Nerf

A nerf is a term used to describe the weakening of a character (or aspect of a character), either through updating a game or by releasing a sequel. It is often done as an attempt to balance the roster. The opposite term is "buff", which is to strengthen a character between sequel games. The best example of this is Kirby's transition from the original Super Smash Bros. to Super Smash Bros. Melee. Kirby went from being one of the best characters according to the SSB tier list to being the worst.

The term "nerf" is derived from the brand of toy known for its soft foam-like substance. This substance allows for safer play, as little chance of injury comes from impact with such items. In effect, a projectile is less damaging because it was "nerfed".

Characters who had attributes nerfed from SSB to Melee

There were two general nerfs for all characters. One is that most aerial attacks and tilts no longer have almost instantaneous start-up lag. The second general nerf is throws have been significantly weakened, with only a few throws being reliable KO moves in Melee. Below is a list of nerfs for the cast of Melee.

Captain Falcon

Up aerial doesn't semi-spike as reliably and has reduced vertical reach.
Falcon Punch has more start-up lag and can no longer be used for recovering.
Up smash is slower and has drastically reduced utility.
Falcon Kick is slightly slower and weaker.
Falcon Dive has been weakened, it also has more start-up lag and reduced grab range.
Down aerial has a much shorter duration.
Most of his attacks have more start-up lag, such as all of his smashes.

Donkey Kong

The beginning of his forward throw (carry) no longer deals damage.
Giant Punch has less reach and knockback, and puts him in a helpless state when done in midair.
Forward air is much slower and is much more difficult to meteor smash with.
Hand Slap has more ending lag.
His attacks are generally weaker.

Fox

His air speed has been significantly decreased, from being among one of the fastest in SSB, to being among one of the slowest in Melee.
Down smash doesn't semi-spike as effectively.
Up aerial is more difficult to sweetspot.
Blaster no longer produces hitstun.
Fox is much lighter in weight, making him easier to KO.
Forward smash was weakened significantly

Jigglypuff

Sing doesn't put opponents to sleep as long, reducing its effectiveness.
Rest has a smaller hitbox.
Down aerial can no longer meteor smash aerial opponents.
Up smash has much more ending lag.
Dashing speed was reduced to being the slowest in Melee.

Kirby

Forward smash is significantly weaker (no longer the strongest), has less range, and has much more start-up and ending lag (In SSB, his Forward Smash was the fastest and strongest with good range). It also has a very long sourspot hitbox. This is considered the most drastic nerf in Smash Bros. along with Peach's Down Smash.
New forward aerial is slower and weaker (In terms of damage output by -4%) and has only three hits (that cannot link together as efficiently) instead of eight.
Final Cutter's horizontal and vertical distances have been reduced.
Opponents can now escape out of Kirby's back throw and forward throw. If Kirby uses either near the edge of the stage, he will likely SD.
Horizontal air speed is slightly slower (went from the second slowest in SSB along with Samus and Ness to the third slowest in Melee along with Ganondorf). Doesn't make much sense considering his air speed is already very slow in SSB. The increased falling speeds in Melee could be what made it look like it was much slower.
Dashing speed is slightly reduced (from above-average to slightly below average).
Kirby loses all of his mid-air jumps after his forward throw and up throw.
Back aerial is no longer as disjointed as it was before (In SSB, it could hit from Kirby's front, but it was removed in Melee).
Up tilt is slower and has slightly less range, though it is still quick and disjointed and is still Kirby's main combo starter.
New dash attack is slower, weaker, and easier to punish.
New up aerial's hitbox duration is reduced.
Much slower start-up in his down aerial. In addition, the landing hitboxes can no longer meteor smash, making it harder to combo with (even with L-Canceling).
New neutral aerial (his up aerial from SSB) is slower and much weaker.
Overall a much slower and weaker character with much less combo ability and range.

Link

Up smash has less vertical reach, and a smaller hitbox.
Spin Attack is a considerably less reliable KO option.
Grab range has been lowered, and Link can no longer grab opponents in the air.
Boomerangs have slightly less range.

Luigi

Air speed has been reduced and is still the slowest.
Fireball's hitbox size has been decreased.
Super Jump Punch no longer gains horizontal distance and doesn't travel as far vertically.
The height gained from Luigi Cyclone has been reduced and requires considerably faster button inputs gain vertical distance, making it more difficult to use to recover.

Mario

Up smash has been weakened in knockback (knockback scaling reduced from 120% to 97%).
Fireball's hitbox size has been decreased.
The distance Super Jump Punch gained was reduced.
New forward smash has an added sourspot.
The meteor smash hitboxes of Mario Tornado have been removed.

Ness

A general decrease in the speed and reach of his attacks.
PK Thunder travels a shorter distance.
Forward smash is slightly slower and weaker.
PK Fire travels a shorter distance and is easier to DI out of.
Forward throw can no longer KO reliably, due to much lower knockback scaling.
Up smash and down smash are much weaker.
Down air has significantly reduced knockback scaling and is drastically slower.

Pikachu

A general decrease in the range of its attacks.
Significantly decreased air speed.
Pikachu is generally more vulnerable to combos, especially chain throws.
Thunder no longer has infinite vertical reach.
Quick Attack no longer has invincibility frames when used and doesn't travel as far.

Samus

Dashing speed is slower.
Back aerial has less reach and power.
Screw Attack no longer traps enemies as easily.
Charge Shot no longer travels an infinite distance.
Down aerial has more start-up lag.

Yoshi

Special moves are generally less effective.
Yoshi's combo ability against floaty characters was generally hindered.
Slower DJC combos (due to more start-up lag in his forward and down aerials).
Forward aerial has 67% more start-up lag (from about 9 frames to 15 frames).
Down aerial's damage potential was slightly reduced from 56% to 53% (still the most damaging aerial in Melee).
New back aerial is much weaker.
Forward smash is significantly weaker (though it can still KO under 150%).
Up smash is weaker
Forward tilt is weaker.

Characters who had attributes nerfed from Melee to Super Smash Bros. Brawl

A general nerf to all characters in Brawl is notably less comboing ability, due to the reduced hitstun and loss of L-Cancelling in Brawl. This still affected characters to varying degrees however.

Bowser

Most attacks, such as his forward smash and up aerial, are slightly weaker in terms of knockback.
Back aerial no longer semi-spikes.
Up aerial has less range.
Whirling Fortress now has a landing animation with significant lag if the move ends at a high distance. Fortress hogging is also no longer possible.

Captain Falcon

A general decrease in the speed of his play.
Falcon sustains slightly more knockback.
Dashing speed was slightly reduced and is no longer the fastest, being surpassed by Sonic.
Traction was reduced.
Most of Falcon's attacks have more unfavorable hitboxes (i.e., forward aerial, down aerial, down smash, etc)
Forward smash was weakened significantly (went from being the 3rd most powerful forward smash to the 21st, according to the forward smash chart).
Up smash and down smash have lost some of their IASA frames, giving them more ending lag.
Three of Falcon's aerials have shorter durations in their strongest hitboxes; forward aerial (1 frame), back aerial (2 frames), and down aerial (3 frames). His up aerial's semi-spike hitbox has 1 frame removed, but this is barely noticeable.
Down aerial needs to be sweetspotted to meteor smash. It is also weaker, has a smaller hitbox size (no longer disjointed), and the nipple spike hitbox was removed. It also lost its IASA frames, like his forward and back aerials.
Forward aerial (Knee Smash) is much more difficult to sweetspot (as no longer is just landing the initial hitbox required to sweetspot), and the sweetspot hitbox's knockback was slightly reduced.
Falcon Punch is slightly weaker (lower knockback scaling, from 102 to 93).
Falcon Dive has a greater reliance on momentum to gain distance when recovering.
Since Brawl reduces the amount of momentum carried from a character's horizontal movement into their jumping distance, his jump distance has been decreased, hurting his combo ability.
Falcon Kick no longer regains Falcon's midair jump when used in the air, and its sweetspot hitbox is weaker, now dealing 13% instead of 15%.
Can no longer moonwalk and dash dancing is significantly less useful.

Donkey Kong

Giant Punch has less reach and knockback when fully charged.
Spinning Kong now has a landing lag animation with significant lag if the move ends at a high distance.

Falco

Dashing speed was reduced.
Brawl's physic changes greatly reduced Falco's vertical endurance, as falling speed has a smaller impact on a character's vertical endurance.
Down tilt was drastically weakened, no longer being able to reliably KO under 150%. Its sweetspot hitbox is also smaller, making it more difficult to land.
New forward smash is slower, weaker, and has a larger sourspot hitbox.
Down smash has less reach.
New neutral aerial is significantly weaker in terms of knockback, and is not a KO option.
Down aerial now only meteor smashes at the very beginning of the move, whereas in the NTSC version of Melee, all of its hitboxes could spike.
Fire Bird travels a slightly shorter distance, is now a multi-hit attack, and is significantly weaker, no longer being able to KO.
Falco Phantasm's meteor smash is weaker.
New Reflector removes Falco's shine combos, Falco's ability to stall in the air with it, and it does not have a start-up lag of 1 frame. Additionally, it can no longer be held indefinitely.

Fox

Despite being heavier, Fox sustains more knockback in Brawl (he now suffers the fourth most knockback, moreso than lighter characters like Kirby). Falling speed having a smaller impact on a character's vertical endurance also significantly reduced Fox's vertical endurance.
Up and down tilts are weaker.
Up smash is weaker (it is however, often considered the best up smash in Brawl in spite of this).
Neutral aerial is weaker.
New back aerial has slower startup, more ending lag, shorter hitbox duration, and less reach.
Up aerial is significantly weaker, usually requiring the opponent to be around 150% or near the upper blast line to KO, whereas it could KO under 100% in Melee regardless.
Blaster travels roughly half the distance than it did in Melee.
Fire Fox is weaker and can no longer KO reliably.
Reflector no longer has start-up lag of 1 frame, and can no longer be jump canceled, which combined with the lack of wave dashing, render his Shine combos impossible without a wall.
Removal of wavedashing eliminates his Shine combos.

Ganondorf

A general decrease in the speed and reach of his attacks.
Reduced walking and dashing speed.
Reduced jumping height.
His rolls are now slower and gain less distance.
Neutral attack is significantly slower, and can no longer be landed multiple times in succession.
New forward tilt has less reach and more ending lag.
Up tilt was significantly weakened, and given sourspot hitboxes (though it is still the strongest tilt attack in Brawl).
New up smash consists of one kick that is weaker than the first kick of his Melee up smash. This also reduces up smash's damage potential by nearly half, and it has slower start-up lag.
Down smash was significantly weakened, which while it could KO under 100% in Melee, it cannot reliably KO until around 150% in Brawl. The first kick to the second kick is also slower (making it more difficult to land the second kick after hitting the first), and the move has significantly more ending lag.
Grabbing reach was reduced to being the shortest reaching grab Brawl, as opposed to being the seventh shortest in Melee.
Up throw and down throw can no longer chain throw.
Second kick of the neutral aerial was significantly weakened, no longer being able to KO.
Forward aerial is significantly slower, having a significant increase in start-up, ending, and landing lag (10 more frames than his L-Canceled one in Melee). It was also given a much weaker sourspot hitbox on Ganondorf's arm, making it significantly less effective at close ranges.
Back aerial's knockback was significantly weakened (though it can still reliably KO under 150%). Its duration was also reduced from 6 frames to 3 frames, making it harder to connect.
Down aerial now has a sourspot hitbox on Ganondorf's upper body, and the attack's hitbox overall is slightly smaller.
Dark Dive is drastically weaker, now dealing 11% in damage instead of 17%, and it can no longer KO at realistic percentages outside stage spiking. It is also now possible to hit Ganondorf out of Dark Dive once he immediately releases the opponent, exasperating Ganondorf's already poor recovery against opponents who can do so.
Wizard's Foot no longer regains a midair jump if one was used already, which significantly nerfs his recovery. The grounded Wizard's Foot was also significantly weakened, no longer being a reliable KO move under 150% .
Considered to be the character most adversely affected by the removal of L-cancelling, which greatly reduced the utility of his powerful but laggy aerials that he relied upon in Melee.

Ice Climbers

Wobbling is no longer possible.
Smash attacks are weaker in knockback.
Popo's hammer no longer has a meteor smash hitbox when forward aerial is used, requiring Nana to be present for the forward aerial to meteor smash.
The removal of wavedashing has significantly hindered the Ice Climbers' mobility and approach.

Jigglypuff

Jigglypuff now has the slowest dashing speed.
All smashes are slower and have longer ending lag.
Forward smash is weaker, and has less reach.
Forward throw was significantly weaken, and is no longer a KO option.
Neutral aerial, up aerial, and most notably, its back aerial, were weakened.
Rest was drastically weakened (though it can still KO under 100%).
The reduced hitstun in Brawl greatly hindered Jigglypuff's combo ability, more so than other characters. Its wall of pain is also notably less effective.

Kirby

Forward and back throws can no longer Kirbycide. His up throw can only Kirbycide on certain stages in very specific situations.
The amount of IASA frames in his neutral air has been significantly reduced.
Up aerial is drastically weaker, and is no longer a reliable KO move.
Swallowcide now KOs Kirby and his victim at the same time, no longer allowing Kirby to escape after the opponent is KO'd.
Fewer frames were given in Final Cutter's turn around.
Kirby now becomes helpless when pushed off a ledge just before the end of Final Cutter's landing animation.

Link

Air speed was significantly reduced.
Rapid sword jab in neutral attack removed.
Clawshot can no longer wall grapple, making this form of recovery susceptible to edgehogging.
Grounded Spin Attack can no longer semi-spike, whereas it could in the NTSC version of Melee. Additionally, it can no longer act as a reliable KO move on the ground unless charged. Aerial Spin Attack gains significantly less horizontal distance, and has a greater reliance upon momentum, whereas Link will gain nearly no horizontal distance at all if Link uses it without momentum towards the direction Spin Attack is used.
His Boomerang, replaced with Gale Boomerang, has reduced range and speed, and doesn't have a damaging hitbox when returning (instead it pulls the opponent with it).
Aerial approach is significantly poorer, due to the removal of L-cancelling and reduced air speed.

Luigi

Up Smash needs to be sweetspotted in order to KO and deals less damage.
Down Smash no longer hits at a pure vertical angle (instead hitting in a less desirable diagonal angle), and deals slightly weaker knockback.
Sourspotted neutral aerial is much weaker (dealing 6% instead of 10%).
Forward and down aerials are significantly weaker (the former moreso than the latter), both no longer being reliable KO moves under 150%.
Fireballs travel a shorter distance.
Green Missile travels a shorter distance, making it less useful as a recovery move. Additionally, it has a stuck in wall animation if Luigi collides into a wall, where Luigi is left vulnerably for a small period of time.
Super Jump Punch has increased landing lag, making it more punishable.
The removal of wavedashing has significantly reduced Luigi's mobility, and made approaching significantly more difficult.

Mario

The power and reach of many of his attacks have been slightly decreased.
Forward smash has a larger sourspot hitbox.
Back throw was weakened significantly and will no longer KO until the opponent approaches 200%.
Forward aerial now needs to be sweetspotted to meteor smash.
Fireballs travel a shorter distance.
Opponents being able to grab the ledge from behind in Brawl has reduced Cape's effectiveness as an edgeguard tool.
Super Jump Punch has significantly increased landing lag.
Mario Tornado being replaced with F.L.U.D.D. has greatly reduced Mario's recovery potential.

Marth

Dashing speed has been reduced.
A shorter sword has resulted in a general decrease in the reach of Marth's attacks.
Sweetspot of sword ("tipper" hitbox) was reduced in size for most attacks, particularly in his down aerial.
Neutral attack is slower.
Tippered down smash and up tilt are weaker.
Grabbing reach was reduced.
Down aerial's sweetspot was reduced in size, and it is now a meteor smash whereas it was a spike in the NTSC of Melee, making it significantly less effective for edgeguarding.
Shield Breaker being a stab instead of an overhead swing has removed its vertical reach, and greatly reduced its effectiveness at edge guarding.
Dancing Blade is less effective at extending Marth's recovery.
The removal of wavedashing has resulted in approaching being more difficult for Marth.
The Ken Combo is drastically more difficult to perform, to the point of being near nonexistent, due to Brawl's less hitstun, forward aerial dealing horizontal knockback instead of vertical, and down aerial's significantly smaller sweetspot.

Mr. Game & Watch

Down tilt is drastically weaker, no longer being a KO move.
New neutral aerial is not a KO option.
Up aerial now has a push effect, making it more difficult to land the second, more powerful hitbox.
Drastic reduction of Oil Panic's maximum damage output, being reduced from 200% to 60% (it will still OHKO regardless).

Ness

10 extra frames were added onto his grab release animation, making him vulnerable to chain grab releases and grab release followups that other characters are not vulnerable to.
Forward smash is slightly slower.
Up aerial has a smaller hitbox.
PK Flash is less controllable in horizontal direction, has a smaller hitbox, and doesn't activate automatically once it hits the ground (instead the move cancels out).
Ness can no longer double jump cancel, reducing his approach and combo options.

Peach

Substantially reduced air speed.
Midair jumping height was significantly decreased.
Down smash consists of less hits (now containing 4 hits instead of 5), and is drastically weaker, with each hit dealing less than half the damage (5% as opposed to 12% in Melee). The move's knockback has also weakened to the point of it not even KOing at sudden death percentages. The removal of crouch cancelling has also greatly reduced its effectiveness farther. Is considered to be the single most nerfed move in Brawl, notable for going from what was considered the best down smash, to one of the worst down smashes.
Forward throw is significantly weaker, no longer being a KO throw.
Peach can no longer double jump cancel, impairing her approach and combo options.

Pikachu

Forward smash is weaker, especially its non-sweetspot hitboxes.
Up smash was significantly weakened (went from being the strongest up smash to the 25th strongest).
Up aerial deals less knockback and can no longer semi-spike.

Samus

Projectile game and finishers were weakened in general.
Neutral aerial was drastically weakened (went from being one of the strongest sex kicks and a reliable KO move, to one of the weakest and being incapable of KOing).
Charge Shot was significantly weakened (could KO under 80% in Melee, but can't KO reliably under 125% in Brawl).
Firing Smash Missiles has longer start-up and ending lag, the missiles travel more slowly, and are drastically weaker (they could KO under 150% in Melee, but will not KO at realistic percentages in Brawl).
Bombs are less effective for recovery, and no longer explode when in contact with opponents (only after their internal timer is finished).
Grapple Beam can no longer wall grapple, making it more difficult to recover.

Sheik

Up smash is much weaker, especially its sourspot hitbox. The sourspot hitbox also has a less favorable diagonal trajectory rather than a vertical trajectory.
Down throw is incapable of chain throwing.
All of her aerials were weakened, especially her forward aerial.
Down aerial is a stall-then-fall aerial, and has increased landing lag.
Sheik sustains more knockback in Brawl. She only slightly outlasts Zelda vertically, and she is outlasted by Zelda when knocked back horizontally.

Yoshi

Down smash was weakened significantly, and has increased start-up and ending lag.
Forward aerial now needs to be sweetspotted to meteor smash, and it is much weaker (it is an average meteor smash in terms of power in Brawl, while it was the third strongest meteor smash in Melee). Additionally, 4 extra frames was added to its start-up lag.
Down aerial's damage potential was significantly reduced, with its max damage potential of 53% being reduced to 35% (however, it is still the most damaging aerial attack).
Egg Roll no longer gains any distance when used in the air, while still leaving Yoshi helpless.
Eggs from Egg Toss deal less damage, and can no longer be tossed backwards.
Yoshi Bomb was weakened.
Yoshi can no longer double jump cancel, reducing his approach and combo options.

Zelda

Sourspotted forward and back aerials are significantly weaker, dealing only 4% in Brawl as opposed to 10% in Melee.
Up aerial has a significantly smaller hitbox.
Transform takes a much longer time to complete.
Zelda sustains more knockback in Brawl. She only outlasts Sheik horizontally and she is outlasted by Sheik vertically.

Nerf

Characters who had attributes nerfed from SSB to Melee

Characters who had attributes nerfed from Melee to Super Smash Bros. Brawl

See also

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