Editing Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Sonic

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[[File:Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Wii U Sonic.png|right]]
The blue blur makes his second third-party appearance in Super Smash Bros.! When it comes to speed, no other character compare with Sonic's dashes. However, unlike other speed demons like Fox or Sheik, Sonic doesn't have many low-duration moves or long combo chains for a continuous rushdown playstyle. Instead, Sonic's moveset supports a relentless hit-and-run strategy, using Spin Dashes and the multitude of options out of them to confuse and overwhelm foes. Sonic also has a great recovery and a bunch of excellent edgeguarding moves, making him a dangerous opponent offstage as well. As with most agile characters, Sonic's main weakness is difficulty KOing, as most of Sonic's KO moves are slightly weaker than normal. While easy enough for beginners to pick up, Sonic can be one of the most frustrating opponents once one masters his tricky moveset.

==Basic Attributes==
Sonic is, without a doubt, the character with the fastest dash speed in the game, and his air speed is really above average as well. Despite his high speed, Sonic is a middleweight in the range of Pit and Pac-Man. His fall speed is intermediate and his rolls are reasonably fast. Fitting for such an agile character, Sonic can wall jump to boost his recovery.

{{SSB3DS Move List
|a=Sonic Combo
|adesc=Sonic punches with both hands and kicks.
|fa=Sideways Thrust
|fadesc=Sonic does a handstand and kicks forward. This is a decent ground attack with good speed, good reach and good knockback. It does a fairly good job of knocking foes away around mid-range. The move is most often used out of an ended Spin Dash or Spin Charge, to catch opponents trying to punish a blocked spin using its quick startup. At higher percents, this move often launches foes offstage, which sets up potential edgeguards.
|ua=Double Upward Roundhouse
|uadesc=Sonic kicks two times upward. This move is one of Sonic's least used moves, mostly because he has better options whenever this move might be useful. It is pretty sluggish relative to Sonic's other moves, tends to miss due to its poor horizontal range and doesn't have the knockback to KO, except on certain stages with high platforms. It is usually used as an anti-air, although this task can often be substituted with an Up Smash or an Up Air.
|da=Slick Sweep
|dadesc=Sonic does a sweep kick low to the ground. This move has some of the best reach among Sonic's ground attacks, which makes it a nice poke when spaced properly. The attack does great horizontal knockback and can even trip foes at low percents, giving you an easy followup. Its horizontal knockback also lets it knock foes offstage at mid-high percents consistently, and can even hit opponents near the ledge due to its low hitbox.
|dasha=Spin Tumble
|dashadesc=Sonic spins forward in a ball to ram into foes.
|hanga=
|hangadesc=Sonic climbs up and kicks.
|fsmash=Wounded Punch
|fsmashdesc=Sonic winds up and punches forward. This attack can be angled up or down with the control stick. This is Sonic's strongest grounded KO move. It has a noticeable moment of startup before the attack, but is still fast enough that you can land it with good timing. Its range is also not too bad, and you can use its angling feature to strike foes coming at you from various angles. Down-angled Side Smash in particular can hit foes on the ledge, making it a potent onstage edgeguard.
|usmash=Jump Spin
|usmashdesc=Sonic hops up and spins, doing multiple hits before launching foes upward. This is Sonic's second most reliable grounded KO move. Up Smash does as much damage as Side Smash if all hits connect, and each hit chains into each other pretty well. This move has excellent vertical range due to the initial hop, sometimes letting you hit foes through a platform from below. This hop also makes it a great anti-air attack, using it as a powerful punish against airborne approaches.
|dsmash=Quick Split
|dsmashdesc=Sonic does a split kick that hits on both sides. This move KOs later than either of Sonic's other smash attacks, but it is by far the quickest. Down Smash's main use would be for edgeguarding. It sends foes at a very low angle, which often means launching them offstage beyond mid percents. It also hits foes on the ledge. This fact coupled with its high knockback and greater speed than Side Smash makes Down Smash among Sonic's best onstage edgeguards.
|aira=Aerial Spin
|airadesc=Sonic rolls into a ball and attacks with his spines. This is a fairly quick move that hits all around Sonic, so it is usually used as a defensive measure when opponents are too close for comfort. It is also the easiest move to follow-up out of a Spin Dash or a Spin Charge, and usually sends opponents away to reset the situation. The later, weaker hits of the attack pop foes up, which leads to combos into ground moves if you land right after hitting them with a weak strike.
|airfa=Headbutt Drill
|airfadesc=Sonic spins forward like a drill. This move comes out faster than Neutral Air and has better range, making it a generally useful aerial attack. Its multiple hits can drag foes along with you, as well as to punish airdodges with good timing. At early percents, you can chain multiple Forward Airs together using short hops and Sonic's fast dash. It is also a simple followup out of Spin Dashes and Spin Charges that often launches foes offstage at mid percents.
|airba=Backward Roundhouse
|airbadesc=Sonic kicks behind him. This is Sonic's main aerial KO move. It boasts great range and power, even though it has an obvious startup animation before the attack hits. Its range also makes it a decent spacing tool onstage, but most of the time you'll be using it for offstage edgeguards. Its high horizontal knockback makes it a dangerous move away from the ledge, even for low percent opponents, and can likely KO at high percents.
|airua=Scissor Snap
|airuadesc=Sonic does a scissor kick above him. This move is pretty quick and has nice reach on the second hit. It is a good anti-air and is generally used as such, although it can also find use as a combo ender or a juggling move. Sonic's fast dash lets him chase after airborne enemies trying to land, and Up Air's two hits can punish mistimed airdodges. Up Air is also one of Sonic's situational KO moves, as it is an upward launching attack that Sonic can use very close to the upper blastzone due to his Spring Jump.
|airda=Hedgehog Dive
|airdadesc=Sonic performs a dive kick, shooting downward quickly. This move has a meter smash very near, but not exactly at the beginning of the dive. Like many dive kicks, using this onstage is inadvisable against experienced foes due to its moderate landing lag. However, it can be used offstage pretty successfully as long as you know the limits of Sonic's recovery. The meteor smash is not easy to land, but opponents hit by the sourspot are launched sideways, which still places them further away from the ledge. On certain characters, Sonic can combo his Spin Dash or Spin Charge into a Down Air meteor smash, which can mean an early KO if used near the ledge.
|holda=Speedster's Knee
|holdadesc=Sonic knees the grabbed opponent.
|fthrow=Football Punt
|fthrowdesc=Sonic kicks the grabbed opponent.
|bthrow=Backflip Toss
|bthrowdesc=Sonic spins back and throws the grabbed opponent.
|uthrow=Hedgehog Spike
|uthrowdesc=Sonic impales the grabbed opponent with the spines on his back.
|dthrow=Spin Crush
|dthrowdesc=Sonic drops the grabbed opponent on the ground and rolls on them.
|b1=Homing Attack
|b1desc=After a brief delay, Sonic lunges at the closest opponent while curled into a ball. If Sonic fails to lock on to anyone, he'll lunge toward the ground instead. This move has some major flaws in that it has a very telegraphed startup and poor homing capabilities against a mobile enemy. Opponents can usually avoid the attack if you use it out of the blue, but at least it is pretty safe on shield. However, it is a pretty good followup option out of Spin Dashes and Spin Charge, especially due to their similar animations, and has the potential to KO your opponents at high percents. It can also sometimes be used to recover by lunging toward an onstage foe, but you may shoot downward instead if there's no opponents in range.
|b2=Stomp
|b2desc=Sonic rams downward as a ball to deal a meteor smash. This custom special is pretty mediocre, combining Homing Attack's problematic startup time with an extremely predictable downward trajectory. You lose a followup and situational KO option as it doesn't have any homing ability. Even for a meteor smash, it is disappointingly weak for its speed, but it is certainly safer and easier to land than Down Air's meteor smash. This move has its niche against characters with predictable recoveries, but Homing Attack is more versatile and the better choice most of the time.
|b3=Surprise Attack
|b3desc=Sonic takes faster to home in at foes, but the move has less power and homing range. This move better resembles Sonic's homing attack in his series, locking on and homing in very quickly, making it more reliable to use by itself. You do have to make adjustments for its poor range, while it is more punishable on shield due to not bouncing as far upon hitting. It can still be use as a followup out of Spin Dashes and Spin Charges, but barely has any ability to KO. Lastly, it doesn't lunge downward if there's no one in range unlike Homing Attack, making it safer to use offstage too. Surprise Attack lives up to its name, being better at catching foes off guard with its quickness, but gives a lower reward if you hit.
|fb1=Spin Dash
|fb1desc=Charge up the move by holding the special button down, then release it to make Sonic spin forward in a ball. Sonic will make a jump at the start of the dash. This is one of Sonic's main approach, combo and damage-racking tools, making it one of the most important parts of his moveset. Sonic has many ways to feint the attack while charging. He can shield cancel the charge, jump to conserve charge and alter his position or use the attack button to hop out of the move. He can also jump out during any point of the spin as long as he has his double jump, but note that initiating another Spin Dash or Spin Charge before landing will ''not'' refresh his double jump. Sonic can also jump cancel the move upon hitting an enemy, which combos easily into most of his specials, or he can followup with a footstool to cause a knockdown and punish the opponent's getup options.
|fb2=Hammer Spin Dash
|fb2desc=Sonic's initial jump is higher and can bury foes when he lands, but the move is overall slightly weaker and the spin is slower. This variant is mainly used for its high jump. It is very hard to react to at close range, can potentially hit twice and even buries grounded foes, allowing for some easy followups. You retain the same charge and spin cancels as the normal Spin Dash, but the lowered speed of the spin makes it easier for foes to block or evade you past the initial hop. The heightened hop height is a double-edged sword. It is harder to dodge, is better for recovery and can evade some higher attacks, but can miss against an opponent at point-blank range. Overall, this move is a strong substitute for the default Spin Dash.
|fb3=Burning Spin Dash
|fb3desc=Sonic spins forward while on fire, gaining more spin speed and dealing more damage when he hits. The move has no initial jump and gives lower height when jump canceled. The Burning Spin Dash sacrifices its combo and follow-up options in exchange for a better spin. The enhanced speed and damage of the move makes it easier to catch foes offguard. Unfortunately, the reduced jump height severely cripples Sonic's combo game, as the hop is too low to combo into any of Sonic's aerial attacks, making it a pretty unpopular choice compared to the other spin dashes.
|ub1=Spring Jump
|ub1desc=Sonic bounces up with a spring and can use standard attacks afterward, but not special moves. If used on the ground, other characters can use the spring. The airborne version drops the spring as a harmful projectile. Sonic's Spring Jump is one of the most versatile Up Specials in the game. It gives him a lot of height that complements his high air speed and lets him attack out of the leap for self-defense or combo follow-ups. It is also a strong edgeguard tool that covers opponents recovering low while keeping Sonic well out of harm. Moreover, it can be used as a quick escape onstage in case you're surrounded, sometimes even in the middle of an attack string. Overall, this is an excellent move in Sonic's arsenal that should get almost as much use as his special spins. 
|ub2=Double Spring
|ub2desc=Sonic can spring jump two times without touching the ground, but both jumps are smaller and the falling springs are weaker. This move has roughly the same total vertical distance as the default Spring Jump, but gives you the option for a more horizontal and maneuverable recovery as well. You can also drop two springs in quick succession, which further limits an offstage foe's recovery, but the weaker springs make it hard launch them beyond the point of no return. The slower vertical ascent also limits your combo follow-ups; whereas you could easily combo Up Throw into Spring Jump Up Air, the Double Spring doesn't give you enough height fast enough for that same combo to work. It's a unique custom special to experiment with, but Spring Jump is ultimately the more reliable option.
|ub3=Springing Headbutt
|ub3desc=Sonic leaps up a lower distance, but can bump away foes while ascending. The Springing Headbutt seems to miss the point of the Spring Jump, featuring a weaker, more restrictive version of a feature that the Spring Jump already has: the ability to attack out of the leap. While it is true that the built-in attack begins faster than any aerial attack Sonic can use out of Spring Jump, it is also rather weak and doesn't have much horizontal reach. Additionally, it also takes longer than Spring Jump to let Sonic use his aerial attacks, which hinders some combo follow-ups. All-in-all, the Springing Headbutt is pretty much an inferior version of the Spring Jump, making it a very unpopular custom variant.
|db1=Spin Charge
|db1desc=Mash the Down Special input to charge, then release it to make Sonic spin forward in a ball. This move functions very similarly to Spin Dash, but there are some differences. It has a different charging method from Spin Dash, the spin hits multiple times, has slightly different hops and knockback, and has different canceling windows. Spin Charge can't be canceled with shield during the charge phase, only by jumping or releasing the special button while still holding down. However, the charge can be jump canceled when used in the air whereas Spin Dash can't. It has lower knockback when you strike an opponent, which can lead to different aerial followups. Spin Dash and Spin Charge are mostly interchangeable in terms of usage, but their similar animations and subtle differences can keep foes guessing which move you're actually using.
|db2=Auto-Spin Charge
|db2desc=The spin can be charged just by holding the button down instead of mashing it. The Auto-Spin Charge is identical to the normal Spin Charge, with the only difference being an altered input method for charging the spin. Therefore, choosing between the Spin Charge and the Auto-Spin Charge mostly comes down to preference. The default Spin Charge is slightly superior though, since it is faster to charge up if you're good at button mashing. You can also judge how fast and far the Spin Charge will go more precisely by counting button presses instead of relying on vague timing from holding the button down.
|db3=Gravitational Charge
|db3desc=The spin sucks foes in front of Sonic closer, while pushes foes behind Sonic away. It requires more mashing to charge up the spin. The Gravitational Charge is not too different from the default Spin Charge either, with the major difference being its wind effects. The applications for these effects are quite obvious: draw in targets just out of range, or push recovering foes away from the ledge without refreshing their recovery moves. The damaging properties of the spin is pretty much unchanged, while the longer charge is easy to get used to. Whether you choose this move is simply a matter of how much you'll be using the wind to your advantage.
|utaunt=Sonic crosses his arms and makes a clicking noise.
|ftaunt=Sonic runs in place while saying "Sonic speed!"
|dtaunt=Sonic does a short breakdance and says "Come on!"
}}

==Final Smash: Super Sonic==
Sonic uses the power of the Chaos Emeralds to temporarily transform into the golden Super Sonic, gaining total invulnerability and constant flight for the duration of the Final Smash. While in this state, Sonic's main way of attacking foes is by ramming into them, dealing more knockback the faster his speed is. The main drawback of this move is the difficulty of controlling Super Sonic. Super Sonic only undergoes acceleration when moving horizontally, and he has major inertia when switching sides at high speeds, which makes him hard to use if you're not adept with the Final Smash. A good way to use it is to make wide sweeps across the stage, only making vertical adjustments while you're rushing forward so you can maintain a high speed and strike foes with max power.

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