Art of Smash: Beginner - Part 1

Summary

The 'Art of Super Smash Brothers Ultimate' video series is designed to guide players from the basics to advanced techniques. This beginner-focused episode covers fundamental movements, frames per second, jump variations, shielding, dodging, and character-specific attacks. It emphasizes mastering movement and understanding frame data for strategic gameplay. The script also suggests characters like Mario, Ike, Palutena, Captain Falcon, Lucina, and Kirby for beginners, and encourages viewers to follow the series for in-depth character guides and consider private coaching for improvement.

Takeaways

• 🎮 Basic Movement: All characters can move left and right, walk, duck, and some can even crawl, with movement speed varying between characters.
• 🔄 Turnaround Animation: A slow animation that occurs when changing direction while running, which should be avoided by releasing the control stick before changing direction.
• 📏 Frame Understanding: The game runs at 60 frames per second, and understanding frame counts is crucial for move timing and effectiveness, though they may change with patches.
• 🦘 Jump Mechanics: Characters have full hops and short hops, with specific frame timings affecting when they become airborne.
• 🔽 Fastfall: Tapping the control stick down at the peak of a jump can make characters land faster, enhancing gameplay speed.
• 🛡 Shield Mechanics: All characters have shields with the same durability, which can be tilted or reduced in size by attacks, and will regenerate when not in use.
• 🛡 Perfect Shield (Parry): Releasing the shield button just before an attack hits can nullify it without shield damage, offering a chance to counterattack.
• ⚔️ Dodging Techniques: Characters can roll and spotdodge to avoid attacks, but repeated use can slow them down and make them more vulnerable.
• 🌀 Air Dodging: Characters can dodge in the air, but it comes with vulnerability periods and landing lag, requiring cautious use.
• 🤼 Grab Mechanics: Grabs counter shields, but can be countered by spotdodges, with various throw options available post-grab.
• 👊 Attack Variations: Characters can perform jab, dash attack, tilt, and smash attack, with some attacks having directional variations.
• 🌐 Special Moves: Characters have four special moves (Neutral B, Side B, Up B, Down B), each with unique effects.
• 💥 Percentage System: Instead of health bars, players have a percentage that increases with damage and determines launch distance.
• 😡 Rage Quotient: The higher a player's own percentage, the further their attacks will launch opponents.
• 🔄 Recovery Options: Characters have various recovery methods, including double jumps, up specials, and directional air dodges, with some using grabs offensively known as Zairs.
• 🧗 Wall Jumping and Clinging: Some characters can wall jump or cling to walls, offering additional movement options.
• 🛡 Teching: A technique to avoid vulnerability upon landing, performed by pressing shield or grab just before touching the ground.
• 👣 Footstool: Jumping on opponents' heads to disrupt their recovery, with options for short and long footstools.
• 😜 Taunting: Using the D-Pad to taunt, which can be cancelled to bait or aggravate opponents.
• 📚 Learning Resources: Beginners are recommended to start with simple characters like Mario, Ike, Palutena, Captain Falcon, Lucina, or Kirby, and to watch further videos for advanced techniques and character-specific strategies.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the video series 'Art of Super Smash Brothers Ultimate'?

The video series is designed to introduce the basics of the game to beginners and gradually cover more advanced topics as the series progresses.

How can characters move at different speeds in the game?

Characters can move at different speeds by adjusting the intensity of their movement with the Control Stick, from quick tapping for running to gentle tilting for walking.

Why is it important to avoid the 'Turnaround animation' while running?

The 'Turnaround animation' is a slow transition that occurs when a character changes direction after running for a while, which can be exploited by opponents.

What is the significance of 'frames' in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate?

Frames are crucial as they determine the timing and speed of actions. Understanding frame counts can help players optimize their moves and reactions.

How many types of jumps are there in the game, and how are they performed?

There are two types of jumps: a Full Hop, performed by holding the Jump button, and a Short Hop, executed by quickly tapping the Jump button.

What is the 'Jump Squat' and its frame count for all characters?

The 'Jump Squat' is the initial frame when a character begins to jump, and it takes 3 frames for the character to become airborne.

What is the purpose of the 'Fastfall' technique?

Fastfall allows a character to land quicker than normal by tapping the Control Stick down at the peak of a jump, which can be used to speed up gameplay.

How does the shield's durability work in the game?

All characters have the same amount of durability on their shields. Continuous shielding reduces the shield's size until it breaks, leaving the player stunned.

What is a 'Perfect Shield' or 'Parry', and how does it benefit the player?

A 'Perfect Shield' or 'Parry' is executed by releasing the Shield button just before an attack hits. It nullifies the attack without damaging the shield and provides extra frames to punish the opponent.

What are the two types of air dodges, and what are their risks?

The two types of air dodges are Neutral Air Dodge and Directional Air Dodge. Both have risks as they leave the player vulnerable to attacks for a period of time after dodging.

What are the basic attack types that can be performed on the ground?

The basic attacks on the ground include Jab, Dash Attack, Tilt, and Smash Attack, each performed by different combinations of the Control Stick and the A button.

How many different Aerial Attacks are there, and how are they executed?

There are 5 different Aerial Attacks, which are performed by pressing the A button while airborne and directing the Control Stick in different ways: Neutral Air, Up Air, Forward Air, Down Air, and Back Air.

What is the role of 'Percentage' in the game, and how does it affect gameplay?

Percentage represents the damage taken by a character. The higher the percentage, the further an opponent is launched, making it a key factor in building up damage and securing kills.

What is 'Rage' and how does it affect a player's attacks?

'Rage' is a mechanic where a player's higher percentage increases the launching power of their attacks, allowing for slightly greater knockback.

What are the different recovery options when hanging on a ledge?

When hanging on a ledge, players have five recovery options: Regular Get-Up, Attack, Jump, Roll, and tilting the Control Stick away or down during a double jump.

What is 'Teching', and how can it be used defensively?

Teching is a defensive technique performed by pressing Shield or Grab just before touching the ground to avoid taking damage and gain a brief period of intangibility.

What is a 'Footstool', and how can it be used strategically?

A 'Footstool' is a move where a player jumps on an opponent's head to send them downwards, which can be used to interrupt their recovery or as a landing option.

What is the purpose of the 'Taunt' action, and how can it be used?

The 'Taunt' action, performed with the D-Pad, can be used to aggravate and bait opponents. It can also be cancelled halfway with any other action for strategic purposes.

Which characters are recommended for beginners to start learning the game?

Beginners are recommended to start with characters like Mario, Ike, Palutena, Captain Falcon, Lucina, and Kirby, as they are simple and teach the fundamentals of the game.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Basic Movement and Frame Understanding in Smash

This paragraph introduces the fundamental mechanics of movement in 'Super Smash Brothers Ultimate', tailored for beginners. It covers character movement, including running, walking, ducking, and crawling, with an emphasis on the importance of mastering these movements for competitive play. The concept of frames and the game's frame rate are introduced, highlighting the significance of move speed and potential changes due to patches. The paragraph also explains the different types of jumps—full hop and short hop—and the mechanics of fast falling and shield durability, including perfect shielding or parrying.

05:00

🤺 Advanced Combat Techniques and Character Abilities

Building on basic movement, this section delves into more advanced combat techniques. It discusses the use of grabs and counters, the variety of attacks including jabs, tilts, and smash attacks, and the concept of charging smash attacks. Aerial attacks are detailed, with a focus on the five different types based on directional input. Special moves are introduced, with most characters having four, executed by holding a direction and pressing the B button. The paragraph also covers the unique mechanics of percentage-based health, rage, recovery options, and ledge interaction strategies, including get-up options and wall jumping or clinging.

10:03

🏆 Recovery Techniques and Character-Specific Strategies

This paragraph focuses on recovery techniques and character-specific strategies in 'Super Smash Brothers Ultimate'. It explains the importance of teching, a mechanic that allows characters to avoid taking damage upon landing. Various tech options are described, including teching to the left or right, and the use of air dodges to facilitate recovery. The concept of footstooling is introduced, where a character can jump on an opponent's head to disrupt their recovery. The paragraph concludes with a list of beginner-friendly characters and an invitation to explore further learning resources, including the 'Art of' series for in-depth character analysis and offers of personalized coaching.

Keywords

💡Control Stick

The Control Stick is a fundamental component of the game controller used in 'Super Smash Brothers Ultimate'. It allows players to navigate their characters in different directions, affecting their movement speed and style. In the video, it's mentioned that by tilting the Control Stick lightly, a character can walk instead of run, and the speed of movement is directly related to how gently or quickly the stick is moved. This is crucial for beginners to understand as it forms the basis of character control and strategy.

💡Frames

Frames refer to the individual images that make up the animation of a game, running at a specific rate per second. In 'Super Smash Brothers Ultimate', the game operates at 60 frames per second, making understanding frame counts essential for timing attacks and defensive maneuvers. The script emphasizes that 30 frames equate to half a second and 15 frames to a quarter, which is vital for gauging the speed and recovery of moves.

💡Jump

Jumping is a core mechanic in 'Super Smash Brothers Ultimate', with different types of jumps affecting a character's aerial capabilities. The script distinguishes between a 'Full Hop', performed by holding the Jump button, and a 'Short Hop', achieved by quickly tapping the Jump button. These jumps are critical for dodging attacks, reaching platforms, and executing aerial combos.

💡Fastfall

Fastfall is a technique used in 'Super Smash Brothers Ultimate' to speed up a character's descent after reaching the peak of a jump. By tapping the Control Stick down at the right moment, as indicated by a visual flash, players can quickly return to the ground. This is highlighted in the script as a valuable skill to increase gameplay speed and responsiveness.

💡Shield

In the game, a Shield is a defensive tool that characters can use to block incoming attacks. The script explains that the Shield's durability diminishes with continuous use and can be tilted or moved in various directions for different defensive strategies. A well-timed 'Perfect Shield' or 'Parry' can nullify an attack without damaging the shield and provide a window to counterattack.

💡Dodge

Dodging is an evasive action in 'Super Smash Brothers Ultimate' that allows characters to avoid attacks. The script mentions 'Rolling' and 'Spotdodging' as specific dodge techniques that can be executed while shielding. These maneuvers are essential for escaping dangerous situations but become less effective with repeated use due to increased vulnerability.

💡Aerial Attacks

Aerial Attacks are moves executed by characters while airborne, with different variations depending on the direction input on the Control Stick. The script outlines five types of Aerial Attacks: Neutral Air, Up Air, Forward Air, Down Air, and Back Air. Mastering these is key to aerial combat and controlling the air space during battles.

💡Special Moves

Special Moves are unique abilities assigned to each character and are activated by holding a direction and pressing the B button. The script specifies four types of Special Moves: Neutral B, Side B, Up B, and Down B. These moves are crucial for zoning, combo extensions, and edge-guarding strategies.

💡Percentage

In 'Super Smash Brothers Ultimate', health is represented by a percentage rather than a traditional health bar. The script explains that attacks deal varying amounts of percentage damage, and the higher the opponent's percentage, the further they are launched. The primary objective is to build up an opponent's percentage and launch them off the stage to secure a kill.

💡Recovery

Recovery in the context of the game refers to a character's ability to return to the stage after being knocked off. The script discusses various recovery techniques, including double jumps, up specials, directional air dodges, and even using grabs at the right distance, known as a 'Zair'. Effective recovery is essential for survival and maintaining stage control.

💡Tech

Teching is a defensive maneuver used to avoid taking damage or becoming vulnerable after being launched. The script describes teching as pressing Shield or Grab just before touching the ground to achieve a brief period of intangibility. Teching can also involve rolling or jumping to the side, and it's a crucial skill for preventing edge-guarding and maintaining stage presence.

Highlights

Introduction to the basics of Super Smash Brothers Ultimate tailored for beginners.

Explanation of character movement mechanics, including running, walking, ducking, and crawling.

Details on avoiding the slow turnaround animation while changing direction.

Importance of mastering movement to outpace opponents and strategize.

Understanding of frames per second and their significance in move speed and timing.

Different types of jumps: full hop and short hop, and their execution.

Technique for forcing a quicker landing during aerial combat, known as fastfall.

Shield mechanics, including durability, tilting, and perfect shielding or parrying.

Rolling and spotdodging as defensive maneuvers with diminishing effectiveness overuse.

Air dodging strategies, including neutral and directional air dodges, and their risks.

Grab mechanics and their counters, including pummel and various throw options.

Ground attacks, including jab, dash attack, tilt, and smash attack, with directional variations.

Aerial attacks, with five variations based on directional input.

Special moves, with four variations executed by holding direction and pressing B.

The unique percentage system instead of health bars and its impact on gameplay.

Rage mechanic, which increases attack launching power based on the player's own percentage.

Recovery techniques, including double jumps, up specials, and directional air dodges.

Ledge options for returning to the stage, including regular get-up, attack, jump, roll, and double jump techniques.

Wall jump and wall cling mechanics for advanced stage control and recovery.

Teching technique for avoiding vulnerability after being launched, including tech roll and jump tech.

Footstool technique for disrupting opponent's recovery by jumping on their heads.

Taunting as a strategic option to bait or aggravate opponents.

Recommendation of beginner-friendly characters and the suggestion to master basic techniques before advancing.

Advice on learning character-specific techniques through the 'Art of' series and coaching opportunities.

Encouragement to subscribe and familiarize with Smash jargon for deeper understanding of gameplay.

Transcripts

Welcome to the Art of Super Smash Brothers Ultimate.

This series will start off by introducing the very basics of the game

and get more and more advanced as we go on.

This specific video is catered towards beginners.

Let's get right into it!

01 Mario

All characters can Run to the left and right by quickly Tapping the Control Stick.

Some characters are obviously faster than others.

Tilt the Control Stick lightly, and you'll Walk instead of be running.

Some characters will walk faster than others.

The slower and gentler you move the Control Stick, the slower the character will move.

All characters can Duck, and some characters can even Crawl.

You cannot run past an opponent.

You are also able to quickly tap yourself to the left and right.

Once you start running for too long, however, and tap yourself to the other direction, you'll get

this Turnaround animation.

This is a slow Animation that you'll want to avoid.

To do so, make sure to release the Control Stick first to stop, before tapping yourself to the other direction.

This Movement is very important to master and get very comfortable with,

in order to keep up with the opponent and make them guess what'll come next.

02 Donkey Kong

Frames are very important in Smash.

This game runs at __ frames per second,

This game runs at 60 frames per second,

This game runs at 60 frames per second, so 30 frames is half a second, and

This game runs at 60 frames per second, so 30 frames is half a second, and 15 frames is a quarter of a second.

Understanding and knowing the Speed of each move helps a lot.

One thing to keep in mind is that frames might change as patches come and go.

03 Link

All characters have two types of Jumps:

1. a Full Hop

1. a Full Hop 2. and a Short Hop.

You full hop by holding the Jump button

and short hop by pressing the Jump button and quickly releasing it.

and short hop by pressing the Jump button and quickly releasing it. (Basically, tapping it really quickly)

Every character's Jump Squat is Frame 3, meaning it takes 3 frames until the opponent is Airborne.

All characters can also do a Double Jump in midair.

Once you've used it, you won't be able to get it back unless you've touched the ground or Grabbed the Ledge.

Some characters have multiple double jumps, which have less height than a regular one.

04 Samus

While airborne, you can force your character to Land quicker than normal

by tapping the Control Stick down, when the character reaches the peak of its jump.

When you see this flash, it means you've successfully Fastfallen.

This is extremely useful and will greatly increase the speed of your gameplay.

05 Yoshi

Every character has the same amount of Durability on their Shield.

If you keep shielding, it'll get smaller and smaller.

You can tilt the Shield by gently moving the Control Stick

OR by holding Shield and B at the same time, then moving the Control Stick however you want.

By shielding, you can Block almost all attacks,

and so instead, the shield will take Damage depending on the move you block and get smaller.

When you aren't shielding, it will gradually Regenerate over time.

If it takes too much damage, it'll Break and leave you Stunned.

06 Kirby

You can do a Perfect Shield, which is also referred to as a "Parry,"

by releasing the Shield button just before something is about to Hit you.

This won't hurt your shield at all, will nullify the attack, and will

give you more time to Punish the opponent.

During the parry animation, you can use any attack,

jump,

or run then grab them.

This is a risky option to go for because as soon as you release the button, you have _ frames to parry.

This is a risky option to go for because as soon as you release the button, you have 5 frames to parry.

If you do parry, however, you will be rewarded with _ frames extra to punish the opponent.

If you do parry, however, you will be rewarded with 3 frames extra to punish the opponent.

07 Fox

While shielding, you can Roll by tapping the Control Stick to the left or right,

and if you tap the Control Stick down, you will Spotdodge.

Rolling and spotdodging are mainly for

avoiding dangerous situations and rarely Mixing Up your Positioning.

If you keep using your dodge and roll, they will become slower and more Vulnerable, so use them wisely.

08 Pikachu

All characters have Neutral Air Dodge

All characters have Neutral Air Dodge and a Directional Air Dodge.

The neutral air dodge is done by inputting Shield in the air while the Control Stick is set to Neutral Position.

This air dodge is risky, as after you've dodged, you'll be vulnerable to attacks for a short time.

Directional air dodge is done by shielding in the air while holding a certain direction.

This kind of air dodge is even riskier, as you'll be vulnerable to attacks for a very long time.

You can only do one air dodge while airborne.

If you get hit, you'll be able to use it again.

You will also suffer Lag if you land with an air dodge.

However, the more time you've had to land, the less Landing Lag you will have.

Air dodging is definitely necessary to try avoiding attacks but should be used cautiously.

09 Luigi

A Grab will counter a shield,

although a spotdodge counters a grab.

Some characters have Close-range grabs,

while some have Long-range grabs,

which can be more punishable if avoided.

Once you've grabbed an opponent, you can Pummel

or Throw them up,

down,

in front,

or behind.

Each of the throws have their own purpose, depending on character.

10 Ness

While Grounded, you can Jab by pressing A.

If you tap the Control Stick so that the character starts running, then press A, you'll perform a Dash Attack.

If you gently tilt the Control Stick and press A, you'll perform a Tilt.

This works in all directions.

On some characters, the forward tilt can be tilted upwards and downwards.

By simultaneously smashing the Control Stick and pressing A, you will perform a Smash Attack.

You can Charge up the smash attacks by holding the A Button.

And, on some characters, the forward smash can also be tilted upwards or downwards.

This works in all directions. So, in conclusion…

You can jab,

dash atttack,

tilt,

and smash attack.

11 Captain Falcon

Every character has _ different Aerial Attacks,

Every character has 5 different Aerial Attacks,

depending on which way you direct the Control Stick while airborne.

1. If you press A without holding any direction, you will perform a ___________,

1. If you press A without holding any direction, you will perform a Neutral Air,

and by holding a direction, you can do

2. an Up Air,

3. Forward Air,

4. Down Air,

5. and Back Air.

12 Jigglypuff

Most characters have _ Special Moves

Most characters have 4 Special Moves

that are performed by holding a direction and pressing B:

1. Neutral B,

2. Side B,

3. Up B,

4. and Down B.

13 Peach

Instead of health bars, the players have Percentage.

Each attack deals a different amount of percentage.

The more percentage the opponent has, the further they will get Launched.

The basic Objective is to build up percentage and then launch the opponent as far as possible to score a Kill.

14 Bowser

Rage means that the higher percentage YOU have, the further your attacks will launch the opponent by slight amount.

15 Ice Climbers

Every character has a certain way of Recovering Back to Stage.

You have double jumps and the up special, which is the most standard.

However, some characters might be able to recover with other special moves.

You can even use your directional air dodge as a mix-up to recover back to stage or to the ledge.

Characters with long-range grabs can also recover by pressing the Grab button at the right distance.

These can also be used offensively on the opponent and are referred to as ______.

These can also be used offensively on the opponent and are referred to as a Zair.

16 Sheik

When you're Hanging on the ledge, there are five different options to come back to stage:

1. Regular Get-Up,

which is done by tilting the Control Stick towards the stage,

having only _ frame of vulnerability before you can shield;

having only 1 frame of vulnerability before you can shield;

2. Attack, which can be done by attacking,

giving you Invulnerability during the attack;

3. Jump, which is done by jumping or by tilting the Control Stick upwards,

making you vulnerable at the very start but allows you to act a moment after;

4. Roll, performed by pressing the Shield button,

which makes you invulnerable halfway in;

5. and lastly, you can tilt the Control Stick away or down as you double jump and get back onto stage.

This should be combined with an attack for a potent comeback.

17 Zelda

Almost half of all the characters can Wall Jump.

Wall jumping is performed by jumping towards a wall and then tapping the Control Stick to the opposite direction of the wall.

Lucario, Greninja, Sheik and other characters can Wall Cling by jumping towards a wall,

which will automatically cling you for a period of time.

18 Dr. Mario

If you get launched and want to recover quickly, you can perform a Tech.

Teching is done by pressing Shield or Grab just before you touch the ground.

This will grant you a tiny bit of Intangibility.

You can also Tech Roll to the left

or right.

If you Miss a Tech, you will just land on the ground, which makes you vulnerable to attacks.

If you're close to the ground, you can also choose to air dodge downwards

towards the ground, which will automatically make you tech—

careful you do NOT land with an air dodge, however,

as if you land with an air dodge, you will be even more vulnerable to attacks.

This still allows you to tech to the left

or right.

If you didn't tech and you're lying on the ground,

you can still roll in any direction,

Stand Up,

or do a Get-Up Attack.

Teching is also very useful for when you get launched under and towards the stage.

You can do a simple tech…

…or a Jump tech, by pressing Jump at the same time as you tech

OR by holding the Control Stick upwards as you tech.

19 Pichu

You can jump on all of the opponents' heads, which is referred to as a Footstool.

You can do a Short Footstool

and a Long Footstool, depending on how long you hold the Jump button.

This can be used to send the opponent downwards as they try to recover with a double jump.

If you do it onstage, the footstool can be teched.

It can also be used as an additional landing option or as a rare option to get back from the ledge.

After a footstool, you still have your double jump left—

unless, of course, you've double jumped first, then footstooled.

20 Falco

You can Taunt with the D-Pad, which can be Cancelled halfway with anything.

Use these to aggravate and Bait your opponent.

These are the very Basics of the Smash that you should know about if you are about to pick up the game.

The best characters to pick up as a beginner

are Mario, ___, ________, ______________, ______, or _____,

are Mario, Ike, ________, ______________, ______, or _____,

are Mario, Ike, Palutena, ______________, ______, or _____,

are Mario, Ike, Palutena, Captain Falcon, ______, or _____,

are Mario, Ike, Palutena, Captain Falcon, Lucina, or _____,

are Mario, Ike, Palutena, Captain Falcon, Lucina, or Kirby,

as they are very simple and will teach you the game, rather than have a focus on Character Specifics.

Start by Learning and Mastering all of these steps, and then proceed to the next video.

The second part will cover more advanced stuff.

You should also check out the "Art of _____" Series if you want to learn everything about a specific character.

These videos go extremely in-depth about what every character can do in the game.

So, if you want to learn how to Play or Beat a certain character,

I would recommend watching these videos.

You can also contact me on Discord,

for a private session where I could teach you anything about the game

and coach you to becoming the best player that you can be.

Before you click off this video, make sure you Subscribe and hit that Notification Bell, to be notified on all the upcoming videos.

[♪: Also, get very familiar with all of the Smash jargon that was Capitalized in these subs!]