- Game Versions
- Smash 3DS, Smash Wii U
I've played nearly 3,700 3DS and a little over 2,000 wii u matches as Little Mac.
I'm not a great player, but it's not because of my air or ledge game. Which
is why this is titled 'Practical Aerial & Ledge Advice for Today's Little Mac Pt. 1'',
and not, 'This is how you beat smash, always.' If I ever figure that out though, I'll probably update. Mostly.
The key to being a top tear dank meme worthy character is balance. And because Little Mac's reputation is based solely on youtube clips of poorly talented players side b'n to an embarrassing death, most people think that he should just pack it up and move to Bel-Air. It might be a catchy tune for youtube views, but they're wrong and junk.
Thanks to his dominant ground game, Little Mac doesn't need to win the air in order to be a balanced fighter. Couple his air and ledge options with his speed, and a disciplined Mac can use the element of surprise to get into his opponent's head. When the ledge, and most importantly the air, is no longer a gimme for the opponent, you've created the balance needed to win the match.
But, anon, Little Mac is a short white dude, how can he achieve air game? John Stockton never dunked. So what Larry Bird dunked? He looks more like a bird than an actual human person and it'd be ridiculous if a bird that size couldn't dunk. So just nerf Larry Bird and end this guide, anon. Gosh.
Sorry, made up person, but Smash Ball is Life. So the guide won't stop. Can't stop. Believing.
The following moves and options should not be spammed. They should be part of a balanced Mac main. There is no supreme best case balance of air moves. The hallmarks of a great Little Mac air game is adaptability and surprise. Mac shouldn't dictate aerial meta. He only needs to do enough so that the opponent can't completely dictate it either.
N-Air
The neutral air attack is only practical in one situation, to set up a footstool. The youtube montage clips of Mac doing any other neutral air attack successfully is because the opponents are terrible. Look at the percentage/stock ratios during the clips. This attack has the real life impact equivalent to the force it takes for me to tap the touch screen to power up Smash. And even though I tap it like a boss, it's not a viable option for a fight. If you wanna see the proper use of n-air to footstool, search youtube for - Akhous -.
F-Air
Mac's forward air attack is his best option for surprise attacks. And at high percentages it has a strong knock back. Or, short hop to f-air, quick fall and L cancel with forward tilt in either direction to start a combo.
Mac can also stand at the middle of the stage and use his speed to quick gimp attack a player that uses their jump to recover above the stage.
http://gfycat.com/ParallelRequiredArcticseal
http://gfycat.com/SnappyThatBlobfish
His speed also allows him to surprise opponents by running off the stage to f-air a ledge grab attempt.
http://gfycat.com/GrotesqueTastyIrishredandwhitesetter
http://gfycat.com/MeanWideJanenschia
http://gfycat.com/SmallMetallicCockatoo
http://gfycat.com/BonyGraciousChital
B Side
Side B discipline is an important factor for any Little Mac main. It's the worst possible choice as a recovery option. And your friends are all like, 'aerial side b anything is impossible.' But a real Mac knows, it's necessary.
When attempting to recover in the air and you're faced with a situation where side b is your only option, hold b and wait as long as possible and then input b again. This will allow for the maximum horizontal distance possible without striking an opponent.
Mac will gain distance if his side b strikes a fool.
http://gfycat.com/WelldocumentedNearCurassow
Not just horizontal, but vertical distance, too.
http://gfycat.com/KeenSkinnyAuklet
My favorite use of the b side mac attack mixtape vol 1 is around the ledge. Any Mac main that's played For Glory knows the joy of your opponent immediately walking to the ledge and camping. I see some players jump and dash around a lot and say they're trying to bait Mac to the ledge because meta game is meta reasons. But just because a player acts like the ledge is that final mountain from Nickelodeon's GUTS!, doesn't mean it's not camping. (It also doesn't mean you deserve a piece of the radical rock. Mike O'Malley didn't die for that.) And that's cool if you wanna camp for your fighting video gaming pleasure. I hear 'Camping Simulator' is huge in Europe, so you probably just have a more refined Smash taste palette, basically.
A solid approach option for these nature lovers is to run past them, off the ledge. Then, immediately side b back towards your opponent. With practice and a still functioning pair of British Knights, Mac can land the attack and then grab the ledge. At low percentages the side b of glory has little knock back, so the ledge
grab Mark Wahlberg Invincible frames make it a practical approach option early in the match.
>insert relevant gif here
This technique can be adopted into stage spike attempts during ledge trumps.
http://gfycat.com/HarshOldfashionedAmmonite
http://gfycat.com/MerryCarelessFlamingo
http://gfycat.com/LimpingPresentAnt
Or, if your game is real fresh and dipped in butter, this technique can stage spike characters that try to teleport into a ledge grab. The timing is difficult, but stage spiking a Sheik main that chuckled when you chose Little Mac is hugely satisfying. Choosing the easiest character because it's the easiest character
doesn't mean the player is smarter than you when it comes to Smash truth facts. If someone laughs at your main choice and then acts superior because they chose a known top tear character, don't sweat it. Often, it means they didn't give other characters a real chance. And instead of working hard at a character they enjoy playing, they chose the easiest and quickest route to the cool points. Cool points won't make Smash 4 meta better. The Smash community's love and dedication
to all the characters and stages is what improves the meta. Don't believe me? Tweet Meta World Peace for a second opinion. He'll tell you the same thing.
http://gfycat.com/ExaltedDismalGardensnake
Content Warning: Little Mac Side B Advanced Tech
When recovering with side b, hold b and Little Mac won't grab the ledge until you let go of b. Holding b will allow Mac to temporarily stay against the ledge. Letting go of b will activate your hit box. After roughly a third to a half of the hit box's duration, it'll cancel into a ledge grab. This disruption in timing can catch opponents by surprise.
http://gfycat.com/ClearcutPresentGaur
Wrapping up the side b portion of the gentleman's guide to Little Mac, is a tech best used against greedy opponents that attack Mac off the stage, even though it's obvious that Little Mac has no chance of recovery.
I call it the Karma Clap Attack.
When faced with an opponent that leaves the stage to give Mac a disrespectful parting hit instead of just staying on the stage and taking the win, let the opponent get close. This will be easier than you think, because a majority of people who like to toss salt in this situation are overly confident. Once the jerk face killah is nice and close, input side b and immediately input b again. (See, it's fast like a clap, so the attack's name is clever, possibly.) If timed correctly, or if you just get lucky, the hit box will launch your opponent behind you. And thanks to the 1.0.8 patch, the trajectory became much more horizontal, which greatly increased the chances of sending your opponent beyond the blast border danger zone Tom Cruise.
http://gfycat.com/DecentWetCrab
http://gfycat.com/KindheartedArcticFattaileddunnart
http://gfycat.com/WellgroomedSpecificBullmastiff
More to come. Unless no one cares. In which case I'll probably just hang out in my room and listen to my Will Smith cd.
I'm not a great player, but it's not because of my air or ledge game. Which
is why this is titled 'Practical Aerial & Ledge Advice for Today's Little Mac Pt. 1'',
and not, 'This is how you beat smash, always.' If I ever figure that out though, I'll probably update. Mostly.
The key to being a top tear dank meme worthy character is balance. And because Little Mac's reputation is based solely on youtube clips of poorly talented players side b'n to an embarrassing death, most people think that he should just pack it up and move to Bel-Air. It might be a catchy tune for youtube views, but they're wrong and junk.
Thanks to his dominant ground game, Little Mac doesn't need to win the air in order to be a balanced fighter. Couple his air and ledge options with his speed, and a disciplined Mac can use the element of surprise to get into his opponent's head. When the ledge, and most importantly the air, is no longer a gimme for the opponent, you've created the balance needed to win the match.
But, anon, Little Mac is a short white dude, how can he achieve air game? John Stockton never dunked. So what Larry Bird dunked? He looks more like a bird than an actual human person and it'd be ridiculous if a bird that size couldn't dunk. So just nerf Larry Bird and end this guide, anon. Gosh.
Sorry, made up person, but Smash Ball is Life. So the guide won't stop. Can't stop. Believing.
The following moves and options should not be spammed. They should be part of a balanced Mac main. There is no supreme best case balance of air moves. The hallmarks of a great Little Mac air game is adaptability and surprise. Mac shouldn't dictate aerial meta. He only needs to do enough so that the opponent can't completely dictate it either.
N-Air
The neutral air attack is only practical in one situation, to set up a footstool. The youtube montage clips of Mac doing any other neutral air attack successfully is because the opponents are terrible. Look at the percentage/stock ratios during the clips. This attack has the real life impact equivalent to the force it takes for me to tap the touch screen to power up Smash. And even though I tap it like a boss, it's not a viable option for a fight. If you wanna see the proper use of n-air to footstool, search youtube for - Akhous -.
F-Air
Mac's forward air attack is his best option for surprise attacks. And at high percentages it has a strong knock back. Or, short hop to f-air, quick fall and L cancel with forward tilt in either direction to start a combo.
Mac can also stand at the middle of the stage and use his speed to quick gimp attack a player that uses their jump to recover above the stage.
http://gfycat.com/ParallelRequiredArcticseal
http://gfycat.com/SnappyThatBlobfish
His speed also allows him to surprise opponents by running off the stage to f-air a ledge grab attempt.
http://gfycat.com/GrotesqueTastyIrishredandwhitesetter
http://gfycat.com/MeanWideJanenschia
http://gfycat.com/SmallMetallicCockatoo
http://gfycat.com/BonyGraciousChital
B Side
Side B discipline is an important factor for any Little Mac main. It's the worst possible choice as a recovery option. And your friends are all like, 'aerial side b anything is impossible.' But a real Mac knows, it's necessary.
When attempting to recover in the air and you're faced with a situation where side b is your only option, hold b and wait as long as possible and then input b again. This will allow for the maximum horizontal distance possible without striking an opponent.
Mac will gain distance if his side b strikes a fool.
http://gfycat.com/WelldocumentedNearCurassow
Not just horizontal, but vertical distance, too.
http://gfycat.com/KeenSkinnyAuklet
My favorite use of the b side mac attack mixtape vol 1 is around the ledge. Any Mac main that's played For Glory knows the joy of your opponent immediately walking to the ledge and camping. I see some players jump and dash around a lot and say they're trying to bait Mac to the ledge because meta game is meta reasons. But just because a player acts like the ledge is that final mountain from Nickelodeon's GUTS!, doesn't mean it's not camping. (It also doesn't mean you deserve a piece of the radical rock. Mike O'Malley didn't die for that.) And that's cool if you wanna camp for your fighting video gaming pleasure. I hear 'Camping Simulator' is huge in Europe, so you probably just have a more refined Smash taste palette, basically.
A solid approach option for these nature lovers is to run past them, off the ledge. Then, immediately side b back towards your opponent. With practice and a still functioning pair of British Knights, Mac can land the attack and then grab the ledge. At low percentages the side b of glory has little knock back, so the ledge
grab Mark Wahlberg Invincible frames make it a practical approach option early in the match.
>insert relevant gif here
This technique can be adopted into stage spike attempts during ledge trumps.
http://gfycat.com/HarshOldfashionedAmmonite
http://gfycat.com/MerryCarelessFlamingo
http://gfycat.com/LimpingPresentAnt
Or, if your game is real fresh and dipped in butter, this technique can stage spike characters that try to teleport into a ledge grab. The timing is difficult, but stage spiking a Sheik main that chuckled when you chose Little Mac is hugely satisfying. Choosing the easiest character because it's the easiest character
doesn't mean the player is smarter than you when it comes to Smash truth facts. If someone laughs at your main choice and then acts superior because they chose a known top tear character, don't sweat it. Often, it means they didn't give other characters a real chance. And instead of working hard at a character they enjoy playing, they chose the easiest and quickest route to the cool points. Cool points won't make Smash 4 meta better. The Smash community's love and dedication
to all the characters and stages is what improves the meta. Don't believe me? Tweet Meta World Peace for a second opinion. He'll tell you the same thing.
http://gfycat.com/ExaltedDismalGardensnake
Content Warning: Little Mac Side B Advanced Tech
When recovering with side b, hold b and Little Mac won't grab the ledge until you let go of b. Holding b will allow Mac to temporarily stay against the ledge. Letting go of b will activate your hit box. After roughly a third to a half of the hit box's duration, it'll cancel into a ledge grab. This disruption in timing can catch opponents by surprise.
http://gfycat.com/ClearcutPresentGaur
Wrapping up the side b portion of the gentleman's guide to Little Mac, is a tech best used against greedy opponents that attack Mac off the stage, even though it's obvious that Little Mac has no chance of recovery.
I call it the Karma Clap Attack.
When faced with an opponent that leaves the stage to give Mac a disrespectful parting hit instead of just staying on the stage and taking the win, let the opponent get close. This will be easier than you think, because a majority of people who like to toss salt in this situation are overly confident. Once the jerk face killah is nice and close, input side b and immediately input b again. (See, it's fast like a clap, so the attack's name is clever, possibly.) If timed correctly, or if you just get lucky, the hit box will launch your opponent behind you. And thanks to the 1.0.8 patch, the trajectory became much more horizontal, which greatly increased the chances of sending your opponent beyond the blast border danger zone Tom Cruise.
http://gfycat.com/DecentWetCrab
http://gfycat.com/KindheartedArcticFattaileddunnart
http://gfycat.com/WellgroomedSpecificBullmastiff
More to come. Unless no one cares. In which case I'll probably just hang out in my room and listen to my Will Smith cd.
