Slip Counter
| Slip Counter | |
|---|---|
 Slip Counter in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. | |
| User | Little Mac |
| Universe | Punch-Out!! |
| “ | Pretend to take a hit, and then counter with an uppercut. | ” |
| —Smash for 3DS's foldout | ||
Slip Counter (スリッピングカウンター, Slipping Counter) is Little Mac's down special move in Super Smash Bros. 4 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. As the name would imply, it is a counterattack move.
Overview
When Little Mac uses Slip Counter, he will move his body backwards and cover his face with his hands in a defensive pose. The move will do nothing if Little Mac is not attacked, but if an opponent attacks him, Little Mac acts like he was hit before retaliating with a punch to catch the opponent off guard, while a representation of a heartbeat appears above him. Little Mac is invincible during the attacking frames when the move is used on the ground, but not when used in the air.
During the counterattack, Little Mac takes a big step forward both if on the ground or in the air, which can be life-saving due to Little Mac's sub-par recoveries; countering an opponent's attempted gimp is therefore a risky yet beneficial tactic to extend Little Mac's recovery potential. However, this can be detrimental if the opponent attacks him in the opposite direction away from the stage, as Little Mac will rocket even further away from the stage, unable to recover.
If Slip Counter successfully counters an attack, it reflects 1.3x the damage of the countered move to the attacker, with a minimum of 10%. Slip Counter is tied for the fastest counter in the game (with Double Team and Witch Time), beginning at frame 5, but it is slightly weaker in terms of knockback compared to other counters that also reflect damage, not OHKOing until it counters an attack that deals 38.5% or more damage, causing the counterattack to deal the 50% damage cap.
Unlike Little Mac's other special moves, Slip Counter doesn't have a unique 8-bit sound if he is using a Wireframe alternate costume; in fact, the move makes even less noise since it remove's Little Mac's voice line during the counterattack.
Giga Mac's version of Slip Counter also uses a 1.3x damage multiplier, and it deals a minimum of 30% damage. However, the damage cap is still 50%, and the counterattck's knockback is exactly the same as that of Little Mac's Slip Counter.
Customization
Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the variations:
| 1. Slip Counter | 2. Compact Counter | 3. Dash Counter |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
| "Wait for your opponent to attack, and then counter with an uppercut." | "A weaker counterattack that doesn't knock foes very far, allowing for easy follow-up combos." | "The counter window is shorter, but you dash forward to strike, making it useful at range." |
- Slip Counter: Default.
- Compact Counter: Reduced knockback capabilities, making it almost impossible to KO with the counterattack. In exchange, the counterattack has greatly reduced start up and an increase in speed, which when combined with the greatly lowered knockback allows for better follow-up options.
- Dash Counter: Dash forward upon countering, but can't hit opponents directly in front. The counterattack can be used as a much better form of recovery compared to the standard Slip Counter.
Origin
Countering opponents is one of the most important aspects of not only the Punch-Out!! games, but boxing in general. Little Mac's strategy to defeat most of his foes throughout the games was by dodging their attacks, or by feinting his own attack, and then following up with a series of punches while they are off guard. Countering an opponent's punch before they throw it will earn Mac a star to use for his Star Punch attack or gives Mac a bigger window to unleash an attack. In the Wii installment, countering with a star punch can OHKO opponents.
Apart from Mac's use of this strategy, the use of a full crouch stance before throwing a punch is also used By Glass Joe in Title Defense mode in Punch Out!!! Wii, where he delays his hook by assuming a similar stance before throwing it. The concept of countering is also used by Don Flamenco as his overall fighting technique, who will not attack until Mac throws a punch of his own in which he will dodge or block before throwing a slightly over-the-top punch himself. In the fight against Aran Ryan, in order to stun him, Mac would have had to counter his moves, otherwise he wouldn't be able to do any meaningful damage.
