If you want a fast and versatile character, Fox is the character for you.
Steps
Step 1. Use Fox's positive attributes to your advantage
Fox has the second highest running speed (after only Captain Falcon) and is on par with Marth for the fastest pace speed. Use this speed to your advantage to hit your opponents before they do. Fox is also a very combo oriented character. Learn some of its simpler combos, such as high throw then high blow, and use them to defeat your opponent.
Step 2. Learn all of Fox's special attacks (B moves) and how to use them
Fox has very useful special attacks, which can help him easily get back to the platform, deal damage, or create combos with other attacks.
- Basic Special (B): Fox takes his blaster and fires lasers. It doesn't make the enemy flinch (unlike Hawk's blaster), and it doesn't deal much damage, but it's a very quick move. Use the blaster if the opponent is very far away and you don't want them to get close.
- Side Special (Side and B arrows): Fox sprints forward very quickly while leaving an illusion behind. It's best to use it to get back to the platform, as it's a very quick move. Since it doesn't deal much damage and doesn't knock enemies back, it's not recommended as an offensive move.
- Special Up (Up and B): Fox turns into a fireball and after a few seconds flies in the direction you point the stick. It is useful for returning to the platform, but not for attacking, due to the long activation delay.
- Special Down (Down and B): Fox activates his spotlight, also known as a shine. The reflector can send each bullet back to the sender. If used in contact with an enemy, you will push it slightly to the side if you are on the platform and down diagonally if in the air. You can cancel this move with a jump. Then continue with an aerial dash to push an opponent off the platform with short interruptions (special down, aerial dash, special down, repeat). Be careful, this technique requires very quick use of the keys, and practice to perform it correctly.
Step 3. Learn about Fox's powerful attacks (light pressure in one direction and A), running attack and basic attack and how to use them
Fox has good bindings that can easily be used in combinations.
- Basic attack (A), also known as jab: Fox delivers a quick punch, followed by another punch, and then a series of kicks. If you press A once, Fox will only perform the first punch. If you press it twice, Fox will perform the first and second punches, but not the kicks. It is best to use only punches, as kicks push your opponent back very little. The first punch is very versatile and can be used in combination with several other moves, such as smash up or forward. If your opponent is on the ground, and you use your basic attack punches, you will force him to stand up, and you can hit him with another attack. This technique is called jab reset.
- Strong Lateral (slight lateral movement and A): Fox kicks with the foot forward. You can target this move slightly up or down. If you use it close to an edge and aim it down, you can prevent the opponent from clinging to the platform.
- Strong upward (slight upward movement and A): Fox gives a high kick behind him. This move has good range and pushes opponents upwards. You can have all of Fox's airstrikes follow her, as well as a top smash, another up kick, or a down special.
- Strong down (slight downward movement and A): Fox gives a quick sweep with its tail. Can open a combo with other air strikes.
- Running Attack (A while running): Fox kicks forward while running. You can use this move to open a combo, but it is vulnerable to shields.
Step 4. Learn all of Fox's smash attacks (A on the ground or the stick c on the ground) and how to use them
Fox has good smash attacks, which push the enemy back and are quick.
- Side Smash (sideways and A on the ground or sideways and stick C on the ground): Fox gives a wheel kick. He has a good range and moves Fox forward slightly, but if you miss the shot, you can easily be punished by the opponent.
- Smash Up (Up and A on the ground or up and C stick to the ground): Fox gives a quick overhead kick. This is an extremely powerful move, which can easily take out enemies below 100%. If you use special down and air sprint after the move, you can have it followed by another upward smash.
- Down Smash (Down and A to the ground or Down and C to the ground): Fox delivers a powerful split kick. It strikes from both sides and is a great way to attack enemies that are climbing up the platform. He pushes enemies far back and can easily send them off the platform as far as they can get back up.
Step 5. Learn all of Fox's air strikes (moves you perform using A in the air or the C stick in the air) and how to use them
Fox has very good, powerful and fast air strikes.
- Basic Air Attack (A in the air): Fox gives a quick kick in front of him. This is a great move for dealing damage without risking. It has a unique property, because it is more powerful at the beginning of the animation than at the end of the move. It shares this trait with Fox's back air move.
- Forward Air Attack (forward and A in the air or forward and stick C in the air): Fox gives five quick kicks in front of him. This move is only suitable for certain situations, because it is very difficult to hit with all kicks, and every single kick does not deal much damage.
- Air Attack Back (Back and A in the air or Back and stick C in the air): Fox kicks behind him. It is similar to the basic air attack in that it is more powerful at the beginning of the animation. This move is great for preventing people from re-entering the platform, as they are quick and push the enemy back enough.
- Upward Air Strike (Up and A in the air or Up and C stick in the air): Fox gives a quick tail swipe above him then gives an upward kick with his foot. This is a very powerful move, which can easily take out the opponent if both hits hit, but is very weak if it hits only the first part. Use it after an upward toss for a nice combo.
- Air Attack Down (Down and A in the air or down and stick C in the air): Fox twirls and drills down. You can use this move in combination with many others if you will use it close to the ground, such as an up smash, grapple or down special move.
Step 6. Learn Fox's tricks, throws and streaks
Fox has good throws, and one of them is great for starting a combo. To grab an enemy, press Z or L / R and A.
- Direct hit (A during a grapple): Fox knees his opponent. It is useful for dealing damage, but be careful not to hit too many times, or your opponent could break free from the grasp.
- Forward Throw (forward during a grapple): Fox punches the opponent, who flies slightly forward. Useful for pushing opponents off the platform. If used against a heavy opponent, you can immediately make another trick, and initiate a "series of tricks".
- Back Throw (backward during a grapple): Fox throws his opponent behind him and fires three lasers in his direction. It does not have the ability to initiate combos, so it is mainly used to throw opponents off the platform.
- Up Throw (up while grappling): Fox throws his opponent behind him and fires three lasers in his direction. This is the best throw to start a combo, because you can easily have it followed by all air strikes or the upward smash move.
- Down Throw (down during a grapple): Fox throws the opponent to the ground and shoots them many laser beams. You can continue the combo with a down special move or an up smash; however, the opponent will be able to roll away at the end of the hold and avoid the following attacks.
Step 7. Learn to practice advanced techniques
Examples of these techniques are wavedashing, L-canceling, shine spiking, and drillshining. While the first two techniques are not exclusive to Fox, they are still very useful and it is important to learn them.
- Wavedashing allows a character to slide along the ground, thanks to a kind of sprint, but being able to use any move on the ground, not just the moves on the run. To do this, jump and immediately use an air dodge to the ground diagonally. If you do this correctly, Fox should slide along the ground for a while. This technique is very useful for Fox, because it improves his mobility and can use it to continue his combos.
- L-canceling allows a character to act earlier after an air strike when landing. To perform this technique, press L, R, or Z just before landing if the character is animating an air strike. This will allow you to act earlier when you land. L-canceling doesn't work with special attacks, only aerial ones.
- Shine spiking is a technique that involves hitting a character off the platform with Fox with a downward special move. This move pushes the opponent off the platform, in a diagonal downward direction. This technique is effective against characters who have no effective means of re-entering the platform, as it pushes them so far that they cannot re-enter. After a successful shine spike, grab the edge of the platform, and as soon as the opponent is about to hang, roll onto the platform. As you roll onto the platform, the game still considers a character to be clinging to the edge; for this, since only one character can cling, your opponent will have to land on the platform and cover more distance.
- The drillshining technique is a combination of Fox which involves using the downward air strike, using L-canceling, hitting the opponent with a downward special move and then moving away with a wavedash. This combo can be repeated and this means that it is possible to trap an opponent indefinitely. While this is a very useful technique, it requires quick fingers and the right timing, and as a result is very difficult.
Advice
- Flat levels like Final Destination or Pokemon Stadium are best for Fox.
- Use X or Y to jump instead of pressing up on the joypad stick. This will make it easier to perform upward smash moves, because you will not jump by mistake. Using X and Y will also make it easier to jump lower by adjusting the key pressure.
- Learn when to use stick C and when to use direction stick and A for smash attacks. Stick C allows you to smash attack instantly, while Stick Direction and A allow you to charge the attack.
