Techniques (SSBU)

The Techniques sub menu.

Techniques is a sub menu of the Help menu in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This menu will provide a list of various techniques in the game on the left side of the screen, which can be sorted by Common techniques, Fighter-specific techniques, or All techniques using the L or R buttons. Highlighting a technique will give players information on that specific technique and a quick demonstration video on the right side of the screen.

List of techniques

Common

Technique	Description
Moving	Tilt the left stick left and right to walk. Tilt it slowly to walk Tilt it quickly to dash Keep the left stick tilted to keep running
Jumping	Jump using the jump button. You can also tilt the left stick upward! You can jump in midair as well.
Attacking	Use the attack button to attack. Just the button: neutral attack Left stick + button: tilt attack Flick left stick + button: smash attack Smash attacks are super effective!
Special Moves	Use the special move button and the left stick to use four different moves. Just the button: neutral special Left stick up + button: up special Left stick side + button: side special Left stick down + button: down special Up special is helpful for returning to the stage.
Shielding	Press the shield button to defend yourself. Use this to guard against enemy attacks, then strike back!
Dodging	Flick the left stick while shielding to quickly evade an attack. Flick downward: dodge in place. Flick forward: dodge forward Flick backward: dodge backward Using this move repeatedly can leave you wide open to attack, so be careful.
Grabs and Throws	Grab opponents by pressing the attack button while shielding. After Grabbing an Opponent Attack button: attack grabbed opponent Tilt left stick: throw opponent You can also grab with the grab button.
Getting Up	If you get knocked down, get back up quickly! Left stick up: get up at the current location Left stick side: get up while moving Attack button: get up and attack
Grabbing Edges	While Hanging from an Edge Left stick toward the edge: climb up right at the edge Attack button: climb and attack Shield button: climb and dodge Jump button: climb and jump If you tilt the left stick away from the edge, you will let go and fall.
Throwing Items	Press the attack button while also using your shield to throw items. You can do this with the grab button as well. When Throwing Items Tilt left stick: throw in the direction indicated Flick left stick: smash throw in the direction tapped The speed and power of throwing an item will increase when using smash throws!
Stun Recovery	If you get stunned, move the left stick around or repeatedly press buttons to recover faster.
Final Smash	If a Smash Ball appears, attack it and claim it for yourself! Once you get it, making sure not to tilt the left stick, press the special-move button to activate your Final Smash! Use it wisely! You generally only get one chance to land your Final Smash.
Meteor Smash	Launch opponents straight down for an instant KO! Many moves can cause a meteor smash. Mario: forward air Donkey Kong: forward air Samus: down air Yoshi: forward air Kirby: down air
Shifting Attacks	The direction of some side tilt attacks and some side smashes can be shifted with the left stick. Left stick diagonally upward: upward attack Left stick diagonally downward: downward attack Shifting your attacks can be useful when you and your opponents are at different heights.
Charging Smash Attacks	If you hold the attack button during a smash attack, you can charge up its power. It'll reach max charge after one second, and you can hold on to the charge for a couple more seconds.
Short Hop	Press the jump button briefly to jump a little. Press the jump and attack button at the same time to perform a short-hop attack. There are many ways to use low-altitude attacks against your opponents!
Breaking Your Fall	You can stop yourself from bouncing if you press the shield button just before you hit a wall or the ground after being launched. This will help you avoid being KO'd from a bounce, and get you back on your feet quickly!
Launch Shuffling	You can affect the direction you're launched in by tilting the left stick as you're launched. If you get launched, try to fly in the direction with the highest chance of survival.
Hitstun Shuffling	If you tap the left stick in a direction right as you're hit with an attack, you can move your body in that direction. You can use this method to break free of an opponent's combos.
Perfect Shield	If you stop shielding at the moment your opponent's attack hits your shield, nullifying the attack isn't all that happens. Your shield won't be depleted at all, and you will be able to immediately counterattack your opponent!
Shield Shift	Tilt the left stick lightly to adjust the shield while shielding. Use either of the inputs below to keep from triggering a dodge. Shield button + shield button Shield button + special-move button This is especially useful when your shield is smaller.
Shield-Cancel Up Smash	Flick the left stick up and press the attack button while shielding to unleash an up smash instantly. Shield until you're ready to unleash a sudden attack on your opponent!
Air Dodge	Press the shield button while airborne to quickly dodge attacks. Tilt the left stick in a certain direction to dodge in that direction. You can also use this for a little extra boost when returning to the stage!
Catching Items	Press the attack button right before an item hits you to grab it out of the air. You can pull this off while standing on the ground, or while in the air yourself!
Footstool Jump	Jump on an opponent's head to use them as a launchpad for another jump! You can also do this to make an opponent's recovery more difficult.
Juggling	Keep opponents in the air with continuous attacks to quickly rack up damage. Up tilt artacks work well for this. It tends to work the best when your opponent hasn't accumulated much damage.
Fast Falling	Flick the left stick down while airborne to get back to the ground quickly. Falling faster might throw off an opponent's timing, but be careful not to self-destruct!
Dash Grabbing	Perform a grab while running to grab opponents within a wider range. But if you miss the grab, you'll be left wide open!
Edge Meteor	If you send an opponent flying into the side of the stage below the edge of Battlefield or Final Destination, they'll be bounced downward! It's a risky play, but satisfying when you pull it off!
Stealing the Edge	If you get close enough to grab an edge that an opponent is already hanging from, the opponent will get pushed off. This leaves them vulnerable to your attacks!
Repeated Edge-Grabbing	Repeatedly grabbing the edge of the stage without landing can be risky. Each time you grab an edge without landing, you become more vulnerable, and the length of time you are invincible when climbing up from an edge shortens. If you grab it too many times, you won't be able to grab it at all!
Value of the Last Hit	Whoever is the last player to hit an opponent will be awarded a point for the KO. Be the last person to hit someone as they fly off the screen, and you'll get credit for the KO!

Fighter-specific

Technique	Characters	Description
Storing Your Charge	Donkey Kong, Samus...	Some fighters have special moves that can be charged up. A fully charged special move will deal some serious damage! If you use your shield while charging, you can store the charged attack. Chargeable Special Moves Donkey Kong: Giant Punch Samus: Charge Shot Pac-Man: Bonus Fruit R.O.B.: Gyro Lucario: Aura Sphere And more!
Counters	Marth, Little Mac...	Counter while getting attacked by adopting a particular stance. The more powerful the attack received is, the stronger the counter will be. Counter Moves Marth: Counter Little Mac: Slip Counter Shulk: Vision Corrin: Counter Surge And more!
Reflecting	Mario, Fox...	It's possible to reflect projectiles and items. The strength and speed of reflected things goes up, making them more dangerous! Moves That Can Reflect Mario: Cape Fox: Reflector Ness: Batter Up! Zelda: Nayru's Love Pit: Guardian Orbitars And more! If you get in a reflecting war with another fighter, the power of the reflected thing can increase and break through your reflecting move. Watch out!
Absorbing to Heal	Ness, Lucas...	The moves below will absorb energy-type projectiles, healing you proportionally to the power of the projectile: Ness/Lucas: PSI Magnet Mii Gunner: Absorbing Vortex
Absorbs and Reflect	Mr. Game & Watch	Mr. Game & Watch's down special can absorb energy-type projectiles. If you absorb until the barrel fills, you can unleash a powerful oil attack! The oil's strength depends on the power of the absorbed attacks. Anything that cannot be absorbed will be reflected.
Counter and Reflect	Palutena	Palutena's down special is actually two moves in one! It can counter when attacked, and it projects a reflecting plane when hit with a projectile!
Edge Grappling	Samus, Toon Link...	If you hit the edge of a platform with some moves, you can dangle from the edge. Once dangling, press the attack button to hoist yourself up and grab the edge. This can also be done by tilting the left stick up. Fighters with moves that can grab the edge include Samus Young Link Toon Link Zero Suit Samus Simon And more!
Wall Jumping	Mario, Samus...	While touching a wall in the air, you can kick off the wall in the opposite direction by flicking the left stick away from the wall. Fighters that can wall jump include Mario Samus Fox Pikachu Villager Pac-Man And more! If a platform is particularly steep, wall jumping can help you get back to the stage.
Multiple Jumps	Kirby, Pit...	Some fighters can jump in the air multiple times. Each time you jump, the jump height will decrease. Fighters that can jump multiple times in the air include Kirby Pit Charizard King Dedede Jigglypuff Ridley And more!
Special-Move Input	Link, Yoshi...	Some special moves will change depending on how you press the button. For example, Samus's side special is normally a homing missile, but if you flick the left stick while executing the move, it becomes a fast Super Missile. Special moves that change include Link's Boomerang Yoshi's Egg Throw Marth's Dancing Blade King Dedede's Gordo Throw And more!
Flip	Mario, Dr. Mario...	The Cape and Super Sheet can play havoc with your opponents: Avoid attacks by turning the opponent around Prevent opponents from returning to the platform Reflect projectiles back the way they came Keep in mind that the Super Sheet has greater vertical coverage!
Kong Karry	Donkey Kong	Donkey Kong can carry opponents by tilting the left stick toward the grabbed opponent. You can walk and jump while carrying Press the attack button to throw them You can even carry them off the edge, then throw them!
Remote Bomb	Link, Snake	Use your down special to take out a bomb. Get to a safe distance, then use it again to set the bomb off!
Inhale	Kirby	Inhale the opponent with the neutral special, then do one of the following: Special-move button: copy the opponent Attack button: spit the opponent out as a star Copy the opponent to use their neutral special, and taunt to get rid of the copy.
Directional Special Moves	Pikachu, Greninja...	Quick Attack and Hydro Pump will send you in the direction the left stick is tilted. If you change the input direction in the middle of the move, you'll head in the new direction! Use this to travel farther than normal!
Recover with PK Thunder	Ness, Lucas	Controlling PK Thunder and hitting yourself with it will launch you in the direction the attack was heading, hitting anyone in your path. It's also a great way to return to the stage!
Rest	Jigglypuff	If you overlap with an opponent and use this down special to fall asleep, the enemy you're touching will take serious damage. It's super effective!
Rocketbarrel Boost	Diddy Kong	You can charge this up special by holding down the special-move button. This move travels farther after charging!
Gliding in the Air	Peach, Daisy	Hold the jump button down to maintain your current height. If you tilt the left stick downward while pressing the jump button, you'll glide right above the ground.
Pokémon Change	Pokémon Trainer	Change the Pokémon you're currently using with down special. The Pokémon will change in the following order: Squirtle→Ivysaur→Charizard.
Monado Arts	Shulk	Use neutral special to change your abilities with Monado Arts. Jump: Jump ↑ Defense ↓ Speed: Speed ↑ Attack, Jump ↓ Shield: Defense/Weight ↑ Attack, Movement ↓ Buster: Attack ↑ Defense, Launch Power ↓ Smash: Launch Power ↑ Attack, Launch Resist ↓ Hold down the button, and five symbols will appear. Use the left stick to select a symbol, and then let go of the button to choose. Quickly hitting the special-move button multiple times will select symbols as well.
Pikmin Information	Olimar	Each Pikmin has different qualities, depending on their color. Red: Attack ↑ Throw ↓ Yellow: Attack Hit Box ↑ Blue: Throw ↑ White: Grab ↑ Attack ↓ Purple: Attack ↑ Reach ↓ Use Pikmin for Special Moves Neutral: replenish Pikmin Side: throw Pikmin Up: fly with Winged Pikmin Down: call back Pikmin If you're running low on Pikmin, replenish them by using your neutral special. Pikmin will appear in a set order. You can change the Pikmin you use with down special.
Wario Waft	Wario	Use down special to attack with farts. A charged-up fart will deal more damage. Holding it for 110 seconds will maximize its fart power! Put your backside into it!
Lloid Rocket	Villager	Ride the Lloid Rocket by continuing to hold the button after initiating Villager's side special. It can be used to return when off the stage, but when thr Lloid Rocket is destroyed, you are left vulnerable.
Pocket	Villager, Isabelle	Use neutral special to pocket nearby items or projectiles. Once pocketed, neutral special can bring the object out again. If thrown, the object that was pocketed may be stronger than before!
Balloon Trip		Get balloons and float away with up special. Side: left and right movement Special-move button: rise up into the air Attack: cut the balloons free and fall down The balloons will pop if attacked, so be careful!
Robo Burner	R.O.B.	Start flying with up special and then use the special-move button to rise in the air. You will use fuel while you are flying, but it will be replenished upon landing. The fuel level can be seen on the gauge on R.O.B.'s chassis. You can travel farther by repeatedly pressing the special-move button instead of holding it.
KO Uppercut	Little Mac	The KO Meter will fill when dealing or receiving damage. When the meter is full, use the special-move button to unleash a KO Uppercut! You (and your opponents) will hear a bell when it's ready to use!
The Levin Sword and Tomes	Robin	Smash attack and midair attack: Levin Sword Special moves: Tomes The durability of the Levin Sword and tomes decreases with each use. When it reaches zero, you will not be able to use these items until they recharge. You can see how much durability is left by looking at the bottom of the screen.
Luma's Attacks	Rosalina & Luma	Send Luma flying with a neutral special. You can control Luma with the attack controls even if Luma is far away. Choose to attack from afar or sandwich and attack opponents from both sides. Use the special-move button to have Luma return to Rosalina.
Shooting	Duck Hunt	After you've thrown out a can or a clay pigeon with your special moves, you can shoot them by pressing the special-move button again. Can: can be shot repeatedly Clay: Destroy it to deal area damage
Spin	Sonic	You can increase the spin speed for the side special and down special. Side special: press and hold button Down special: repeatedly press button Spinning at high speed will enable you to roll incredibly fast. While rolling, you can control your movement with the left stick or the jump button.
Holding Attacks	Ryu, Ken	The strength of the attack depends on how long you hold the button. Short hold: activates quickly Long hold: powerful and has a long reach Holding an attack will affect how the move behaves. For special moves, the speed and power will change. Neutral attack and side tilt attack will change if opponents are near.
Special Command Input		Input specific commands with the left stick to power up your special moves! When Ryu Is Looking Right Hadoken: ↓↘→ + attack button Shakunetsu Hadoken: ←↙↓↘→ + attack button Tatsumaki Senpukyaku: ↓↙← + attack button Shoryuken: →↓↘ + attack button When facing left, the directional inputs will be reversed.
Attack Canceling		After hitting an opponent with a basic attack, you can immediately use a special move to cancel the end of the attack animation, allowing you to do damage more quickly and avoid being vulnerable. You can do this with various attacks, except for up or side smash attacks.
Focus Attack		While your down special is charging, you can take an attack without flinching. Charge it enough and strike and opponent, and they'll faint. You can unleash this move midcharge to counterattack against an opponent. If your opponent hits you while you're charging, quickly flick the left stick to the side twice to cancel this down special and get in some damage with other attacks!
Limit Break	Cloud	You can charge your Limit Gauge with your down special. When the Limit Gauge is at max, you can use a powered-up special once. If you get attacked while charging, the gauge will go down. Also, the fully charged state will expire after a certain period of time.
Dragon Lunge	Corrin	The side special will change depending on if you are in the air or on the ground. Midair: strike with the spear Ground: jump and strike with the spear by pressing the attack or special-move button If the spear stabs the ground, you will stay in place. After Stabbing the Ground Left stick forward: kick forward Left stick back: kick backward Left stick up: jump
Special Controls	Bayonetta	Bayonetta's side special changes depending on certain conditions. When on the ground: side slide When in midair: diagonal-up kick Tilt left stick down in midair: diagonal-down kick When performed on the ground, you can keep holding the button to flip up at the end of the move. Hold the button after attacking to use Bullet Arts. Pursue your opponents with long-range projectiles. Jump in midair after an up special to use the up special again.
Reload Ink	Inkling	Smash attacks and special moves use up ink. Shield + hold the special-move button to refill ink. If you run out of ink, some moves will be unusuable, and others less effective. Keep a careful eye on your ink!
Whip Hold	Simon, Richter	You can dangle the whip by holding down the button for some attacks. After doing so, use the left stick to twirl the whip. It's perfect for disrupting the opponent's attempt to return to the stage or for disabling projectiles.
Belly Power	King K. Rool	King K. Rool's belly is extremely tough. Being hit in the belly will not cause King K. Rool to flinch, allowing him to counterattack immediately. It also reduces the damage you take. However, taking too much belly damage will break your belly and leave you stunned. King K. Rool can be hit in the belly during these attacks: Side tilt Dash attack Up smash Down smash Neutral air attack Down special
Blunderbuss		Fire a cannonball with your neutral special. Once you shoot, keep holding the special-move button to suck in not only the cannonball but opponents, too! You can shoot things back out as well! Depending on the direction you tilt the left stick, you can change which direction you fire things out. This move can be especially brutal if you manage to hit an opponent with another opponent.
Revenge	Incineroar	Get ready with down special. If you get hit with an attack during this time, your attack power will increase relative to the power of the attack that hit you, making your next attack stronger. Take that rage and deal it back out in a strong attack!
Alolan Whip		When the opponent you threw bounces back toward you, deliver an attack by pressing the special-move button at a certain time. Early: perform a back body drop to launch them Perfect timing: perform a Lariat with full force! Late: bump into the opponent clumsily.
Ptooie	Piranha Plant	Blow a spiked ball upward. Press and hold the special-move button to make the spiked ball float up and down. Tilt the left stick to the left or right to toss the spiked ball in that direction. The spiked ball will fly farther and faster when it's closer to Piranha Plant's mouth.
Long-Stem Strike		Piranha Plant retreats into its flowerpot before lunging out to bite. Press and hold the special-move button to charge the move. When charging, you can tilt the left stick to the left or right, which changes the direction Piranha Plant will lunge. Charge the move longer to increase the range of the attack. The attack's power increases with distance.
Gun / Gun Special	Joker	You can press and hold the special-move button to shoot continuously, but the time between each shot will be shortened if you press the button repeatedly. You can shoot the gun in different ways by tilting the left stick in different directions or jumping. Ground/Airborne: Tilt the left stick left or right to dodge while shooting Only on the ground: Jump into the air and shoot downward Only while airborne: Tilt the left stick down to shoot downward Tilt the left stick up for rapid fire
Rebellion Gauge		The Rebellion Gauge will fill quickly if you're hit by an opponent's attack while using the Rebel's Guard down special. The gauge will also fill if Joker or a teammate is hit or KO'd. When the Rebellion Gauge is full, Joker will summon Arsene, who will power up Joker's attacks and special moves. After Arsene is summoned, the Rebellion Gauge will begin to drain. The gauge will also drain a bit when Joker takes damage. Once the gauge is empty, Arsene will depart.
Special Moves That Change When Charged	Hero	Neutral special: Frizz type Side special: Zap type Up special: Woosh type These moves have three levels of power. Each level of charge requires more MP than the level before it. You can store the charge of your neutral special by shielding or dodging while charging.
Command Selection		Use down special to open a command window, and then select a command. Command Window Controls Left stick up/down: move cursor Jump, shield, dodge: cancel Attack button, special-move button: confirm You will be left vulnerable while selecting.
Wonderwing	Banjo & Kazooie	Tackle while invincible with side special. You will need a Golden Feather to use it. If you don't have enough, you will fall and become vulnerable. Golden Feathers will not be replenished until you are KO'd. You will normally get five Golden Feathers. You can use only one during Sudden Death.
Breegull Blaster		Press and hold the special-move button to enter Breegull Blaster mode. While in this mode, you can repeatedly shoot eggs. As you shoot, the power will eventually drop (up to two times). After canceling Breegull Blaster, the power will gradually return to normal. You can cancel Breegull Blaster mode by shielding, crouching, or using another special move.
Differentiating Special Moves and Commands	Terry	The strength of the attack depends on how long you hold the button. Quick press: activates quickly and leaves you less vulnerable Hold down: powerful and has a long reach Also, use a specific input with the left stick to power up the move. Command Input (When Facing Right) Burning Knuckle: ↓↘→ + attack button Crack Shoot: ↓↙← + attack button Rising Tackle: hold ↓, then input ↑ + attack button Power Dunk: →↓↘ + attack button The input will be reversed when facing left.
Attack Canceling		After hitting an opponent with a normal attack, you can immediately use a special move to cancel the end of the attack animation, allowing you to do damage more quickly and avoid being vulnerable. The attacks below cannot be quickly followed by a special move: Third stage of the neutral attack Smash attack Forward air attack Back air attack Dash Attack Dodge Attack
Super Special Move		You can use a powerful command-input move after having taking significant damage. Stock and Time: accumulated damage is more than 100% Stamina: stamina remaining is 1/3 or less Command Input (When Facing Right) Power Geyser: ↓↙←↙→ + attack button or ↓←↓→ + attack button Buster Wolf: ↓↘→↓↘→ + attack button or ↓→↓→ + attack button The input will be reversed when facing left. If you input the command with everything reversed, Terry will reverse his attack.
Dodge Attack		You can use an up tilt attack that makes Terry's upper body briefly invincible by pressing the attack button when dodging in place. Dodge a devastating blow from the enemy, then quickly counterattack! This is especially useful against foes that are attacking from above.
Failnaught	Byleth	Your neutral special will draw the bow. You can dodge or shield while drawing the bow, as well as change the direction you're aiming by pressing the left stick left or right. Hold the button down to charge the attack. You cannot dodge, shield, or change directions while charging. Once the bow has been drawn and the attack has charged for a period of time, a powerful attack will fire straight out in the direction you are facing.
Sword of the Creator		Use the up special to extend the sword upward at an angle. The attack's behavior will change depending on what it hits. Opponent: Jump up and onto the opponent. Wall: Pull to and jump from the wall. Edge: Dangle from the sword Use the attack button or up on the left stick to shorten the sword and grab the edge.
Aymr		Swing the axe in a powerful downward blow with the down special. After starting the move, you can use the left stick to turn in the opposite direction you're facing. If you're on the ground when you swing the axe, you won't flinch if an opponent strikes you. You can also move through some platforms by holding the left stick down while using this move.