Super Smash Bros. Melee is celebrated for its fast-paced gameplay and deep technical mechanics. Mastering how to attack and combine moves (combos) is key to defeating opponents and climbing the competitive ranks. Whether you’re just starting or refining your skills, this guide outlines core attack methods, combo principles, and the advanced techniques that give top players the edge.

1. Understanding Attack Basics

Normal Attacks (A Moves)

• Jab (Neutral A): A quick, close-range option. Jabs are useful for interrupting an opponent’s approach or starting low-damage combos.
• Tilts (Forward, Up, Down A): Slightly tilt the control stick and press A for medium-range attacks. Tilts are often follow-ups after a jab or as a combo starter at mid-percents.
• Smash Attacks (Forward, Up, Down + A): Performed by quickly flicking the control stick and pressing A, these are high-damage and high-knockback attacks. Best for KO attempts or punishing laggy moves.

Aerial Attacks

• Neutral Air (Nair): Often used to pressure opponents or interrupt their combos; some Nairs stay active for a long time.
• Forward/Back Air (Fair/Bair): Great for edgeguarding or continuing combos. Bair often has strong knockback, making it a common kill move.
• Up/Down Air (Uair/Dair): Ideal for extending combos (Uair) or spiking opponents (Dair), depending on the character.

Special Moves (B Moves)

• Unique to each character—projectiles, recovery moves, or powerful finishers. Learning the nuances can open up mix-up options in combos and recovery situations.

2. Core Combo Principles

1. Follow Opponent’s DI

Directional Influence (DI) lets an opponent alter their trajectory when hit. Anticipate their DI to continue chasing them with follow-up hits. For instance:

• If they DI upwards, an Uair or Up Tilt can extend combos.
• If they DI away from you, a Dash Attack or Running Grab might keep the combo going.

2. Utilize Hitstun

Hitstun is the period when an opponent can’t act after being hit. To capitalize:

• Use fast attacks or quick movement to link hits together before the opponent can air-dodge or jump out.

3. Know Percent Windows

Certain combos only connect reliably within specific percentage ranges.

• For low percents, moves with low knockback (e.g., Jabs, Tilts) can start combos.
• At higher percents, heavy-hitting aerials or Smash Attacks might work best to end combos.

3. Advanced Techniques that Strengthen Combos

L-Cancelling

• What It Is: Short for “lag-canceling,” L-Cancelling involves pressing L, R, or Z just before landing from an aerial.
• Why It Helps: It significantly reduces landing lag, allowing faster follow-up moves.
• Practice: Perform an aerial and watch for your character’s landing animation—time your button press so it happens just before you hit the ground.

Wavedashing

• What It Is: An air-dodge diagonally into the ground, causing your character to slide without the usual dash animation.
• Why It Helps: It offers high-speed movement options, letting you adjust spacing during combos, approach unpredictably, or set up attacks.
• Practice: Jump, quickly tilt the control stick downward at an angle, and press L/R for the air-dodge. The timing is strict, so practice short-hopping and air-dodging at the right angle.

Wavelanding

• What It Is: Similar to wavedashing but performed when landing on a platform.
• Why It Helps: Let’s you slide across platforms to escape pressure or continue combos more fluidly, especially with platform follow-ups.

Dash Dancing

• What It Is: Quickly flicking the control stick left and right during a dash to create unpredictable movement.
• Why It Helps: Allows you to bait out an opponent’s move and then punish. Essential for setting up grabs or tilt attacks in neutral, which can lead to big combo opportunities.

Short Hopping & Fast Falling

• Short Hop: Tapping the jump button quickly to do a lower jump. Lets you stay closer to the ground for safer pressure and faster aerial follow-ups.
• Fast Fall: Pressing down on the control stick at the peak of your jump to fall more quickly, enhancing combo timing and ground pressure.

4. Character-Specific Combo Examples

1. Fox
   • Shine to Up-Smash: Use a grounded Shine (Down B) at low percents, then jump-cancel into an Up-Smash for a quick kill confirm at mid-percents.
   • Uair Chains: Combo opponents with repeated Uairs on platforms. L-Cancel and follow DI for continued hits.
2. Falco
   • Pillar Combos: Shine (Down B) → Jump → Dair repeatedly. Use L-Cancelling and fast falls to keep the opponent in hitstun.
   • Laser Lockdowns: Falco’s lasers disrupt the opponent’s movement, letting you approach safely and start combos.
3. Captain Falcon
   • Up-Air Strings: Multiple Uairs can juggle foes at mid-percents. Finish with a Knee (Fair) for a powerful spike or KO.
   • Tech Chases: Dash dance to read tech rolls and follow with grabs, extending combos on grounded opponents.
4. Marth
   • Forward Throw / Down Throw to Forward Smash: Effective on fast-fallers at low percents.
   • Up Tilts / Uairs: Juggle opponents vertically. Marth’s aerial range allows easy chaining, ending with a tippered Fair or Bair.

5. Tips for Effective Practice

1. Train with Specific Goals
   • Focus on L-Cancelling for one session, wavedashing for another, and so on. Master one technique before juggling too many.
2. Use 20XX or Training Packs
   • On a GameCube or emulator, specialized practice hacks (like the 20XX Training Pack) let you set CPU behaviors, infinite shields, or instant respawns for consistent drilling.
3. Watch Pro VODs
   • Top players like Hungrybox, Mang0, Zain, and others showcase advanced techniques in real matches. Observe their spacing, movement, and combo choices.
4. Experiment with Different Characters
   • Even if you main one character, practicing others helps you understand the full matchup spread and might inspire fresh combo routes.
5. Record and Review Your Gameplay
   • Replays help you see missed L-Cancels, suboptimal follow-ups, or DI mistakes. Self-analysis accelerates growth.

Final Thoughts

Attacks and combos in Super Smash Bros. Melee are about more than button mashing—they require timing, awareness, and a mastery of advanced mechanics like L-Cancelling and wavedashing. By honing your fundamentals, learning to read your opponent’s DI, and weaving in advanced techniques, you’ll dramatically elevate your gameplay. Remember that improvement takes time and repetition: small victories in training mode translate into big wins in actual matches. So get practicing, watch those combos flourish, and enjoy the thrill of outmaneuvering your opponents with style.