Editing Fox (SSBM)

{{Disambig2|Fox's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''|the character in other contexts|Fox McCloud}}

|tier = S

'''Fox''' ({{ja|フォックス|Fokkusu}}, ''Fox'') is a playable [[starter character]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''.

Shinobu Satouchi reprises his role as Fox in-game and in the Japanese [[Star Fox Smash Taunt]] and [[Adventure Mode]] scenes. In the English Smash Taunt and Adventure scenes, Fox is voiced by Steve Malpass.

Fox currently ranks 1st on the ''Melee'' [[tier list]], a moderate improvement from his already high 4th ranking in ''Smash 64'' and is his best placement in the series to date. He is emblematic of speed, possessing fast attacks that also give him excellent comboing and damaging abilities. Overall, he can dominate foes with his quick movement and overpowering offense in all areas of his game. He also boasts numerous approaching methods, giving him some of the best neutral game options among the entire cast. He has access to effective, long-distance recovery options in [[Fire Fox]] and [[Fox Illusion]]. He has KO options and setups at a wide variety of percentages, and his high falling speed makes him resilient to vertical KOs. His aerial game also includes several low-lag yet effective and powerful moves to complement his ground game, especially when [[SHFFL]]'d, and is incredibly effective at approaching and edgeguarding. The main reason for Fox's success, however, is his {{b|Reflector|Fox}} (also known as the "shine"), which is one of the most versatile tools in the game. Aside from its intended purpose, the Reflector activates on frame 1 (making it the fastest move in the game), has set knockback, and can be [[jump cancel]]ed; this allows for [[shine spike]] gimps, neutral stance resets, getup option mixups, and even combos when [[wavedash]]ing is incorporated.

Despite being ranked first, Fox is not flawless. One of Fox’s primary weaknesses is his rather short [[reach]], due to his lack of disjointed hitboxes outside of his Shine. As such, he gets outspaced by other top tiers, especially in aerial combat, though his fast movement can compensate for this. His high falling speed makes him very easy to combo and chaingrab off of a single conversion from the opponent, and his light weight can result in extremely early horizontal KOs if the player's [[DI]] is poor. Although he boasts long-distance recovery options, their linear paths makes it easier for certain characters like {{SSBM|Marth}} to predict his recovery path and [[edge guard]] or [[gimp]] him. Fox also has an extremely high technical learning curve, as most of his techniques require extremely nimble fingers and fast reaction time. Also, due to his aforementioned flaws, Fox is considered to be a glass cannon, where he could lose a stock if a single mistake is made, giving him a high cerebral learning curve. So while Fox has incredible fighting prowess and potential, many consider Fox to be arguably the hardest character to play as and master, requiring a lot of practice. Although Fox can rack up damage quickly, his combo game is rather unreliable, as many of his strings rely on tech-chasing and DI mixups rather than guaranteed hits. Fox also lacks a good combo finisher in his kit, as his shine spike is extremely situational and cannot be properly used to end his combos. Unlike other top tiers, such as {{SSBM|Falco}}, {{SSBM|Marth}}, {{SSBM|Sheik}}, and {{SSBM|Captain Falcon}}, who can net a kill off of starting a combo at mid percents, Fox's best option after a combo is to create an edgeguard situation (usually with his {{Mvsub|Fox|SSBM|back aerial}}), which gives the opponent a chance to recover. As such, Fox relies on getting a kill confirm at high percents to net KOs if he can't successfully edgeguard or shine spike his opponents.

Regardless, his pros greatly outweigh his cons. Fox’s excellent all-around offensive and defensive presence mixed with his blazing speed grant him a terrific matchup chart all-around.

Fox falls into a unique archetype: He is an exceptionally quick lightweight, yet he is equipped with a plethora of viable finishers. He has the second fastest [[dashing]] speed (which remedies his low [[air speed]] somewhat), tied with {{SSBM|Marth}} for the fastest [[walking]] speed, the third fastest [[falling speed]], the second fastest [[fast falling]] speed, fast [[dash-dancing]], and fast attacks. His low [[traction]] and fast jump (only 3 frames before he leaves the ground) gives him a fast, moderately long [[wavedash]].

Fox's primary reason for his top-tier placing is his unparalleled comboing and damaging ability, helped by a powerful [[approach]] game. His fast fall and low, fast short hop contribute to an extremely quick [[SHFFL]], which can let him almost effortlessly start combos or act as a deadly approach option. Additionally, Fox's specials act as powerful ways to aid this; his [[Reflector (Fox)|Reflector]] comes out on frame 1, and makes for a potential combo starter, as well as a potential [[infinite]] combo with his [[waveshine infinite]], and his [[Blaster (Fox)|Blaster]] is an almost unstoppable damage-racking method, due to its long range, inability to cause [[hitstun]], high speed and its ability to be combined with Fox's [[short hop]] as part of the [[short hop laser]] technique. Additionally, a majority of Fox's attacks inflict significant damage while being very fast as well; his {{mvsub|Fox|SSBM|neutral aerial}}, {{mvsub|Fox|SSBM|back aerial}}, and tilts are especially notable in this regard, with the remainder of his aerials having little [[ending lag]].

Additionally, despite his lightweight status and incredible frame-data, Fox's KO ability is also among the best in the game, with numerous powerful vertical finishers in his arsenal, most notably his {{mvsub|Fox|SSBM|up smash}} and {{mvsub|Fox|SSBM|up aerial}}, both of which are among the most powerful in the game with huge [[hitbox]]es. Fox's Reflector also makes for a valuable tool for KOing, due to its set, [[semi-spike]] knockback properties that makes it extremely useful for [[edgeguarding]] or [[gimp]]ing. Its instantaneous [[startup]] time and its ability to be jump-cancelled also means that it is of very low risk to use off the [[edge]]. While not the strongest, Fox's forward smash is an effective horizontal finisher at higher damage percentages, capable of KOing even heavyweights like Bowser under 150%.

In addition to an ease of being comboed, Fox also suffers from a rather exploitable [[recovery]]. On paper, despite being a fast faller with poor air speed and the highest gravity value amongst the fighters, Fox has a good recovery overall, as his two options, [[Fire Fox]] and [[Fox Illusion]], both travel extremely long distances. He can also mix up his recovery options by angling Fire Fox in nearly any direction, shortening his Fox Illusion, or [[wall jump]]ing on certain stages, making the opponent second-guess themselves about where they should be on the stage to intercept Fox's recovery. However, such techniques are also extremely dangerous if incorrectly spaced, as if the opponent obtains the correct read or gets into a position where they can hit him out of his recovery, Fox will most likely not be able to recover again. A multitude of attacks can intercept both moves, such as {{SSBM|Mario}}'s [[Cape]] or {{SSBM|Falco}}'s down aerial, and top-tiered characters generally have the options to cover several of Fox's recovery options at once, or even chase Fox off-stage before he even has the chance to recover.

Fox received a mix of buffs and nerfs upon making the transition between games, but was buffed overall. Fox’s archetype as a fast faller is more pronounced with his [[fall speed]] and [[gravity]] significantly increasing. Fox now has stronger KO power, recovery, and movement options thanks to the introduction of [[wavedashing]]. Fox also received a [[side special]] move, known as [[Fox Illusion]], which can be used as an additional recovery option, allowing for recovery mix-ups and making up for his reduced air speed and increased falling speed. Another noteworthy buff is his [[Reflector (Fox)|Reflector]], as it can now be jump-cancelled, enabling him to perform advanced techniques such as [[waveshining]]. Reflector also no longer knocks down opponents whose [[weight]] is above 85 units, allowing for followups and even potential infinites.

Fox has also received notable nerfs, however. Although [[Blaster|Blaster's]] projectile travels faster and can fire rapidly, it deals less damage overall and no longer causes hitstun, making it slightly less effective for [[camping]]. This also means that Blaster can no longer be used to [[gimp]] opponents or lead into followups. Fox also suffered a big decrease in his air speed, limiting his recovery. Despite some of his moves becoming more powerful, some of his toolkit has become noticeably weaker: while his up smash is still a deadly finisher, its lower KOing power means that he will need to rack up more damage in order to close out stocks faster. Lastly, Fox's weight was tremendously decreased, hindering his horizontal endurance. While his higher falling speed and gravity make up for his vertical endurance, they make him even more susceptible to combos, and the inclusion of up and down throws have made him very susceptible to [[chain grab]]s.

Overall, Fox's strengths largely outweigh his flaws, and the changes to ''Melee''{{'}}s mechanics greatly benefit him overall. As a result, he is considered to be one of the few characters that were truly buffed, alongside {{SSBM|Samus}} and {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}} and many believe that he is the greatest character in the game at his maximum potential. He has seen some of the best representation in [[tournament]]s with excellent results.

*{{change|The graphical upgrades of the Nintendo GameCube give Fox a more proportionate build. He is taller and thinner, his fur is now orange and his boots are more detailed.}}

*{{change|Fox sports new voice clips and is much more vocal overall. He speaks in his taunt, Smash Taunt and victory poses.}}

*{{change|Fox received a new [[taunt]]. He leans back, moves his left hand up and down and yells "Come on!" ({{ja|かかってこい!|Kakatte koi!}}, ''Come at me!'' in the Japanese version).}}

*{{buff|Fox [[walk]]s much faster (1.2 (36) → 1.6).}}

*{{buff|Fox [[dash]]es faster (2 (60) → 2.2).}}

**{{nerf|However, Fox's initial dash is significantly slower (2.7 (81) → 1.9), no longer being the highest.}}

*{{buff|Fox's [[traction]] is higher (0.0667 (2) → 0.08), making it easier for him to punish [[out of shield]].}}

*{{nerf|Fox's [[air speed]] is much slower (1.2 (36) → 0.83), going from 3rd fastest out of 12 characters to the 7th slowest out of 26.}}

**{{buff|However, his aerial approach is much greater due to the fact that dashing now transfers momentum to air speeds, combined with Fox's lower short hop, as well as with him gaining the ability to fast fall while performing an aerial.}}

*{{buff|Fox's [[air acceleration]] has been unchanged (0.08 (2.4) → 0.08). Compared with the returning veterans, however, his air acceleration is significantly higher, going from the 4th lowest out of 12 characters to the 2nd highest out of 26.}}

*{{nerf|Fox [[jump]]s drastically lower (42.5 (1275) → 31.28), hindering his vertical recovery and ability to chase opponents above him.}}

**{{change|Fox's [[short hop]] is also drastically lower (22.8 (684) → 10.65), improves his ability to hit opponents low on the ground with short hop aerials, as well as his ability to quickly land and continue aerial pressure, but also hinders his ability to [[auto-cancel]] his aerials.}}

*{{change|Fox's [[gravity]] is drastically higher (0.133 (4) → 0.23). This has the same benefits and drawbacks as his higher falling speed as well as reducing the height of his [[jump]]s.}}

*{{change|Fox [[falling speed|fall]]s significantly faster (2 (60) → 2.8), to the point where it is now almost as high as his [[fast fall]]ing speed in the previous game. His increased falling speed aids his [[approach]] and pressure ability due to his very strong [[SHFFL]], and makes him harder to KO vertically, but makes him more susceptible to combos.}}

**{{nerf|Fox's [[fast fall]]ing speed is also faster (3.2 (96) → 3.4). However, the difference between his falling speed and fast falling speed is much lower (increase: 60% → 21.4%), which makes it more predictable when landing and gives him fewer options in the air.}}

*{{nerf|Fox is catastrophically lighter (100 (1) → 75), going from being the 6th heaviest out 12 characters to 5th lightest out of 26 characters, which drastically hinders his horizontal endurance. His increased falling speed and gravity give him greater vertical endurance despite this change but they make him even more susceptible to combos.}}

*{{buff|The introduction of [[air dodge]]s has immensely benefited Fox as it gives him access to [[wavedashing]] and wavelanding and his fast jumping and falling speed allow him to make excellent use of wavedashing.}}

**{{nerf|The second hit has a shorter duration (frames 4-6 → 3-4).}}

**{{buff|Up tilt now has a sweetspot which deals more damage to grounded opponents (9% → 12%), significantly improving its KO potential despite its lower angle (80° → 110°).}}

**{{nerf|Down tilt has more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 6-9 → 7-9).}}

*{{nerf|All aerials except back aerial [[auto-cancel]] later (frame 32 → 37 (neutral), frame 24 → 49 (forward), frame 24 → 31 (down), frame 14 → 26 (up)). When combined with his lower short hop and higher gravity, Fox can no longer auto-cancel any of his aerials out of a short hop.}}

**{{buff|Neutral aerial has more overall utility due to Fox's lower jumps and higher gravity, making it a much more effective approach and pressure tool.}}

**{{change|Fox has a new forward aerial; he spin kicks rapidly at a slanted-upward angle exactly five times to his right.}}

**{{buff|It is a multi hitting attack which overall deals more damage than his old forward aerial (12% (clean)/8% (late) → 7% (hit 1)/5% (hit 2)/6% (hit 3)/4% (hit 4)/3% (hit 5)/23.28% (total)).}}

**{{nerf|Despite it now being a weaker multi hit, forward aerial has significantly less combo potential due to the universal decrease to hitstun/introduction of DI/weakening of L-cancelling.}}

**{{nerf|Each hit has a fairly short duration which along with the long gap between each hit, makes forward aerial much more awkward to land.}}

***{{nerf|As a result of these changes, forward aerial has lost almost all of the utility it had in the previous game, now being Fox's worst move by far.}}

**{{buff|Back aerial has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 38).}}

**{{buff|Up aerial's first hit deals more damage (2% → 5%), increasing its overall damage potential (15% → 16%).}}

**{{nerf|The first hit has much lower set knockback (100 → 30), which when combined with the universal decrease to hitstun and the weakening of L-cancelling has completely removed its combo ability and removes its infinite.}}

**{{buff|Down aerial's upper hitbox deals more damage (2% → 3%), which increases the move's maximum damage potential (14% → 19.38%).}}

**{{nerf|The foot hitbox has been moved closer to Fox (z offset: 3.33 → 0), decreasing its range.}}

***{{buff|However despite this, the move is no longer dangerously punishable on hit when not L-cancelled due to its much lower landing lag.}}

**{{nerf|Grabs have more startup lag (frame 6 → 7 (standing), 12 (dash)) and ending lag (FAF 16 → 31 (standing), 41 (dash)).}}

**{{nerf|Back throw launches opponents at a higher angle (45° → 56°), which further hinders its edgeguarding potential along with its drastically reduced knockback.}}

**{{nerf|Slow edge attack has decreased intangibility (frames 1-60 → 1-53).}}

**{{nerf|Slow edge attack has a shorter duration (frames 69-75 → 57-59).}}

**{{change|Like all of the other characters, Fox has a side special. In his case, it is [[Fox Illusion]]. Fox Illusion gives him an additional [[recovery]] option, and also makes his horizontal recovery considerably quicker.}}

**{{buff|Fire Fox travels further and faster, improving it's recovery potential.}}

**{{buff|Fox can now grab the ledge while charging Fire Fox. When combined with the fact that ledge intangibility is no longer cancelled when letting go of the ledge, this also allows Fox to safely stall at the ledge where he will be completely intangible if timed correctly, allowing him to stall or setup [[edgehog]]s and shine spikes.}}

***{{nerf|However this along with the universal reduction to hitstun/the introduction of DI and the introduction of wall teching has hindered Fox's shine spiking potential (although it is still an incredible edgeguarding tool and the ability to jump cancel the shine allows to be used at even lower stage positions than it could before).}}

***{{buff|This can be used to set up a Shine mine where the reflector will be active on frames 2-3 but in a random set up position on stage. This can be used as a niche edgeguarding technique.}}

==Version history==

Fox has received a bunch of nerfs in the [[PAL]] version of ''Melee'', being arguably the most nerfed character. The nerfs mainly impact his survivability. He is lighter and his recovery less effective, and his KO power is slightly weaker on some of his moves. Additionally, although this is not a direct nerf, Fox is no longer able to [[waveshine]] {{SSBM|Marth}}, due to the latter's reduced weight.

Despite this, his tournament viability is not severely affected, as he is also ranked 1st on the [[PAL tier list]] (though recently, this has become more debatable).

*{{nerf|Fox is lighter (75 → 73), which hinders his endurance.}}

**{{buff|However, this allows him to tech out of {{SSBM|Falco}}'s down throw.}}

*{{nerf|Up smash's clean hit deals less damage (18% → 17%) and knockback (30 (base), 112 (scaling) → 26/108), noticeably hindering its KO potential.}}

*{{nerf|Down smash's sweetspots deal 2% less damage (15% → 13%) and send enemies at a slightly higher angle (25° → 30°), significantly hindering its KO and egdeguarding potential.}}

|neutralname=Jab ({{ja|ジャブ|Jabu}}) / Straight ({{ja|ストレート|Sutorēto}}) / Rapid Kick ({{ja|ラピッドキック|Rapiddo Kikku}})

|neutraldesc=A quick jab that can combo into several other attacks, including an up smash. Very useful against shields, to [[jab reset]], and into shine cancels. The second jab makes Fox move forward a bit and is followed by a flurry of rapid kicks. Its combo ability into other moves makes it the best jab in the game.

|ftiltname=Fox Kick ({{ja|フォックスウィップ|Fokkusu Uippu}}, ''Fox Whip'')

|utiltname=Back Kick ({{ja|フリップキック|Furippu Kikku}}, ''Flip Kick'')

|dtiltname=Fox Sweep ({{ja|フォックステイル|Fokkusu Teiru}}, ''Fox Tail'')

|dashname=Jumping Side Kick ({{ja|ジャンプサイドキック|Janpu Saido Kikku}}, ''Jump Side Kick'')

|fsmashname=Roundhouse Kick ({{ja|レッグショット|Reggu Shotto}}, ''Leg Shot'')

|fsmashdesc=Performs a flying hook kick. Has rather low knockback (extremely low base knockback - 10) for a smash attack, though it is fast, and is actually quite reliable at higher percentages (very high knockback scaling - 105), KOing usually at around 120%.

|usmashname=Flip Kick ({{ja|サマーソルトキック|Samāsoruto Kikku}}, ''Somersault Kick'')

|usmashdesc=Performs a bicycle kick. This move is very fast, and when used on the ground while facing the foe, it has very high vertical knockback. It is very reliable at mid-high damages. Shine into up smash is very useful for KOs. Considered one of the best up smashes in the game due to its extreme speed, extreme power, decent range, and ability to be easily set up into it. It is the second most powerful up smash in the game, behind {{SSBM|Pikachu}}'s. Fox's head is intangible during the early part of the animation.

|dsmashname=Fox Split ({{ja|グラウンドキック|Guraundo Kikku}}, ''Ground Kick'')

|nairname=Flying Kick ({{ja|フォックスキック|Fokkusu Kikku}}, ''Fox Kick'')

|nairdesc=Sticks his foot out, a simple [[sex kick]]. A very quick aerial, good against shields and great power when it first comes out. One of the best neutral airs in the game due to its combo ability and reliable setups into shine.

|fairname=Tornado Kick ({{ja|トルネードシャフト|Torunēdo Shafuto}}, ''Tornado Shaft'')

|bairname=Reverse Spin Kick ({{ja|リバーススピンキック|Ribāsu Supin Kikku}})

|bairdmg=15% (clean right leg), 9% (clean left leg, late)

|bairdesc=Does a quick no-look kick backwards while recovering in a turn, with sex kick properties. Great knockback on early hit, and one of Fox's best edgeguarding and KO moves.

|uairname=McCloud Flip ({{ja|テイル＆レッグ|Teiru ando Reggu}}, ''Tail & Leg'')

|uairdesc=Whips his tail up and kicks immediately after. A very high knockback move, good vertical finisher, can combo out of an up throw on virtually everyone. It and his up smash give Fox an advantage against light, floaty characters, notably {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}} and {{SSBM|Kirby}}. Can be Smash DI'd out of however. Considered to be one of the best up airs in the game due to it's juggling prowess, speed, power, and ability to be comboed into.

|dairname=Air Drill ({{ja|エアドリル|Ea Doriru}})

|dairdesc=Spins around, drilling downwards with his extended foot. Useful as a [[SHFFL]]'d approach option, with combo potential into moves like up tilt, up smash, and shine. It is the weakest [[spike]] in the game, with weak set knockback.

|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})

|pummelname=Knee ({{ja|つかみニーバット|Tsukami Nībatto}}, ''Grab Kneebutt'')

|fthrowname=Elbow Bash ({{ja|スマッシュエルボー|Sumasshu Erubō}}, ''Smash Elbow'')

|bthrowname=Skeet Blaster ({{ja|クローズレンジブラスターＨ|Kurōzu Renji Burasutā Ecchi}}, ''Close Range Blaster H'')

|uthrowname=Star Blaster ({{ja|クローズレンジブラスターＶ|Kurōzu Renji Burasutā Vī}}, ''Close Range Blaster V'')

|uthrowdesc=Throws the opponent into the air and shoots them with his Blaster. It can chain-grab fast fallers at lower percentages and combo into moves such as up tilt, up aerial, and up smash. Often considered the best up throw in the game due to its easy kill setups (notably up throw to up air), its chaingrab ability, and its juggle potential (up air juggles after up throw).

|dthrowname=Floor Blaster ({{ja|クローズレンジブラスターダウン|Kurōzu Renji Burasutā Daun}}, ''Close Range Blaster Down'')

|dthrowdesc=Throws the opponent into the ground and shoots them with his Blaster. Has [[meteor smash]] properties, and if performed at the edge of a stage or platform, can send the opponent plummeting down. This is useful as a mixup at high percents or as a tech chase into a KO move. However, this also allows it to be meteor cancelled or teched, and faces competition with up throw, which has true combo followups on the majority of the cast.

|usdesc=Fox charges up in flames and blasts off in a direction, which can be controlled with the [[control stick]]. Unreliable as an attack due to the charge time, but can damage opponents during this. Less predictable than Illusion given its ability to change angles, but still a linear move. Techniques such as changing the angle and sweetspotting can keep Fox's opponent guessing. Has next to no landing lag, making it hard to punish on landing. Its distance was nerfed in the PAL version of Melee.

|dsdesc=Informally referred to as the Shine, it reflects any projectiles that hit it back at the opponent who fired them for 1.5x damage and knockback. This move has low base knockback, but is an extremely useful [[semi-spike]] as it can push opponents offstage while [[edgeguarding]], to prevent them from recovering. Due to the set knockback, it has guaranteed followups on much of the cast at any percentage. The move can be jump cancelled to avoid the ending lag, allowing Fox to quickly jump up off stage, and it also gives him access to the [[waveshine]] technique. Reflector is invincible and active on the first frame of the animation. Arguably the best down special in the game (along with Falco's), if not, one of the best moves overall.

!{{{name|}}}

|-

! scope="row"|Cheer

|[[File:Fox Cheer International SSBM.ogg|center]]||[[File:Fox Cheer Japanese SSBM.ogg|center]]

|-

! scope="row"|Description

|Gooooooo - Fox! || Fox! *claps 3 times*

|}

===Most historically significant players===

{{cleanup|The write-ups for players need to be rewritten to better explain how they are historically significant.}}

<!--This character has a twenty player limit for this section. Before adding and/or removing a player, read these guidelines: https://www.ssbwiki.com/SmashWiki:Notability#%22Most_historically_significant_players%22_guidelines -->

:''See also: [[:Category:Fox players (SSBM)]]''

*{{Sm|Aklo|USA}} - One of the best Fox players in the post-[[Netplay]] era, and one of the best players who first broke out during that metagame. He was ranked 10th on the [[SSBMRank 2023]], in addition to placing 2nd at {{Trn|Wavelength 2024}}, {{Trn|Luminosity Makes Moves Miami 2024}}, and {{Trn|Don't Park on the Grass 2024}}.

*{{Sm|Armada|Sweden}} - One of the [[Five Gods]]. He initially developed Fox as a counterpick to the {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}} matchup (instead of his usual {{SSBM|Peach}}), but his Fox eventually saw use against a variety of matchups and players. His Fox is often described as a perfect balance of aggressive and passive play, and he is the namesake of the "Armada Shine," a perfectly timed [[shine spike]] against an opposing Fox while charging their {{Mvsub|Fox|SSBM|up special}}.

*{{Sm|Chillin|USA}} - Widely credited as the inventor of the Fox metagame during ''Melee''{{'}}s early lifetime, Chillin was known for pioneering many of Fox's essential techniques, such as [[waveshine]] combos and falling {{Mvsub|Fox|SSBM|up aerial}}s, as well as taking sets off of {{Sm|Ken}}, the best player in the world at the time.

*{{Sm|Cody Schwab|USA}} - The best Fox player in the world in the post-[[Netplay]] era as well as one of the best players in the world during this time, notably ranking first in [[SSBMRank 2023|2023]]. He is known for his impressive utilization of Fox's recovery options, as well as his prowess in the {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}} and {{SSBM|Marth}} matchups.

*{{Sm|Colbol|USA}} - One of the best Fox players in the world, known for placing 10th on the [[SSBMRank 2014]], and his 5th place finish at {{Trn|Apex 2014}}, which was one of the strongest placings for a solo Fox main at the time.

*{{Sm|Druggedfox|USA}} - Known for his heavy reaction and punished based playstyle. Among his significant results include 13th place at {{Trn|EVO 2016}}, 17th at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2016}}, 9th at {{Trn|UGC Smash Open}}.

*{{Sm|Fiction|USA}} - Best solo Fox main in SoCal before switching to {{SSBM|Falco}} in 2021.

*{{Sm|Hax$|USA}} - Originally a Captain Falcon main until his switch to Fox in 2014, achieving 8th on the [[SSBMRank 2014]] with only Fox. Widely renown for his extremely technical Fox playstyle, frequently using the notoriously difficult [[multishine]]s in competitive matches, as well as inventing the Haxdash technique.

*{{Sm|Ice|Germany}} - While active, was known as one of the best players in Europe behind Armada and {{Sm|Leffen}}, and had numerous top eight finishes in North American tournaments, including 3rd at {{Trn|The Big House 6}}.

*{{Sm|Jman|USA}} - Jman was known for peaking at just below the skill of the [[Five Gods]] during his prime from 2009 to 2011, having taken sets off of Mang0, Mew2King, and {{Sm|PPMD}}, and was the strongest solo Fox main since Chillin. Inventor of the Jman Shine.

*{{Sm|Leffen|Sweden}} - Widely regarded as one of the greatest Fox players of all time, and following his rise to dominance in 2015, became the first solo Fox main ever to become a consistent tournament threat. His 3rd place on the [[SSBMRank 2015]] was the highest ever finish for a solo Fox main on a global rankings. Known for his strong neutral game, consistent execution of [[ledgedash]]es and other advanced techniques, and his prowess in the {{SSBM|Peach}} matchup, especially vs. Armada.

*{{Sm|Lucky|USA}} - One of the best solo Fox mains in SoCal, known for his extensive consistent placements and longevity throughout the 2010s, with victories over Hungrybox, Mang0, Mew2King, and PPMD.

*{{Sm|Mang0|USA}} - One of the Five Gods, known for switching from Jigglypuff to Fox along with a Falco co-main. Mang0 is known for his free-flowing combo game and heavily read-based playstyle. His victories at {{Trn|EVO 2013}} and {{Trn|EVO 2014}} (using primarily Fox) are regarded as two of the most significant supermajor wins for Fox in the game's history.  

*{{Sm|Mew2King|USA}} - One of the Five Gods. While more known for his {{SSBM|Marth}} and {{SSBM|Sheik}}, Mew2King achieved consistent top eight placings in majors throughout 2006 with solo Fox, and continued to use the character as strong secondary in certain matchups, particularly against {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}}.

*{{Sm|moky|Canada}} - One of the best Fox players in the post-Netplay era and is also Canada's best player during this time, peaking at 4th on the [[SSBMRank 2023]]. He is renowned for his exceptional tech-chasing skills and his abilities to use Fox's more niche moves as combo extensions or flashy finishes. He is often considered one of the best ''Melee'' players who have yet to win a major up until {{Trn|Don't Park on the Grass 2024}}, which marked the first ''Melee'' supermajor to be won by a Canadian player.

*{{Sm|PC Chris|USA}} - One of the best ''Melee'' players in the pre-''Brawl'' era, with multiple first place finishes during his prime, most notably at {{Trn|MLG Las Vegas 2006}}. Dual mained {{SSBM|Falco}} and Fox.

*{{Sm|Plup|USA}} - Co-mains with Sheik. Usually uses Fox against Jigglypuff, but sometimes has solo Fox showings, mostly at smaller tournaments.

*{{Sm|SFAT|USA}} - Best Fox main in NorCal and one of the top Fox players in the world, known for consistently placing top ten in global rankings throughout the 2010s.

*{{Sm|Silent Wolf|USA}} - Formerly the [[Pacific Northwest]]'s best player before retiring, known for his highly technical playstyle and proficiency in the {{SSBM|Peach}} matchup.

Fox has been a top-tiered character, along with {{SSBM|Falco}} and {{SSBM|Sheik}}, since the very first ''Melee'' tier list, and has never fallen below third place. However, he was not at the top of the list for the first seven revisions, as Sheik was then considered to be the best character in the game. Many of the top players in the early metagame, including {{Sm|Ken}} and {{Sm|Azen}}, used Fox only as a secondary for specific matchups; solo Fox mains such as {{Sm|Chillin}}, on the other hand, were not as successful nationally. Eventually, more dedicated Fox mains, such as {{Sm|PC Chris}}, {{Sm|FASTLIKETREE}}, {{Sm|KoreanDJ}}, and {{Sm|Mew2King}}, began to revitalize his metagame by pushing Fox's technical ceiling. They began placing within the top 8 of [[Major League Gaming|MLG]]-sponsored tournaments, and their consistency and dominance in the scene resulted in Sheik's dethroning from first to third place on the eighth revision of the tier list in July of 2006, with Fox taking the top spot. Later that year, PC Chris and KoreanDJ placed 1st and 2nd, respectively, at the [[MLG Las Vegas 2006|MLG Las Vegas]] national championships, using Fox primarily in Grand Finals, which cemented his position on the list.

During the ''Brawl'' era, however, some smashers began to dispute Fox's standing on the tier list. They argued that Fox was only the best character theoretically, and that other characters had become much more consistent than him over these years of play. Many of Fox's best players had retired, with the exception of Mew2King, who began using other characters more often. There were certainly still many solo Fox mains in the top cut of ''Melee'' players, but without the strongest players of the MLG era spearheading further Fox development, few of them could actually win supermajor-level events. Players began developing rigorous counterplay to Fox, such as [[SDI]]-ing out of his up throw to up aerial combo, making it extremely difficult for newer players to find tournament success with him. Of the "[[The Five Gods|Five Gods]]" who rose to prominence in the era, only the aforementioned Mew2King and {{Sm|Mango}} used Fox during this time; the latter did not even start as a Fox main, making his name with {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}} and Falco.

Without updates to the tier list for years after 2010, Fox seemingly remained at the top; however, Mango's dominance with Falco, as well as many top 10-level Falco mains emerging such as {{Sm|Zhu}} and fellow "God" {{Sm|PPMD}}, made many believe that Falco would become the superior character. Although solo Fox mains showed glimpses of brilliance, such as {{Sm|Jman}}'s top 3 finish at [[Apex 2009]], none of them could match the overall consistency of the Five Gods until Mango himself picked Fox up in 2011. Once Mango began succeeding with solo Fox in 2013, however, opinions on Fox began to change once again; after Mango's victories at [[Kings of Cali 2]], [[Zenith 2013]], [[IMPULSE 2013]], and [[EVO 2013]] with nearly only Fox, the [[Smash Back Room]] panelists voted Fox as 1st on the eleventh tier list, albeit by a small margin (an average rank of 1.39 to Falco's 1.68) due to lingering opinions about Falco from years past. These notions would soon completely fade as metagame trends resulted in more Fox usage at the top level than had ever been seen before. He became the most common character in doubles matches by far, and the most common character in singles matches as well.

The meteoric rise of {{Sm|Leffen}} in 2014 and 2015 as a solo Fox main, along with Mango's continued dominance, solidified many players' opinions about Fox's place at the top of the metagame. Many players who mained a lower-ranked character, most notably {{Sm|Hax}}, even abandoned their former character in favor of using only Fox, and other players, such as {{Sm|Armada}}, picked up Fox as a co-main to alleviate trouble against certain opponents. This heavily increased presence led panelists to rank Fox as decisively 1st on the tier list, which caused him to be placed in his own tier at the top of the most recent tier list (much akin to {{SSB|Pikachu}} in the previous iterations of the ''64'' tier list or {{SSBB|Meta Knight}} in ''Brawl''). However, his tier placement was met with some backlash; community members argued that designating Fox as "SS-tier" implied that he was overwhelmingly superior to the rest of the cast, when the true power gap between the top 3 characters was not actually that large, and that Fox was merely the most common and clear #1 out of them.

 

Starting in 2017, the rise of {{Sm|Hungrybox}} and {{Sm|Zain}} as contenders for #1 in the world caused some in the ''Melee'' community to re-evaluate Fox's status as the undisputed best in the game. Zain's dominance over Fox professionals with his Marth, in particular, called into serious question the pre-existing notion that Fox had no losing matchups. As the technical requirement of the game at a competitive level continued to grow, many players viewed the stamina aspect of playing over a long tournament as growing in importance, citing that Fox players tend to burn out in later stages due to having to play a technically demanding character across many sets, and that such external factors should be taken into consideration on a tier list.

 

However, Fox players have continued to redevelop their character equally as hard in response; starting in 2022, top Fox mains such as {{Sm|Mang0}} and {{Sm|Cody Schwab}} began consistently defeating Zain and Hungrybox in tournament once more, with Cody being the highest ranked solo Fox main on the [[2022 SSBMRank]]. Today, most community members view Fox as the best character in the game, clearly ahead of Marth, Jigglypuff, and Falco, as he has overall the strongest matchup spread against the other top tiers.

==In 1-P Mode==

===[[Congratulations_screen#Super_Smash_Bros._Melee|Congratulations Screens]]===

FoxAllStarMode.jpg|All-Star Mode

==[[Trophies]]==

In addition to the normal trophy about Fox as a character unlocked by completing {{SSBM|Classic Mode}} as Fox on any difficulty, there are two trophies about him as a fighter, unlocked by completing {{SSBM|Adventure Mode}} and [[All-Star Mode]] respectively as Fox on any difficulty. Each of the trophies can also be unlocked by playing 100, 200, and 300 versus matches respectively as Fox:

|name=Fox McCloud

|image=Fox Trophy Melee.png

|desc=Fox McCloud is the leader of a band of adventurers-for-hire known as Star Fox. Fox and his fellow pilots Peppy, Slippy, and Falco patrol the Lylat system in their mother ship, the Great Fox. From the cockpit of his Arwing, Fox leads the ceaseless pursuit of the evil scientist Andross, who doomed Fox's father.

|gamelist-ntsc={{Trophy games|game1={{iw|lylatwiki|Star Fox|game}}|release1=3/93}}

|name=Fox McCloud

|image=Fox Trophy (Smash).png

|desc=Fox is among the quickest and nimblest of the Smash Bros. characters. His speed is offset by low firepower, however, and he's better at one-on-one fights than melees with multiple foes. His Blaster is unique: it does damage, but it doesn't make enemies flinch. His Fox Illusion is best used as a surprise attack.

|gamelist=:B: Blaster

:Smash B: Fox Illusion

{{Trophy/Fighter

|name=Fox McCloud

|image=Fox Trophy (Smash 2).png

|mode=All Star

|desc=Fox falls quickly, so he's a tough target to strike from below; however, this advantage can work against him when he goes flying sideways. You can use the Control Stick to set the direction of the Fire Fox technique while it's charging up. On a side note, Fox is also much lighter than he was in the N64 Super Smash Bros. game.

|gamelist=:Up & B: Fire Fox

PeachClassicMode.jpg|[[Teeter]]ing on a [[ledge]] on {{SSBM|Kongo Jungle}}.

FalcoAdventureMode.jpg|Posing with Falco on Pokémon Stadium.

MarioAllStarMode.jpg|Knocked back by {{SSBM|Mario}}'s [[neutral aerial]] on Fountain of Dreams.

DonkeyKongAllStarMode.jpg|Using Blaster on {{SSBM|Donkey Kong}} on Corneria.

*In ''Melee'', Fox uses his tail as a support while firing his Blaster, but not in later games.

*Fox in ''Melee'' and {{SSBB|Meta Knight}} in ''Brawl'' are the only characters to have ever been in the SS tier.

**Fox in ''Melee'' is currently the only veteran to be ranked at the very top of the tier list ({{SSB4|Sheik}} in ''Smash 4'' was ranked #1 in early tier lists, but has since moved down to 4th).