Samus Guide for Super Smash Bros. Melee

By: bluecow

What's up? I decided to write this FAQ for one of my favorite characters in
Super Smash Bros. Melee because of the lack of them on Starmen.net. I am not in
any way claiming to be the best Samus player in the world but I enjoy playing as
her and know a thing or two, my experience however is limited to only playing
against my friends. Feel free to post this guide wherever you want just give me
some credit ok :).

Part One: Character History

     Samus Aran is one of Nintendos most popular characters and has starred in 5
games, Metroid for the NES, Metroid 2 for the Gameboy, Super Metroid for the
SNES, Metroid Prime for the Gamecube, and Metroid Fusion for the Gameboy
Advance. Samus was also one of the first female stars of a game. The thing was
though that you didn't even know it was a girl unless you beat one of the games
in very little time and some people still refer to Samus as a he. Samus' battle
armor is partially organic, it was developed by the race known as the Chozo, a
very mysterious people. If you have never played a Metroid game I recommend you
do so immediately, they're some of the best games ever made.

Part One: About the Character 

     Samus is a very deadly character if used correctly in Super Smash Bros.
Melee (from now on referred to as SSB:M). It is easy for a beginner to play
Samus but she is still quite deadly in the hands of a master. Samus is also
available from the start so you can play as her even if your friend doesn't have
all the secret characters. She has good power and can KO opponents well but she
is not too light either. She isn't as fast as some of the quicker characters but
she is not as slow as some of the other heavy hitters. Her projectiles are also
some of the best in the game and she isn't knocked off very easily because of
her grappling hook and power bombs. However, this hook also makes Samus throw
slower than most characters because she must extend her grappling hook to grab
them. As you can see Samus has few real weaknesses and is a very good character
overall.

Part Two: Move List

Regular attacks

 A - A jab that does 3% damage. You can press A twice rapidly to do a double
punch that does about 8% damage. This move can't really KO someone and only
barely knocks back the lightest of characters.

A + hold left or right- Samus Kicks in front of her and deals 6-7%. It's also
pretty useless in most situations.

A  + hold down- Fire bursts from the ground in front of Samus causing 12% damage
and throwing the opponent in the air. Can be used to KO people off the top of
the screen at high damage or start a combo. Following up with a screw attack is
a nice, small combo that still does some damage.

A + hold up- Samus drop kicks the opponent causing 13% damage. Not used to KO
people.

A while running- Samus shoulder rushs the opponent causing 10% damage. Can be
used to rush at the opponent and KO them at high percentage, a very helpful move
on big courses.

B- Samus uses her famous charge beam. Pressing and letting go of B charges the
attack and, press B again while charging to release the blast. After the beam is
fully charged you automatically stop charging and you can fire the blast at any
time by pressing B. If you want to stop charging the blast in the middle you can
press left of right to roll and stop charging, this also makes you invincible
for a minute so you can do it if an opponent tries to attack you while you are
charging. The beam does 3% uncharged and up to 25% charged. The blast can also
KO opponents quite easily if they have been weakened. Try to use it when the
opponent doesn't expect it or can't easily dodge and be very careful when you
use this move against Fox or Falco because of their reflection shield.

B + left or right- Samus fires a missile from her gun. There are two variations
of this attack, the more powerful missile is executed by tapping a direction and
B at the same time as you would a smash attack and the weaker homing missile is
executed by holding a direction and pressing B. The regular missile does 12% and
the homing missle does 5%. Don't expect the homing to be great however as it can
easily be dodged and it must be fired in the opponents general direction. These
moves are best used to stun an opponent and set up another attack, not as big
damage doers or finishing blows.

B + down- Samus curls up into a morph ball and drops a bomb below her dealing
6%. Thanks to the nature of this attack it should generally be used when you are
above your opponent. It doesn't send them anywhere or damage them badly but it
can be used to stop an opponent who is charging an upward smash or juggling you.
This also slows your decent if you are falling so use it to help you get back to
the course when you are knocked off.

B + up- Samus executes her famous screw attack dealing up to 12% damage and
moving the enemy along up with you. This move is considered to be one of the
best third jumps in the game and can be very useful when you opponent is above
you. Like most third jumps it can also be used to get extra distance when trying
to recover from being knocked off the course. You also don't have to hit an
opponent for it to effect them, you only have to be close to them and it will
suck them in. It is extremely useful in combos and can really be a big damage
doer if used in this way.

Smash attacks

Left or Right- Samus charges up a powerful punch that launches opponents very
well. You will get a lot of KOs with this attack. Deals 14%-17% depending on how
much it has been charged.

Up- Fire bursts from Samus' gun launching the opponent into the air. This move
can be used for juggling or to stop someone from jumping near you. Deals 14%-29%
depending on how much it has been charged, it can also deal less if not all the
explosions hit the enemy.

Down- Samus kicks to both sides clearing enemies away from her. This move is
most useful if you have opponents all around you on every side. Deals 16%-19%.

Air attacks

A- Samus kicks in front of her dealing 14%. This kick is best used when someone
else meets you in the air or you jump into someone. This attack will KO
opponents at high percentages.

A + left or right- Flame shoots from Samus' gun. Similar to her upper Smash,
deals up to 14%.

A + up- Samus does a drill kick above her dealing up to 10%. The enemy does go
slightly into the air if hit with this attack and it is effective but generally
the screw attack is a better choice, but it is useful in combos.

A + down- Samus hits the enemy with her gun hard causing 14%. This attack hits
the opponent straight down and is quite useful if you are above them. Use it to
spike the enemy straight down into a pit if they're jumping above one.

Z- Samus extends her grappling hook dealing 4%. This attack is not very
effective at all against the enemy but is a real lifesaver nonetheless. When you
are knocked from the course extend your grappling hook to attach to the edge of
the course, then press A to jump back up. This doesn't get you as much distance
as the screw attack but it can surprise edge guarders.

Part Three: Tips and Tricks

1. If it's necessary remember to use your grappling hook and power bombs to
return to the course after being knocked off. The grappling hook is especially
useful when you're being edge guarded.

2. Try to charge up your charge beam whenever you get the chance so you will be
ready to use it when you see an opportunity.

3. Don't forget about your moves. This applies to pretty much every character
but remember what moves you have and use them when the time comes. You don't
want to miss an opportunity because you forgot about a move.

4. Try to fire your charge beam when the opponent won't be able to dodge it or
isn't expecting it and remember to be careful around fox and falco because of
their reflection shields.

5. Develop your own strategy, practice is the best way to learn.

6. Try to learn what your opponent will do, predict their moves and counter them
with your own.

7. Use Samus' down + B attack as a meteor smash over pits to knock people in
then use your screw attack to return to the course.

8. Try to use dashing throws instead of regular ones because of how slow Samus'
hook is.

9. A very good move to master is the wall jump. Press towards a wall and then
away from it and Samus will do a Metroid style wall jump. Very useful in some
situations.

Part Four: Character Specific Strategies

Before I start this section I want to say that everyone plays differently and
that what I say here might not necessarily apply to every game you play. The
best way to learn how to play different characters is just to play against other
people with different styles. Playing as other characters can also help you to
learn their moves and how to play against them. Oh, and no matter how much it
sounds like it I'm not really a projectile freak :). So, without further ado the
characters.

Bowser: You must be careful when fighting Bowser because of how powerful he is.
He also has to be on very high damage to be defeated due to his weight. However,
he is very slow so use can use hit and run attacks on him. He also has a bad
recovery time after using moves so use that to your advantage.

Captain Falcon: Captain Falcon is the fastest character in the game and can be
very hard to hit. Some of his moves execute slowly though and then you move in
for the kill. Whatever you do though just don't try to beat him out in speed.
Watch out for Falcon Punch and don't let him edge guard you. Juggling doesn't
work very well against him either so be careful when you try that.

Donkey Kong: Like Bowser Donkey Kong packs a real punch. Try to avoid his
attacks and use projectiles. When fighting him in close-range combat you will
have trouble because of his sheer strength so try to use a hit and run strategy.

Dr. Mario: Dr. Mario is quite good at dealing damage and you have to be careful
not to let him get control of the battle. His recovery isn't very good so knock
him out and he will stay out.

Falco: Falco can be very dangerous if you aren't careful due to his reflector
shield. Be very careful when firing projectiles at him so you don't get it back
in your face. He is light and his recovery is pretty bad though so take
advantage of that to win. Hit him hard and be careful with the projectiles. Some
players also edge guard with Falco by shooting at you while you try to return to
the course. Remember to use your grappling hook if you're close enough and the
bomb trick to stay in the game.

Fox: Fox is very fast and his deflector shield can be heck for a Samus player
but he can be beaten. He falls fast and is relatively light so try to hit him
hard. Don't use many projectiles and when you do be careful so that you don't
get hit with it yourself. His speed is his real advantage so be careful.

Gannondorf: Gannondorf is another character that is slow but a big hitter. Use
the same strategy you would against Bowser. Try not to let him get you in a
combo and try to hit and run and use your projectiles. Use quick attacks as
well.

Ice Climbers: The Ice Climbers are light but can do a lot of damage if they're
both in the same place. Try to focus on the leader so you don't have to kill
both of them. You're speed is about equal so you can't outrun them but they
don't have the advantage either. Just hit hard and focus on one climber.

Jigglypuff: Jigglypuff is the second lightest character and the game but can
recover so well with her six jumps and punch that she almost always has to be
knocked clear out and not have a chance to recover. Whatever happens, don't get
hit by sing because then you're a sure hit for rest which will kill you very
easily. Hit hard and don't give the puffball a chance to recover. Use
projectiles too since Jiggly doesn't have any.

Kirby: Kirby has no projectiles except for his cutter and attacks he steals so
you can shoot at him from a distance. His cutter can do some damage so try not
to be hit by it, just jump over whenever he tries it.  It doesn't have as much
range as your projectiles so you should be okay. When you fight him close up
than you can win because he is very light and susceptible to your strong attacks
and smashes. However, his excellent recovery still makes it hard to finish him
off. 
Don't let him hit you with a charge beam if he absorbs your power, it hurts you
as much as you hurt other people with it :).

Link: Link has a lot of projectiles he can use as well as some long reach with
his master sword. Dodge any projectiles he sends at you and remember you can
grab his bombs and toss them back. Try to get in to fight him and don't let his
longer reach be taken advantage of.

Luigi: Luigi is a very balanced character. His ability to recover is quite good
as well. He may try to attack you in the air a lot an you should watch out for
his up + B attack that can really do some damage. If he tries to do a green
missile against you move quickly and he may go off the screen (especially if the
move misfires).

Mario: Mario can jump very fast and will probably jump around a lot. Use your
screw attack while he's in the air and make good use of your upward smash. Mario
is very balanced and does not have any real weakness to exploit so just fight
hard. You should also watch out for his cape attack because it can turn you
around causing you to miss.

Marth: Marth has no projectiles so using those can be effective. He also has few
attacks that can get him out of a spot where you are behind him if you can
manage to get there. Try not to let the tip of his blade hit you because it does
the most damage and try to avoid letting him counter you. Make good use of the
screw attack and the fact that his horizontal recovery is sub par.

Mewtwo: Mewtwo has a lot of projectiles it can use you need to be wary of. It
also has a very good jump. It's light though and can be sent flying relatively
easily. If it tries to teleport hit it while it recovers because this leaves it
open. Try not to get hit with his charged B attack either because it will do a
lot of damage.

Mr. Game and Watch: In the right hands Mr. Game and Watch can be one of the
hardest characters to beat. He has amazing variety to his attacks and can easily
surprise you. He can also absorb your projectiles and use them back on you. The
most important thing is to know what sort of moves he can do since he is so
versatile. However Mr. Game and Watch is also very light and can be easily
knocked from the course. Try to keep him guessing and don't use many, if any,
projectiles because he can absorb them. The main thing is to just be ready for
anything.

Ness: Ness too can block projectiles very quickly. Try not to use your charge
beam on him because it will heal him a very large amount. Ness is almost
unstoppable in the air so make use of the screw attack and drill kick. Be sure
pk flash doesn't hit you either or you're in for a real trip. Ness can be sent
from the course easily though so try to use this to your advantage. His strength
is also average so try to get in and blow him away.

Peach: Peach has the single best recovery in the game, hands down. However, this
can also be her downfall. Try to hit Peach while she is gliding and try not to
let her juggle you. She is better at KOing you off of the top than either of the
sides so keep that in mind. Use the screw attack well when Peach is in the air
and keep the hurt on her.

Pichu: Pichu is very hard to hit and can combo very well in skilled hands but
goes flying with only a few attacks. Just try to use your strongest attacks and
take advantage of the fact that it's very light. Don't let him juggle you and be
careful about letting him have control of the match.

Pikachu: Pikachu is also quite a bit lighter and faster than you are. If you hit
him hard it won't take much to send him flying. Use a similar strategy as you
would against Pichu and be sure he doesn't juggle you. Try to stay in control
and not let up on him.

Roy: Roy has no projectile weapons so it is effective to wear him down with
those, but he can block them with his counter attack. Roy is also pretty crappy
in the air so attacking him there and possibly juggling him can be effective. If
you fight him on the ground be weary of counter and don't let him charge up his
fire sword to hit you. Try not to get hit because Roy can take people down at
really low damage.

Yoshi: Yoshi can hit pretty hard and is hard to beat in the air. Use the screw
attack on him in the air and try to use some projectiles. Hit him hard with your
smashes to finish him off and you should win. Be careful of his tongue attack
because that lets him get some real damage in. Also be weary of his flutter kick
because it can rack up damage and causes him no recovery time.

Young Link: Similar to Link but lighter and faster. Use a similar strategy and
remember to throw his bombs back. Hit him hard and you can KO him pretty
quickly. Watch out for his boomerangs and fire arrows too.

Zelda/Sheik: Zelda is very slow and strong, good at taking on multiple
opponents. Sheik is very light and fast, better at facing one opponent. If your
opponent is Zelda try to take advantage of her slow speed and lag time on
attacks. She will try to keep you away so try to get in and hit her hard.
Projectiles don't work as well either because of her shield that she can use
with B. When facing Sheik use your power as your advantage. Try to hit her hard
and don't let her juggle you. Projectiles also work much better on her because
she has no shield.

Well, that's it. I hope you liked it and learned a few things about playing
Samus. Good luck in the future and always remember to just keep practicing.