Snake (SSBU)/Back aerial

Hitbox visualization showing Snake's back aerial.

Overview

Snake does a kick backwards in the air while in a plank position. Commonly known as the Sleeping Bag by the Snake community, it has fast startup at frame 7 and possesses large, disjointed hitboxes that give the move very good range. The clean hit deals high damage and excellent knockback, easily being able to KO at high percentages, especially if it connects with the sweetspot located on Snake's feet. The late hit deals far less knockback but still sends the opponent decently far away. Its speed and power make it a useful approach option if used in a reverse aerial rush, as well as a useful edgeguarding option.

The attack also has a very large amount of active frames, making it a potential landing option, as the late hit can act as a "get off me" option as Snake is attempting to land.

It does have some flaws, however. The most noteworthy is its high landing lag, and while it autocancels in a full hop, it does not in a short hop. As a result, it is unsafe on shield and easy to punish if it whiffs, much like Snake's other aerials.

Overall, back aerial is a a highly rewarding move due to its speed, power, range and long lasting duration, making it useful both offensively and defensively. However, it must not be used carelessly as to not leave Snake vulnerable to punishment.

Update History

3.0.0

• Back aerial's sweetspot deals slightly more base knockback (BKB 42 → 43).

Hitboxes

ID	Part	Rehit rate	Damage	SD	Angle	Angle type	BK	KS	FKV	Set weight	Radius	Bone	Offset			H×	SDI×	T%	Clang	Rebound	Effect	Type	G	A	Sound	Direct	Hit bits	Hit part	Blockable	Reflectable	Absorbable	Flinchless	No GFX	Heedless
Clean hit
1	0	0	14.0%	0		Backward	42	72	0		4.5	top	0.0	3.0	-4.0	1.0×	1.0×	0%							Kick		All	All
2	0	0	16.0%	0		Backward	43	72	0		5.4	top	0.0	4.0	-10.0	1.0×	1.0×	0%							Kick		All	All
Late hit
1	0	0	9.0%	0		Backward	25	85	0		4.3	top	0.0	3.0	-4.0	1.0×	1.0×	0%							Kick		All	All
2	0	0	10.0%	0		Backward	25	85	0		5.0	top	0.0	4.0	-10.0	1.0×	1.0×	0%							Kick		All	All

Timing

Attack

Initial autocancel	1
Clean hit	7-9
Late hit	10-26
Ending autocancel	40-
Interruptible	43
Animation length	47

Landing lag

Interruptible	20
Animation length	31

Legend (1 square = 1 frame)

Lag time

Hitbox

Hitbox change

Autocancel

Interruptible

Trivia

• The startup of the move shifts Snake upwards slightly, and thus if he performs a full hop beneath a platform on Battlefield and does a back aerial at the peak of the jump, he will land on the platform, while his full hop normally does not go high enough to land on the platform.

Snake's moveset

Neutral attack (1 · 2 · 3) · Forward tilt (1 · 2) · Up tilt · Down tilt · Dash attack · Forward smash · Up smash · Down smash
Neutral aerial · Forward aerial · Back aerial · Up aerial · Down aerial
Grab · Pummel · Forward throw · Back throw · Up throw · Down throw
Floor attack (front) · Floor attack (back) · Floor attack (trip) · Edge attack
Neutral special · Side special · Up special · Down special · Final Smash
Up taunt · Side taunt · Down taunt