Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Samus

The suited bounty hunter returns with her limitless arsenal of energy shots and missiles, no longer tied to her suitless persona. Samus is a character with a strong emphasis on projectile zoning, with multiple projectiles that rack up damage, punish and even KO, making Samus a dangerous contender at long range. Even though projectiles are where Samus shines, her melee attacks are nothing to scoff at either, letting her hold her own at close-range combat. However, Samus does have a range of problems that prevent her from becoming a dominant threat. Her unique jump physics can hinder more than it helps when projectile zoning. Samus also has limited reliable KO options, which can make her predictable when trying to get a KO. Nevertheless, Samus is still an all-around solid character that suits defensive and patient players. Whether you're attempting a war of attrition or a careful physical fight, Samus has the tools to help her come out on top.

Basic Attributes

Samus's metal power suit makes her quite heavy, being at the upper end of the weight spectrum. Her ground speed and air speed are slightly below average, to compensate for her strong defensive kit. Samus has pretty bad rolls. While they carry her a fair distance, it forces her to enter and exit Morph Ball form whenever she rolls, making it easy to intercept and counter. Samus is well known for her floatiness, an odd trait for such a heavy character. Last but not least, Samus has a useful wall jump to help out with her recovery.

Moveset Analysis

Standard Attacks

Control			Attack	Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
(+)	(+)	(+)	Two-Hit Strike	Samus punches forward, then swings down with her arm cannon. On opponents with low percents, both hits of this combo chain into each other poorly by design. This move is one of Samus's more disappointing features. While the first hit is fast and the whole combo does good damage, the inability to reliably get both hits in hampers Samus when fighting healthy foes. Since the first hit is quite weak, does next to no knockback and stun, and cannot combo into the second hit consistently, you can get punished for a successful strike, as your opponent can either retaliate immediately or shield the second hit then strike back. This gives Samus a disadvantage in close-range, as she has no other moves that are as quick to use in grounded melee battles.
(+)	(+)	(+)
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+	Power Suit Roundhouse	Samus performs a roundhouse kick. The attack can be angled up or down using the control stick. The kick is minutely stronger at Samus's foot. Samus's Strong Side Attack is primarily used as a poke or a spacing tool. It is fairly fast and has good reach as well, especially with the ability to angle your attack. This makes it a good move if you want to keep your distance against approaching foes, using the move's range to attack from a relatively safe distance. It is punishable if shielded, so use it with care.
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+
+	+	+	Axe Kick	Samus lifts her legs up and slams it down, meteor smashing nearby grounded opponents while sending aerial foes at a forward angle. This move has a fair amount of startup lag as it only strikes when Samus's leg starts moving down. Despite its slow startup, it is still decent, as the attack has good range and area. If you get a meteor smash, you can usually get a follow-up attack while your opponent is bounced upward. It can also be used for onstage edgeguarding, knocking recovering foes further from the ledge. Lastly, the move does have KO potential if you keep it from staling, so it could serve as a surprise KO move.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Ground Blast	Samus aims at the ground and causes an explosion with her arm cannon. This move is one of Samus's fastest ground attacks, only slightly slower than her Standard Attack, so it is fairly safe to throw out. It has good range and a low hitbox that helps it hit foes on or near ledges, as well as intercepting predicted rolls. Finally, it does moderate upward knockback, which lets you combo into aerial attacks afterward. It is definitely one of Samus's stronger grounded options.
+	+	+
while dashing	while dashing	while dashing	Shinespark Tackle	Samus charges forward and strikes with her whole body. As a Dash Attack, this move is pretty good, with nice sideways knockback and a significant shift in position. It is best used as a fast punish, as its immediate speed boost can let you punish minor mistakes from mid-range. However, the attack only activates partially into Samus's charge, so you can miss foes at point-blank range. Be sure to space this attack well, as you are easily punished if you miss.
while dashing	while dashing	while dashing
while hanging	while hanging	while hanging		Samus flips up and swings a leg down to attack.
while hanging	while hanging	while hanging

Smash Attacks

Control			Attack	Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
Smash ( or )+	Smash ( or )+	( or )++	Arm Cannon Smash	Samus punches with her arm cannon hand, while letting out a close-range blast. The move can be angled up or down with the control stick. The attack is strongest at the tip of the cannon where the explosion occurs. This is Samus's strongest melee range KO option, provided you strike with the fiery sweetspot. It has a slight bit of startup lag and can be shielded on reaction, so you mustn't use it carelessly. It is imperative to space this smash attack so that you hit the sweetspot consistently to maximize its power. Samus lunges forward a bit during the move; use this extra reach to your advantage.
Smash ( or )+	Smash ( or )+	Smash ( or )+
Smash +	Smash +	++	Cover Fire	Samus fires explosions in an arc over her. This move is not strong enough to KO consistently, although it has decent utility. Unlike past games, each hit of the smash combos into each other more consistently. It has a nice arc over Samus, and it deals the most damage out of Samus's smash attacks if every hit connects. This attack is a good anti-air, but the hitbox is a bit high, so it might miss on grounded opponents. The duration of the attack is also moderately long, making it easily punishable if you miss.
Smash +	Smash +	Smash +
Smash +	Smash +	++	Breakdance Sweep	Samus swings one leg in a circle around her. Like Up Smash, it lacks KO power, but has some other uses. It is about as fast as Side Smash, so you cannot use it liberally, with a more strictly horizontal knockback angle. This knockback trajectory lets you send foes offstage for edgeguards, and while it is nowhere as strong as Side Smash, you don't have to worry about sweetspotting. It also hits on both sides, so it could be used to punish predicted rolls.
Smash +	Smash +	Smash +

Air Attacks

Control			Attack	Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
			Two-Sided Kick	Samus kicks forward, then backward.
+	+	+	Attack Fire	Samus launches explosions while swinging her arm cannon down.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Rear Roundhouse	Samus kicks backward, with the tip of her foot hitting with most force.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Falling Drill	Samus performs a drill kick upward.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Cannon Meteor	Samus swings her arm cannon below her, causing a meteor smash.
+	+	+

Throws

Control			Attack	Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
( or )	+		Grapple Beam	Samus fires a blue energy beam forward to grab foes. This move is a tether grab, so it has more reach than most other characters' grabs. However, this means it has more endlag, leaving you vulnerable if you miss, although it's not as bad as in past games. When used in the air, it's a conventional attack that is stronger at the tip. This move is faster than Samus's projectiles and has no landing lag, so it is a solid mid-range zoning tool. It is also a tether recovery with very long range, so it's the recommended recovery option if you're level with the ledge.
( or )
after grab	after grab	after grab	Quick Chop	Samus strikes the grabbed opponent with the side of her hand. Samus's Grab Attack is one of the fastest of its kind in the game. It doesn't do a lot of damage, but you can rack up good damage off of a grab due to its sheer speed. As with all Grab Attacks, feel free to use it whenever you get a grab at mid-high percents.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Beam Fling	Samus swings the grabbed opponent forward. This is a pretty conventional sideways throw. It is Samus's most damaging throw, tied with Up Throw. Like any other sideways throw, you can use it to get foes offstage to begin an edgeguard scenario or simply to create some distance for projectile zoning.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Backward Beam Fling	Samus swings the grabbed opponent backward. Like Forward Throw, Back Throw is pretty standard and uninteresting. It is practically as strong as Forward Throw and shares its uses. It is the better throw for getting foes offstage when your back is to the ledge, and it can also be used to swing your target into a comfortable position for your projectile play.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Beam Shock	Samus zaps the grabbed opponent with the Grapple Beam, launching them upward. This throw is decent, but like many characters' Up Throws, it is usually overshadowed by Down Throw. While it launches foes vertically and is the most damaging throw Samus has, Down Throw comes with better follow-ups that enable you to rack up more damage more reliably. It also doesn't have enough power to serve as a KO move, so it is rarely used.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Beam Slam	Samus swings the grabbed opponent into the ground. This move is Samus's combo throw. It's weak and has a vertical angle, which lets you combo smoothly into air attacks, usually Up Air Attacks, at low percentages. Even at higher percentages, it leaves you in an advantageous position for follow-ups relative to the thrown opponent, so it's definitely recommended then if you intend to continue a close-range spar.
after grab	after grab	after grab

Special Attacks

Control			Attack	Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
			Charge Shot	Samus fires a ball of energy that travels straight ahead. The shot can be charged to increase its power and size, but only on the ground; using it in the air will automatically fire the projectile at its current power. Samus can store the charge by shielding or with a roll.
			Dense Charge Shot	Samus fires a denser ball of energy that is stronger, but charges longer and moves significantly slower.
			Melee Charge Shot	Samus fires a close to mid-ranged blast of energy that is very quick to charge up. This move is not a projectile.
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+	Missile	Samus fires either a Missile or a Super Missile depending on the input. If the control stick is tilted, she fires a heat-seeking missile that homes in on the nearest target to a limited degree. Smash the control stick and she will fire a Super Missile, which is faster and stronger but has no tracking capabilities.
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+
			Relentless Missile	Samus's normal Missiles move slower but homes in on opponents very accurately. Her Super Missiles still don't home in and loses speed as they travel forward.
			Turbo Missile	Samus's normal Missiles rotate to track the opponent then shoots toward their chosen direction in a straight line. Super Missiles have a delay before flying forward but are faster.
+	+	+	Screw Attack	Samus jumps up while spinning, damaging nearby foes with the rotating motion.
+	+	+
			Screw Rush	Samus does a forward leap while spinning, sacrificing height for horizontal distance. It launches foes sideways instead of upward at the end.
			Apex Screw Attack	Samus's Screw Attack only harms foes at the beginning and the end of the move, but has more KO power.
+	+	+	Bomb	Samus drops a time bomb that explodes after a short delay. If she is close to the explosion, she will receive a weak upward thrust while briefly becoming the Morph Ball.
+	+	+
			Slip Bomb	Samus's time bombs are weak, but they can trip grounded foes and meteor smash aerial enemies.
			Mega Bomb	Samus drops a large time bomb that is stronger and has a wider blast radius. Only one Mega Bomb from each player can be on the field at any time.

Taunts

Control			Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
		+	Samus does a rigid salute.
( or )	+		Samus operates her arm cannon.
( or )	( or )	( or )
		+	Samus checks on both sides of her with her arm cannon ready.

Final Smash - Zero Laser

Samus unleashes a massive laser that slowly travels the length of the screen. Any enemies caught in the beam will be trapped and receive rapid instances of damage, culminating in a final blow that blasts foes away. Zero Laser is undoubtedly one of the most well-known Final Smashes in the game, due to its spectacular range and ease of use. It can be used well by even the most inexperienced novices. Simply point at the direction with the most enemies and let loose. You can direct the beam up or down with the control stick to catch any stragglers. The power of Zero Laser is average for a Final Smash, but you will have a better chance of KOing opponents closer to you, as they will be trapped by the beam first and take more damage.