Super Smash Brothers Melee has added a great deal to the one player mode of the original. However, as was the case in the original Smash, this game is all about the multiplayer. This section will help you become a better multiplayer combatant. While veterans may already know some of these strategies, or have some strategies of their own, this section should still contain at least one strategy (or variation of a strategy) that wasn’t already known. Read through and see if any of these strategies can be applied to your style of play.

Edge Guarding

Once you've knocked an opponent off the edge of the playing field, wait for them to come back. If there's other attackers in the area, take care of them, but if not stay about two inches from the edge. At that distance an opponent won't be able to hit you with a comeback attack, and at the same time you can defend the playing field.

Depending on your character, there are a few strategies you can take to keep your opponents from coming back. Characters with long range attacks can throw a projectile at the oncoming opponent, hitting them out of their comeback attack and causing them to fall. However, you must continue launching projectiles until your opponent is far enough away that their comeback attack cannot reach the edge. If you throw only one projectile, your opponent will be able to execute their comeback attack a second time after it hits.

If your character does not have a projectile attack, you can utilize a Smash Attack to defend the edge. Try to execute your Smash Attack from its maximum range. If done successfully, the opponents comeback attack will not interrupt your Smash Attack.

Your final option is to simply do a jumping attack. However, this puts your character in a great deal of danger. You can get hit by the comeback attack, or could miss completely and fall off the edge. The best jumping technique to use is your Down + A attack. This will generally take the most priority over your opponents comeback attack. If you're skilled enough, you can even throw other opponents at whoever is trying to comeback, then repeat the process.

Use the Edge

When you're coming back after being launched, a smart opponent will wait for you at the edge of the playing area and try to hit you on your way back. If this happens, you’ve got several ways to avoid getting hit. If you’re close enough to the edge, use the forward aerial dodge (Forward + R/L) to dodge the incoming attack. The only thing you’ll have to worry about here is if you’re not close enough to the edge, or if your opponent gets tricky and delays his attack until after you’ve dodged. Once you have executed the dodge technique, most characters will not be able to do anything until they reach the ground (there are some exceptions).

Another way to avoid attack is to try to angle yourself so that you land right on the edge of the playing area. That way you'll grab onto the edge. You're invincible for the first few seconds you're holding on so your opponents will not be able to hit you. Do not hold on too long or else your opponents will be able to attack you. While you're hanging, you can do an edge attack (explained in the General Definitions section) and usually catch the opponent off guard and/or give yourself a chance to counter attack. You’ll also be able to jump off the edge by holding up. However, a skilled opponent will wait for you to land and launch you once more.

Whatever happens, try not to land close to an opponent after doing a comeback move. You'll be left completely open for another launch. A skilled opponent is very difficult to avoid as you’re coming back. These strategies will help, but sometimes an edge attack is unavoidable.

Racquet Ball

On any stage that has a wall on one side of a platform you can bounce your opponents off of that wall. If you time your attacks correctly, the opponent will not have a chance to escape, and you can continue bouncing them off the wall until they’re high in damage and bounce too far away. Just before that happens, do a power move to finish your opponent off. This technique works especially well if you have a beam sword, as it has a much longer reach than most other weapons. If you are using a character than has a move like Link's Rapid Sword Combo or Kirby's Rapid Punch Combo, you can get your opponent directly against the wall and hold them their with that move.

Hit the Hammer Guy

Once an opponent has grabbed the hammer, your normal reaction is to run. This is a good strategy, however under certain circumstances it becomes difficult to escape the hammer. Therefore you'll need to either defend yourself, or get rid of the player with the hammer. Any player with the hammer is limited to only one jump and cannot do any of their regular or special moves. If you can knock them off the edge, they won't be able to get back while they're still holding the hammer. Unlike other items, once you've got the hammer, you can't get rid of it until the fifteen second time limit is up.

If you're under the player with the hammer, do your aerial upward power hit. You'll do some damage to them and if their damage percentage is high enough, you'll KO them or knock them off the edge. Throwing certain items will also have the same effect. Try luring them to the edge of a platform, then doing a double jump and throwing an item directly down at them.

Whatever you do, keep your distance. If you must put your shield up, make sure your opponent has had the hammer for at least ten seconds or else your shield won't last and you'll be in even worse trouble. If you get KO’d by the hammer, or have just been KO’d when an opponent picks the hammer up, you have an advantage. You are invincible for the first few seconds and therefore you can walk right up and attack the person with the hammer. Don't try to do as much damage as possible, just get them off the edge. Once they're off, they won't be able to get back. Be careful not to stick around too long though. You're only invincible for a very short time.

In Melee, there’s also a 30% chance that he hammer will break. If this happens, the person holding the broken hammer is completed open for attack. Take him out, then grab the detached head of hammer and use it as a projectile weapon by throwing it at an opponent.

Find the Highest Damage

It's very difficult to KO another player unless they're high in damage, or you have the bat. Therefore if you attack the players with the highest damage, you'll have the best chance of getting a KO. While this strategy will deduct points from your total score, this will only effect you in Decision Mode.

When an opponent reaches 100% damage (handicaps can change this), their damage percentage will change color from white to grey. At this point, a single Smash Attack or power hit will generally KO them. Connecting with one of these attacks is a lot easier than wearing an opponent down with multiple attacks. So for easier KOs, head for the opponent with the highest damage percentage.

Attack from Above

During multiplayer battles, you'll often find 1-on-1 and 2-on-1 fights among the other opponents when you're not engaged in combat. At this time an attack from above is usually most effective. Your opponents will be more involved in their own battle than in what you're doing. Doing an aerial downward power hit, or tossing a projectile from overhead will clear out a group of your opponents. If the other players are at a high damage percentage, an aerial downward power hit can even earn you some KOs. You should also use this tactic immediately after you die if any of the other players are under your starting point. If you've got some distance between you and the other players, it also makes a great surprise attack. An upward power hit will overpower an aerial downward power hit, so be careful when using it.

Roll

When playing against faster characters such as Pikachu or Fox, blocking an attack will only leave you open for a throw. Because of this, it is necessary to use your roll as much as possible. You can't be damaged while you're rolling, and your opponents won't expect it if timed correctly and not overused. However, while you're going into the roll, your shield drops and you can be hit. The same thing can happen as you're coming out of the roll.

By pressing “A” during a roll, you'll do a quick throw and your opponent will have no way to escape unless they roll as well. If they're in front of you, roll forward. You'll turn around as you're rolling so that after the roll, you're still facing the opponent. When the opponent is behind you can also perform a reverse roll. If the opponent attacks, you won't take any damage and they'll be wide open for a counterattack. If they don't attack, you would've still caught them by surprise, and probably have the advantage.

Ground Dodge

One of the best additions from the original Smash Brothers to Melee would have to be the dodge technique. On the ground, you can quickly sidestep and attack, and dish out a counterattack if you utilize this move correctly. Seasoned veterans will probably have no problem using the dodge. However, other players may find that when attempting to execute a dodge, they instead put their shield up. To avoid this, limit the usage of a ground dodge to when you’ve got your shield up or after a roll.

Many players will attempt to attack you multiple times once you’ve put your shield up. Use this opportunity to dodge their secondary attacks and counterattack. In the same application, you’ll use your roll to avoid incoming attacks. Skilled players will roll to avoid your post-roll counterattack, then they will try their own post-roll counter attack. Use this opportunity to dodge. Roll, then dodge and counter with a grab or a quick attack that will juggle or stun your opponent. Just be aware that a dodge will not avoid a grab attempt, only physical and projectile attacks.

Aerial Dodge

Similar to the ground dodge, the aerial dodge should be used to avoid attacks while in the air. However, the aerial dodge does not limit you to avoiding attacks by simply stepping into the background. While in the air, you can dodge up, down, forward, or backward.

Use the two vertical dodge techniques to avoid attacks from above and below while you’re over the playing area. Do not use either of these dodges if you are not within the confines of the playing area. After an aerial dodge, your character will not be able to do anything else until they reach the ground (there are some exceptions). If you perform a vertical dodge outside of the playing area, unless you’re close enough to grab the edge, you will not be able to use an air jump or comeback attack to get back on the playing area. Even if you avoid your opponents attack, you’ll still have no way to get back on the playing area.

The only use for this technique outside of the playing area is if the leading player is attempting to steal your KO from another player. Since you’re already going to be KO’d, you’ll help yourself by not letting the player in the lead acquire another KO.

The horizontal dodge techniques will probably be of more use to you than the vertical dodges. These are best used to not only avoid attacks, but also get you out of a dangerous situation, and possibly help in your comeback attempts after getting knocked off the playing area. On stages with multiple platforms, as you’re falling down to a platform where an opponent is awaiting you, use one of the horizontal dodges to completely avoid that platform and fall down to an adjacent platform. Not only will your opponent be unable to attack you, you’ll have time to prepare your own attack while they drop down from their current platform, to the platform you’re now on.

While you’re attempting to come back after being launched out of the playing area, use either of the horizontal dodge techniques to propel you closer to the edge. Not only will you avoid the attack of an opponent waiting at the edge, the horizontal dodge will also move you closer to the edge. Possibly close enough to grab the edge, or land on the ground. This technique can sometimes be more useful than a comeback attack. Especially if your opponent is skilled at guarding the edge.

The Last Hit

In timed multiplayer games, the winner is whoever has the highest point total by subtracting their number of deaths by their total number of KOs and SDs. This means that the more KOs you're attributed to, the better off you'll be. Therefore, if you see another player unable to comeback or about to be KO’d, try to position yourself to hit them before they die. The player that lands the last hit gets the KO. Even if you're both going off the edge, try your hardest to hit the other player with a projectile or some kind of attack.

Health First

Health is one of the most important items in the game. Getting health is almost like getting a free life. New to Melee, you can now pick up health items while holding other items or weapons. The heart, maxim tomato, and food will all lower your damage percent. The heart will reset your damage back to zero, while the maxim tomato will give you back up to 100% of your damage. The food only gives you back around 5%, but you’ll usually find multiple food items at a time. These can add up and save you from a KO.

When you see one of these items pop up, get to them above all else, especially if you've got a high damage percentage. If you've got a low damage percentage, pick them up just to keep them away from other players. When you've worked hard to get someone up to 100% damage, you don't want them to get back down to zero. Try standing near the health and waiting for another player to go for it. They'll more than likely be trying to get that health above all else. This will work even better if you can get above or below the health as you'll have a better angle of attack.

Guard the Weapons

Often times in multiplayer battles, everyone will be bunched up in one general area. If items appear in that area, everyone will go for them. Get to the items first and grab the best ones. Multiple items will usually appear after a barrel, crate, or party ball has been broken. If someone else grabs the barrel, quickly do an aerial downward power hit to break it. If you don't, the barrel will roll until it hits something or someone, or falls off the edge. If another player grabs the crate, just wait until they've thrown it, then go after the items. Crates break on impact with any surface.

Do not attempt to break a crate or barrel if you've got a high damage percentage. They have a tendency to blow up if someone who's not holding them tries to break them. Once you have the best item, guard the rest until they disappear. If an opponent tries to grab an item, they'll be temporarily open to attack while they're picking the item up. You'll have a much better chance if you have the only item weapon, than if every player has an item weapon.

Last Minute

During the last minute of play you must be very cautious, yet you must attempt to KO as many opponents as possible, and as fast as possible. Therefore, once you get to the one minute mark you'll need to take a look at all of the damage percentages, including your own. If you're still under 50% damage, look for the opponent with the highest damage and concentrate your attacks there. Once that opponent is out of the way, direct your attacks at anyone over 50% damage. If they're under 50%, unless you have a bat or some other high damage item, you shouldn't bother attacking them. Within that last minute, you would more than likely not be able to cause enough damage to KO them, while at the same time placing yourself in danger of being attacked or KO’d. At the 45 second mark, if none of your opponents are over 50% damage, sit back and wait for someone to get to at least 50% before you start attacking. Once you get to 30 seconds, if no opponents are over 70% damage, simply do your best to avoid them. At any point in time during the last minute of play, if you reach 80% damage and have the highest damage percentage, stay away from your opponents as best you can. These times and damage percentages may vary depending on the skill of yourself and your opponents, but use this as a guide to rack in on some KOs during the last minute of play.