Falcon Dive: Difference between revisions
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*Flame effects instead of electrical when hit. | *Flame effects instead of electrical when hit. | ||
*Two hits when connects, compared to Dark Dive's multi-hitting version. | *Two hits when connects, compared to Dark Dive's multi-hitting version. | ||
*Lacks the hitbox at the move's peak. | |||
==Gallery== | ==Gallery== | ||
Revision as of 19:37, August 13, 2017
| Falcon Dive | |
|---|---|
 Falcon Dive in SSB4 | |
| User | Captain Falcon |
| Universe | Super Smash Bros. F-Zero |
| Article on F-Zero Wiki | Falcon Dive |
| “ | Grab an enemy then propel him or her into the air. | ” |
| —Melee's instruction manual | ||
| “ | Jump up, grab, and send foes flying with an explosion. | ” |
| —Smash for 3DS's foldout | ||
Falcon Dive (ファルコンダイブ, Falcon Dive) is Captain Falcon's up special move. Contrary to the name, Captain Falcon does a leap in the air, fist extended while glowing green (orange in Brawl, and engulfed in flames in Smash 4). While still ascending, he will automatically grab a single foe if they come in contact with his body. Once grabbed, he will launch the opponent with a fiery explosion, recoiling upwards in a flip while doing so. A successful attack will cause Captain Falcon to let out a triumphant cry of "YES!".
As with most recovery moves, Captain Falcon becomes helpless after using Falcon Dive. However, if a hit is scored, the move can be used a second time, and can repeat until Captain Falcon misses. When used on the ground or in the air, it can be reversed.
Falcon Dive can easily stage spike opponents while allowing Falcon to recover, although the fixed duration between the grab and explosion also makes it relatively easy for the opponent to tech and punish the move's ending animation.
Appearances
Super Smash Bros.
In Super Smash Bros., this move was Falcon's main recovery move, other than the Falcon Punch angled upwards (which gave him a slight vertical and horizontal boost).
When the move connects with foes, it will strongly launch them at a 45° angle, thus making it hard to DI the knockback. It does a solid 20% damage upon connection with high knockback (average KO is around 130%). As with all of Falcon's special moves, it had 2-D rendered sprites as special effects. When contact is successful, it will restore a foe's midair jump and Falcon will not be helpless, free to use the move again.
Perhaps to compensate for its KO potential, Falcon Dive is one of the worst recovery moves in the game. In addition to the poor vertical boost it offers, Falcon Dive cannot grab onto enemies hanging on ledges, making it susceptible to edge-hogging.
A string of multiple up aerial attacks from Captain Falcon followed by a Falcon Dive, throughout all of the games in the Smash Bros. series is commonly referred to as an "SSB64 Combo", as this was a very common combo in said game.
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Aside from better voice quality and better special effects, Falcon Dive travels farther than in Smash 64, though the hitbox isn't out for as long. It is also much weaker and cannot be reliably comboed into due to Melee's lowered hitstun modifier. Thus, it has very little offensive utility; while it can still be used in attempts to stage spike an opponent, the opponent can tech the incoming explosion and even counter with an aerial.
As with Smash 64, contact will allow the foe to reuse a midair jump and give Captain Falcon the ability to use the move once more.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
In Brawl, timing and landing the move seems to be improved due to the floatiness and the slower falling speed of characters in Brawl. However, doing it in the opposite direction Falcon is looking drastically decreases the horizontal distance which decreases the recovery distance, unlike Melee. Also, Captain Falcon is vulnerable to hits during the start-up and to moves that hit directly above him, though less vulnerable than in Melee, due to its grabbox having increased vertical reach, making it easier to grab opponents above him.
A number of things were changed from its Melee function to Brawl's. It no longer restores a foe's midair jump, though Falcon can still use the move afterwards. This move cannot break Smash Balls but it is capable of destroying targets in Target Smash!! when the body comes in contact with the target.
Perhaps the biggest change and buff of the move from Melee to Brawl is the ability to grab and effectively stage spike foes that hang on the ledge much more efficiently; Falcon Dive in Brawl is capable of grabbing foes hanging onto the ledge and function as it normally would airborne, making Captain Falcon harder to edgehog than ever before, though it's still vulnerable to edge hogging if the edge hog is timed early enough. It is excellent at punishing foes who camp on ledges, as the incoming explosion after they get grabbed will immediately stage spike them if they do not anticipate and tech it in time. Since techs are considerably more difficult to perform in Brawl, this is considered one of Captain Falcon's few buffs from Melee to Brawl.
In Super Smash Bros. 4
In Super Smash Bros. 4, Falcon Dive was buffed again; its start-up was slightly decreased, it covers more distance while losing less momentum, and deals slightly more damage. However, since regular hitboxes now outprioritize grabs, it is harder to land against more aggressive players. The move's animation after a connected grab's explosion is also modified, as Captain Falcon now does a flourishing backflip before righting himself.
Customization
Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the variations:
| 1. Falcon Dive | 2. Falcon Strike | 3. Explosive Falcon Dive |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
| "Jump and grab a foe. If you connect with your prey, you'll explode off of them." | "Jump higher than the Falcon Dive, but doesn't grab opponents." | "Doesn't jump as high as the Falcon Dive, but it's more explosive." |
- Falcon Dive: Default.
- Falcon Strike: Jumps higher with more vertical distance, while granting high aerial mobility during the move. Despite what the description suggests, the move can still be used offensively due to the jump delivering a single blue-tinted, moderately strong punch instead. However, the move has less horizontal mobility, and the removal of the grab makes Captain Falcon much easier to edgeguard while weakening the move's stage spike capabilities.
- Explosive Falcon Dive: Cloaks Falcon in flames before jumping, which launches grabbed opponents with a significantly stronger explosion. It is able to Star KO near the upper blast line at high percents much more easily. Heavily reduces Falcon's recovery distance as a tradeoff, however. Also has higher start-up lag.
Differences with Dark Dive
- Goes higher than Ganondorf's Dark Dive, if it hits an opponent.
- Falls faster and is harder to sweetspot with.
- Deceptively large ledge sweetspot when facing backwards at the peak height.
- Overall weaker than the Dark Dive in Melee, but much stronger than Dark Dive in Brawl and Smash 4 and is impossible to punish for landing it.
- Falcon Dive releases the opponent earlier than Dark Dive.
- Falcon does an uppercut and somersaults airborne if it misses.
- Flame effects instead of electrical when hit.
- Two hits when connects, compared to Dark Dive's multi-hitting version.
- Lacks the hitbox at the move's peak.
Gallery
Falcon Dive in Brawl
Falcon ascending in the move in Brawl.
Trivia
- The way Captain Falcon yells "Yes!" during a successful connect has also become somewhat of an internet meme, in similar way to his Falcon Punch. The amount of enthusiasm Falcon uses when he shouts it makes it sound like "YESZ!" "YESH!" or "HYES!"; this too has become a popular meme on the internet. Some players such as the makers of Brawl- have gone on to connect the phrase to usages of his knee.
