Gimp

Olimar gimping Ness by throwing a Pikmin to intercept the PK Thunder.

Taj (Marth) gimps Mango (Falco) in Melee by using a jab to prevent his recovery and then proceeding to followup with two down tilts.

A gimp in the context of the Super Smash Bros. series is the action of KOing a recovering opponent by interrupting their recovery, often with a weak or non-damaging action or even an action that does not directly affect the opponent at all. Traditionally, gimps tend to involve hitting an opponent off the stage followed by interrupting their recovery, capable of resulting in early KOs only possible in that specific scenario; simply interrupting a recovery that is otherwise sure to succeed can also be considered a gimp. As gimps result in a KO by definition, a successful gimp can completely change the momentum of a match due to a player quickly and unexpectedly losing a stock. Sometimes the term "gimp" is used to describe accidental SDs due to failed recoveries.

Gimping is related to and sometimes confused with edge guarding. The major difference between the two concepts is developer intent. Edgeguarding involves continued and/or powerful hits that stop the opponent's recovery and possibly KO them, which is more or less how the game is supposed to be played. Gimping is more opportunistic and "fluky", involving a perfect set of circumstances not always possible in every match. For example, Ganondorf hitting an opponent at 125% offstage with a sweetspotted up aerial and outright KOing them would not be considered a gimp, but simply successful edge guarding. However, Ganondorf hitting that opponent at 50% with a reverse up aerial, semi-spiking them and knocking them back so their recover will not go far enough to reach the ledge would be considered a gimp.

There are some other secondary effects caused by a successful gimp. As the result of a gimp is a player helplessly falling, the opponent will have ample time to position themselves or do any other chores needed for the next engagement. The victim could get frustrated and make rash decisions like rushing back in on the enemy despite better options being available, only to get gimped again. A gimp can even be used as an unconventional form of stalling, as the time to fall into the blast line could be enough to make winning for the victim impossible due to factors like stocks and percentage with the amount of time left in a match.

Common examples of gimps include:

• Interrupting the double jump of a character that needs it to recover (e.g. Yoshi); this can prove especially deadly when interrupting at the beginning of the jump.
• Blocking haltable recoveries such as Ness's PK Thunder or Ike's Quick Draw.
• Edgehogging characters with tether recoveries (Brawl).
• Using non-flinching attacks such as F.L.U.D.D. or Water Gun to push an opponent using their recovery farther away from the stage, therefore not granting them another use of their recovery.
• Reversing the opponent's direction with a move such as Cape or Super Sheet, possibly ruining their recovery.
• Using the grab release glitch to deprive characters including Snake, Sonic, Mr. Game & Watch, and Pit of their recoveries (Brawl).
• Using an aerial attack to knock an opponent underneath the stage or into a stage spike.
• Hitting a recovering opponent with a semi-spike or meteor smash that is not strong enough to outright KO them, but causes their recovery to fail.
• Hitting a fast-faller with a weak attack off the edge of a stage with a high bottom blast line, causing them to plummet before they can react.
• Using projectiles such as Sonic's spring to interrupt the opponent's recovery.
• Hitting a recovering opponent out of any recovery special move that they cannot use again before landing should they ever get hit out of such a move. Examples include Pit's Wings of Icarus in Brawl and Little Mac's Jolt Haymaker in Ultimate.
• Footstooling a recovering opponent, which due to the brief moment of tumbling down, can potentially cause them not to be able to make it back on stage.
• Using some Gust Bellows to blow an opponent away during their recovery move.

A bonus somewhat related to gimping exists in Melee called Shameful Fall; it is granted by being at 50% or less and being KOed by an opponent with 100% or more. The bonus penalizes 1500 points.