SSBU/Controls

Control Scheme
Smash Ultimate can be played using multiple different input devices, but the control scheme aims to utilize an entire controller layout, both sticks and triggers/bumpers included. This can be modified to your tastes in the game's settings, but for the sake of this controls rundown, we'll be speaking in terms of the default control scheme.

Basic Movement

 * Walk
 * or
 * The most basic movement option; your character will walk in either direction you hold your Analog stick. The closer to the joystick gate you hold the Analog stick, the faster your character will walk and vice versa.


 * Crouch / Platform Drop
 * Holding down on the Analog stick allows you to crouch, shrinking the character's hurtbox. Some characters are also able to crawl by holding or.
 * Flicking the Analog stick all the way down quickly allows the character to fall through some platforms, if they are on top of one.
 * Flicking the Analog stick all the way down quickly allows the character to fall through some platforms, if they are on top of one.


 * Dash and Run
 * or
 * Pushing the Analog stick all the way left or right makes your character dash. Dashes move your character forward faster than walking. Keep holding the direction after starting a dash to run.


 * Jump
 * or or
 * Makes the character jump into the air, with the height determined by how long you hold the button or up direction. Both buttons and the analog input do the same thing.


 * Short Hop
 * or lightly, or   (  + )
 * Tapping any jump command without holding it will perform a short hop, which is a jump with a shorter peak height. Pressing both jump buttons at once will always perform a short hop, regardless of how long you hold them.


 * Aerial Drift
 * or while airborne
 * Holding the stick left or right makes the character drift in the respective direction in the air, changing their air momentum and trajectory.


 * Fastfall
 * while falling
 * Flicking the control stick all the way down at or past the apex of a jump allows the character to fall faster than their normal fall speed.

Common Offensive Actions

 * Normal Attacks
 * (Neutral or any direction) +
 * Press the to do a basic attack, both on the ground and in the air, and even while dashing. You can combine this button with any direction on the Analog stick ( or, , ) to perform various other attacks in that specific direction.


 * Special Attacks
 * (Neutral or any direction) +
 * Press the button to perform a special attack that tends to have unique effects or properties. You can also combine this with other Analog directions to perform various other special attacks, just like normal attacks. Special moves range from standard projectiles, to move that help you recover back onto the stage when knocked off, or even some invincible moves, and the list goes on. Refer to each character's pages for more details.


 * Smash Attacks
 * or, , (or Smashing the Analog in any direction) +  at the same time)
 * Flicking the C-Stick in any direction (or flicking the Analog stick quickly & all the way in any direction and pressing at the same time) makes the character perform a Smash Attack, which is a strong attack that is generally stronger than normal attacks and many specials. They can be charged by holding the stick in the direction or button, to increase their damage and knockback.


 * Grab, Pummel, and Throws
 * , then or any direction (on successful grab)
 * Press while grounded to perform a grab, which is a close-range attack that can't be shielded against. After grabbing an opponent, you either mash the  button to pummel the opponent for extra damage, or you can direct the Analog stick in any of the four directions to throw the opponent in the respective direction. Throws can still be performed after pummeling the opponent.

Common Defensive Actions

 * Shielding
 * or
 * Press and hold either trigger button to put up the character's Shield, which will block a majority of attacks for as long as it is held. Grabs, however, are not blockable. You can tilt your shield in various directions with the Analog stick to better defend against certain angles of attack as well.


 * Spot Dodge
 * while shielding
 * Flicking the Analog stick all the way down while shielding will perform an on-spot dodge, which has a period of invincibility that can be used to dodge attacks.


 * Dodge Roll
 * or while shielding
 * Flicking the Analog stick left or right while shielding will make your character do a dodge roll. It has invincibility in the middle like a spotdodge, but will also move your character in the respective direction. It can be used as a way of quickly repositioning away from the opponent.


 * Perfect Shield
 * Releasing Shield right when or before an attack lands
 * Perfect Shielding (often referred to as "parrying") rewards you for predicting your opponents' attacks precisely, by allowing you to act faster and before the opponent out of a dropped shield, giving you the ability to either escape or counterattack the opponent. The game will freeze frame and your character will flash if you did this correctly.


 * Air Dodging
 * (Neutral or any direction) + or  while airborne
 * Pressing either trigger button while airborne performs Air Dodge, which has a period of invincibility that can be used to dodge attacks while airborne, since you cannot Shield in the air. You can also input an air dodge with a direction on the Analog stick to dodge in that particular direction.


 * Teching
 * or (plus, , or ) when launched into a wall or ground while tumbling
 * Pressing the trigger buttons when your character is launched into a wall or is about to hit the ground while tumbling lets you perform a tech, which is the action of breaking your collision or fall with an invincible animation instead of bouncing off of the wall or ending up in a knockdown state. When teching a ground landing, holding Left or Right on your stick will let you immediately dodge roll in the respective direction with the invincibility.


 * Get-up Attack
 * while laying on the ground
 * You can perform an attack even if you are knocked down on the ground by pressing . This attack has invincibility and can be used to knock away an opponent attempting to capitalize on your disadvantaged state.


 * Neutral Get-up / Get-up Roll
 * / or  while laying on the ground
 * A neutral get-up simply makes the character stand up in place with some invincibility, while a get-up roll makes the character roll in the respective direction with some invincibility as an evasive maneuver.

Ledge Actions
When you grab a ledge, you have multiple actions possible while hanging onto it.


 * Ledge Get-up
 * while hanging from a ledge
 * Climbs the character up onto the stage from the ledge normally.


 * Ledge Jump
 * or while hanging from a ledge
 * The character jumps up from the ledge instead.


 * Ledge Drop
 * while hanging from a ledge
 * Nevermind! The character drops down from the ledge.


 * Ledge Roll
 * or while hanging from a ledge
 * The character rolls onto the stage from the ledge with some invincibility. Can be used to get past some opponents who have attacks at the ready at the ledge.


 * Ledge Attack
 * while hanging from a ledge
 * The character climbs into the stage with an attack that has a generous amount of invincibility. Can be used to knock away opponents who are attacking at the ledge.

Jargon
In spoken and written discussion, players will typically shorthand moves with just the first letter of the move direction before the attack type. For example, a Neutral Aerial attack will typically be referred to as a "N-Air" or "NAir". The same goes for specials, Smash attacks, and throws.