• Welcome to Smashboards, the world's largest Super Smash Brothers community! Over 250,000 Smash Bros. fans from around the world have come to discuss these great games in over 19 million posts!

    You are currently viewing our boards as a visitor. Click here to sign up right now and start on your path in the Smash community!

Starting Zelda back up, Thunder Kick tips

M@v

Subarashii!
Joined
Oct 13, 2007
Messages
10,678
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Hey Guys. Zelda was one of my mains in melee. But when Brawl came out, for some reason I just ignored her in Brawl. Now Im picking her back up like I should of did when brawl came out. I know shes much MUCH better in brawl(unfortunately sheik isnt :O), but her Thunder Kicks hitbox has been severly reduced. Any special pointers for trying to connect some what consistently?
Thunder Kick was a major part of my melee zelda game. I know it isnt as important now, and her style has slightly altered, but I still want use it frequently.
 

goodkid

Smash Lord
Joined
May 28, 2007
Messages
1,066
Location
Homewood, IL
I remember reading somewhere that lightning kick's sweetspot comes out on Frame 1, so you want the kick to sort of overlap the opponent or heel to connect. I'm not sure of the exact sweetspot, but go to training mode to practice the sweetspot.

Using the lightning kick frequently can be a good strategy, but it will take a lot of baiting to connect with them. Zelda's other moves are all very good, and lightning kick isn't even needed to do well with Zelda, because all her other moves kill.
 

Brinzy

Godfather of the Crimean Mafia
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
3,672
Location
Alexandria, VA
NNID
Brinzy
At lower %s, I try to:

- d-throw -> lightning kick
- Usmash -> lightning kick
- nair -> lightning kick



Also, it could just be me, but I have a much easier time with bair than fair. It comes out a bit quicker, and the range of bair is shorter, thus spacing it, to me, is a bit easier. It's still a fairly long kick, so it doesn't really put a dent in her range in the air, but I hit much easier with that than her fair.
 

SinkingHigher

Smash Lord
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
1,886
Location
Canada
Fast-fall. It is the key to connecting sweetspots.

Fast fall, and I guarantee you will sweetspot like, three times as often. f, b, or d airs.

Another way to do it is to shorthop and immediately f-air/b-air. Try jumping with X while holding forward and rolling your thumb onto A. You should be able to sweetspot in the face.

You could also setup a lightning kick by Din or SHFFN-air. (Short Hop Fast Fall N-air)


Oh... Here's a little trick that might help.

You'll notice that there is a point when approaching the edge of a stage that if you, say, do a Din's Fire, Zelda will suddenly move from by the ledge to on the ledge almost instantly. What you do is run off the side of the stage when the opponent is close. Lure them in, since they'll probably come after you to spike. As they get close to the edge, jump and hold towards the stage, and do a b-air (you should hit them at about crotch-level.)

It should be something like this.



Zelda should continuously, fluidly move from point 1 to 2 to 1 to 2 and so on, f-airing or b-airing when near opponent. You could do this for recovering opponents to I suppose.

Usually it's quite unexpected, and works on even the smallest characters. With some practice, you can hold away from the stage after b-airing, so that Zelda gets her second jump back, without stopping. It's similar to the ISJR thing. It's just a continuous motion of moving from South-East to North-West, doing b-airs along the way. You need to be right at the edge for this.

Also, let's say you're coming in from the right. If you wait long enough, (the timing is ridiculous), you can sweetspot f-air to the left, and the opponent will fly TOWARDS you. It's possible on all characters, but easier on large ones. Basically, it's like f-airing a recovering opponent off the stage when YOU are the one recovering.
 

AlCaTraz644

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
158
Location
new jersey
Sinking Higher right fast fall . I find it easier to SH when she's near the almost about to fall fair or bair you basically. the only way you won't is if you bair or fair.

Sinking Higher's picture is a good example of how to sweetspot with Zelda.
 

Somacruz2

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Oct 10, 2007
Messages
343
I find the best way to do it is to short hop double b-air, seems like the best way to get them out cause they'll bloack the first one, but ussually don't block the second one.
 

FirebyrdXX

Smash Cadet
Joined
Mar 30, 2008
Messages
65
I find the best way to do it is to short hop double b-air, seems like the best way to get them out cause they'll bloack the first one, but ussually don't block the second one.
this.

Those unfamiliar with zelda feel safe after the first one whiffs, but Zelda can get to fairs/bairs off in one shorthop. My favorite thing to do is the TALK (Turn Around Lightning Kick). If they're standing still trying to bait you, simply jump over them and whiff a fair, then immediately perform a bair while fastfalling. You'll be at the perfect distance to sweetspot and they'll usually fall for it. Unless they dodge it, the kick has ALWAYS been sweetspotted thanks to the distance.

And yeah, the sweetspot is on her heel now.
 

Nakayorz

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
122
Location
New York
this.

Those unfamiliar with zelda feel safe after the first one whiffs, but Zelda can get to fairs/bairs off in one shorthop. My favorite thing to do is the TALK (Turn Around Lightning Kick). If they're standing still trying to bait you, simply jump over them and whiff a fair, then immediately perform a bair while fastfalling. You'll be at the perfect distance to sweetspot and they'll usually fall for it. Unless they dodge it, the kick has ALWAYS been sweetspotted thanks to the distance.

And yeah, the sweetspot is on her heel now.
You can only get 2 bairs in a short hop, you have to full hop to get more than one kick if fair is one of them.
 

uon_decided

Smash Rookie
Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Messages
9
Fast-fall. It is the key to connecting sweetspots.

Fast fall, and I guarantee you will sweetspot like, three times as often. f, b, or d airs.

Another way to do it is to shorthop and immediately f-air/b-air. Try jumping with X while holding forward and rolling your thumb onto A. You should be able to sweetspot in the face.

You could also setup a lightning kick by Din or SHFFN-air. (Short Hop Fast Fall N-air)


Oh... Here's a little trick that might help.

You'll notice that there is a point when approaching the edge of a stage that if you, say, do a Din's Fire, Zelda will suddenly move from by the ledge to on the ledge almost instantly. What you do is run off the side of the stage when the opponent is close. Lure them in, since they'll probably come after you to spike. As they get close to the edge, jump and hold towards the stage, and do a b-air (you should hit them at about crotch-level.)

It should be something like this.



Zelda should continuously, fluidly move from point 1 to 2 to 1 to 2 and so on, f-airing or b-airing when near opponent. You could do this for recovering opponents to I suppose.

Usually it's quite unexpected, and works on even the smallest characters. With some practice, you can hold away from the stage after b-airing, so that Zelda gets her second jump back, without stopping. It's similar to the ISJR thing. It's just a continuous motion of moving from South-East to North-West, doing b-airs along the way. You need to be right at the edge for this.

Also, let's say you're coming in from the right. If you wait long enough, (the timing is ridiculous), you can sweetspot f-air to the left, and the opponent will fly TOWARDS you. It's possible on all characters, but easier on large ones. Basically, it's like f-airing a recovering opponent off the stage when YOU are the one recovering.

yeah, that's what i do from time to time.
 

SinkingHigher

Smash Lord
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
1,886
Location
Canada
Here's another lightning kick tip.

Short Hop to f-air, and as soon as you hit A, SMACK the joystick to the opposite direction, and she will "b-stick" a fair.

Basiclaly, she lightning kicks forwards while moving backwards.

It works great with Zelda. She's really floaty, so she travels backwards a LOT. It is the PERFECT set up for a Din, whether the lightning kick connects or not. And it looks totally hot.
 

Somacruz2

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Oct 10, 2007
Messages
343
My favorite new tactic with the toe is to bait your opponent when they're on the edge to come up at you with a swing( basically the roles are reversed in the previously posted diagram), then while they're doing that, just to a quick jump and then fast fall in to a toe and there you go. So satisfying! ^_^
 

SinkingHigher

Smash Lord
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
1,886
Location
Canada
Bahahahaha. I love it when their face smacks into the wall and then they fly away to their doom.

So satisfying.
 

betterthanbonds9

Smash Ace
Joined
Feb 13, 2008
Messages
744
Location
In eighteenspikes' heart
Aim for the gut...That's the best advice i can give, Hahah
AIM FOR THE HORN HEAD!!

i never miss the head, anything below tends to miss unless I'm doing a double bair SH where I'll hit their feet.

Here's another lightning kick tip.

Short Hop to f-air, and as soon as you hit A, SMACK the joystick to the opposite direction, and she will "b-stick" a fair.

Basiclaly, she lightning kicks forwards while moving backwards.
yeah, It's kinda like melee jigglypuff when you just keep baiting them
 

TigerWoods

Smash Champion
Joined
Jul 7, 2008
Messages
2,388
Location
Wherever you want me to be... If you're female.
If a game and watch tries to bucket your din's, shoot a dins at him and explode it else where. Then LIGHTENIN KICK 'IS FACE YO! Also if you do retreating fairs like sinking said your oponent will be warry to touch you, regardless of the fact that it probably wont hit XD
 

SKnickers03

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Messages
209
Location
SoCal
SinkingHigher...that is arguably the most awesome diagram i have ever seen...you even made zelda a pink dress...kudos
 

-dMT-

Smash Lord
Joined
Dec 6, 2005
Messages
1,076
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Yes..and FD's gay lip is accurately displayed as well.

SinkingHigher knows what he is saying. I second.
 

RoyalBlood

Smash Ace
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
764
Location
Mexico
I spam kicks until i sweetspot one :3
Since sourspoted kicks flinch, they have no time to retialate or shield :D
But SinkingHigher diagram and explanation pretty much covered everything ^^
 

YesISpeakChinese

Smash Apprentice
Joined
May 9, 2008
Messages
80
Location
New York
well idk if this really affected anything but i main falcon and his knee is similar to zelda's fair and bair except with shorter range
i tried zelda when i first got brawl for fun and i couldn't sweetspot for my life
i tried like a few days ago and i feel satisfied with the percentage of sweet spots i get
 
Top Bottom