Tumbling

Marth tumbling.

Tumbling (or DamageFall internally in Melee and Brawl files) is an airborne state that a character may enter after being hit or pushed in certain ways; for example, edge slipping can cause a character to tumble. A tumbling character may be identified by his or her defensive, rotating animation. Characters may tumble after being hit through the air by an attack with strong enough knockback, after being footstooled in midair, after being pushed off a ledge, or after walking off an edge while carrying a crate or other heavy item.

Actions possible while tumbling

Tumbling is not the same state as helplessness; after hitstun ends, tumbling characters can carry out most normal airborne actions while tumbling:

• They can move left and right through the air as per normal.
• They can perform aerial attacks, use any remaining jumps, and use any special moves, all of which end the tumbling state.
• In Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Smash 4, air dodging can also be performed as per normal and will end tumbling - this was not possible in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It is not possible to use a zair (tether recovery) while tumbling, though, as attempting to do so results in an air dodge (aerial attack in Smash 4).
• In Melee and Brawl, they can end the tumble and resume their normal aerial state by tapping the control stick sideways.
• They can tech if they are about to hit a platform.
• They can still grab ledges if facing through them, or in Melee, tech on them if facing the opposite side. In Melee, canceling a tumbling state by grabbing a ledge awards the Life on the Edge bonus, which gives 800 points for each time this is achieved.

If tumbling characters hit the ground without teching, they will land into a lying position and must then use a floor recovery. Floor recoveries cannot be executed for a certain amount of time after landing.

A shield break or the end of Olimar's Final Smash (after emerging from the Hocotate Ship) will result in tumbling, but the character will be unable to do anything, including teching (in Olimar's case the player can still move left and right).

Reeling

Falco reeling from a sweetspoted Wolf Flash.

Reeling (or DamageFlyRoll) is a state similar to tumbling, except the characters enter a helix motion. Characters may reel after being hit by an attack with very powerful knockback; in Brawl this only occurs once the character is at 100% or more, and occurs 30% of the time. During this state, characters cannot do anything except DI, or tech if they come into contact with a wall or ceiling. Once the knockback diminishes and the character slows down, reeling ends and tumbling begins. Teching is useful for characters with high damage, or during Sudden Death matches, since being attacked under such circumstances often causes reeling. Reeling can also occur after using the Bullet Bill; however, it does not end naturally, and can be canceled by using an aerial attack or air dodge, or landing.

Because of the character's two-dimensional nature, Mr. Game & Watch has a unique reeling animation. Instead of spinning, he has a unique cartwheeling animation.

Trivia

• The animation for tumbling is the same used in the character's Star KO animation, as well as the Screen KO in Smash 64.
• A unique tumbling animation is used for characters who are footstooled in midair. This same animation is also used for when characters enter doors in midair.
• Whenever Wolf is in tumbling animation, his left arm would detach from his bicep. This can be clearly seen when pausing the game.