Super Smash Bros. Melee - GC/Quick Strategies

From WikiCheats

Short Hopping 

Performs a shorter jump than the full jump. Tap the jump button quickly.

Fast Falling 

Quickens your descent time after jumping. Press Down on the joystick once you’ve reach the peak of your jump (this also works on shorthops).

Powershielding 

Pressing the shield button at the exact frame of animation that you are hit by an opponent’s attack. If you Powershield as a thrown item or projectile such as a laser hits you, your shield will reflect the item/projectile.

L-Canceling 

Reduces recovery time of A-button air attacks and allows you to string attacks together to form combos. Press L, R, or Z a split-second before you hit the ground after performing an A-button aerial attack.

SHFFLing 

String the Short Hop, Fast Fall, and L-Cancel together while performing A-button aerial attacks.

Wavedashing 

Jumping and then immediately air-dodging diagonally towards the ground to perform a slide. Hold the joystick down and forwards (or backwards) and press X, R, X, R, X, R, etc. quickly. You can perform a quick attack coming straight out of the dash to surprise opponents.

Wavelanding 

Similar to the Wavedash, use Wavelanding when coming out of a jump or aerial attack. Hold the joystick down and forwards (or backwards) when coming out of a jump and air-dodge to slide along the ground. Follow it up immediately with an attack to surprise opponents.

Shield Grabbing 

Allows you to grab an opponent immediately after shielding. Shield with L or R, and when an opponent hits your shield, hit the A button to grab them. Combine this with a throw to turn the tables on an opponent’s attack.

Up-Smashing/Up-B Out of Shield 

The only attack you can perform coming out of a shield. Perform this move by releasing the Shield button and immediately pressing Up + A or Up + B.

Waveshielding 

A combination of shielding just before you Wavedash. Hit either Shield button just before performing a Wavedash. This is more easily pulled off if you use only L to shield and R to Wavedash, or vice versa.

Teching 

Instant recovery techniques. For example, if you are sent flying from an attack, hit L or R a split-second before hitting the ground, wall, or ceiling to recover instantly. If you hold Left or Right as you perform a tech you will Roll-Dodge, and if you hold Up while Teching off a wall, you will Wall Jump (though only certain characters can Wall Jump. See Below).

Wall Jumping 

Jumping or being knocked towards a wall, then pressing the control stick in the opposite direction of the wall once you touch it to leap away. NOTE: Only the following characters can Wall Jump – Captain Falcon, Falco, Fox, Mario, Pichu, Samus, Sheik, and Young Link.

Edgehogging 

Knocking an opponent off the stage, then hanging off the edge to prevent them from grabbing onto the ledge. Wavedash onto the ledge to quickly get into position. You can also roll after hanging off the ledge; the game will think you’re still hanging and prevent your opponent from grabbing onto it.

Edgehopping 

Purposely falling off a ledge after hanging from it, then double-jumping back onto the level. This is often used in conjunction with an attack on the way back up to prevent being knocked out of a stage.

Edge Wavelanding 

While standing on a ledge, Edgehop and immediately Waveland afterwards. Throw in a roll after the Waveland for a few frames of invincibility.

Dash Dancing 

Tapping the control stick back and forth rapidly to keep turning around in the opening dash animation. This is used to “fake-out” other players because you can dash in either direction at any time.

Dash Canceling 

Canceling your dash by pressing Down on the control stick. Used as a fake-out tactic or if you don’t want to dash attack. You can use this move to trick an opponent into shielding, leaving them open for a dash-grab.

Pivoting 

Performing an attack while Dash Dancing during the frame of animation where your character appears to be standing upright. This move can only be executed during this frame of animation, otherwise it will fail!

Jump Canceling 

If you dash and hit the Z button, you will perform a dash-grab. Jump Canceling entails hitting the Jump button just before hitting Z. Doing so will cause you to Jump Cancel into a standing grab. This can also be done with an Up-Smash. NOTE: Samus and Yoshi’s dash-grabs are actually faster than their Jump Canceled grabs.

Chain Throwing 

Grabbing an opponent and throwing them in any given direction (usually Up or Down) that allows them to catch the opponent again, and then repeated over and over. This is often used in conjunction with a Jump Canceled grab to more quickly catch the opponent.

Directional Influence 

Altering your trajectory while being sent in any horizontal direction upwards in order to stay away from opponents or assist in jumping back to a ledge. Perform this by holding the control stick in the desired direction. Directional Influence can also be used after an opponent hits you with an upwards-sending attack by holding the control stick in the same direction your opponent is facing; this allows you to put some distance between your character and an opponent.

Crouch Canceling 

Crouching (pressing Down on the control stick) while an opponent attacks you, which prevents you from being knocked backwards as far. If the opponent’s attack was weak, you can even use Crouch Canceling to counterattack. NOTE: Crouch Canceling will not work at higher damage percentages.

Meteor Canceling 

When you are sent downwards, you can still come back by pressing Up + B after being hit by a meteor attack (usually a Down-Aerial attack by an opponent). NOTE: The higher percentage of damage you have, the harder it will be to perform a Meteor Cancel.

Reversing Aerial Neutral B 

Performing your Neutral B attack in the opposite direction. Jump, then tap the control stick in the opposite direction you are facing, and then press B. NOTE: if you don’t release the stick, you will perform a forwards B attack instead.

These moves can be shown in action in the following video: