For Nintendo fans, one of the hardest decisions (after which starter Pokémon to choose, of course) is which fighter to plump for in the Super Smash Bros. series. As of this point in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s lifespan, the roster is utterly stacked with Nintendo legends (and those from outside Nintendo’s stable). If you’re a huge fan of various company IPs, it’s a tricky choice.
Perhaps it’s not a matter of fan favoritism but simply of playstyle. While there are some notable omissions, the cast is so varied that there’ll be a character to suit everyone. If you’re looking for a nimble speedster with a lot of potential, Zero Suit Samus may be for you. If you’ve just picked her up, here are some handy tips to help you along.
10 Know Her Strengths
The very first thing you’ve got to understand about the character is why you’d want to pick her in the first place. What does she bring to the table? Well, a heaping helping of speed, that’s what.
Unsurprisingly, ditching that super-heavy Power Suit did wonders for Samus’s maneuverability. She’s very fast on the ground and in the air, with fantastic moves to keep opponents both under pressure and at bay (that darn gun of hers). Rushdown and relentless harrying is the name of her game, and she can be a devastating force.
9 Know Her Weaknesses
Yes, this form of Samus is far more mobile than her standard armored form. With her great agility and movement options, she can weave in and of danger, avoid damage while delivering her own like few other characters. Keep in mind, though, that she’s got to avoid damage, or she’ll be swatted like a bothersome, jumpsuit-wearing fly wielding a stun gun.
She’s as light as Metaknight (joint seventh lightest in the game) and much taller, meaning that she can be taken out at frightening low percentages if she makes a mistake. Her recovery is effective but a little questionable, as we’ll see later, and she’s at her best in the air. Grounded moves such as her dash attack are more than a little lacking. High risk, high reward offensive gameplay is what Zero Suit Samus is all about.
8 Know How She Differs From Regular Samus
If you’re a fan of the Metroid franchise and the mighty Samus Aran, you might be unsure which direction to take if you’re relatively new to Smash Ultimate. Both Zero Suit Samus and Power Suit Samus have changed a fair bit in the Switch instalment (more on that in the next entry), which further complicates things.
As a general rule, though, Samus has always been one of Smash’s keepaway queens. As a zoner, she’s equipped with a lot of ranged attacks (Charge Shot, Missiles) and area denial (with her bombs) moves to try and dictate the flow of the fight, struggling somewhat if her opponent is able to close the distance and engage her at close range. With Zero Suit Samus, the opposite is true: she wants to keep mixing up her enemy at close range, piling on the pressure and leaving them unable to escape her clutches. Those skills you may have with one won’t really transfer to the other.
7 Know How She’s Changed In Smash Ultimate Specifically
Heck, maybe you’re long past choosing between regular Samus and her jumpsuit-wearing counterpart. Maybe you’ve had a lot of practise with the character in prior entries, and you want to know how she’s been changed for Ultimate. Well, friend, you’ve come to the right place.
She’s been a bit of a mixed back in Ultimate to date, nerfed quite a bit in some senses (such as her combo game) and buffed in others. Compared to the last game, her recovery has taken a hit, with the length of her tether reduced, and certain moves have had their lag increased and KO potential decreased. In return, though, she’s even faster than ever in Ultimate (a change made across the board), as is her throw, which is a nice damage-racking tool.
6 Know Your Best Damage-Racking And Combo Options
As we’ve established, then, Zero Suit Samus is a frail character, sorely lacking the staying power and damage-per-hit that the cast’s heavyweights boast. As such, she’s got to take a different approach to the match: dash around the enemy, keep them in check and deliver quick bursts of damage.
How does she rack up that percentage, then? Liberal use of her Paralyzer can net her an easy follow-up and can be tough to deal with. Plasma Whip is also fantastic for its range and damage, while her aerial moves (neutral air in particular) are great for combos, juggling and piling on the pain. Spend some time practicing which moves lead into which (back air from neutral air is very nice at higher percentages) and you’ll soon be a solid Zero Suit Samus player.
5 Know Her Best KO Options
Yes, we’ve already covered the fact that raw power isn’t exactly Zero Suit Samus’s strong point. She’s not about to be delivering Ganondorf Warlock Punch levels of pain with single attacks. In Ultimate, her forward air, back air and other moves had their KO potential reduced, limiting her even further in this area.
Having said that, she can dispatch her enemies with ease if you play smart and conserve your moves for the right time. Paralyzer shots can set you up to get the KO, while her tricky up smash can catch foes off guard. Plasma Whip is also fast and safe enough to take opponents out when used cleverly.
4 Know The Ins And Outs Of Her Tether And Throws
One of the first things new players notice about Zero Suit Samus is the fact that she has a tether recovery (which has been changed a little since she was introduced, as we've mentioned). She also has a ranged grab. Both of these factors can prove troublesome.
What you’ll need to do is spend some time familiarizing yourself with the time it takes to activate (and recover from) her grab, getting a better understanding of when it’s safe to use. By the same token, her tether range has been reduced somewhat this time around, so some time offstage practicing ranges and angles you can recover from will help.
3 Know The Hidden Depths Of Her Recovery
While Zero Suit Samus has a tether recovery option, she’s got a real bag of tricks in that regard. With the new (or rather, old) air dodge mechanic, her Flip Jump and Boost Kick, she has various ways to make it back to the stage, often while threatening her opponent in the process.
While you’re in the lab with her, practice the mechanics of these moves and the horizontal and vertical recovery options they give you. Make sure you’re not being too linear with them in matches, and your opponents will have a tough time edgeguarding you.
2 Know That Hit And Run Means Hit And Run
As with any Smash character, it’s crucial to mix things up with Zero Suit Samus. If the opponent notices an obvious pattern in your play, they’ll quickly adapt, anticipate and meet your approach with a furious fist of their own.
That’s Smash 101, but it’s even more crucial with flimsy fighters. A major heavyweight such as Bowser can afford to take a hit or seventeen, but Zero Suit Samus will have to work much harder to make up that damage gap. Be very aggressive but very evasive, then.
1 Know That You Won’t Get Quick And Easy Results
In the competitive scene, there’s very little representation of heavy characters. Zero Suit Samus has been considered one of the better Smashers since her introduction, and though she’s changed somewhat this time around, she’s still a force to be reckoned with and a very popular pick.
Nevertheless, she isn’t a character that you can pick up and immediately score cheap wins with. She has many tools, but if you throw them out blindly, you’ll quickly be blasted off the stage. Aggressive doesn’t mean reckless, and getting used to the difference will be crucial to learning what makes Zero Suit Samus tick.