Edge attack

An edge attack (, Cliff climbing attack) is an attack performed by pressing the attack button while hanging on an edge. This allows the character to get up onto the stage while performing an attack. Edge attacks are often called "getup attacks," though this is also used to refer to floor attacks.

In the first three games, once a character has received 100% or more damage, they begin to perform a different edge attack than normal. The attacks are usually slower, but do more damage to opponents, although the increase is usually only 3-5%. For example, Yoshi's edge attack involves a quick 6% tail whip, while when at high damage, it becomes a slow 12% headbutt. However, in Smash 4, this effect is removed and the edge attack is the same regardless of damage percent for all characters.

Edge attacks are generally avoided in competitive play due to their slow speed and limited usefulness. They possess intangibility frames that make them appear to be safe options, but prior to Ultimate these frames do not cover the attack's active frames, making them vulnerable to trading with opposing attacks. As of Ultimate edge attacks are universally intangible until their hitboxes are no longer active, but players will still often use other techniques or attacks to return to the stage instead. However, players will often mix in edge attacks to catch the opponent off guard, especially if their character's edge attack has great reach (such as Donkey Kong's and Wolf's).

Trivia

 * Sonic is the only character with an edge attack (his slow one) that can hit twice.
 * Mr. Game & Watch's edge attacks are the only ones to not deal fixed knockback, instead dealing the same strength of knockback as floor attacks.
 * In SSB4, Bowser uses his secondary edge attack animation from Brawl for his edge attack, while Giga Bowser uses his standard edge attack animation from Brawl for his edge attack.
 * 's under 100% edge attack in Melee is arguably the best edge attack in the game, having long range, many intangibility frames and very long hitbox duration, hitting his way in and all the way back.
 * Some edge attacks are able to stage spike opponents, if timed properly.