Ledge-canceling

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A Jigglypuff player ledge-cancelling a back aerial into Rest.

Ledge-canceling (also known as edge canceling) is an advanced technique present in all games in the Super Smash Bros. games. It involves players sliding off an edge (platform or stage ledge) either during landing lag or during a special move to cancel the animation. Edge-canceling moves grants players opportunities for more movement options, making moves safer and for granting followups in situations where a move normally would not have combo potential.

Performing the technique

Landing lag edge cancel

There are two different types of edge-canceling. The first type is landing lag edge-canceling. This involves sliding off a ledge while in landing lag (which can be from a normal landing, an aerial landing or from a free-fall landing). The player must move towards an edge in a way that they will land close to the edge while retaining the momentum they had in the air. While fairly simple in concept, this can can be difficult to perform (especially while using characters with high traction or low air speed) due to the tight spacing it requires relative to the ledge of the stage or platform. This variant of the technique can be performed with any landing in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee although in later games, in can only be performed with specific actions and moves (such as air dodging when facing towards an edge in Super Smash Bros. 4), no longer being possible with any aerial or free-fall landing lag.

In Smash 64 and Melee edge canceling is most commonly used with aerials. The main advantage of edge canceling an aerial is that it reduces the amount of lag the player gets from the aerial, which can make the aerial safer, as well as allow for combos which otherwise would not be possible. When edge-canceling to combo, players will often try to perform the aerial as close to the ground as possible while still giving it time to produce a hitbox. This results in the minimum number of frames separating the first and second hits, making more follow-ups possible. If set up properly, players will immediately slide off the ledge, removing all lag after the first hit and allowing for an instant follow-up (save for the minimum of three frames it takes to land, slide off the edge, and to start another attack).

Edge canceling can also be useful when recovering, as it can eliminate the landing lag of many recovery based special moves. This can be very difficult to set up however, depending on the special move used and the player will not always have the opportunity to edge cancel, especially on stages such as Final Destination.

Different results can be obtained when edge canceling from the air, based on factors such as speed, the direction at which is held, and the direction that the character is facing during the edge cancel. If the character is moving sufficiently slowly and forward is not held, they will simply remain in their teetering animation. Remaining on stage after an edge cancel is more difficult than sliding off of it, and it grants the player access to any moves they can use while grounded instead of moves that can be performed while in the air.

Special move edge cancel

Another variant of edge canceling involves using a special move on the ground from a certain distance from an edge to cancel the special move animation. This method exists in every game with specific special moves. There are two ways a special move can be edge canceled, depending on the special. Some specials can be canceled by simply sliding off an edge while using them. This can be performed by running at an edge and then using the special move as close to the edge as possible (an example of this can be seen with Peach's Vegetable in Brawl). Other specials can be canceled by spacing them in a way that when the character goes into the special move's ending animation, they are right at the edge, resulting in them sliding off the edge and canceling the move (an example of this can be seen with Ganondorf's Wizard's Foot). The player needs to initiate the special move at a certain distance from an edge in order for this to work.

Special move edge canceling has similar applications to landing lag edge canceling, increasing the safety of using special moves and in some cases, granting additional combo potential.

List of specials which can be edge canceled

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• Peach and Daisy's up special.
• Bowser Jr.'s up special.
• Donkey Kong's aerial down special.
• Diddy Kong's side special.
• Zelda's up special.
• Sheik's neutral special.
• Ganondorf's down special.
• Zero Suit Samus's down special (not in Ultimate).
• Pit's side special.
• Dark Pit's side special.
• Palutena's up special.
• Pikachu and Pichu's up special (not in Ultimate).
• Mewtwo's up special.
• Ryu and Ken's up special (notoriously difficult to pull off).
• Corrin's side special.
• Steve's up special.

See also

• Teeter cancel