Ukemi
- This article discusses the action known as a "tech". For the smasher, see Tech (smasher).
A Ukemi, formerly refered to as a tech, is an action performed when the character hits the ground, a wall, or a ceiling while tumbling or in hitstun. For a long time, many smashers refered to this maneuver as a "tech", until the Smash Bros. DOJO!! revealed the official term for it. To tech, the user must press L or R 20 frames or fewer before hitting the surface, after that, a player won't be able to tech for 40 frames; other button or control stick input can cause different types of techs.
The word "Ukemi" refers to a rolling technique used in Japanese martial arts when taking an attack. The name has found it's way into several (mostly fighting) games, such as Soul Calibur, to describe similar fall recovery moves.
Types of Techs
A standing tech is a neutral, ground-based tech performed by pressing L or R when a character comes in contact with the floor. The character will experience a brief period of invincibility, and will quickly bounce from the ground into a standing animation.
A rolling tech is a ground-based tech performed by tilting the control stick left or right on the control stick when teching. The character will bounce from the ground into a roll-like animation during which the character moves left or right while invincible.
A wall tech is a tech against a wall. The character immediately loses his knockback momentum and starts a neutral falling animation. This technique can be used while recovering to avoid dying from an edgeguard. Wallhugging with the third jump makes this a lot easier.
A wall tech jump is a wall tech performed by pressing X, Y or up when teching. The character will jump. Though wall jumping is restricted to eight characters, anybody can wall tech jump.
A ceiling tech is a tech against a ceiling. As with the wall tech, the character loses his knockback momentum and starts a neutral falling animation.
Ukemi Use
Ukemi can be a lifesaver in many situations and is a good technique for beginners to learn and practice. Ukemi can also help the user escape from combos.
Occasionally after accumulating sufficient damage, one will experience a wall or ceiling rebound that will send the player plummeting off-stage. This can be prevented by applying a wall or ceiling tech, saving the player from a deadly ricochet. This is especially useful in Hyrule Temple: a character in the large lower section of the stage can survive to very high damage and can immediately retaliate from otherwise-deadly blows. This unusual longevity is one reason Temple is banned from tournaments.
The standing and rolling ukemis can be performed in many more situations, and can allow a character to avoid continued assault after being knocked back. However, in many situations an opponent can predict a player's ukemi patterns and hit him again after knocking him down; knowingly setting up such situations is known as tech-chasing.
