Meta Knight (SSB4)/Up aerial

Hitbox visualization showing Meta Knight's up aerial.

Overview

Meta Knight slashes above himself in an arc. With quick start-up, low ending lag, weak knockback, and deceptive reach, this move is an essential element of his meta game, as it is a centerpiece of his powerful combo ability. It combos reliably off of his dash attack, up tilt, down throw, and forward throw until mid-percents. From low- to mid-percents, it chains into itself and any other aerial, Mach Tornado, and Shuttle Loop. Meta Knight's most well-known combo involves chaining his up aerial into itself repeatedly, and finishing off with a high-altitude Shuttle Loop, KOing at roughly 60%. At higher percents, it can still lead into Shuttle Loop for a KO.

The move's speed gives it good utility against opponents shielding on platforms. Two up aerials followed by Mach Tornado will often result in a shield-poke.

Update history

1.0.4/ 1.0.1

• Hitboxes all moved 2 units upwards. This gives the move more range above Meta Knight but less range below him.
  • Center hitbox y-position and y-stretch (17.0 → 19.0)
  • Outer hitboxes y-position (17.0 → 19.0)
  • Outer hitboxes y-stretch (14.0 → 16.0)

1.1.5

• Damage (5% → 4%). This hinders up aerial's KO potential but improves its combo potential at higher percents
• Center and front hitbox angle (78° → 69°)
• Back hitbox angle (60° → 52°)
• SDI multiplier (1.0x → 1.5x)

Hitboxes

ID	Part	Damage	SD	Angle	BK	KS	FKV	Radius	Bone	Offset			SDIx	H×	T%	Clang	Rebound	Type	Effect	G	A	Sound	Direct	Stretch
0	0	4%	0		30	128	0	3.5	0	0.0	19.0	3.5	1.5x	1.0x	0%							Slash		0.0	19.0	-5.5
1	0	4%	0		30	128	0	3.0	0	0.0	19.0	4.5	1.5x	1.0x	0%							Slash		0.0	16.0	9.5
2	0	4%	0		30	128	0	3.0	0	0.0	19.0	-6.5	1.5x	1.0x	0%							Slash		0.0	16.0	-11.5

Timing

Attack

Initial autocancel	1-5
Hitboxes	6
Ending autocancel	24-
Interruptible	27
Animation length	36

Landing lag

Animation length	18

Legend (1 square = 1 frame)

Lag time

Hitbox

Autocancel

Interruptible

Meta Knight's moveset

Neutral attack · Forward tilt (1 · 2 · 3) · Up tilt · Down tilt · Dash attack · Forward smash · Up smash · Down smash
Neutral aerial · Forward aerial · Back aerial · Up aerial · Down aerial
Grab · Pummel · Forward throw · Back throw · Up throw · Down throw
Floor attack (front) · Floor attack (back) · Floor attack (trip) · Edge attack
Neutral special (def · c1 · c2) · Side special (def · c1 · c2) · Up special (def · c1 · c2) · Down special (def · c1 · c2) · Final Smash