Down smash (abbreviated "dsmash") is a smash attack performed by any character by tapping the control stick downward and pressing A at the same time or (in versus mode) by pressing down on the C-stick.
In Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, it can be charged by holding down the A button for up to two seconds, resulting in higher damage and knockback. A typical attribute of a down smash is that they hit both the front and rear of the user, making them useful for crowds. Most Down Smashes will attack the front and back in an alternating fashion, such as Mario's, where he does a spin to kick enemies, but a few can hit both areas at the same time, such as Fox's, where he does splits to kick the area in front of and behind him in one motion. Mewtwo's down smash in Melee does not, and there are several down smashes in Brawl that do not.
Notable down smashes include:
- Peach's down smash, which is arguably the most feared of all smashes due to its priority, knockback, quick start up, and damage. It does at least 70% damage if the opponent attempted to crouch cancel. Her smash has been nerfed in Brawl and is not as useful.
- Mewtwo's down smash is the only down smash in Melee that does not cover both the front and rear of the user.
- Snake's down smash allows him to plant a mine, which does no damage unless stepped on (this includes Snake), and is deactivated when he plants another or is KOd. If for any reason the mine falls from the platform it was on, it detonates on impact with anything.
- Pikachu's down smash in Brawl seems to be a slightly weaker version of Peach's Melee Down smash.
- Zero Suit Samus's down smash only hits the area in front of her, and deals very little knockback, but paralyzes whoever is hit by it, opening up a chance for a follow up attack. The knockback is overridden by any other knockback during the stun.
- Ness's down smash has unique properties by which it can be charged. Rather than at the beginning of the attack, the Smash attack is charged up in the middle of the attack, but only if Ness' Yo-yo comes to rest on a flat surface.
- Unlike most characters, Lucario's down smash hits both sides simultaneously, rather than alternating.
- Lucas's only reaches a very short distance behind him; characters must be almost touching him to be in the rear hitbox.
Types of Down Smashes
Sweeping Down Smashes
The dsmash of the following characters "sweeps" around them. That is to say it hits to one side of them and then hits the other.
- Dr. Mario
- Mario
- Luigi
- Yoshi
- Captain Falcon
- Ganondorf
- Ness
- Ice Climbers
- Samus
- Zelda
- Link
- Young Link
- Marth
- Roy
- Mario
- Link
- Samus
- Marth
- Luigi
- Diddy Kong
- Zelda
- Pit
- Meta Knight
- Ike
- Yoshi
- Ganondorf
- Ice Climbers
- King Dedede
- Wolf
- Ness
- Sonic
- Toon Link
- Captain Falcon
One-Sided Down Smash
The dsmash of the following characters only hits the side in front of the character.
Simultaneous Down Smash
The dsmash of the following characters hits to both sides of the character at the same time.
See also
| Attacks in the Super Smash Bros. series | |
|---|---|
| Standard ground attacks | Neutral attack · Dash attack |
| Tilt attacks | Forward tilt · Up tilt · Down tilt · Crouching attack |
| Smash attacks | Forward smash · Up smash · Down smash |
| Aerial attacks | Neutral aerial · Forward aerial · Back aerial · Up aerial · Down aerial · Grab aerial · Glide attack |
| Throws | Grab · Pummel · Forward throw · Back throw · Up throw · Down throw |
| Get-up attacks | Floor attack · Edge attack |
| Special moves | Neutral special move · Side special move · Up special move · Down special move · Command-input move · Final Smash |