Captain Falcon (SSB)

This article is about Captain Falcon's appearance in Super Smash Bros. For other uses, see Captain Falcon.

Overview

Captain Falcon (キャプテン・ファルコン, Kyaputen Farukon) (full name: Captain Douglas Jay Falcon) is currently ranked 5th overall in the tier list and is famous for his insane speed and combo ability.

Falcon's true balance is his versatility as an offensive/counterattacking character. He has an amazing ability to break through defensive strategies with a grab or a well-placed aerial attack, and a similarly effective counterattacking game, able to jump cancel into a up smash or shield-jump into a dair or fair and combo from there. His high speed makes him a threat anywhere, and he can use dash-dancing to simply dodge an attack and return with a grab, or aerial before the opponent can react. The effect of this can quickly accumulate, as almost all of Falcon's moves combo into an aerial or a grab, which can lead to additional moves which re-combo into aerials and grabs.

However, Captain Falcon's KO moves are very situational. If he misses his finisher, it will become very difficult to finish off the opponent due to their high percentage, and thus their non-comboability. He's also a total ass.

How to Unlock Captain Falcon

Beat Single Player mode before 15 minutes has gone by

Normal Moves

A - Punch = 3%
A A - Double Punch = Second hit also does 3%
A A A - Double Punch, Kick = 4%
Rapid A - Rapid Punch = 1% each

The Gentleman doesn't need to be timed--hitting A thrice is sufficient.

Forward tilt - Side Kick = 13%

Like most forward tilts, this one can be angled.

Down tilt - Low Kick = 11%

This attack sends the opponent at a low trajectory.

Up tilt - Ax Kick = 9%, 5% (two hits, total 14%)

This attack can hit from behind Captain Falcon.

Forward smash - Forward Kick = 18%

The attack can be angled.

Down smash - Down Spin Kick = 14%

If the attack connects closer to the body, the opponent will be sent upwards. If it connects with the tip, the opponent will be sent in a more horizontal direction.

Up smash - Up Punch = 16%

This is Captain Falcon's main combo starter. The attack sends the opponent straight up, but with low knockback and high hitstun.

Neutral aerial - Sex Kick = 16% (at beginning)

Like most sex kicks, this attack loses power with time.

Forward aerial - Double Kick = 10% for two hits

This attack is similar to Captain Falcon's Melee nair.

Back aerial - Back Punch = 13%

Captain Falcon extends his fist behind him.

Up aerial - Flip Kick = 16%

Many consider this attack to be Captain Falcon's most versatile attack. Depending on what part of the hitbox connects with the opponent, it can send the opponent up, forward, or backwards, or in certain cases keep the opponent, for all practical purposes, in place (the spot where the most knockback occurs is at Captain Falcon's heel when a person is hit from Captain Falcon's back). A common use for this attack is to simply just chain uairs together into one huge combo.

Down aerial - Stomp = 14%

This attack is a spike. The hitbox exists on the legs and chest, and if the opponent connects with the chest, he/she will be sent down at a slight angle. If the opponent is already on the ground, it will, depending on the percent, keep the opponent in place or send him/her up at a very slight angle.

Forward throw = 12%

Falcon slams the opponent down in front of him. Having very low knockback for a grab, this can be used to start aerial chains.

Back throw = 16%

Falcon kicks the opponent back. This throw has much more knockback.

Special Moves

Neutral B - Falcon Punch: A very slow, yet powerful attack. Fortunately, there are ways to set up for the Falcon Punch. 24%
Up B - Falcon Dive: Captain Falcon's third jump. It sends the user up and has the properties of a grab. If the attack connects, the opponent is latched onto Falcon and then released and Falcon gets another chance to perform the Up B. 20%
Down B - Falcon Kick: This attack sends Captain Falcon forward quickly, with a significant amount of startup and cooldown delay. If the attack is performed in the air, Captain Falcon is sent downward at an angle. Falcon does not gain an extra jump after this attack. 15%

Pros & Cons

File:Falcon ssb.PNG

Pros

Great combo ability
Fastest dash in the game
Low lag aerials
Can spike
Great throws
Heavy, thus harder to KO
Good short hop
Deceptive Up B
Decent reach
There is a glitch that allows Falcon to have a better recovery, using his Falcon Kick.

Cons

Bad recovery
Large target
No projectile
Few ground options other than jabs, grabs, and up smashes
Lack of a quick KO move
Easily comboed

Combos, Tactics, and Tricks

Spike Combo

"Most of the things I used from Melee came from 64. This includes the Ken combo, which came from Captain Falcon in the 64 version."

~ Ken

Sometimes known as the "Ken Combo" of SSB, this combo consists of an up aerial followed by a jump and then a dair spike. The up aerial must connect at the right spot so that there is minimal knockback.

Falcon Punch Recovery

Using a Falcon Punch while in the air gives Captain Falcon slight horizontal movement. Also, the attack can be "angled" by hitting up or down right after hitting B, which can be used to boost his vertical recovery slightly as well.

Steak Strike

Coined by Steakmancer, a veteran of the SSB Rom Online community, a Steak Strike is essentially a backwards Spike Combo, with the Uair coming before the Dair. Used primarily on grounded opponents on fall-through platforms, the Captain Falcon comes up through the platform, delivers a Dair (oftentimes used before hitting, using the Dair's properties of a Sex Kick), in order to launch the person into the ground and gives the target a small amount of vertical knockback. The Captain Falcon then finishes the short combo with a minimal-knockback Uair, giving the target a little more vertical knockback, during which the Captain Falcon L-cancels after the strike, leaving him free to continue the combo. A sweetspotted Uair that gives maximum knockback can be used instead of the short knockback one for defensive purposes.

Dash Pivot

A really easy and effective mindgame tech. What every Falcon player must learn is the dash pivot. It's basically a frontwards roll, without the roll. So, you do an initial dash and quickly tap the stick the opposite direction. If you hold it the opposite direction, or even press it, then you will dash dance and boy we don't want that! What makes this move really effective is that Falcon has a pretty long initial dash, and so you can use this to tech chase your opponent depending on his position. You can also use the dash pivot to change your position in battle, necessary for spacing. An example can be how a person who wants to land the first hit, would approach you with the fair because he's facing you. Since he doesn't know how to dash pivot, it would be hard to land the first hit when approaching because the fair is not so great in terms of priority and hitbox. Also, it's pretty predictable that he would only use a fair when spacing. An experienced player can change the momentum of the battle and quickly approach you with a dash pivot and short hop to bair, since the bair has better range and priority than the fair. Another useful thing about dash pivot is that you can use it to fall of a ledge the opposite direction. In SSBM, you can easily wavedash backwards to grab the ledge. Fortunately, you can dash pivot off the stage and grab the ledge. Though, it is harder to do because you have to correctly space yourself from the edge of the stage so that when you pivot from the dash, you fall off the stage. From there, you can either grab the ledge, jump backwards and do a backwards uair or dair, etc.

Dair-Dair Spike

When performed on a groudned foe the Dair will send them upwards on a small angle. You can use this when your close to an edge to perform a second Dair which will (after about 50% with most chars) send them to the bottom of the stage. In order to do this you will need to Short hop both attacks and Z-Cancel both of them as well.

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