Recovery

For many characters, recovery can be augmented or replaced by moves other than the standard second jump plus up special. This page documents the maximum recovery potential of each character. In the case that a character has multiple recovery options for horizontal or vertical movement, both are listed.

Bowser

The standard jump plus up B is Bowser's most efficient recovery. In Brawl, if he can grab another character with the Flying Slam, he can use the vertical movement of that move to augment his recovery, but only before he has used his up special.

Captain Falcon

In SSBM, the Falcon Kick would allow Falcon to regain his 2nd jump in midair, and move him forward somewhat. Raptor Boost is also a good horizontal recovery move, even more so in Brawl where it bounces up upon striking, although missing puts him in [[helpless].

Charizard

Charizard has an extra mid-air jump and the ability to glide. The up-special provides the most vertical distance of his moves.

Diddy Kong

Diddy Kong can use his side special (Monkey Flip to move forward a fairly large distance. Provided that the attack button is not pressed causing Diddy to stick his foot out, his up special and mid air jump can be used after a Monkey Flip.

Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong does not have any special recovery technique, but his Headbutt slows both horizontal and vertical momentum.

Dr. Mario

Dr. Mario can use the Super Sheet (side special) to propel himself forward a bit and slow his fall speed. Also, if the player rapidly presses B during the Dr. Tornado, he rises up in the air. His up special can be used following either or both of these moves.

Falco

Falco's recovery is dependent on the direction that is needed. For vertical movement, the Fire Bird is the primary move, while the Falco Phantasm is the best choice for horizontal movement.

Fox

Fox has the same options on recovery as Falco. In addition, his reflector greatly slows his fall speed, but at the cost of his horizontal momentum as well.

Ganondorf

In Melee, the Wizard's Foot would give Ganondorf his second jump back, allowing for large horizontal recoveries. In brawl, he is forced to use either the Flame Choke for horizontal movement or the Dark Dive for vertical recovery.

Ice Climbers

Belay is an incredible recovery move when both Climbers are present. When one is missing, Squall Hammer becomes the recovery move of choice. Like the tornado moves, rapidly pressing B allows the Climber to gain some hight.

Ike

Ike is limited to either vertical recovery (Æther) or horizontal (Quickdraw). Both give good distances in their respective directions, but cannot be combined, limiting Ike's total recovery.

Ivysaur

Ivysaur's U-Air and D-Air either propel him downward or upward respectively. Due to the small size of the upward boost, it is actually more helpful in getting more horizontal distance to set up his Vine Whip Tether Recovery.

Jigglypuff

Jigglypuff is capable of using her Rising Pound technique for unlimited horizontal distance. While she lacks an up special that gives her vertical distance, her five mid air jumps provide the same hight that most characters can get from up specials.

King Dedede

King Dedede has five mid air jumps, along with an incredibly high up special. While his mid air jumps are the smallest of any character, he is still capable of huge recoveries due to the Super Dedede Jump.

Kirby

Kirby's recovery consists of six midair jumps and the Final Cutter for good vertical movement. In addition, by using a forward aerial after each jump and tilting the control stick slightly up, Kirby can perform a technique similar to Rising Pound, albeit not infinitely.

Link

Link has a variety of techniques to augment his poor recovery. Link's bomb, if it explodes while he is holding it, can aid his recovery by giving him back his Spin Attack (see Bomb recovery). Also, in SSBM, the Hookshot grabs onto walls, and in SSBB, the Clawshot (its replacement) is a Tether Recovery.

Lucario

Interestingly, Lucario's dair stops all momentum, making it easier to recover. Its recovery is also "bendable". Lucario also possesses a unique trait, the ability to wall jump after using his third jump. This only takes effect if Lucario reaches the wall before Extremespeed ends and is very useful on stages with space to wall jump under the ledge, such as Final Destination (SSBB). Additionally due to him having the highest wall jump and his floatiness he can jump and wall cling/jump straight up a wall without having to have another one.

Lucas

Lucas has multiple recovery options: the standard PK Thunder, his Rope Snake (which functions as a tether recovery), Zapjump, Magnet Pull, and Wave Zap. He can also use his PSI Magnet to hover in the air.

Luigi

Luigi's Green Missile, combined with the mobility of the Luigi Cyclone, give a hard-to-match horizontal recovery. In addition, both moves can be used in combination with Super Jump Punch, since neither of the two makes Luigi helpless.

Mario

Mario can use the Cape to propel himself forward a bit. Also, if the player rapidly presses B during the Mario Tornado, in SSB and SSBM, he rises up in the air. This does not work in Brawl, as it is a dair.

Marth

Marth's side special (Dancing Blade) slows his fall speed and propels him forward if only the first attack of the combo is used. This does not put him in helpless. In Brawl, a charged Shield Breaker will also propel Marth forward and leave him open to perform more attacks.

Meta Knight

Meta Knight is gifted with multiple mid air jumps and the ability to glide. In addition, all o his special moves can be used as recovery moves, although all of them put him in helpless animation. The Shuttle Loop is notable in that it allows him to perform a second glide after using it (helpless animation begins after the glide is terminated).

Mewtwo

Mewtwo's large second jump, slow fall speed, and high air speed allow for long recoveries even before his up special.

Mr. Game & Watch

Mr. Game & Watch has no particular recovery techniques besides the standard second jump plus up special.

Ness

Ness has no particular recovery techniques besides the standard second jump plus up special, although his PSI Magnet slows his fall speed somewhat.

Peach

Peach has the ability to float, allowing her to maintain the same vertical position while moving horizontally. In addition, her side special (Peach Bomber) can be used to climb up walls. Both of these techniques can be followed with an up special.

Pichu

Pichu can use his Skull Bash (side special) to travel great horizontal distances, and then follow it with an up special.

Pikachu

In Melee and Brawl, Pikachu can perform the same recovery techniques as Pichu. In the original, he is limited to his up special.

Olimar

Olimar lacks any move besides his second jump that gives him vertical movement in the air. He is limited to using his up special as a tether recover.

Pit

Pit has multiple mid air jumps, the ability to glide, and his Wings of Icarus which give him the largest vertical recovery in the game.

R.O.B.

R.O.B. can use his up special multiple times in the air, although the total time is the same. In addition, his back aerial propels him forward each time it is used.

Roy

Roy can perform the same recovery techniques as Marth in Melee. However, his faster falling speed, slower air speed, less forward motion on side special, and greater lag after side special combine to make his recovery much less than Marth's.

Samus

Samus's Bombs can be used to perform a Bomb recovery. In addition, she can use her grab as a tether recovery.

Sheik

In Melee, for long distance recoveries, players would switch to Zelda, as her recovery is strictly better. However, due to the longer change times in Brawl, this has become inadvisable. Instead, Sheik can now use her chain as a tether recovery.

Snake

Snake can use his C4 on himself in mid-air to get his up special back just as link can.

Sonic

Sonic's greatest vertical recovery is provided by his Spring Jump. His other special moves can provide more horizontal distance, but they cannot be used after his up special.

Squirtle

Squirtle can use Withdraw to aid its horizontal recovery, although it continues to fall during this move.

Toon Link

See Link.

Wario

Wario can use his bike to gain a third mid-air jump. Also, if he uses a fully charged Wario Waft, it rockets him up farther than his actual recovery.

Wolf

Wolf is more limited in recovery options than Fox and Falco. His side special (Wolf Flash) covers much less ground than either of theirs. His up special provides him fast directional recovery, but he falls almost straight down after using it.

Yoshi

Yoshi's recovery is hampered by the fact that he really only has his one mid air jump to use. Yoshi's Egg Throw in Brawl gives him a slight hop in mid air.

Young Link

See Link.

Zelda

Zelda's recovery comes mainly in the form of her long ranged up special, Farore's Wind. Additionally, she can use Din's Fire to glide horizontally short distances, much likes Peach's float. However, these moves cannot be combined as they each put Zelda into helpless animation.

Zero Suit Samus

Zero Suit Samus has two tether recoveries (Plasma Whip and Plasma Wire) and can use Flip Jump.