Captain Falcon (SSB)

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

Captain Falcon (キャプテン・ファルコン, Kyaputen Farukon), whose full name is Captain Douglas Jay Falcon, or Doug and sometimes Flacno by the Smash 64 community, 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 (being the highest unlockable character on the Tier list) overall in the tier list for his overall very quick movement speed (despite a slow walking speed, he has the fastest dashing and falling speeds in the game, and an average air speed) and very strong combo ability, with his up aerial being an especially useful move that can combo in a huge variety of ways, including being able to lead into another up aerial or a forward aerial for aerial combos, as well as a Falcon Dive or down aerial as a combo finisher. Along with powerful edgeguarders in his back aerial and up aerial semi-spike, and an effective meteor smash with a very long duration in his down aerial, this gives Falcon a strong aerial game. His combo game isn't limited to the air, thanks to his up smash that can easily setup other moves. His forward throw, due to its low knockback, is also a very useful combo tool. His combos involving aerials, up smash, and forward throw are able to 0-death many characters without much difficulty. Falcon also has strong vertical endurance and is overall fairly difficult to KO onstage.

Falcon's primary weaknesses include his vulnerability to combos from many characters due to his very fast falling speed and high weight and size. His ground game is also much more limited than his air game, due to him lacking options on the ground outside up smash, forward smash, grab, and jab. He is also highly vulnerable to edgeguarding, due to his large size and subpar recovery, due to it being predictable, his primary recovery move (Falcon Dive) giving short horizontal and vertical distance, while also being unable to grab edgehoggers, and his very fast falling speed hindering it further. Additionally, Falcon lacks a projectile and a reliable way to deal with them, making characters like Fox difficult to deal with on larger stages.

Unlock criteria

Beat 1P Game in under 20 minutes and with no continues. 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 dashing and falling speed) and combo ability. He also has the best dash dance in the game, and a very strong aerial game. His up aerial is his most versatile move, being on par with Pikachu's up aerial for the best aerial in the game. Depending on where it hits, it can send the opponent in different directions. The most notable use of the move is to hit opponents straight up by hitting with the heel - this allows Falcon to chain the move into more up aerials, and finish with a Falcon Dive for a KO, or a down aerial when his midair jump is available. If the opponent is too high for a single Falcon Dive to reach, a midair jump is often enough to allow the Falcon Dive to reach them. This is made more effective by the Falcon Dive sending opponent on a difficult-to-DI angle. Another notable use of the up aerial is its ability to hit opponents back on a semi-spike trajectory (by hitting with the mid-section of the leg while it's moving backwards) - this is very useful and effective for edgeguarding. He has a powerful meteor smash in his down aerial, which can be combo'd into in a variety of ways, including up aerial (as mentioned above), forward aerial, or back aerial at lower percentages. Either of these combos could be considered a Ken Combo variation, with Ken Hoang even saying the Ken Combo was initially developed using Falcon's up aerial→down aerial combo in Smash 64. Additionally, his down aerial is a very effective edgeguarder, being a meteor smash that can KO aerial opponents somewhat early, as well as having a very long duration, meaning it can be used along with an edge drop or midair jump around the edge to prevent the opponent from edge sweetspotting.

Some of Falcon's attacks also have great range, most notably his up aerial and forward smash. The latter is additionally a powerful KO move, and a semi-spacing tool, being a reliable KO option without having to get too far in the opponent's reach. Falcon additionally has among the best short hops in the game, being able to approach incredibly quickly using short hopped Z-cancelled aerials. He also has amazing vertical endurance due to his very high falling speed and high weight, and while he isn't particularly vulnerable to juggling anyway, his Falcon Kick can prevent juggling easily due to traveling downward quickly.

Falcon, however, has limited effective ground options. His up smash is another one of his especially effective combo moves, being able to chain into itself up to three times depending on the falling speed of the opponent, and easily being to able to lead into aerials. Additionally, his forward throw is a very useful combo tool, being able to combo into forward aerial, up aerial, and up smash out of a dash, as well as a Falcon Punch on fastfallers or heavyweights at moderately high percentages. He also lacks a projectile and reliable ways to avoid them, which can give him trouble against characters like Fox on stages such as Hyrule Castle. Simply put, he is among the most vulnerable characters to constant projectile camping and ground-based camping. Falcon's two most major weaknesses are his recovery and how vulnerable he is to combos. His high weight, moderately large hurtbox, and very fast falling speed makes it easy to combo him offstage, where his large size, very fast falling speed, and short and predictable recovery make him one of the easiest characters to edgeguard. Although his Falcon Dive can fight off a careless edgeguarder, it is unable to grab edgehoggers, making it even easier to prevent him from recovering.

Falcon is known on a competitive level as being one of the top characters on Dream Land and the only character outside of Fox on Hyrule Castle to have a virtually even matchup (45-55) with Pikachu. However, Falcon struggles with Fox on Hyrule Castle, and Kirby on any stage.

In Doubles

Falcon is considered to be one of the better characters in doubles due to his incredibly easy to use combos and movement speed. Thanks to his speed, he is one of the best characters at helping teammates from edgeguarding and opponent combos. His throws can lead into partner combos as well. A notable team wobble is that two Falcons can regrab into another grab with correct timing. This can be combined with that fact that Fox is considered worse in teams, meaning that Falcon is usually considered the 3rd best character in teams, after Pikachu and Kirby. Falcon's main issue is his recovery, so in competitive play, he is usually paired with someone who is on a much safer position offstage and can help him with combos, usually Pikachu or Mario.

Moveset

Captain Falcon's aerial attacks

The three u-air hitboxes, the arrows demonstrate where the smallest hitbox (near the elbow) would send an opponent

		Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack		{{{neutralname}}}	2-3% then 3-4%	{{{neutraldesc}}}
			2-4%
			1% per punch
Forward tilt		Side Kick	13%	Kicks to his side. Like most forward tilts, this one can be angled. A half-decent spacing move, but rarely used in combos outside of the "tent" in Hyrule.
Up tilt		Axe Kick	23% if both hits connect	Puts his leg high and drops it like an axe, doing 4-9%, then 6-14% (two hits). This attack is unique because it can hit from behind, and at the start of the move, above Falcon. The move in general has somewhat high lag, though. This move is often used with his wall combos because of its range and damage (such as back throw, up tilt, regrab, etc.). It is additionally a way to edgeguard characters hanging on the edge, due to its hitbox extending below the platform.
Down tilt		Crouch Kick	11%	Does a quick kick while crouching. Slightly disjointed hitbox but has a high amount of ending lag. This attack sends the opponent at a low trajectory, and can be used against opponents hanging on the edge or to gimp opponents recovering from below such as Fox, Kirby, or Jigglypuff. Not fully recommended for this purpose against people who are able to SDI into the edge. Has generally little combo ability.
Dash attack		Shoulder Tackle	12%	Does a shoulder tackle. Decent knockback, can combo into itself on heavy characters or potentially lead into grabs. Heavy lag and generally is highly punishable however, meaning it isn't very reliable.
Forward smash		Flaming Kick	19%	Does a flaming forward kick. Somewhat resembles his Falcon Kick in terms of special effects. Good KO move, but has some startup and ending lag; not considered a fast KO move. Is a somewhat reliable spacing tool.
Up smash		Uppercut	17%	An upwards punch. This is Captain Falcon's main combo starter outside of forward throw or aerials. The attack sends the opponent straight up, but with low knockback and high hitstun. It is, however, 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.
Down smash		Down Spin Kick	16%	A "down spin kick". 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 Falcon's. Does not combo well as is generally not recommended too much.
Neutral aerial		Midair Kick	16% maximum	A sex kick. Like most sex kicks, this attack loses power with time. Very powerful when it first comes out and a good defensive move. Not exactly the most useful combo move but is sometimes thrown out as a KO move or a finisher vs. lighter opponents after a fair.
Forward aerial		Combo Kick	22% if both hits connect	Does two kicks in front for him. This attack is similar to Captain Falcon's Melee and Brawl neutral aerial, though without the horizontal movement, sends opponents on more of a horizontal angle, and is better at chasing opponents and KOing. It is also possible to link only one of these aerials into a down aerial, up aerial, or a grab, leading to further combos, a neutral aerial for KOs, or at certain percentages a down aerial to meteor smash. The two hits can lead into a Falcon Kick offstage or close to offstage as well as another forward aerial or grab depending on the opponent's weight and percentage. Very useful against more floaty characters as a spacing tool. At max horizontal spacing, this is one of the only moves that is safe on block.
Back aerial		Backward Fist	16%	Extends his fist behind him. A basic edgeguarding move with good power and no sweetspot. Strongest back aerial in the game. Can combo into another back aerial, a reverse back aerial, or potentially a reverse up aerial.
Up aerial		Flip Kick	16%	Flips in the air. Many consider this attack to be Captain Falcon's most versatile attack as well the best up aerial (along with Pikachu's). Depending on what part of the hitbox connects with the opponent, it can send the opponent in various directions. A view of the hitboxes can be seen in one of the images to the right.
Down aerial		Air Stomp	14%	A stomp attack. Stomps below him, though has a hitbox above his feet. A very long duration. 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 such as a second dair to spike offstage, a Falcon Punch for a KO, a grab, or a quick up smash (depending on the percentage and opponent's reaction).
Grab			—
Forward throw		Slam Throw	11%	Slams the opponent down in front of him. Having very low knockback for a grab, this can be used to start aerial chains, easily leading into a forward or up aerial. This throw would become his down throw in Melee and Brawl. His other main combo starter on the ground along with up smash.
Back throw		Kick Back	16%	He kicks the opponent back, causing 16%. This throw has much more knockback than his forward throw but is generally not used for combos outside of wall chaingrabs in the "tent" in Hyrule.
Forward roll Back roll		—	—
Techs		—	—
Floor attack (front) Floor getups (front)			6%	Similar to Samus's floor attack, kicks on both sides at the same time and gets up. A bit quicker and safer than most.
Floor attack (back) Floor getups (back)			6%	Similar to Samus's floor attack, kicks on both sides at the same time and gets up. A bit quicker and safer than most.
Edge attack (fast) Edge getups (fast)			6%	Gets up and kicks in a similar fashion to his down tilt.
Edge attack (slow) Edge getups (slow)			4%	Slowly rises and swats. Low range and damage. Not recommended due to its low range.
Neutral special		Falcon Punch	24%	Throws a powerful punch, with his fists engulfed in a flaming falcon shape. It is much faster than in Melee and Brawl. Can be a finisher in combos, and can be comboed into from moves such as up aerial, forward throw, or down aerial on a grounded opponent. Gives him some horizontal distance when recovering.
Up special		Falcon Dive	20%	Does a leap into the air. If he grabs an opponent, he launches them diagonally upwards powerfully, making it hard to DI. If it hits the opponent, it lets Falcon use the move again, otherwise he will become helpless. Recovery move, but it cannot grab onto edgehoggers, making Falcon easy to edgeguard. A string of multiple up aerials into a Falcon Dive is commonly referred to as an "SSB64 Combo", as it is a very common combo in Smash 64 competitive play.
Down special		Falcon Kick	15%	Performs a blazing kick while rushing forward. If used in midair, he moves at a diagonal angle down fairly quickly, being usable to counter juggling. This does not happen if he does it off a platform.

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!".

In Competitive play

Matchups

Super Smash Bros. (N64) Character Matchups

Avg.

Notable players

See also: Category:Captain Falcon professionals (SSB)

•  ballin4life
•  Captain Tavo
•  Isai
•  JaimeHR
•  Megavolt
•  Mr Bushido
•  Ruoka Dancho
•  SIN
•  SuPeRbOoMfAn
•  Stranded
•  Tambor

Techniques

Dash pivot

This is an easy-to-perform technique that can be used effectively for mindgames. Essentially, it is a forward roll that is performed without using a roll. To utilize the technique, one begins with an initial dash and quickly taps the control stick in the opposite direction. If one holds it in the opposite direction, or even presses it, then Captain Falcon will dash-dance instead. What makes this technique very effective is that Falcon has a long initial dash, and so one can use this to tech-chase an opponent depending on their position, or even perform a sort of pivot grab. One can also use the dash pivot to change one's position in battle, necessary for spacing: successive dash pivots in one direction after a hit can provide new approach options, lining up Captain Falcon for short-hopped back/up aerials, while simultaneously performing a sort of pseudo-moonwalk, potentially throwing off the opponent's perception of Falcon's movement. In addition to the aforementioned usages, one can use the dash pivot to edge-hog very effectively. With proper spacing, a well-timed dash pivot can thrust a player off a ledge into a ledge grab, allowing for many viable recovery blocking techniques (a taunt cancel implemented while flying off a ledge adds notable humour and dramatic flair as well). Overall, the potential of this technique is quite significant, and it is an integral part of any decent Captain Falcon user's metagame.

Teeter canceled Falcon Kick

Falcon Kick is often used among advanced Captain Falcon users as the last hit of a combo (generally followed after a forward aerial) or as an edgeguarding move. If the player is dashing, he can teeter cancel and seemingly use a Falcon Kick out of a full sprint.

Stairway to Heaven combo

Captain Falcon's up aerial is notorious for its low and nearly purely vertical knockback as well as its high hitstun. This combo involves using up aerial chains to combo the opponent to near the top of the stage, where Falcon Dive can be used as a combo finisher to hopefully Star KO them. These up aerial chains are extremely common among Captain Falcon players.

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)

Costumes

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 has the highest damage output out of all tilt attacks in the entire game, dealing a maximum of 23% damage.
• 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.