Super Smash Bros. 4

Falco (SSB4): Difference between revisions

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m (Every move that uses the autolink angle can technically meteor smash, so...)
(Some added info. Also, Drill Master, if you say that all spikes are technically meteor smashes, how come you say Greninja's up aerial is a spike? Does he need more nerfs?)
Tag: Mobile edit
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*{{nerf|Forward aerial deals less damage (11% → 9%) and has 4 frames extra start-up (6 frames → 10 frames).}}
*{{nerf|Forward aerial deals less damage (11% → 9%) and has 4 frames extra start-up (6 frames → 10 frames).}}
*{{change|Falco has a new back aerial: he kicks behind him while shortening more his body.}}
*{{change|Falco has a new back aerial: he kicks behind him while shortening more his body.}}
*{{buff|New [[back aerial]] has much more growth, (103 → 130), making it a very powerful KO move both onstage and offstage if landed clean.}}
*{{buff|New [[back aerial]] has much more growth, (103 → 130), making it a viable KOing option both onstage and offstage if landed clean.}}
*{{nerf|New back aerial has less range, its lingering hitbox has been notably shortened, and no longer hits in front of Falco.}}
*{{nerf|New back aerial has less range, its lingering hitbox has been notably shortened, and no longer hits in front of Falco.}}
*{{nerf|[[Down aerial]]'s [[meteor smash]] has much weaker growth (100 → 80), and the move has significantly more startup (frame 5 → 16) and landing lag (12 frames → 23 frames), drastically worsening its utility.}}
*{{nerf|[[Down aerial]]'s [[meteor smash]] has much weaker growth (100 → 80), and the move has significantly more startup (frame 5 → 16) and landing lag (12 frames → 23 frames), drastically worsening its utility.}}
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===Throws/other attacks===
===Throws/other attacks===
*{{buff|All of Falco's laser-based throws now consist of one strong blaster shot instead of three weak blaster shots, making them more reliable for damage racking, especially at high percentages.}}
*{{buff|All of Falco's laser-based throws now consist of one strong blaster shot instead of three weak blaster shots, making them more reliable for damage racking, especially at high percentages. This makes his back throw a reliable KO option.}}
*{{buff|[[Up throw]]'s new vertical trajectory along with its aforementioned single strong shot makes it much better for follow-ups at mid to high percents. It also benefits from the new [[rage]] mechanic, which makes it a reliable KO throw on stages with platforms.}}
*{{buff|[[Up throw]]'s new vertical trajectory along with its aforementioned single strong shot makes it much better for follow-ups at mid to high percents. It also benefits from the new [[rage]] mechanic, which makes it a reliable KO throw on stages with platforms.}}
*{{buff|[[Back throw]] deals more damage and knockback, making it a reliable KO throw at around 150% near the edge.}}
*{{buff|[[Back throw]] deals more damage and knockback, making it a reliable KO throw at around 150% near the edge.}}
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*{{buff|Blaster shots now deal consistent 3% damage as they travel farther.}}
*{{buff|Blaster shots now deal consistent 3% damage as they travel farther.}}
*{{buff|[[Falco Phantasm]] no longer dashes over edges when used on the ground. It also has less landing lag when used while airborne. It no longer leaves Falco [[helpless]] when used in midair and gives Falco some slight forward momentum after the move ends. The introduction of ledge-trumping also allows it to be used for gimping opponents after trumping the edge, while allowing him to recover using Fire Bird}}
*{{buff|[[Falco Phantasm]] no longer dashes over edges when used on the ground. It also has less landing lag when used while airborne. It no longer leaves Falco [[helpless]] when used in midair and gives Falco some slight forward momentum after the move ends. The introduction of ledge-trumping also allows it to be used for gimping opponents after trumping the edge, while allowing him to recover using Fire Bird}}
*{{nerf|Falco Phantasm has more startup (17 frames → 19 frames).}}
*{{nerf|Falco Phantasm has 2 frames more startup (17 frames → 19 frames).}}
*{{change|Falco Phantasm has a new animation, involving Falco spreading his arms out.}}
*{{change|Falco Phantasm has a new animation, involving Falco spreading his arms out.}}
*{{nerf|Falco Phantasm can no longer be canceled, removing recovery mix-ups with it.}}
*{{nerf|Falco Phantasm can no longer be canceled, removing recovery mix-ups with it.}}

Revision as of 07:22, December 11, 2015

This article is about Falco's appearance in Super Smash Bros. 4. For the character in other contexts, see Falco Lombardi.
Falco
in Super Smash Bros. 4
Falco
StarFoxSymbol.svg
Universe Star Fox
Other playable appearances in Melee
in Brawl

Availability Unlockable
Final Smash Landmaster
Falco (SSB4)

Falco (ファルコ, Falco) returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4. Falco was officially confirmed on October 3rd, 2014, alongside Ness and Wario, coinciding with the the North American and European release of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. His moveset appears to be largely unchanged from its Brawl incarnation.

In Japanese, he is once again voiced by Hisao Egawa. In English, instead of being voiced by Dex Manley like in Brawl, he is now voiced by Mark Lund, his voice actor from Star Fox 64 3D and Star Fox Zero.

How to Unlock

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

  • Play 20 VS Matches.
  • Complete Classic Mode without using any continues.

Falco must then be defeated on Corneria.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Falco must then be defeated on Orbital Gate Assault.

Attributes

Falco is a light character with polarized movement. He has a fast walking speed, slow dashing speed, fast falling speed, low air speed, very high gravity, average air acceleration and the strongest jumps. These stats give Falco very slow horizontal movement, but proficient vertical movement. They also give him good vertical survivability for a character of his weight.

Falco's greatest strength is the resilience of his moveset. His jab is very quick, hitting on frame 2, and his tilt attacks are fast and send opponents at favourable angles. Forward tilt is exceedingly quick, while up tilt and down tilt can be used to combo into another attack or KO at high percentages. His smash attcks are all powerful and have decent range as well. Down smash is also a semi-spike, making it very good at edgeguarding. His aerial moves are also powerful in their own way. Neutral aerial deals 11% and is very quick, being excellent at disrupting the opponent's moves. Forward aerial is powerful and can easily KO offstage. It also has a strong landing hitbox which sends the opponent away if the move wasn't over. Up aerial sends opponents vertically, being a great move for comboing and KOing off the top, thanks to Falco's high jumps. Back aerial is Falco's strongest aerial, as well as his second fastest, making it a great choice in any case. Lastly, down aerial, while significantly nerfed from Brawl, can still be useful for KOing offstage, as it is a meteor smash.

Another advantage Falco possesses is his grab game. His pummel is quick and decently damaging, making it great at racking up damage. Forward throw is decently strong and can set up a dash attack or an edgeguard. Back throw is great for giving Falco some breathing space, since the first hit is a semi-spike, and when combined with the laser's hit, the throw can even KO at high percentages. Up throw sends opponents straight up, and can be used to combo into any aerial or KO with the aid of a platform. Finally, down throw can combo into dash attack and any aerial at low percentages, or tech-chase if the opponent is past combo percentages, like in Brawl. Coupled with his fast rolls and sidestep, with the former being long-distanced, Falco has an impressive out of shield game.

However, Falco has numerous weaknesses. As mentioned before, Falco's horizontal mobility is very slow, limiting his movement across the stage. This also gives him significant trouble approaching and pressuring opponents, since Blaster, his only reliable tool at doing so, can no longer autocancel. In addition, while Falco's moves are overall very quick startup-wise, many of them are very slow endlag-wise, making misused moves heavily susceptible to punishment. When combined with the fact that all of his moves' sweetspots are close to his body, Falco has significant trouble KOing, despite his overall high power. Outside of low percentages, Falco's combo-oriented moves are prone to being DIed, making it harder for him to rack up damage effectively. Despite being light, Falco is susceptible to combos, because of his fast falling speed and lack of escape options. His survivability is also below average at best, mainly because of Falco's low weight and high gravity. His most prominent flaw, however, is his recovery. While his high jumps, Falco Phantasm, wall jump and Fire Bird give him a very long-distanced recovery, it is extremely predictable because of how linear it is. These four options are also very ineffective on their own, making his recovery easy to gimp.

Falco has a number of useful custom moves. Burst Blaster has less range, but is much faster, forcing bad approaches from the opponent much more easily. Falco Phase grants less distance and cannot hit opponents, but Falco cannot be hurt either, and the move is also faster. Fast Fire Bird gives even less distance than the default and is weaker, but as the name implies, it moves and charges much faster, giving the opponent no time to hit Falco. Distant Fire Bird is slower, but it moves further and has more momentum, considerably improving his vertical recovery. Reflector Void destroys projectiles instead of reflecting them, but deals more damage on contact, and is the optimal choice if the opponent lacks projectiles.

Due to his severely nerfed neutral game from Brawl, Falco's weaknesses tend to outweigh his strengths noticeably, resulting in low tournament repesentation and similar results.

Changes from Brawl

Falco has received a mix of buffs and nerfs, but even though the former are more than the latter, he is considered to be nerfed overall.

Falco's overall power has been improved significantly, removing his main weakness from Brawl. His down tilt has regained its lost power from Melee and his smash attacks are stronger. His forward aerial is stronger and unaffected by SDI, his up aerial has consistent power and more vertical knockback, and his back aerial has much more power, to the point of being one of the strongest of its kind. In addition, his grab game has had its consistency drastically improved, with up throw and down throw having comboing abilities, and back throw having KO power. His recovery, another severe weakness he had ever since Melee, has been heavily buffed. While Falco Phantasm can no longer be interrupted, it no longer puts Falco in helpless state, allowing Fire Bird to be used immediately after, with the latter also granting more distance. Due to being slow, both moves also benefit a lot from the removal of edge-hogging.

However, the few nerfs Falco received were harsh enough to cripple his neutral game. The removal of DACUS prevents his newly buffed up smash to be used as an approach option or a combo finisher. The removal of chain grabbing is a double-edged sword for Falco. While he is no longer affected adversely by it, the threat of him easily racking up large amounts of damage is no longer present. Down aerial, a staple in Melee and Brawl, has been drastically slowed down, to the point where it is now useless outside of edgeguarding. Finally, Blaster, formerly one of the most reliable tools for approaching, pressuring and locking, is slower and incapable of autocancelling.

As a result, Falco is now much less of a threat in the neutral game, making it considerably harder for him to put his high power to good use. He has infamously low tournament representation, and outside of Keitaro's efforts, no notable results.

Aesthetics

  • Change As part of the aesthetic used in SSB4, Falco's overall color scheme is brighter compared to how it looked in Brawl. Additionally, his eye reticle is smaller than it was in Brawl.

Attributes

  • Buff Falco's dashes slightly faster (1.432 → 1.472).
  • Change Falco's falling speed is faster (1.708 → 1.8), which makes him harder to KO but slightly more susceptible to combos.

Ground attacks

  • Buff Neutral attack now transitions into a finisher, where Falco swipes his wing across.
  • Nerf Dash attack is slightly slower, with an extra 4 frames of start-up (hitting on frame 8 instead of 4).
  • Buff Sweetspotted down tilt has much more base knockback (25 → 50), restoring its KOing potential from Melee. The removal of hitstun cancelling also makes it a good combo starter at low percents.
  • Buff Forward smash deals more knockback (40 base/88 growth → 42 base/96 growth).
  • Nerf Forward smash hits 1 frame later (16 frames → 17 frames) and has less reach.
  • Change Falco has a new up smash: he does a backflip, kicking twice instead of once, with the first hit leading into the second.
  • Buff New up smash deals more damage (14% → 16%) and has no sourspot behind Falco.
  • Nerf New up smash has more ending lag and the removal of DACUS removes its potential as an approach option, follow-up option, and KOing option from his down throw. Falco can also no longer perform the Gatling Combo, removing its combo potential.
  • Buff Down smash has slightly more growth (70 → 76). Falco's feet are now intangible during start-up and the charging period.

Aerial attacks

  • Buff Neutral and forward aerials connect better, since both use the autolink angle now.
  • Nerf Neutral aerial has more landing lag (9 frames → 15 frames).
  • Buff Last hit of forward aerial has significantly increased knockback (80 base/60 growth → 55 base/145 growth), making it a very reliable KO move offstage and has much less landing lag (33 frames → 25 frames). It additionally has an added landing hitbox that deals 3% and can KO at around 150%.
  • Nerf Forward aerial deals less damage (11% → 9%) and has 4 frames extra start-up (6 frames → 10 frames).
  • Change Falco has a new back aerial: he kicks behind him while shortening more his body.
  • Buff New back aerial has much more growth, (103 → 130), making it a viable KOing option both onstage and offstage if landed clean.
  • Nerf New back aerial has less range, its lingering hitbox has been notably shortened, and no longer hits in front of Falco.
  • Nerf Down aerial's meteor smash has much weaker growth (100 → 80), and the move has significantly more startup (frame 5 → 16) and landing lag (12 frames → 23 frames), drastically worsening its utility.
  • Buff Up air no longer has a sourspot and consistently sends upwards, leading to more followups.
  • Nerf Up air deals 1% less damage (11% → 10%).

Throws/other attacks

  • Buff All of Falco's laser-based throws now consist of one strong blaster shot instead of three weak blaster shots, making them more reliable for damage racking, especially at high percentages. This makes his back throw a reliable KO option.
  • Buff Up throw's new vertical trajectory along with its aforementioned single strong shot makes it much better for follow-ups at mid to high percents. It also benefits from the new rage mechanic, which makes it a reliable KO throw on stages with platforms.
  • Buff Back throw deals more damage and knockback, making it a reliable KO throw at around 150% near the edge.
  • Nerf Down throw's initial hit deals slightly less damage (3% → 2%). It has lost its chain grabbing ability, removing one of his best strategies from Brawl as well as harming Falco's damage racking game. It also has more base knockback (45 → 60) making it more difficult to follow up on at higher percents.
  • Buff The removal of hitstun cancelling makes down throw a better combo starter at low to mid percents, particulary into dash attack and forward aerial.

Special moves

  • Nerf Blaster loses practicality as an approach option as shots no longer auto-cancel, cannot be fired as frequently, and aerial Blaster shots barely get a noticeable increase in attack speed. The height of Falco's short hop often shoots the lasers over the opponent's heads. It also covers significantly less range (not even the full Final Destination length). It also can no longer silent laser. Due to its slower speed, and the new physics involving locks, the Blaster can no longer lock floored opponents.
  • Buff Blaster shots now deal consistent 3% damage as they travel farther.
  • Buff Falco Phantasm no longer dashes over edges when used on the ground. It also has less landing lag when used while airborne. It no longer leaves Falco helpless when used in midair and gives Falco some slight forward momentum after the move ends. The introduction of ledge-trumping also allows it to be used for gimping opponents after trumping the edge, while allowing him to recover using Fire Bird
  • Nerf Falco Phantasm has 2 frames more startup (17 frames → 19 frames).
  • Change Falco Phantasm has a new animation, involving Falco spreading his arms out.
  • Nerf Falco Phantasm can no longer be canceled, removing recovery mix-ups with it.
  • Buff Fire Bird grants more distance.
  • Buff Reflector starts and ends slightly faster. Because of SSB4's removal of hitstun cancelling, it is a better poking option than in the previous game as Falco can now use another move once Reflector ends while the opponent is stunned, especially if Reflector causes them to trip at low percentages, giving the move new followup opening options.
  • Nerf Because Reflector is faster, the window that Falco gets to reflect projectiles is slightly shorter, making timing of the move more crucial than in Brawl.
  • Change Falco's Reflector animation is more fluid, and he now catches the device with his wing once the move ends.
  • Nerf Landmaster is less powerful and lasts a shorter duration.

Update history

Falco has been buffed in game updates so far. In update 1.0.4, Falco was slightly buffed due to his Blaster shooting a bit faster, which slightly improved his neutral game. Update 1.0.8 buffed his punishing game by making his neutral aerial more versatile, and increasing the speed of his up and forward aerials. The new shield mechanics also aid some of his moves without harming others. While these buffs do not notably improve Falco's worsened neutral game, they do give him more offensive options and improve his previously nerfed damage racking ability.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS 1.0.4

  • Buff Blaster fires faster.
  • Buff Forward aerial's landing hit deals 3% more damage: 2% → 5%.
  • Bug fix Fixed a glitch where Reflector Void would fail to properly reflect Timber.

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.0.8

  • Buff Neutral attack has been improved. It locks opponents more reliably for all of its hits and all hits have slightly larger hitboxes.
  • Buff Up smash's second hitbox starts up 1 frame sooner and lasts 2 frames longer.
  • Buff Neutral aerial has been significantly improved. It has larger hitboxes, can now properly keep opponents in for all hits, and always produces knockback towards the direction Falco faces, significantly improving its follow-up capabilities.
  • Buff Forward aerial has 2 frames of faster start-up and overall completes about 9 frames faster, giving it follow-up capabilities. It additionally has reduced landing lag and deals 1% more damage if all aerial hits connect: 5% → 6%.
  • Nerf Forward aerial's landing hit deals 2% less damage: 5% → 3%.
  • Buff Up aerial's start-up was decreased by 3 frames and its hitboxes deal more vertical based knockback, making it more viable for combos. Its hitboxes are also slightly larger.
  • Change Up aerial's sourspot was removed, now leaving it with a single hitbox that deals 1% less damage than the up aerial's previous sweetspot: 11% → 10%. While this means it is much more consistent in utility, it means it no longer has a hitbox that is extra powerful.
  • Buff Down aerial's sweetspot lasts 1 frame longer, and its sourspot's hitboxes are slightly larger.
  • Change Down aerial's sweetspot no longer meteor smashes grounded opponents, now sending opponents at a slightly diagonal vertical trajectory. While this removes its follow-up potential at high percents, it can no longer be teched by grounded opponents.

Technical changelist

Moveset

  Name Damage Description
Neutral attack   3% Falco performs two jabs, then tilts diagonally and spins very quickly with his wings out to repeatedly slash the opponent. He finishes the attack with a strong swipe.
2%
0.4% (loop), 3% (last)
Forward tilt   9% A mid-level roundhouse kick. It can be angled, but has below average knockback.
Up tilt   4% (hit 1 most), 3% (hit 1 late tip), 5% (hit 2) Swings both of his wings above his head, hitting twice. The tip of the first hit is a meteor smash, although it is very hard to land consistently in normal gameplay as both attacks chain well into each other. A good move in general, being both good for comboing and a fast but somewhat weak KOing option, dealing enough vertical knockback to KO at around 160%.
Down tilt   12% (near), 11% (mid), 9% (far) Falco quickly swipes his opponent's legs with his tail feathers. Surprisingly good knockback for its speed, it is a reliable KOing option around 120% if sweetspotted.
Dash attack   9% (clean), 6% (late) Falco performs a flying kick.
Forward smash   15% (clean), 10% (late) Falco swings his wings forward in an overhead powerful swipe, slashing anyone who is caught in it. Has high knockback and its sweetspot is at his hands.
Up smash   4% (hit 1), 12% (hit 2) Falco performs a backflip kick. Hits twice with moderate knockback.
Down smash   15% (feet), 12% (legs) Falco does a split kick that comes out rather quickly. His legs are intangible for a short time before the attack strikes. Below average range. Has a very small sourspot in the center of his body that deals weak vertical knockback, but endlag renders it practically unusable for comboing.
Neutral aerial   3% (hits 1-2), 2% (hit 3), 4% (hit 4) Falco performs a few spinning swipes with his wings, hitting four times. A good combo move, the final hit knocks opponents away.
Forward aerial   1% (loop), 4% (last), 3% (landing) Falco spins in a horizontal corkscrew to perform a drilling peck. It is similar to Pikachu and Sonic's forward aerials. All of its hits chain well into each other and the final hit deals impressive knockback, KOing off-stage around 100% while not being particularly hard to land. Landing while the move is used causes a shockwave that knocks opponents away with decently strong knockback, making this move one of Falco's most reliable KOing options both onstage and offstage.
Back aerial   13% (clean), 7% (late) Falco does a back kick. Excellent start-up and knockback scaling make it a great KOing option despite its fairly low range and its hitbox no longer lasting as long as it did in Brawl.
Up aerial   11% Falco does a forwards flip kick into the air. Juggles well at low percents and can KO at higher percents. Its knockback is somewhat lacking compared to Fox's, but Falco's high jumps allow it to be used from very high up near the blast line, where it can KO at around 110%.
Down aerial   13% (clean), 8% (late) Falco performs a downward corkcrew stomp. High start-up lag and hits once with a meteor smash. It has been significantly nerfed from Brawl, although it benefits from frame cancelling.
Grab   Grabs the opponent.
Pummel   2% A quick knee strike.
Forward throw   4% (hit 1), 3% (throw) Falco punches the opponent away. Can combo into a dash attack at low to mid percents if the opponent doesn't react.
Back throw   6% (throw), 3% (shots) Falco throws the foe backwards and then shoots them once with his Blaster. Can KO at around 150% near the edge if opponent is hit by the Blaster's laser.
Up throw   4% (throw), 4% (shots) Falco throws the foe upwards and then shoots them once with his Blaster. Falco's most reliable combo throw at mid to high percents thanks to his high jumps. It can lead into a KO with up air if the opponent's reaction is read.
Down throw   2% (shots), 3% (throw) Falco throws the opponent to the ground and shoots them in the chest with his Blaster. Good combo starter at low to mid percents.
Forward roll
Back roll
Spot dodge
Air dodge
Techs
Floor attack (front)
Floor getups (front)
  7% Falco lunges and kicks backwards and forwards.
Floor attack (back)
Floor getups (back)
  7% Falco extends to attack in front and in back.
Floor attack (trip)
Floor getups (trip)
  5% Falco spins around, kicking those who are near.
Edge attack
Edge getups
  7% Falco lunges at the opponent with a kick.
Neutral special Default Blaster 3% Falco fires his Blaster. Unlike Fox's Blaster, it is slow but can stun the opponent and is slightly more powerful. The Blaster fires a bit faster in the air, although this speed increase is insignificant.
Custom 1 Explosive Blaster 1% (loop), 2% (last) Falco fires a shot that slows down as it travels and explodes right before it stops. It pushes opponents while traveling, but does not do damage until the shot explodes.
Custom 2 Burst Blaster 2% Falco's Blaster acts similarly to Fox's Blaster in that it fires faster, but with less power, range, and loses its ability to make the opponent flinch. The ending lag is significantly reduced.
Side special Default Falco Phantasm 7% (ground), 6% (airborne opponents when used in air) Falco dashes forward at a blinding speed, leaving behind after-images. Unlike Fox Illusion, Falco Phantasm will launch airborne opponents straight downwards on contact, and it has 2 frames less start-up. On grounded opponents, it sends them upwards with favorable force to combo into a back aerial.
Custom 1 Falco Phase 0% Falco is intangible for the duration of the move, but cannot hit opponents either. It also covers slightly less distance.
Custom 2 Falco Charge 4% (early), 12% (clean), 4% (late) A shorter dash that hits much harder at the beginning of the move.
Up special Default Fire Bird 2% (charging loop), 3% (launch hit 1), 2% (launch hits 2-8), 2% (launch hit 9) Falco cloaks himself in flames and suddenly fires himself in any direction, depending on what direction is held. The attack hits multiple times. It also travels a shorter distance than Fox's Fire Fox.
Custom 1 Fast Fire Bird 2% Falco instantly fires himself in any direction, but at the cost of a shortened distance.
Custom 2 Distant Fire Bird 8% (first hit), 2% (loop) Falco charges up for a longer period of time, but travels further. The initial part of the attack launches opponents while the rest of the attack hits opponents multiple times, dealing weak knockback and cannot link hits very well.
Down special Default Reflector 5% (reflector), 1.2x (reflection) Falco activates his Reflector and kicks it away from him, reflecting any projectiles and shocking any enemies it comes in contact with. It then returns to him as if magnetized. The move can be used as a poking tool that trips low-damage opponents and can start combos.
Custom 1 Accele-Reflector 2% (reflector), 1.0x (reflection) The reflector can only reflect projectiles while moving forwards, but doubles the speed of the reflected shots which deal the same damage as before. The Accele-Reflector is colored green.
Custom 2 Reflector Void 9% (reflector), 0.75x (reflection) The reflector destroys absorbable projectiles instead of reflecting them, but deals more damage on contact. The Reflector Void is colored purple.
Final Smash Landmaster 12%/11%/10%/8% (movement), 10% (roll), 8%/12% (shot) Falco summons his Landmaster. Like Fox's Landmaster, Falco's version can shoot laser blasts from the cannon and can damage foes by maneuvering around. Unlike Fox's however, it has better aerial mobility, shorter duration and its blasts are weaker.

Taunts

  • Up Taunt: Kicks his Reflector around like a hacky sack and says "Piece of cake!" (楽勝だぜ。, That was an easy win.) before catching it.
  • Side Taunt: Poses by standing on one foot with his wing raised before saying "Get some!" (かかってきな。, Come at me.)
  • Down Taunt: Spins once and crosses one wing before saying "Hands off my prey!" (俺の獲物に手を出すな!, Get your hands off of my prey!)
  • Smash Taunt: When fighting as Falco on the Corneria stage in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS or Lylat Cruise in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, quickly tap down on the directional pad once and he will kneel down and seem as though he is trying to communicate with someone through a device, and then stand back up, at which point a conversation will begin with another character from the Star Fox universe.

Idle Poses

  • Slightly turns to his side.
  • Moves his wing in front of his face.

Cheer

Fal - co!

On-Screen Appearance

Falco ejects from an upside-down Arwing.

Victory Fanfare

A flourished remix directly from Brawl based on the theme that would play at the title screen in Star Fox 64. It is shared with Fox.

Victory Poses

  • Jumps high into the air and poses on the ground.
  • Does rapid kicks and poses, saying "Had enough already?".
    • If Fox is present after a match, there is a chance he will instead say "You're off your game, Fox."
  • Crosses arms and looks away, saying "You aren't worth the trouble."

In Competitive Play

Official Custom Moveset Project

Character Custom sets available
Falco (SSB4) Falco 1123 1121 1133 1131 3123
3121 3133 3131 2123 2133

Notable players

In event matches

Solo Events

  • All-Star Battle: Melee: Falco is one of the eight opponents fought in this event. All the opponents debut in Melee and reappeared in Smash 4 as veterans.
  • Duck Hunt!: As Duck Hunt, the player must defeat 10 ducks which appear in the stage background. Falco can interfere with the progress with Giant Falco appearing after some time has passed.
  • Great Fox Defense: Falco must prevent a group of Mr. Game & Watches from landing on the stage. The Mr. Game & Watches have more stock on higher difficulties.
  • Up to Speed: As Sonic, the player must defeat Fox, Falco, and Captain Falcon in a high-speed 1 stock match.

Co-op Events

  • Keep 'Em off the Ship!: Fox and Falco team up to prevent a larger wave of Mr. Game & Watches from landing on the stage.
  • Sky Pirates: Meta Knight and Dark Pit must team up to defeat Captain Falcon and Falco before the plane returns to the airfield.
  • The Ultimate Battle: Two players select a character and must defeat the entire roster.
  • Visiting Onett: Falco is one of the opponents Ness and Villager must fight against. The opponents are space characters or characters from other planets.

Trophies

Falco
North America A talented pilot and part of the Star Fox team, Falco can be a bit rough around the edges. He once led his own galactic gang before joining up with Fox. In Smash Bros., his ability to jump high and deal damage in the air makes him a powerful threat, and his thrown Reflector can catch foes by surprise.
Pal Ex-gang leader, ace pilot and comrade of Fox, Falco Lombardi might play it cool, but he's burning with passion on the inside. In this game, he excels at jumping and aerial combat, and the way his Reflector move flies forwards can catch foes off guard. Add to that his balanced array of attacks, and it's clear that Falco's a real threat.
SNES: Star Fox (03/1993)
N64: Star Fox 64 (07/1997)
Falco (Alt.)
North America Falco's Blaster looks identical to Fox's at first, but actually it's quite different! The beams Falco fires deal more damage and cause the victim to flinch, but at a slower rate of fire. Considering Falco's lineage, it's not all that surprising that he can fire faster while airborne.
Pal Falco's Blaster looks identical to Fox's at first glance, but they are actually quite different. Most notably, Falco's version causes enemies to flinch, which can be invaluable when warding off approaching foes. It also deals more damage and has a slower fire rate - though its fire rate actually increases when used in mid-air.
SNES: Star Fox (03/1993)
N64: Star Fox 64 (07/1997)
Landmaster (Falco)
North America Falco jumps aboard his landmaster for his Final Smash, This powerful combat vehicle sports an explosive cannon and a heavily armored exterior. Falco can blast other fighters or simply drive into them with his tank. This landmaster also flies higher than Fox's, letting Falco give his rivals a pick-me-up...off the stage!
Pal With immense firepower and tough armour, the Landmaster makes for a mighty Final Smash. Falco can use this fine combat vehicle to run down and roll into rivals, as well as inundate them with cannon blasts. His Landmaster can hover a bit higher than Fox's making it easier to pick rivals up and give them a nice comfy ride off the stage!

Alternate costumes

Falco Palette (SSB4).png
Falco (SSB4) Falco (SSB4) Falco (SSB4) Falco (SSB4) Falco (SSB4) Falco (SSB4) Falco (SSB4) Falco (SSB4)

Gallery

Trivia

  • Falco has three English voice actors between both versions of Super Smash Bros. 4. He has Marc Lund for his battle voice and the Orbital Gate Assault Smash taunts, Dex Manley for the Lylat Cruise Smash taunts, and Ben Cullum for the Corneria Smash taunts. He shares this with Fox.
  • Interestingly, the custom move set for his neutral special, Blaster will actually influence the throws in which Falco uses it. He also shares this with Fox.
  • This is Falco's first appearance where he is not unlocked by completing 100-Man Smash (this unlock criteria goes to Wario instead).
  • Falco is the last non-DLC character amiibo to be released in the Super Smash Bros. amiibo lineup.