Captain Falcon (SSB)

Captain Falcon in Super Smash Bros.
Captain Falcon
Universe	F-Zero
Other playable appearances	in Melee in Brawl
Availability	Unlockable
Tier	A (4)

Captain Falcon (キャプテン・ファルコン, Kyaputen Farukon), whose full name is Captain Douglas Jay Falcon, appears in Super Smash Bros. as one of the four unlockable characters. His appearance is based on his incarnation from F-Zero X for the Nintendo 64.

Captain Falcon is currently ranked 4th overall in the tier list for his high speed and combo ability. His infamous Falcon Punch is one of the most powerful moves in the game, and is deadly in the hands of a master. However, he is heavy and a fast faller, making him an easy target for combos and lacks a projectile.

How to Unlock Captain Falcon

Beat 1P Game under 20 minutes. The battle takes place in Planet Zebes, because Captain Falcon does not have a home stage.

Attributes

File:Captainfalconending.jpg

Captain Falcon's ending picture in Super Smash Bros.

Captain Falcon's most notorious attributes are his incredible speed (the fastest dash and falling speed) and combo ability. He also has the best dash dance in the game. He has great reach with most kick attacks (especially side smash and up aerial), but he lacks projectiles and ways to avoid them. Captain Falcon has a great air game (due to his aerial attacks having low lag and having a down aerial spike), but few effective ground options (excluding jabs, throws, and his up smash). He has some high knockback attacks (e.g. the Falcon Punch), but these moves are slow. Captain Falcon is heavy, which makes him harder to KO. However, his heavy weight (combined with the fastest falling speed and large size) makes him easy to combo. He also has a good short hop.

Captain Falcon's major weakness is his poor recovery. Having the fastest falling speed makes him vulnerable to spikes. Additionally, Falcon Dive is a predictable recovery move that does not travel much horizontal distance. On the upside, it can take out edge-hoggers and can be used again to grab an edge.

Falcon is known on a competitive level as being one of the top characters on Dreamland and the only character outside of Fox on Hyrule to have a virtually even matchup with Pikachu. However, Falcon struggles with Fox on Hyrule, and Kirby on any stage.

In Doubles

Falcon is considered to be one of the better characters in doubles due to an incredibly easy use of combos. Falcon due to his speed is also one of the better characters at helping team mates while his grabs can lead into partner combos as well. This can be combined with that fact that Fox and Jigglypuff are worse in teams (one of his main weaknesses in Singles) making Falcon usually considered 3rd best in teams after Pikachu and Kirby respectably. Falcon's main issue is his recovery so he is usually competitive paired with someone who can keep up with him and help him with combos such as Mario and Pikachu.

Moveset

Ground Attacks

Normal

• Neutral attack: Does a quick jab for 2-3%, followed by another fast punch for 3-4%, then the "Gentleman" hit for 2-4% damage before a series of rapid punches that do 1% each. This move is fast, though a little awkward for combos.
• Forward tilt: Kicks to his side for 13%. Like most forward tilts, this one can be angled. A good defensive or punishing move.
• Down tilt: Does a quick kick while crouching, doing 11% . This attack sends the opponent at a low trajectory, and can be used against foes hanging on a ledge.
• Up tilt: Puts his leg high and drops it like an axe, doing 4-9%, 6-14% (two hits, total 23%). This attack is unique because it can hit from behind, and at the start of the move, above Captain Falcon. The move in general is somewhat long, though. This move is often thrown with his wall combos for it's range and damage.
• Dash attack: Does a shoulder tackle. 12% damage. Decent knockback, can follow into itself on heavy characters.

Smash attacks

• Side smash: Does a flaming forward kick. Somewhat resembles his Falcon Kick in terms of effects. Minor start-up and ending lag for this good finishing attack, though still not considered a fast KO move. 19%.
• Down smash: A "down spin kick", does 16% .If the attack connects closer to the body, the opponent will be sent upwards. If it connects with the tip, the opponent will be sent in a more horizontal direction. Somewhat short duration, for a move of this criteria, but an awkward move for one of C. Falcon's.
• Up smash: An upwards punch, 17%. This is Captain Falcon's main combo starter. The attack sends the opponent straight up, but with low knockback and high hitstun. It is also trifled with unusually short range, for an up smash. It is the weakest up smash in the game, but one of Falcon's most useful moves for its combo potential. The hitbox is Falcon's body and the small area above his raised fist.

Other attacks

• Ledge attack- Gets up and kicks in a similar fashion to his down tilt. 6% damage.
• 100% ledge attack- Slowly rises and swats. Low range and damage. 4% damage.
• Floor attack- Similar to Samus's floor attack, kicks on both sides at the same time and gets up. 6% damage.

Aerial attacks

• Neutral aerial: A sex kick, does 16% (at beginning). Like most sex kicks, this attack loses power with time. Very powerful when it first comes out and a good defensive move.
  

  Captain Falcon's aerial attacks
• Forward aerial: Does two kicks in front for him, 4-22% if the two hits connect. This attack is similar to Captain Falcon's Super Smash Bros. Melee neutral aerial attack, though without the horizontal movement, and is better at chasing foes and KOing.
• Back aerial: Captain Falcon extends his fist behind him. A basic edgeguarding move with good power. 16%
• Up aerial: Flips in the air. 16%. Many consider this attack to be Captain Falcon's most versatile attack. Depending on what part of the hitbox connects with the opponent, it can send the opponent up, forward, or backwards, or in certain cases keep the opponent, for all practical purposes, in place (the spot where the most knockback occurs is at Captain Falcon's heel when a person is hit from Captain Falcon's back). A common use for this attack is to simply just chain up aerials together into one huge combo.
• Down aerial: Stomps below him, though has a hitbox above his feet. 14% damage. This attack is a meteor smash. The hitbox exists on the legs and chest, and if the opponent connects with the chest, he/she will be sent down at a slight angle. If the opponent is already on the ground, it will, depending on their damage percentage, keep the opponent in place or send him/her up at a very slight angle, leading into another aerial or a quick up smash (depending on the % and foe's reaction).

Grabs & Throws

• Forward throw: Falcon slams the opponent down in front of him. Having very low knockback for a grab, this can be used to start aerial chains. This throw would become his down throw in later Smash Bros. installments. 11%
• Back throw: He kicks the opponent back, causing 16%. This throw has much more knockback than his forward throw.

Special Moves

Captain Falcon's special moves

Neutral special	Falcon Punch
Up special	Falcon Dive
Down special	Falcon Kick

Taunt

• Taunt: Turns to his right, keeping his left hand curled into a fist which he puts on his hip, he touches his forehead with his right fist then straightens his hand out to do a salute while saying "Show me your moves!".

Matchups

Super Smash Bros. (N64) Character Matchups

Avg.

Combos, Tactics, and Tricks

Basic and more advanced combos

Basic falcon combos are known for being to combine multiple up aerials into up b or down air for KOs. Usually the first move used into the combo is an up smash, forward throw, or short hop forward aerial. What progresses Falcon mostly is their spacing and use of tilts as Falcon's combos are overall some of the easiest to do in the game but Falcon is overall considered to be the easiest to combo outside of DK due to his weight and low floatiness. Spacing aerials is key.

Falcon Punch Combos

More advanced combos involve using the Falcon punch as finishers such as up air into falcon punch, a tech chase down air into falcon punch, or a forward throw into falcon punch. Combos into falcon punch are usually within the 50-70 range vs Fast Fallers or heavy weights using Forward throw, around 60-90 (some using a jump after using up air and some grounded) and around 110-120 using down aerial.

Spike Combo

Sometimes known as the "Ken Combo" of SSB, this combo consists of an up aerial followed by a jump and then a down aerial attack spike. The up aerial must connect at the right spot so that there is minimal knockback. Ken has said that the Marth ken combo of melee was inspired by the Ken combo of SSB.

Falcon Punch Recovery

Using a Falcon Punch while in the air gives Captain Falcon slight horizontal movement. Also, the attack can be "angled" by hitting up or down right after hitting B, which can be used to boost his vertical recovery slightly as well.

Dash Pivot

A really easy and effective mindgame technique. It's basically a frontwards roll, without the roll. One does an initial dash and quickly taps the stick the opposite direction. If one holds it the opposite direction, or even presses it, then Captain Falcon will dash dance instead. What makes this move very effective is that Falcon has a long initial dash, and so one can use this to tech chase one's opponent depending on his position. One can also use the dash pivot to change one's position in battle, necessary for spacing.

Dair-Dair Spike

When performed on a grounded foe, a down aerial ("dair") attack will send them upwards on a small angle. One can use this when Captain Falcon is close to an edge to perform a second down aerial, which will (after about 50% with most chars) send them to the bottom of the stage. In order to do this one will need to Short hop both attacks and Z-Cancel the first one as well. The first down aerial can also combine into a Falcon Punch.

Description

A regular pilot in the great galactic race F-ZERO Grand Prix, Captain Falcon is skilled at collecting prize money. Much about his past remains hidden in shadow, but it's clear that many a villain hold a powerful grudge against him. Works:

• F-ZERO (SNES)
• F-ZERO X (N64)

Costume Gallery

File:Alt-cfalcon.jpg

Captain Falcon's changeable clothing in SSB

Trivia

• Captain Falcon is the only playable character that doesn't use his own head for his stock life icon. Instead, he uses a Falcon.
• Captain Falcon has the most usable costumes in the game, with six. Most characters have four or five. Yoshi has six as well, but only four are usable outside of hacking (The dark blue and pink swaps only appear in the single player mode.)
• Captain Falcon has a gun, but he never uses it as an attack.
• Captain Falcon's "Congratulations!" screen is the only one to use a pre-existing image from an original game, in this case, the first unlockable title screen from F-Zero X.
• His up tilt is considered the strongest tilt attack in the entire game, having a maximum 23%.
• Captain Falcon shares various attack animations with Samus; their up tilt, however her version has one hitbox and isn't as strong, their Dash attacks, even having the same sound effects, but Falcon makes a grunt when using it (Samus is silent, as she is throughout the game), and their down smash (where, again, Falcon grunts and Samus is silent).
• Captain Falcon, along with Samus, is the only character to have a blue costume that is only usable if Falcon is on the blue team in VS Mode.