Fox Illusion
| Fox Illusion | |
|---|---|
 Fox Illusion in SSB4 | |
| User | Fox |
| Universe | Star Fox |
| “ | Dash right through enemies, attacking them with an illusion. | ” |
| —Melee's instruction manual | ||
| “ | Perform a fast dash. The after-image trailing behind Fox damages opponents. | ” |
| —Brawl's instruction manual | ||
| “ | Dash through opponents at great speed to knock them into the air | ” |
| —Smash for 3DS's e-Manual | ||
The Fox Illusion (フォックスイリュージョン, Fox Illusion) is Fox's side special move. Performing the attack sends Fox darting forwards with incredible speed, which causes an afterimage effect and hurts any enemies in his path. The move first appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee, and returns in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. 4.
It deals little damage (3%) and has very little knockback, but can knock an enemy upward and set up KOs, albeit awkwardly. Up until Brawl, the dash is so fast that if used facing an edge at the end of a stage, the attack will cause Fox to dart over the ledge, resulting in going into the helpless state, and usually causing a self-destruct. In Super Smash Bros. 4, the move can no longer go over a grabbable ledge, and no longer puts Fox in a helpless state.
The move may also be used by players as a useful recovery technique, since the move can quickly cover about half of the length of Final Destination and makes up for a faster option than Fire Fox. However, compared to Fire Fox, Fox Illusion only has 1 angle of travel and gives less momentum and maneuverability after the dash despite technically covering more distance.
Because of the speed Fox travels during the move, he is capable of skipping through attacks with slow-moving and/or small hitboxes, resulting in the impression that the move gives him invincibility or intangibility.
Origin
Fox Illusion is an exclusive move to the Super Smash Bros. series, but it may have been inspired by the Arwing ability to fly at lightspeed after traveling through warps in Meteo and Sector X in Star Fox 64.
Special use
Fox Illusion, along with Falco Phantasm and Wolf Flash, can be shortened by pressing the special button while or right before Fox is moving. The length to which the move shortens depends on the timing of the button press. Specifically, for Fox, there are five shorten lengths, 1 for each of the 5 frames he is travelling. Since shortened side specials require opponents to time their attacks differently in order to edgeguard Fox, these variants can be used as high effective mix ups for recovering.
Customization
Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the known variations:
- Fox Burst: Decreases the travel distance and the dash does no damage, but creates an explosion at the end of move, and allows Fox to stall when used in midair. The explosion deals 13% damage, decent knockback, and some shield damage.
- Wolf Flash: Travels less horizontal distance than Fox Illusion, but has a vertical element added to it, and does 3% damage and minor knockback unless Fox hits with the sweetspot at the end of the move, which does 9% damage and meteor smashes.
- Fox Explosion.jpg
Fox Burst being used in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
- Fox Explosion Impact.jpg
The impact of Fox Burst.
- Fox Flash.jpg
Wolf Flash being used in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
Gallery
Fox Illusion in Melee.
Fox Illusion in Brawl.
Fox Illusion can be a quick recovery move with great horizontal distance.
Fox using Fox Illusion to stall a ledge in Melee.
Fox using Fox Illusion in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
