Semi-spike

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A semi-spike or pseudo-spike is Spike that does not send the opponent totally downward but in a horizontal trajectory which then (due to gravity) will turn into a vertical trajectory. Before the vertical trajectory and after the horizontal trajectory a semi-spike will make a quarter circle trajectory (see diagram 1), for the attack to be considered a semi-spike the player must be able to act within this quarter circle trajectory but before the vertical trajectory, some attacks may have a different trajectory and send the opponent angled downwards this results in a recoverable attack at low percentages but with considerable edgeguarding danger due to being hit off the stage; DI'ing them correctly will only alter the angle just slightly and shorten the send-off angle. This is distinct from a spike, which sends the enemy straight down without a prior horizontal trajectory.

File:Semi-spike1.JPG

Diagram 1: The black line represents the trajectory of the target. Within the blue square the target regains the ability to act.

Semi-spikes' structure is altered greatly by damaged and at certain percentages some attacks can't be considered as one.

Moves that are semi-spikes include (but are not limited to):

• Marth:
  • Forward Aerial
  • Down Tilt
  • Up Smash
• Sheik:
  • Final Smash
• Captain Falcon:
  • Up Aerial
• Link:
  • Up B (NTSC only)
• Peach:
  • Forward Smash
• Ganondorf
  • Up Aerial
  • Side tilt (Brawl only)
• Pikachu
  • Up Aerial
• Wario:
  • Down Tilt (Wario-Man only)
• Sonic:
  • Up Smash
• Mr. Game & Watch:
  • Chef
  • A 6 with Judge
  • Sourspotted down smash
• Fox:
  • Shine
• Bowser
  • Down Aerial
• Meta Knight
  • Down Aerial
• Hitting someone with a thrown Star Rod.
• Getting hit while holding someone near the edge will semi-spike the person begin held at higher percentages.

The Mario Bros' Pseudo Spike

The Mario Brothers' Pseudo-Spike occurs when the last hit of the Mario Tornado (normally rising) hits an opponent. This can occur sometimes when an opponent tries to jump out to edge guard. It is a very powerful spike with extremely high downwards knockback, most characters die from it at low percentages.

Other definition

Both Mario and Luigi can "spike" an opponent with repeated down aerials. This involves hitting the opponent with the dair repeatedly off the edge and then taking advantage of Mario and Luigi's huge vertical recoveries to get back on the stage. This does not work against Pikachu, who has a longer and faster vertical recovery than either Mario or Luigi.

Notes

• Only works with the last (the powerful hit) of the tornado
• Only works with the bottom of that hitbox
• If it is at the top, it will send the opponent straight up
• Normally only occurs when the opponent accidentally misses an air and hits into the pseudo-spike
• If any of the other hits hit alone, it sends the opponent to the left or right with medium low knockback