to move around (unless they decided to camp behind the burnt tree area).
If you stand against the wall and plant a C4 and yr opponent is in the deep part between the tree platform and wall the C4 explosion can connect.
If you can get yr opponent up against the wall and grab them, you can mash Z until they are released and regrab them. Works sorta like a CG.
If anyone wants to help me out with this one, feel free! :"P
This is probably my favorite transition just because there is a lot more to do here than there is the other transitions save neutral.
Let's hit it off with the Windmill. There are plenty of nice tricks to perform using this.
You can stick the windmill with a C4 so long as it is not completely vertical. Otherwise, the C4 will unfortunately fall off. This isn't necessarily THAT bad of a problem. The opponent might not notice where the C4 has fallen to on the ground, giving you an opportunity to detonate it when they least expect it.
Another windmill trick is using the pushing momentum of the windmill to approach while not actually walking forward. You can use its momentum to move forward while shielding and go in for a grab or ftilt/utilt/etc out of shield, or my personal favorite which involves using its momentum to move forward while CHARGING an Fsmash. That way, you are safely able to approach yr opponent while being able to fully charge an Fsmash It works well against opponents who are waking up from the edge or simply just near the edge. No one expects it, seriously. Anyone above 30% on that side of the stage who gets hit with his fully charged Fsmah WILL get KOd.
Otherwise, the platforms being held up by the water are easy to downthrow tech "chase" (don't really need to chase lol) on.
I'm gonna use this as a diagram to show where exactly I'm talking about 'cause I'm lazy and lack enough motivation to use descriptive words:
See where the O is? That's Snake. The X is where his Fsmash explosion is. If any opponent is camping inside that small area then they can prepare to be barraged with Fsmashes.
For stage control you can shield drop grenades and C4 plant on the various platforms near the rock wall. Otherwise, it's fairly easy to dthrow tech chase on any of the platforms.
Now, the T symbol represents the area near the edge where you can't roll out of it. If you manage to catch yr opponent in a grab while in this area, you can keep them in a "lock" so long as you don't get hit out of their wake up. If they roll or stand up, downthrow. I would shield to just ensure you don't get hit out of the wake up because being caught in that area can cost them a whole stock. :"}
If yr opponent is camping on the left side of the rock wall, you can C4/nikita drop/throw grenades downwards for easy %s. That way you are completely safe, and given that the opponent has pretty much only one way to move (up) it's fairly simply to keep them at bay using this tactic.
In the center area where the X is, if you and yr opponent happen to both get caught down there, you can either dthrow to continue dthrow, or like the fire transition wall, mash Z until they are released and regrab. Personally, I'd go for the dthrow to deal more % more quickly.
Really, there is not much here to take advantage of. The two wooden platforms allow for easy tech chasing.
You can Fsmash from on top of the bush platform.
And if you C4 plant the bush platform and the stage transitions to the neutral, it will appear on the right side platform.
Suggested camo:
???
VIDEOS:
Cat Fight (Snake) vs Yukiwarashi (Pokemon Trainer)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9qlgDpQ2o0
Cat Fight (Snake) vs Beast (Donkey Kong)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUMc0pawDP8
----------
PokeCenter theme is too good:
As far the neutral area goes, you can basically apply the same tricks and tactics as you would use on PS1. The only noticeable difference are the edges. Unfortunately, not much you can cover on that.
Seems as if my creativity has been a bit lacking lately because I honestly don't see many interesting aspects about this transition that don't apply universally, or I have yet to cover on other stages. I'll try to bring out a more tactics side of things.
If you can lure yr opponent to the upper-right platform area you should try to get in position for downthrow tech chase. A good thing about the upper platform is that if you happen to dash grab them off the edge, they will fall onto the lower platform where you can dropthrough and grab them again if you mess up to repeat the process.
Getting yr opponent up there can cost them a stock if you do it right. 2-3 grabs on the top platform, and going for around 4-6 grabs on the lower to a dash grab > Utilt. Being that they'll be around 108-110% just from being grabbed, a Utilt will KO them.
Pin yr opponent up against the wall if you can. Release grabbing them will push them towards the wall a little, and once they hit it, you can keep doing it as if it were a CG (same idea as the Fire Transition wall in PS1).
Just be sure to use yr grenades and C4 effectively for stage control. If yr going for the tech chase on the platforms, it'd be wise to make sure yr port 4 so that if you plant a C4 on the platforms you won't get hit by the explosion whilst tech chasing yr opponent. Heck, if the C4 hits their more than likely to be KO'd so that should save you some tech chasing predictions. :"}
As far as this transition goes, I can only give you some data/advice. There's no real tricks you should pay attention to on this stage that I've been able to discover, but hopefully what I provide can be useful:
C4 is not affected by the loss of gravity. So if you drop one in the air it will fall at its normal speed.
Grenades, however, are in fact affected by the loss of gravity. Keep that in mind if you plan on cooking grenades, because they will float or bounce higher than normal.
Mortars are not affected by the loss of gravity.
All I can say is to keep Snake on the ground. Lots of times yr opponent will get distracted by the idea of being able to float around in the air - take advantage of this.
Snake in the air for long periods of time is always bad. That is when Snake is most vulnerable, so I would stay away from jumping in this transition.
One thing I found useful if you do feel the need to jump, is that you can perform to Nairs in a full hop and it will autocancel.
Overall, I'd have to say this is my favorite/most useful transition for Snake in PS2. Though, there aren't many tricks he can perform, but its usefulness makes up for it.
If you Fsmash (not using the Cstick) and jam the joystick to either right or left while performing the move, you should slide across the map while charging/unleashing an Fsmash.
Demonstration in this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkBFNXnjm3A (At 2:42)
This is useful because it allows you to safely, and quickly approach yr opponent from the other side of the stage while charging an Fsmash. It catches a lot of people offguard, and is powerful enough to usually KO anyone above 40%.
I'm investigating some other sliding techniques on this transition currently. A few moments before I Fsmash in the video, I do a sort of retreating Usmash. I haven't been able to replicate this sort of thing yet, but I'm trying. Charged retreating Fsmash, anyone? o___o;
As far as other tactics go, if yr not trying to slide around catching yr opponent offguard with an Fsmash, I would move as little as possible. More than likely yr opponent will be sliding all around trying to take advantage of the frictionless surface, so try to intercept while they are dashing with one of yr tilts.
Eugh, I'm unable to find any images at all of the Electric Transition. If anyone would be so kind as to help me search for one it would be appreciated! Otherwise, I have no visuals to work with for yah. :"{
Same idea as the Ice Transition, you can use the momentum of the conveyor belts to approach yr opponent as they are being taken away by the belt and Fsmash them.
A GREAT mindgame I have found on this stage is that NO ONE wants to be on that **** belt. It annoys everyone if they are in the right mindset to abuse it. If you and yr opponent are in the middle of the stage inbetween the conveyor belts, downthrow. I've done this numerous amounts of times, and 80% of the time my opponent will not roll. They will stand up or attack out of wake up to avoid being dragged by the belt. The other 20% is when they finally realize that the conveyor belt is a lot safer than the 70% I'm dealing to them - lol.
As soon as they roll out of the grab, try to dash and Fsmash as they are being taken away by the belt.
Another thing is that if you are in port 4, plant a C4 on the platform just above you and catch yr opponent in the downthrow. If they are afraid to roll into the conveyor belts and you are able to regrab them, draw it out as much as possible by hitting them when they are in the grab before you downthrow. That way you can buy some time while waiting for the C4 to explode and hit them for a KO.
Suggested camo:
???
VIDEOS:
Cat Fight (Snake) vs Shy Guy (Wario)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkBFNXnjm3A
Contributed by superman969:
Zero Suit Snake:
Hey guys, I'm back. . .I know it's been a while and I've made a lot of empty promises about continuing my research into Snake's stage control tactics and tricks etc, but I saw the more recent "Stage Discussion" thread and found it odd that it got stickied but mine drowned in later pages for so long. Oh well, as you can tell I took out Distant Planet from the OG post simply because it was just too much information that I was unsatisfied with. If anyone wants to see the rough draft you are more than welcome to PM me and I'll send you my findings.
Anywho, down to business. Norfair was my favorite stage in Brawl when it first came out for a long while (replaced by Brinstar)! There's a plethora of reasons as to why this stage, I believe, is one of Snake's more advantageous maps.
As it is no mystery, I love small platforms. I'm seeing a lot of Snake players not take advantage of Snake's amazing control on platforms in tournaments videos which I find peculiar. Snake can EASILY bring people from 0% to %70 on a platform with Dthrow and jabs ALONE. Luckily, Norfair is CHOCK FULL of platforms to take advantage of this simple tactic. 5, to be exact.
Another great aspect of this stage is that Snake's grenades can keep yr opponent at bay all the way on the other side of the stage. Using the mid air grenade stop trick (press B, drop grenade, pick back up, throw, press B to pull out a grenade and stop the one in motion and have it drop to the ground) you can place grenades any where on the map to halt yr opponents rushing towards you. What leaves a lot of players vulnerable on this stage is being on the higher platforms because of shield stabs from aerials on lower platforms. Alas, grenade counter nullifies that almost too well.
If yr opponent is pursuing you via the higher platforms and dares to Board the Platforms! (lol) you can quick hug the ledge, drop under a bit, jump then Nair them right off and grab the lower platform. What's even more silly and frustrating is that even if yr opponent manages to predict this and shield, the Nair is likely to push them off and have them fall onto the lower platform either way leaving them only 4 ways to wake up, making them completely vulnerable to yet ANOTHER nair after wake up.
Another strategy using the quick hug idea is dropping a grenade and picking it back up, quick hugging, then you can either a.) time the explosion so that when you roll or wake up it will go off in yr invincibility frames or b.) drop to the lower platform ledge and quickly board it to grenade shield to meet yr opponent with some damage on invincibility and disrupt their approach.
A good way to KO yr opponent on this stage is taking advantage of the Platform Fsmash. If yr opponent is under you on the lower platform while you sit atop the higher platform, you can charge an Fsmash, and on the taller / larger cast it will connect. I've covered this in all my past posts as well, so no reason to keep this post exempt.
Although I haven't seen many people lately really find it necessary to jump into the capsule when the lava wave is approaching to avoid it, if it were to so happen yr opponent does, you can drop a C4 on top of the capsule and detonate it and it should connect (though they can obviously shield). Also, Fsmash goes through the side caspule walls.
Another good reason I find this stage very advantageous to Snake is that when the side lava wave is pushing both you and yr opponent to the other side of the stage, it forces you into smaller confines of combat and allows for Snake to punish yr opponent's lack of area to approach you in, and variety as well. Grenade counter, grenade shield, platform fsmash, dthrow. . .all viable and abusable in this situation. Let us not forget Utilts huge invisible hitbox and Ftilts range to keep yr opponent from getting too close and having them ricochet off the lava.
All of Snake's tilts are absolutely destructive on this stage. On any of the smaller platforms, from one end to the other, an Ftilt will hit them. If not the first hit, the second; which is great because you don't have to stress too much how to knock yr opponent off from yr level. Dtilt is a great range attack and mix up for this similar situation as well, as is Utilt (a great mechanism for KOing on the higher platforms at lower(ish) percents).
The only unpredictable and irritating aspect of this stage I do not enjoy is the lava geysers. . .they suck. ;"{
Well, that's really all for now. I know this is a pretty overwhelming wall of text but. . .All this information has lead me to victory in the past, so I hope you find this information useful in yr future match endeavors. Feel free to contribute yr ideas to any of the past stage posts and I will add quote you accordingly!
Suggested camo: Red (although not very advantageous, y'never know ;"})
VIDEOS:
???
Finally, don't be shy about contributing to this discussion! It'll only help in the long run, and as I stated before I will put you in the original post with credit of yr ideas!
Snake belongs in Metroid:
Brinstar!
First and foremost, Brinstar is dark (for the most part). Pictochat was thought to be a pretty Snake advantageous stage because of how the stage is all black, and C4 isn't easily spotted.
Well, Brinstar works the same way. It's very difficult to spot C4 on this stage. I found the fake C4 drop to be very useful because of this. It can make yr opponent think you dropped a C4 somewhere you hadn't, and gives you an opportunity to place it somewhere else, or perhaps stick them when they're not expecting it (or expecting a "NOW!").
Another thing is... well, y'see those little orbs in the center of the stage? It's a ****ing glorious place to get yr opponent when yr Snake. I'm sure people find themselves getting stuck in that small area quite often while dashing or rolling.
Guess what? If you can position yr opponent right and downthrow, they WILL NOT ESCAPE. You can shield regrab for a very long time, or atleast until the acid rises. When the time is right, Utilt, and there goes a stock. :"P
I also have found that after a dthrow on this area can IMMEDIATELY Utilt afterwards because of how the orbs sometimes make the opponent stand up. Lots of time yr opponent may feel discouraged to do anything or wake up right away, and that's when you can take advantage and C4 stick them.
Demonstration in this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4gkEyeNbUw (At 1:20)
Sorry for the poor quality. ;~;
Also, the platforms are small enough for plenty of tech chasing with downthrow.Pivot grab works well in this case. If you mess up yr chase, or if yr just a BA, you can dash towards the opposite side of the platform and pivot grab to downthrow them again, and repeat.
The platform to the right (when attached to the ground) is just low enough for you to Fsmash a lot of the cast when they are under you or waking up from the edge. Now, some of the characters who are vulnerable to this you have to be positioned all the way to the right of this platform. It almost looks like the platform is divided into sections (3 parts). Left, mid, right sections. I'll specify which part of the platform you need to be on in order for the Fsmash to connect for some of the characters. They are as followed:
For a lot of the bigger characters it is also possible to position yrself on the left section of this platform and Fsmash while the opponent is behind the explosion, which SHOULD send them to the right of the screen for a much easier KO. Example:
As you can see, the explosion is just a little bit in front of yr opponent but the tentacle allows for the duration of the move to last longer which should help with connecting with the Fsmash.
D = easy dthrow tech chase areas, the ORBS area is probably the easiest and most beneficial as far as being able to take a stock off yr opponent if yr not that great at predicting. O/X is Snake (O) and where his Fsmash blast hits (X).
Lastly, don't be afraid to cypher through the bottom of the stage. If you get cypher grabbed, more than likely, you'll be on the stage. Falling through hasn't happened to me yet, so if anyone can disprove this that'd be cool.
Suggested camo:
(Not actual quote word for word, but something to think about ;"})omegablackmage said:i couldn't even see you sometimes it's like you were camoflaged with the stage
When Snake is hanging from the left or right ledges and has Kitty camo, if you drop down and try to hit yr opponent with Uair/Fair through the stage it can catch yr them offguard since you kind of blend in with the stage. Plus, it's basically the same color scheme.
VIDEOS:
Cat Fight (Snake) vs Kenpachi (Sonic)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY-V0tGaSEw
Cat Fight (Snake) vs Shy Guy (Wario)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4gkEyeNbUw
Contributed by Cecilanius:
----------Do you think breaking that "stuff" that connects the stage to the platforms is a good idea for planting C4?
Also, I think breaking those balls on the bottom of the stage helps keep the mine safe from exploding. Just break quite a few, plant a mine, let it grow back. I think the balls protect the mine from exploding. Because, of the elevation.
If the opponent manages to make the mine explode, it will destroy all of those balls. Which will separate the stage. Leaving you a chance to camp and spam the crap out of the opponent.
Maybe placing C4 on the platforms while they are disconnected is better than just placing it on the connected platform. Because, when you knock someone off, the slanted platform covers more area than the connected one. It's also harder for your opponent to maneuver around it. You could punish the opponent more easily if they try to go around it.
Who doesn't love PS1? Here y'go:
Pokemon Stadium 1!
First I will discuss the neutral area.
Just to get it out of the way, yes, you can platform Fsmash on the right and left platforms on the mid/big sized cast.
Usually I am able to pull off a quick Fsmash the first few seconds of the match because the opponent is not expecting it, and will rush towards you at the beginning of the match. That's always a nice way to discourage yr opponent from coming near you when yr on the platforms.
A good tactic to set up stage control at the beginning of the match is SH C4 drop, fall through platform, Claymore. This sets up for an explosion linking wall. If you get yr opponent on the opposite side (not in the center) of the stage where they would have to approach the platform to get back in the center, a good way to keep them at bay after yr "EL" has been set up is full hop nairs. That way if they try to return to the center from the air they will be dealt a nice 28% and be returned to the edge.
Another good tactic to keep them on that side of the stage is to cook nades. You can shield drop grenade, SH bair to pick it back up, wait a second/or just immediately throw the grenade towards the ground to ricochet into the air (depending on how high or low you want the grenade to bounce).
Of course, these platforms are small enough for easy downthrow tech chase abuse. There are only four ways they can possibly wake up. A to attack, stand up, or left and right rolls. Given that the platforms are so small it should be easy to punish them for anyone of these options even you predict wrong (so long as yr shield is up). If you end up dash grabbing yr opponent and they are hanging off the edge, you can go for either 1.) regrab, 2.), Utilt, or 3.) footstool > whatever you desire.
Lots of times yr opponent may try to tech the platforms after one of yr attacks for "safety". Unfortunately for them, wherever they are, they are surely not safe vs Snake. A full hop nair can hit them on wake-up, or if they happen to shield in time, it can push them off the platform. If they miss the tech, you can punish with Ftilt or jab > Ftilt, jab > Utilt, anything you think the situation calls for.
A good mindgame I've been able to apply in this level and a few others is that when you are recovering from the edge and position yrself above one of the platforms, yr opponent is likey to either stand beneath or to the side of the platform. Either way, if you drop a C4 and detonate it close enough to them to hit, you can FF into a Uair for a KO or around 30%.
Demonstration in this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUMc0pawDP8 (At 1:36 & 1:47)
Even if yr opponent happens to blow the initial detonation, the C4 should have lowered yr opponent's shield enough for the Uair to connect, where after you can grab them at low percents.
Anoter trick involving drop through platforms is that if you shield drop a grenade, pick it back up, and hold down to drop through the platform and throw the grenade at the same time, you will drop through but the grenade will bounce off the platform into the air.
Lastly, if you are standing on the white part of the edge and shield drop a grenade > ACSH bair/uair, you should have enough time to run to the opposite side of the stage and reach the opposite platform where you can then shield the explosion.
Fire Transition
Truthfully, there is not much I can give as far as tricks and tactics go for this transition that aren't universal now.
But I'll give it a shot:
Platform Fsmash on the house's platform works well since the wall cuts the stage in 1/3 leaving yr opponent a smaller area to move around (unless they decided to camp behind the burnt tree area).
If you stand against the wall and plant a C4 and yr opponent is in the deep part between the tree platform and wall the C4 explosion can connect.
If you can get yr opponent up against the wall and grab them, you can mash Z until they are released and regrab them. Works sorta like a CG.
If anyone wants to help me out with this one, feel free! :"P
Water Transition
This is probably my favorite transition just because there is a lot more to do here than there is the other transitions save neutral.
Let's hit it off with the Windmill. There are plenty of nice tricks to perform using this.
You can stick the windmill with a C4 so long as it is not completely vertical. Otherwise, the C4 will unfortunately fall off. This isn't necessarily THAT bad of a problem. The opponent might not notice where the C4 has fallen to on the ground, giving you an opportunity to detonate it when they least expect it.
Another windmill trick is using the pushing momentum of the windmill to approach while not actually walking forward. You can use its momentum to move forward while shielding and go in for a grab or ftilt/utilt/etc out of shield, or my personal favorite which involves using its momentum to move forward while CHARGING an Fsmash. That way, you are safely able to approach yr opponent while being able to fully charge an Fsmash It works well against opponents who are waking up from the edge or simply just near the edge. No one expects it, seriously. Anyone above 30% on that side of the stage who gets hit with his fully charged Fsmah WILL get KOd.
Otherwise, the platforms being held up by the water are easy to downthrow tech "chase" (don't really need to chase lol) on.
Rock Transition
I'm gonna use this as a diagram to show where exactly I'm talking about 'cause I'm lazy and lack enough motivation to use descriptive words:
See where the O is? That's Snake. The X is where his Fsmash explosion is. If any opponent is camping inside that small area then they can prepare to be barraged with Fsmashes.
For stage control you can shield drop grenades and C4 plant on the various platforms near the rock wall. Otherwise, it's fairly easy to dthrow tech chase on any of the platforms.
Now, the T symbol represents the area near the edge where you can't roll out of it. If you manage to catch yr opponent in a grab while in this area, you can keep them in a "lock" so long as you don't get hit out of their wake up. If they roll or stand up, downthrow. I would shield to just ensure you don't get hit out of the wake up because being caught in that area can cost them a whole stock. :"}
If yr opponent is camping on the left side of the rock wall, you can C4/nikita drop/throw grenades downwards for easy %s. That way you are completely safe, and given that the opponent has pretty much only one way to move (up) it's fairly simply to keep them at bay using this tactic.
In the center area where the X is, if you and yr opponent happen to both get caught down there, you can either dthrow to continue dthrow, or like the fire transition wall, mash Z until they are released and regrab. Personally, I'd go for the dthrow to deal more % more quickly.
Grass Transition
Really, there is not much here to take advantage of. The two wooden platforms allow for easy tech chasing.
You can Fsmash from on top of the bush platform.
And if you C4 plant the bush platform and the stage transitions to the neutral, it will appear on the right side platform.
Suggested camo:
???
VIDEOS:
Cat Fight (Snake) vs Yukiwarashi (Pokemon Trainer)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9qlgDpQ2o0
Cat Fight (Snake) vs Beast (Donkey Kong)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUMc0pawDP8
----------
PokeCenter theme is too good:
Pokemon Stadium 2!
As far the neutral area goes, you can basically apply the same tricks and tactics as you would use on PS1. The only noticeable difference are the edges. Unfortunately, not much you can cover on that.
Ground Transition
Seems as if my creativity has been a bit lacking lately because I honestly don't see many interesting aspects about this transition that don't apply universally, or I have yet to cover on other stages. I'll try to bring out a more tactics side of things.
If you can lure yr opponent to the upper-right platform area you should try to get in position for downthrow tech chase. A good thing about the upper platform is that if you happen to dash grab them off the edge, they will fall onto the lower platform where you can dropthrough and grab them again if you mess up to repeat the process.
Getting yr opponent up there can cost them a stock if you do it right. 2-3 grabs on the top platform, and going for around 4-6 grabs on the lower to a dash grab > Utilt. Being that they'll be around 108-110% just from being grabbed, a Utilt will KO them.
Pin yr opponent up against the wall if you can. Release grabbing them will push them towards the wall a little, and once they hit it, you can keep doing it as if it were a CG (same idea as the Fire Transition wall in PS1).
Just be sure to use yr grenades and C4 effectively for stage control. If yr going for the tech chase on the platforms, it'd be wise to make sure yr port 4 so that if you plant a C4 on the platforms you won't get hit by the explosion whilst tech chasing yr opponent. Heck, if the C4 hits their more than likely to be KO'd so that should save you some tech chasing predictions. :"}
Flying Transition
As far as this transition goes, I can only give you some data/advice. There's no real tricks you should pay attention to on this stage that I've been able to discover, but hopefully what I provide can be useful:
C4 is not affected by the loss of gravity. So if you drop one in the air it will fall at its normal speed.
Grenades, however, are in fact affected by the loss of gravity. Keep that in mind if you plan on cooking grenades, because they will float or bounce higher than normal.
Mortars are not affected by the loss of gravity.
All I can say is to keep Snake on the ground. Lots of times yr opponent will get distracted by the idea of being able to float around in the air - take advantage of this.
Snake in the air for long periods of time is always bad. That is when Snake is most vulnerable, so I would stay away from jumping in this transition.
One thing I found useful if you do feel the need to jump, is that you can perform to Nairs in a full hop and it will autocancel.
Ice Transition
Overall, I'd have to say this is my favorite/most useful transition for Snake in PS2. Though, there aren't many tricks he can perform, but its usefulness makes up for it.
If you Fsmash (not using the Cstick) and jam the joystick to either right or left while performing the move, you should slide across the map while charging/unleashing an Fsmash.
Demonstration in this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkBFNXnjm3A (At 2:42)
This is useful because it allows you to safely, and quickly approach yr opponent from the other side of the stage while charging an Fsmash. It catches a lot of people offguard, and is powerful enough to usually KO anyone above 40%.
I'm investigating some other sliding techniques on this transition currently. A few moments before I Fsmash in the video, I do a sort of retreating Usmash. I haven't been able to replicate this sort of thing yet, but I'm trying. Charged retreating Fsmash, anyone? o___o;
As far as other tactics go, if yr not trying to slide around catching yr opponent offguard with an Fsmash, I would move as little as possible. More than likely yr opponent will be sliding all around trying to take advantage of the frictionless surface, so try to intercept while they are dashing with one of yr tilts.
Electric Transition
Eugh, I'm unable to find any images at all of the Electric Transition. If anyone would be so kind as to help me search for one it would be appreciated! Otherwise, I have no visuals to work with for yah. :"{
Same idea as the Ice Transition, you can use the momentum of the conveyor belts to approach yr opponent as they are being taken away by the belt and Fsmash them.
A GREAT mindgame I have found on this stage is that NO ONE wants to be on that **** belt. It annoys everyone if they are in the right mindset to abuse it. If you and yr opponent are in the middle of the stage inbetween the conveyor belts, downthrow. I've done this numerous amounts of times, and 80% of the time my opponent will not roll. They will stand up or attack out of wake up to avoid being dragged by the belt. The other 20% is when they finally realize that the conveyor belt is a lot safer than the 70% I'm dealing to them - lol.
As soon as they roll out of the grab, try to dash and Fsmash as they are being taken away by the belt.
Another thing is that if you are in port 4, plant a C4 on the platform just above you and catch yr opponent in the downthrow. If they are afraid to roll into the conveyor belts and you are able to regrab them, draw it out as much as possible by hitting them when they are in the grab before you downthrow. That way you can buy some time while waiting for the C4 to explode and hit them for a KO.
Suggested camo:
???
VIDEOS:
Cat Fight (Snake) vs Shy Guy (Wario)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkBFNXnjm3A
Contributed by superman969:
----------now on to business. Poke 2. On the electric part of the stage, you could C4 on the conveyor belts (yeah, I know like all my ideas involve C4; cuz C4 is the shiznizz). This could be semi-not really useful. More like extremely situational. Maybe if some a$$hole decides to chill on the ledge for an insane amount of time, you could not approach, just stick C4 on there, let it roll, and blow it up. They may not notice, and it blows up, or if they roll up and you predict it, you could detonate it in time to hit them. I fvcking love mindgames.
Zero Suit Snake:
"NO FAIR "
Hey guys, I'm back. . .I know it's been a while and I've made a lot of empty promises about continuing my research into Snake's stage control tactics and tricks etc, but I saw the more recent "Stage Discussion" thread and found it odd that it got stickied but mine drowned in later pages for so long. Oh well, as you can tell I took out Distant Planet from the OG post simply because it was just too much information that I was unsatisfied with. If anyone wants to see the rough draft you are more than welcome to PM me and I'll send you my findings.
Anywho, down to business. Norfair was my favorite stage in Brawl when it first came out for a long while (replaced by Brinstar)! There's a plethora of reasons as to why this stage, I believe, is one of Snake's more advantageous maps.
As it is no mystery, I love small platforms. I'm seeing a lot of Snake players not take advantage of Snake's amazing control on platforms in tournaments videos which I find peculiar. Snake can EASILY bring people from 0% to %70 on a platform with Dthrow and jabs ALONE. Luckily, Norfair is CHOCK FULL of platforms to take advantage of this simple tactic. 5, to be exact.
Another great aspect of this stage is that Snake's grenades can keep yr opponent at bay all the way on the other side of the stage. Using the mid air grenade stop trick (press B, drop grenade, pick back up, throw, press B to pull out a grenade and stop the one in motion and have it drop to the ground) you can place grenades any where on the map to halt yr opponents rushing towards you. What leaves a lot of players vulnerable on this stage is being on the higher platforms because of shield stabs from aerials on lower platforms. Alas, grenade counter nullifies that almost too well.
If yr opponent is pursuing you via the higher platforms and dares to Board the Platforms! (lol) you can quick hug the ledge, drop under a bit, jump then Nair them right off and grab the lower platform. What's even more silly and frustrating is that even if yr opponent manages to predict this and shield, the Nair is likely to push them off and have them fall onto the lower platform either way leaving them only 4 ways to wake up, making them completely vulnerable to yet ANOTHER nair after wake up.
Another strategy using the quick hug idea is dropping a grenade and picking it back up, quick hugging, then you can either a.) time the explosion so that when you roll or wake up it will go off in yr invincibility frames or b.) drop to the lower platform ledge and quickly board it to grenade shield to meet yr opponent with some damage on invincibility and disrupt their approach.
A good way to KO yr opponent on this stage is taking advantage of the Platform Fsmash. If yr opponent is under you on the lower platform while you sit atop the higher platform, you can charge an Fsmash, and on the taller / larger cast it will connect. I've covered this in all my past posts as well, so no reason to keep this post exempt.
Although I haven't seen many people lately really find it necessary to jump into the capsule when the lava wave is approaching to avoid it, if it were to so happen yr opponent does, you can drop a C4 on top of the capsule and detonate it and it should connect (though they can obviously shield). Also, Fsmash goes through the side caspule walls.
Another good reason I find this stage very advantageous to Snake is that when the side lava wave is pushing both you and yr opponent to the other side of the stage, it forces you into smaller confines of combat and allows for Snake to punish yr opponent's lack of area to approach you in, and variety as well. Grenade counter, grenade shield, platform fsmash, dthrow. . .all viable and abusable in this situation. Let us not forget Utilts huge invisible hitbox and Ftilts range to keep yr opponent from getting too close and having them ricochet off the lava.
All of Snake's tilts are absolutely destructive on this stage. On any of the smaller platforms, from one end to the other, an Ftilt will hit them. If not the first hit, the second; which is great because you don't have to stress too much how to knock yr opponent off from yr level. Dtilt is a great range attack and mix up for this similar situation as well, as is Utilt (a great mechanism for KOing on the higher platforms at lower(ish) percents).
The only unpredictable and irritating aspect of this stage I do not enjoy is the lava geysers. . .they suck. ;"{
Well, that's really all for now. I know this is a pretty overwhelming wall of text but. . .All this information has lead me to victory in the past, so I hope you find this information useful in yr future match endeavors. Feel free to contribute yr ideas to any of the past stage posts and I will add quote you accordingly!
Suggested camo: Red (although not very advantageous, y'never know ;"})
VIDEOS:
???
Finally, don't be shy about contributing to this discussion! It'll only help in the long run, and as I stated before I will put you in the original post with credit of yr ideas!