Super Smash Bros. Brawl - WII/General Strategies

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Basic Controls

Wii Controls

The Wii controls are much simpler, but it may seem slower and less intuitive to block with the button in the back (B). Overall, gameplay is slower compared to the GameCube controller. For those who are still used to Melee (most still are), then you should start off by using a GameCube controller. The Wii Classic controller plays nearly identically to the GameCube Controller.

On another note, the Wii controls, as mentioned, are very simple. That may also result in first timers spamming one certain button combo, causing the attacks to become weaker (more info below), so that is another reason to start with a Gamecube controller.

Additional Control Schemes

As shown in the Wiimote and Nunchuck combo scheme pic, you can see that you can tweak the controls to have motion sensing. You can smash someone by shaking the controller. Careful not to litterally smash someone!

The Classic controller is very much like the Gamecube controller, except with more buttons. This can be used for speedy button pressing pros.

NOTE: All these controls are default, and you can tweak these to your desire..

Basic Techniques

Smashing 101

Smash

Refers to quickly flicking the analog stick in any given direction in conjunction with a simultaneous press of the A button. The longer the A button is held, the more powerful the smash move. The same effect in non-single player modes can be achieved by pushing the C-stick (Gamecube controls) in the direction you want to smash, but it cannot be charged.

NOTE:With the Wiimote and nunchuck combo, you can also use motion sensing for a smash (as mentioned above).

Down Smashes

Down Smashes are moves that are used to launch yourself downward, and can hit opponents on your way down. For example, Link has a Down Smash, where he points his sword downward and falls down quickly. Kirby is also a common down smasher. It is used to attack as well as fall quickly, but isn't exactly a Spike or Meteor Smash (see below). You cannot change your position once you've done a down smash until you've hit the ground. Which means, you're screwed when you down smash when there's no ground below you. You can't be hit when preforming a down smash, which is another reason why this move is used. There is also another downside to this down smash (get it?), you'll be immobilized once you hit the ground (but only for a bit). An example of this is Link, when he does his down smash, he has to pull his sword from the ground before you can re-control him.

Spamming Attacks

If you perform the same attack multiple times, it does less damage each time. Attacks must be recharged by performing other attacks. These recharging attacks must hit other players to count. If an attack has been used several times in a row, it will take several recharging attacks (as many as eight) to fully recharge the first attack. The key to maintaining full strength attacks at all times is to constantly vary your attacks. Switching off between two attacks will work, but using three or more attacks is best. By varying attacks from the start of the fight, all attacks will remain at full power.

The only exception to this is the A button attack. Many characters can use this attack as a combo, by using this attack three times. When used in a group of three (sometimes called a AAA attack) the first hit does normal damage, the second a little less, but the third attack does more damage than the first. Subsequent attacks do less and less damage.

Triple Jumping

Some characters can do a triple jump, usually at a price, but worth it to stay alive. For example, Ness can double jump, then attack himself with the PK Thunder to launch him back onto the stage. He will gain %, his PK Thunder gets weaker, but he stays alive. Triple Jump is also a way to counter Edge Guarding (see below).

Hold down the Shield button and tap forward to dodge an opponent's attack and roll behind them.

Shielding/Dodging

When you're about to be hit by an attack, hold down the Shield button to bring your shield up and block the attack. The more attacks your shield takes the smaller it will get, so be sure not to abuse it. You can also dodge attacks by holding down the Shield button and tilting the control stick in a certain direction. Tilt the control stick down to sidestep, back to do a backward roll, and forward to roll behind your opponent.

Edge Grab

Some characters can also do a technique called edge grabbing. Edge Grabbing can only be done with characters with long-range grabs and throws. It is used when falling off the stage, but not too far from it, and you press the grab button to latch onto the edge. Of course, if edge guarding (see below) is in progress, sometimes Edge Grabbing isn't possible. Link and Samus are the common Edge Grab characters, for the hookshot and the grapple beam.

Characters Eligible for Edge Grabbing

• Ivysaur: Vine Whip (PKMN Trainer)
• Link: Hookshot
• Samus: Grapple Beam
• Lucas: Snake
• Toon Link: Hookshot
• Zero Suit Samus: Plasma Wire
• Sheik: Grapple Chain
• Captain Olimar: Pikmin chain (!)-Must have some Pikmin to preform this edge grab.

(!)=Must be preformed under certain conditions.

Edge Guarding / Hogging

If your character is holding onto a ledge, then no other character can grab that ledge. Edge Guarding is simply jumping off on purpose and grabbing a ledge so that your opponent can't recover. Some characters like Mario, have Up + B moves that do damage, and would knock you off the edge if you were guarding. Also, you can stop edge guarding by using a certain character's triple jump (i.e Ness) to launch yourself at the opponent to knock them off while you grab onto the edge as well. To counter this, hit Shield when they attack to do the roll recovery, and you will be invincible, but still technically holding the edge, and they will fall.

As a prequel to this technique, many people jump out after their opponents to hit them again, sending them farther away, so that the only way they could recover is by grabbing the edge. They then edge guard to seal their opponent's fate.

Spiking / Meteor Smashing

A number of characters have moves that can "spike" a character downward, and when executed of the edge of a board, can kill them. In Brawl, every character can spike by jumping off the head of another character. This has less force than most of the smash moves, but is effective for active edge guarding.

Characters with Spike Moves

Mario performing a Spike Move

NOTE: Assume these are all executed in the air.

Mario 

Forward + A (delayed down punch)

Donkey Kong 

Forward + A (delayed down punch)

Down + A (down kick)

Side B (headbutt)

Falco 

Down + A (spin kick, must land on start, subsequent hits will not spike, which is different from Melee)

Side B (quick dash to the side, people hit with it meteor down)

Zelda 

Down + A (down kick)

Captain Falcon 

Down + A (down kick)

Samus 

Down + A (delayed down punch)

Ganondorf 

Down + A (down kick)

Ness 

Down + A (down kick)

Toon Link

Down + A (down sword, requires decent % damage on opponent for it to work)

Lucario 

Down + A (down kick - must be directly above opponent, or it will send them to the side)

Wolf 

Down + A (delayed down punch)

Side B (quick diagonal dash attack. At the end of his dash, Wolf must hit the top of the target)

Snake

Forward + A (delayed down kick)

NOTE: Spiking can also be used to stop someone from juggling you.

Juggling

Juggling is also a pretty basic strategy. Hit the foe up in the air, and keep the opponent airborne and immobilized by the flurry of attacks. Eventually, his/her % will be high enough for one hit to skyrocket the character. Probably not as effective in Brawl (attacks are weakened every time you use them), but you can juggle them, hit them on the ground, and juggle them again to regain consistency of damage.

Wall Jumping

Wall Jumping, as it sounds, entails jumping at a wall, then pressing the Control Stick in the opposite direction of the wall before you reach the peak of your jump. Successive wall jumps gradually lose height, so you can't string them together forever.

Characters Who Can Wall Jump

• Diddy Kong
• Fox
• Falco
• Mario
• Pit
• Samus & Zero Suit Samus
• Sonic
• Captain Falcon
• Marth
• Lucario

Wall Clinging

Certain characters in Brawl have the ability to Wall Cling. After clinging to a wall (for up to 3 seconds), the player can jump and cling to another wall without having to land.

Characters Who Can Wall Cling

• Diddy Kong
• Lucario
• Sheik
• Squirtle (Pokemon Trainer)

Crawling

Certain characters in Brawl have the ability to Crawl, which is achieved by crouching (press Down) and then moving left or right. Crawling is advantageous in avoiding certain projectiles and attacks by taller characters.

Characters Who Can Crawl

• Bowser
• Diddy Kong
• Ivysaur & Squirtle (Pokemon Trainer)
• Lucario
• Luigi
• Pikachu
• Sheik
• Snake
• Wario
• Yoshi
• Zero Suit Samus

Final Smash

A Final Smash is a very powerful move that has the ability to destroy every other character on the screen. It is activated by attacking the Smash Ball when it appears onscreen until you start to glow, then hitting your Special Move button to trigger it. Keep in mind if you have gained a Final Smash, but haven't used it yet, the Smash ball can be knocked out of you for someone else to use. Each character has his/her special or different Final Smash, with the exception of a few characters.

For more info on the Smash Ball itself, go to the Items section of this guide.