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MARIO Every video game needs a hero, but none are as well known, nor can claim to be as well beloved as that endearing, pasta loving plumber Mario. Ever since his emergence from the sketch pad of Shigeru Miyamoto all those years ago, Mario has been the driving force behind almost all of Nintendo's most successful franchises. Stomping on turtles and beating up goombas everywhere from dirty truck stop arcade coin-ops to bad Fred Savage movies, Mario has become a true icon of American culture. Not far from his roots, Mario returns in true form, still beating the heads of defenseless Yoshis and tossing Koopa Kings in and out of the arenas of Super Smash Bros. Melee for the Nintendo GameCube. From a design standpoint, Super Smash Bros. is by and large the house that Mario built. Arguably the most balanced character in the game, that "more familiar than Mickey Mouse" plumber is certainly easy enough for a beginner to pick up and control right from the get go. However, as is the case with most of the Melee fighters, the more advanced a Mario player becomes, the more hidden facets of the Italian's fighting style are revealed; and therein lies Mario's true beauty. A real, honest to goodness Mario expert, having taken the time to master the art of "flying without really flying," can move in seemingly effortless leaps from platform to platform, clearing the screen with well timed hits and kicks that may or may not jar a few golden coins from opponents caught off guard. Playing as Mario in Melee, just as in his signature platformers we've all come to know and love, is all about practice. Beginners may be drawn to him for his namesake, and rightfully so, but his true staying power in the arsenal of any hardened Smash Bros. veteran is in his lack of any real weakness. Classified as a Close Range fighter, Mario is powerful in close quarters, striking with a decent amount of powerful punches and kicks, along with an all new Meteor Smash technique. Though not a Lightweight by any stretch of the imagination, Mario is fortunate to not be plagued by the slow speed on the ground that would qualify him as one of the Heavy Hitters. On the contrary, Mario is a relatively quick fighter that, while not rivaling the raw speed of the your Foxes and Pikachus, can still compete with some of the fastest players in the game. CLASSIFICATION: Close Range Regular Attacks Pausing only for a moment to charge the attack, Mario flings his fist toward his opponent in a small ball of fire that engulfs the unlucky character. While not the most damaging smash move in the game when taken solely at face value, Mario's Smash Attack has a secret. The amount of damage dealt is directly proportionate to the distance away Mario is from his opponent when beginning the Smash; optimal distance is about two steps away from hostile characters. Once again, practice is the key. Pausing for another brief second, Mario twirls both of his legs in a roundhouse sweep that hits opponents low on either side of him. Knocking opponents horizontally, the sweep comes in handy when on more cramped arenas, as it provides quite an easy way of delivering other characters right off the edge, setting them up perfectly for a Forward Smash to the edge of the screen. As well, if backed into a corner, the sweep's relatively long range is useful in breaking down the quick, repetitive attacks of Speedsters. Mario performs a savage head butt, sending nearby characters in a vertical arc that is quite useful as a combo finish when his opponent has a relatively high percentage. Also, this move can be especially useful when dealing with an opponent from above, as it can be used to send some over eager combatants sky high with relative ease. Special Attacks Fireball: Mario's only projectile. While not particularly powerful, the fireball can be severely damaging not so much to an opponent's hit percentage, as to his ego. Following the tradition started by the first Super Mario Bros., Mario's tried and true fireball flies forward and down, bouncing off the ground several times before it fizzles out. At any time during this flight, if the fireball comes into contact with an opponent, it causes the assailed character to recoil, engulfed in a ball of fire which stuns them for a brief second. Therein lies the key to the fireball's strength. When used as a preemptive strike from across the stage, the fireball can set off an opponent's timing, stunning them for a moment, and even causing them to mistakenly commit suicide (if they are sufficiently knocked off balance). Another quite handy, if cheap, usage of the fireball is to nullify a flailing character's "third jump" from enabling them to make it back from being sent off the stage. If timed properly, the fireball can be an extremely maddening sting that causes an already nearly finished foe from having any chance of returning from a Smash Attack. As well, the fireball can be quite useful in "stealing kills" from other characters in a four-player match by simply "reaching out and touching" a falling opponent on his way down. Super Cape: A new addition to Mario's arsenal for Melee is the golden cape he used to fly in Super Mario World. In Smash Bros. Melee, the cape is used as a counter move. Perfect for reflecting projectiles, swords, and even thrown items back at their point of origin, the cape also enables Mario to twirl nearby opponents to face the opposite direction, causing severe confusion in its wake. Also, in the case of desperately trying to make it back to a stage's edge, the cape can be invaluable as a kind of "two and a half jump" that enables Mario an extra boost of horizontal movement just before he employs his Super Jump Punch to try to cover the rest of the distance. Super Jump Punch: Probably one of Mario's most annoying moves from the original Smash Bros., the Super Jump Punch has made the transition to Melee completely intact. When properly pulled off, this move launches Mario in a forward jumping punch that can trap one or more opponents for roughly a second, knocking coins from them as they are suspended in the air. More annoyance than anything else, this move can easily get you into a fist fight with one of your buddies after several repetitions. As it's not exactly the most damaging maneuver in Mario's arsenal, and as it causes him to pause for a moment to return to the ground (leaving him wide open for projectile counter attacks, or opportunistic ground assailants), the Super Jump Punch should be reserved for only the occasions when Mario needs to clear out opponents from above him, leaving him safe to make a landing. Also, the Super Jump Punch is an extremely useful third jump, launching Mario in a upward diagonal path back toward the stage in the case of an accidental fall. Mario Tornado: A close range maneuver for a close range fighter. The Tornado, when timed correctly, can be a devastating end to an all out four player brawl. The move causes Mario to spin in a circle with his fists flying, sending all nearby opponents flying vertically, setting them up perfectly for an Upward Smash. Beware, however, as this move can be countered by an opponent's well placed kick. Use this move conservatively. Strategies for Mario Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Mario is a Close Range attacker, plain and simple. In the vast majority of the battles he will face, that will be his advantage. However, though Mario has his fists, they don't do him a whole heck of a lot of good against a swordsman's cold steel. The good news: with the exception of Marth and perhaps Young Link, none of the swordsmen can compete with Mario's in air speed and agility. Mario's plethora of in air kicks, along with a few quick, repetitive foot sweeps can easily win the day against one of the Links. The trick is to stay out of the reach of his sword, as its cold touch is extremely deadly, especially in close. Hit and run is the order of the day. As well, mid air Fireballs and Super Jump Punches may be just what are needed to throw off the rock solid combos of the Fire Emblem brothers. Stay clear of Marth and Roy's upward swings by always attacking from behind or below them. The secret is to stay mobile. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon Contrary to what may work against a Swordsman, when facing a Speedster, Mario should stay grounded, especially when going in against the Pikas' screen splitting Thunder. What is important in these kinds of battles is to not allow Mario to lose his focus. Keep both Mario's feet on the ground and rely on Fireballs to stop Captain Falcon and the Star Fox teams's attacks dead in their tracks, making only small hops over your opponents' heads when called for. When the opportunity presents itself (like right after a misplaced Falcon Punch) take advantage of Mario's superior Close Range power to really lay into a Speedster. Upward Smashes are especially useful when juggling these lighter characters, and try small jumping kicks to keep them off guard, always remembering to ground yourself before getting too close. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers As with every time one is matched strength for strength, this can be a little awkward. Basically, all the techniques and tricks you've worked up so far kind of go out the window when facing the more well rounded characters like Dr. Mario and Luigi. But while the temptation is to move in close and see just who is the better brawler, the truth is learning to hone your projectiles is the real key to this victory. It kind of goes without saying, but use the items around you to your fullest advantage, especially against a Mario/Dr. Mario. Avoid direct confrontation whenever possible, and try to wear them down with quick kicks and punches. Certainly a healthy amount of Smashes are in order, but don't get cocky. Time Mario's punches and Tornadoes as well as you can, and try to take advantage of their soft underbelly. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Fireballs are your friend, especially when dealing with a couple hundred PK fires coming your way. But the way to really beat past these relatively weak close combatants is to take the battle to them. Move in close with constant Forward Smashes and dashing foot sweeps to keep them off balance, and remember to limit your aerial time as Samus and Ness can knock Mario silly if you let him fly too closely. The trick here is to really lay into them hard and fast, without allowing your Samuses and Mewtwos to pull back and charge their cannons. Close the distance quickly and get the job done before they know what hit them. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Most of the time Lightweights are no problem. Just remember to aim Mario's Smashes and kick straight and true. Your best bet is to treat these characters just like you would a Speedster. Don't waste your time leaping to meet them in the air, but let these puffballs and frilly girls come to you. For a nice change of pace, try charging your Smash attacks for a great "homerun" visual. However, be wary of Kirby's Stone, Jiggly's Rest, Peach's Peach Bomber, and Zelda's lighting quick "Nayru's Love" attack. They come without warning and are surprisingly strong. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Heard the phrase about the quick and the dead? Never as true as it is here. Mario may be strong in the close range, but he's met his match in these characters' massive girth. All is not lost, however, as these guys simply don't have anything on him as far as the air is concerned. Use Mario's inherent agility and speed to win against these slowpokes, striking with leaping kicks and as many fireballs as you can stomach. Try to stay at least a character's width away from Bowser and Donkey, as you'll need that extra space to make your jumps worthwhile. Try to keep from being slapped out of the air by Donkey Kong by moving in with low foot sweeps and a few well-placed throws. One word of advice: make it a point to avoid using the Super Jump Punch, as it only takes one mistake to end up on the bad end of a Warlock Punch. PIKACHU Arguably the most popular of the Pokemon, Pikachu broke into the United States in September of 1998, when Pokemon Red and Blue were released for the Nintendo Game Boy. This small electric rat excels at quick moves and thunder attacks. In the Pokemon series of games, it can be evolved into a Raichu using a Thunder Stone. Pikachus are semi-hard to catch in the wild and run quickly. His game discography includes the Pokemon series (Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Gold, Silver, and Crystal), Pokemon Pinball, Pokemon Puzzle League, Pokemon Stadium 1&2, Pokemon Snap, and of course, the original Super Smash Brothers. Pikachu's trademark characteristic is its speed. As in the Game Boy Games, Pikachu is one of the fastest Pokemon, and can run rings around some of the larger characters. You should use its speed to your advantage, performing hit-and-run attacks and occasionally clearing out small scuffles between other players with your Thunder move (v+b). Since Pikachu is faster than most other characters, it also excels at reaching items before other players can get to them. Pikachu also has a killer third jump, his quick attack (^+b); you can travel in two directions with this move, plus it will do a small amount of damage to any character you travel through. Another advantage is Pikachu's size - he is small and hard to hit - couple that with his fast moves and you have a very competent character. CLASSIFICATION: Speedster Regular Attacks Pikachu rears up and projects a beam of pure electricity. This move can hit multiple times, depending on how close the opponent is at the start of the move. They will also be momentarily stunned once the attack is over, opening them up for another attack, or a team attack. It does a fair amount of damage - usually around 20 percent. This move is called the electric flower, as it resembles a blossom of blue energy. This is a decent clear out move for when you are surrounded and unable to use Thunder - such as in the case of overhead platforms. The recovery on this move is a little bit on the slow side, though much faster than thunder - use this move to escape. Pikachu performs the somersault kick - launching them up into the air and opening up a juggle possibility, or the opportunity to hit them with the devastating thunder attack. Special Attacks Thunder Jolt: This move makes Pikachu project an arc of electricity that bounces on the ground of the stage, even wrapping around sheer angles. It's a good move to distract an opponent or hit them from long range. In the air, you'll release a small ball of energy that will expand into the arc when it hits the ground or a platform. Skull Bash: With a cry of Piiiiiii..... Pikachu charges up to release a flying headbutt, which can do a great deal of damage when fully charged. Be careful when using this on small platforms, as you can easily fly off the stage. The longer you hold down this move, the farther you'll travel. Quick Attack: One of the best comeback moves in the game, you can move very quickly in any direction with this move, even damaging enemies you pass through. If you tilt the control stick immediately after you start this move, you can travel in two directions! Thunder: Pikachu calls down a massive bolt of lightning from the sky. An awesome clear out move, and can be used to KO very effectively. Watch out though, as it won't pass through platforms, and has a long recovery time, leaving you open for an attack. Strategies for Pikachu Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Don't go head to head, toe to toe with these guys. Use Pikachu's speed to evade their attacks, and when they leave themselves open rush in for a quick combo, then retreat. Against Link and Roy, you can usually roll behind them for a throw before they know what's going on. Use more caution with Roy and Young Link as they're a bit faster, but you still out strip them in terms of speed. When you're running away, make sure to grab items and throw them at your pursuers to slow them in their tracks. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon These guys are just as fast, if not faster than you, so don't take the same strategy you would against slower characters. Evade until these guys leave themselves open with some of their slower moves, occasionally fighting in mid air - you should usually be able to get the jump on an enemy that's not prepared for this, using Pikachu's thunder drill (Forward Smash + Z in air). Grab items and bombard them, and move in for the kill with your thunder. Force Pichu into electric attacks that you block - it will bring up Pichu's damage! Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers Don't let these guys get close in. Keep them away with your Thunder Jolt moves, and grab items to throw at them. If they get close in, try rolling behind them for the combo, or a throw. Make them wary of getting to close with your Thunder, especially striking from above. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Pikachu's fast enough to dodge most of these guys long-range attacks, so keep a cool head and use your mid air dodge to make them miss. Ness leaves himself wide open with his Pk Thunder, so move in for the kill once he misses you. These guys have respectable capabilities close in though, so don't get too complacent. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Lightweights mostly rely on juggling, and Pikachu with his quick attack can get away pretty easy. Their main weapon taken away, you should just be able to move in and use your smash attacks to wear them down. Take them out with a Thunder, and watch them fly. Use your mid - air thunder jolt to keep them off the stage, especially Kirby and Jiggly. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Pikachu is basically impervious to these characters, unless the player controlling them is a master. Pikachu runs circles around these guy's heads until they're dizzy. Move in with fast attacks, then back off and bombard these guys with items. Use a hit-and-run strategy with these guys, and you shouldn't have a problem - just don't get too cocky, as Pikachu is easily sent flying with one of their power moves. BOWSER The first time video gamers met the villainous Bowser, King of the Koopas, it was in Super Mario Bros, an 8-world NES game that addicted both the young and the old. Bowser, from there, spawned a TV show (the King Koopa Klub), a movie role (played by Dennis Hopper), many strange children, endless cartoons, airships, castles, bizarre flying clown heads, basically, he was the end-boss you loved to hate. Some say that one day, he will kidnap the Princess and get away with it for once, but still others say that there's no way, with Mario around. Mario Kart was the first game to let us play as Bowser, but Super Mario RPG really showed us what the big King Koopa could do. In the original Super Smash Bros, he was noticeably missing, and considering his fame, it was a shame that they didn't manage to work him in in some way. Super Smash Bros Melee, however, gets it right. For now, for the first time in history, can you truly get to beat the Bowser; this time, he doesn't get any flying clown heads, or bridges spanning lava, or arsenals of psychotic Koopalings, or even a magic Kamek. But, in the spirit of the Koopa Klub, this is also Bowser's first time to finally make Mario really pay. So, take charge, Bowser fans! Fight the good fight! CLASSIFICATION: Heavyweight Regular Attacks Bowser lunges with his shoulder. An excellent example of Bowser's power, as this will often kill if it isn't dodged. Try to sneak these hits in as often as possible, but don't play Bowser as if he were a close range fighter. Bowser ducks and spins and hits the opponent a few times, then sends him upwards. Can also be pseudo-comboed after an Upward Smash if the opponent doesn't recover. Regardless, follow with an air attack or a Koopa Klaw. Bowser knocks the opponent up into the air with his shell. Strong. As it's a juggling move, it's easy to repeat it around 3 times in a row on a fresh opponent to soften them up. Follow up on the second time with a forward smash or a smash B. Special Attacks Fire Breath: Bowser breathes fire, much like a Fire Flower. It fizzles after a few seconds. Excellent for keeping people from rushing you down and forcing them to go to the air. Unfortunately, it wears out rather quickly, and doesn't recharge fast. Quite a bonus for edge campers, though. Koopa Klaw: Bowser slashes forward with a claw. If close enough he will grab the opponent and take a bite, at which point you may tap any direction to throw. The strength of the throw is comparable to the SSB throws of yore, especially the backthrow. If too far to grab Bowser will send the opponent flying upwards instead. This throw is a second set of throws, which harks back to the original SSB, because all of the directional throws of Bowser (all 8) are strong. Whirling Fortress: Bowser tucks into his shell and spins around. Hits a few times; the first hit is the strongest. Decent priority. Excellent for getting a quick breather. It's not a Link sword spin, but when people are getting too close, it's just as powerful. Bowser Bomb: Bowser performs his butt stomp from Super Mario 3. Can kill weenie characters at reasonable damage (80%+) but has abysmal recovery; if you hit a fresh opponent they can still hit you before you recover. Also Bowser's main cause of self-destructs, as the arc at which he jumps is hard to get right. Practice, as the saying goes, makes perfect. Strategies for Bowser Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy They outprioritize you, so combo a lot but otherwise stay the hell away. None of these guys can get back up particularly well (good vertical, lousy horizontal), so Klaw-throw if possible. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon Let them come to you and beat them mercilessly. They're soft and spongy and about as tough as uncooked spam, so Smash when the opportunity arises. Otherwise use regular attacks to keep them at bay. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers These guys need to be in yo 'hood to do respectable damage, but they're faster. Still, you can usually rack up damage proportionally faster than they can. Also, breathe fire and make with the attacking of the claws. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Oh dear Lord. Even if you get in close they can push you right out. Fire Breath is now useless, so do what you can. Follow, juggle, and end with a fat Smash attack. The good thing about the range attacks is that you can block with your shield, and even then, your enormous weight keeps you from flying. Use this to your advantage. Remember, the quickest move in Bowser's arsenal is his Bowser Bomb. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Stay in close. They can't keep you out until you have substantial damage. With Bowser's strength a good smash attack (or even a stomp) is all you need. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Ganondorf is a problem, but at least DK sucks more than you. Treat them like swordsmen and edge guard since they can't get back on easily either. It's basically a battle of the weights, who can beat the other up and throw them quicker. Bowser has excellent throws. PEACH Professional damsel in distress, Princess Peach Toadstool spends most of her days in the clutches of Bowser waiting to be rescued by Mario. When not being captured, she breaks out of her female stereotype and joins in games of sports such as tennis and golf, and joins in on some RPG action. She is not to be confused with Mario Land's princess Daisy and Donkey Kong's princess Pauline. Peach's main noticeable attribute is her unmatched return ability. She can practically traverse the entire horizontal distance of Hyrule Temple without touching the ground. Holding down the jump button on either jump will let her float a la Super Mario Bros 2. Her comeback move has her fly upwards and float even more with a parasol. Her double jump makes her a very good evasive character, so if you're ever in a tough situation you can just float away to safety. This jumping ability of course means she's quite light, but not as light as the pipsqueaks like Pichu and Jigglypuff. Because of this, use her agility and offensive attacks, because you're not going to last long going on defense. She also has the best victory taunts, such as "Oooh, did I win?" and "This is fun!" Guaranteed to piss off the losers. CLASSIFICATION: Lightweight Regular Attacks Peach pulls out a random weapon based on past games and whacks the opponent with it. It can either be a tennis raquet, which has good horizontal distance, or a golf club, which hits the opponent high, or her trademark fry pan, which does the most damage but doesn't send the opponent flying as far. It's not very reliable as a finishing move, so just use it to smack people around and build up damage. This is a unique smash attack in that it's multi-hitting, like many characters' air down kicks. If the opponent is close enough, they'll be trapped in a fury of kicks before being sent flying. Like the forward smash, it's not very reliable as a finishing move, but great for combos and building up damage. For best results, use it to hit someone against a wall, and when they bounce off, do an upwards smash attack. Probably Peach's most effective smash attack, Peach thrusts her palms up as if she were hitting a volley ball. It's best for starting out juggling combos, and when charged it's even strong enough to finish off opponents. Use this in combination with one of her air attacks to smack the opponent far. Special Attacks Toad: Peach holds out Toad to protect her (he's a very dedicated servant). This is used as a counter attack, although it only counters physical attacks. He can absorb projectiles, but its best use is countering smash attacks and dealing the damage back at the opponent. It takes insane reflexes and timing, but it's thankfully a quick move. It's good to use against those cheap people who like to be Roy and Marth and just use their charge up B move repeatedly. Peach Bomber: Peach jumps forward and thrusts her mighty hips, explosive results if it comes in contact with another character. It's a powerful move and it sends them flying too, but don't use it too much. It's slow, and once the opponent grows accustomed to the timing they'll be able to avoid it. It's best as an attack to use every once in a while to scare the crap out of the opponent, since most people forget Peach has this move. Peach Parasol: Peach flies up a bit and then opens her parasol and floats down slowly. Anyone who touches the top is popped up and takes a bit of damage. Great for ending combos or just catching the opponent off guard from below, since it's much faster than jumping and attacking. Her slow fall can be a problem for people who like throwing projectiles, so you can press down on the control stick to make her fall faster, and then up again to open it back up. Use this to fake out people trying to attack. Vegetable: Peach pulls out a vegetable from the ground (she of course has to be on the ground while doing this move), and A throws it (for better results, use a smash throw). Like Link's bombs, they're weak and mainly designed to annoy. Unlike Link's bombs, they don't explode in impact, so if you miss, your opponent may be able to pick it up and throw it back at you. The vegetables can also have different faces, which do different damage. It doesn't make much of a difference except for the one with closed eyes, that one's pretty powerful. Peach can also randomly pull out a Mr. Saturn or even a bob-omb, though those are pretty rare. Strategies for Peach Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy The swordsmen may think they have an edge on you, being that you don't have a sword, but Peach has got long arms, so don't be afraid to go up close. Don't just run into a charged smash attack or anything though. If Roy and Marth decide to keep charging their B move, just keep throwing vegetables at them and make them come to you and not be cheap. Do the same to the Links if they're boomerang/arrow happy. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon These guys can be trouble, because they love to do a bunch of combos up close. Instead focus on smashing them from far away, and use a lot of hit and run techniques. Float around and force them into the air, where you have the advantage. Except watch out for Captain Falcon's dive and the Pika's thunder. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers These guys are a perfect match for Peach. Their smash attacks are strong, but Peach's are faster, and she can get away if things get too risky. Don't let down your guard though, because they can really give you a work out if you're not careful. Juggle like a maniac and don't let them combo on you. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Be careful of these guys, since they'll often use the same hit and run techniques you do. If they go too far away, use your vegetables to pummel them and lure them in. They're otherwise pretty slow at close range in terms of smash attacks, so lure them in and smash them silly. They have good air attacks though, so try to keep the fight on the ground. Their combos rely on the air rather than the ground, and they're strong too. Also, Toad is one of the best shields against the long range fire from these characters. He's even better than a shield as he doesn't really break, and he will repel most anything. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda They're not any stronger than you, so stay in close and fist fight them. Smack them around with smash attacks and finish them with an air attack, or an upwards smash if their percentage is high enough. Again, don't let down your guard, because a bunch of weak hits can really add up and your percentage will be in the hundreds before you know it. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf These power houses are a threat if they land a hit on you, especially their smash attacks. This is where your evade really comes in handy. Hit and run a lot, don't try to juggle much since they're very heavy. Just do a bunch of small close range combos then run away. Even if you can roll around them, a good down smash attack can still send you away, so try to be a good distance from them. YOSHI Yoshi was first featured in a game called Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo. Yoshi would appear out of egg blocks and be Mario's trusty servant. Although he was featured in Super Mario World he never got a star role until Super Mario Brothers 2: Yoshi's Island. In Yoshi's Island as Yoshi you had to protect Baby Mario from Baby Bowser. There was also a sequel for the Nintendo 64 called Yoshi's Story. He has also been in Mario Party 1-3, all 3 Mario Karts, Mario Tennis (both versions the N64 one and the Virtual Boy one), Mario Golf (the N64 version and the Gameboy Color version) and of course Super Smash Brothers. In the original it was not only amusing to beat up Mario with him but was also good for juggling and repeated hits. Yoshi is considered by many to be useless, don't believe them. Yoshi can string together incredible combos. For example you start off with his down+B move hitting the enemy into the air then shoot an egg at them and use your up-smash to hit them and your forward smash to finish them off. It's quite a good combo. He also has his awesome egg move which when used in the hands of a master can be the most annoying thing ever. However, the egg move comes at a price since it can't be used as a third jump Yoshi frequently ends up committing suicide. If you know what you're doing then you can easily avoid that. Yoshi has good smash attacks as well. The rest of Yoshi's abilities are decent as well making him a well-rounded fighter. CLASSIFICATION: Close Range Regular Attacks Using this attack Yoshi slams the enemy forward with a headbutt. It's a very powerful attack that you should make a note of using often. It propels the enemy great distances and is a great finishing touch to any combo. After juggling the enemy until their percentage is high then finishing off with this move can be deadly. Once you decided that you want to stop juggling and start knocking off use this move. This attack doesn't do that much damage and barely sends the opponent flying. Yet this is still a useful move. If you want to cheaply rack up percentage you can do multiple hits with it, but that still isn't it's best use. If you do this attack it'll send the opponent the perfect height to be vertically smashed. This move is best used as a juggle starter. This attack doesn't do that much damage and barely sends the opponent flying. Yet this is still a useful move. If you want to cheaply rack up percentage you can do multiple hits with it, but that still isn't it's best use. If you do this attack it'll send the opponent the perfect height to be vertically smashed. This move is best used as a juggle starter. Special Attacks Egg Lay: This is by far Yoshi's most useless move. Using this move Yoshi sticks out his tongue and craps the enemy out as an egg. This would seem like a useful move at first but you'll soon discover it sucks. When you put an enemy into an egg you can only fit 2 attacks in before they break out. Yoshi's attacks are pretty fast and easy to hit them with anyway. Yoshi also doesn't have a super strong move to hit them with either. It can be used to instantly kill an enemy when on the edge of the stage but that still is pretty crappy. When the egg is in the air the enemy can move and most smart enemy will come back unless you did this move on the very edge at which point it becomes totally impractical anyway. Rumble Tumble Egg: This move puts Yoshi into an egg that you can control spinning around like mad (I refer to it as the crazy egg move). This move is very useful in large stages (like Hyrule temple) and can, with some practice, also be useful in small stages. At first you'll probably end up committing suicide a lot. Don't mark this move off as totally useless yet though; with a bit of skill this move can became the crazy egg of DEATH. Start off hitting them. If they go to a higher platform then keep spinning back and forth until they come down. Now skilled opponents will try to attack you. Requiring even more skill whenever they attack you can dodge by quickly turning the other way. Now come right back at them. IT may take skill but this move can be awesome. Egg Throw: The Up+B move was a favorite from the old game and is still kept in all it's glory. Yoshi hurls eggs out that do significant damage when you hit an enemy. You can control where you want the egg to go by tilting the control stick when you throw the egg. This move has a wide variety of uses. The most common one is to go on a lower section and keep chucking eggs at enemies. With the exception of Ness no one can reach you down there allowing you to repeatedly pelt them with eggs. Another use is in a juggle. Since the egg move is quick it's the perfect move to hit enemies in the air with. After you start off a combo keep them up there with the eggs. The final use is the least common and the most difficult to do. If you have an enemy that throws a lot then once they walk up to you fire an eggs so it will hit the ground right in front of you. Once the enemy picks you up he'll be hit with the egg. This requires precise timing but it's not impossible; I use it frequently. Yoshi Bomb: Ahh, the down+B move. Another great Yoshi move. If you use this move from the ground, Yoshi will pound right in front of himself. This isn't too useful except right when you start out. Sometimes an enemy will be close enough at the beginning to hit right then. If you use this from the air you'll slam yourself down. It's extremely useful. The best use is when your coming back from the edge. Slam your edge guarding opponent outta there! Whenever you find yourself in the air smash down on an enemy. A skilled player can hit you while doing this however (it'll still hurt them though) so it's best to do it just before you get in their A attack reach. If anyone ever makes an attempt to juggle you use this move to put them in their place. Strategies for Yoshi Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy These enemies when played by a human usually seem to be really sure of themselves. Use this to your advantage. Go far away and pelt them with eggs then run up to them and juggle like mad. These guys have some good down+A aerial moves but those can easily be avoided. It's also good to use the crazy egg move accompanied with dodging. Watch out for Marth and Roy's Counter and be sure to pelt the Links with eggs from a lower area. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon Speedsters are a might harder for Yoshi - particularly Captain Falcon. Fox and Falco have good up-smashes so be weary of the down+B move. However they have weak aerial down+A's so be sure to juggle. Pikachu and Pichu are best to just run up to and start smashing. However if you have and edge guarding one then watch out for Thunder. The best strategy is to grab onto the ledge and spin behind him and use your forward-smash. Captain Falcon is one of the hardest opponents for Yoshi. The best strategy is eggs, eggs and more eggs. Never use your Down+B or it could be fatal and never run right up to him. Hit him with an egg and then run up to him and hit him to the side and don't juggle him. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers These guys are the easiest to use eggs on. They're also great to combo. For Dr. Mario, Luigi and Mario use your eggs and juggle, they also aren't hard to use the down+B move on. The Ice Climbers are ideal to use the crazy egg move on since it will seperate them quite easily. Then use the classic strategy of killing Nana. Mr. Game and Watch is pretty easy to juggle and is very light so use your smash attacks often. He has very powerful smash attacks though so if you run up to him be sure to dodge. Fighting another Yoshi use these strategies. If he uses the forward+B attack a lot then use your down B to stop him. If he uses the down+B move a lot then use eggs to stop him in the air. If he's an egg master then dodge a lot and smash attack him. Just don't juggle. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo They should be too hard. With the exception of Ness's PK Thunder none can hit you on a lower platform. Mewtwo should be juggled a lot since his aerial attacks aren't that great. Ness should be egged a lot and juggle frequently as well. Samus is another story. Try hitting her towards the edge if the platform instead. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Yoshi's specialty. They are all masters of juggling so what do we do to jugglers? Down+B! As an added bonus they're light so you should probably smash them to the side instead of wasting time juggling them. Then edge-guard and egg them. Zelda has some awesome finishing moves that you should be weary of. The crazy egg move is good too since they don't have any real stop-in-your-tracks moves. Don't juggle Kirby though. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf They might cause a little trouble but not much. The only on you should think of juggling is DK. The eggs are very useful so use them often. It's best best to smash them and dodge their attacks since they're so slow at the end you can just smash them using your headbutt. Ganondorf is different however. The crazy egg move is probably the best strategy against him. DONKEY KONG Donkey Kong is actually Mario's first villain, and probably Miyamoto's first true video game character, as Mario was just a man whose outfit was chosen by technological limitations. In the original Donkey Kong arcade, he steals Mario's (then just named "Jumpman") girlfriend Pauline, and jumps on top of a construction site, throwing barrels down at a pursuing Mario. There were a couple sequels for the arcade, and they were all ported eventually to Atari and NES. Jump forward a decade to 1994, when the Super Nintendo is in need of a game to compete with the CD based systems coming out. Nintendo gives the Donkey Kong franchise to Rare, and they make Donkey Kong Country, which sold a ton of copies, jump started the SNES, and made DK a major Nintendo franchise again. Since then, Donkey Kong has never appeared without his stylish tie and attitude, and has joined in with Mario and the gang in various sports. Donkey Kong's handicaps are obvious: he's slow, and he's a big target. But, his attacks are powerful. You'll need to memorize the timing of Donkey Kong's attacks, because a lot of them take a second or two to execute. You'll also need to be a dodging maniac, since you can easily get caught in a web of combos by the quicker characters. DK is a defensive character, as he's not good for a quick hit and run. People tend to think Donkey Kong sucks because he's slow, but DK can be a devastating powerhouse in the right hands. CLASSIFICATION: Heavyweight Regular Attacks DK claps his hands for a powerful smash attack. It has good range so it makes a good edge guarding move. It's best to have a set up for this move, such as DK's down throw. DK slams his fists down on both sides. It's not as powerful as his other smash attacks, so it's best used as a clear-out move that's quicker than his Hand Slap move. DK's classic clap attack returns. Since a lot of stages have the triangular platform formation, this works well to hit people standing on the platforms from below. His up throw sets up for this nicely. DK's dash attack is also a good set up for it, it's deceptively powerful. Special Attacks Giant Punch: Pressing B will make DK shake his fist in place. Like Samus's charge-up shot, you can dodge or press Z to pause, then move to another location and continue charging. If you want to let it loose press B again, otherwise wait until it's fully charged. When it's fully charged it has a slight lag, as much as his forward smash, but it's a lot more powerful, as you might imagine. Against the quicker, smaller characters this'll be really hard to hit with, so you should probably reserve it for your fellow heavy weights and just leave the forward smash to the others. But if you happen to stun the opponent or have a team mate with a stun move, you'll have a good opportunity to use it. Headbutt: If the opponent is on the ground, this move will smash them into the ground, temporarily paralyzing them. This will let you do damage to them and they won't move. This move is a good set-up for the wind-up punch, except that it'll just do the damage and won't knock them out of the way. A more effective use is to pound them into ground and then to the Ground Slap move. If you're quick you can cause about 45% damage. If you do it in the air it doesn't do much, and it doesn't get you any horizontal distance, so try to avoid using it. Spinning Kong: DK spins his arms around and floats in the air a bit. It could essentially be a clear-out move, but it's not very powerful, and DK has better clear-out moves, so you should probably only use this as a come-back move. It won't get you good vertical distance though, so be very careful in levels like Fourside. Hand Slap: DK's good ol' ground slap. You can keep doing this over and over and really annoy your opponent. At low damage they won't fly high enough to be able to recover so you can get in some quick damage that way. Other than that, it won't do you much good in one-on-ones, so save it for multiplayer matches, where you can run in and start slapping and send everyone flying. It's also good for 1 player mode when up against teams of characters, especially the wire frames. Strategies for Donkey Kong Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy These guys are tough, but brute strength can overpower fancy tools any day. Just stay out of the air, these guys can juggle you like mad with their swords, so stick to the ground and smash them. Use a lot of throw-smash combos. Pretty much go all out against these guys. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon The speedsters are obviously some of your greatest enemies. They can run circles around you while all your attacks pathetically miss. This is where your clear-out moves like your down-smash and ground slap come in handy. If they keep rolling around you, smash them up and then go in for a powerful hit. In these situations you may want to take to the air, since DK has some powerful meteor smashes, and these guys will most likely try to juggle you from the ground, so surprise them with an air attack. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers The close rangers aren't a huge threat, they're about an even match for DK. They're not that fast, so try and work in your more powerful attacks like the forward smash, throws, and maybe even the Wind-Up punch. Basically it all depends on how they use their projectiles. DK has no projectiles so of course he's going to do no good from far away. You may want to play a little more aggressively with these guys. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Like the close rangers, go a bit aggressive on these guys, since they'll most likely keep trying to run away. They're slower than the previous groups so it should be a bit easier to get in some powerful hits. Don't get cocky though, because they have some quick, powerful attacks up their sleeve, and if you get in their face, they won't be afraid to use them. Use lots of throws on these guys, it shouldn't be too hard to get close enough. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Your success here heavily relies on the opponent's technique. Jigglypuff can take you out with Rest right away, so keep smacking her away with a combination of weak attacks and smash attacks and don't let her get close. Peach and Zelda aren't as much of a threat, but they can still be brutal. Don't underestimate their smashing power, especially Zelda. Use a lot of the same techniques as with the speedsters: clear-out moves + strong attack will do wonders. They have to get close to do damage, and you have longer reach. Kirby will probably be pretty easy to take care of, just don't be stupid and let him get you with his rock move. And make sure he doesn't use your Giant Punch against you. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Donkey Kong versus Bowser is a pretty even match, with Bowser having the advantage of a longer range with his fire breath but DK is slightly faster. However, Ganondorf can be a problem. His smash attacks are the same speed as yours, but his special attacks are a different story (besides his Warlock Punch), and he's smaller. That doesn't make him any more nimble though, so go all out with your strongest attacks. Use lots of throw set-ups and go for a wind-up punch. You should probably stay out of the air, since Bowser won't follow you up there, and Ganondorf can easily knock you out of the sky with his Dark Dive move. CAPTAIN FALCON Captain Falcon's main claim to fame is that he is one of the all-time greatest F-Zero racers. But since he has a decent amount of time to kill during the off season, he's been known to do a little bounty hunting from time to time. But whether he's roaming the cosmos, racing, or fighting in the ring, he consistently does one thing: kicks ass. Captain Falcon's biggest advantage is his speed. Except for his devastating Falcon punch (more on that later), all his attacks are launched very quickly, most do a good deal of damage, and they tend to have good reach due to Falcon's height. The disadvantages are the unusual nature of some oh his attacks, and his lack of projectiles. It takes a while to get used to the way Falcon moves when he attacks, as well as the fact that to hit someone you have to be within an arm's (or leg's) reach of them. CLASSIFICATION: Speedster Regular Attacks Falcon slams the opponent with a powerful elbow strike. This move becomes quite powerful when charged, and does decent damage even when it's not. It also launches the opponent at an almost perfect 45-degree arc for maximum distance. This is not a great move. Falcon kicks his foot forward and then backwards. Poor range, only fair power, and poor distance make this move only good for a quick diversion attack. This is one of Falcon's unusual attacks. He does a double kick at about a 60-degree angle to the ground, generally sending an opponent flying a good distance upwards and setting up for a Falcon Dive. The unusual part of this move is the attack box. While most up smashes have the attack box directly in front of the character, Falcon's is in front of and above him (a couple feet in front of his face, about). Like the other up smashes though, this will generally send your opponent upwards. Special Attacks Falcon Punch: This is one of the most powerful moves in the game. Falcon winds up, yells, and lets loose a devastating fire punch that can knock out just about anyone above 50% damage. The disadvantages are the windup time, and the obviousness of what's coming. Use this attack when landing a jump or if your opponent is attempting to come back, as almost no physical attack can stop it. It's not too difficult to get off once you get good. After a bit of practice, you should find yourself landing them fairly regularly. Raptor Boost: Falcon's new move for Melee. He quickly runs across the screen and uppercuts the opponent, sending them into the air and doing a good bit of damage. The advantages of this move are the fact that it can attack someone a good distance away from Falcon, as well as the damage it does. It may not be possible to finish someone with this move, but it does build their damage. It's also tough to stop as by the time they see it coming it's usually too late. This move can be used a horizontal recovery, and when used in the air will hit opponents down. Falcon Dive: Another of Falcon's unusual moves. Falcon leaps into the air, does a flip, and lands. While this doesn't appear to do anything at first, any opponent in Falcon's path during the upwards portion of the move is grabbed, and treated to an explosive hit that sends him flying. This attack can be used as a vertical recovery. Falcon Kick: This move sends Falcon flying across the stage, burning up everything in his path with this fiery attack. Not great damage or distance, but excellent reach on the ground. It also is highly effective as a dive-bomb attack from the air, once you get the range down. Again, a bit odd and difficult to use, but worth it once you learn the ropes. Strategies for Captain Falcon Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy They have superior reach, and in some cases power, but you're a lot faster, and the Falcon Kick and Raptor boost make up the range thing. Neither Marth nor Roy has any projectiles, and good usage of Falcon's jumps, quick smashes, and special moves lets you beat them pretty easily. Similar story with the Links, but watch for the strong attacks and dodge the projectiles. Whatever you do, DON'T use the Falcon punch unless their shield is broken or you hit them with a freezie. You're left open way too long, and the swordsmen WILL slice and dice you. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon Lots of Falcon Kicks, Raptor Boosts, and strong attacks here. Falcon is the most powerful overall of all the speedsters, and you should be able to beat on them until you can lock on a smash attack. Again, don't bother with the Falcon punch. They'll definitely get away. Since many speedsters like to jump, well-timed Falcon Dives are an excellent way to finish them off. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers This is where it starts to get fun. These guys generally aren't quick enough to escape a Falcon punch if they've been stunned, and they won't be able to escape a well-executed Falcon Kick, especially from the air. Your up and forward smashes will come in handy against these guys, as will your down strong attack. All in all, not too tough. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Falcon moves easily, so move in with your speedy dashes and start in with the Falcon Kicks, smashes, Raptor Boosts, and Falcon Dives. You may be able to stun them enough for a Falcon punch, but don't bet on it. Just keep beating them until you can finish them off with a Dive or a smash. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda These guys are maybe the only ones stranger than Falcon. Keep the Falcon Kicks, Raptor Boosts, and strong attacks going nonstop, pausing only for the occasional smash to finish them off. Most of them need to be close to do any real damage, so just don't let them move in. Watch for Peach's Hip Slam, as it's as deadly as the Raptor Boost. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Donkey Kong and Bowser pose no real threat to you, as they're generally too slow to do anything about your barrage of attacks. Since they're big targets, aerial Falcon Kicks are good here, and they aren't fast enough to avoid Falcon Punches. It should be noted that Ganondorf is Falcon's clone, and his Wizard's Foot and Gerudo Dragon are as far-reaching and almost as fast as Falcon's versions of the attacks, so be on the lookout. You can dodge his Warlock punch no problem, and the Dark Dive can be avoided by staying out of the air above him. FOX Fox McCloud is the furry hero of the Starfox games. Along with his wingmen Peppy, Slippy, and Falco (also a playable character in SSB:M), he protects the Lylat System from certain doom at the hands of the evil Andross. He has had starring roles in the original Starfox for the SNES, and Starfox 64. His next game is not the space shoot-em-up many expected, but rather, Starfox Adventures, a Zelda-like adventure game developed by Rareware, due sometime in 2002. Starfox adventures (originally titled Dinosaur Planet) did not feature Fox McCloud at first, but rather, a different fox named Sabre. However, Shigeru Miyamoto was inspired by the game's action and adventure, and wanted it to feature his beloved characters, so let it be written, so let it be done. And it was. In SSB:M, Fox fits into the category of Speedster. He is blazingly fast, but lacks a certain punch. However, persistent players will find that Fox can easily rack up an opponent's damage a ton, making it simple to KO an opponent effectively. Fox's hits are all generally of the same power, but he can hit in many directions. Once you harness his speed, you'll be a force to be reckoned with. CLASSIFICATION: Speedster Regular Attacks This move unleashes a low kick that'll easily hit some of the pesky, little fighters like Kirby or Pichu, who are harder to hit. It's got good power behind it, but it does lack a certain *oomph*. It's actually better when you don't charge it fully, because then you can work it into your lighting quick kicking combos. Fox's down smash causes him to do the splitz, tripping up opponents on both sides. It knocks enemies fairly far for a down smash, but it'll only be a serious KO threat once your opponent's damage is fairly high. This move has only one purpose: juggling. Fox will do a backwards somersault kick that can knock opponent into the air OR effectively keep them there. This is extremely effective against long range characters. Special Attacks Blaster: This is best to use on a character with no reflector move, when you're some distance away from them. It fires blazingly fast, and is great for damage racking, but there's a problem: it won't make an enemy flinch. If your foe is charging, running, or performing some such trick, firing them with your blaster won't stop them. Still, it's an effective, sneaky way of raising percentages, since human characters probably won't even notice it, or will think they somehow dodged it. Fox Illusion: The Fox Illusion is a much improved version of a dash+A move. Fox will teleport forward a few paces, leaving behind faint images of himself (that's just for show). In doing so, he will knock his opponent into the air, leaving them open to some upward attacks. Firefox: The Firefox is one of the moves that was entirely made up for SSB, since Fox never really had any moves in his games, other than his Blaster in multiplayer. This move sets Fox charging up, then shooting through the air in a burst of flame. It's an excellent return move, and can be used in any direction (tilt the control stick once Fox starts charging). Only extremely good timing will stop this move. Reflector: This move is simple: hold down+B, and a shield will flash and spin around Fox. If a projectile hits him during this time, it'll be sent backwards in the opposite direction, hopefully hitting the person who fired it. It can be hard to remember to use this move, but try hard to get used to using it. You'll be glad you did. Strategies for Fox Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy These fighters can be tough, so play defensively and evasively. The best place to hit a sowrdsman is from below, so try to do that when possible. Work at them with your laster from a distance, and try to use hit and run attacks. Wait for a mistake, then capitalize on it. Also, make sure to use your reflector on the various projectiles the Links use. It will help you immensely. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon As soon as the fight begins, hit them with a dash move and don't give them breathing room. They're going to try to do the same to you, but instead of being cautious, go all out on them. If you can clear them out first, you'll have the edge for the rest of the battle. Be sure to hit A repeatedly to trap them ina web of kicks. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers This guys are stronger than you, and nearly as fast, so be very careful. For those that have and use projectiles, use your reflector often. Get in the fray, but don't forget to get out for a moment while you plan your next move. Try to burn multiple enemies with the Firefox, and use your upward throw when they try to get close. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Reflect, reflect, reflect. A reflected charge shot or shadow ball will catch your opponent off guard and blow them away, hopefully to kingdom come. You can also elect to get right up close and hit them repeatdely, as they won't be able to defend themselves very well. Long Ranges are also extremely susceptible to juggling, so do not hesitate to do that often. Just watch out for Mewtwo's psychic tricks and Ness's good smashes. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Since lightweights rely on special moves, get to know what their moves are, and how to dodge them. Keep a keen eye out for Nayru's Love, Peach Bomber, Stone, Needle Storm, and Sing, and you will be able to avoid those moves. Kirby WILL try to suck you up and use your blaster, but you have the advantage of being able to reflect his blasts. Also, these characters to leave themselves open to attacks after using certain moves. That's when a throw is in order. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Depending on your skill, these guys will be impossibly hard or pathetically easy to beat. At first, you'll find yourself prone to their powerful charge attacks. However, if you learn to recognize these moves, you can move out of harm's way and remain unscathed. Whittle away at their defense with your blaster. They can do othing to stop you except shield themselves. Then, when their damage percentages get VERY high, KO them with a well-timed smash. NESS Ness was a secret character in the original Smash Bros., and now he's one of the starting characters in Melee. Ness has only appeared in one game, not including the original N64 Super Smash Bros. That game is the sequel to the Japanese game Mother, Mother 2. Mother 2 was released in the US as Earthbound in 1995. Ness uses mostly psychic type attacks and uses his handy-dandy baseball bat and yo-yo to whip the competition into shape. Ness is a pretty powerful character, although he is a shell of his former glory. He excels at both long range and short range attacks, which makes him very good to use once you figure out the game. However, don't even think of playing exclusively as him until you've mastered his abilities, or else his power is wasted on your inability to successfully play as him. With patience and a lot of practice, Ness is easily one of the best characters in the game. CLASSIFICATION: Long Range Regular Attacks Ness whips out his baseball bat and hits a home run when you use his forward smash attack. If you're close enough to the edge when you hit another player, and that player has a relatively high percentage, you can certainly kiss 'em goodbye. The yo-yo of death comes into play here. Pressing down and A will make Ness twirl his yo-yo underneath him in a quick, half-circular motion. Though not very powerful, it does move from back to front, thus damaging people on both sides. Not recommended for use if you intend to do major damage. Exactly like Ness' down and A move, only above him. The yo-yo's lack of power is quickly remedied, however, if you use his other up A attacks, which are more powerful and can send a player flying. Special Attacks PK Flash: Press and hold the B button, and a green ball of psychic energy will come out of Ness' head. Once it comes out, you can maneuver it wherever you wish for it to go, but only for a short time. It also moves very slowly. If you would like for it to be more powerful, just hold down the B button. Very good when players are rushing toward you and you have enough time to pull it off and blow them off into space. Also fun to use on large clusters of players. PK Fire: Ness' second psychic attack is a short range projectile attack that can damage the enemy multiple times, though it doesn't cause too much damage. Helpful when someone is trying to jump back to the level and you don't want them to. Good when you feel like being bastard and annoying people. PK Thunder: One of my personal favorite moves, if only for it's excellent ability to blow people away. While some may detest that it's an unnecessarily hard to pull off triple jump, when perfected, it can pretty much bring you back from the dead. Just manuever the thunder bolt underneath Ness' body and hit him in whatever direction you would like to travel. Not very useful in narrow pits, like in between buildings and such. If you need to use your triple jump there, you're pretty much dead. Now, if you wish to blow people away, like me, just use it while standing on flat ground near other players and fire yourself into them. Trust me, it's fun and it works. Finally, you can just fire it off and make it hit someone doing about 8% damage, but where's the fun in that? PSI Magnet: This move isn't particularly useful, though it can be helpful sometimes. Use it before getting hit with a projectile like Fox's laser and your percent will go down a little. Strategies for Ness Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Ness' projectile attacks are very effective against the swordsmen, as long as you don't get too close. His PSI Magnet move is totally ineffective against these characters, so don't even try it (well, maybe Link's arrows and boomerang will succumb to it). PK Flash works well against them, as does the many different ways to use PK Thunder. PK Fire is helpful when the swordsmen is getting too close for comfort. Just fire it off and they will be incapacitated for a second, and you can make your getaway. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon As Ness is a slow mover at times, these characters can seriously get on your nerves. Just remember to stay on your toes (roll a lot, jump at the sight of them charging you, etc.) and you'll do just fine. Also, these characters are easy to grab and throw, which can be used to your advantage, since Ness has a very good throw move. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers Short range characters generally don't have too many projectile attacks, so you can sit back and fire away at them. However, if you must go up close, frequent dodging and repetitive strikes will get you out of the situation. Keep them away from you, and you'll do fine. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Combos are these character's specialty, so be careful. They may go flying when you hit them with your bat, but they can still beat you up when you get too close and fall into their web of combos. Throws are effective against these characters, but they all have an excellent return ability, so guard the edge and smash attack them off the screen. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Probably the easiest out of the group to beat for Ness, as they are slow and don't have projectile attacks. Ness can stand in one area and fire off his attacks at them, and still have enough time to make a getaway if they get too close. Also, if you choose to go short range on them, you should be fine. While they are very strong, Ness isn't exactly a character who is thrown around easily. That doesn't mean you can just waltz up to them and not expect to be KO'd, but don't think they will win as quickly as you may think. ICE CLIMBERS When SSB:M was announced, people were overjoyed to see all of the old characters return, and glad to see some additions that had been notably absent in the original. However, there was one big surprise that came at the end of the reel showing the characters: There they were! In the flesh! Those two lovable Inuit dudes, the Ice Climbers! Nintendo has definitely dug far back into their game archives to unearth these two, and the Ice Climbers return in 128-bit glory. For those who don't know, the Ice Climbers are from the classic two-player NES game called (gasp) Ice Climber. Players bashed through blocks and fought Topis and Polar Bears, climbing from level to multicolored level in order to reach the top of the mountain. And when they made it? They did it all over again! Like in many NES classics, repetitive fun was the name of the game. The Ice Climbers return in SSB:M with style. Basically, you control both. You move Popo, the blue Ice Climber, and Nana, the pink one, will follow, and mimic you. Since there are several different colour combinations (some of them putting Nana in the lead instead), it can get confusing as to who you control. Just remember that no matter what, your Climber will be wearing the bolder, brighter colour. The Ice Climbers generally have very good jumping, but their third jump separates them by sending them flying in different arcs, and if you're too far away from Nana (or worse, she's been KO'd), well, the Up+B move is useless. If Nana is knocked too far away to get back to the platform on her own, it can be well worth it to leap out to her and fling both Climbers safely back to the platform, saving her without sacrifice. One good thing about being separated is that Nana will fight tooth and nail to get back to you. If a player is caught between the two, they should be prepared for a smash attack from both sides. It's possible for Nana to be KO'd when you play as the Ice Climbers, so be careful. If you lose Nana, your attacks are only half as effective, and your jumping goes from good to dismal. The Ice Climbers have excellent smashing ability, seeing as there's two of them. You can even make Nana smash while Popo is grabbing somebody. They can also carry two items, and hit two people at once. Even if Popo grabs a hammer that turns out to be fake, Nana can still fight, working as handy insurance. However, by the same token, it's difficult to get the full benefit of some items. Since items will only effect one Climber at a time, you'll usually be left with only one invincible, metal, or giant Ice Climber, while the other remains normal. Not only that, but only one of them can grab a ledge at a time- whuh-oh! CLASSIFICATION: Close Range Regular Attacks Nana and Popo hold their hammers over their heads, then smack them down on an opponent. There's a slight delay between the two, meaning that you can deliver a one-two punch. If you miss with Popo, you still might hit with Nana. This attack is still a great smash when you are alone, so don't hesitate to use it even when Nana is gone. When you smash downwards, the Ice Climbers will hold their hammers near their feet and spin a full 360 degrees. Nana starts the move a little later, giving you the advantage of a double hit on both sides. Not bad at all. This move is pretty well the same as the forward smash, but they swing their hammers upwards instead. It would be a great juggle starter, but sadly, the Ice Climbers aren't the greatest jugglers. Still, it can easily finish off a weakened opponent, and in team battle you may have a friend who is a better juggler than you. Special Attacks Ice Shot: This is a simple attack. The Ice Climbers each create a little ice block and smack it across the ground. It'll annoy enemies, and will pick up a lot of speed heading down ramps. Unfortunately, it's pretty well grounded. It can't cross gaps without falling, and it gets no vertical distance whatsoever. However, it's still good when you stand on a high perch and pelt ice blocks down at those below. If you're lucky, this move can momentarily freeze opponents. The freezing seems fairly random, though. Squall Hammer: This is a good hit and run move. The Ice Climbers stand back to back, holding their hammers out, and spin across the ground. You can enter the fray, get a few hits in, and make your escape, all in one move. It's handy for damage racking. When you are separate from Nana, use this as your third jump. You can't grab ledges, and you don't get much vertical distance, but you go pretty far horizontally, and it's great compared to your pitiful up+B hop without Nana. Belay: Without Nana, this is a pitiful hop. With her, it's the highest jump in the game (however, Peach still holds the record horizontally). The Ice Climbers will stretch out a cord between them, and fling each other into the air. Popo is flung substantially higher than Nana, but Nana also gains more than enough distance to get back. It's impossible to get knocked too far away to save at least Popo, because you'd have to be well past the KO wall. However, Nana and Popo have to be fairly close together to use it, and it's not too precise. Any character who is hit by either Nana or Popo right after they're flung will take a bit of damage and be knocked upwards. It won't do much at low damage, but it's a useful hit at high damage. Blizzard: It must be REALLY cold up North where the Ice Climbers live, because even in tropical climates like the Kongo Jungle, their breath is STILL frozen. When you do this move, the Ice Climbers will face opposite directions and breath frigid air at enemies. It doesn't have the range of Bowser's fire breath, but it goes in two directions. Like the Ice Shot, Blizzard will randomly freeze opponents. Strategies for the Ice Climbers Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Don't try to attack these guys head on, as they can react quicky, and can hit you before you get close enough to hit them. Instead, stand like a rock (well, a pair of rocks) a short distance away from your opponent(s). If you are approached, prepare a smash. Then, when they're down, swarm them and defend your territory. Don't chase them if they want to run away. Just get rid of them until they try to attack you again (however, this can be risky if there's other opponents around to rack up kills on them). The best place to hit these guys is from below, using Belay and your midair up+A. Swordsmen's defenses are mainly for attacks from above and in front, so they won't be able to stop you easily. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon These guys aren't really a problem. They can pummel you quite a bit, but one smash from you is equal to several hits from them, making it a pretty even fight. Basically, you'll want to get into the fray and just hit them every which way. You might want to abuse Squall Hammer a bit, since it hits repeatedly. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers There is one simple strategy for fighting other close-rangers: smash and smash and smash. Don't worry about your special moves, because they aren't too hot against these guys. You just want them away from you, where they can't do as much damage. Be sure to edge-guard, as well; their return moves won't harm you unless you are hit directly. A battle with another set of Ice Climbers could be neck and neck, but remember that the Ice Climbers are good at dodging and countering their own moves. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo No matter what character you are, there's only two options against Long Range fighters: juggle them, or get in their face. The Ice Climbers aren't the best jugglers, so you know where that leaves you. You'll want to treat these guys similarly to the Close Range bunch, but be more agressive, and focus less on knocking them away from you (that is, until it's time to finish them). Try to get them in the air, where they're helpless. Be persistent. They have good smashes, so don't give them the opportunity to use them. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Ever notice how all the lightweights are pink? Er... yeah. Anyway, these guys are fairly simple to beat. Every move of yours is effective against these guys, so just use them all whenever the opportunity arises. Make good use of that grab/smash that only the Ice Climbers can do, and use belay to launch around the arena at them, since they all like to move through the air. But be careful of Zelda, as she's dynamite in Sheik form. Sheik can separate you and juggle you like nobody's business. Still, the same strategy should work. It'll just be harder to pull off. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf These big fellas are nothing to worry about. You are fairly light, and will fly far if hit, but they'll have trouble chasing both of you at once. Simply swarm them. Don't give them room to breath, and smash them away once you've brought down their defenses. They're not much of a problem for the Climbers (though you may frequently lose Nana if she can't get away in time). KIRBY Kirby has been in several games for several consoles, the most recent being Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, excluding the Smash Bros. series. He is basically a little pink puffball who literally sucks. He has the special ability to steal an enemies abilities by eating them. This comes in very handy when you want to "give someone a taste of their own medicine," so to speak. Kirby, classified as a lightweight, was one of the cheapest characters in the original Smash Bros., but he's not as cheap in Melee. If being a cheap piece of crap was your game, your in for some trouble. Kirby, while still a good character, was toned down for Melee. His rock move doesn't do as must damage. But, while his rock doesn't work as well, Kirby has been equipped with a hammer. Kirby is a decent juggler, and he is basically an all-around character. He is relatively fast, pretty powerful, and has good jumping abilities. Be careful, though, he is knocked off very easily. CLASSIFICATION: Lightweight Regular Attacks If you perform the smash correctly, Kirby will do a nice little jump kick. If you push the control stick too far, Kirby will turn into a ball of fire and blast across the screen. Both of these moves can be useful, but the correct smash doesn't help you commit suicide as the fireball does. Be careful when you use this smash. If you are fighting against a heavy hitter, they can just punch you right off the screen as you jump at them. Don't attempt to smash a heavy hitter unless they are at VERY high percentage. Swordsmen can also block you pretty easily, but it's harder for them to knock you off with one hit. When you perform a down smash, Kirby does a spinning kick, obviously going downwards. This can rack up some damage points quickly, and is great if they are already at a high percentage. Once you're done with your series of kicks, the enemy often flies into the air, allowing you to finish them with an up smash if they are at a high percentage. Kirby does a kick that sends your opponent high into the air. Very useful for a finishing move, as it sometimes sends your opponent spinning as well as flying, allowing another smash if they don't quite fall. This smash doesn't do very much damage, but it's fantastic for the finish. Special Attacks Swallow: Kirby sucks. Literally. If he is close enough, Kirby will inhale your opponent. If you are close to an edge, you can walk off to perform a suicide while also killing your opponent. You can also spit the opponent out, but that never really does much. But the main thing that is done when you inhale an opponent is you can eat them and steal an ability from them (see the Kirby Ability area). Careful, though, if you taunt you lose this power. NOTE: See "Copied Powers" for a list of moves Kirby steals, as well as the damage they inflict. Hammer Hit: Kirby whips out a hammer and whacks an opponent with it, then puts it away. The opponent has to be in close range for it to do much damage, though. Beware, this hammer is nowhere near the power as the item you can pick up, so use it wisely. If you hit B+-> while in the air, Kirby will swing it around himself. Final Cutter: This is basically Kirby's save move. You get a lot of vertical distance, but not much horizontal distance. This is alright because of Kirby's flying abilities, though. This attack can also damage opponents by hitting them up and slamming into the dirt. Stone: Ah, the cheap move. Well, it was. This attack causes Kirby to turn into a rock and fall downward. In the original Smash Bros., this rarely missed and did so much damage it wasn't even funny. Now things are different. This move doesn't hit the opponent as easily, for one. This move can also be blocked easily. And last, but not least, this attack doesn't do a much damage as it used to. So, in other words, you can't win matches by only using this anymore. Use it wisely. Strategies for Kirby Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Be careful around these guys, especially Link and Marth. They are the most powerful. Roy can also be a problem, but Young Link shouldn't give you much trouble. Anyway, my strategy is to fly around them and drop behind their back and give them a few hits, then get back into the air. Once at high enough damage, rock slam away. Careful, these guys have swords (duh), so they may be able to stop the rock. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon The only problem with these guys is that they are fast and all except C.Falcon have projectiles. Dodge their projectiles and don't let their speed overwhelm you. They're fast, but not very powerful. Just whomp up on them and finish them with a smash. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers None of these guys are faster or more powerful than you are, so just run up to them and start smacking. Close range enemies can't recover from juggles very well, so can also just get them into the air and use A+^ repeatedly to juggle them to high percentage, and smash them off. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo DODGE. THE. PROJECTILES. I cannot stress this enough, especially against Samus. She can stun you for a few seconds, then get over to you as fast as lightning and smack you around. Be smart when fighting these guys, they may be slower than you (with the exception of Samus), but they can still smack you around. Be careful and dodge their projectiles and you should be all right. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda They're not any stronger than you, faster than you, or better than you (at least not the computers, don't think this when fighting humans, though). Get up there and smack them around, juggle them, do whatever it takes to get them at high percentage and then smash them away. Your only problem should be when Zelda turns into Sheik, for Sheik is much faster than you are, but the same strategy should work. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Here's where the real problems come. These guys can smack you off at the snap of a finger, and are very difficult to knock off. Ganondorf can easily stop your rock slam and use it against you. Beware. Fortunately, most of the attacks that really do a lot of damage require charging up. This means that you can charge them and unleash hell, but when you see them charging an attack, run away quickly! Copied Powers Appearance: Mario's Cap Ability: Fireball Damage: 6% Appearance: Pikachu Hat Ability: Thunder Jolt Damage: 10% Appearance: Bowser's Hair & Horns Ability: Fire Breath Damage: 1%/hit Appearance: Crown Ability: Toad Damage: Counter-attack (Damage depends on original move) Appearance: Yoshi Hat Ability: Egg Lay Damage: 8% Appearance: Brown Hair Covering Body Ability: Giant Punch Damage: 12%-30% Appearance: Captain Falcon's Helmet Ability: Falcon Punch Damage: 23% Appearance: Fox's Helmet & Ears Ability: Blaster Damage: 2% Appearance: Backwards Baseball Cap Ability: PK Flash Damage: 11%-33% Appearance: Blue Parka Ability: Ice Shot Damage: 5% Appearance: Samus' Helmet Ability: Charge Shot Damage: 2%-20% Appearance: Pink Headdress Ability: Nayru's Love Damage: 12% (also reflects) Appearance: Wrap with Locks of Blonde Hair Showing Ability: Needle Storm Damage: 2%/needle Appearance: Link's Floppy Green Hood Ability: Bow Damage: 4%-18% Appearance: Doctor Headgear Ability: Megavitamin Damage: 8% Appearance: Beak and Blue Feathers Ability: Blaster Damage: 3% Appearance: Pichu Hat Ability: Thunder Jolt Damage: 10% (1% damage to Pichu) Appearance: Luigi's Cap Ability: Fireball Damage: 6% Appearance: Jigglypuff's Hair and Ears Ability: Rollout Damage: 9%-14% Appearance: Mewtwo's Tail and Horns Ability: Shadow Ball Damage: 3%-23% Appearance: Kirby Turns Flat and Black with White Eyes Ability: Chef Damage: 4% Appearance: Blue Hair Ability: Shield Breaker Damage: 7%-24% Appearance: Red Spiky Hair Ability: Flare Blade Damage: 6%-46% Appearance: Young Link's Floppy Green Hood Ability: Fire Bow Damage: 6%-15% Appearance: Ganondorf's Hair and Sideburns Ability: Warlock Punch Damage: 30% SAMUS The mysterious intergalactic bounty hunter who has thrice saved the galaxy from the threat of destruction at the hands of the ruthless Space Pirates and the life-sucking Metroids, Samus Aran wasn't as popular with fans of the original Super Smash Bros as she should've been. People new to the game often had a hard time (1) controlling her somewhat bulky frame, and (2) utilizing her highly-effective attacks, most of which proved to take more of a learning curve than that of the cheaper characters (i.e. Kirby, Link, Pikachu etc.). Gamers found themselves frustrated with her arm cannon's long charge time, her mediocre regular attacks and the fact that she lacked that one REALLY powerful move that would give her an edge with beginners. However, those who chose to stick with Samus found that becoming a master of the Metroid hunter definitely pays off. Once a player became accustomed to her discouraging feel, it would soon be discovered that hidden within Samus was a perfect balance of a long-range fighter and a close-range brawler, giving almost anyone who chose to stick with her a considerable edge over every opponent in the game. In Melee, the designers have chosen not to tweak her considerably in any direction, although her Screw Attack and charge beam have been slightly improved over the original. Let's put it this way - if you're looking for someone you can master in a few minutes and appear to your friends that you've been playing this game for a couple of years, stick with Link. However, if you're a bit more devoted and want someone you can mold from a seemingly ineffective character to a fast, well-balanced frenzy of orange DEATH, Samus is your lady. Samus has an advantage in every area - long-range combat, close quarters combat, speed, agility, stamina and excellent defense & evasion capabilities. The whole entree doesn't come to you on a silver plate, however. It'll take a bit of skill and patience before Samus' performance pays off. CLASSIFICATION: Long Range Regular Attacks Samus thrusts her mighty arm cannon out at the opponent. If charged enough, this move can instantly KO an opponent that has some decent damage done to him/her. Samus doesn't have to charge up for very long to deal an ample supply of damage, however. This is an excellent move for opponents madly charging at you, or also a good finishing touch to a combo. Use it when you're looking for a quick finish, or when your opponent is wide open or off-guard. Samus performs a powerful leg sweep, which is great for clearing out multiple attackers at once. It deals a quantity of damage equal to the forward smash, but not as effective for KOs as it sends your opponent flying vertically rather than directly off the screen. Use this move if you are at close-quarters with an attacker directly behind you, and lack the time critical to turn around and counter-attack. Samus creates a fire arch with her arm cannon, from left to right or vice-versa. This can deal more damage than both the down and forward smash if charged enough and used correctly, but again, won't result in any KOs. Use the up smash for opponents directly overhead or within very close range of you. Special Attacks Charge Beam: Samus' SSB veteran attack. If you tap B, Samus will begin to charge her arm cannon. Tap B again shortly thereafter and Samus will fire a small, lightly-damaging burst of plasma energy that moves slowly and doesn't cover half the screen. This is good only if you're trying to repel an enemy who is blindly rushing you, leaving an opening for evasion or a possible counter-attack. However, if you tap B and allow the cannon to charge up for awhile, you can deliver more potent blasts. The longer Samus charges, the more powerful the blast will be, and the farther it will travel as well. Samus has a max on her charge, though, and once her charge maxes out she will begin to lightly flash, and her cannon will sparkle. The charge will last until you take moderate-to-heavy damage, and while you are fully charged you can resume battle with no altercations to your performance. However, as soon as you tap B you will blast the charge. An excellent strategy is to wait until your opponent is off-guard and surprise him with a plasma- induced trip to Kingdom Come. Also, take note that while Samus is charging, she is vulnerable to attacks. Hence, whenever you are charging Samus, you can press left or right on the analog stick to morph into a ball and travel in the direction you specified. An excellent evasion maneuver. Homing Missile: Quite a bit more powerful than standard uncharged plasma blasts, the homing missile travels farther than a standard blast and also features a mild homing feature than will zero in on enemies who are not in its general path. However, don't expect the missile to follow them to New Jersey - the homing effect is very mild and only works if the opponent is slightly above or below its path. Also, keep in mind that this is a great advantage to Samus, as it permits her to fire projectiles even when she is fully charged - a feature not present in the original Smash Bros. Screw Attack: Possibly Samus' most useful move as well as one of the best moves in the game. When utilized, Samus curls up and spins vertically into the air in an electrical frenzy of power. Anything caught in this storm of pain - including multiple opponents -- will be sucked into it and will receive moderate damage before falling to the ground below. A great maneuver for the following: attacking enemies directly above you, attacking enemies who are preparing a downward air assault (i.e. Kirby's block move or Link's downward slash), quickly moving out of the way of an attack from the side or an air attack (the Screw Attack sends Samus into the air faster than a standard jump), and serving as an effective triple jump when you're in desperate need of getting back on the arena. However, the Screw Attack has its disadvantages as well. First of all, if you choose to attack Kirby or Link (or anyone else with a powerful downward attack) using the SA, be sure you connect with them BEFORE they execute the move. The Screw Attack may be useful for canceling possible assaults, but it will not protect you from power attacks that already had the pre- emptive. Secondly, keep in mind that Samus is vulnerable after performing the Screw Attack (i.e. can't perform attacks), so if you miss your opponent when performing it or another opponent is waiting below, you're wide open. Bomb: Samus's trademark attack - she will morph into a ball and lay a small bomb that rolls along slanted ground and explodes on impact of an enemy (or within a couple of seconds, whichever comes first). Though only lightly damaging, it's an EXCELLENT defense weapon. Example - you're in midair and an enemy is waiting on the ground directly below you. It looks like there's no escape from an inevitable vertical attack, right? Wrong-O. At the peak of your jump, press down and B repeatedly to drop down an air raid of bombs, which will nullify the opponent's chance of attacking you if performed correctly. They also serve as excellent cover weapons - if you drop bombs while traveling in the opposite direction, it makes it extremely difficult for an attacking opponent to follow, which could turn the tables in any battle. Strategies for Samus Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy You don't want to take swordsmen head-on when you have an array of both air and projectile options. Marth and Roy are both lethal at close- range (just look at those swords!!), but they're easy pickings seeing that they have little defense against long-range combat. A good idea is to keep your distance, barrage them with homing missiles and once their damage is up nice and high, send them a charged plasma kiss when they least expect it. Link is a little trickier seeing that he has bombs for cover, arrows for long range and that formidable spin attack for both ground and air attacking. The best strategy is to coax him into performing an upward spin attack/upward smash attack when you're overhead. Anticipate his actions and butter him with falling bombs. Once he's emaciated, finish the job with an unsuspected power blast. Do the same with Young Link, although close-combat fighting can overpower the little runt just as easily. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon Samus is pretty fast herself, but you'll have to master dodging to truly own these guys. Fox and Falco are masters of eluding projectiles with their short frame and quick feet, so these guys are better confronted at close range. Samus' leg and arm attacks have a better reach than that of Fox/Falco's, so use that to your advantage, and also keep the > + R parry in mind when fighting. Pikachu/Pichu are both masters of teleportation, and also have high defense capabilities against air attacks. Don't attempt an air raid with these guys, but rather, stay on your feet and work on them with a combination of ground sweeps and punch/kick attacks. Be wary that these two are difficult to edge guard against on account of their teleporting skills, so your best bet is to inflict heavy damage on them and KO them with a charge blast or smash attack. As for Falcon, he has some lightning-fast devastating attacks, so he's best confronted with a careful dose of dodging + downward smashes. Use > + R or vice-versa to roll behind the burning speed freak and quickly connect a leg sweep before he has the chance to put you on the defensive. With that said, remember that projectiles are pretty effective against him (just keep your distance!). Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers Your long-range flexibility can have a tremendous edge against this lot. Charged blasts and homing missiles can keep you in safe-zone for the most part depending on your judgment and accuracy, so stay on the side of the arena opposite your close-range foe and pellet him with your arsenal. If your foe advances on you, use bombs to provide cover and escape to safety. Although Samus is an effective close-quarters combatant, Mario, Luigi and the rest have an advantage as far as strength and combo flexibility. Make it a point to stick with your guns when confronting these fools, and only move in for the kill when the price is right. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo As Samus, you can either fight fire with fire here, or attack them head on. Ness' long attacks are for the most part slow, but you also have a curve at close range as he's a relatively weak brawler, so make it a point to frenzy him with A attacks if you fight him at close range (you don't want to give him the opportunity to wield his bat). Mewtwo can be a worthy long-range opponent as his projectile attack is uninterceptable, so it's a good idea to front him with a mixture of down+A attacks and the Screw Attack. As far as Samus, she has everything you have, so form your own tactics here. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda These are all pinatas against the likes of Samus. Send them up into the soaring skies with a down smash sweep, and then tender them with a Screw Attack. Another fun strategy is to toss them upwards into the air with Z, jump up and deliver them an up + A kick, and follow that up with a Screw Attack (does considerable damage). Or you can just blast them to death. Samus is a general powerhouse to these foes if utilized correctly, and most people will find that lightweights aren't much against Samus' balance. Just be weary of Kirby's downward block attack, which can cancel out any Screw Attack. Also be aware of Jigglypuff's rest move, which is absolutely fatal in certain situations. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf All brawn but no... speed. Samus' quickness and agility will give you the edge here, and pretty much every special move Samus possesses can be used effectively against the lot. Ganondorf has a lethal uppercut which can be suppressed with a healthy dose of air-to-ground bombs. His smash attacks give ample warning and allow time for an opening in which you can deliver an attack of your own. Donkey Kong, though powerful, is extremely slow and can be dispatched with relentless close-range battering. Bowser is slow, bulky and short-range for the most part, so you're safe from this guy if you make good use of your cannon. In general, all take a great deal of damage before they'll begin flying, so have some patience when fighting them. Also, edge guarding is intrinsic with these characters, so make use of run + A attacks when a fighter is climbing from the edge. Also, if one of these sluggish pugilists happen to be drifting toward the edge of the arena, you can kick them to their doom easily by jumping right above them and pressing down + A. This goes for all characters, but especially the heavy-hitters as they seem to be more vulnerable to this maneuver. ZELDA While Princess Zelda has been a staple character in the Legend of Zelda series (It's named after her for crying out loud!), her role in SSB:M is her first ever as a playable character (Well, except for those stupid CD-i games, but they don't count). Her alter-ego, Sheik, on the other hand, has only ever appeared in one other game: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, more commonly referred to as Zelda 64. Players never learned the true identity of Sheik, the supposed last Sheikah, until the finale of the game, where "he" revealed himself to be Zelda in disguise, and also the seventh sage. A few of the characters in SSB:M have traits that completely alter the way you use them, sometimes giving them an edge, but also working as an achilles heel. There's the twin Ice Climbers, whom you control two of, and there's Kirby, who can copy the "B" moves of opponents. However, Zelda is the most unique character of all. Why? Because she's not one character, but two. You start a fight as the princess, who is a bit slow-moving but has some powerful magical attacks, and with the push of a button coupled with a flick of the control stick, you transform into Sheik, a completely different character armed with ninja-like moves and incredible speed. Both are extremely potent characters, and both have excellent "A" button attacks. You must learn to balance the two if you want to become a Zelda master. CLASSIFICATION: Lightweight Regular Attacks Zelda: Zelda's got a pretty damn powerful smash. Pulling off the move causes her to charge up, then zap anyone in front of her. It's sure to KO anyone with a high damage total. Sheik: When you pull off Sheik's smash, you unleash a powerful double kick. The first racks up that damage a bit, and the second sends them flying. It's a great move because it's quick. One of Sheik's better finishers. Zelda: Zelda's down smash is surprisingly poor. Zelda charges up, then twirls around on one foot with the other foot sticking out. It'll hit your opponents, but it won't send them flying anywhere. Nayru's Love can do the same thing, but better. Sheik: This is one of the cooler looking tricks in the game. Sheik will charge up and do a helicopter kick while standing on her head. It's slightly less powerful than the forward smash, but it racks up damage on both sides, making it a superb clearout move. Zelda: Zelda's best moves are perhaps her upward hits. On the ground, Zelda will wave her arm in the air, casting a short-range spell. If your opponent is hit, they'll be zapped and blasted upwards. This can easily finish off your enemies, resulting in a star KO. It's also great for juggling. Sheik: When the upward smash is performed, Sheik charges up, then raises her arms while ducking down, smacking nearby characters straight up. Use this in conjunction with the midair upward smash, a powerful upward drill kick. Sheik is a formidable juggler when this is done. Special Attacks Nayru's Love (Zelda): When you use this, a blue crystal forms around Zelda, defending her for a moment. This move has two uses: the first, and most obvious one, is to reflect projectiles. Unlike Fox's reflector, though, it can't be held in place for a time, making timing crucial. If you time it right, however, your opponent's shot will bounce right back at them. Handy, but difficult to use. The second use for Nayru's love is as an offensive weapon. When the crystal dissapears, it shatters into smaller crystals which spin around, hitting adjacent characters repeatedly. It's not too powerful, but it can free up some space when you're surrounded. Needle Storm (Sheik): Pressing the "B" button results in Sheik releasing a tiny needle which flies straight until it hits something. Holding the button results in Sheik charging up for a more powerful shot with about 3 or 4 needles. However, by tapping the "Z" button while Sheik is charging, you can carry the needles around, much like Samus' charge shot, until you need to use them. The needles are excellent for stopping a character returning to the platform while in mid-jump. They fall, and you get the kill, even if you didn't make the original hit. The attack is weak, but it can knock enemies back at a crucial moment. Din's Fire (Zelda): This move is difficult to pull off, but it's good for a hit against a distant character. By pressing "B" while tilting the control stick forward, you release a ball of fire which flies along, gaining speed, until you release "B". It's very difficult to hit with, and you won't have many opportunities to use it, but it can do a fair bit of damage when it hits. Keep practising, and you're bound to get better at using it. Your best opportunity to use Din's Fire is probably right at the beginning of the match, when there is an opponent directly across from you. Don't waste the chance! Chain (Sheik): This move is one of the more unwieldy moves in the game, but it's very good for edge guarding. Sheik lashes forward with the whip, and then holds it out, allowing you to use the control stick to wave it around. You can score multiple hits on nearby enemies with it, and waving it over the edge of a platform will stop most return moves, even powerful ones like the Fire Fox. Like Din's Fire, it requires practice. Farore's Wind (Zelda): This is one of the best return moves in the game. To use it, press up and "B", then quickly tilt the control stick in the direction you want to go. It can't go through solid walls, but it'll go through any "soft" platform (platforms you can drop and jump through). If you're not careful, you can suicide with this move, so if you're on a small stage, make sure to never tilt directly sideways. As a bonus, Farore's wind can hurt any character touching Zelda at the time, ala Jigglypuff's "Rest" move. It's not as powerful, but I think you'll agree that the teleport makes up for that. Vanish (Sheik): Sheik's teleport operates identically to Zelda's, but there are at least two differences: Number one, it doesn't go as far. Number two, it leaves a small explosion behind. This is good for burning nearby characters while you make your escape, and if you hurt somebody while you're on your way back to the platform, hey, bonus! You don't have to worry as much about suiciding with this one. Transform: Obviously, this is one of Zelda's most important attacks. Without it, you'd be stuck as just one character. Simply press down and "B", and with a tinny little fanfare Zelda players will recognize, POOF, you've transformed! You'll want to transform into Sheik to work up opponents' percentages, and turn back into Zelda to finish them off with a powerful throw. Of course, there are always exceptions, depending on who you're fighting. Balancing the two characters is key. NOTE: You can use this move right before a match starts! Just hold A while the fight is loading, and you'll start the match as Sheik instead. It saves you a bit of time if you know you're going to need Sheik first. Strategies for Zelda Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy The best way to handle these guys is to get them from behind. Obviously, Sheik is ideal for this. Stick to the air and kick them in the back, then use the Running+A dash move repeatedly, back and forth. When you rack up enough damage, it's time to get lucky. Transform into Zelda and attempt to knock them out. When you see the opportunity, seize it, and grab them for one of Zelda's extremely powerful throws. If the damage is high enough, throw them upwards. If they don't hit the KO Ceiling, they'll be at your mercy, for Zelda's upward attacks are her strongest. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon When facing these guys, you'll never survive as Zelda. The answer should then be simple: stick to Sheik, who is extremely fast. These characters are weaker in the air, so juggle to your heart's content. Use the upward drill kick to keep them helpless, then slam them with the "knee to the groin" maneuver. They'll fly far if you've worked them over enough. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers The strategy for these characters is simple- wear them down with Sheik, and knock them out with Zelda. That's really all there is to it. Good ways to get their damage percentage up are to catch them in juggling combos, and whip them when they try to climb up onto the edges. Make sure to keep some needles charged up as well. They can be handy if your opponent gets knocked away early. When the time comes to finish them with Zelda, simple trap them in a throw and use Din's Fire to keep them at bay. These characters are average difficulty for Zelda. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo These are quite possibly the easiest characters in the game to beat with Zelda. They can't stand a chance once they're in the air- Mewtwo especially. Just choose Zelda or Sheik, whichever you prefer, knock your opponent into the air, and start juggling! You'll make short work of them quickly. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda These characters don't even necessitate a transformation. You can simply stay as Zelda and blast them all over the arena. Sheik has no trouble with them either, but Zelda's powerful attacks can easily win you the fight. Lightweights are definitely some of the easiest characters for Zelda to handle, except for the big exception: facing another Zelda. You should treat her like a close-range fighter. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Contrary to what is true for lightweights, these characters are by far the most difficult characters for Zelda to fight. Sheik can hardly make a dent, and Zelda gets seriously damaged before she can hurt them. If you're facing more than one person, let the other players do the work, then try to swoop in for the kill. This works well in time battles, where you can score your KOs on other, lighter characters. However, you'll have to face these guys sooner or later, and that's when it's time to use evasive tactics. Dodge like crazy, and try to get them into vulnerable positions. It's not easy, but it's possible. Sheik is best for dodging attacks, so lean towards using her more. Steer clear of head-on confrontations. You can juggle DK and Ganondorf, but don't try it with Bowser- his stomp move is too dangerous. However, you can use that move against him: right after he lands, grab him and toss him. LINK Link was one of the best characters for some in the original Super Smash Bros, and in the hands of a true master, became one of the most lethal characters to play with. His only problem? His jumps were weak, and if he was knocked away, it was very difficult to get back onto the screen. In Melee, the game designers have tweaked his jumps to give him some more flying time, and they've added some new goodies. Playing as Link involves many projectile/smash attack combos. Face it, most everyone plays as Link. You have to learn, if you want to become a Link master, to use Link like a razor. With a combination of rolls, smash attacks, and projectile hits, you can easily destroy any and all opponents. You have the ultimate ace up your sleeve, however, in the spin attack. It clears the stage, racks up a hell of a lot of damage, and now wobbles a bit to cover more area. The spin attack will be the one attack that will invariably annoy most of your opponents the most. By really timing it right, and by setting up attackers, you can become a legend just with one move. CLASSIFICATION: Swordsman Regular Attacks Link's sword comes out in a devastating blow, that if charged enough, or if enough damage has been racked up on the target, will result in an automatic KO. The best thing about this is that it doesn't really need to be charged up much to do a lot of damage. Link will pull his sword out and swipe on either side of him. Great for tripping the other characters up a bit, and is wonderful in conjunction with the forward smash or sword spin attack, as the other players will bounce a bit in the air and then come down right in front of you. If you are in the air, down-a will pull out the sword and then place it underneath you, turning you into a guided sword missile. Falling on opponents this way is a very good way to clear the ground upon impact. Be sure, however, that if you don't connect with opponents to push L or R to quickly get the sword out of the ground after you fall. The sword swipes three times straight above Link, and if charged, they can really send an opponent flying. Also, the up-a attack can be used to juggle opponents, I've been known to get three characters flying around above me at the same time with it. It's also good to use with a flying spin attack. Special Attacks Bow: New to Melee, Link's Bow and Arrows are a fiendish and quick projectile. By holding down B, you can pull back farther on the bow and therefore fire farther with the arrow. It also does more damage, and a good Link player can judge based on how far the arrow is pulled at approximately how far it will fly. Real annoying Link players will sit away from the fray and just pepper the competition with arrows until they vulture in and let them have it. Boomerang: Quicker, smaller, and slightly less powerful than the original boomerang, this weapon makes a grand resurgence, and is one of my favorite little projectiles. The only problem is that if you've got it sailing out, you have to wait for it to return or leave the screen before you can throw it again, but aside from that, it's an easy way to do some fun damage. Spin Attack: One of the best moves in the game, period. In the air, it'll deal a succession of hits and then the final blow, and on the ground it will just send you sailing. A true Link master will use this without shame for almost every other move. It clears space, it hits hard, and now it wobbles in the air which allows you to hit more people. It also lifts you higher. Bomb: Another favorite for Link fans, down B pulls out a slightly less powerful version of the bob-omb. It doesn't travel, and it definitely won't blow you to kingdom come, but it will do some fun damage if thrown correctly. A great place to throw it is in the middle of a tussle between the competitors, and a fun combo involves pulling one out in midair (most of the b moves are best performed while doing something else, because they aren't the quickest moves to initially pull off) and then throw it downward on top of an enemy, then come down quickly with the down-a move. Strategies for Link Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Well, unless you have a longer sword than the opponent, attacking head on is not the greatest idea. Link's sword will trump Young Links, but Marth and Roy have better power and longer swords. BUT, they don't have projectiles. If up against Marth or Roy, stay away and then throw/shoot projectiles, then hit them and run away again. Link on Link is just a matter of finding if they are a head on attacker, or a projectile attacker and then utilizing their weakness. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon Stay away from speedsters, as they are the mortal enemies of Link. The only good thing about some of them, like pikachu and pichu, is that they can be tossed around easily, and so when you do manage to strike a blow, strike hard. The best thing is to learn the roll button and then perform smash moves after the roll. Dodge those Falcon punches and try and get away from the kicks and laser fire from the StarFox boys. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers These guys aren't that difficult if you remember exactly how far away your sword spin can hit, and if you utilize your projectiles as well as possible. Keep THEM away from you, and when they do get close, block their hits and then whomp on them with the sword from far away. Oh, and keep Yoshi a little farther because entrapping you in an egg is one of the worst situations you can be in. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Ok. Now, all of these three can be very difficult to score hits on, because they all have an ability to get away from you quickly, and Samus has the killer third jump...but Link is a pretty good long range fighter himself, and when it comes down to it, you have THREE different courses of projectile action. Use them to make them come from their shelter and attack like a man, and then beat them with the sword. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Ok, quite simply, if you are up against these four, the sword spin and smash attacks are essential. After a moderate amount of damage, they will disappear. Edge guard to your hearts content, and charge smash them to kingdom come. Watch out for Peach's butt slam, because it's a doozy, but if you keep a finger on the shield, they won't be a problem. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf These guys are a bit tough to work up to a level where they will fly, so you need to concentrate on one of them, ignore the others (or if it's a team battle, have your partner draw fire away) and then just keep pounding them towards an open edge. Then, when they are off the edge, guard it, don't let them back up, and hurl projectiles there way. The sword spin works very nicely in this area, as they are huge and won't be able to dodge. Link, however, can dodge. DR. MARIO Dr. Mario, drug dealer pharmacist extraordinaire, makes his way into the all-star cast of Super Smash Bros. Melee as a hidden character. Prancing around in his stylish white lab coat, he can make short work of any opponent (provided you follow this guide) and still have it appear effortless. First arriving on the NES in his own game, Dr. Mario helped you destroy viruses in a clever Tetris clone, also called Dr. Mario. Most recently seen on the N64’s incarnation of the game, Dr. Mario returns to kick some *deleted* with a MELON. While Dr. Mario may be just a clone of his somewhat faster counterpart Mario, his well-rounded skills make him an equally wise choice for beginners and experts alike. Although lacking in far ranging projectiles, Dr. Mario more than makes up for it in his strong close range attacks. Diving right into the scrap is what Dr. Mario is about, specializing in quick, fierce jabs and the occasional throw. Being a skilled attack sniper can cheese out CPU opponents and frustrate human players to the point where choosing anyone but Dr. Mario seems questionable. Dr. Mario’s strengths lie in his Smash Attacks, which include the very powerful Meteor Smash, and his speed. Even though Dr. Mario has powerful attacks, he is not hindered by the slowness you would expect from Bowser or Donkey Kong. CLASSIFICATION: Close Range Regular Attacks Dr. Mario’s forward Smash works best when closer to the opponent. Not far away as in off the screen, but two or three paces back. The electrical blast can knock the wind out of most characters, so smash away. Dr. Mario spins his feet around like a drunken break dancer and clears out the pack of fools that dare come close to you. Use this to clear out a clump of characters, or beat somebody away from the edge who’s trying to get back to the platform. Charge it up fully and you can send your opponents to the moon. This move is useful when an opponent is jumping towards you or is falling down from the sky. This knocks them off trajectory and sends them away from you. Also use this when you yourself have been knocked off the platform by using it after the double jump. Special Attacks Megavitamin Instead of the standard fireball that Mario shoots, Dr. Mario shoots out a pill (called a Megavitamin) that bounces along the platform, making cool retro sound effects in the process. This being Dr. Mario’s only real projectile, it lacks the force you need to keep enemies at bay. You can fire the Megavitamins in the air, but they fall downwards towards the ground. The best and cheapest use for these Megavitamins is to shoot them at somebody trying to make it back to the platform. Several of these Megavitamins to the face will guarantee they won’t be returning this trip around. Super Sheet: This is the Doc's version of the Super Cape. It is virtually identical, except that it's gleaming white and probably well sterilized. It'll flip your opponent around (great for wrecking their moves while they're charging up) and damage them a bit. It'll also work as a reflector, but your timing has to be just so for it to work. Super Jump Punch: This is virtually identical to Mario's edition of the attack. Dr. Mario leaps through the air in a fixed trajectory and entraps his enemies in a combo attack. It can be annoying when trying to make precise jumps, but for the most part it's a very good move that should be employed often. Doc Tornado: This is like the Mario Tornado but with more range. You can move around more, chasing after opponents who try to escape. The final hit isn't all that powerful, but this IS a damaging move. Use it often on those who like to come in close. Strategies for Dr. Mario Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Swordsmen are going to be ready and waiting when you try to pull your close range hits on them. This means that you should make use of your megavitamins and pelt them from a high perch. When the Links try to throw projectiles at you, use the Super Sheet to send 'em back their way. Be sure to use your Super Jump Punch from below, as well. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon Keep on the ground and stay there firmly. They're going to be jumping all over the place, so be ready to catch them in a deadly Doc Tornado. It can really mess up their combos if you spin them around with the Super Sheet, so use that liberally. Keep at it. They're faster, but you're stronger, and you'll be happily surprised when you see whose percentages are higher. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers When it comes time to face close ranges, it's time to know how you play, and counter it. You should always know what the best thing for your opponent to do is, and then counter it. Give them a heavy dose of vitamins (ha ha) and watch out for their smashes. It all comes down to skill, here. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Two words: Super Sheet. Reflect those shots and missiles, and they should end up hurting more than you. Be sure to juggle, as well, and make them back into a corner. Only Samus can properly defend herself up close, so act accordingly. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Lightweights use their special attacks a lot, so be sure to use yours. Most of their attacks require you to be somewhat close, so naturally you want to keep away. These characters can sometimes suicide if they use the wrong move at the wrong time, so try and trick Jiggly into rolling off a cliff, Kirby into dropping into a pit, and Zelda into teleporting somewhere dangerous. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Watch out. Heavyweights have tons of power, and Dr. Mario, while strong, will have to work extremely hard to clear them away. Fortunately, their power moves have abysmal recovery time, so swoop in to hit them after they finish whatever uber-powerful attack they have in store. Use your Super sheet to foul up their smashes and charge moves, and stay on the move. Just don't stay in one place and try to keep in control. FALCO Falco has starred as Fox's wingman in both the original Starfox and Starfox 64 (Lylat Wars in Britain). He, along with Peppy Hare, Slippy Toad, and of course, Fox McCloud, make up the skilled Starfox Team, which protects the Lylat system from the wiles of Andross, simian mad scientist extraordinaire. Falco's a bird, but which species is anyone's guess. Perhaps he's some kind of parrot. Perhaps he's a Falcon. Nobody knows... What we do know is that Falco is easily the most obnoxious smartass of a character ever found in any Nintendo game. Though he has been friends with Fox McCloud for ages, he often comments rudely about Fox's abilities as a pilot, and clearly believes he'd make a better leader for the Starfox team. Despite his poor attitude, he really is the most valuable of your wingmen in the Starfox games. Falco makes his fighting debut as a "clone" of Fox. Don't be fooled, though. Though the two may share moves, Falco has quite a few differences from his furry counterpart. He's a bit slower, but can jump substantially higher (donning a bunny hood can actually be lethal when playing as Falco), and has more power in him. However, he's still fast enough to run circles around his opponents, and opponents with high percentages won't be able to escape him no matter how hard they try. Falco is also extremely resilient- it takes a lot to get rid of him for good, and this is perhaps his strongest point. CLASSIFICATION: Speedster Regular Attacks Falco charges up, and lets out a kick, turning to hit his opponent. Unlike most smashes, it's better for racking up damage than actually knocking enemies away. It also hits quite low, and has no trouble hitting small characters like Pichu. Yow! Falco does the splits when you use the downward smash, kicking enemies on either side of him. It's a good clearout move, like most downward smashes, and hits both sides at the exact same time (most downward smashes don't, hitting one side after another). Of course, it's less powerful than the forward smash, but can get the job done. Falco's upward smash is an upward somersault kick. It can get an easy high KO on weakened enemies, and is a good juggling move. It'll also get rid of any annoying pests in front of you. It's probably more useful than the forward smash. Special Attacks Blaster: This is similar in operation to Fox's blaster, but has a few differences. First, it's less rapid. Second, it is a bit more powerful. Third (and most importantly), it actually knocks enemies back a bit (Fox's blaster hurts enemies, but it doesn't budge them an inch). Use it whenever there's an opponent in clear view across the stage from you, or when you want to detonate a bob-omb from a safe distance. Falco Phantasm: Most characters have a dash move that sends opponents into the air, but the Falco Phantasm kicks it up a notch and sends them higher, doing more damage. It's invaluable as a juggle starter, and don't hesitate to use it on a group of enemies. Firebird: Like Fox's Firefox, this move will set Falco charging up for a moment, before shooting through the air in a burst of flame. You can use this in any direction you like, and it'll burn edge-guarders with ease. It won't go as far as the Firefox, but Falco's other jumps more than make up for that. If you have time to charge up, use this move horizontally as a more powerful alternative to the Falco Phantasm. It is very much worth it. Reflector: SSB:M has much less focus on projectiles than its predecessor, but when the time comes for a long distance fight, this is a wonderful tool. If Falco is hit by a projectile while using this, the projectile will instantly be sent the other way, back at the opponent. Useless against some characters (like captain Falcon or DK), but extremely helpful against many others. Strategies for Falco Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Against Swordsmen, you want to be the first to act. Start juggling combos from above and below, and then try to trap them in your multi-hitting kicks (done by pressing A quickly). Throws are handy to keep them out of commission for a moment or two. Just don't give them a chance to hit you, and they're putty in your hands. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon When facing other speedsters, it's a race to be the first to entrap the other in a series of quick hits. Be the first, and you're fine. You can damage your opponent a ton and then finish them. If you get caught, dodge, jump, do whatever it takes to get out of your opponents' grip so you can try to get back at your foe. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers You want to treat these guys like Swordsmen. You're really just a faster version of them who is only slightly weaker, so act accordingly. Toss them around and entrap them in multiple back and forth hits with the Falco Phantasm. It's also a good idea to blast at these guys with the Firebird. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Your reflector is invaluable here. Whenever one of these characters fires a high-powered blast at you, quickly hold down + B, and you'll be saved from what could be a painful death. Your reflector will even protect you from Ness' PK Flash. Otherwise, treat these guys like Close Ranges, and juggle more than you normally would, since that's their weak point. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Don't let these guys touch the ground, and they'll have a lot more trouble. Since Falco's smash attacks tend to send enemies high in the air, use them a lot. Edge-guard like crazy, and lightweights shouldn't be able to harm you badly. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Heavyweights are the difficult ones for Falco. Basically, do what you usually do and don't give them breathing room. You'll want to rely more on your blaster, since these guys have mostly close-up attacks. Also, be sure to blast at them with the Firebird, and don't bother using the Falco Phantasm. You can win if you work at them long enough. PICHU Pichu first appeared in Pokémon Gold/Silver for the Gameboy Color (they were released simultaneously) as the pre-evolved form of Pikachu that you would receive by breeding 2 Pikachus. Since that Pichu has also been featured in Pokémon Stadium 2 for the Nintendo 64, Pokémon Crystal for the Gameboy Color and a game for the Pokémon Mini. Pichu wasn't in the original Super Smash Brothers and comes to Mêlée as a 'clone' of Pikachu. Pichu is the lightest character in the game. Some of his attacks don't do as much as Pikachu's. Whenever Pichu uses an electric attack he damages himself (because he is as competent with electricity as Pikachu is). When you look at those stats Pichu does appear to be crappy. Fear not as no character is crappy in Super Smash Brothers Mêlée. Pichu is like a speeding bullet in speed not only is he a quick runner; his attacks are fast as well. He has some very powerful moves and has good dodges. The damage that he does to himself is quite minimal as well. Pichu has an awesome <- throw to so use it as well. Although Pichu is light and easy to knock around with practice and skill you can become a Pichu master. CLASSIFICATION: Speedster Regular Attacks Ahh… the beloved meteor smash. Pichu charges up and shoots out a small electric charge. This attack doesn't hurt you that much (about 2%) and sends enemies flying. It's an excellent finisher. The attack takes a few seconds to perform. It can be a good edge guarder against players with slow jumps. Pichu swings his head to both sides of him bashing enemies. It isn't that fantastic since Pichu already has a clear-out move (thunder). If you need to clear out quicker though then use this move. Pichu slams his head into the air above him. It's quite powerful and a great build-up to his thunder attack. It's also good to start a juggle. Special Attacks Thunder Jolt: Pressing the B button will send out an electric charge that'll bounce up and down off the ground until it hits somebody. It does about 8%, but does 1% to you. It is Pichu's only move that he can hit someone in the air with. If you use the Thunderjolt in the air or on the edge of a platform it flies diagonally until it hits someone. Great if you don't want to bother with Thunder as an edge-guarder. Skull Bash: Quite simply Pichu's best move. If you press ->+B Pichu will fling himself a little hitting an enemy in front of him. It does moderate damage. If you hold it, it can become a killing machine. Holding it up fully can do a blow as devastating as the Falcon Punch. Pichu flings himself forward more the more it's charged up so charge with caution if you're on a small stage. Oh it only does about 1% damage to Pichu too. Agility: This is Pichu's come-back move. It's very quick and it sends you quite far. Pichu shoots himself into the air. If you tap the control stick again you will do what’s called the double teleport. Unlike Pikachu's however it doesn't damage enemies. 1% damage to yourself if you do a single teleport an extra 2% damage if you do another one. Thunder: Now we're getting to the good stuff. Thunder is an unbelievable powerful clear-out move. Pichu calls upon a cloud in which a lightning bolt comes out and hits Pichu. There are 3 strategies for this move. The first is as a clear-out move. Since there's a small span of electrical charge coming out when Pichu hits himself you can hit multiple enemies if they're crowding around you. The second is an ultra-hyper cheap edge-guarder. It's almost impossible for the enemy to dodge this if the timing is right. The third is if enemies are on a higher platform if you're directly underneath them you can hit them from above. As an added bonus if you use that method you don't get hurt. The other two methods will probably do about 4% damage to yourself. Strategies for Pichu Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Swordsmen are a huge pain in the ass. However, they suck at aerial if you can start at them from the air then get down on the ground to do battle you should be fine. You can also use your Thunderbolt to stun them then waltz up and close range the hell out of them. Your throw is a good idea ass they are pretty weak against edge guarding. Frequent dodges can also work (ex. You run up to the enemy and dodge back. You repeat then the next time, flip to the other side of him and attack). Remember about Roy and Marth's Counter attack, as it seems to be forgotten quite frequently. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon These folk are about medium difficulty for Pichu. Fox and Falco shouldn't be too hard as they have strong aerial ability; use your Thunder to kick their ass. Capt. Falcon isn't that much trouble either because of your quick aerial ability. His good attacks are all slow or start from a distance so use thunderbolt to stop the Falcon kick and the B-> attack while dodging his other attacks. The Pikachu/Pichu duo are VERY annoying. Your excellent edge-gaurding abilities don't matter at all. Your faster than Pikachu so use your speed to your advantage. Pichu should be thrown frequently as speedsters all seem to be vulnerable to throws and you have an excellent one. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers Ahh… the close-rangers; sometimes they are the hardest, sometimes they are the easiest. Your victory is pretty dependant on how well they utilize their projectiles. For the Mario team it'd be best to remain aerial as you have good air attacks. Juggling them is also does well. For Yoshi, Game and Watch and the Ice Climbers you should dodge frequently. They have awesome smash attacks and will KO you at any point of weakness. You have superior projectiles and they all are weak against edge-guarding. With the exception of Yoshi you should use Thunder as frequently as possible. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Throw everything you've been doing before out the window as these guys are the only you should stick to. Stay grounded too as all of them have excellent aerial attacks. You should be able to dodge their projectiles without skipping a beat and they have crappy ground with the exception of Ness's bat. They're completely helpless against your thunder. Whatever you do though, do not edge-guard Ness. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda These guys are tough. Pihcu is quite vulnerable to juggling so stay grounded. With the exception of Zelda all can be edge-guarded to death. They're also fairly slow so try dodging. With the exception of Kirby they all are good juggles. Their projectiles are slow so starting with a thunderbolt is always a good idea. Use the same strategies you would for Capt. Falcon against Shiek. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf These guys would seem hard but with the right amount of dodging can become very easy. None of their hard-hitting attacks are quick so dodging the right way can be great. Bowser's Down-B move takes a fair while to actually start so you can juggle them easily. Bowser and Donkey Kong can be edge-guarded quite easily, but Gannondorf is more troublesome to edge-guard. Using your quickness and agility should allow you to prevail. Stay on guard as they take a lot to defeat and even if they haven't hit you your damage will still rack up and one well-placed DK Punch/Claw Swipe/Warlock Punch/whatever can kill you. Stay alert and you should be fine. LUIGI Anyone who is even remotely interested in the Mario brothers will at least recognize this name. Luigi made his debut as Mario's little brother in the Mario Bros. Arcade series. Since then he has appeared many times, sometimes as a cameo, others as an NPC, and often as a playable character. Luigi is jokingly referred to as "the eternal undershadow," and this is in many ways true. Mario takes the spotlight in almost all of his games, and Luigi is dismissed with a casual line or two before being pushed into the background where he spends most of his time whistling and checking mail. Interestingly, Luigi as a non- playable-character has revealed many aspects of his personality that would have otherwise let him remain completely the same as Mario, except with a different color palette. Luigi is a laid-back soul, and takes it easy most of the time. He's not the adventurous type, although he'll tag along with Mario given half the chance. We also learned in recent days that Luigi really REALLY doesn't like ghosts! Luigi soon become a completely different person than Mario, and the two have developed separate lives since their first appearance. One can argue that Luigi is just another clone of Mario, but this is not the case. As fans of the original Super Smash Bros. will notice, Luigi's more outstanding traits have been highlighted a bit more in the transition to 'Melee. Luigi still jumps higher, of course, and remains one of the highest jumpers in the game. He also jumps up in the same manner as Mario -- goes up fast, comes down slow. Luigi and Mario both move at about the same speed, and are just as quick to dodge and outmaneuver enemies. Luigi, however, is a slightly easier target because he is taller, and while his moves seem to knock the enemies back farther, his recovery time is a bit on the slow side. Luigi's fighting style also seems to be a bit panicked, so he lacks the "confidence" of Mario's attacks. Therefore, his attacks tend to be strong, one-hit-only moves instead of the strategic, juggle-friendly Mario ones. Luigi's dash appears to be just a tad slower, as well. But when you look at the bigger picture, Luigi's and Mario's best traits still hold true together -- neither brother has a real weakness to exploit. Both Luigi and Mario can adapt to any situation almost instantaneously, so any disadvantages normally observed by certain characters never apply to either one, making them quite considerable foes! Obviously, if you're very skilled with Mario, Luigi is a shoe-in to be among your best characters. All in all, Luigi is every bit as formidable as Mario is. CLASSIFICATION: Close Range Regular Attacks This is easily one of my favorite smashes not because it's strong or anything, but because it just looks so weird it's funny. Luigi will lean back, turn his hand out palm up, and then thrust his arm forward. Either Luigi has a hidden high-power acceleration device hidden up his sleeve, or the laws of physics like to bend themselves in his favor, because the enemy will go as far as Mario's forward smash attack! Easily among Luigi's better moves, but it has a bad preparation and recovery time, so use sparingly. Was second runner-up for the "most deceptively powerful move" award, right next to Jigglypuff's "Rest". Luigi will swing his legs forward and underneath him break-dance style, like Mario. This foot sweep is great for clearing out enemies, since it works almost instantly and covers ground on both sides of him. Keep in mind that it is easy to counterattack, and has an only average K.O. chance, though. Luigi will rear back and take the term "use your head" to a whole new level. Just like Mario. This has one of the best K.O. rates in the game, so feel free to give Luigi whiplash if you have to, just take into account that both the range and the recovery time are poorer than his other attacks or you'll find a smash attack coming your way. Special Attacks Fireball: Ah, the classics never get tiring, do they? Luigi's trademark green fireball is back! Luigi will draw his arms in and thrust his left arm forward in a semi-pointing motion, releasing the fireball. Unlike Mario's, it goes only forward, and dies away quicker. And who cares if the damage isn't all that hot? (No pun intended) At least it can keep those nosy close-range fighters off your back long enough to set up a better move, and believe me, this move is more handy than you might think. Green Missile: Mario's cape has been replaced by the "Green Missile," an odd attack that is not only surprisingly strong, but also allows Luigi to get back onto the stage! This attack operates in much the same way as Pikachu's "Skull Bash." Press Forward+B, and Luigi will start concentrating and building up energy. Release, and Luigi will take off (literally!) in the direction you pressed the joystick in. The longer you hold B, the farther he will go and the more damage that the enemy will incur. You can use this as many times as you need in midair, which is handy since his Up+B move has no horizontal movement. This move has an interesting twist, as well: There is an approximately 12.5% (one in eight) chance whenever Luigi uses this move that he will "misfire," blasting him almost three times the distance he would normally! (When not charged.) Not to mention it does more damage, assuming you can actually hit the enemy instead of sailing over their heads. Therefore, this is NOT a wise move to use in a small stage, because you can actually T.K.O. yourself using this move because of the misfire chances. Still, those same chances can help you get back to solid ground... Super Jump Punch: Luigi's version of this move goes straight up, and does not move left or right one bit. And it only hits once. Thoroughly disgusted? Don't be! Anyone who remembers the original SSB will recall that if the opponent was RIGHT in front of Luigi when he used this technique, they would receive much damage and be sent flying into the wild blue yonder. The same holds true now, so keep that in mind if you're in the fray. One more thing to remember: Of course this move can be used as a triple jump, but since it only goes upwards it might not be the greatest decision if you're too far from the ledge. Try the Green Missile instead, and use this only as a last resort. Luigi Cyclone: This move operates similar to Mario's edition of this technique (go figure) in that it's good for clearing out enemies, but Luigi instead delivers a single strong whack, sending them flying in the opposite direction. Plus, you can cover much more horizontal ground (press left/right after executing this move) than the Mario Tornado, making it good for clearing out groups rather than just anyone close to you. You cannot rise into the air nearly as much as the Mario Tornado by tapping B, though, so this works best for grounded opponents. Strategies for Luigi Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Swordsmen can be problematic for the younger Mario Brother, since they have a longer reach than you do, can juggle very well, and several quick damage-dealing attacks. Fortunately for you, they lack a single powerful smash move and tend to be slow in most respects, so use that to your advantage. Stay close to them, and be sure to keep just out of their blades' reach. Rush in, deliver a flurry of quick punches (the standard A attack works best), then leap back until you can set up your next move. Don't worry about being K.O.-ed until your damage is in the mid-hundreds, but don't get cocky either. Since Luigi is, although slower than average, faster and more mobile than any of these clowns in midair, some timely aerial attacks can work wonders. Also, footsweeps and juggling attacks are your friends here. Don't let up on the pressure and try to avoid using powerful attacks until you can hit them a ways, because although they're slower, they can't be hit very far and can still come back and give you trouble the moment you turn your back to them. Once their damage is high enough, give them a good whack to finish them off. Stay moving, don't let them fight back, make sure you know how to do the various dodges, and you won't have too much of a problem. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon The key to winning against a Speedster: Know your dodges, and don't move. It sounds a little strange, but if you know Mario well enough you know that you shouldn't move too much around a Speedster, and for Luigi it goes doubly so. Speedsters can come in fast, beat you around the head, and take off before you even know what hit you. What you want to do is get close to the action, about two to four character widths away. Then root yourself to the spot and wait until one of these guys gets too close. Give them heck with several A attacks before hitting them off a good distance, then stand still again and wait for them to come back. If they're all in one little area, use a Luigi Tornado to send them flying in all directions, but be wary: Speedsters have a notorious habit of hitting you from behind when you're not looking, so keep an eye peeled for a stray fighter, especially if he just got K.O.-ed. Finally, avoid using smash attacks if possible unless their damage percentages are in the hundreds or so (with the exception of Pichu, the second-most aerodynamic Pokemon known to man -- the first being Jigglypuff, of course), because all of Luigi's smashes have just enough lag time for Speedsters to take advantage of. Have patience, and the K.O.s will follow soon enough. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers Your instincts will tell you to get right in there and fight, and with Luigi that's probably what you'll want to be doing most of the time. Close Range opponents tend to do just that: Get in close and start beating you to a pulp. Since most Close Range opponents are as slow (if not slower) than Luigi is, battles with these characters will usually consist of a pattern of all-out brawls, frenzies, split-up parties, and the occasional one-second breather. Unlike the case with Mario, there's no real strategy to be applied here. Just be sure to use Luigi's wide range of physical attacks to your advantage and to remember the various battle techniques. If you find yourself straying too far from the action, rush right back in there while chucking Fireballs on unsuspecting opponents, or charge up a Green Missile and send yourself flying into the masses; chances are good you'll hit someone. Remember to dodge and use Luigi's superior aerial attacks, too. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Long Range attackers are a big problem for Luigi if you're not experienced with him. If they're too far to get in the battle, they can use their handy projectiles to attack from a distance, but they're competent fighters even up close. Each Long Range combatant has a completely different style, too, and all of them have good midair attacks, so applying Luigi's usual strategy of jumping and/or getting in close can have potentially disastrous results if you're not careful. Most of the time these guys will keep jumping and moving just out of your reach, changing tactics only to get in close and pummel you or to charge up their strong projectile attacks. If these guys begin to get on your nerves, wait for a time when their defenses are weak; for example, if one of them is in midair or caught in the middle of recovering from an attack. Then get yourself in the right position and juggle, smash, or generally just beat the crap out of them to your pleasure. Most of your energies when dealing with this type will be devoted to waiting for a mistake if not pursuing the fleeing opponent. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda One would think that Lightweights wouldn't be a problem for the competent Luigi, but if you don't watch what you're doing, these guys will smack you to kingdom come before you know it. Remember that they have several tactical advantages over you: They're quick to recover, they have a wide variety of moves, they have projectiles and/or they attack faster than most. The best way to deal with the various princesses and puffballs is to wait for an opportunity to attack, then attack and keep at them. You're bound to receive some damage while doing this, but the key is to keep them off their feet. Throw fireballs to chip at them from a distance, and the Luigi Tornado works wonders on them, too. Once their damage is high enough, send them flying with a good smash attack or a Super Jump Punch. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Luigi's met his match here. His close-range prowess will land him into big trouble with these powerful foes. Your best bet is to rely on their abysmal midair capabilities and focus on attacking them from midair and from safe distances. Fireballs are your best friends here! Since their damage can go up to the mid-hundreds and still have a good chance of surviving a K.O. attempt, focus on chipping at them with fireballs and quick punches and kicks, and avoid a brawl with them if at all possible. Once their damage gets high enough, leap in with a strong aerial attack to send them flying. You probably won't K.O. them, but you will set them up with a good opportunity to chase after the opponent and smash attack them from there. Using the Super Jump Punch can be both a blessing and a curse here; Heavy Hitters' massive girth makes them prime targets for Luigi's all-powerful version of Mario's classic attack, but be sure that no one else is close enough to take advantage of its terrible recovery time, or else you'll find yourself staring at someone's fist shortly before being sent zooming through outer space. JIGGLYPUFF Jigglypuff was a secret character in the original Smash Bros and returns as a secret character in Melee. She's from the Pokemon games, and in Japan is the most well known Pokemon besides Pikachu. In Pokemon, she uses physical attacks like body slams and punches, as well as a Sing move that put enemies to sleep. Many of these moves carry over to Smash Bros. Without a doubt, Jigglypuff was the most hated in the original. Although in Melee Pichu may be hated too, many are still convinced that Jigglypuff is by far the weakest character and is completely useless. All it takes is some patience and skill, and you can humiliate your friends by beating them with Jigglypuff. People don't bother to develop any techniques against Jigglypuff, so if you're skilled, you can always surprise them. However, mastering Jigglypuff takes a lot of skill, and you'll need to be familiar with the advanced techniques like dodging and juggling. Most of Jigglypuff's moves aren't that powerful, and the ones that are powerful are hard to hit, so the main strategy is combos ending with a powerful smash attack. CLASSIFICATION: Lightweight Regular Attacks This is a good finisher if the enemy is on the edge of the level. It's also good for a quicker version of the Pound while on the ground. Use this in combination with her dash attack to give a ton of consecutive ground hits that can quickly rack up damage on a flat surface. Use this also as an opponent comes back to the stage to smash them back out. Works better when charged, obviously. Use this in conjunction with the forward smash. It may not finish the opponent, but if you're surrounded, it's a good clear out move. It's also good for just generally getting the opponent away from you. Not a great charge move as it's not very powerful to begin with, it's better used quickly. This is probably Jiggly's ultimate finisher. It's easy to pull off, and if the enemy's generally around 90% they'll probably be KOed (exceptions of course are the heavier characters like DK and Bowser). This is a good charge up smash attack, just hold down A and let'er rip once the enemy gets near. Special Attacks Rollout: Hold down B and Jigglypuff will roll in place. Release, and she'll go flying in the direction you were facing. It really only does anything if you charge it a lot, if you don't, she just rolls forward slowly and doesn't do any more damage than a rolling beach ball. Be careful when using this move, it's not recommended unless you're in a large level or you have a really clear shot. If you miss, you'll probably end up rolling right off the edge of the level without any way to recover. You'll only stop if you hit a wall, a character, or if you're able to stop yourself by rolling back and forth. It can be steered, so if you miss once and are able to turn around, you can hit them on the way back and still do significant damage. Use sparingly; it may seem like an easy power hit at first, but skilled players will be able to avoid it easily if you used it too much. Plus it takes a few seconds to charge up, giving people time to get out of the way. It's best used in multiplayer matches when the others aren't paying attention to you. Pound: Jigglypuff's pound has been upgraded in Melee to send opponents flying farther, making it a more effective juggling move. Use this a lot, because no one else has a move like it, and people aren't expecting it. It's a good move to use against edge guarders, and it's also used somewhat as a comeback move that you can use repeatedly. When knocked far, instead of using up all your jumps, just pound your way back. Since the drill kick no longer pops opponents up, this is a good combo starter. Sing: The Sing move hasn't changed much from the original. If you feel lucky you may want to try this, but unless you catch the opponent right at the beginning of the song, they'll usually wake up right when you finish. The best technique for this is during a team match, where you sing the opponent to sleep, and while you're still singing, your partner comes and attacks. The sing only puts them to sleep if they're on the ground and within your shield radius, so it's not a very effective move beyond just annoying the opponent. Since Jigglypuff doesn't have a vertical comeback move, you'll often find yourself in situations where you get knocked down and are able to float back up just below where you would normally grab on, only to fall back down helplessly. In situations like these, do an aerial dodge, but hold up while doing it. You'll pop up a bit, giving you a bit more vertical distance. Rest: This move can blow away rookies not only literally but mentally as well, since many don't know the true power of this move and at first have no idea what hit them. It can KO even heavy characters like Donkey Kong with their damage in the 50s. If you can pull it off (it's quite difficult) then you can get a very easy kill right away. When you first start the move, Jigglypuff flashes for a second, and then goes to sleep. While she's flashing, any character touching her will take damage. Their character model has to actually be overlapping hers, so it's hard to get someone by just walking up to them. It's best to get someone from below by jumping inside them. If you're playing a skilled player, you shouldn't bother trying it on small characters like Pikachu and Kirby. This move takes a lot of practice to use. Strategies for Jigglypuff Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Jiggly's great at combos, but that doesn't help if you can't get close to the character. Her main weakness is lack of projectiles, which make it hard to attack swordsmen who can protect themselves from all directions. Your best bet is to use smash attacks, Pound, and maybe get in a Rollout if you can. At low %'s you can try juggling, but once their damage gets high, they'll be able to block the juggling, especially Link's downward sword stab. Marth and Roy are probably her most difficult opponents, since they're great close range fighters, and she has no projectiles to utilize their weakness. Your best bet is to attack them in the air and use your pound a lot, or dodge and get them from behind, since they don't have the sword spin like the Links. Resting is a bit risky, but if you're feeling lucky you can try it. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon Other than the swordsmen, Jigglypuff's greatest enemies are ones who can use the same juggling techniques she can, but faster. Their juggling is based on speed rather than their attacks though, so many players choose not to juggle with them, as it is harder to pull off (the CPU however has no problem performing amazing combos). Still, while they can't juggle as well they do have a speed advantage. Use combos on them, and a lot of smash attacks too, since many speedy characters are also lightweight and get knocked out pretty easily around 90-100%. Fox and Falco are the worst of the bunch, since they can get in a ton of hits and rack up 20-30% damage before you can even blink. Jigglypuff handles better in the air though, so use your floating ability to your advantage. Don't attempt a rest attack here, you'll never be able to land it on them, unless the player is stupid or something. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers These players are like the speedsters but not nearly as fast. Because of this they're not as much of a threat, but their attacks are generally stronger so their combos are more lethal. If you manage to get a hit on them, do some combos, but don't go overboard because they may be able to retaliate easily. Many of these characters are weaker in the air than on the ground, so use your air maneuverability to your advantage. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo These characters are good close range fighters, but have powerful long range attacks too, which will lead many people to use the long range attacks as much as the short range attacks. They're not good at combos as much as just sending you flying, so just use combos against them, but be careful when attacking them head on, as they may be able to release a charged shot and knock you away. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda The lightweight characters are easy to clear out early on unless they're quite skilled. The lightweight characters however rely on combos instead of powerful attacks, so be cautious. Juggling won't work as well as just combos in the ground and air simultaneously, ending with a good smash attack. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Unless the player is really good, heavy hitters are a piece of cake in the hands of a skilled Jigglypuff. Their moves take a long time to execute and can be dodged and predicted easily. Be weary, because if they do manage to get a hit on you, it'll hurt you a lot and kill you at relatively low damage. If you're really good at dodging and evading attacks, the heavyweights shouldn't be too much trouble. Also, these are the prime targets for her rest move, since they're so big, especially Bowser and DK. A good strategy is to wait for them to perform one of their attacks that have a slow recovery, then drop inside them from above and rest. Just hope you don't miss, because then you're vulnerable to a powerful smash attack. MEWTWO Mewtwo, the 150th Pokemon, is greatly feared and respected by many trainers in the world of Pokemon. This psychic Pokemon was cloned from Mew, and can only be found in a very remote cave in the game. However, the search is well worth it for any trainer looking for him. Mewtwo's psychic powers are unparalleled, as are his Recovery skills. Mewtwo finally brings his powers to the world of Melee, where his psychic abilities can match the brute strength of any foe As you would probably guess, Mewtwo mainly uses his psychic powers while fighting, but not in the way you might think. With his psychic powers, Mewtwo can create and fire dark energy, which can be devastating to his opponents if used correctly. This dark energy is used for everything from weak A attacks to creating a giant dark ball and shooting it at your opponent. Mewtwo's throws are among the most powerful in the game. In his up throw, Mewtwo twirls the opponent around his body using his mind, then throws his opponent straight up into the air with great force. And in his front throw, Mewtwo kind of holds his opponent in the air and pummels him with small dark energy balls. Not great for throwing people far, but perfect for racking up damage. It can hit multiple opponents, too. One thing to keep in mind is that Mewtwo is not best designed for sending opponent's flying. Instead, he is designed to be a very "technical" character, using many moves to throw his opponent off guard and set up for the few strong attacks Mewtwo has. Also, I would reccomend you stay grounded while fighting as Mewtwo; for some reason, he seems lighter and easier to knock out in mid-air. Probably because it's his psychic powers holding him up. Mewtwo's jumping skills are quite good, double jumping much in the same way as Ness. While in the air, Mewtwo has two particularly powerful attacks. With his neutral A attack, he charges himself with electricity, which will shock anybody nearby. This can rack up some SERIOUS damage if you shock them for long enough. And with his Side+A attack, he charges his hand with dark energy and lashes out at his opponent. It'll send nearly anyone with decent damge flying. CLASSIFICATION: Long Range Regular Attacks With his Forward Smash, Mewtwo drives his hands forward (like how Ryu shoots a Hadoken) and shoots out a bit of dark energy. The good thing about this attack is that it's quite powerful, and has more range than most Forward Smashes. However, it's can be pretty slow, and dodged fairly easily by someone expecting it. Not recommended for repeated use on small, quick targets. Like many of Mewtwo's moves, his Down Smash is different from most other characters. Instead of sweeping those around him, Mewtwo points in front of him with one finger, creating a small energy explosion at that point. Again, it can be slow, and you must be facing the opponent and fairly close to him/her for it to work. But when it hits, it is nearly as powerful as Mewtwo's forward smash. It'll usually send them flying upward, giving Mewtwo a good chance to juggle or take advantage with his powerful midair attacks. Yet another dark energy move. In this case, Mewtwo drives his palm upward, creating a ball of energy in his hand that will strike multiple hits on anyone who touches it. Does some pretty good damage by itself, but won't send anyone flying unless you can keep them on the ball of energy until the end of the move. In that case, they will go flying upwards, knocking out nearly anyone with higher damage. Mewtwo's primary juggling move. Special Attacks Shadow Ball: Mewtwo reaches back and cups his hands, then begins charging up an energy ball. The ball gets larger and larger until it is about half Mewtwo's size. If it's shot at that stage, it can be one of the most powerful projectiles in the game, rivaling Samus's Charge Shot in strength. Also like Samus' charge shot, it is possible to move while charging just by pressing left or right while charging. However, one difference is that once the ball is done charging, you will not break from that stance until you move or shoot the ball. And once you shoot the ball, it will go in a slightly zig-zag pattern until you hit your target or a surface. Because of this zig-zag pattern, aiming can be hard, so try to use this at point-blank range or shooting it into a crowd of people. Confusion: With Confusion, Mewtwo reaches out with his hand and clutches at the air, which lifts any nearby opponents in front of him and spins them around in mid-air. When they land, they're facing the opposite direction. It works much like Mario's Cape, in the fact that it turns opponents around, causes little damage, and won't send opponents flying. However, it has a bit more range, and in some instances can block projectiles. Very useful for "Confusing" anyone who tries to land a strong attack at point-blank range. Teleport: Does exactly what it says. With a small flash of light, Mewtwo will dissapear, only to appear higher a second later. After disappearing, you can tilt the control stick in the upwards direction you would like to go. It doesn't send you as far as Zelda's (closer to Shiek, actually), but it's still great for coming back to a stage, or even dodging an attack as it moves very quickly. Plus, it looks pretty damn cool. Disable: Here, Mewtwo jerks his head forward, shooting out a small ray with his eyes. Anyone close and in front of Mewtwo will be Hypnotized, similar to what they would look like if they were struck by Jigglypuff's sleep (except not sleeping). Again, this move isn't really for attacking as it is for throwing your opponent off guard. If you're fighting on a team, this move is a perfect set-up to a strong attack from your teammate, as it is fairly quick and will not leave Mewtwo very vulnerable. Strategies for Mewtwo Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy These men can give you trouble if you try to take them out with your normal attacks, due to their smash attack range being greater than yours. Ergo, don't use your normal attacks. Simple, eh? Instead, try attacking them from the air, using Confusion and Hypnotize, anything to throw them off guard while you either A) charge up your Shadow Ball or B) get behind them to use your smash attacks. Beware while you are in mid-air, however; the swordsmen have the ability to shoot you out of the sky if you're not careful. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon These guys will probably give Mewtwo the most trouble, as a good deal of his attacks take a bit of time to use. So, when facing them, play on the defensive. If they charge at you, hit them with a Confusion or Hypnotize to stop them in their tracks. If they come from above, use your A+ ^ Smash to shoot 'em outta the sky. And if they ever get close, grab 'em and shoot them straight up in the sky. While doing this, look for an opportunity to use your Shadow Ball or your stronger smash attacks. Your original tactics should eventually rack up enough damage to send any of them flying with one strong attack. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers You OWN these guys. Mewtwo's close range attacks have a better range and are almost always more powerful than theirs. However, be cautious of the projectiles the Mario brothers and Ice Climbers use. If they're smart, the projectiles can throw you off guard while they get inside and pound the hell out of you. So, avoid the projectiles when you can, or absorb the damage and wait for them to get close enough for you to smack them. The key thing here is not to let them get TOO close. Do that, and you'll be set. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Ness should be virtually no problem here. All you need to do is avoid his PK Fire and follow the advice for the Close Rangers above. Samus is a different story. Because she has fairly quick projectiles with her missiles and energy shots, they can be hard to avoid since Mewtwo doesn't move very fast. What you need to do in this case is use your shield liberally while slowly closing in on her. Once you can get close enough to prevent her from using projectiles, you should be sit. Do watch out for her quick smash attacks, however. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda The main problem with the two pink puffballs is that they're too damn small. Your most powerful attacks, save your A+Down Smash, will have a very hard time hitting them. Instead, make an attempt to grab them and throw them, or get them in the air somehow. Juggle as much as you can, then repeat the process. Soon, you'll have enough damage to send them flying with a decent attack. As for Peach and Zelda, the main problems are with their speed. But this proves to be a small obstacle indeed. Following many of the tips used for Speedsters will help you out here, as Zelda and Peach have very little else that provides a threat to Mewtwo. Buuut, what about Shiek? If you're not careful, she'll juggle you like a friggin chainsaw at a state fair. So, don't give her that opportunity. Avoid her when you can, use your shield liberally and take advantage when you block an attack. Just keep on your toes and don't let Shiek take advantage, and you'll be fine. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Mewtwo can take care of DK and Bowser fairly easily. As slow as Mewtwo moves, it's nowhere near as slow as those two. He'll be able to avoid their attacks easily, then land attacks of his own while they're recovering. Ganondorf, on the other hand, might present some problems. His attacks aren't as slow as Bowser or DK, but they're just as powerful, plus he moves faster overall. If he ever tries to land a Smash or B button attack while you're both grounded, you'll have enough to time to stop him with a Confusion or Hypnotize. The main thing with Ganondorf is to STAY OUT OF THE AIR. He will kick your ass up there with his B + Up attack and his powerful mid-air punches and kicks. AS long as you both stay grounded, you should be alright. MR. GAME & WATCH Originally starring in the Game and Watch portable series (created by Gunpei Yokoi) this character came as a total surprise. He has starred in many games including the popular Fire Rescue Game and Watch. This monochrome simplistic looking character never had a name until Super Smash Brothers: Melee came along. What makes Mr. Game and Watch rock are his amazing smash attacks. They rack up a great amount of damage and -most importantly- they send opponents incredible distances. Mr. Game and Watch also has a decent throw, good comeback ability, a move that has the potential to do 100% damage and has quick jumps. His main downside is he's incredibly light. He's tied with Jigglypuff for 2nd easiest to hit off (the easiest is Pichu) and he can't run very quickly. However in the right hands he can still be amazing. CLASSIFICATION: Close Range Regular Attacks Mr. Game and Watch's best attack period, he pulls out a frying pan and smacks the opponent. Using this you can both rack up incredible amounts of damage and send them flying. It's also very quick. It is the perfect finisher and is also very good for edge-guarding. Never hesitate to use this move. This attack isn't as powerful as the other two but it can still be useful. Mr. Game and Watch pulls out two hammers and smashes both sides of him. It usually isn't that great of a move but if you have an enemy on both sides then use this move. It's a great clear-out move. This one is great at sending opponents flying off the top of the screen. Mr. Game and Watch puts on a scuba mask and headbutts the opponent to oblivion. It's a good juggle-starter and racks up a fair bit of damage too. If someone is coming down it can block most attacks too. Special Attacks Chef: Mr. Game and Watch pulls out his frying pan and flips sausages into the air. This move actually has two uses, it can be used as a long distant sausage attack or a close up frying attack. As far as the sausages go they're not very powerful but they are his only long distance attack and have varied distances. It's great to use to hit someone trying to come back to the platform. The second use is close distance. Mr Game and Watches frying pan is very hot so if someone touches it they can get hurt. It's good to use this to hit them back the pummel them with sausages. Judgement: Mr. Game and Watch takes out a hammer and hits the opponents. The number on top of Mr. Game and Watches head shows how much damage it''l do and possibly it's effect. The numbers range from 1 (incredible weak) to 9 (amazingly strong and can almost instantly kill the opponent). Some of them also have effect. For example if the number is eight the opponent will be temporarily frozen. The more you use this the better chance of it being a nine is so use it often. Fire Rescue: In this move two firefighters magically appear with a trampoline and bounce Mr. Game and Watch into the air. Mr. Game and Watch gets sent pretty high up in the air so it's a good comeback move. It can be used to hit someone but it's usually pretty useless. It doesn't send them very far up and does little damage. Only use it to hit someone on a platform above you or to start a juggle. Oil Panic: This has the potential to be THE most powerful attack in the game. Mr. Game and Watch holds a bucket that can catch projectiles. That's not all however if Mr. Game and Watch catches three projectiles then he'll turn glowing. If you press down+B again he'll dump the contents out doing major damage. You move a bit slower though. The best strategy for this attack is to wait for the ideal time to attack. When you're new to Mr. Game and Watch you'll frequently miss but with enough practice you can use this for an instant KO. Strategies for Mr. Game & Watch Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy These are Mr. Game and Watch's worst enemies. It's hard to get close to them so it's best to hit them with sausages then start juggling them. Marth and Roy are tough because of their counter and huge swords so try to dodge often and smash when you get the chance. The Link's might throw projectiles at you so suck them into the bucket. A good strategy would be to hit them into the air. If they use links aerial down A move then dodge at the last second and smack them with your frying pan. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon These guys are quick but precise timing will do you good. When one of them come running up then use a smash A attack on them. Remember to use the bucket to suck up their projectiles too. Pikachu and Pichu are easily knocked around so smash often. For Fox and Falco you'll just have to use timing. They are easy to juggle so use that to your advantage. Captain Falcon will give you the most trouble but his attacks are slow so you'd be best to dodge then smash him and edge guard (watch out for his up+B though) Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers These guys should be pretty easy because you have powerful smash attacks. For Mario, Dr. Mario and Luigi get close and keep on smashing your heart out. Yoshi has the same strategy except watch out for his eggs and his down-B move. Ice Climbers will give you the most trouble since they have better smash attacks then you so your best bet would be to separate them then keep on attack one and make sure the other doesn't get near. When facing another Mr. Game and Watch try a mixture of sausages and smash attacks. It's essential to see what kind of a fighter he is. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo These guys are Mr. Game and Watches greatest strength. If they go far away and try shooting projectiles at you then take out your bucket and unleash oil on them. If you get close to them you can pummel them with your smash attacks. Be sure to dodge Ness's bat and watch out for Mewtwo's smash attacks; they're pretty powerful. The main trick Samus has up her sleeve is the screw attack so practice your air dodges. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda Mr. Game and Watch shouldn't have too much trouble with these guys just smash, smash and smash. Their tremendous comeback ability is no match if you hit them right off the side of the screen. They have quick attacks so Mr. Game and Watch's run A will be useful. Once you get them off the stage edge guard like mad. Jigglypuff's rest attack is extremely dangerous so watch out. Try using sausages to lure them in then smash them into oblivion. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf These guys shouldn't cause too much trouble. Make sure to smash a lot. It may take longer but they're really slow so hitting them should be hard. Most of their attacks are slow too so dodge frequently. Ganondorf can annihilate you with combos so dodge often. Edge guarding is a good idea but they all have hurtful up+B moves so be weary and dodge. MARTH Not a lot about Marth is known over here in the states. He's the main character from a Japan-only game called Fire Emblem, and is the prince of a nation under siege by dark forces. Most importantly of all, he has an incredibly large sword. Marth may seem like a limited character at first, having no projectiles and attacking only with his sword. While his attacks can be one- dimensional, they're quick, powerful, and varied enough to make him a potent and versatile character. His heavy bodyweight and ability to recover make him a very tough character to knock out, and his speed makes him a tough opponent in the hands of a skilled player. CLASSIFICATION: Swordsman Regular Attacks Your basic overhead sword attack. Sword goes back, sword comes down on someone's head. A powerful attack even when not charged. Use it every chance you get, as the sword's reach is makes it one of the more useful smash attacks. Marth ducks and sweeps the sword around on both sides of himself. Kind of slow compared to some of Marth's other attacks, but powerful and with good range. It also sends your opponent into a nice, high arc, so it can be used to set up an attack when he lands. Marth stabs his sword straight up in an impressive-looking if not altogether great attack. The horizontal range is limited, but the vertical range is very good. It's also a very powerful attack if it hits straight-on, and can KO an opponent that's not been very damaged if charge up. Special Attacks Shield Breaker: This attack resembles the forward smash, but it's a lot more powerful and a little slower. Hold B and Marth will pull his sword back and start to glow. When B is released or when the attack is fully charged, Marth finishes the swing. This move is best used for edge guarding, or as a quick attack to knock someone away. It can be tough to find the time to charge up, but the attack is devastating if fully charged. Dancing Blade: A slightly confusing move at first, but very versatile and useful in the hands of an expert. Marth turns red makes a swing that does very little damage. But if you hit B again when the stroke ends, he'll attack again. Repeat for about 4 hits of increasing power. Up and down directions can also be added in after the first hit, giving you greater range. The move also causes Marth to move horizontally, so it can be used as a recovery as well as an aerial attack. Dolphin Slash: Marth leaps into the air and stabs his sword upwards. This attack loses power the higher in the jump it makes contact, so it's best used when your opponent is closely above you, or right next to you. It's quick and has good reach, which makes it a good counter for aerial attacks. It's also Marth's vertical recovery, but it lacks horizontal movement. Use the Swords Dance first to move over to the side. Counter: This move blocks attacks and hits the opponent with a powerful swipe of the sword. It can also be used to bat away projectiles. Its effects will only last for a second though, so timing is crucial. Strategies for Marth Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Fighting the other swordsmen isn't too tough. Use Counter on Link's projectiles, or just dodge them while moving into mid-range. Marth has the longest reach of any of the swordsmen, so once you're close it's just a matter of slashing away. Use your superior speed against Roy, as his flame attacks do a LOT of damage. Marth's strong attacks are quick and do a fair amount of damage, so just keep going with those until you see a chance for a smash or Shield Breaker. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon The speedsters aren't too tough, as Marth isn't too slow himself. Counter is your friend, use it whenever they get close enough to get in a shot, and just keep using the strong attacks and smash attacks to keep them back. Swords Dance isn't too useful against these guys as their speed lets them hit you in the gap between strokes. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers Counter, Counter, Counter. As soon as they get close enough to attack, use it. They'll get knocked away far enough that you can take a few shots before they move in again. swords dance works here, and the third or fourth stroke does significant damage, usually enough to send them off the edge if not KO them. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo These guys are a bit difficult due to Marth's lack of projectiles. Your running slash is essential against these opponents, because that's the best way to get in close enough to take away their advantage. Counter the projectiles that you can, try to dodge the rest, but don't let them get away once they're close. Beat them bloody with your basic A attack and strong attacks, then finish them off with a smash or a Shield Breaker. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda These guys are no sweat for Marth. Frequent smash attacks and shield breakers are almost always enough to finish them off in seconds. Shiek's speed is really your only concern, but good use of Counter should keep all his physical attacks from landing too often. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf These guys are slow and lack projectiles, so use the time that gives you to charge up a shield breaker attack while they're trying to move in. You should be able to get in a little charge, which ups the damage significantly. Keep using that, the smash, and Swords Dance to rack up enough damage to let them fly. Watch for Ganondorf's Wizard Dive, as Marth is tall enough to grab right off the ground. The Gerudo Dragon and Wizards Foot can be annoying, but a Counter or strong attack can handle those. ROY Roy starred in the Super Famicom (a.k.a. "Super Nintendo" in other countries) series entitled "Fire Emblem." Unfortunately, none of the games made it to America, or any other countries as far as I know, but Roy -- and Marth, for that matter -- made an unexpected comeback one- twenty-eight-bit style for the Nintendo Gamecube. In a nutshell, Roy lead Pharae's armies into battle after his father, the son of the lord of Pharae Principailty, became sick. Long story short, our hero started out on the classical grand adventure that fighters so often do when destiny calls. Roy is what Marth is and isn't: Both Marth and Roy make nice, solid blows, and both have the feel of a refined swordsman, but where Marth excels in grace, Roy is a little more of a powerhouse. Roy is a good all-around fighter, and often has the advantage of a longer reach when it comes to close-quarters combat, due to his sword. Since the blade's reach is wider than most other attacks, Roy can cover almost all sides of his person without having to worry too much about where the enemy is coming from. He deals out more damage than most players, too, and can dodge and leap his way through danger if his position is getting a bit too iffy for the player. Moreover, his stature is a wee bit on the short side, a detail that several players overlook. On hilly areas, his height allows Roy to avoid attacks easier. Roy, however, has three primary disadvantages over the average character: The first and most important two, is that he tends to be a bit slow, and appears to have sub-par recovery times, so panicky situations could leave you as a colorful smear on the floor, and we wouldn't want that, now would we? The third thing that one does not notice at first is the fact that Roy cannot defend his backside very well. Like Marth, his attacks generally cover frontal and aerial opponents, so if you know what's good for you, you'll keep Roy out of the fray. But his good points more or less outweigh these petty little details, and in the hands of a player who at least knows what he's doing, Roy can dish out some pretty serious harm. CLASSIFICATION: Swordsman Regular Attacks Roy spins around and swings his sword overhead. This move is quite powerful, easily among the stronger smash attacks in the game, and it can K.O. an opponent even if their damage is in the low eighties. Roy will lash out with his sword in front, then in back. Since this move is so low, it usually hits only enemies on the ground. Also, the second slash (to the back) is slightly weaker, but both have decent K.O. rates. Roy thrusts his sword straight up. It is deceptively strong, because any enemies caught in it will receive up to five hits, with nice flames surrounding the opponent as they sail up into the air. Though the damage is respectable, its chances of knocking out an opponent are only average. Special Attacks Flare Blade: This one's a pleasant surprise to watch for the first time, especially if it's fully charged. Just hold down the B button and Roy will assume a ready stance while charging up. Release, and Roy will bring his sword down in a vertical slash. This move isn't so much damaging as it is impressive; even if it's barely charged at all, the opponent will go flying through the air as long as they have a fairly high damage percentage. Charging this move up all the way will take quite a while (and thus is unfortunately not worth it unless your enemy is a complete idiot), even longer than Marth, but the payoff is spectacular. Instead of a normal slice through the air, Roy will smash his sword into the ground in the same motion, resulting in a huge explosion that almost guarantees an instant K.O. unless the arena is very large. Oddly enough, though, the explosion's range is only slightly higher than the original attack. I wouldn't recommend charging this one up too much, because you're a pretty easy target, especially from behind. Nonetheless, the range is better than average, and makes for a nice finish to any enemy. Double-Edge Dance: The Double-Edge Dance, like Marth's Dancing Blade, causes Roy to lash out with a series of up to four blows with his sword. The result of Roy's attacks are slightly different than Marth's, though. The keys to this attack are the use of the joystick and the B (or A, if you prefer) buttons, and precision timing. Pressing Forward+B only starts the combination; the rest of the combo is up to you. After the initial swing, you can press Up+B, B, or Down+B for each successive swing to employ any of three attacks for each stage in the combination. (Get all that?) For example, you could start with Forward+B, then go on to use B, Down+B, and finally Up+B. Each joystick and button combination produces a different result for each attack, so the only thing I can say to use it efficiently is "practice, practice, practice!" Oh, and one more thing.... Have you even fallen prey to the cry, "I can't use Marth's and Roy's Forward+B attacks!"? Again, timing is a big factor in this move. If you tap the B button too quickly, Roy -- or Marth, whichever -- will respond only to the first one. Try tapping B after each time Roy FINISHES his attack, not while he's in the process of swinging. With practice, you can learn the timing of each attack and get faster and faster, so you can use this move quickly and effectively. Blazer: This move is great to clear out any annoying opponents that stick close to you. When employing this technique, Roy flies into the air with his sword out, exactly like Marth's Dolphin Slash. The most obvious difference between Marth's attack, though, is that Roy's hits multiple times. You can switch direction as soon as you pull this move off, which is often handy if there's an opponent coming in on you from behind. For example, if you're facing right, press Up+B and immediately pull the joystick to the left to have Roy turn around just before he leaps up. If you press in the direction that Roy is facing, you can also go a bit farther. This move can be used as the triple jump, but since it goes almost completely vertical, you'll have to wait until the last second before using it. Counter: This move is a little difficult to time, but is well worth it. Roy will just adopt a defensive posture and flash purple for a moment. During this time, any physical attack from another character will result in a (surprise, surprise) counter-attack from Roy. This move is especially handy against strong characters like Captain Falcon; Even the Falcon Punch can be countered by this move! The only downside to this move is that it has a terrible recovery time, so Roy can be smacked around to the opponent's content after he lowers his blade. Obviously, unless you're extremely lucky, this move is not good to use in the middle of a brawl. Strategies for Roy Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Usually, when fighting against the same type of opponent, it all comes down to which player is more skilled, but Roy is an exception to the rule. Although Roy is generally the slower among the bunch, he actually does pretty well against other swordsmen. His attacks are not very easy to dodge, and if Roy gets in a tight spot he can get away without too much hassle. Bottom line: Just stick close to your enemy, wait for them to make a mistake, then let 'em have it! And if things get too tough you can back off a little and wait with a good, strong attack ready. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon Roy does best at close quarters, so these guys can be a problem. Moving yourself up and dancing just out of their reach is a good idea, because you can strike when they're not expecting it and you can take off if they have the upper hand. Thus, dodging is a must for speedsters. Rolling dodges are especially effective. Just make sure you have an escape route and if you're going to attack, do it quick and get out of the way again. Try to avoid jumping. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers Roy does better than average with most close-quarters combatants, because of his long-reaching blade. Straight-on attacking is all good and fine, but if you can master dodge techniques, you'll have these guys in your pocket. When they start busting out with smash attacks, just give them a good whack to get them away and chase after them. Also, don't try your stronger attacks at first -- remember, you're slower than they are, so try chipping at their health first before unleashing your more devastating blows. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Roy doesn't deal with projectiles well from a distance, so if this type starts giving you problems, chase after them and kick the tobacco juice out of them. As long as you stay close, long-range fighters will have difficulty dealing with your more powerful attacks. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda These guys can be a real pain. Since these characters focus on wearing you down slowly but surely from a safe distance, you might find it a trifle difficult when they start pulling hit-and-run moves. Roy, as is true with most other slow characters, will have to focus on standing still, moving only to leap out of the way, dodge, or chase after the fleeing opponent. These guys are everything you're not (fast, quick to recover, etc.), so try and hit them when you can, and hard. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Roy is one of the few that can compete with this category easily, since he has enough strength to match them and the agility to maneuver in ways that they can't. Simply counter their slower nature with well- placed blows, and since they tend to cover their behinds worse than you do, take advantage of any time they're not paying attention to you. In no time you can whittle them down enough to smash them to kingdom come! YOUNG LINK Young Link is Miyamoto's original vision for the hero of the Zelda games (a vision he is trying to reproduce in the GCN version of Zelda, but we won't get into that). He is seven years younger than Link's adult form, and retains his youth and innocence. The division between Young Link and Adult Link occurred with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time where players started the game as Link at ten years old, and finished the game at the age of seventeen. Young Link was also featured in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, where he donned magical masks that could transform him into a Goron, a Zora, or a Deku Scrub. Like all of the clones in SSB:M, Young Link retains the same moves as his base character (Link), with a few notable differences. He's quite a bit quicker and more nimble, but the moves that were excellent finishers as Link are somewhat less effective. Young Link has to struggle quite a bit to get rid of pesky opponents. That being said, Young Link is still extremely skilled at weakening opponents, and is very handy in team battles where he can raise percentages while a partner can knock opponents out. Also, Young Link is an extremely skilled juggler. Not only does he keep enemies in the air, but he jumps up there after them for powerful aerial attacks. CLASSIFICATION: Swordsman Regular Attacks Young Link charges, and swings his sword out. This is pathetically weak, except for one thing: pressing A again will cause him to release a second hit, which is significantly mroe powerful, and is one of Young Link's few good finishers. Here, Young Link will slash out on both sides, tripping up opponents. You won't be using this much, since the sword spin is much better in those situations where you're surrounded. Young Link's up smash is three quick swipes above his head. It'll never KO an opponent unless you're playing in sudden death mode, but it sure is handy for hurting enemies. If you miss with one strike, you may just hit with the next. Special Attacks Fire Bow: This move operates identically to Link's bow, but is much more powerful. Why? Because the arrows are flaming. This is infinitely useful, and is one of the best projectiles in the game. Never hesitate to pelt an opponent with these fiery pointy sticks of doom. Boomerang: This isn't a lot different that Link's boomerang. Throw it, it'll fly, and then it'll come back. Even if you miss at first, you can jump around a bit to alter its trajectory so that it hits enemies on the way back (it'll always try its best to home in on you). Also, if you smash with it, instead of just tilting the control stick, the boomerang will fly farther. Sword Spin: This move is a lot like Link's, but you'll want to do it in different places. It's crap in the air, now (it knocks enemies too far away to hit them again, but not far enough to KO them), but on the ground it'll pull enemies in and entrap them in a multi-hitting attack that sends them flying at the end, much like the Mario Tornado. Never hesitate to use this move in a tricky situation. Bomb: Another good porjectile, the bomb is also handy for damage racking. Best of all, if a character uses their shiel to bounce it upwards, it'll fly into the air, then fall on them again. Just be sure you don't hold it for too long. It'll explode in your face, too. Strategies for Link Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Unfortunately, your Kokiri Sword is the smallest of the bunch here, meaning that you'll have to stay back and rely on projectiles. Pelt these guys with fire arrows and bombs until their damage is in the high hundreds. Then, finish them with the down + A midair sword stab, or the second hit of your forward smash attack. It's easy as pie against Marth and Roy, but facing another Hylian hero can be difficult, since they can projectile you back. You'll want to find a superior sniping perch against Link and Young Link, and occasionally swoop in for an aerial attack. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon These guys are fast, but Young Link's no slowpoke himself. battles here will inevitably become close-up brawls, so make good use of your sword spin on the ground. Take to the skies if you're feeling overwhelmed, and keep whittling away at their defense, without letting them do it to you. You should be able to clear them out eventually. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers Young Link's no slouch at close-range fighting either. If they want to get down and dirty, be ready to oblige. Use your ground sword spin liberally, and use projectiles when necessary. Close range fighters aren't a serious problem here. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Aerial, aerial, aerial! These guys are dangerous when grounded, but if you can get them into the air and keep them there, you'll have an incredibly easy time beating these guys. They're useless in the skies, so capitalize like mad on that. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda On the upside, these are the only characters who are REALLY susceptible to your finishers early on. On the downside, their special moves are absolutely brutal. It's time to be the artful dodger, and use the L & R buttons frequently to escape their various projectiles, blasts, and hits. If you can get the jump on lightweights early on, you can win with no problem. Just watch out for Sheik, because her speed can be difficult to counter. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf No problem. Their attacks are very slow, and Young Link is a very fast dodger. You can literally outrun Ganondorf's Wizard's Foot, leap over DK's Giant Punch, and shield yourself from the Bowser Bomb with ample time. Heavy hitters are tough to finish, but easy to weaken, and easy to dodge. The battle will be long, but certainly not hard. GANONDORF Ganondorf, the mortal enemy of Link and Zelda, makes his triumphant leap to 128 bits after starring in a dismal total of 1 games on the N64. Before that, he was featured in just about all of the original Zelda games, or at least his Triforce Induced Pig-like form, Ganon was. In Melee, he's a secret character, referred to as a "clone" of Captain Falcon. The word clone does no justice to just how great of a powerhouse Ganondorf really is. With his souped up Captain Falcon moves, in the hand of a master, Ganondorf can obliterate opponents, and on a small stage, he's downright unfair. The secret to playing Ganondorf lies in his power moves. Used correctly, his warlock punch will KO just about any character with minimal damage. His only real problem is how slow he is, but only in running speed. his hits are as quick but yet more powerful than Captain Falcons, and it takes a bit more to knock him off. The key strategy to Ganondorf is to hit hard, and prey on the weaklings. If you go and attack the ones with either the highest hit percentage or the smallest, Ganondorf will easily take them out. Also, learning to dodge back and forth around characters is key, as his dodge flips you quicker than you would go if you were running. CLASSIFICATION: Heavyweight Regular Attacks An elbow hit, but yet very very powerful. It will KO opponents with the higher percentages, but only the very high. Great for clearing an opponent from you. If you hold it and charge it, he'll kick incredibly powerful on both sides of himself, and opponents will, if hit in the second kick, go flying in the air straight up. This is a great kick to perform in a combo, as the flying enemy is then ready for your smash attacks. If charged, this attack will send a kick flying upwards, which is great for juggling, but a bit slow. Special Attacks Warlock Punch: An insanely powerful punch, when charged up, this punch will not only KO just about anyone on contact, but it will also envelop the character in a purple haze and darken their color scheme for a little while. It's pretty cool to watch, and if you can get this punch off at full power, then you will be dealing some major damage. Gerudo Dragon: This is one of my favorite attacks, as it not only deals some damage, but it throws the character upwards, prone to a combo hit or two. It's a great way to clear the character from the stage, and teams can use it as a pitch, to which the other player would bat the character off the stage. Once again, it envelops the character in the same purple haze. Dark Dive: Ok, the Captain Falcon grab was and is a good move, but just the fact that Ganondorf's shocks you, envelops you in the purple haze, AND does more damage is reason enough to misuse this. It's a great move in the fact that if you successfully pull it off, you can do it again and again on other badguys. This move is a great one to pull off when enemies are trying to get back on the edge, because if you pull it off, you can just do it again to get back on the edge. If you're going one- on-one, use this often. Remember, it doesn't matter how you do the job, just that it gets done. Wizard's Foot: A heavily modified Falcon Kick, this kick has you sliding across the stage to deal a fair amount of damage. It's not Ganondorf's best move, but it's good for getting a pesky character from touching you if you're trying to escape them. Strategies for Ganondorf Swordsmen -Link -Young Link -Marth -Roy Ganondorf has a fair amount of range to his close up attacks, and if you really want to be cheap up against swordsmen, utilize the fact that their sword swipes take some time to hit and roll under them to perform a heavy smash hit to their backside. If you're coming down on top of them, use the down-b downward dive kick on top of them to prevent them from juggling you. But the main move for Ganon when facing any enemy is the Gerudo Dragon, because it will throw them upwards and can be used as a combo, or as a lob for other players to hit. Speedsters -Fox -Falco -Pikachu -Pichu -Captain Falcon Ganondorf does not work well with these characters, and you must be quick to roll. Try hard to just deal heavy damage to the smaller characters in this set, and use the Dark Dive to keep them off the stage. Captain Falcon is a match of duality, but realize that Ganondorf's attacks are much more powerful, and so if you watch, his hit percentage should rise faster than yours, meaning he'll be much easier to KO. Close Range -Dr. Mario -Mario -Luigi -Yoshi -Mr. Game & Watch -Ice Climbers As you don't really have any projectiles, the best thing to do to these characters is the moves that can hit them and start from far away, like the Wizard's Foot or Gerudo Dragon. The Gerudo Dragon is especially fun, as you can then jump and Dark Dive them away from you, and repeat if necessary. Try to not get close to them, because if you do, they'll hit you before you can fully power up a move necessary to escape or deal damage. Long Range -Ness -Samus -Mewtwo Well, Ganondorf's strength relies on his ability to get up close to the other characters, but he does have some moves that have range, like the Wizard's Foot. Try to catch the long range characters in strong hits and punches, or toss them up. If you do get them in a close up attack, you will win with your superior strength. Running away will just make you into a target. Lightweights -Kirby -Jigglypuff -Peach -Zelda If you can get the first hit off, then you can KO this chumps easily. Just be sure to keep your fingers ready for shielding, and use EVERY attack on the lightweights. If you keep coming at them from all sides, you'll be sure to land a lot of hits. Just watch out for the hits they can land on you, and keep yourself spry. It's good that Ganondorf is a quick heavy hitter, because when you're up against the lightweights, you'll need that speed. Heavyweights -Donkey Kong -Bowser -Ganondorf Battles between heavy hitters is basically one of Last Man Standing. Ganondorf is probably the best of the pack here, and can quickly trounce the others if played right. Stay in the middle of the stage, and then just land hits on the other heavy hitters as they approach you. If they succeed in knocking you off, you have a lot of jump still in you, so don't worry. Just keep on using smash moves to knock them away, and then keep them off. If you're up against DK, hit him off and Dark Dive him till he's under the level of the platform, where he can't return.