Jump-canceling

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

Jump-canceling is the name of two techniques in Super Smash Bros. Melee. One technique involves canceling a jump by using an attack, and the other involves leaving the shield by jumping.

Canceling the jump with an attack

The jump-cancel occurs as a result of the pre-jump lag every character has. After the player presses X, Y, or up on the control stick, there is a period of delay, ranging from 3 to 8 frames, before the player's character actually leaves the ground. During this delay, since the character is grounded, it is possible to execute a few of the character's standing moves. Neutral-A moves like jabs, Down-Smashes, Side-Smashes, Side-B moves and more are NOT possible to execute while in the pre-jump lag or jump delay.

The up-smash works BECAUSE of the jump delay. You need to press A while holding up while in the jump delay to perform an up-smash. Interestingly, the reason for creating the jump delay may have been to help create the up-smashing. It is presently unknown why grabs, shines, and other moves are allowed in the jump delay while jabs and tilts are not.

One application of the jump-cancel is the jump-canceled 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-canceling into an up smash.

The player can also, if his or her character is holding something in his/her hand, jump-cancel an item-throw to use the normal item throw instead of a running one (which has much more lag, albeit more range).

Leaving the shield with a jump

Another usage of the term "jump-cancel" refers to the cancelation of a shield, shine, or another special animation by jumping. Any character but Yoshi may jump directly from the shield. Additionally, Fox and Falco can do the same with their shine. The animation achieved by turning around while dashing (after leaving the initial dash animation) can also be jump-canceled.

It is possible to jump-cancel a shield into a jump-canceled attack (most commonly Bowser and Link's up B, or Fox and Pikachu's up smash) - in this instance, only one use of the word "jump-cancel" is used: "Link used a jump-canceled up B from his shield." One can also jump-cancel the shield into a wavedash, because the wavedash starts with a jump.