Wavedash: Difference between revisions

<!-- Please understand that wavedashing is not a glitch. Do not add any information about how wavedashing is a glitch -->

A '''wavedash''' is a technique/physics engine exploit in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' that is performed by [[air dodging]] diagonally into the ground, causing the character to slide a short distance. While it is uncommon in casual play, high-level play of ''Melee'' effectively requires proper use of the technique; the ''Melee'' community sees wavedashing as an advanced technique superior to [[dashing]] because it allows players to perform any ground action while moving horizontally on the ground. Use of the technique is especially important for the metagame of characters with poor traction, such as {{SSBM|Luigi}}, {{SSBM|Mewtwo}}, and the {{SSBM|Ice Climbers}}, and almost every other [[character]] requires some use of wavedashing for positioning and maneuvering, particularly in combos and [[mindgame]]s.

Contrary to popular belief, wavedashing is not strictly a glitch; it is more accurately a {{S|wikipedia|corner case}} of ''Melee''{{'}}s physics engine. In an interview, [[Masahiro Sakurai]] acknowledged that the dev team was aware of wavedashing during development. When air dodging diagonally to the ground, all of the momentum of the airdodge is transferred into horizontal (ground) movement, since the character can no longer fall. Additionally, performing a wavedash causes the game to recognize the character as landing from the [[helpless]] state due to air dodges causing the state. Thus, the game is not recognizing wavedashing as a specific "technique" (such as an attack or movement) but as if the character simply landed and stood still; the sliding effect is due to the "slipperiness" inherent in the game's engine.

Wavedashing was first noticed during the development of ''Melee'' by [[Masahiro Sakurai]]; according to an interview with the magazine {{S|wikipedia|Nintendo Power}}, he elected to not remove the tactic from the game, as he failed to anticipate that it would affect play to a significant degree.  

Amongst the community, wavedashing in ''Melee'' was discovered within its first year of existence. For many years, it was widely believed that [[Smashboards]] veteran and mod {{Sm|Toadbanjoconker}} discovered the technique in spring 2002. He reportedly discovered the exploit while attempting an aerial [[item]] catch during an air dodge; at this point in ''Melee''{{'}}s history (April 2002), items were considered tournament legal, and this was the preferred method of countering thrown items. Recent developments, however, have demonstrated that wavedashing was actually first discovered by a user named Ultimate Melee in January 2002, with the actual topic being posted on 24 January, around two to three months prior to Toadbanjoconker's discovery. Initially described as "mad dashing", the [http://smashboards.com/threads/new-strategy-easter-egg-all-reader.12593/ thread] shows some signs of being unused to the new strategy, such as by claiming that the [[Ice Climbers]] can most easily perform the tactic; Ultimate Melee, however, did note that it led to some interesting combat applications, such as the ability to perform smash attacks during the move.

The tactic was initially given little interest by smashers, with many seeing the technique as having little practical application in ''Melee''. However, early professionals such as {{Sm|Recipherus}} and {{Sm|Azen}} soon demonstrated the technique's extreme flexibility by showing how it could be used to adjust spacing, as well as to effectively extend the hitboxes of grounded attacks, particularly smashes. Further metagame developments combined wavedashing with other movement techniques, such as [[dash dancing]], leading to considerably faster and safer approaches, in addition to the development of intricate spacing-related mindgames. The technique became a commonplace tactic for players to learn and use in tournaments, and its use ended up significantly altering ''Melee''{{'}}s early [[metagame]]; notably, Marth was no longer derided as a "noob character", and wavedashing had further applications to some characters, such as {{SSBM|Fox}}'s [[waveshine]]. Within a year, wavedashing had become the go-to technique for professional players, though there were a few professional smashers, such as {{Sm|Aniki}}, who refused to use it.

While Sakurai noted that wavedashing was widespread in an interview with ''Nintendo Power'', he disliked the technique, as he felt it had led to a significant degree of separation between beginning and advanced players; in addition, Sakurai wanted players to find new ways to play ''Brawl'', with hopes of introducing more aerial combat to the game. As to accomplish this, air dodging was reworked for ''Brawl''; instead of granting a boost in momentum and allowing for characters to change direction in midair, air dodges instead no longer granted momentum and they followed the path that the character was initially travelling. Owing to these changes, wavedashing was effectively removed from ''Brawl'', as air dodging could no longer be exploited like it could in ''Melee''.

Regardless of the controversy surrounding the removal of wavedashing, ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' retained the air dodge system from ''Brawl'', and as such, wavedashing continues to be absent from the game. Some characters, however, can potentially perform similar momentum boosts through applied usage of custom moves, such as {{SSB4|Bowser}}'s [[Flying_Slam#Customization|Dash Slash]], though these applications are less effective than wavedashing in ''Melee''.