Button mashing
Button mashing often refers to the act of quickly and randomly pressing various controller inputs in the hope that one's character react favorably. It is a tactic often used by new players who are unfamiliar with the mechanics of the game, and perhaps as a crude means for chains and combos. Due mainly to the large play area and ample defenses, success in the Super Smash Bros. series is not particularly conducive with this method, as many other games in the fighting genre may be.
Button mashing does have some specific uses. For example, rapidly pressing buttons allows characters to escape situations like being stunned, grabbed, or frozen more quickly.
Button mashing can also refer to repeatedly pushing the same input (or spamming), such as mashing the special button when firing Fox's Blaster. Spamming can prolong many attacks, and may also be used to increase the frequency, range, duration, etc., of others. When precise timing is not required, mashing is often the fastest and most reliable way to go. Less advanced players may choose to mash with techniques like dodging in order to increase their chances of success. The buffer system in Brawl makes this kind of button-mashing more useful as it allows automatic frame perfection.
In Super Smash Bros. Melee
To escape out of grabs more quickly, these buttons can be mashed: A, B, X, Y, L, R, Z[1]. By alternating these, it is possible to decrease the remaining grab time counter by six every frame, for example by pressing A on frame 1, B on frame 2, A on frame 3 again and so on. Additionally, every cardinal direction on the control stick further decreases remaining grab time by six. Thus, it is possible to decrease the counter by twelve on every frame, for example by alternating between left on the control stick plus A and right on the control stick and B every frame.
Marth uses button mashing to escape another Marth's grab quickly.
The grabbing Marth does a pummel to delay the grab escape.
