Forward smash

Marth using his forward smash in Brawl

Corrin using his forward smash in Smash 4.

A forward smash (officially known as a side smash attack (横スマッシュ攻撃, abbreviated f-smash, internally AttackS4), is a smash attack that any character can perform by tapping the control stick in a horizontal direction and pressing the attack button immediately afterward or simultaneously, or by tilting the C-stick in a horizontal direction (except in Melee's single-player modes). After tapping the control stick forwards, there is a 3-frame window (5-frame in Ultimate) where a forward smash can be performed. If the attack button is pressed too late, a dash attack will be performed instead. Pressing the attack button on the last possible frame results in a small step forward smash. In all games except Super Smash Bros. Brawl, forward smashes can be pivoted.

Like forward tilts, certain forward smashes can be angled in up to 3 directions; a select few forward smashes in Smash 64, however, can be angled in up to 5 directions. In Smash 64 and Melee, the control stick or C-stick must be tapped in the desired angle at the start of the move to angle it. From Brawl onwards, however, the attack can be angled by holding the control stick or C-stick in the desired angle as the move's charging period ends.

Starting in Melee, forward smashes can be charged for a maximum of one second (or 60 frames), multiplying their damage by up to 1.4×. In Ultimate, with some exceptions, full charges can be held for two seconds (120 frames), for a total of 3 seconds (180 frames).

Forward smashes are typically powerful strikes with a hitbox directly in front of the character, being the strongest type of smash attack on average, but also tending to have the highest startup and/or ending lag. As a result, most forward smashes are situational and reserved for hard reads or hard punishes, often being a character's strongest shield break punish when fully charged. Some forward smashes shift the user forward a significant distance, and some have various armors under certain conditions.

List of forward smashes

Character	Description	Angleable
Banjo & Kazooie	Performs the Breegull Bash, where Banjo grabs Kazooie by her legs and slams her on the ground in front of him.
Bayonetta	Creates a portal just behind her to summon Madama Butterfly's fist for a forward punch.
Bowser	Rears back and then swings his head downwards, horns-first. Jumps and attacks with a two-footed dropkick.
Bowser Jr.	Deploys two drills from the Koopa Clown Car and closes them in on the area in front of himself, hitting several times.
Byleth	Stabs forwards with Areadbhar.
Captain Falcon	Throws a flaming side kick. Leans into a forward elbow thrust. Assumes a wide stance and slams his forearm forwards.
Charizard	Performs a powerful swinging headbutt.
Chrom	A two-handed, downward slash.
Cloud	Performs a series of three fast slashes with the Buster Sword.
Corrin	Transforms his arm into a draconic spear hand and performs a long-ranged forward stab.
Daisy	Swings upwards and inwards with either a golf club, tennis racket, or frying pan.
Dark Pit	Performs a simple two-hitting combo of slashes.
Dark Samus	Thrusts her arm cannon forwards alongside a burst of phazon.
Diddy Kong	Throws a pair of spinning backhands, one immediately after the other.
Donkey Kong	Reels his hand back and thrusts it forward. Leans forwards and claps his hands together.
Dr. Mario	Thrusts his palm forwards and unleashes an electric explosion.
Duck Hunt	The unseen gunman fires off three consecutive shots of increasing distance from the dog and duck, who comically try to dodge them.
Falco	Throws a jumping cartwheel kick. Swipes downwards with both wings.
Fox	Jumps forwards while performing a spinning dropkick. Throws a jumping cartwheel kick.
Ganondorf	Leans into a forward elbow thrust. Pulls out the SpaceWorld 2000 sword and slams it onto the ground in front of himself.
Greninja	Performs an inward reverse-grip slash with a water blade.
Hero	Attacks with a two-handed, downward sword slash.
Ice Climbers	Slam their hammers on the ground.
Ike	Lifts Ragnell over himself and slams it onto the ground.
Incineroar	Performs an Enzuigiri.
Inkling	Swings an Inkbrush forwards.
Isabelle	Cracks a party popper, causing an explosion of confetti in front of herself.
Ivysaur	Plants its vines onto the ground and uses them to vault itself forwards for a full-body tackle.
Jigglypuff	Throws a jumping-forward side kick.
Joker	Swings his knife downwards in front of himself while leaning forwards. If active, Arsene swings both his arms downwards in an X-shaped slash.
Kazuya	Throws a powerful punch in his demon form.
Ken	Performs an inwards roundhouse kick.
King Dedede	Lifts his hammer up and slams it onto the ground in front of himself.
King K. Rool	Dons a boxing glove and punches straight forwards with it.
Kirby	Throws a jumping-forward side kick.
Link	Swings the Master Sword straight downwards to the ground. Swings the Master Sword inward with both hands, then outward with one. A two-hit natural combo, with the second slash requiring the A button to be pressed again.
Little Mac	Throws a cross, a downwards body blow, or a wide-angled uppercut, depending on the angle.
Lucario	Leans forwards and performs a double palm thrust, blasting aura outwards alongside it.
Lucas	Swings inwards with a stick. It can reflect projectiles if timed correctly.
Lucina	Swings Parallel Falchion straight downwards in a wide arc from behind her onto the ground in front of her.
Luigi	Throws an enormous punch, inflating his fist. Throws a straight horizontal spearhand.
Mario	Throws an enormous punch, inflating his fist. Unleashes a fiery explosion via a palm thrust.
Marth	Swings Falchion straight downwards in a wide arc from behind him onto the ground in front of him.
Mega Man	The Charge Shot; grips his Mega Buster, then charges and fires a shot from it. Its range and damage increases with the charge.
Meta Knight	Draws Galaxia in, then performs a near-instantaneous outward slash with it.
Mewtwo	Unleashes a blast of darkness from its outstretched palms.
Mii Brawler	Unleashes a powerful straight punch.
Mii Gunner	Rapidly fires a stream of shots from the arm cannon.
Mii Swordfighter	Slashes downwards and inwards with their sword.
Min Min	Punches with her equipped ARM, with either a massive Megawatt punch, a curved Ramram strike, or a Dragon strike with an additional laser beam if held. Unlike the rest of the cast, she can only hold her side smash for 30 frames before it automatically comes out.
Mr. Game & Watch	Forcefully swings a flaming torch forwards; based on the Game & Watch minigame Fire Attack.
Mythra	Forcefully swings the Aegis Sword downwards into the ground.
Ness	Swings inwards with a baseball bat. It can reflect projectiles if timed correctly.
Olimar	Commands his leading Pikmin to perform a spinning, leaping full-body tackle. The damage and knockback depends on the Pikmin commanded.
Pac-Man	Swings his palm forwards, summoning Blinky to perform a tackle.
Palutena	Summons a pair of ethereal wings and claps them together in front of herself.
Peach	Swings upwards and inwards with either a golf club, tennis racket, or frying pan.
Pichu	Unleashes a multi-hitting electric spark from its cheeks.
Pikachu	Unleashes an electric spark from its cheeks.
Piranha Plant	Transforms its head into that of a Prickly Piranha Plant and performs an inward-swinging headbutt.
Pit	Performs a simple two-hitting combo of slashes.
Pyra	Forcefully swings the Aegis Sword downwards into the ground.
R.O.B.	Fires a laser blast from his eyes.
Richter	Leans far forwards and performs a tremendously long-ranged whip crack with the full length of the Vampire Killer.
Ridley	Leans forwards and exhales an exploding ball of plasma in his open mouth.
Robin	Slashes upwards, ending with their blade in a forwards position.
Rosalina & Luma	Rosalina: Leans forwards and unleashes a small galactic blast from her wand. Luma: Delivers a strong straight punch.
Roy	Swings the Binding Blade straight downwards in a wide arc from behind him onto the ground in front of him. A two-handed, downward slash with the Binding Blade.
Ryu	Steps forwards and performs the Joudan Sokutogeri, a powerful lunging side kick.
Samus	Thrusts her arm cannon forwards. Thrusts her arm cannon forwards alongside a burst of flame.
Sephiroth	Performs a two-handed upward slash with Masamune while keeping it horizontal.
Sheik	Performs two quick jumping kicks, moving slightly forwards.
Shulk	Stabs forwards with the Monado, then opens up its physical blade to stab a second time with the light beam hidden within it.
Simon	Leans far forwards and performs a tremendously long-ranged whip crack with the full length of the Vampire Killer.
Snake	Takes out an RPG-7, aims it at the ground in front of himself, and then detonates a rocket at his feet.
Sonic	Performs the Windup Punch from Sonic the Fighters, in which he rears back and then delivers a powerful straight punch.
Sora	A strong, horizontal swing of the Keyblade.
Squirtle	Retreats into its shell and performs a jumping tackle. Swings its head inwards while spitting a jet of water to strengthen the blow.
Steve	A sweeping sword attack based off the sweep attack exclusive to the Java Edition of Minecraft.
Terry	A spinning kick where he slightly reels back beforehand.
Toon Link	Swings the Master Sword inward with both hands, then outward with one. A two-hit natural combo, with the second slash requiring a second press of the A button. Leans forwards and slashes upwards in reverse grip.
Villager	Leans forwards while holding a large bowling ball, then drops it to strike the area beneath.
Wario	Performs the Dash Attack, in which he bashes the area just in front of himself with his shoulder. Performs a dramatic fist-inflating backhanded punch.
Wii Fit Trainer	Steps forwards, assuming the warrior pose to strike with a spearhand.
Wolf	Charges forwards amidst a claw thrust, then abruptly stops while twisting his claws. Plants his feet and performs a forward palm thrust.
Yoshi	Rears his head back and then performs a powerful forwards headbutt.
Young Link	Swings the Kokiri Sword inward with both hands, then outward with one. A two-hit natural combo, with the second slash requiring a second press of the A button.
Zelda	Leans forwards and unleashes a sparkling burst of magic, striking many times.
Zero Suit Samus	Swings her plasma whip forwards. Throws a spinning side kick and immediately follows it up with a straight one.

Notable forward smashes

• King Dedede's is the strongest unmodified forward smash in Ultimate, and is the 4th strongest attack in the game without special conditions, behind Mr. Game & Watch's 9 Judge, Ganondorf's Aerial Reverse Warlock Punch, and Roy/Chrom's fully charged Flare Blade. Alongside Snake's, it is also one of the only two forward smashes with a startup of over 40 frames.
• Link's is the highest damaging in Ultimate when fully charged.
• From Super Smash Bros. Melee onward, Link's, Young Link's and Toon Link's (in Brawl and Smash 4 only) are the only ones that comprise a natural combo.
• Mega Man's, Olimar's, and Villager's, as well as Link's 0% sword beam in Ultimate, are the only four forward smashes that use projectiles. Of them, Mega Man's and Link's are the only projectiles to increase in hitbox size as the attack is charged.
• Ness's and Lucas's have reflectors. Along with Min Min's up smash and Kazuya's Left Splits Kick, they are the only non-special attacks with this property.
• Peach's three variants each use a different weapon with differing power and launch angles, but their access varies by game. It is random in Melee and Brawl, fixed to a cycle in Smash 4 and angle-dependent in Ultimate.
• Little Mac's uniquely has completely different properties for each of its three angles. Like Little Mac's other smash attacks, it also has super armor frames during the startup, with a Special Zoom in Ultimate if he is hit during the armor frames.
• Mr. Game & Watch's is notable in all games for its disjointed range, high power when sweetspotted, and low ending lag. In Melee and Brawl, its ending lag was relatively very low due to having a long-lasting late hit.
• Wolf's is by far the longest reaching forward smash in Brawl, covering nearly half of Final Destination.
  • In Ultimate, Wolf's new forward smash is a much slower and smaller single hit, but is much stronger with lower cooldown. It is infamous for being very difficult to punish and largely safe on shield.
• Pit's in Brawl is the fastest in the series by a considerable margin at frame 6. In every other Smash game, the fastest forward smashes are frame 10.
• In Brawl, Wario's has both transcendent priority and super armor with a frame 9 startup, making it nearly impossible to intercept.
  • The only other forward smashes to possess super armor are Squirtle's in Brawl and Little Mac's.
  • Sephiroth's (in Winged Form), Bowser's and Kazuya's are the only ones to have damage-based armor.
• Palutena's uniquely has a large windbox after the main hit.
• Corrin's is the only forward smash to have a hitbox while charging.
• The pattern of the gunshots in Duck Hunt's forward smash, as well as the angles at which they launch, are slightly randomized. They will also become spaced farther apart, and therefore reach farther when charged.
• In Ultimate, Sonic's is notable for its deceptive disjoint and range, with the down-angled version being a devastating two-frame punish when charged.
• Ganondorf's new forward smash in Ultimate, commonly referred to as "doriyah" after the move's voice clip, covers a large arcing range, although not completely covering the sword trail effect. It is one of the strongest of its kind, but has slow frame data.
• Wii Fit Trainer's is the only one with a hitbox placed behind her.
• Min Min's is extremely atypical for a number of reasons:
  • It has multiple variants depending on which ARM she uses.
  • Min Min is able to use either the attack button or the special button to perform a smash attack. She can use them consecutively.
  • It is the longest ranged forward smash in the entire game with her Dragon ARM laser.
  • Min Min's forward smash changes properties when charged for at least fifteen frames, causing it to deal more base damage along with a larger hitbox and elemental effects.
  • As of update 11.0.0, it is the only smash attack in the series that can only be held for 30 frames.
• Pyra's, named Flare Smash, is spotlighted in her debut as a counterpart to Mythra's Foresight character ability as well as in the Move List. Despite this, it has no unique traits aside from an aesthetic hit effect.

Gallery

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  Mario using his forward smash in Melee

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  Lucario using its forward smash against King Dedede. Notice the high range of Lucario's forward smash.

See also

• Down smash
• Up smash