D
Deleted member
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What exactly are the fundamentals of Smash so I can stop pretending I know them? And how do I practice them?
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Crystanium
Smash Hero
I hear a lot of pro players and commentators throw the word "fundamentals" around like anyone understands what it means. It's akin to "mind-games" that people kept spouting glibly during the Brawl era. When you look up the word "fundamentals", it's defined as, "A central or primary rule or principle on which something is based." In other words, the basics. Well, I somehow doubt that's what pro players have in mind. Or do most players not know what the basics are?
When you'd watch ZeRo play as Diddy Kong in SSB4, there were a lot of things he did that were the same. They weren't technical for the most part, save the wavebouncing with the use of Banana Peel and Peanut Popgun. They were pretty basic options that his opponents kept falling for. When you'd watch Zinoto play as Diddy Kong, he was far more technical, but he wasn't considered the best Diddy Kong player, let alone the best player in the world. He was still pretty good, though.
When you'd watch ZeRo play as Diddy Kong in SSB4, there were a lot of things he did that were the same. They weren't technical for the most part, save the wavebouncing with the use of Banana Peel and Peanut Popgun. They were pretty basic options that his opponents kept falling for. When you'd watch Zinoto play as Diddy Kong, he was far more technical, but he wasn't considered the best Diddy Kong player, let alone the best player in the world. He was still pretty good, though.
Arrei
Smash Lord
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2014
- Messages
- 1,303
Well, to me, the "basics" mostly means the elements outside of technical stuff like combos or escaping combos. The stuff like, watching what your opponent is doing, making sure your own actions aren't predictable, staying aware of what your character is capable of doing in terms of their reach, their weak spots, etc. The things you have to watch for regardless of whether you're playing a a rushdown, zoner, or spacing character.
So like, this would be composed of some mixture of prediction, baiting, and spacing, I suppose.
So like, this would be composed of some mixture of prediction, baiting, and spacing, I suppose.
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Xelrog
Smash Lord
I think what "the fundamentals" means varies by your skill level. "The basics," as said by pro players, is not the same thing as using the phrase to describe someone who's never played a video game before. To Grandma, the basics are knowing what buttons do what, and that's it.
There are a multitude of Smash tutorial videos on YouTube by a multitude of players, often series on how to learn and improve at the game overall. I would look at some of them, like Beefy Smash Doods or the like. Contrary to what some people believe, though, I'm of the mind that you can't really poison yourself with bad input habits. The only thing that will prevent your progress is the lack of a desire to improve. Play the game, watch your own replays, and pay attention to what you could have done better, then play some more with that self-advice in mind. If you hit a point where you're looking at footage and you don't know what you're doing wrong that's resulting in being hit/losing, then it's time to ask a more experienced player to review said footage.
There are a multitude of Smash tutorial videos on YouTube by a multitude of players, often series on how to learn and improve at the game overall. I would look at some of them, like Beefy Smash Doods or the like. Contrary to what some people believe, though, I'm of the mind that you can't really poison yourself with bad input habits. The only thing that will prevent your progress is the lack of a desire to improve. Play the game, watch your own replays, and pay attention to what you could have done better, then play some more with that self-advice in mind. If you hit a point where you're looking at footage and you don't know what you're doing wrong that's resulting in being hit/losing, then it's time to ask a more experienced player to review said footage.
