Wolf Flash
| Wolf Flash | |
|---|---|
| Wolf Flash Wolf Flash being used in Ultimate. | |
| User | Wolf Fox (custom) |
| Universe | Star Fox |
| “ | Jumps upward diagonally and attacks nearby opponents. Has a meteor effect against airborne enemies if timed right. | ” |
| —Description from Ultimate's Move List | ||
Wolf Flash (ウルフフラッシュ, Wolf Flash) is Wolf's side special move, and one of Fox's custom side special moves in Smash 4. When it is used, Wolf dashes forward at blinding speed, damaging anyone in his way.
Overview
Similar to Fox Illusion and Falco Phantasm, this move sends the user forward incredibly fast, leaving a trail behind.
Unlike its counterparts, it sends Wolf upward around 30 degrees, allowing it to act as a recovery from points below the stage. The trail Wolf leaves in his wake does negligible knockback and little damage. However, when there's an enemy at the spot where Wolf stops, the attack is electrified and deals considerable damage while stunning the enemy, launching the foe forward if they're hit in front of Wolf, or meteor smashed if they're hit by Wolf himself.
In Brawl, as with other Star Fox characters' side special moves, Wolf Flash can be cancelled by pressing the button for a special move, which sends Wolf further horizontally without an angle, greatly increases the horizontal reach of the move for recovery, but removing the sweetspot of the attack.
In Ultimate, Wolf Flash can now be angled slightly up or down. It also presents much more pronounced slashing effects upon usage. It still leaves Wolf helpless upon finishing the attack, even though both Fox Illusion and Falco Phantasm haven't caused helplessness since Brawl.
Wolf Flash and ledges
In Brawl, Wolf Flash has characteristics that can cause a number of unusual outcomes when performed near ledges.
- If Wolf uses Wolf Flash from a particular position in relation to a ledge, he can seemingly travel through a portion of the stage and land safely (if looked at in slow motion, Wolf isn't actually traveling through the stage, but hugging the ledge onto the stage). This technique is called scarring, and can only be performed near certain ledges. It can be useful as an approach option from the edge should Wolf end his dash up there, and can be used as a way to get back on stage to avoid edge pressure from the opponent.
- There is a variant of this strategy called semi-scarring, whereby the player uses Wolf Flash to propel Wolf toward a ledge, but holds down on the control stick. This prevents Wolf from immediately grabbing the ledge, and can sometimes cause him to travel through a small part of the edge of the stage.
- Performing Wolf Flash from certain other positions in relation to a ledge can cause Wolf to cancel the move and drop from the ledge without grabbing it, or land close to the ledge on stage, in a standing position.
Scarring is much harder to perform in Ultimate, as Wolf Flash can no longer hug the ledge as much, which often results in a self destruct.
As a Custom Move for Fox Illusion
Wolf himself does not appear in Smash 4, though the name of his move, Wolf Flash, is used as a customizable option for Fox's Fox Illusion.
| 3. Wolf Flash |
|---|
 |
| "Dash into the air at an angle. When it hits, it sends opponents crashing downward." |
Gallery
Wolf Flash being used in Brawl.
Offensive usage.
Fox's "Wolf Flash" variation of his Fox Illusion in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
Wolf Flash as shown by a Skill Preview in Ultimate.
Trivia
- For some reason, even in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Wolf still enters freefall when using his side special, even though Fox and Falco are exempt from this penalty.
- Additionally, Fox himself won't turn helpless when using Wolf Flash via a custom move in Smash 4.
- There exists a glitch in earlier iterations of Ultimate regarding Wolf Flash where, if Wolf goes into helpless animation after using an air dodge and lands, the air dodge's 10 frame landing lag will override the move's 29 frame landing lag. This was fixed in version 3.0.0.
