Super Smash Bros. series

Falling speed

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Revision as of 19:20, June 16, 2023 by Omega Tyrant (talk | contribs) (Undid edit by 70.106.179.100: Only a single normal character does so in Smash 4 and Ult, so it's really not that notable)
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Not to be confused with gravity.
Piranha Plant falling in Ultimate.

Falling speed is the rate at which a character can move downward in mid-air. A character's falling speed can greatly impact the fighting style - for instance, Fox, a fast-faller, uses his aerial speed to perform attacks out of a short hop and fast fall very quickly afterwards, whereas Jigglypuff, a floaty character, uses its low falling speed to attack multiple times in mid-air. Falling speed is measured in units per frame.

While falling speed's main effect is determining how quickly a character can drop downwards, it also affects the physics of knockback. After a character is launched, their gravity still applies, slowing their vertical ascent until the reduction equals their falling speed; as a result, characters with higher falling speed have their vertical knockback reduced for longer, improving their vertical endurance while also hampering their ability to recover from horizontal blows. However, weight is still the main factor in how much knockback is sustained in the first place, and the two factors are independent - a fast-falling character is not necessarily heavy, and vice versa. Samus and Fox are notable examples of this.

The items Bunny Hood and Metal Box increase the user's falling speed. Some stages can also affect a character's falling speed, such as the flying-type portion of Pokémon Stadium 2 and the falling portion of Summit.

In Super Smash Bros. 4, the equipment bonus effects, Thistle Jump and Anchor Jump, can be used to alter a character's falling speed, with Thistle Jump decreasing it, while Anchor Jump increases it. However, both bonus effects also alter a character's gravity.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, moves that launch at angles between 70° and 110° now instead cause characters' falling speeds to be homogenized to a set value of 1.8 until hitstun ends, making falling speed no longer play a major factor on vertical survivability; however, it still plays a factor on moves outside of this range, as well as moves which deal weight-independent knockback, as they ignore this effect.

All characters can also fast fall at any time during a descent to increase falling speed, so long as they are not in tumble.

Categories of falling speed[edit]

Characters are generally put into one of two groups of falling speed: floaty and fast-faller, each of which have certain advantages and disadvantages depending on playstyle.

Fast-faller[edit]

Fast-faller is a name that refers to characters with a fast falling speed. Fox, Captain Falcon, and King Dedede are prominent examples of fast-fallers, with Fox being unusually light for how quickly he falls.

Fast-fallers enjoy increased speed in the air and, in Melee, faster SHFFL'd approaches; however, they suffer from shorter recoveries. They are also susceptible to different combos from floaty characters. For instance, Captain Falcon can chain grab floaty characters with his down throw, but cannot do so against fast-fallers. On the other hand, he can tech-chase fast-fallers (or chain grab them given the right percents) with up throw, which he cannot do against floaty characters. Generally, fast fallers are more vulnerable to chain grabs and combos (although weight and character size are other factors as well); for instance, in Melee, Marth can chain his up throw on the space animals repeatedly and ultimately finish them off with a forward smash, but this combo is substantially less effective on a floaty character such as Peach or Jigglypuff (although, notably, this chaingrab does not work on fast-faller Captain Falcon, as he is too heavy).

Floaty[edit]

Floaty is a name that describes characters with a slow falling speed. Jigglypuff, Peach, and Samus are prominent examples of floaty characters, with Samus being unusually floaty for how heavy she is.

Floaty characters have great benefits in terms of performing aerial attacks, since one would able to perform multiple aerial attacks in succession (such as Jigglypuff's slow falling speed and multiple mid-air jumps allowing it to do the wall of pain) and easier recoveries due to slow falling speeds allowing easier maneuvering. Downsides include vulnerability to being juggled, having easily predictable recoveries, or being KO'd vertically easily. On the flip side, floaty characters tend to be less vulnerable to chain grabs and combos.

Super Smash Bros.[edit]

JPN
Rank Character Falling Speed
N/A MetalMarioHeadSSB.png Metal Mario 100
N/A DonkeyKongHeadSSB.png Giant Donkey Kong 72
1 LinkHeadSSB.png Link 64
2-3 FoxHeadSSB.png Fox 60
CaptainFalconHeadSSB.png Captain Falcon
4 DonkeyKongHeadSSB.png Donkey Kong 56
5-6 YoshiHeadSSB.png Yoshi 55
NessHeadSSB.png Ness
7 PikachuHeadSSB.png Pikachu 52
8 KirbyHeadSSB.png Kirby 48
9 MarioHeadSSB.png Mario 44
10-11 SamusHeadSSB.png Samus 42
LuigiHeadSSB.png Luigi
12 JigglypuffHeadSSB.png Jigglypuff 38
NA/PAL
Rank Character Falling Speed
N/A MetalMarioHeadSSB.png Metal Mario 100
N/A DonkeyKongHeadSSB.png Giant Donkey Kong 72
1 CaptainFalconHeadSSB.png Captain Falcon 66
2 LinkHeadSSB.png Link 64
3 FoxHeadSSB.png Fox 60
4 YoshiHeadSSB.png Yoshi 58
5 DonkeyKongHeadSSB.png Donkey Kong 56
6 NessHeadSSB.png Ness 55
7 PikachuHeadSSB.png Pikachu 52
8 KirbyHeadSSB.png Kirby 48
9 MarioHeadSSB.png Mario 44
10-11 SamusHeadSSB.png Samus 42
LuigiHeadSSB.png Luigi
12 JigglypuffHeadSSB.png Jigglypuff 38

Super Smash Bros. Melee[edit]

Rank Character Falling Speed
1 FalcoHeadSSBM.png Falco 3.1
2 CaptainFalconHeadSSBM.png Captain Falcon 2.9
3 FoxHeadSSBM.png Fox 2.8
4-5 DonkeyKongHeadSSBM.png Donkey Kong 2.4
RoyHeadSSBM.png Roy
N/A GigaBowserHeadSSBM.png Giga Bowser 2.4
6 MarthHeadSSBM.png Marth 2.2
7-9 LinkHeadSSBM.png Link 2.13
SheikHeadSSBM.png Sheik
YoungLinkHeadSSBM.png Young Link
10 GanondorfHeadSSBM.png Ganondorf 2
N/A FightingWireFramesHeadSSBM.png Fighting Wire Frame (Male) 2
11 YoshiHeadSSBM.png Yoshi 1.93
12-14 PikachuHeadSSBM.png Pikachu 1.9
BowserHeadSSBM.png Bowser
PichuHeadSSBM.png Pichu
15 NessHeadSSBM.png Ness 1.83
N/A FightingWireFramesHeadSSBM.png Fighting Wire Frame (Female) 1.8
16-18 MarioHeadSSBM.png Mario 1.7
DrMarioHeadSSBM.png Dr. Mario
MrGame&WatchHeadSSBM.png Mr. Game & Watch
19-21 KirbyHeadSSBM.png Kirby 1.6
LuigiHeadSSBM.png Luigi
IceClimbersHeadSSBM.png Ice Climbers
N/A SandbagHeadSSBM.png Sandbag 1.6
22-23 PeachHeadSSBM.png Peach 1.5
MewtwoHeadSSBM.png Mewtwo
24-25 SamusHeadSSBM.png Samus 1.4
ZeldaHeadSSBM.png Zelda
26 JigglypuffHeadSSBM.png Jigglypuff 1.3

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]

Rank Character Falling Speed
N/A Giga Bowser 2.5
N/A Wario-Man 2.2
1 KingDededeHeadSSBB.png King Dedede 1.95
2 CaptainFalconHeadSSBB.png Captain Falcon 1.837
3 FoxHeadSSBB.png Fox 1.831
4 WolfHeadSSBB.png Wolf 1.8
5 SnakeHeadSSBB.png Snake 1.73
6 FalcoHeadSSBB.png Falco 1.708
7-8 GanondorfHeadSSBB.png Ganondorf 1.65
IkeHeadSSBB.png Ike
9 LinkHeadSSBB.png Link 1.6
10-11 DonkeyKongHeadSSBB.png Donkey Kong 1.58
SheikHeadSSBB.png Sheik
12-13 PikachuHeadSSBB.png Pikachu 1.5
MarthHeadSSBB.png Marth
14 SonicHeadSSBB.png Sonic 1.45
15-16 ZeroSuitSamusHeadSSBB.png Zero Suit Samus 1.43
DiddyKongHeadSSBB.png Diddy Kong
17 PitHeadSSBB.png Pit 1.42
18 WarioHeadSSBB.png Wario 1.4
19-20 BowserHeadSSBB.png Bowser 1.39
MetaKnightHeadSSBB.png Meta Knight
21 LucasHeadSSBB.png Lucas 1.37
22-23 IvysaurHeadSSBB.png Ivysaur 1.35
CharizardHeadSSBB.png Charizard
24 NessHeadSSBB.png Ness 1.31
25-26 SquirtleHeadSSBB.png Squirtle 1.3
OlimarHeadSSBB.png Olimar
27 YoshiHeadSSBB.png Yoshi 1.29
28-29 MarioHeadSSBB.png Mario 1.28
ToonLinkHeadSSBB.png Toon Link
N/A Fighting Alloy Team 1.28
30 MrGame&WatchHeadSSBB.png Mr. Game & Watch 1.24
31 LuigiHeadSSBB.png Luigi 1.22
32-35 KirbyHeadSSBB.png Kirby 1.2
IceClimbersHeadSSBB.png Ice Climbers
LucarioHeadSSBB.png Lucario
ROBHeadSSBB.png R.O.B.
36 ZeldaHeadSSBB.png Zelda 1.13
37 SamusHeadSSBB.png Samus 1.07
38 PeachHeadSSBB.png Peach 1.05
39 JigglypuffHeadSSBB.png Jigglypuff 0.98

Notes[edit]

  • Excluding Giga Bowser and Wario-Man, no character in Brawl can surpass a falling speed of 2 without fast falling. King Dedede comes the closest, falling slightly faster than Yoshi in Melee, with a maximum fall speed of 1.95.
  • Falco received the largest decrease to his falling speed in the transition from Melee to Brawl, going from 3.1 to 1.708, a difference of 1.392 units. Conversely, Zelda received the smallest decrease, going from 1.4 to 1.13, a difference of just 0.27 units.

Super Smash Bros. 4[edit]

Rank Character Falling Speed
N/A Giga Bowser 2.5
N/A Wario-Man 2.2
N/A Giga Mac 2.2
1 FoxHeadSSB4-U.png Fox 2.05
2 KingDededeHeadSSB4-U.png King Dedede 1.95
3 GreninjaHeadSSB4-U.png Greninja 1.85
4 CaptainFalconHeadSSB4-U.png Captain Falcon 1.837
5-8 LittleMacHeadSSB4-U.png Little Mac 1.8
FalcoHeadSSB4-U.png Falco
MegaManHeadSSB4-U.png Mega Man
RoyHeadSSB4-U.png Roy
9 BayonettaHeadSSB4-U.png Bayonetta 1.77
10-11 DiddyKongHeadSSB4-U.png Diddy Kong 1.75
SheikHeadSSB4-U.png Sheik
12-13 ZeroSuitSamusHeadSSB4-U.png Zero Suit Samus 1.7
MiiBrawlerHeadSSB4-U.png Mii Brawler 1.7
14-15 LucarioHeadSSB4-U.png Lucario 1.68
CloudHeadSSB4-U.png Cloud 1.68
16 MetaKnightHeadSSB4-U.png Meta Knight 1.66
17-21 BowserJrHeadSSB4-U.png Bowser Jr. 1.65
GanondorfHeadSSB4-U.png Ganondorf
IkeHeadSSB4-U.png Ike
DuckHuntHeadSSB4-U.png Duck Hunt
CorrinHeadSSB4-U.png Corrin
22 DonkeyKongHeadSSB4-U.png Donkey Kong 1.63
23 WarioHeadSSB4-U.png Wario 1.61
24-27 LinkHeadSSB4-U.png Link 1.6
ROBHeadSSB4-U.png R.O.B.
RyuHeadSSB4-U.png Ryu
MiiSwordfighterHeadSSB4-U.png Mii Swordfighter 1.6
28-29 MarthHeadSSB4-U.png Marth 1.58
LucinaHeadSSB4-U.png Lucina
N/A Mega Lucario 1.56
30 PikachuHeadSSB4-U.png Pikachu 1.55
31-35 MarioHeadSSB4-U.png Mario 1.5
RobinHeadSSB4-U.png Robin
ShulkHeadSSB4-U.png Shulk
DrMarioHeadSSB4-U.png Dr. Mario
MewtwoHeadSSB4-U.png Mewtwo
36-37 PitHeadSSB4-U.png Pit 1.48
DarkPitHeadSSB4-U.png Dark Pit
38-39 SonicHeadSSB4-U.png Sonic 1.45
MiiGunnerHeadSSB4-U.png Mii Gunner 1.45
40-41 PalutenaHeadSSB4-U.png Palutena 1.4
CharizardHeadSSB4-U.png Charizard
42 BowserHeadSSB4-U.png Bowser 1.39
43 LucasHeadSSB4-U.png Lucas 1.37
44-46 ZeldaHeadSSB4-U.png Zelda 1.35
OlimarHeadSSB4-U.png Olimar
Pac-ManHeadSSB4-U.png Pac-Man
47 VillagerHeadSSB4-U.png Villager 1.32
48 NessHeadSSB4-U.png Ness 1.31
49-50 SamusHeadSSB4-U.png Samus 1.3
WiiFitTrainerHeadSSB4-U.png Wii Fit Trainer
51 YoshiHeadSSB4-U.png Yoshi 1.29
52 ToonLinkHeadSSB4-U.png Toon Link 1.28
53 LuigiHeadSSB4-U.png Luigi 1.25
54 MrGame&WatchHeadSSB4-U.png Mr. Game & Watch 1.24
55 KirbyHeadSSB4-U.png Kirby 1.23
56 Rosalina&LumaHeadSSB4-U.png Rosalina & Luma 1.2
57 PeachHeadSSB4-U.png Peach 1.15
58 JigglypuffHeadSSB4-U.png Jigglypuff 0.98

Update history[edit]

1.1.3[edit]

  • Change Lucario's falling speed: 1.56 → 1.68

1.1.5[edit]

  • Change Samus's falling speed: 1.25 → 1.3

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]

When launched at an angle between 70° and 110°, all characters use a falling speed of 1.8 until the hitstun ends. This doesn't apply to weight-independent knockback, however.

Rank Character Falling Speed
N/A Giga Bowser 2.2
1 FoxHeadSSBU.png Fox 2.1
2-4 KingDededeHeadSSBU.png King Dedede 1.95
LittleMacHeadSSBU.png Little Mac
PiranhaPlantHeadSSBU.png Piranha Plant
5 MiiBrawlerHeadSSBU.png Mii Brawler 1.92
6 PichuHeadSSBU.png Pichu 1.9
7 MythraHeadSSBU.png Mythra 1.87
8 CaptainFalconHeadSSBU.png Captain Falcon 1.865
9-11 GreninjaHeadSSBU.png Greninja 1.85
SimonHeadSSBU.png Simon
RichterHeadSSBU.png Richter
12 SephirothHeadSSBU.png Sephiroth 1.84
13-18 FalcoHeadSSBU.png Falco 1.8
YoungLinkHeadSSBU.png Young Link
RoyHeadSSBU.png Roy
ChromHeadSSBU.png Chrom
WolfHeadSSBU.png Wolf
MegaManHeadSSBU.png Mega Man
19 RidleyHeadSSBU.png Ridley 1.78
20-21 BowserHeadSSBU.png Bowser 1.77
BayonettaHeadSSBU.png Bayonetta
22-23 IncineroarHeadSSBU.png Incineroar 1.76
Banjo&KazooieHeadSSBU.png Banjo & Kazooie
24-25 SheikHeadSSBU.png Sheik 1.75
DiddyKongHeadSSBU.png Diddy Kong
26 SnakeHeadSSBU.png Snake 1.73
27-29 ZeroSuitSamusHeadSSBU.png Zero Suit Samus 1.7
KingKRoolHeadSSBU.png King K. Rool
KazuyaHeadSSBU.png Kazuya
30-31 LucarioHeadSSBU.png Lucario 1.68
CloudHeadSSBU.png Cloud 1.68
32 MetaKnightHeadSSBU.png Meta Knight 1.66
33-38 GanondorfHeadSSBU.png Ganondorf 1.65
IkeHeadSSBU.png Ike
SonicHeadSSBU.png Sonic
BowserJrHeadSSBU.png Bowser Jr.
DuckHuntHeadSSBU.png Duck Hunt
CorrinHeadSSBU.png Corrin
39-40 DonkeyKongHeadSSBU.png Donkey Kong 1.63
JokerHeadSSBU.png Joker
41 PyraHeadSSBU.png Pyra 1.62
42 WarioHeadSSBU.png Wario 1.61
43-47 LinkHeadSSBU.png Link 1.6
ROBHeadSSBU.png R.O.B.
RyuHeadSSBU.png Ryu
KenHeadSSBU.png Ken
BylethHeadSSBU.png Byleth
48-51 MarthHeadSSBU.png Marth 1.58
LucinaHeadSSBU.png Lucina
InklingHeadSSBU.png Inkling
ShulkHeadSSBU.png Shulk 1.58
52 HeroHeadSSBU.png Hero 1.57
53-56 PalutenaHeadSSBU.png Palutena 1.55
PikachuHeadSSBU.png Pikachu 1.55
MewtwoHeadSSBU.png Mewtwo
MiiSwordfighterHeadSSBU.png Mii Swordfighter
57 CharizardHeadSSBU.png Charizard 1.52
58-61 MarioHeadSSBU.png Mario 1.5
DrMarioHeadSSBU.png Dr. Mario
RobinHeadSSBU.png Robin
MinMinHeadSSBU.png Min Min
62-64 PitHeadSSBU.png Pit 1.48
DarkPitHeadSSBU.png Dark Pit
TerryHeadSSBU.png Terry
65 MiiGunnerHeadSSBU.png Mii Gunner 1.45
66 SoraHeadSSBU.png Sora 1.44
67 SteveHeadSSBU.png Steve 1.42
68-69 IvysaurHeadSSBU.png Ivysaur 1.38
ToonLinkHeadSSBU.png Toon Link
70 LucasHeadSSBU.png Lucas 1.37
71-74 ZeldaHeadSSBU.png Zelda 1.35
SquirtleHeadSSBU.png Squirtle
OlimarHeadSSBU.png Olimar
Pac-ManHeadSSBU.png Pac-Man
75-76 SamusHeadSSBU.png Samus 1.33
DarkSamusHeadSSBU.png Dark Samus
77-78 LuigiHeadSSBU.png Luigi 1.32
VillagerHeadSSBU.png Villager
79 NessHeadSSBU.png Ness 1.31
80-82 IceClimbersHeadSSBU.png Ice Climbers 1.3
IsabelleHeadSSBU.png Isabelle
WiiFitTrainerHeadSSBU.png Wii Fit Trainer 1.3
83 YoshiHeadSSBU.png Yoshi 1.29
84 MrGame&WatchHeadSSBU.png Mr. Game & Watch 1.24
85 KirbyHeadSSBU.png Kirby 1.23
86 Rosalina&LumaHeadSSBU.png Rosalina & Luma 1.2
87-88 PeachHeadSSBU.png Peach 1.19
DaisyHeadSSBU.png Daisy
89 JigglypuffHeadSSBU.png Jigglypuff 0.98

Update history[edit]

3.1.0[edit]

  • Change Mii Brawler's falling speed: 1.92 → 1.7

4.0.0[edit]

  • Change Mii Brawler's falling speed: 1.7 → 1.92

See also[edit]

Retrieved from "https://www.ssbwiki.com/index.php?title=Falling_speed&oldid=1808679"