How to Play Link Professionally in Super Smash Brothers Melee Tournaments
Learn all of Link's attacks, and when to use them., Learn how to Wavedash., Learn to SHFFL (short hop fast fall L-cancel)., Learn to bomb jump., Use the hookshot to mix up your recovery., Use Link's up special.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn all of Link's attacks
Link has very strong smash attacks (A and a direction or C-stick) that are good for killing the opponent and racking up damage, but they are a bit slow.
Link's strong attacks (A lightly and a direction) are fast and good for setting up aerial combos.
Link has very good aerial attacks (A and a direction in the air or C-stick) that are very powerful, with some of them being his main killing options, such as down aerial and up aerial.
Link's special attacks (B and a direction) are great for keeping enemies away from you; all of his projectiles are good for making it difficult for the opponent to approach you, and the bomb can help you get back on stage easier. , To wavedash, you must jump and immediately air dodge diagonally into the ground.
This causes the character to slide along the ground, similar to dashing, but allows the character to use any ground move, not just a dash attack.
While Link's wavedash doesn't move him very far, he can still do useful things with it, such as wavelanding or edgeguarding with it.
To waveland, airdodge into the ground right when you are about to land.
This technique is very similar to a wavedash, except instead of jumping you do it while landing.
Wavelanding is useful for landing on the ground and on platforms quickly, while being able to attack out of it.
To edgeguard with a wavedash, go close to the edge while facing away from it, and wavedash backwards.
This will make you fall of the stage and grab the ledge.
This is useful if your opponent is trying to grab the ledge, as only one person can grab the ledge at a time. , SHFFLs allow you to use an aerial attack really close to the ground and quickly act out of it, making it a valuable tool for attacking and continuing combos.
SHFFLs also allow you to attack grounded opponents easier with an aerial attack.
Link has very powerful aerials that can be used to SHFFL, such as neutral air, up aerial, and down aerial.
To SHFFL, you have to short hop, use an aerial, fast fall, and then L-cancel the aerial.
Short Hop:
To short hop, lightly press X or Y.
You will jump lower than normal.
Fast Fall:
To fast fall, hold down at the peak of your jump.
This causes you to fall quicker than normal.
L-cancel:
To L-cancel, press L, R, or Z when you land on the ground of you are doing an aerial attack.
This will allow you to act sooner after landing. , To bomb jump, pull out a bomb as soon as possible once you get hit far off stage, throw it upwards, and use your up special into the bomb.
If done correctly, the bomb's explosion will hit you, and you will be able to use up special again or your hookshot., To grab onto the ledge (or any wall) with your hookshot, press Z when you are offstage near the ledge and facing it.
If you feel that your opponent can predict your up special recovery and grab the ledge to take that option away from you, use your hookshot to get back on stage.
This can surprise your opponent, and potentially turn the situation to your advantage.
You can also use the hookshot after an air dodge, so you can use your air dodge to give you a little extra height, or move closer to or further from the stage before using the hookshot.
Then, when you are hanging, you can press A to jump up from where you are.
At certain heights, this can snap you directly to the ledge, which gives you some invincibility to help you get back on stage. , The spin attack is one of Link's most versatile moves.
It can be used to get back on stage, to finish an aerial combo, or to prevent the opponent from grabbing the ledge.
Getting back on stage:
Link's up special is a good way for Link to get back on stage, due to it going relatively high and doing damage, deterring anyone from trying to interrupt it.
Finishing aerial combos:
The last hit of an aerial up special has good knockback, meaning that if you can trap an opponent in an aerial up special when they are at a high percentage, they could potentially be killed by it.
Preventing the opponent from grabbing the ledge:
If the opponent is hit by a grounded up special, they will be sent diagonally downwards with considerable power.
This is called a semi-spike.
If this is done near the ledge, it can send the opponent far enough that they cannot come back.
To make sure they can't come back, grab the ledge.
This will force them to land on the stage, due to only one player being able to grab the ledge at a time, making it harder for them to survive. -
Step 2: and when to use them.
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Step 3: Learn how to Wavedash.
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Step 4: Learn to SHFFL (short hop fast fall L-cancel).
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Step 5: Learn to bomb jump.
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Step 6: Use the hookshot to mix up your recovery.
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Step 7: Use Link's up special.
Detailed Guide
Link has very strong smash attacks (A and a direction or C-stick) that are good for killing the opponent and racking up damage, but they are a bit slow.
Link's strong attacks (A lightly and a direction) are fast and good for setting up aerial combos.
Link has very good aerial attacks (A and a direction in the air or C-stick) that are very powerful, with some of them being his main killing options, such as down aerial and up aerial.
Link's special attacks (B and a direction) are great for keeping enemies away from you; all of his projectiles are good for making it difficult for the opponent to approach you, and the bomb can help you get back on stage easier. , To wavedash, you must jump and immediately air dodge diagonally into the ground.
This causes the character to slide along the ground, similar to dashing, but allows the character to use any ground move, not just a dash attack.
While Link's wavedash doesn't move him very far, he can still do useful things with it, such as wavelanding or edgeguarding with it.
To waveland, airdodge into the ground right when you are about to land.
This technique is very similar to a wavedash, except instead of jumping you do it while landing.
Wavelanding is useful for landing on the ground and on platforms quickly, while being able to attack out of it.
To edgeguard with a wavedash, go close to the edge while facing away from it, and wavedash backwards.
This will make you fall of the stage and grab the ledge.
This is useful if your opponent is trying to grab the ledge, as only one person can grab the ledge at a time. , SHFFLs allow you to use an aerial attack really close to the ground and quickly act out of it, making it a valuable tool for attacking and continuing combos.
SHFFLs also allow you to attack grounded opponents easier with an aerial attack.
Link has very powerful aerials that can be used to SHFFL, such as neutral air, up aerial, and down aerial.
To SHFFL, you have to short hop, use an aerial, fast fall, and then L-cancel the aerial.
Short Hop:
To short hop, lightly press X or Y.
You will jump lower than normal.
Fast Fall:
To fast fall, hold down at the peak of your jump.
This causes you to fall quicker than normal.
L-cancel:
To L-cancel, press L, R, or Z when you land on the ground of you are doing an aerial attack.
This will allow you to act sooner after landing. , To bomb jump, pull out a bomb as soon as possible once you get hit far off stage, throw it upwards, and use your up special into the bomb.
If done correctly, the bomb's explosion will hit you, and you will be able to use up special again or your hookshot., To grab onto the ledge (or any wall) with your hookshot, press Z when you are offstage near the ledge and facing it.
If you feel that your opponent can predict your up special recovery and grab the ledge to take that option away from you, use your hookshot to get back on stage.
This can surprise your opponent, and potentially turn the situation to your advantage.
You can also use the hookshot after an air dodge, so you can use your air dodge to give you a little extra height, or move closer to or further from the stage before using the hookshot.
Then, when you are hanging, you can press A to jump up from where you are.
At certain heights, this can snap you directly to the ledge, which gives you some invincibility to help you get back on stage. , The spin attack is one of Link's most versatile moves.
It can be used to get back on stage, to finish an aerial combo, or to prevent the opponent from grabbing the ledge.
Getting back on stage:
Link's up special is a good way for Link to get back on stage, due to it going relatively high and doing damage, deterring anyone from trying to interrupt it.
Finishing aerial combos:
The last hit of an aerial up special has good knockback, meaning that if you can trap an opponent in an aerial up special when they are at a high percentage, they could potentially be killed by it.
Preventing the opponent from grabbing the ledge:
If the opponent is hit by a grounded up special, they will be sent diagonally downwards with considerable power.
This is called a semi-spike.
If this is done near the ledge, it can send the opponent far enough that they cannot come back.
To make sure they can't come back, grab the ledge.
This will force them to land on the stage, due to only one player being able to grab the ledge at a time, making it harder for them to survive.
About the Author
Bruce Hernandez
Bruce Hernandez specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 12 years. Bruce is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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