Forward aerial: Difference between revisions

A '''forward aerial''' ({{ja|前空中攻撃|Mae kūchū kōgeki}}, ''Front/Forward midair attack''; commonly abbreviated as '''Fair''' or '''f-air''', and referred to as '''AttackAirF''' internally) is an [[aerial attack]] that is performed in midair by pressing the [[attack]] button and tilting the [[control stick]] in the direction the character is facing. Its official term varies between titles; it is known as a '''front midair attack''' in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', a '''front air attack''' in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', and a '''forward air attack''' in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. Forward aerials are typically weak, but are fast with a long range, making them well suited to the [[neutral game]] and [[edgeguarding]].

|[[Banjo]] & [[Kazooie]]||Banjo swings one fist in a downward arc.

|[[Greninja]]||Slashes horizontally with a large kunai made out of water.

|[[Mr. Game & Watch]]||{{GameIcon|SSBM}}{{GameIcon|SSBB}}{{GameIcon|SSB4}} Thrusts a cement brick in front of himself.<br/>{{GameIcon|SSBU}} Tosses out an igniting bomb downwards, exploding after half a second or hitting a part of the stage (platforms).

|[[Mythra]]||Slashes the Aegis Sword in front of herself in a wide arc starting below herself.

|[[Robin]]||Slashes in an upward arc ending in front of himself. Can use either the Bronze Sword or the Levin Sword.

|[[Wii Fit Trainer]]||Performs the Single-Leg Extension, stretching an arm in front of herself and a leg behind herself, both at a diagonal angle. The leg part also has a hitbox allowing her to hit someone behind her as well.

*The forward aerials of [[Cloud]], [[Donkey Kong]], the [[Ice Climbers]] (only Nana's in ''Brawl'' and ''Ultimate''), [[Mario]] (from ''Melee'' onward), [[Steve]], [[Snake]], [[Yoshi]], and [[Wii Fit Trainer]] can all [[meteor smash]].

**Snake's forward aerial is among the strongest meteor smashes in both ''Brawl'' and ''Ultimate'' and boasts great [[reach]], though its power and range come at the cost of having significant lag.

**The meteor smash hitbox of Wii Fit Trainer’s forward aerial is located on her leg, behind her, making it the only forward aerial capable of hitting behind its user.

*Both [[Bayonetta]] and Sora's forward aerials are the only ones in the series to consist of a [[natural combo]].

**In Bayonetta's case, her forward aerial in ''Smash 4'' was often considered one of the best forward aerials in the game due to the first hit's large hitboxes and low lag allowing it to easily hit opponents and combo into various other moves (including [[After Burner Kick]] and [[Witch Twist]] to start [[ladder combo]]s), as well as loop into itself to drag opponents offstage. In ''Ultimate'', however, it has been significantly [[nerf]]ed, possessing smaller hitboxes and much more lag that removes all of the first hit's followups aside from the next hits of the natural combo.

*The forward aerials of [[Villager]], [[Mii Gunner]], [[Isabelle]], and (in ''Ultimate'') [[Mr. Game & Watch]] are [[projectile]]s, and as such, can be [[reflect]]ed or [[Pocket]]ed, as well as [[absorb]]ed in the case of Mii Gunner and Mr. Game & Watch.

*{{SSBU|Steve}}'s forward aerial is the only one which changes depending on whether it is performed using the short hop aerial shortcut in ''Ultimate'' or not. It is a more powerful pickaxe swing in front of him if performed without the short hop aerial shortcut, but becomes a faster and weaker sword swing with similar properties to [[neutral aerial]] if performed with the short hop aerial shortcut. This property is shared with [[back aerial]].

*[[Captain Falcon]]'s forward aerial from ''Melee'' onward, the famed [[Knee Smash]], deals very high damage and knockback with its clean hit. It is the strongest forward aerial in each game it features in (except in ''Brawl'' where [[Zelda]]'s is stronger). It is considered more useful in ''Melee'' than in later games, due to the former possessing the ability to [[L-cancel]] and more favorable sweetspot placements and superior frame data for the move.

*[[Zelda]]'s forward aerial is one of her [[Lightning Kick]]s, and deals very high damage and knockback at high percents when [[Sweet spot (hitbox)|sweetspotted]], but is extremely weak when sourspotted. Much like Captain Falcon's Knee Smash, it is particularly powerful in ''Melee'', but its utility has been reduced in later games due to the removal of L-canceling, as well as receiving a smaller hitbox on its sweetspot, much more ending lag and a less favorable [[auto-cancel]] window starting in ''Smash 4''.

*[[Marth]]'s forward aerial is considered one of the best in ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'', due to its low lag all around, long range with a wide arc, and edgeguarding capabilities. Starting in ''Smash 4'', however, it was drastically nerfed by receiving more lag (starting, ending and landing) and a shorter hitbox duration, no longer being as safe to use upon landing or if untippered against shields.

*[[Sheik]]'s forward aerial is one of her best moves for spacing and approaching, and overall one of the best aerials in the series, with an extremely early [[autocancel]] window (starting on frame 11) and long range enabling her to land it multiple times on opponents upon hitting them. In ''Melee'', it is a devastating [[semi-spike]] with very high knockback for its speed. Conversely, its incredibly low knockback in ''Smash 4'' and ''Ultimate'' allows it to freely combo into itself and most of her other moves, including [[Bouncing Fish]].