User:Ac2k/Sandbox
I'll be using this sandbox to put some random stuff, saved drafts on articles, etc.
Rewrite grab release
I plan on rewriting grab release to properly accommodate the three types of grab releases. You are welcome to expand it.
This article may need additional technical data and a lot of information may need to be verified especially for Melee.
Grab release is the animation a character enters when they are freed from a grab without entering knockback. Normal grab release occurs after a certain amount of time if a grabbed character is not thrown (this time can be shortened by button mashing), but characters also enter grab release when the grabbing character enters hitstun or the platform they're standing on disappears. There are three main types of grab release animations: ground release, air release, and pummel release. Many combos can be performed by attacking when an opponent is stuck in the frames of their grab release animation. There are no grab releases in the original Super Smash Bros..
Types of grab release animations
Ground release
Ground release is the animation a character enters when they break out of a grab sliding backward along the ground, along with a "letting go" animation. The grabbing character may slide backward a bit as well. The distance sent is affected by the grabbing character and the victim's traction. A ground release causes both characters to be stuck in 30 frames of ending lag where they cannot react, with a few exceptions (see below). A ground release occurs when the grabbed character's feet are touching the ground and not moving around while being grabbed.
Air release
Air release is another animation a character can enter after escaping from a grab. In an air release, the grabbed character performs an arch-ike movement backwards into the air, along with a "letting go" animation. In Melee, the direction the grabbed character moves can be altered slightly by pressing left and/or right. The distance sent is character-specific and can be affected by air speed, falling speed, and falling acceleration. An air release causes the grabbing character to be stuck in 30 frames of lag, but the victim is stuck in 50 frames of lag, with a few exceptions (see below). An air release will always occur if the victim's feet are not touching the ground, but the grabbed character can force an air release (even if their feet are touching the ground) by pressing the jump button or up on the Control Stick shortly before being grab released. Taller characters tend to be able to air release more characters and are more vulnerable to ground releases, and shorter characters tend to be able to ground release more characters and are more vulnerable to air releases. However, the grabbing height of a character can be different depending on the direction they are facing, as well as whether a standing grab, dash grab, or pivot grab is used; a character could be air released facing left and ground released facing right, and vice versa. Despite having a 20-frame disadvantage, Only a few characters can be affected by grab release combos since the victim is usually sent away from the opponent.
Pummel release
The pummel release is a type of grab release very similar to the ground release, but it occurs when the grabbed character is pummeled right when or right before they are grab released. A pummel release can occur even if the character would normally be air released, and a pummel release cannot be forced into an air release by pressing up or jump. The distance sent by a pummel release can be different than the distance sent by a ground release, as a pummel release will cause normally air-released characters to fall to the ground without sliding backward.
Other grab releases
(the grabbing character getting into hitstun, possibly when the platform under them disappears, etc.)
Exceptions
Melee
- When Bowser grab releases a character, his animation is 10 frames shorter than all other characters'.
- Donkey Kong's ground release animation is 9 frames shorter than all other characters'.
Brawl
- Yoshi will always air release his grabbed opponent, sometimes in a different path than the character would normally take.
- When Bowser grab releases an opponent, his animation is 10 frames shorter than normal.
- Donkey Kong's ground release animation is 10 frames shorter than all other characters'.
- When Donkey Kong grab releases a character using his cargo throw, his animation is 10 frames shorter than the usual 30 frames of lag. His cargo throw will always release the opponent in an animation similar to a ground release, even if an air release is forced or he is in the air, and the opponent can alter their path slightly by moving the Control Stick left and right.
- Ness's and Lucas's ground release animations are 10 frames longer than normal.
- Wario's air release travels vertically instead of in a backwards arch like all other characters, leaving him vulnerable for 20 frames in front of the grabbing character.
- Jigglypuff's air release is 1 frame shorter than normal, meaning that it could use Rest on the grabbing character should they get close enough.
- Several fastfallers, such as Fox, Falco, and Sheik, have shorter air release animations than normal when above the ground, since they land on the ground before their air release animation ends.
- The arc that some characters travel in during an air release can leave them more vulnerable to followups depending on how narrow their arc is, leaving them closer to the opponent.
Notable grab release combos
Brawl
- The Ice Climbers can perform infinite grab-release-chaingrabs on every character (except for another pair of climbers). This is performed by forcing a ground or pummel release and grabbing the victim with the other climber during their lag animation. It is not very practical, however, due to their other infinite chaingrabs, which deal damage much faster.