An icon for denoting incomplete things.
Captain Falcon's down tilt in Brawl.
Mario's down tilt in Melee

A down tilt (abbreviated "d-tilt,"), officially called a strong down, is a tilt performed by any character by holding the control stick lightly down and pressing the attack button while on the ground, or crouching ahead of time and pressing the attack button. It will instantly hit all surrounding characters, making it useful for spacing. It is also useful for a foe rolling around the player. It can also be performed by pressing Z while crouching. Only in Super Smash Bros. Melee and in Super Smash Bros. Brawl do some of these down tilts meteor smash an opponent. In Brawl and SSB4, many down tilts have the ability to make opponents prat fall/trip occasionally.

Characters' down tilts in Super Smash Bros.

Character Description Damage
Pikachu Spins his tail around once. It's a moderately high knockback move with surprising range (similar to most of Pikachu's moves in this way). Lower combo ability than Pikachu's other moves. Semi-spike. Can gimp opponents. 12%
Kirby Jabs his foot. It is a long range move that is quite good at gimping and breaking shields. 9%
Yoshi Spins his tail once. It is another set knockback tilt (the other one being up tilt) with good power, can infinite against a wall, usually used for gimps. Very good for edgeguarding Fox, Jigglypuff and Kirby. High power semi-spike by the ledge. 10%
Captain Falcon Jabs his foot. A good move that has IASA frames. Usually used as a shield stunner in order to throw after. Good knockback. Essentially Yoshi's up tilt but without set knockback, slightly less range, and more combo ability. 11%
Donkey Kong Does a slap-like move across the ground. One of the few low lag DK moves. Essentially a weaker version of Captain Falcon's. Very useful at close range to lead to a grab or down special move. 8%
Mario Jabs his foot. A low knockback move with a good amount of damage. A sweeping kick. Not overly useful due to poor range and poor combo ability. 12%
Luigi Similar to Mario but with slightly less range, slightly less lag, and slightly less knockback. Combos into up special move. 7%
Jigglypuff Jabs his foot. Similar to Pikachu but slightly less versatile, quicker, and has less range. Good combo ability and works great into rest. 10%
Samus A longer range version of Mario. Good knockback and a good spacing move. 13%
Link Swings his sword once. A different form of down tilt. Sends an opponent up. Combos into up special and other moves. However, the lag is too high for the move to be used often. 12%
Fox Quickly swings his tail. Similar to Link's but with more range and slightly more combo ability. If there wasn't Smash DI in this game, then this move could lead into an infinite with a down aerial after. 12%
Ness Quickly jabs his foot. Very quick with low damage. Usually used into a throw or against a wall for a shield break. Can be Smash DI'd out of to prevent a grab after. 3%

Characters' down tilts in Super Smash Bros. Melee

Character Description Damage
Mario Sweeps his leg low on the ground. Very weak. 8%
Luigi Similar to Mario. Weak knockback. 4-9%
Dr. Mario Similar to Mario. Sends foes backwards. 9%
Peach Sweeps the ground with her arm. Can meteor smash with her arm. Can KO under 150% if she hits the opponent with her hand. Strongest down tilt meteor smash in Melee. 6-12%
Bowser Slashes at the ground two times. 7% first hit, 15% second hit, up to 22%.
Donkey Kong Sweeps with his hand. Very fast. 7%
Yoshi Swipes at the ground with his tail. 9%
Link Slashes at the ground. Meteor smashes if hit on the sweetspot. 11%
Young Link Same as Link but stronger. Always meteor smashes. 10%
Zelda Thrusts her foot outwards. Meteor smashes if it is sweetspotted. 7%
Sheik Kicks while crouching 7%
Ganondorf Sweeps at the ground. Identical to Captain Falcon. 12%
Samus Shoots at the ground. High knockback. 14%
Ice Climbers Swings at the floor. Two hits. Leader, 4%, partner, 5%, up to 9%.
Kirby Kicks while crouching. 10%
Fox Sweeps with his tail. Fast and can KO. 10%
Falco Identical to Fox. Very powerful. 13%
Captain Falcon Sweeps at the ground. 12%
Pikachu Swings its tail at the ground. Weak but fast. 7%
Pichu Identical to Pikachu. 7%
Mewtwo Spins and sweeps tail on the ground. Can be used to combo fast-fallers. 9%
Jigglypuff Quickly extends its foot downwards. 10%
Marth A quick crouching sword poke. Good for edgeguarding as it is a semi-spike. 9% untipped, 10% tipped.
Roy Similar to Marth. Good for comboing. 12% base, 10% tip.
Ness Thrusts his leg downwards. Comboes into itself and can trap some fast-fallers indefinitely. 3%
Mr. Game & Watch Flips a manhole cover in front of him. Deals vertical knockback, and can KO at higher percentages. 12%

Characters' down tilts in Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Character Description Damage
Mario Swivels his leg around himself in a circle. Poor knockback. 7% closer to Mario, 5% farther away.
Luigi Sticks his foot forward. Different from Mario's (in all 3 games). While crouching, slides foot farther from foe into them, usually causing them to trip. Can be a weak meteor smash if used on a foe on the ledge. 9%
Peach Bends forward and slaps at a slightly downward angle. If the opponent hits her forearm, it can meteor smash off the edge. Has a 30% chance of tripping if the opponent hits her hand. 10%
Bowser Swipes his claws along the ground twice, with high knockback for a down tilt. As Giga Bowser, both swipes are meteor smashes and they are imbued with darkness and the first hit can bury opponents. 14% first hit, 11% second hit, up to 25%.
Donkey Kong Slaps along the ground with good range. Great racking up damage at low percentages and a trip can be combined into a Hand Slap 8%
Diddy Kong Ducks and claps his hands together, hand has a colored "booming" effect. Horizontal knockback. It combo itself at low percentages 7%
Yoshi Swings tail along ground. Weaker at tip. 10% normally, 5% tip.
Wario Points finger at the ground. Quick, but weak. 7%
Link Swipes sword very close to the ground. Can meteor smash aerial opponents 12%
Zelda Curves foot forward. Weak but can combo into itself or pop enemy slightly above her. Meteor smashes foes on the ledge. It can also cause tripping. 7-8%
Sheik Spins around in a circle while crouching. Similar to Zero Suit Samus' and Sonic's. 8%
Ganondorf Sticks foot out. Can easily KO at high percents, but weak compared to Ganon's other moves. 12%
Toon Link Ground-shaving quick swipe. Good for edgeguarding; provides medium knockback. 9%
Samus Small explosion from her arm cannon is shot at the ground. Very strong, good finisher, no startup lag, and decent damage. 14%
Zero Suit Samus Spins around in a circle while crouching. Similar to Sheik's and Sonic's. Sends foe upwards. 6%
Pit Crosses bow blades on across the ground. Foe is hit upwards. If used off ledge, it can meteor smash. 11%
Ice Climbers Sweep hammers across the ground. Good for edgeguarding due to horizontal knockback. Knockback a bit higher than Diddy's. Leader, 6%, Partner, 5%, total, 5%-11%.
R.O.B. Shoots arms very quickly diagonally down at ground. No lag at all, can be spammed , and causes prat falls. Not much knockback, but good damage racker. Can infinite against walls. 5-6%
Kirby Kicks foot forward. Weak, but has a high chance of forcing a trip. 6% when close, 5% when farther out.
Meta Knight Pokes sword forward. Similar to Marth's, although faster, and moves him forward a bit. 4-6%
King Dedede While crouching, swings foot forward. Considerable ending lag, but strong attack. Good for edge-guarding. 10%
Olimar Pushes forward along the ground. (Comedically, if Pikmin are behind him, it looks like his Pikmin shoved him on the ground.) 8% body, 2% antenna, up to 10%.
Fox Swings tail along the ground. 9% close, 7% farther away.
Falco Same as Fox's, but stronger and has a slash effect. Less range than Fox's, but good for combo setups. 12% when close, 9% when farther out.
Wolf Kicks out with his foot, having decent range and can cause tripping. 6%
Captain Falcon Sweeps with his leg at the ground. 10%
Pikachu Spins around once, hitting with its tail. 7%
Squirtle Spins around and around forward. Multiple hits. Up to 13%
Ivysaur Whips its vines low and forward. 2% first hit, 5% second hit, up to 7%.
Charizard Reaches out and bites along the ground. Strongest at the tip of the move where its mouth is biting, weaker at its neck area. 8% sourspotted, 12% sweetspotted.
Lucario Pokes foot out and holds arms behind it. Very similar in appearance to Ness'. Aura imbued. 5% minimum power, 9% maximum.
Jigglypuff Jams foot forward and low. Low knockback. 10%
Marth Stabs sword forward. Same as Meta Knight's. Slightly less range and slower than Meta Knight's, but still moves Marth forward. 9% untipped, 10% tipped.
Ike Swings sword horizontally across the ground. Extremely powerful meteor smash to aerial opponents. 14% normally, 10% at tip.
Ness Sticks his foot forward. Very fast and can be used many times in succession. Causes prat falls. Good hitstun, but less knockback. Like Lucario's in appearance. This move is great setup for Ness' Up Smash if the enemy trips. 100% chance of tripping if sweetspotted. 4%
Lucas A non PSI-powered leg swivel. Can be indefinitely used like Ness', but is not as fast, and does not trap the opponent. Has a 100% chance of tripping if sweetspotted. 6%
Mr. Game & Watch Flips a 3D manhole in front of him. Can be held indefinitely. Excellent move with good knockback and speed. Good for combo setups and a good follow up to his down throw. 6% on grounded opponents, 9% on airborne opponents.
Snake Spins body around in a circle, very close to the ground. Has KO potential on most characters at 120% and up. 10%
Sonic Swings leg around and comes back in same position. Similar to Zero Suit Samus' and Sheik's. Moves him forward. 6%

Down Tilts in Super Smash Bros. 4

Character Description Damage
Bowser Swipes forward with left claw, and then right. First hit knocks enemy back and does not lead into second hit very well. Great knockback on both hits. Can KO reliably over 100%. 14% (first hit), 11% (second hit)
Bowser Jr. The Koopa Clown Car sticks out tongue and licks opponent three times. The third hit has moderate knockback. Not much start-up or end lag. Great for covering the ledge. 2 hits of 1.5%, then 5%
Captain Falcon Does a sweep kick, semi-spiking opponents. Has moderate range. Can KO opponents at high percentages. 10%
Charizard Charizard headbutts along the ground, doing moderate knockback. Has a bit of end-lag. Can KO opponents at high percentages. Depending on the character, this move can miss at very close range. 10%
Dark Pit Dark Pit leans forward a bit and slashes with his bow. This move very slightly changes animation depending on if his bow is combined or split. Very good range, but has a bit of end-lag. Good at hitting opponents trying to recover horizontally. Almost exactly the same as Pit's down tilt except for the damage output. 6%
Diddy Kong Diddy Kong claps at ground level in front of himself. Extremely fast. Very little knockback. Can lead into a throw or a forward smash to KO opponents. 6%
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong slaps in front of himself near the ground. This move deals more damage if the enemy is closer to Donkey Kong. Sends opponents at a horizontal angle. Minimal KO power, but can lead into aerial attacks if used to knock the opponent off-stage. 7% when sweetspotted, 6% when sourspotted
Dr. Mario A spinning leg swipe move, which deals more damage when the opponent is closer to Dr. Mario. Relatively quick. 7% when sweetspoted, 5% when sourspotted
Duck Hunt The duck flies in front of the dog in a circle, dealing damage. Moderately quick, good for hitting opponents below the stage. 8%
Falco Falco swipes his tail in an arc near the ground, which deals more damage the closer the opponent is to him. Launches opponents at an upwards angle, becoming a KO move at higher percentages. Similar to Fox's down tilt, but deals more damage. Moderately quick. Ranges from 9-12%
Fox Fox swipes his tail in an arc near the ground, dealing more damage the closer the opponent is to him. When sweetspotted, the enemy is sent at about a 45 degree angle, while the sourspot sends them at a near 90 degree angle. Moderately quick. Ranges from 6-8%
Ganondorf Ganondorf extends his leg out in front of himself, sending the opponent at a vertical angle. Very good range. One of Ganondorf's faster ground moves. A great KO move at higher percentages. If the opponent does not tech a grounded Flame Choke, this move can be used as a follow-up. 13%
Greninja Greninja slides his leg out in front of himself. While not good as a KO move, it can be used to set up a follow-up in the air or an up-smash. Very fast. 7%
Ike A sword swipe close to the ground. One of Ike's fastest ground moves. Can be used for early percentage air follow-ups. 8%
Jigglypuff Jigglypuff extends a leg out in front of itself. Has good horizontal knockback, which can be used for off-stage follow-ups. Somewhat slow, but has good range. 10%
King Dedede King Dedede does a forward roll that covers about one-sixth of Final Destination. Very quick, good for surprising opponents. Depending on the character, this move might miss if King Dedede is too close to the opponent. 10% clean, 6% late
Kirby Kirby extends his foot in front of himself. Extremely quick. Has essentially no KO power, but it can trip the opponent, which can lead into moves such as a forward smash or a grab. 6%
Link A quick sword swipe close to the ground. At very high percentages, this move can KO vertically. This move has the ability to meteor smash an opponent who is in the air, making it good to use against opponents re-grabbing the ledge. 12%
Little Mac Little Mac jabs near the opponent's feet. Very quick. Due to the very small amount of vertical knockback this move has, it can be used to follow-up into many moves, most notably his forward smash and KO Uppercut. 8%
Lucario Lucario slides his leg in front of himself. Knockback and damage scale with Aura. At lower percentages, this move can combo into itself. One of Lucario's only ground moves to be able to hit an opponent on the ledge. 3% (0%), 4% (50%), 5% (100%), 7% (150%), 8% (190%+)
Lucas A quick spinning leg kick. Nearly identical in appearance to its Brawl counterpart. unknown
Lucina A quick stab near the ground. Good range. Excellent for hitting recovering opponents. Identical to Marth's down tilt except for dealing more damage and not having tipper capabilities. 8%
Luigi Luigi slides his foot across the ground into the opponent. Has poor range, but can be used for aerial follow-ups at higher percentages. Somewhat quick. 8%
Mario A quick spinning kick near the ground. Deals more damage if the opponent is closer to Mario when it hits. Relatively quick. 7% when sweetspotted, 5% when sourspotted
Marth A quick stab near the ground. Good range. Excellent for hitting recovering opponents. This move has good knockback if the opponent is hit with the tip of Marth's sword. 7% normal, 10% tipper
Mega Man Mega Man preforms his slide attack from Mega Man 3. When used, he travels about 20% of the distance of Final Destination. Very little start up lag, but a noticeable amount of end-lag. Launches the opponent upwards. Good for surprises or reading rolls. Similar to King Dedede's down tilt, this move may miss if Mega Man is too close to the opponent when performed, depending on the character. 8% when sweetspotted, 5% when sourspotted
Meta Knight Meta Knight stabs his sword close to the ground. Extremely fast. Has a chance to trip the opponent, which can lead to grabs or other moves. Slightly propels Meta Knight forward when used. 5%
Mewtwo unknown unknown
Mii Brawler A leg sweep close to the stage. Has moderate range. Launches opponents upwards, leading into attacks such as its neutral aerial or forward aerial. 8% (standard height and weight)
Mii Gunner The Gunner fires an explosion point-blank into the ground. Looks and functions extremely similar to Samus's down tilt. Can KO at higher percentages. Good at covering the ledge. 14% (standard weight and height)
Mii Swordfighter A quick stab near the ground in a fashion similar to Marth's down tilt. Launches opponents at a 45 degree angle. Good range. 6% (standard weight and height)
Mr. Game & Watch Mr. Game & Watch flips a manhole cover from the Game and Watch game Manhole. Very noticeable end-lag. Launches opponents horizontally, and can kill at very high percentages. This move has wind properties above the manhole, allowing for vertical kills if the opponent jumps when the wind is in effect at higher percentages. The wind also deals small amounts of damage. 6% (manhole), ~1% per wind hit
Ness Ness extends his leg out in front of himself. Insanely fast, but has poor range and knockback. Deals more damage the closer the enemy is to Ness. Great for building up damage. Has the chance to trip opponents, leading to a grab or other moves. 2% when sourspotted, 4% when sweetspotted
Olimar Olimar or Alph dives forwards, damaging their opponent. This move covers about 6-7% of Final Destination when performed. Very little start-up or end lag. Does not require any Pikmin. Launches opponent upwards, which gives it potential to lead into follow-up aerial attacks. 6%
Pac-Man Pac-Man turns into his classic form and bites diagonally downward. Produces weak horizontal knockback. Very little start-up lag, but a slight amount of end-lag. When used, it covers about 5% of Final Destination. Excellent for hitting opponents trying to grab the ledge. 6%
Palutena Palutena spins her staff close to the ground directly in front of her. The hitboxes of this move stay out for a while, making it good for intercepting rolls and ledge grabs. A bit of both start-up and end lag are present. 8%
Peach Peach slaps at the ground an an arc. A bit of start-up lag is noticeable. When an opponent is on the ground, this move is a meteor smash, but this does not apply when the opponent is in the air. Sends the opponent straight up in the air. Can hit opponents trying to grab the ledge, but is a bit weak in KO potential. 7%
Pikachu Swipes his tail in front of himself in an arc. Very fast, with minimal lag. Has the chance to trip opponents. If the move does not trip, the opponent is sent almost parallel to the ground, which can be followed up with a dash attack or other moves. 6%
Pit Pit leans forward a bit and slashes with his bow. This move very slightly changes animation depending on if his bow is combined or split. Very good range, but has a bit of end-lag. Good at hitting opponents trying to recover horizontally. 6%
R.O.B. R.O.B. thrusts his arms diagonally downward. Extremely fast. Has the ability to combo into itself at low percentages. Has a chance to trip the opponent, leading to a grab or dash attack, among other options. 5%
Robin Swipes their sword in an arc in front of themselves near the ground. Very similar to Pit's down tilt visually, but has far less range and slightly less end lag. This move cannot use the Levin Sword. Sends opponents at a horizontal angle. 6%
Rosalina Rosalina spins on an axis while delivering a kick, as Luma does a headbutt diagonally downwards. Both Rosalina and Luma's hit sends the opponent at a 45 degree angle. Luma's hit is excellent for covering the ledge. Can KO at very high percentages. 4.5% (Rosalina's hit), 3.5% (Luma's hit)
Samus Fires a point-blank explosion at the ground. Moderate range. Sends the opponent directly upwards. Can KO at very high percentages. Good for covering the ledge. Causes fire based damage. 12%
Sheik Sheik spins along the ground, extending a foot as she does so. Has a bit of noticeable end lag. Sends opponents at an upward angle, allowing for powerful aerial follow-ups. Somewhat mediocre range. 7%
Shulk Shulk slashes with the Monado at a downward angle in an arc. There is a sweetspot on the Monado itself, while the blue blade of energy it produces is the sourspot. Can KO at very late percentages. Damage and knockback change when applying a Monado Art. When sweetspotted: 9% (No art and Jump), 7% (Speed), 6% (Shield), 12% (Buster) 4% (Smash); When sourspotted: 7% (No art and Jump), 5% (Speed) 4% (Shield) 9% (Buster) 4% (Smash)
Sonic Sonic performs a spinning kick near the ground. Sends opponents at a horizontal trajectory. Has a small amount of endlag. This move has a chance to trip opponents, allowing follow-ups such as a grab or dash attack. Good range. 6%
Toon Link A quick sword swipe across the ground. Has negligible starting and ending lag. Sends opponents at a horizontal trajectory. Can KO at extremely high percentages. This move has a chance to trip opponents, which can lead into a dash attack or other moves. Similar to Link's down tilt, but has less range and damage in exchange for speed. 7%
Villager Villager plucks a weed, damaging opponents. Has deceptive range, hurting opponents farther past the weed. The sweetspot of this move is on the weed itself, while the sour spot is farther away from Villager. A good move to follow up with after using his burying down-smash. Has good KO power, killing opponents at around 150%. 13% when sweetspotted, 8% when sourspotted
Wario Wario thrusts his hand with a finger extended in front of himself diagonally downwards. Has minimal starting and ending lag, but mediocre range. Can combo into itself at lower percentages. 4%
Wii Fit Trainer Assumes the Bridge pose, thrusting their knees forward to attack. Mediocre range. Has a bit of start-up and even more end-lag. This move can KO at high percentages, and with Deep Breathing, it can kill even earlier. 12% (normal), 13% (Deep Breathing active)
Yoshi Swipes its tail in an arc in front of itself along the ground. A little bit of end-lag is noticeable. Due to its base knockback, this move is not great for combos. This move does more damage the closer it is to Yoshi. Moderate range. 5% if sweetspotted, 4% if sourspotted
Zelda Zelda kicks a leg out from under her dress along the ground. Very little knockback. A small amount of end-lag is present. Great for covering the ledge. When the opponent is at higher percentages, this move can possibly be used to get the opponent trapped into Farore's Wind, netting Zelda a KO. 4%
Zero Suit Samus Spins along the ground, delivering a swift kick as she does so. This move has moderate end-lag. Pushes Samus slightly forwards with each use. Knocks opponents in a vertical trajectory, allowing for aerial follow ups, possibly netting a KO using Boost Kick. 8%

Notable down tilts

In Melee

  • Mr. Game and Watch's and Falco's down tilts, well known for their speed and power. Each of their down tilts sends the enemy upwards and can KO as early as 100%.
  • Marth and Yoshi's down tilts, which are low trajectory "pokes", are useful for edge-guarding.
  • Ness's down tilt is an infinite on certain stages against fast fallers.
  • Peach, Young Link, Link, and Zelda can all meteor smash with their down tilts.

In Brawl

  • Meta Knight's down tilt comes out on frame 3 and has IASA frames on frame 15; this combined with its exceptional range makes it a potent frame trap.
  • Ness's down tilt is extremely fast, and can rack up damage extremely fast. It has a 100% chance of tripping if sweetspotted.
  • Marth's down tilt is fast, very easy to sweetspot compared to his other attacks, and can be used to easily reach over an edge. He can potentially perform a down tilt lock that can be combined with a forward throw against most characters on a wall until high percentage.
  • Peach's down tilt has a IASA frames at the end of the move that causes her to slide backwards (known as down tilt cancel glide), which is ideal for increasing range on reverse forward smash, spacing, and evasion with perfect timing.
  • Ike's down tilt is a meteor smash that has the highest knockback scaling out of all of the down tilt meteor smashes.