Edge hopping
Edge hopping is a technique used to return on-stage from the ledge. It entails dropping from the ledge (by pressing either "back" or "down" on the control stick) and immediately double-jumping. Often, players follow the double-jump with an air dodge or attack; they can also grab the ledge, using their invincibility frames to ledgestall, or, in Melee, waveland on-stage, which is known as a ledgedash (shown right). The player can also follow the midair jump by a wall jump on certain stages, depending on how curved the stage's lips are and the height of the character's wall jump, in order to hit opponents with a back aerial.
Edge hopping is the fastest way to return on-stage from the edge, and is the most flexible - players may perform almost any aerial attack, or air dodge in any direction, directly after edge hopping. However, if the edge hopper is interrupted before landing on-stage, he or she can be hit off-stage without a second jump, a very unsafe position. Characters experience fewer invincibility frames when edge hopping than when rolling or jumping from the ledge.
In Super Smash Bros. 4, its usefulness depends on air time and damage of a character affect how much intangibility is earned by grabbing the edge. Edge hopping is now significantly more riskier option, if the player regrabs the ledge without landing on the stage as player will receive no invincibility at all. The introduction of ledge stealing however, allows players to knock an opponent off the ledge through their ledge invincibility and set up edgeguarding attacks.
