You know you wanna rate my Pika....

[KayLo!]

Well, guys, thanks to Ussi agreeing to **** my Pika & record it for the masses, I now have videos of my playing! I'm trying to make the giant step from casual player to competitive player, and I have a LOT to improve on, so I would appreciate any and all criticism.

Be harsh, please. And thanks ahead of time.

Also, Ussi says "WATCH IN HIGH QUALITY..."

EDIT: All the vids are now here! (I think....)

KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Ike) 1
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Ike) 2 - No johns, Ussi. (Seriously, though, it was more stage than my skillz. )
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Ike) 3 - I'm never fighting Ike on Pirate Ship again.

KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Pikachu) 1
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Pikachu) 2
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Pikachu) 3

KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Ike) 4
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Ike) 5

MORE EDIT: Tournament videos! Yesterday I went to one of Drexel's biweeklies so I could get my very first taste of what a tournament is like..... and I did horribly. Partly because I got ***** by the bracket but mostly because I just wasn't as good as 95% of the people there. I'm still glad I went, though... it was definitely a learning experience.

Apparently I need to practice more on Lylat, because I got it as my first stage THREE TIMES in a row. (I struck BF.)

These are videos from the set that knocked me out of the tourney. I lost the first match, started the second HORRIBLY but my counterpick stage gave me the win, and the third match (which I assume will be uploaded soon) was very very close but he got his killing blow in before I could.

Tournament:
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Clai (Ganondorf) 1 - Might be titled wrong on YouTube, but it's the right video.
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Clai (Ganondorf) 2 - Rainbow Cruise ftw.
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Clai (Ganondorf) 3

Friendlies:
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Ike) 6

 

[Ussi]

in the 3rd set, the last match was interrupted since the lounge closed... I don't think putting it up will help and all that really happened was I wall locked you from 40% to like 80% and it was on a banned stage anyways. (Shadow Moses Island)

>_> I didn't think 150 MBs takes long to load... (3 hours >_>) Hopefully there won't be any technical difficulties while I'm at college while they upload at home... I can only imagine.... (Family... fuse goes out... someone turns off the **** computer... they pull the memory stick out >__________>)

 

[Buster Call]

Haha Ussi this reminds me of when we played (if you remember me). Wanna rematch? I bet I can beat you this time lol. And kaylo I'll leave comments soon. But first thought is it needs more QAC.

 

[5ive]

Nice vid.
If you want a critique, I'll edit this post later on.

 

[Legendary Pikachu]

Everything was what a pikachu should have done. QaC is a little low compared to Anther (but then... everybody's is comapared to him) but i guess its just different preferences. From the video, your pikachu looks solid. I think its the other things that affected the gameplay, like spacing (which is unique for every character and changes depending on which character you face). As with Ike, a few more centimeters away when doing Tjolts and you'll be set (unless the IKE reveals ridiculous quick-draw/jab skills) :D. I think i normally pressure Ike from right behind/below him when he does anything but n-air, but then again i get lucky dashes in. Ussi looks intimidating compared to the ike's i faced.

Overall, anything but a bad match. Props.

hope that helps,

Sincerely,
Legendary Pikachu, LDPK, still a fledgeling smashboards'er

PS. I don't really have many vids up of me on smashboards.... *tears* :'(

 

[Roller]

I've only watched vid 1 so far. Here's what I have to say..

Klo, @ 2:11 you should have gone for the grab, F-smash gives him too much time to respond.

Grab more in general, it allows you to do a lot of small combos to rack up the damage without diminishing the knockback on your kill moves like Fsmash, which you use a lot. This is especially helpful vs heavier opponents such as Ike, because they are easier to combo and harder to kill.

Use Nair and Uair...and thunder. 3 solid attacks, use them. Nair is a great kill move, Nair has excellent priority and can be easily comboed out of, thunder can be used effectively to edgeguard and can stall your momentum while in the air, screwing up your opponent's timing and giving you more time to formulate the correct way to proceed.
Also, QAC is your friend, integrate it into your play and you will open up so many more options for approaches, combos, retreats, spacing, etc. And that's all I have to say about that.

 

[Ussi]

ok something is ****ing wrong at home >_> The vids aren't loading for now...

my critique for video one:
Grab more, use utilt more (You do utilt in the later matches at least). Stop using fsmash instead use dtilt.

Frigate is good choice, that stage killed me twice in 10 seconds.


EDIT:

Haha Ussi this reminds me of when we played (if you remember me). Wanna rematch? I bet I can beat you this time lol. And kaylo I'll leave comments soon. But first thought is it needs more QAC.

I remember you from GB. When I did that lol. I screw around on wifi now a days. I don't take it seriously.

 

[RyanPF]

I'd say try to be a bit more aggressive at times. And I LOL'd when you tried to ledgehog Aether... I try that every time and I always screw up the timing just like that.

 

[M15t3R E]

You make good use of t-jolts, but use it a bit much and become predictable with it. Try double jumping t-jolts more to approach.
Definitely against a character that can outspace you, like Ike, be very aggressive and get inside his range. Use a lot of grabs to rack up damage, and save your f-smashes for a kill move.
When a character lands near you and become punishable, dtilt is your friend. Use that over f-smash.
I noticed that Ussi would sometimes jump into the air right next to you (2:38 for example). What you can do in those situations is dash under them and jump up to meet them with a uair or nair.
When your opponent is returning to the stage, t-jolt is not usually your best option. Try to take them out with a thunder.
Make sure to attempt more grabs instead of f-smashes, and many more FF fairs (preferably landing behind the opponent), which easily leads to utilts for combo damage. Pika's combo game is too good.

Solid Pikachu overall. Stick with us and we'll help you to improve beyond imagination.

 

[*Jose*]

I Love Luigi And Ike

 

[Zylar]

I Love Luigi And Ike

<.<
>.>
>.<
Ooookay.

Edit : BTW, Welcome to Smashboards!!!

Ontopic:

Not much for me to say. (Not like I should, I think I'm the same level as you.)

 

[Pika_Cam]

If you had grabbed Ike more in the first video, you may very well have won. Down throw + uptilt/upsmash is your friend, especially against heavy characters. You should use some QAC, like other people said. Also, you could just get faster and more aggressive overall. The tjolts were a good idea, but sometimes they kept you from using a stronger move to kill your opponent. Finally, you should thunderhog, which is a great edgeguarding technique with Pikachu.

 

[Ussi]

bump because there are more vids to watch now!

 

[KayLo!]

Thanks for the critiques, everyone! I'll keep everything in mind, work on it, and hopefully get some more vids as I improve.

And kaylo I'll leave comments soon. But first thought is it needs more QAC.

Yeah, I'm gonna just bite the bullet and use more QAC. Not using it is just my -- former, I guess -- playstyle, but obviously that's not working.

I'm definitely gonna start incorporating it more into my game.

Nice vid.
If you want a critique, I'll edit this post later on.

Thanks! I would really appreciate it.

You make good use of t-jolts, but use it a bit much and become predictable with it.

The weird thing is, when I played Tag a few times he said I used tjolts far less than other Pikas and that I should be using them more. I guess I went overboard.

More videos, guys. I'll update the OP as well:
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Ike) 3
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Pikachu) 1
KLo (Pikachu) vs. Ussi (Pikachu) 2

 

[Pika_Cam]

The Pikachu dittos match was nice. The only thing I can say is that you are depriving yourself of good grab combos.

 

[Zylar]

Ditto number 1, nice. Ussi you took tjolts for the ballon, lol.
Ditto number 2, two deaths from thunder. Should of seen that coming.
Third vid, Ussi how dair you!?!?

Imma go to sleep now. X0

 

[KayLo!]

Third vid, Ussi how dair you!?!?

Zing.

Guys, the rest of the videos are up, so now you have a wide selection to critique from. Help my Pika, pleaaaase!

<3

And thank you x9000 to Ussi for uploading them.

 

[Ussi]

Zing.

Guys, the rest of the videos are up, so now you have a wide selection to critique from. Help my Pika, pleaaaase!

<3

And thank you x9000 to Ussi for uploading them.

Shouldn't you label it like 4 and 5 maybe

 

[KayLo!]

Oops.

I had grouped them as a different set, so I labeled them wrong.... fixed.

 

[Ussi]

KLo needs some help with this match up (Special battle everyone)

 

[Stealth Raptor]

thoughts on the fox battle- make sure to get your cgs down. once the timing is down he cannot escape, unless you start at a high percent where decay sets in. against a fox that is obviously going to usmash you, dont throw out an attack, let him try to usmash you, sheild and punish. also utilt to grab under like 15 is a fox killer. i willl watch these later and either edit or post again.

EDIT: you did a very good job oof spacing in the first vid but then you let ike get inside your gaurd. try hanging back morelike you did at the beginning. also if someone is laying on the ground, a pause and adsmash can work wonders. for the third one DONT GO INTO THE WATER! though i am sure you know that try not to fall down onto people, they can punish it pretty bad. if worst comes to worse qac away. be very careful when hopping. if done too much you WILL get punished. if an ike uses a smash you should be able to punish. you dont need to use retreating tshocks. also when you are coming down, they come up to meet you, try to air dodge through it. i saw a bunch of times where you wer epunished cause you tried to hit him and he outranegd you.
Work on spacing a little better, punishing a little better, and work on DI and momentum canceling. sorry for the rammbling nature i sorta wrote down what i saw as i went along XD

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

I watched 2 of the ike matches and the fox one.

First off, in those matches i didn't see you CG the ike once. A grab below thirty should lead to another grab. You need to speed up your pikachu, it seems pretty sluggish. The faster you get the more overwhelming. But, don't get too fast without control. Slowly increase the speed on your fingers and you can become very pressuring.

Also, i didn't see you QAC that much. Even if you don't use it a lot, you should still use it when you are being pressured and you don't like the positioning/situation you are in. It is an easy escape and then you can shoot a T-jolt afterwards. As stealth said, work on the momentum cancelling.

That's it for now, i can't really think too much. Hope you improve

 

[Ussi]

I watched 2 of the ike matches and the fox one.

First off, in those matches i didn't see you CG the ike once. A grab below thirty should lead to another grab. You need to speed up your pikachu, it seems pretty sluggish. The faster you get the more overwhelming. But, don't get too fast without control. Slowly increase the speed on your fingers and you can become very pressuring.

Also, i didn't see you QAC that much. Even if you don't use it a lot, you should still use it when you are being pressured and you don't like the positioning/situation you are in. It is an easy escape and then you can shoot a T-jolt afterwards. As stealth said, work on the momentum cancelling.

That's it for now, i can't really think too much. Hope you improve

She keeps mis timing the CG for now and well for the time being she doesn't want to eat Ike's jab any more than she needs too. This is something I'll have to help her with in her training session.

 

[KayLo!]

Thanks for all the help, guys! There's more videos up now on the OP, and a third will probably be joining them soon to complete the set. I had my very first tournament experience ever yesterday, and it was.... well, an experience.

I wish I'd had more time to improve on the things you guys mentioned beforehand, but I only had one real day of practice this week, so my playstyle didn't change drastically between my last videos and these new ones. However, I have 2 weeks until my next tournament, so by then I hope to have increased my tech skill and speed a bit. ....Or a lot, preferably.

I'm also picking up two new characters (Lucario & Zelda -- I'm dropping ROB), so maybe learning them will give me a little break from Pika and help my Brawl skills in general.

@ESAM, I hope I improve too.

 

[Ussi]

Lucario gets tiresome to use, and Zelda requires you to use Sheik as well now. Good luck trying to use them.


And you should learn Lylat, its a pretty good stage for Pikachu, once you learn to adjust to the tilting of the stage.

and finally, my lappy is not liking me and is not uploading fast i got so many vids to put up...

 

[Legendary Pikachu]

If you don't mind hitting a laggin pikachu... i'll play... :D.

Anyways i have classes every now and then but most of the time, I put in some time to play with my roomate. Now that i have wifi for the first time pretty much, i can make time for online play. Just give me a heads up whenever you want to play. Plus i need the practice also (needa do all my moves ahead of time )

Sincerely,
Legendary Pikachu, LDPK, still a fledgeling smashboards'er

Oh... i can play different chars also. I secondary like half the board (NinjaLink complex i think). I hope that'll help with anyone wanting lite training.

 

[KayLo!]

Lucario gets tiresome to use, and Zelda requires you to use Sheik as well now. Good luck trying to use them.

Thanks, Ussi. I love it when you have such overwhelming confidence in me.

I have fun playing Zelda. I don't know about Lucario yet since I haven't ever tried him out for real, but I need someone to cover the matchups I just can't handle at all with Pika.... and from people who second Lucario, I hear he's actually pretty fun to use. Maybe he just wasn't your style?

Anyways, I think I just need a little break from Pika. I <3 him, and he'll always be my main, but I think I'm getting Pikachu overload without having a real secondary. (Ike doesn't count, I just play him strictly for fun.)

If you don't mind hitting a laggin pikachu... i'll play... :D.

Anyways i have classes every now and then but most of the time, I put in some time to play with my roomate. Now that i have wifi for the first time pretty much, i can make time for online play. Just give me a heads up whenever you want to play. Plus i need the practice also (needa do all my moves ahead of time )

Sincerely,
Legendary Pikachu, LDPK, still a fledgeling smashboards'er

Oh... i can play different chars also. I secondary like half the board (NinjaLink complex i think). I hope that'll help with anyone wanting lite training.

Thanks, LDPK! I'll definitely take you up on that sometime soon. I wish we'd gotten to play longer last time.... oh, and I'm debating getting FiOS to replace my current internet, so there would be less lag next time if I decide to do it!

 

[Ussi]

Thanks, Ussi. I love it when you have such overwhelming confidence in me.

I have fun playing Zelda. I don't know about Lucario yet since I haven't ever tried him out for real, but I need someone to cover the matchups I just can't handle at all with Pika.... and from people who second Lucario, I hear he's actually pretty fun to use. Maybe he just wasn't your style?

Anyways, I think I just need a little break from Pika. I <3 him, and he'll always be my main, but I think I'm getting Pikachu overload without having a real secondary. (Ike doesn't count, I just play him strictly for fun.)

Forgive me.. I was basing off my own experience. I too have tried picking them up when I was in my slump with Ike and Pikachu. If you are going off on what character to use to cover Pikachu's weakness, all your characters are weak against G&W. But if you're going off for what character is fun for you, then by all means I'll support your character choices and help you get better with them. If you can get the resolve to continue and try to work harder to get better, through the bitter truth of reality, then you'll be able to achieve a higher level.


But seriously, Zelda/Sheik have to both be used. There are some match ups you go only sheik and only Zelda, but the majority you go sheik and finish off with Zelda.

and Lucario gets boring fast, after you realize it is a tough character to stick with.

 

[Stealth Raptor]

i will admit that lucario is VERY straight forward and you do much of the same thing, but i still find him fun. technically olimar coutners the most weaknesses of pika (minus mk of course)

 

[Ussi]

**** double post >_<.. (on the next page lulz)

 

[Ussi]

ROB has a solid advantage on Olimar. Marth has a slight advantage. G&W is near nuetral in his favor.

 

[Stealth Raptor]

i want you to ask olimars about that. i have heard that through fino that the rob olimar matchup is starting to drop to neutral right now. also imo neutral >>> 35-65 or 30-70 you dont need them to counter just go at least neutral

 

[momochuu]

Don't listen to Fino about Olimar matchups. Lmfao.

 

[Ussi]

If he is basing if on wifi... since he likes wifi battles... I wouldn't trust it... I don't trust any wifi experience in a match up.

 

[Stealth Raptor]

we have a very good rob main who beats me all the time (my best friend). fino generally 2 stocks this rob now.

 

[Ussi]

does the ROB know how to fight Olimar???

 

[Stealth Raptor]

indeed he does. fino hasnt lost to a rob in a while. it isnt as easy as it would seem for a rob to kill olimar now. it is no longer fair to gimp. believe me olimars have really progressed.

 

[KayLo!]

The last match of the tourney set is up!

Also, another video of me vs. Ussi.... I died in the most shameful ways.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

Ok, this critique is from the tournament matches.

1. As I said in my first post, SPEED UP YOUR PLAY. The CGs were all very slow and you could've done them much faster. Learn to capitalize on the buffer system.

2. When somebody is at kill %s, don't use your kill moves exclusively. Brawl is a game of hitting your opponent until they die, not killing your opponent.

3. Use attacks our of your shield. 99% of the time when you got hit in your shield, you would just grab or roll. Attacking OOS is a very good thing to master, and it will help get those extra %s you need. Also, it can set up for a thunder (like if you uptilt out of shield to thunder)

4. Learn to shield at any moment. You can shield when you are running, so when you see anybody going for an attack, hit the shield button. This will start making your opponent mindgame you and start grabbing you or backing away. Make them introduce the mindgames by shielding their attacks.

5. SPEED UP YOUR GAME

6. Stop throwing out so many thunders. In the first match, you must've done 5 thunders that weren't even close to hitting him. Reserve them for when it puts them in an uncomfortable position or when it will hit.

 

[M15t3R E]

Hey KLo, I watched your set against Clai's Ganondorf and the biggest message that reverberated in my mind was "needs to be more aggressive". Instead of forcing him to approach most of the time with t-jolts, try using them to approach yourself.
You have quite the grabby Pikachu. This is fine, though if you're going to be that way I'd recommend you substitute some of those f-throws for d-throws.
Also use fair to u-tilt more often.
Additionally, when the opponent SDI's out of d-smash, TECH CHASE! What I do is I run up to where my opponent fell and wait with my shield up.
Don't forget to edgeguard often with thunder. It's one of the best edgeguard attacks in the game.

Good stuff KLo. You have room for improvement. I have room for improvement. We all have room for improvement. If there's one thing to take from this critique, though, know that it will help for you to take a more offensive stance in your matches.