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Little Mac offers a simple yet polarized fighting style, performing well on the ground, but poorly in the air. His name is somewhat of a misnomer in regard to his size: while Mac is rather small in relation to the majority of realistically proportioned characters, he is of average size among the entire cast. This can make him somewhat difficult to hit, but also means that most of his moves have short [[range]], which makes [[spacing]] crucial for avoiding [[punish]]ment. | Little Mac offers a simple yet polarized fighting style, performing well on the ground, but poorly in the air. His name is somewhat of a misnomer in regard to his size: while Mac is rather small in relation to the majority of realistically proportioned characters, he is of average size among the entire cast. This can make him somewhat difficult to hit, but also means that most of his moves have short [[range]], which makes [[spacing]] crucial for avoiding [[punish]]ment. | ||
Little Mac is a [[weight|lightweight]] with the 8th fastest [[walking]] speed, the 3rd fastest [[dashing]] speed, and above-average [[traction]], granting him effective [[out of shield]] options. He also has the 2nd fastest initial dash, which has a long duration of 15 frames, giving him a long pivot and an excellent [[dash dance]] that is surpassed only by {{SSBU|Zero Suit Samus}}'. His [[sidestep]] and [[roll]]s are tied with Fox, Sheik and Zero Suit Samus' for the fastest in the game, with the latter also being long-distanced, making it easy for Little Mac to punish grounded attacks and giving him excellent defensive options. He also has below-average [[gravity]] and fast [[falling speed]] (tied with King Dedede for the 2nd fastest), which collectively give him good vertical endurance in spite of his lightweight. Aside from his great [[air speed]] (tied with Mario, Donkey Kong, Sonic and Inkling's for the 12th fastest) and his [[wall jump]], which is the 4th highest, the rest of Little Mac's aerial attributes are notoriously poor: his [[jump]] is tied with {{SSBU|Ryu}} and {{SSBU|Ken}}'s for the 5th lowest, his [[double jump]] is the 3rd lowest, his [[air acceleration]] is tied with Ganondorf for the 6th lowest, and his directional [[air dodge]] travels the least amount of distance. These attributes effectively force Mac to stay on the ground as often as possible, but in terms of mobility, he is among the fastest characters in the game. | Little Mac is a [[weight|lightweight]] with the 8th fastest [[walking]] speed, the 3rd fastest [[dashing]] speed, and above-average [[traction]], granting him effective [[out of shield]] options. He also has the 2nd fastest initial dash, which has a long duration of 15 frames, giving him a long pivot and an excellent [[dash dance]] that is surpassed only by {{SSBU|Zero Suit Samus}}'. His [[sidestep]] and [[roll]]s are tied with Fox, Sheik and Zero Suit Samus' for the fastest in the game, with the latter also being long-distanced, making it easy for Little Mac to punish grounded attacks and giving him excellent defensive options. He also has below-average [[gravity]] and fast [[falling speed]] (tied with King Dedede for the 2nd fastest), which collectively give him good vertical endurance in spite of his lightweight. Aside from his great [[air speed]] (tied with Mario, Donkey Kong, Sonic and Inkling's for the 12th fastest) and his [[wall jump]], which is the 4th highest, the rest of Little Mac's aerial attributes are notoriously poor: his [[jump]] is tied with {{SSBU|Ryu}} and {{SSBU|Ken}}'s for the 5th lowest, his [[double jump]] is the 3rd lowest, his [[air acceleration]] is tied with {{SSBU|Ganondorf}} for the 6th lowest, and his directional [[air dodge]] travels the least amount of distance. These attributes effectively force Mac to stay on the ground as often as possible, but in terms of mobility, he is among the fastest characters in the game. | ||
Little Mac's greatest strength is his potent ground game. None of his grounded moves have more than 15 frames of start-up, whereas only his up smash has more than 30 frames of ending lag. Only five non-special moves (forward smash, back air, up smash, down smash and forward air) become active after frame 9, and only the former two after frame 10. His neutral attack, in particular, is tied with | Little Mac's greatest strength is his potent ground game. None of his grounded moves have more than 15 frames of start-up, whereas only his up smash has more than 30 frames of ending lag. Only five non-special moves (forward smash, back air, up smash, down smash and forward air) become active after frame 9, and only the former two after frame 10. His neutral attack, in particular, is tied with |Zero Suit Samus' for the fastest in the game, activating on frame 1 and its minimal ending lag and angles allow it to not only jab lock but also make it the only attack in ''Ultimate'' that is capable of jab canceling reliably. Despite his somewhat light weight, Little Mac boasts superb KO potential: his forward tilt, dash attack and smash attacks boast high damage outputs and knockback scaling, yet are also fairly fast. Forward smash can be angled, with the downward variant dealing immense shield damage and the upward variant being one of Mac's most effective vertical KO options on the ground. Up smash's coverage allows it to serve as an effective anti-air, and its sweet spot also deals a lot of shield damage. Finally, down smash is a [[semi-spike]] with a fairly long range, allowing it to [[tech chase]] as well as [[edge-guard]] easily against careless or vulnerable recoveries. Besides their speed and strength, Little Mac's grounded moves are also difficult to interrupt, which combined with his high dashing speed gives him an excellent punish game. His tilt attacks boast [[Priority#Moves that cannot rebound|anti-rebounding priority]]; this prevents them from clanking with opposing ground attacks provided they're within priority range, allowing Mac to punish opponents very quickly due to his own attacks' high speed. While his smash attacks have normal priority, they instead boast [[super armor]] during their use. This offers Mac a unique way of punishing attacks by tanking the hit while immediately retaliating - meaning devastating attacks such as Mr. Game and Watch’s Judge 9, Falcon Punch, Warlock Punch, can all be punished. These traits make him arguably the most difficult opponent to directly challenge on the ground for every other character in the roster, including himself. | ||
Little Mac's special moves also have fairly respectable utility. [[Straight Lunge]] gains distance and power as it charges, deals heavy damage, and boasts light damage-based armor while charging, allowing him to withstand weak attacks before retaliating immediately afterward. As such, it is an effective tool against most [[ | Little Mac's special moves also have fairly respectable utility. [[Straight Lunge]] gains distance and power as it charges, deals heavy damage, and boasts light damage-based armor while charging, allowing him to withstand weak attacks before retaliating immediately afterward. As such, it is an effective tool against most [[Neutral attack#Rapid_jabs|rapid jabs]] and multihit moves even while uncharged. The move can also be canceled by shielding, giving it utility for escaping certain combo moves such as [[Witch Twist]], and it can be turned around when released, offering decent mix-up potential and a way to get out of combos. However, Straight Lunge's considerable ending lag limits its offensive utility as it can be easily intercepted or punished, while it's defensive utility depends on the character and the attack. This makes it great defensively against characters with low damage output or with reliance on multihits, such as Sheik or Meta Knight, but it won't help against opponents with high damage output or on single-hit aerials. [[Jolt Haymaker]] propels Mac forward with a leaping punch that travels a fair distance, can be unleashed on command, grants brief [[intangibility]] during start-up, and does not lose power when used in mid-air. This makes it useful for tech-chasing, repositioning, and escaping or punishing laggy moves or projectiles, and making it Mac's only useful KO option while in the air and off-stage. It also does not leave him helpless, making it a much less dangerous recovery move when compared to Little Mac's ''Smash 4'' iteration. [[Rising Uppercut]] grants brief intangibility on start-up and travels fairly high when used on the ground. This makes the move an effective combo breaker; combined with the last hit's high knockback scaling, it has a very fast startup and the fact that it doesn't lose power in the air, is also quite potent out of shield and for scoring aerial KOs. [[Slip Counter]] is an extremely fast [[counterattack]], making it useful for escaping pressure, especially aerial combos. It's also one of the few counters that slide forward before attacking, allowing Little Mac to get close to his opponent or even recover horizontally in response to an edgeguard attempt. | ||
Lastly, Little Mac has a [[fighter ability|unique mechanic]] in the [[Power Meter]]. Shown over the [[damage meter]], the Power Meter charges by dealing 333% or receiving 100%. When fully charged, Straight Lunge is replaced by the [[Straight Lunge#KO Uppercut|KO Uppercut]], which can KO any character before 40%. KO Uppercut is also [[unblockable]] (barring [[Witch Time]]), boasts fast startup, and leaps slightly into the air (allowing it to catch opponents on low platforms such as | Lastly, Little Mac has a [[fighter ability|unique mechanic]] in the [[Power Meter]]. Shown over the [[damage meter]], the Power Meter charges by dealing 333% or receiving 100%. When fully charged, Straight Lunge is replaced by the [[Straight Lunge#KO Uppercut|KO Uppercut]], which can KO any character before 40%. KO Uppercut is also [[unblockable]] (barring [[Witch Time]]), boasts fast startup, and leaps slightly into the air (allowing it to catch opponents on low platforms such as {{SSBU|Battlefield}}'s); combined with its immense power, this can quickly turn the tide of a match or further secure a lead if used successfully. However, Mac loses the KO Uppercut if [[tumbling|tumbled]] after a 4 second grace period (not including [[footstool jump]]ing), forcing him to use the move quickly. KO Uppercut also has considerable end lag regardless of whether it hits or not, and its short leap can cause Mac to fall off the stage if used while next to an edge. As a result, it is unarguably one of the riskiest, yet most rewarding attacks in the entire series. | ||
Despite his incredible strengths, Little Mac is held back by a slew of exploitable weaknesses, with the most notorious being his deliberately ineffective air game. His air attacks have some perks; neutral aerial is the fastest aerial attack in the game, making it a decent combo breaker, and it can combo into itself; forward and back aerials are semi-spikes, with the former being decent for combos or edgeguarding; up aerial is a fast anti-air, and down aerial is an extremely fast [[meteor smash]]. However, his aerials all have short range, poor damage output, and awful KO potential. While his neutral and down aerials can [[auto-cancel]] from a short hop, his forward, back, and up aerials cannot. This leaves Mac incredibly vulnerable in the air, as he has no means of properly defending himself beyond point-blank range without exhausting any of his special moves. The low power of his aerials also makes them ineffective for flinching opponents, and Mac's only aerial KO options are indeed his special moves, which are highly likely to result in [[sacrificial KO]]s if misused off-stage. This also means that Mac is more severely affected by [[stale-move negation]] than most other characters, as he is effectively limited to using little more than half of his moveset in most situations, although his variety of powerful finishers can compensate it to a degree. Mac's weak air mobility and high | Despite his incredible strengths, Little Mac is held back by a slew of exploitable weaknesses, with the most notorious being his deliberately ineffective air game. His air attacks have some perks; neutral aerial is the fastest aerial attack in the game, making it a decent combo breaker, and it can combo into itself; forward and back aerials are semi-spikes, with the former being decent for combos or edgeguarding; up aerial is a fast anti-air, and down aerial is an extremely fast [[meteor smash]]. However, his aerials all have short range, poor damage output, and awful KO potential. While his neutral and down aerials can [[auto-cancel]] from a short hop, his forward, back, and up aerials cannot. This leaves Mac incredibly vulnerable in the air, as he has no means of properly defending himself beyond point-blank range without exhausting any of his special moves. The low power of his aerials also makes them ineffective for flinching opponents, and Mac's only aerial KO options are indeed his special moves, which are highly likely to result in [[sacrificial KO]]s if misused off-stage. This also means that Mac is more severely affected by [[stale-move negation]] than most other characters, as he is effectively limited to using little more than half of his moveset in most situations, although his variety of powerful finishers can compensate it to a degree. Mac's weak air mobility and high falling speed make him incredibly susceptible to [[gimp]]s from [[meteor smash]]es, semi-spikes, and even footstool jumps, especially if he doesn't have his double jump. Compounding this, his directional air dodge has the least distance, and his air dodge's ending lag is only average relative to the cast due to the universal changes to air dodges since now the ending lag depends on the character's falling speed and gravity. Thus, it is not only a situational option while in a disadvantaged state, but also poor as a normal recovery move. Mac can grab the ledge by using a directional air dodge if he is close enough, however, allowing him to cover the remaining distance to the ledge, making it very useful if combined with his double jump and special moves. | ||
His special moves are also considerably less effective while in the air. [[Straight Lunge]] loses much of its power when used in midair, and its long charge time makes it impractical for recovery. Aerial KO Uppercut is also significantly weaker and blockable, although it still has KO potential. While Jolt Haymaker and Rising Uppercut are Little Mac's most effective aerial KO options, they are very poor for recovery, offering poor travel distance, small [[edge sweet spot]]s, and minimal intangibility. Jolt Haymaker does not cause [[helplessness]], allowing Mac to follow up with a wall jump, directional air dodge or Rising Uppercut; however, it travels a mediocre distance and can only be used once before landing or grabbing the [[edge]], leaving Mac one of the most vulnerable characters to edgeguarding as he is unable to use it again if he gets hit. Rising Uppercut loses roughly half its travel distance when used in midair, and while aerial Slip Counter can be a good response to an edgeguard attempt, it loses its intangibility, can be predicted, and its end lag if unsuccessful is likely to result in Mac self-destructing or getting | His special moves are also considerably less effective while in the air. [[Straight Lunge]] loses much of its power when used in midair, and its long charge time makes it impractical for recovery. Aerial KO Uppercut is also significantly weaker and blockable, although it still has KO potential. While Jolt Haymaker and Rising Uppercut are Little Mac's most effective aerial KO options, they are very poor for recovery, offering poor travel distance, small [[edge sweet spot]]s, and minimal intangibility. Jolt Haymaker does not cause [[helplessness]], allowing Mac to follow up with a wall jump, directional air dodge or Rising Uppercut; however, it travels a mediocre distance and can only be used once before landing or grabbing the [[edge]], leaving Mac one of the most vulnerable characters to edgeguarding as he is unable to use it again if he gets hit. Rising Uppercut loses roughly half its travel distance when used in midair, and while aerial Slip Counter can be a good response to an edgeguard attempt, it loses its intangibility, can be predicted, and its end lag if unsuccessful is likely to result in Mac self-destructing or getting gimped by the opponent if used at a low enough altitude. These traits result in Little Mac having more difficulty with recovering than most other characters, meaning his recovery is commonly cited as one of, if not the worst overall. While his below-average gravity and high falling speed grant solid vertical endurance for a lightweight, they also make him very vulnerable to combos and juggling. Additionally, the super armor granted by Mac's smash attacks still causes him to take full damage and must be timed carefully to avoid being punished. These traits make Mac extremely prone to momentum shifts; his lacking air game and overall frailty allows opponents to easily combo or even [[zero-to-death]] him after one mistake, even if Mac was otherwise dominating the match. | ||
Because of these issues, his [[neutral game]], while decent, is predictable, and while he has a good approach due to his excellent mobility, Mac relies more heavily than most other characters on his shield and dodges for avoiding damage and general positioning, both of which can be predicted and easily punished if overused. His short range can be problematic against characters with long or [[Hitbox#Overview|disjointed]] attacks. He also has trouble dealing with [[camping]]; while his super armor and special moves provide options for dealing with projectiles, he is still forced to approach as he lacks projectiles of his own. His short jumps and weak aerial attacks also leave Mac especially vulnerable to platform camping, arguably more so than any other character in the game. While Little Mac has a strong ground game, it has some flaws of its own. Besides his downward angled forward smash and sweetspotted up smash, none of Mac's other moves deal extra [[shield damage]] and also lack shield stun, making his jab, up tilt, and dash attack especially unsafe against opponents who shield frequently, due to their short [[freeze frames]] despite not having a lot of end lag. Compounding this is Little Mac's mediocre grab game; Mac's pummel is among the fastest, but his grabs, while having average range, have moderate startup lag and noticeable ending lag, and the ending lag and collateral hitboxes for his throws limit their ability to KO or start combos. However, they still have some uses: his down throw can combo into Rising Uppercut, but has some ending lag and it's susceptible to DI; his back throw has decent power and can KO at around 130%, but its collateral hitbox weakens it; up throw can combo into Jolt Haymaker at low to mid percents, and forward throw can tech chase at the same percentages. While Mac is very effective at | Because of these issues, his [[neutral game]], while decent, is predictable, and while he has a good approach due to his excellent mobility, Mac relies more heavily than most other characters on his shield and dodges for avoiding damage and general positioning, both of which can be predicted and easily punished if overused. His short range can be problematic against characters with long or [[Hitbox#Overview|disjointed]] attacks. He also has trouble dealing with [[camping]]; while his super armor and special moves provide options for dealing with projectiles, he is still forced to approach as he lacks projectiles of his own. His short jumps and weak aerial attacks also leave Mac especially vulnerable to platform camping, arguably more so than any other character in the game. While Little Mac has a strong ground game, it has some flaws of its own. Besides his downward angled forward smash and sweetspotted up smash, none of Mac's other moves deal extra [[shield damage]] and also lack shield stun, making his jab, up tilt, and dash attack especially unsafe against opponents who shield frequently, due to their short [[freeze frames]] despite not having a lot of end lag. Compounding this is Little Mac's mediocre grab game; Mac's pummel is among the fastest, but his grabs, while having average range, have moderate startup lag and noticeable ending lag, and the ending lag and collateral hitboxes for his throws limit their ability to KO or start combos. However, they still have some uses: his down throw can combo into Rising Uppercut, but has some ending lag and it's susceptible to DI; his back throw has decent power and can KO at around 130%, but its collateral hitbox weakens it; up throw can combo into Jolt Haymaker at low to mid percents, and forward throw can tech chase at the same percentages. While Mac is very effective at tech chasing due to his high ground speed, forward throw and wide, semi-spiking down smash, his combo potential is otherwise underwhelming, which combined with his linear neutral can sometimes make it difficult to safely rack up damage despite his attacks' high damage output. As a whole, Little Mac's poor combo game and lack of true KO confirms require him to win neutral exchanges more often in order to succeed, especially when trying to close out a stock since his most reliable KO options cannot be comboed into effectively at higher percentages outside of Jolt Haymaker or Rising Uppercut. His player also must be careful and know when to attack and play defensively, or else Little Mac could lose the neutral game. | ||
Overall, Little Mac's playstyle is akin to a real boxer, with a defensive bait and punish style: keeping constant control of the middle of the stage, capitalizing on the opponent's mistakes, staying on the ground as much as possible, and utilizing his excellent ground mobility to his advantage, similarly to his fighting style in ''Punch-Out!!''. He can be difficult to utilize effectively despite his straightforward fighting style, and players must learn to utilize Little Mac's long rolls, fast air and fall speed, and super armor on smash attacks to approach projectile based opponents. Because of his glaring weaknesses, players must reach a higher level of play than normal in order to use Little Mac effectively. However, players should not underestimate Little Mac either, as his incredibly fast frame data, massive KO power, and dash speed means that Little Mac can quickly rack up damage, leading to early KO's on even heavyweight characters, which is further shown when using his KO punch. | Overall, Little Mac's playstyle is akin to a real boxer, with a defensive bait and punish style: keeping constant control of the middle of the stage, capitalizing on the opponent's mistakes, staying on the ground as much as possible, and utilizing his excellent ground mobility to his advantage, similarly to his fighting style in ''Punch-Out!!''. He can be difficult to utilize effectively despite his straightforward fighting style, and players must learn to utilize Little Mac's long rolls, fast air and fall speed, and super armor on smash attacks to approach projectile based opponents. Because of his glaring weaknesses, players must reach a higher level of play than normal in order to use Little Mac effectively. However, players should not underestimate Little Mac either, as his incredibly fast frame data, massive KO power, and dash speed means that Little Mac can quickly rack up damage, leading to early KO's on even heavyweight characters, which is further shown when using his KO punch. | ||
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Despite being a lower mid-tier character in ''Smash 4'', Little Mac has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition to ''Ultimate''. While he has received good improvements both directly and from game engine changes, he also received heavy nerfs to his damage and combo potential. As a result, he is considered to be nerfed overall, and he also is mostly harmed by the universal engine changes, compared to most of the cast who benefit from said changes. | Despite being a lower mid-tier character in ''Smash 4'', Little Mac has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition to ''Ultimate''. While he has received good improvements both directly and from game engine changes, he also received heavy nerfs to his damage and combo potential. As a result, he is considered to be nerfed overall, and he also is mostly harmed by the universal engine changes, compared to most of the cast who benefit from said changes. | ||
Little Mac's biggest buff involves his notoriously poor [[recovery]]: it has been extended and has greater mixup potential due to readdition of directional [[air dodge]]s, [[Jolt Haymaker]] no longer causing [[ | Little Mac's biggest buff involves his notoriously poor [[recovery]]: it has been extended and has greater mixup potential due to readdition of directional [[air dodge]]s, [[Jolt Haymaker]] no longer causing [[helpless]]ness while traveling more distance, and [[KO Uppercut]] granting recovery distance in midair. His attributes have also been modified, as he now has a considerably faster [[air speed]] which helps him recover easier, higher jumps which no longer make him as vulnerable to platform [[camping]] (while also improving his recovery), and the second-highest [[falling speed]] which makes it easier for him to return to the ground. His higher weight not only improves his endurance, but also allows him to benefit from rage more effectively despite its weakening, making him harder to KO when combined with his longer recovery. | ||
Among other buffs, some of Little Mac's ground moves have been improved: his [[neutral attack]] is even faster, can jab cancel with more ease, and can now jab [[lock]]. His [[forward tilt]] connects better on opponents in the air, and [[down tilt]] has more range to the point it outranges some swordfighter's down tilts, such as Meta Knight or Ike. All versions of [[forward smash]] have lost their blind spots, and [[up smash]] has more active [[super armor]] frames. [[Straight Lunge]] now gains damage while charging, can now be shield-canceled, can be turned around if needed, and deals a consistent 30% when fully charged. Aside from its helpless state being removed, Jolt Haymaker also has significantly improved safety on hit. The aerial version of [[KO Uppercut]] also has more knockback, allowing it to KO reliably. His grabs have also received much more range and have lost their previous blind spots, making them much more reliable. Some of his attacks also no longer have a sour spot on Little Mac's arm, causing them to deal consistent damage and knockback. | Among other buffs, some of Little Mac's ground moves have been improved: his [[neutral attack]] is even faster, can jab cancel with more ease, and can now jab [[lock]]. His [[forward tilt]] connects better on opponents in the air, and [[down tilt]] has more range to the point it outranges some swordfighter's down tilts, such as Meta Knight or Ike. All versions of [[forward smash]] have lost their blind spots, and [[up smash]] has more active [[super armor]] frames. [[Straight Lunge]] now gains damage while charging, can now be shield-canceled, can be turned around if needed, and deals a consistent 30% when fully charged. Aside from its helpless state being removed, Jolt Haymaker also has significantly improved safety on hit. The aerial version of [[KO Uppercut]] also has more knockback, allowing it to KO reliably. His grabs have also received much more range and have lost their previous blind spots, making them much more reliable. Some of his attacks also no longer have a sour spot on Little Mac's arm, causing them to deal consistent damage and knockback. | ||
Little Mac also benefits heavily from some of the universal changes: since the alterations to grounded movement have returned some of the aspects of [[dash dancing]], this grants Little Mac one of the game's best dash dances. The ability to [[dash cancel]] into any grounded attack and the introduction of [[spot dodge]] canceling arguably benefit him more than any other fighter, as not only he now has access to all his grounded options at any time, he is able to avoid most laggy [[punishment]] options and retaliate immediately with his strong grounded game; both of these changes improve his hard punish game. The changes to [[shieldstun]] make it easier for him to punish aerial approaches [[out of shield]] and make his grounded attacks safer, benefitting his ground-based playstyle, while this is complemented by the universal nerfs to grabs and [[shield grab]]s, which now make him more difficult to punish out of shield without a sufficiently ranged move. The nerfs to defensive options ([[shield]]ing, | Little Mac also benefits heavily from some of the universal changes: since the alterations to grounded movement have returned some of the aspects of [[dash dancing]], this grants Little Mac one of the game's best dash dances. The ability to [[dash cancel]] into any grounded attack and the introduction of [[spot dodge]] canceling arguably benefit him more than any other fighter, as not only he now has access to all his grounded options at any time, he is able to avoid most laggy [[punishment]] options and retaliate immediately with his strong grounded game; both of these changes improve his hard punish game. The changes to [[shieldstun]] make it easier for him to punish aerial approaches [[out of shield]] and make his grounded attacks safer, benefitting his ground-based playstyle, while this is complemented by the universal nerfs to grabs and [[shield grab]]s, which now make him more difficult to punish out of shield without a sufficiently ranged move. The nerfs to defensive options ([[shield]]ing, air dodges, [[roll]]s, and spot dodges) further improve his pressure ability and punish game, while he still possesses some of the best defensive options of the cast. Finally, the changes to [[jostle]] mechanics now make his attacks much harder to whiff up close, such as Straight Lunge's infamous whiffs at point-blank range in ''Smash 4'', although it very rarely can still happen. | ||
However, the nerfs Little Mac has received to his strong grounded game and Jolt Haymaker is harsh enough to eclipse his useful buffs. His best moves for racking up damage are weaker as his neutral attack, the infinite and up tilt all deal less damage (with the latter being less safe at low percents), and the former no longer has anti-rebounding priority, while his [[down tilt]] has more ending lag, reducing its combo potential, especially beyond low percents; the latter nerf is especially notable since it weakens or outright removes most of his damage racking abilities and kill confirms. His weaker up tilt also makes it less likely to out-prioritize attacks (since it offers [[Priority#Moves that cannot rebound|anti-rebounding priority]]). Down throw has altered and increased knockback, making it better for combos at low percentages, but worse at high percents. As a result of these changes, Little Mac's grounded game has actually become worse despite his much easier access to his options, as he now has to deal more hits and his moves have less followup potential, while he still lacks useful moves to edgeguard or attack offstage opponents with, apart from the newly buffed Jolt Haymaker and [[down smash]]. His recovery has also ironically become less consistent than before, as Jolt Haymaker can now only be used once before landing, making misuse or interception of it usually fatal for him. | However, the nerfs Little Mac has received to his strong grounded game and Jolt Haymaker is harsh enough to eclipse his useful buffs. His best moves for racking up damage are weaker as his neutral attack, the infinite and up tilt all deal less damage (with the latter being less safe at low percents), and the former no longer has anti-rebounding priority, while his [[down tilt]] has more ending lag, reducing its combo potential, especially beyond low percents; the latter nerf is especially notable since it weakens or outright removes most of his damage racking abilities and kill confirms. His weaker up tilt also makes it less likely to out-prioritize attacks (since it offers [[Priority#Moves that cannot rebound|anti-rebounding priority]]). Down throw has altered and increased knockback, making it better for combos at low percentages, but worse at high percents. As a result of these changes, Little Mac's grounded game has actually become worse despite his much easier access to his options, as he now has to deal more hits and his moves have less followup potential, while he still lacks useful moves to edgeguard or attack offstage opponents with, apart from the newly buffed Jolt Haymaker and [[down smash]]. His recovery has also ironically become less consistent than before, as Jolt Haymaker can now only be used once before landing, making misuse or interception of it usually fatal for him. | ||
In addition, despite some of the universal changes improving Little Mac, other indirect changes have harmed him just as much. The increased damage on [[edge attack]]s (since they now deal more than 8% throughout the cast) means Straight Lunge's armor can no longer withstand them, removing a mind game option. Since defensive options have been nerfed to become stale if overused, while Little Mac can punish opponents more easily, his defense is more exploitable since his awful aerial game makes him reliant on dodges and shielding. The limitation to a single air dodge until a character gets hit or lands on the ground, as well as the higher ending lag on one, is especially notable, as this makes him even more susceptible to juggling if his air dodge is misused, and much more susceptible to [[gimp]]ing despite his improved recovery, as combined with the ability to use Jolt Haymaker once before landing makes it difficult to fully extend his recovery. The changes to jostle mechanics, while making his moveset more consistent, make it easier to corner Little Mac and read his fairly linear [[approach]]. However, the removal of [[perfect pivot]]ing, the universal reduction of [[jumpsquat]]s and [[landing lag]] are the changes that hinder him more than any other character; the former change eliminates his extremely strong micro spacing tactics, while the changes to dash-canceling do not fully compensate for this. Meanwhile, the latter two changes benefit his terrible aerial game far less while strengthening most of the cast's aerial games to varying degrees, making him more vulnerable to combos and aerial rushdowns, which limits him more to shielding a move or directly contesting them by making use of his smash attacks’ | In addition, despite some of the universal changes improving Little Mac, other indirect changes have harmed him just as much. The increased damage on [[edge attack]]s (since they now deal more than 8% throughout the cast) means Straight Lunge's armor can no longer withstand them, removing a mind game option. Since defensive options have been nerfed to become stale if overused, while Little Mac can punish opponents more easily, his defense is more exploitable since his awful aerial game makes him reliant on dodges and shielding. The limitation to a single air dodge until a character gets hit or lands on the ground, as well as the higher ending lag on one, is especially notable, as this makes him even more susceptible to juggling if his air dodge is misused, and much more susceptible to [[gimp]]ing despite his improved recovery, as combined with the ability to use Jolt Haymaker once before landing makes it difficult to fully extend his recovery. The changes to jostle mechanics, while making his moveset more consistent, make it easier to corner Little Mac and read his fairly linear [[approach]]. However, the removal of [[perfect pivot]]ing, the universal reduction of [[jumpsquat]]s and [[landing lag]] are the changes that hinder him more than any other character; the former change eliminates his extremely strong micro spacing tactics, while the changes to dash-canceling do not fully compensate for this. Meanwhile, the latter two changes benefit his terrible aerial game far less while strengthening most of the cast's aerial games to varying degrees, making him more vulnerable to combos and aerial rushdowns, which limits him more to shielding a move or directly contesting them by making use of his smash attacks’ super armor to muscle through them, which can be risky. | ||
Overall, despite some changes to Little Mac's awful recovery and the ability to dash cancel moves, Little Mac has lost many of the tools that made him effective in the previous game. He performs worse than in ''Smash 4'' and is one of the most nerfed characters in the transition. Little Mac's perception within the competitive community has been negative since the game's release. He has several dedicated mains (including {{Sm|Kwaz}} and {{Sm|Tarakotori}}) who consistently meet respectable results with him at regional tournaments and some outstanding placements in nationals, but his representation is virtually non-existent in comparison to almost all other characters. As such, while some top players have ranked him above dead last in their personal tier lists, most maintain that Little Mac is a bottom-tier character and arguably the worst in the game. | Overall, despite some changes to Little Mac's awful recovery and the ability to dash cancel moves, Little Mac has lost many of the tools that made him effective in the previous game. He performs worse than in ''Smash 4'' and is one of the most nerfed characters in the transition. Little Mac's perception within the competitive community has been negative since the game's release. He has several dedicated mains (including {{Sm|Kwaz}} and {{Sm|Tarakotori}}) who consistently meet respectable results with him at regional tournaments and some outstanding placements in nationals, but his representation is virtually non-existent in comparison to almost all other characters. As such, while some top players have ranked him above dead last in their personal tier lists, most maintain that Little Mac is a bottom-tier character and arguably the worst in the game. | ||
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In update 7.0.0, Little Mac was among the numerous characters whose shields were enlarged, which decreased his vulnerability to [[shield stab]]bing. | In update 7.0.0, Little Mac was among the numerous characters whose shields were enlarged, which decreased his vulnerability to [[shield stab]]bing. | ||
Overall, Little Mac's buffs have expanded the utility of his moveset by granting him more potential set-ups, improving his consistency, and making his offense slightly safer. Sol has notably viewed the buffs as sufficient enough to render Mac better than he was in ''SSB4'',[https://twitter.com/Solreth/status/1134386416111296512] although he made this statement before the Dreamland Express was removed. However, how these buffs will affect him the long run remains to be seen. | Overall, Little Mac's buffs have expanded the utility of his moveset by granting him more potential set-ups, improving his consistency, and making his offense slightly safer. Sol has notably viewed the buffs as sufficient enough to render Mac better than he was in ''SSB4'',<ref>[https://twitter.com/Solreth/status/1134386416111296512]</ref> although he made this statement before the Dreamland Express was removed. However, how these buffs will affect him the long run remains to be seen. | ||
'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|2.0.0}}''' | '''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|2.0.0}}''' | ||
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|dashname= | |dashname= | ||
|dashdmg=10% | |dashdmg=10% | ||
|dashdesc=A lunging | |dashdesc=A lunging {{iw|wikipedia|overhand|boxing}}. It is fast for a dash attack (frame 7), travels a decent distance, and can be a situational burst KO option, having enough knockback to KO Mario at 136% from the edge of Final Destination, thus making it moderately strong for a dash attack. It can also hit opponents hanging on ledges, and due to its generous hitbox, finds a lot of use trapping opponents on ledge. However, due to its lack of shieldstun, it is notoriously punishable on shield, however it can cross up most of the cast on shield. The angle is different for the 3 frames in which the hitbox is active, as it launches at an 80-degree angle at frame 7, 70 at frame 8, and 60 at frame 9. It can combo into itself at low percents. It heavily resembles Von Kaiser's "Von Kaiser Wave," a dashing overhand punch used during his Title Defense battle in the Wii version of ''Punch-Out!!'' | ||
|fsmashangles=3 | |fsmashangles=3 | ||
|fsmashname=Straight Smash | |fsmashname=Straight Smash | ||
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|fsmashsidedmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|20}} (fist), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|18}} (arm) | |fsmashsidedmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|20}} (fist), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|18}} (arm) | ||
|fsmashdowndmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|24}} | |fsmashdowndmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|24}} | ||
|fsmashdesc=Steps forward and throws one of three right-handed punch variations, depending on which angle the [[ | |fsmashdesc=Steps forward and throws one of three right-handed punch variations, depending on which angle the [[control stick]] is tilted. It's active on frame 14 (15 if angled down) and has a moderate amount of ending lag (26 frames of lag), making it surprisingly fast for its power. Little Mac also rushes forward during before the hitbox becomes active, giving it deceptively good range, but the hitboxes don't reach far in front of him. It's pretty versatile for a forward smash or smash attack in general, as each directional input behaves almost like different moves as opposed to other forward smashes just changing their angle of attack, allowing Little Mac options for powerful knockback either horizontally or vertically, or dealing heavy damage or shield damage. | ||
''Up'': An uppercut. It launches opponents vertically and has the largest hitbox out of all three punch variations, which makes it the easiest to connect while also being a good anti-air. It does powerful vertical knockback that KOs Mario at 102%, allowing it to finish off fighters with poor vertical endurance. It also grants super armor on frames 8-15. On opponents at 0 percent (or at extremely low percents with rage), should Little Mac armor an attack and successfully connect this move, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4DJNmgJDm8&t=20s it can frame trap opponents into many vertical moves including KO Uppercut], due to the [[Special Zoom]] giving Little Mac extra hit advantage. It resembles Little Mac's Star Punch and One-Star Punch in the NES and Wii versions of ''Punch-Out!!'', respectively. | ''Up'': An uppercut. It launches opponents vertically and has the largest hitbox out of all three punch variations, which makes it the easiest to connect while also being a good anti-air. It does powerful vertical knockback that KOs Mario at 102%, allowing it to finish off fighters with poor vertical endurance. It also grants super armor on frames 8-15. On opponents at 0 percent (or at extremely low percents with rage), should Little Mac armor an attack and successfully connect this move, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4DJNmgJDm8&t=20s it can frame trap opponents into many vertical moves including KO Uppercut], due to the [[Special Zoom]] giving Little Mac extra hit advantage. It resembles Little Mac's Star Punch and One-Star Punch in the NES and Wii versions of ''Punch-Out!!'', respectively. | ||
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|usmashname= | |usmashname= | ||
|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|21}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|16}} (late) | |usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|21}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|16}} (late) | ||
|usmashdesc=A wide uppercut. Its first frame is highlighted by a spark, which acts as a sweetspot that possesses a [[flame]] effect and deals significant shield damage (breaking a shield at full health if fully charged) and is among the strongest up smashes in the game. Its sourspot also makes it useful for aerial protection and for KOing, thanks to its respectable damage output, high knockback scaling, and hitbox placement. Fast despite its power, coming out on frame 10. However, it has the highest amount of ending lag out of his grounded moves with 34 frames, making it punishable if not used carefully. Despite its appearance, it also only hits in front of Little Mac, but it has good vertical range, reaching high enough to challenge opponents standing on the bottom platforms of | |usmashdesc=A wide uppercut. Its first frame is highlighted by a spark, which acts as a sweetspot that possesses a [[flame]] effect and deals significant shield damage (breaking a shield at full health if fully charged) and is among the strongest up smashes in the game. Its sourspot also makes it useful for aerial protection and for KOing, thanks to its respectable damage output, high knockback scaling, and hitbox placement. Fast despite its power, coming out on frame 10. However, it has the highest amount of ending lag out of his grounded moves with 34 frames, making it punishable if not used carefully. Despite its appearance, it also only hits in front of Little Mac, but it has good vertical range, reaching high enough to challenge opponents standing on the bottom platforms of {{SSBU|Battlefield}}, and low enough to reach some opponents on a ledge. It also grants super armor on frames 8-13. | ||
|dsmashname= | |dsmashname= | ||
|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|13}} | |dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|13}} | ||
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|ssname=Jolt Haymaker | |ssname=Jolt Haymaker | ||
|ssdmg=14% | |ssdmg=14% | ||
|ssdesc=An overhand version of the {{s|wikipedia|Superman punch}}. It can be used almost instantly by pressing the special button immediately after first pressing it. Gives brief [[intangibility]] on the ground during startup and its long hitbox duration allow it to punish moves effectively. It deals high damage and good knockback, making it a great combo finisher and reliable KO move at the ledge, even in the air. It does not render him helpless if used in midair, making it a good horizontal recovery option. However, it can only be used once before landing, thus the player must use it carefully due to Little Mac's mediocre recovery. Jolt Haymaker was given more range as of patch 3.1.0, allowing the grounded version to hit opponents on the bottom platforms of | |ssdesc=An overhand version of the {{s|wikipedia|Superman punch}}. It can be used almost instantly by pressing the special button immediately after first pressing it. Gives brief [[intangibility]] on the ground during startup and its long hitbox duration allow it to punish moves effectively. It deals high damage and good knockback, making it a great combo finisher and reliable KO move at the ledge, even in the air. It does not render him helpless if used in midair, making it a good horizontal recovery option. However, it can only be used once before landing, thus the player must use it carefully due to Little Mac's mediocre recovery. Jolt Haymaker was given more range as of patch 3.1.0, allowing the grounded version to hit opponents on the bottom platforms of {{SSBU|Battlefield}}, and expanding upon its use as a usable punish against jumpy opponents. B-reversing this move (called a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyNdOil6TMI wavemaker]) allows it to rise slightly higher and closer, allowing uptilt to confirm into this move, as well as even having [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyb5m8zKNhQ applications as an edgeguarding tool]. | ||
|usname= Rising Uppercut | |usname= Rising Uppercut | ||
|usdmg=3% (hit 1), 1% (hits 2-5), 3% (hit 6) | |usdmg=3% (hit 1), 1% (hits 2-5), 3% (hit 6) | ||
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|left|cite=Move List Description for the KO Uppercut.}} | |left|cite=Move List Description for the KO Uppercut.}} | ||
Little Mac has a unique mechanic known as the | Little Mac has a unique mechanic known as the Power Meter, which is permanently shown above his [[damage meter]]. Inflicting damage or receiving damage will charge the meter; when full, Little Mac's neutral special ([[Straight Lunge]]) is replaced by the KO Uppercut. Of note is that the meter is also charged if Little Mac hits a shield or invincibility and if he is hit while in shield or invincibility. KO Uppercut has multiple perks: it can KO almost the entire cast around 35%, has very fast startup, grants [[super armor]] right before the hitbox appears, and is [[unblockable]]. This only applies to the grounded version, as the aerial version is significantly weaker and blockable, KOing opponents at above 80%. Can be used as a last-resort recovery option, but this is ill-advised as KO punches high endlag does not let little mac snap to ledge. | ||
KO Uppercut will replace Straight Lunge until it is used, Little Mac is KO'd, or if he is sent [[tumbling]] 4 seconds after he gains a KO Uppercut. | KO Uppercut will replace Straight Lunge until it is used, Little Mac is KO'd, or if he is sent [[tumbling]] 4 seconds after he gains a KO Uppercut. | ||
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==Role in [[World of Light]]== | ==Role in [[World of Light]]== | ||
[[File:WoL-49LittleMac.jpg|thumb|Finding Little Mac in World of Light|left]] | [[File:WoL-49LittleMac.jpg|thumb|Finding Little Mac in World of Light|left]] | ||
Although Little Mac does not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, he was vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (sans {{SSBU|Kirby}}) when Galeem unleashed his beams of light. | Although Little Mac does not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, he was vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (sans {{SSBU|Kirby}}) when [[Galeem]] unleashed his beams of light. | ||
Little Mac can be found near a city area blocked through a door. To reach him, the player must first complete the [[Power Plant]] sub-area so the door can open. | Little Mac can be found near a city area blocked through a door. To reach him, the player must first complete the [[Power Plant]] sub-area so the door can open. |
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