Jump-canceling

This article discusses jump-cancelling. For information on shine-cancelling, see shine.

The jump-cancel occurs as a result of the pre-jump lag every character has. After one presses X, Y, or up on the control stick, there is a delay time, ranging from 3 to 8 frames, before one's character jumps. During this time, one's character acts as though they are standing still.

One application of this is the jump-cancelled grab. Most characters have more range, less startup, and/or less lag time on the standing grabs than on their dash grabs. The jump-cancel allows these characters to use their standing grab instead of their inferior dash grabs while running.

This tactic is also what allows one to do a running up smash by dashing and jump-cancelling into an up smash.

One can also, if one is holding something in one's hand, jump-cancel an item-throw to use one's normal item throw instead of a running one (which has much more lag, albeit more range).

An alternate definition of jump cancel is to exit ones shield or shine by jumping, effectivelly "cancelling" the shield or shine with the jump. It is possible to jump-cancel a shield into a jump-cancelled attack (most commonly up B, in the case of characters like Bowser and Link) - in this instance, only one use of the word "jump-cancel" is used: "Link used a jump-cancelled up B from his shield."

The jump cancel is unrelated to the double jump cancel.