Web Hosting by Netfirms | Free Domain Names by Netfirms

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.