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A little note before we begin...
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This page is best viewed at a resolution of 1024X768 or higher. If you're set at a lower resolution, I'd recommend you adjust your settings now if you don't want to have to scroll left and right to see everything. If 1024X768 is too high a resolution to be readable on your screen, either live with it, or get a better monitor.
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About the Game
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Super Smash Bros. Melee came out on December 3rd, 2001, a sequel to one of the best and most unique 2-D fighters (or any-d fighters, for that matter) to have ever been made. Available only for the Nintendo
Gamecube, SSB:M pits Nintendo's most beloved mascots from their flagship titles against each other in chaotic fighting matches. The original game, Super Smash Bros, went on to sell 5 million plus cartridges with only 12 fighters and a handful of arenas. Melee builds on and improves what Super Smash Bros. didn't do, which at first glance doesn't seem like a lot. This FAQ will guide you through each character, with all of their moves explained, how to unlock them, their strengths and weaknesses, and some general tips for use. The levels will be explained, as will items, this FAQ will also list tips for all the modes, and hopefully a complete list of all of those pesky trophies. So read on, intrepid gamers! Have fun! And go to the website read by the guys who made this FAQ!
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Warning Warning Warning!
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Caution, all readers. This Guide DOES contain spoilers (it wouldn't be a proper guide otherwise), and while our intrepid webmaster Mizar66 did try to incorporate a sort of hiding system, he immediately stopped when he realized that doing so would force him to butcher the entire guide. So if you don't want to know that Mr. Game & Watch is the final secret character, or that 3 stages from the original have returned with every last polygon intact, then this is NOT the guide for you. You have been warned.
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A Glossary
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In this guide, we'll be using a few terms that may confuse smash newbies. Here is a list of some of those terms, so the criminally stupid few of you can understand what we're saying (just kidding, ha ha).
Smash Attack: A powerful hit performed by tilting the control stick and pressing the A button at the same time.
Juggling: Hitting an opponent into the air repeatedly without giving them a chance to recover.
Meteor Attack: A hit in the air used to knock an opponent downwards (usually down a pit) before they have time to react and recover. A good example is Mario's midair forward + A hit.
Secret Character: A character who is not playable at the beginning of the game, who must be unlocked. These characters are not necessarily BETTER than the regular characters, but they're cool rewards. There are 11 secret characters in SSB:M.
KO: "Killing" an opponent once (don't worry parents, they don't really die).
Suicide: Killing your own character by mistake. This ranges from stupidly jumping off a cliff, to stupidly detonating a bomb right next to you.
Taunt: A nifty little pose your character can do when you press Up on the control pad. These can earn you special bonuses... that do nothing.
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How to Play SSB:M
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One could call Smash Bros a fighting game but also a platformer as
well. It's basically a combination of the two. If you played the
original on the N64, then most of the gameplay is unchanged and you
should be able to jump right in. If this is your first time playing
Smash Bros, then you'll have to get used to the differences from other
fighting games.
Although the characters have punches, kicks, and unique special
moves, the strategy is totally different from other fighting games.
Most of the stages are floating in the air, and the object of the game
is not to deplete the opponent's energy, but to knock them off the
stage. This is easier said than done, because all characters have an
air jump, and most characters have a special move that helps them come
back. Instead of energy, every character has a percentage. The more
you're hit, the more your percentage goes up. If you're hit with a
strong attack, such as Smash attacks, you'll go flying. How far you fly
depends on how high your damage is. If you get knocked so far that your
double jump and comeback move aren't enough to get you back to the
stage, you get knocked out.
Every character has basic attacks used with the A button. You can
push A button for a regular attack, as well as tilting the control
stick up and down to indicate the direction of the attack. In addition
to regular attacks, you can do "Smash Attacks", which are vital to
winning. To do a smash attack, you tilt the control stick in a
direction at the same time as pushing the A button. You can do a smash
attack to the side or downward, which will knock your opponent
horizontally, or an upwards smash attack which will send them sky high
(you can also knock out the opponent by knocking them really high).
Of course, every character also has special moves that are unique to
them. These are executed with the B button. Depending on the direction
you tilt the control stick (neutral, sideways, up or down) you'll
perform one of four different special moves. For most characters, up
and B is an attack that can send you horizontally or upwards, helpful
in getting back to the stage.
Besides attacking, jumping is a necessity in this game, as many
attacks differ between using them on the ground or in the air. You'll
also need to jump in order to execute combos or get away, as well as
coming back to the stage. Each character has a jump, and at least one
other jump they can do in the air (characters like Kirby can jump up to
6 times, since they can float). To jump, you can either tilt the
control stick up, or use the X and Y buttons.
Other strategies include dodging, shielding, and throwing. If you
are near an opponent, you can press Z (or R and A at the same time) and
grab him. Pressing Z while holding an opponent will do damage to him.
If you do this too much the opponent can break free, so use this
sparingly. Otherwise, tilting the control stick different directions
will result in throwing your opponent. Throws are weaker than smash
attacks and probably will not KO your opponent, but they do damage and
can be used to start out combos. Press R or L to activate your shield.
This will block attacks (but not throws), but don't use it too much,
because while you use it, it gets smaller, and if it disappears, it
breaks and you get stunned. How far you press in the button depends on
the strength of the shield. If you press the button in a lot, the
shield will be small, but very strong. If you press it in a bit, the
shield will be large but very weak. Most attacks only need a shield
press of medium, to block. Tilting the control stick left or right
while having your shield up will cause you to roll. This is helpful to
evade opponents, and is essential against skillful players.
There are some other techniques too. By pressing R or L in the
air, you'll do an air dodge, which will make you temporarily
invulnerable in the air. You can only do it once until you touch the
ground again. By pressing Z or A when an item is thrown at you, you can
catch the item, but it takes precise timing. Speaking of items, when
you see one, press A to pick it up. If it's a weapon, press A to use
it. Once you're done using it, press Z to drop it or throw it. If it's
a throwing item, then just press A to throw it. Also, if you put up
your shield at the exact moment a projectile attack hits you, you can
deflect it.
Finally, to taunt, press up on the D-pad. It's not necessary but
it's great to do after knocking out your opponent, just for fun.
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Advanced Techniques
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You already know that the R and L buttons allow you to block, dodge,
roll, and what have you. But there's more to it than you would expect,
and one can never be a master 'Smasher without the following.
First and foremost, it is HIGHLY recommended that you get used to
pressing the R and L buttons all the way down, and quickly. Sure,
pressing them part of the way in has its many strategical advantages
(shield gets worn out less quickly, can block many weak attacks and
projectiles, etc.), but to dodge and perform other quick recovery moves,
you'll have to press them in all the way.
Now that we have that out of the way, let's discuss some techniques to
make you an even better fighter than you already are!
(NOTE: From this point on, I will refer to both the R and L buttons as
just the L button, both to save space and because it's more convenient
to use. They have the exact same function, anyway, so just deal with
it.)
You probably have already noticed that if your character is knocked a
distance into the air, when they hit the floor they will lie there for a
moment, stunned. This is the perfect opportunity for opponents to smack
you around and string together combos. To avoid that "stunned" period,
hit the L button a moment or two before you hit the ground. Your
character will perform a fancy little hand-plant or something when they
hit the ground and immediately flip back on his/her feet. This move is
absolutely priceless to know, because not only is it quick, but in the
process of recovering any attacks won't hit you!
Be sure to hold the L button down until you hit the ground, because
sometimes if you let go too early the game will ignore the command to
recover. It just takes a bit of practice, and you'll get the feel for
it in no time! Also, by holding left or right on the joystick as you
use this technique, you can perform the equivalent of a rolling dodge
after that hand-plant, which is handy if your opponent is busy setting
up a smash attack aimed at the spot where you were going to fall.
This can be done on ANY surface you can hit when you're sent flying,
including walls and ceilings, although the roll can only be used on
floors, as far as I know. Handy if you don't want to bounce off a wall
and fly off the stage.
The next technique, which is pretty much useless but can save your butt
in iffy situations, is the wall jump. Simply leap toward a vertical
surface and tap the joystick in the opposite direction when you're close
enough. Your character will kick off the wall. Not only is this
EXTREMELY useful in stages like Fourside, but it doesn't count as a
jump, so you can even air jump afterwards if you haven't already! The
wall jump can only be performed by certain characters: Mario, C.Falcon,
Falco, Fox, Samus, Sheik, Young Link, and Pichu are the only characters
that can wall jump to my knowledge.
Finally is the tactic that I call the "aerial recover." I have no idea
if that's its real name. During that falling period when you can move
around, but you're still tumbling down through the air, tap the joystick
left or right. I highly emphasize "tap" because it's just that. TAP
it! Your character will stop rotating and will instead right
his/herself and fall normally. Since you cannot air dodge while
tumbling down, this move can be EXTREMELY helpful if the opponent is
plotting your swift demise while you helplessly fall toward the ground.
I am not sure if every character can do this, (see the wall jump, above)
so you'll have to experiment.
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A plug! A plug! There will be a plug tonight!
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