Super Smash Bros. Brawl/Techniques and Strategies

This page will list most of the universal techniques available to each character, as well as provide overall strategies to help readers improve.

Short Hop
A feature programmed into the game, yet surprisingly not well-known is the short hop. By releasing the jump button after pressing it before the character leaves the ground, he will jump lower than normal. This technique is usually used to attack grounded opponents with aerials.

Fast Fall
By pressing down in the air, you will fall faster. This is useful if you need to get back to the ground fast.

Tech
After getting hit by a strong attack and falling back to the ground, you will usually end up lying on the floor, needing a little time to get back up. By pressing the Shield button just before touching the ground, your character will flip upright, allowing you to fight instantly. It is not the best decision to always tech, sometimes not teching might help you be more unpredictable.

DI
DI, short for directional influence, refers to holding the control stick to a direction when a character is sent flying that enables players to live longer. Usually, the direction that need to be held is perpendicular to the direction of knockback.

SDI
Short for smash directional influence, SDI is a similar technique to DI. During an attacks hitlag, pressing the control stick during this time will shift your direction a little. This technique is mainly used to shift yourself further away from a blastzone and helps you escape multi-hit moves.

Momentum canceling
Momentum canceling is another technique that helps you survive longer. When being sent flying, immediately fastfall and perform your characters fastest aerial to negate a little knockback. Some moves can also negate knockback completely, such as Donkey Kong's Spinning Kong and Mr. Game & Watch's not full Oil Panic. This technique, along with employing DI, will help you live much longer than you normally would.

Dashing Shield
You can perform a dashing shield by pressing the shield button while dashing. (Be careful to press it before you release the control stick.) Your character will slide a little while shielding. This is good for rushing some characters and punishing them afterwards with a shield grab or an OOS (out of shield) option. This technique makes it easier to approach characters with long attack ranges like Marth or Metaknight. Don't be predictable with this, especially against characters with long grab ranges like Link, Samus, and King Dedede.