Aesthetics
Due to the game's graphical improvements, Snake has a sleeker design, and his overall color scheme is more vibrant. His body suit appears less form-fitting than before, and his overall appearance appears to be more detailed, particularly his hair and bandana. His pupils are also smaller. Altogether, these changes make Snake closely resemble his official artwork for Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection.- Snake's idle animation has been altered. His upper body has been turned to face more towards the screen and he stands more upright instead of slouching.
- The majority of Snake's animations are more fluid and polished.
- Snake now always speaks during his on-screen appearance.
- Snake has been updated with features introduced in Smash 4.
- Snake has a Boxing Ring title, a Palutena's Guidance conversation, and two new alternate costumes. One is a somewhat shiny, pure black costume resembling the Metal camouflage from Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. The other is a lighter green costume resembling the leaf camouflage from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
- Snake uses one of his attacking voice clips (or stays silent) when using a smash attack with battering items rather than the voice clip from his forward smash in Brawl.
- Snake's previously unused damage yells from Brawl's Sound Test are now heard when taking high knockback.
- Snake no longer uses unique sounds on hit for his jab, dash attack, tilts, and aerials.
- Snake has a new victory animation. He does a spin kick, a side kick, and then finishes in a CQC stance. The pose is a reference to the end of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots when Old Snake fights Liquid Ocelot. It replaces the cardboard box victory pose from Brawl.
Attributes
Like all characters, Snake's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 9), the biggest difference out of the cast. This greatly improves his ground-to-air transitioning and his out of shield game.- Snake walks faster (0.84 → 0.882).
- Snake runs much faster (1.35 → 1.595).
- Snake's initial dash is significantly faster (1.1 → 1.76), no longer being the second slowest. This noticeably improves his mobility on the ground.
- Snake crawls backwards faster (0.4 → 0.5), bringing him in line with most of the other characters capable to crawl.
- Snake's air speed is faster (0.94 → 0.987), although it is significantly slower relative to the cast, going from the 19th highest out of 38 characters to the 59th highest out of 89 characters.
- Snake's fast falling speed is higher (2.422 → 2.768).
- Snake's traction is significantly higher (0.0542 → 0.116) going from the 25th highest to the 16th highest.
Snake is significantly lighter (113 → 106), making him a normal heavyweight instead of a super heavyweight, going from 3rd heaviest in Brawl to tied with R.O.B. and Banjo & Kazooie for 16th in Ultimate, worsening his endurance especially vertically when combined with the removal of momentum canceling and the general changes to vertical knockback.- The removal of chain grabbing noticeably improves Snake's endurance against certain characters.
- The 19% damage increase to shields, higher shieldstun and more limited out of shield options make Snake's moves safer on shield despite many of them having decreased damage.
- The changes to hitstun canceling both help and hinder Snake. While they leave him much more susceptible to combos (even with his reduced weight) and make his bomb recovery easier to punish, they also grant him setups from his projectiles into his direct attacks, most notably his highly damaging neutral aerial and down aerial. Due to Hand Grenades coming out on frame 1, they also give Snake one of the best combo breaking abilities out of the cast, compared to air dodges and aerial attacks having previously been the fastest options out of hitstun for every character.
- Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 36 → 31).
- Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 4-15).
- Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-19 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 34 → 36).
- Spot dodge has more startup with less intangibility (frames 2-20 → 3-17), and more ending lag (FAF 26 → 27).
- Air dodge grants less intangibility (frames 4-29 → 4-28) and has more ending lag (FAF 40 → 48).
- The reintroduction of directional air dodges benefits Snake more than most other characters, as due to Cypher not causing helplessness, he can get additional distance with a directional air dodge after using it.
- Combined with the removal of edgehogging, this considerably improves Snake's recovery, especially since Cypher's hitbox can cover his air dodge to the ledge.
- All of Snake's explosions (including forward smash, up smash, Hand Grenades, Remote Missile, and C4) can be absorbed.
Ground attacks
- Neutral attack:
- The first hit transitions slightly faster into the second hit (frame 7 → 6).
- The first hit's outermost hitboxes launch opponents towards Snake (80°/88°/80° → 180°), allowing it to connect and lock opponents more reliably from far distances.
- The third hit has less startup lag (frame 10 → 8).
- All hits deals less damage (4% → 2.5% (hit 1), 3% → 2.5% (hit 2), 7% → 6% (hit 3)), with the latter also dealing significantly less knockback (60 base/115 scaling → 70/58). Combined with its reduced damage output, it is no longer the strongest neutral attack in the game, and no longer KOs until around Sudden Death percents.
- All hits have noticeably smaller hitboxes (4u/3.5u/5.5u/3.5u → 1.9u/2.1u/2.3u/2.3u (hit 1), 3.7u/3.5u/5u/3.5u → 2.6u/2.6u/3.5u (hit 2), 4u/6.5u/4u/4u → 3.3u/3.8u/4.3u (hit 3)).
- All hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.6× (hits 1-2), 1.8× (hit 3)), giving opponents more time to DI the last hit; however, it remains harder to SDI than in Brawl due to the weakening of the mechanic.
- The first two hits no longer use set knockback, and instead have less base knockback (30/20 set/100 scaling → 25/20/26/20 base/25/20 scaling (hit 1), 20 set/100 scaling → 28/25/28/25 base/25 scaling (hit 2)), causing them to connect less reliably at higher percents, while hindering the first hit's jab cancel setups until high percents, despite gaining a hitstun modifier of 2 on the fist hitbox.
- The third hit has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 10-13 → 8-9), and its total duration was not compensated for its faster startup, increasing its ending lag.
- Forward tilt:
- Both hits have smaller hitboxes (7u/6u/5u → 4.5u/4.5u (hit 1), 6u/7u/5u/6.5u → 4.5u/6u/6u (hit 2)).
- The first hit and the second hit's grounded sweetspot deal less damage (8% → 4% (hit 1), 12% → 11% (hit 2)), hindering the second hit's KO potential.
- The first hit launches grounded opponents at a higher angle (275°/361° → 78°), and has less knockback compared to the previous sourspot, but no longer has set knockback compared to the previous sweetspot (50/30 base/20/0 set/75 scaling → 42 base/0 set/10 scaling). As the sweetspot was larger than the sourspot and outprioritized it, this causes the first hit to connect less reliably into the second hit against grounded opponents overall, despite gaining a hitstun modifier of 2, and removes its ability to trip and lock opponents.
- This also means that the second hit's grounded sweetspot can no longer connect after the first hit, further worsening its KO potential.
- Against aerial opponents, it launches at a higher angle (361° → 65°), and deals much less knockback (50 base/100 scaling → 20/10) with a hitstun modifier of 2, but the resulting hitstun is no longer enough for it to true combo into the second hit until high percents. This allows aerial opponents to jump or air dodge out of the second hit, and removes the first hit's individual KO potential against them.
- The first hit has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.6×), giving opponents more time to DI the second hit.
- The second hit has more startup (frame 6 → 8) and ending lag (FAF 31 → 40). This causes it to hit one frame later after the first hit, despite its marginally faster transition (frame 11 → 10).
- The second hit's sourspot takes priority over the sweetspots.
- The second hit has more base knockback, but less knockback scaling (55 base/80 scaling → 85/62).
- Up tilt:
- Up tilt deals more damage (13% → 14.5% (clean), 12% → 13.5% (late)), with the clean hit's knockback not fully compensated (55 base/95 scaling → 65/82), slightly improving its KO potential. In combination with the increased shieldstun and more limited out of shield options, this makes it noticeably safer on shield.
- The clean hit has a longer duration, with the late hit having a shorter duration instead (frames 6-7/8-13 → 6-8/9-13).
- The late hit launches opponents at a higher angle (84° → 95°), and its knockback was not fully compensated for the increased damage (45 base/95 scaling → 50/88), slightly improving its KO potential.
- Up tilt has much smaller hitboxes (6u/5u/5u (clean) → 3.5u/2.5u/2.5u (clean, frames 6-7), 7u/5u/6u (late) → 5u/3u/3u (clean, frame 8; late)), and the clean hit's hitboxes are not placed as far (Z offset: 12u/4u/7.5u → 7u/4u/2.5u (frame 6), 10u/5u/2.5u (frame 7), 0u/0u/0u (frame 8)). This drastically reduces its infamously disjointed horizontal range, to the point where opponents have to be close to Snake in order for the move to connect.
- Down tilt:
- Down tilt has less ending lag (FAF 35 → 31).
- It deals more damage (10% → 12%). Combined with its reduced ending lag and the shield changes, this makes it significantly safer on shield.
- It has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 6-9 → 6-7).
- It deals drastically less knockback (50 base/100/110/100 scaling → 60 base/62 scaling), no longer KOing until very high percentages, despite its increased damage.
- The hitbox covering Snake's body has been removed.
- Dash attack:
- The changes to jostle mechanics allow dash attack to connect more reliably at point-blank range, as Snake can no longer run through his opponents.
- The clean hit has a longer duration, with the late hit having a shorter duration instead (frames 5-6/7-12 → 5-8/9-12).
- The clean hit has much more base knockback, but much less knockback scaling (50 base/85 scaling → 95/45), greatly hindering its KO potential.
- However, the clean hit launches opponents at a lower angle (65° → 45°), which alongside its higher base knockback, allows it to set up edgeguards more effectively and makes it much more effective as a burst option.
- The Gatling Combo can no longer be performed, hindering dash attack's damage racking ability.
- The late hit has less knockback scaling (85 → 75).
- Smash attacks:
- The voice clips for Snake's smash attacks have been swapped around. His forward smash uses his previous down smash's clip, his up smash uses his previous forward smash's clip, and his down smash uses his previous up smash's clip.
- Forward smash:
- Forward smash has less ending lag (FAF 80 → 74).
- It deals less knockback (100 base/60 scaling → 66/75), reducing its KO potential despite its higher knockback scaling, especially at the edge.
- Snake no longer vocalizes consistently when using the move, and he does so after it has been performed, rather than before. It has additionally gained a new "clicking" sound effect.
- Up smash:
- Up smash's mortar shell no longer follows a random trajectory, instead always arcing slightly towards Snake's front. While this removes its ability to hit opponents behind Snake, it most importantly improves its consistency, allowing it to be used more effectively for disrupting approaches and edgeguarding.
- The move's sound effects are more realistic, replacing the previous move's distinctive "bloop" sound.
- The mortar shell deals more damage (10% → 14%) with knockback not fully compensated (90 base/67 scaling → 87/60), improving its KO potential.
- The mortar shell travels slightly higher when uncharged.
- Due to the changes to hitstun canceling, opponents can no longer air dodge the mortar shell after the first hit, and due to the weakening of DI, they can no longer get out of its range as effectively, allowing it to connect more reliably.
- Snake takes longer to act out of up smash (FAF 51 → 55).
- The removal of DACUS significantly hinders its approach potential.
- The first hit has smaller hitboxes (8u/8u → 5u/5u) that are not placed as far horizontally (Z offset: -2u/8u → 1u/7u), decreasing its overall range especially horizontally, despite the hitboxes now extending vertically (Y offset: 4u → 4u-6u).
- The mortar shell has more startup (frame 29 → 35).
- However, since the move's total duration was not fully compensated, this reduces its ending lag by two frames.
- Down smash:
- Snake has a new down smash: rather than setting up a landmine, he kicks to his frontside, then his backside, similar to Zelda's down smash.
As a result, the Infinite explosion glitch is no longer possible to perform.
- It has dramatically less startup (frame 61 (setup), 132 (explosion) → 8 (hit 1), 20 (hit 2)) and a shorter total duration (FAF 77 → 45), and launches at a semi-spike angle (88° → 25° (hit 1), 20° (hit 2)), making it much more useful as a close range attack and granting Snake another potent edgeguarding tool.
- Due to functioning as a sweeping down smash rather than hitting both sides simultaneously, it can connect both hits at low percents if the opponent is launched backward by the first hit, racking up much more damage (14% → 26%).
- It can affect aerial opponents, and no longer damages Snake.
- Due to being a direct attack instead of a projectile, Snake can no longer set up an additional trap with his down smash to complement his other projectiles, removing its utility as a neutral and stage control tool, as well as its followup ability. As a result, it is generally much more situational.
- Both hits have an immensely shorter hitbox duration than the previous landmine's detector (≈24 seconds → frames 8-10 (hit 1), 20-22 (hit 2)).
- Both hits have smaller hitboxes than the landmine's explosion (5u/5u/5u → 4u/3.3u).
- The first hit deals less damage than the landmine (14% → 12%).
- Unlike the landmine, the new down smash does not have transcendent priority.
- Both hits deal less knockback compared to the landmine (90 base/58 scaling → 30/87 (hit 1), 30/88 (hit 2)), hindering their KO potential despite their higher knockback scaling.
Aerial attacks
- All aerials have less landing lag (30 frames → 16 (neutral), 30 → 19 (forward, back), 22 → 15 (up), 30 → 20 (down)).
- Neutral aerial:
- The hits after the first have less startup (frame 22/34/44 → 18/26/36), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 68 → 60), allowing it to land all hits in a short hop.
- The first three hits use the autolink angle against aerial opponents (120°/60°/100°/75° (hits 1-2), 260°/280°/100°/75° (hit 3) → 367°/90°) and have more consistent set knockback (5/5/40/40 (hits 1-2), 10/10/70/70 (hit 3) → 30/50). Combined with the weakening of SDI and the hits' faster startup, this allows them to connect much more reliably.
- Due to the move's reduced landing lag, the first three hits can set up into other attacks against grounded opponents if Snake lands as soon as possible after any of them hits.
- All hits deal less damage (6% → 3% (hit 1), 5% → 3% (hit 2), 4% → 3% (hit 3), 13% → 12% (hit 4); 28% total → 21%). The last hit also deals much less knockback (45 base/95 scaling → 25/90), greatly hindering its KO potential, no longer being the strongest neutral aerial in the game (although it remains among the strongest).
- All hits except the last have a shorter hitbox duration (4 frames → 2).
- All hits have smaller hitboxes (5u/5u/5u/5u → 4u/4u (hits 1-3), 9u → 7.5u (hit 4)) that do not cover as much space vertically (Y offset: 14u/14u/2u/2u (hits 1-3) → 7u/7u (hit 1), 9u/9u (hits 2-3), 13u → 11u (hit 4)) and horizontally (12u/2u/12u/2u → 4u-11u (hits 1-3), 11u → 7u (hit 4)), significantly reducing the move's range.
- The last hit is now weight-independent, improving its KO potential against heavyweights, but hindering it against lightweights.
- Forward aerial:
- The removal of meteor canceling improves sweetspotted forward aerial's reliability for edgeguarding.
- The changes to hitstun canceling combined with the move's reduced landing lag grant the sweetspot combo potential onstage from low to mid percents.
- It deals less knockback (40 base/100 scaling → 35/90), hindering its KO potential, although its sweetspot remains one of the strongest meteor smashes in the game.
- It grants Snake a weaker vertical boost (1.2 → 0.8), making it riskier to use offstage and removing its ability to auto-cancel in a full hop.
- The sourspot is noticeably smaller (6.5u → 4.7u).
- However, because the sourspot outprioritizes the sweetspot, this makes the meteor smash sweetspot easier to land.
- Back aerial:
- Back aerial can now auto-cancel before its animation ends (frame 43 → 40), although it remains unable to auto-cancel in a short hop.
- The clean hit's sweetspot is placed on Snake's feet rather than his legs (Z offset: -11u/-5.5u/0u → -4u/-10u). This gives it a more favorable placement, allowing the move to be spaced more effectively, and making the sweetspot easier to land without getting outprioritized by the sourspot.
- It deals much less knockback (40 base/90 scaling → 42/43 base/72 scaling (clean), 25/100 → 25/85 (late)), no longer being one of the strongest back aerials in the game.
- It has smaller hitboxes, and the hitbox on Snake's back has been removed (5.4u/5.7u/4u → 4.5u/5.4u (clean), 5u/5u/4u → 4.3u/5u (late)).
- The late hit has gained a sourspot on Snake's legs akin to the clean hit, which deals less damage (10% → 9%).
- However, coupled with its reduced knockback, this allows it to lock opponents for longer.
- Up aerial:
- The changes to hitstun canceling combined with the move's reduced landing lag grant it some combo potential from low to mid percents.
- The clean hit has more base knockback, but much less knockback scaling (40 base/95 scaling → 65/72), hindering its KO potential.
- The late hit has less knockback scaling (100 → 95).
- It has much smaller hitboxes (6u/6u/6u → 4u/4u/4u), and they are placed higher (Y offset: 10u/15u/20u → 15u/18u/21u). While it has marginally longer range above Snake as a result, it also has much shorter frontal range and no longer covers his upper body, making it harder to connect against grounded opponents.
- It has an altered animation, with Snake flipping forward before the kick rather than backward.
- Down aerial:
- Down aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 60 → 53).
- The hits after the first have less startup (frame 14/25/36 → 10/17/25).
- However, the move's total duration remains the same, increasing its ending lag.
- Snake gains a significant vertical boost after performing the final kick (0 → 1.2), allowing the move to auto-cancel in a short hop combined with its faster auto-cancel window, and increasing its safety offstage.
- Snake is not pushed downwards slightly during the first kick (0 → -0.2).
- The first three hits have lower set knockback (50 (hit 1), 60 (hit 2), 80 (hit 3) → 50/35/25 (all)), and the uppermost hitbox launches at a more horizontal angle (80° → 70°). Combined with the weakening of SDI and the hits' faster startup, this allows them to connect much more reliably.
- It is much faster when used out of shield due to Snake's significantly faster jumpsquat (frame 12 → 6). Combined with the move's multihits connecting much more consistently, this improves its utility as an out of shield option.
- All hits deal less damage (6% → 4% (hit 1), 5% → 3% (hits 2-3), 12% → 10% (hit 4); 28% total → 20%). The last hit also has much less knockback scaling (110 → 80), significantly hindering its KO potential.
- It has noticeably smaller hitboxes, with the last hit also having one of its hitboxes removed (6u/7u/7u (hits 1-2), 7u/8u/8u (hits 3-4) → 5.5u/5.5u/4.5u (hits 1-3), 7u/6u (hit 4)).
Throws and other attacks
- Grabs:
- All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 30 → 35 (standing), 40 → 43 (dash), 30 → 38 (pivot)).
- All grabs have smaller hitboxes (4.5u/3.5u (standing), 4.5/3.5u/3.5u (dash, pivot) → 4u/2u).
- The changes to aerial grab releases heavily hinder Snake, as he no longer has any guaranteed follow ups out of an aerial grab release (such as dash attack or a regrab) outside of his explosives.
- The speed of forward, back and up throws is no longer weight-dependent.
- Pummel:
- Pummel deals more hitlag (4 frames → 14), but has less startup (frame 2 → 1) and much less ending lag (FAF 18 → 7), shortening its effective duration.
- It deals less damage (2% → 1.3%).
- It has a quieter animation, with Snake not yanking the opponent backward as much.
- Forward throw:
- Forward throw has less startup (frame 26 → 21), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 45 → 40).
- It has a different ending animation, where Snake poses with his arms out.
- Back throw:
- Back throw has more startup (frame 17 → 20), making it easier to DI.
- However, it has a shorter total duration (FAF 32 → 31), reducing its ending lag by four frames. Alongside the changes to hitstun canceling and Snake's faster initial dash, this allows it to combo into dash attack at low percents and C4 at mid to high percents.
- Snake no longer faces the other way after using back throw.
- Up throw:
- Up throw has less ending lag (FAF 50 → 48). Combined with the changes to hitstun cancelling, this allows for combos into Snake's up tilt at low percents.
- It has gained a hitbox before the throw, allowing it to hit bystanders.
- It deals more damage (10% → 7% (hit 1), 4% (throw)); 11% total).
- The throw has altered knockback (68 base/60 scaling → 55/130). It deals more knockback overall, especially at high percents, improving its KO potential despite the heavier launch physics.
- Due to the new first hit's hitlag, the throw is easier to DI.
- It has an altered animation, with Snake shoulder tackling the opponent as he falls.
- Down throw:
- Down throw has drastically less startup (frame 59 → 35).
- However, its total duration was not fully compensated (FAF 60 → 42), giving it six more frames of ending lag.
- It deals less damage (12% → 9%).
- Due to the removal of chain grabbing, Snake can no longer tech-chase opponents repeatedly with the move, hindering its damage racking potential.
- How soon an opponent can act out of down throw is based on their percentage before the throw; it begins immobilizing them for three frames, which increases to four frames at 7%, then by one frame for every additional 17%, until capping out at 13 frames. This hinders its tech-chasing potential at lower percents, but gives Snake guaranteed followups at higher percents, most notably a KO setup into up tilt once it reaches its cap at 160%.
- Floor attacks:
- Floor attacks deal more damage (6% → 7%) and shield damage (1 → 8) per hit, with minimally compensated knockback scaling (50 → 48).
- Their angles have been altered (361° → 48°).
- Edge attack:
- Edge attack grants more intangibility (frames 1-21 → 1-27).
- It deals more damage (8%/6% → 9%), and no longer uses set knockback (110 set/100 scaling → 90 base/20 scaling), making it stronger at higher percents.
- It has noticeably less range (6u/5u/4.5u/3u → 4.5u).
Special moves
- Due to tumbling characters no longer hitting opponents they fly into other than the one that launched them (including projectiles belonging to them), Snake can no longer disrupt opponents or rack up extra damage on them by launching himself with his explosives.
- Hand Grenade:
- Generating the Hand Grenades has less ending lag (FAF 24 → 22).
- Snake can now use his double jump while holding a Hand Grenade, improving its aerial versatility.
- The normal throw has more startup (frame 6 → 8 (normal)).
- However, its total duration was unchanged, reducing its ending lag.
- Hand Grenades operate on a timer of 2.5 seconds, down from 3 seconds.
- Thrown Hand Grenades have a lower base damage value (2% → 1%).
- The explosion deals less damage (12% → 9%) and has lower knockback scaling (70 → 69), hindering its KO potential.
- However, this also improves its combo potential in combination with the changes to hitstun canceling and DI, making it more practical to combo from in a greater amount of situations.
- The explosion has a smaller hitbox during its first active frame (20u → 12u).
- The explosion has received negative shield damage (0 → -4.5), which alongside its reduced damage output, reduces its shield damage despite the universal increase to shield damage. This weakens Hand Grenades' shield pressuring ability against opponents, but allows Snake himself to shield them more safely.
- Shield dropping a Hand Grenade no longer causes other active ones in the air to fall straight down, nor drops Hand Grenades held by other characters.
- Remote Missile:
- Remote Missile has one frame less startup (frame 42 → 41).
- It has less ending lag both when canceled (FAF 34 → 28) and upon hitting an opponent (FAF 34 → 30).
- The Remote Missile reaches its top speed immediately upon being fired, travels faster, and turns much quicker, making it significantly easier to control and hit opponents with.
- The changes to air dodges in combination with the move's faster maneuverability significantly improve its utility for edgeguarding, as it can now cover opponents' recovery options much more effectively and force them to use up their air dodges, KOing them at high percents if it hits. This gives it a more defined purpose in Snake's arsenal, no longer being one of his most situational moves.
- The weak hit has more base knockback (45 → 50).
- It no longer deals shield damage (1 → 0).
- The Remote Missile no longer fully stops and drops down when canceled, instead falling in an arc carried by its horizontal momentum.
- It uses a different sound when preparing to fire a missile.
- Cypher:
- Snake can grab ledges out of Cypher, improving its safety.
- Cypher can be destroyed by attacks that deal at least 13% damage, worsening Snake's recovery.
- Due to the new limitations to teching, Snake can no longer infinitely stall by using Cypher, hitting himself with C4 and then teching on the stage if his percent is too high, hindering his recovery at high percents.
- It no longer deals shield damage (1 → 0).
- It launches at a slightly different angle (361° → 42°).
- It no longer uses set knockback (90 set/100 scaling → 63 base/17 scaling), making it weaker at low percents, but stronger at high percents.
- It uses two smaller hitboxes instead of a single large hitbox (6u → 2.5u/3u).
- The grab release glitch has been fixed.
- Grabbing onto a ladder no longer causes Snake to become helpless whenever he lets go or falls after climbing to the top.
- C4:
- While crouching, Snake can place and detonate a C4 without standing up, allowing him to take advantage of his low crouch while using the move.
- Placing it from a crouching position has less startup (frame 20 → 14) and a shorter total duration (FAF 45 → 34) compared to the standing version.
- It detonates faster with a longer duration (frames 29-30 → 25-27), and has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 33 (standing, aerial), 36 (crouching)). In combination with the changes to hitstun canceling, this improves its combo potential from low to mid percents.
- It no longer deals shield damage (1 → 0).
- Dropping it in the air has one frame more startup (frame 15 → 16).
- However, its total duration remains the same, reducing its ending lag.
- Sticking it to an opponent when Snake is on the ground has one frame more startup (frame 8 → 9).
- However, it has much less ending lag (FAF 33 → 25), now matching the wall version.
- Meta Knight's significantly worse placement in Ultimate makes the Omnigay technique much less useful.
- C4 emits a flashing red light for a few seconds after being placed, increasing its visibility. This allows Snake to keep track of it more easily, but also allows opponents to do the same.
- It produces a quieter sound when placed.
- Snake kneels when detonating it from a standing position.
- Snake can say "There!" in addition to "Now!" when detonating it, which was previously an unused voice clip from Brawl's files.
- Final Smash:
- Snake has a new Final Smash called Covering Fire. It involves him throwing a flare grenade to call an airstrike. He will announce "It's showtime!" if the move is started on the ground, but not in the air. A crosshair will first appear to mark opponents in intervals before five homing missiles are fired at the marked victims. Targets must be marked multiple times in order to send more of the missiles at them. Any missiles not given a target when their mark is placed will simply fly at where the crosshair was at the time. This resembles the way flare grenades are used in Metal Gear Solid V, where a support helicopter could be called to provide backup, with homing missiles being one of the options. The UI for the missiles bears a resemblance to the one used for the FIM-92 Stinger homing missile launcher.
- Snake only fires five shots simultaneously instead of twelve, with each shot's damage being reduced (18% → 15%), hindering its overall effectiveness.