Meta Knight inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	Kirby
Other playable appearances	inBrawl inSSB4
Availability	Unlockable
Final Smash	Darkness Illusion
Tier	B- (46)

Meta Knight (メタナイト,Meta Knight) is a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was officially confirmed on June 12th, 2018 during E3 2018, alongsideMewtwo and the rest of the returning roster. Meta Knight is classified asFighter #27, the first fighter number of theSuper Smash Bros. Brawlveterans.

As inSuper Smash Bros. 4,Eric Newsome andAtsushi Kisaichi's portrayals of Meta Knight fromBrawl were repurposed for the English and Japanese versions ofUltimate, respectively.

Meta Knight is ranked 46th out of 82 on the currenttier list, placing him at the upper half of the B- tier. This is a considerable drop from his 16th out of 54 placement inSSB4 and is his worst placement in the series. Meta Knight's main strength lies in his great mobility and frame data, which grants him an amazing edgeguarding and combo game. Meta Knight's gameplan is heavily centralized around his deadly ladder combos that can lead to high damage and/or early KOs of the top, but he's also got a variety of horizontal combo finishers to hit opponents who DI uncooperatively. He also boasts a fantasticrecovery, with multiple midair jumps and special moves that all function as recoveries with large or lingering hitboxes, making Meta Knight one of the hardest characters toedgeguard.

As a likely balancing factor for their combo potential, Meta Knight's normals suffer from carrying some of the worst hitboxes in the game, often being significantly smaller and less active than their animations suggest. This not only makes his range deceptively short, but also makes landing attacks unusually difficult and unintuitive, demanding more precision to perform combos and take stocks than most other fighters. His lightweight status combined with his fast falling speed makes him susceptible to both combos and early KOs, and while he can work his way toward zoners with his small size, quick ground speed andMach Tornado, his approach options are fairly predictable. His grab game, while better than most other swordfighters, is still mediocre: his grab range is some of the worst in the game, none of his throws reliably KO below 160%, and none of them have significant damage output or combo potential outside ofdown throw. Finally, his best combo tools are very susceptible to DI andstaling, due to their low base damage (with some such as up aerial able to drop to as low as 2% per hit, even with the1v1 multiplier), and repeated usage in many situations, forcing him to mix up his combo routes and keep track of the opponent's trajectory.

Overall, Meta Knight, while seen as a step down from even hisSSB4 counterpart, is still a viable fighter. Though Meta Knight's playerbase has been below average for most ofUltimate's competitive lifespan, he has nevertheless retained fairly noticeable success, with players such asAbadango,Metara, andYei achieving commendable results.

How to unlock[edit]

Complete one of the following:

• PlayVS. matches, with Meta Knight being the 38th character to be unlocked.
• ClearClassic Mode withLink or any character in his unlock tree, being the 4th character unlocked afterSimon.
• Have Meta Knight join the player's party inWorld of Light.

Meta Knight must then be defeated onHalberd (theΩ form is used in World of Light).

Attributes[edit]

Meta Knight combines several unusual traits. He has multiplejumps, but unlike other characters who share this ability, he has strong mobility, comprising fastdashing andwalking speeds, highfalling speed andgravity, and averageair speed. He is also the only small character to use a sword, which gives his attacks a bit more range relative to his stature. Overall, unlike other characters with multiple jumps, Meta Knight is neither wanting for speed nor range.

As expected, Meta Knight's playstyle relies heavily on his speed, both in terms of mobility and frame data. His low, quick short hop and fast, low lag aerials allow him to continuously apply pressure to opponents at close range. He is not lacking in grounded pressure either, having a fast down tilt that can trip, and a dash attack that can cross-upshields, and both of these moves are capable of setting upcombos. If Meta Knight finds himself on the defensive, he has several options to relieve pressure, such as a fast, decently long-ranged forward tilt for countering aerial approaches, a fast, long-lasting, and strong neutral aerial, and the 2nd fastest down aerial in the game. For attacks that are poorly spaced, he can opt for agrab, from which he has a down throw that can start combos up to mid-percentages, a back throw to set up edge-guards and KO at very high percentages while near the edge, and an up throw that can also KO at very high percentages (especially on platforms).

While his damage output per hit is not impressive, Meta Knight's speed and jumps allow him to rack up damage through combos at lower percentages and chase opponents through the air through to higher damages, punishing their escape options. His dash attack and down throw can combo into an up smash or aerials at lower damages, while his up aerial can link into other aerials or hisup special. Even after his opponents are launched too far for a true combo, he can continue pressuring them by punishing theirair dodges and landing options through effective use of his aerials, dash attack, and up tilt. Thanks to his flexible aerial mobility, he has little trouble chasing opponents offstage, and his aerials are well-suited to edge-guarding. Neutral aerial has a lingering hitbox and strong knockback, back aerial is fast with high power, and down aerial is a safesemi-spike than can gimp deceptively early.

Meta Knight's edge-guarding prowess is mainly courtesy of hisrecovery, which is arguably the best in the game. In addition to having five jumps and passable air speed, his special moveset is full of recovery options.Shuttle Loop, his up special and main recovery method, is fast, offers high vertical recovery, and has a large hitbox.Mach Tornado andDrill Rush travel far horizontally and with long-lasting active hitboxes, and the latter can be angled.Dimensional Cape allows Meta Knight to cover the distance in any direction while invisible, and offers the option to attack upon reappearing. Such options grant him the ability to vary his recovery to make it incredibly difficult to punish him offstage, let alone gimp him.

Meta Knight does have several weaknesses. His attacks generally have very few active frames, forcing him to be extremely precise with his moves lest his opponent punishes him. Despite being a lightweight, Meta Knight's falling speed, gravity and unusually round hurtbox make him highly vulnerable to combos, which combined with his low weight grants him poor overall endurance. Though he has a strong, safe finisher in his forward smash, a fast, powerful back aerial and up smash, he has difficulty landing these moves. Forward smash has high startup, making it easy to avoid, up smash is risky due to its ending lag, and back aerial has trouble connecting on grounded opponents. Furthermore, his up and back throws require rage and favorable positioning to KO at reasonable percentages. While Meta Knight'sneutral game is fairly good, his lack of aprojectile can be a thorn in his side, especially against zoning characters such asMega Man.

Overall, Meta Knight is at his best so long as he has his opponent in a disadvantaged state, being able to rack up damage well at lower percentages, before keeping the pressure on them through juggles and edge-guards. A player must be patient in finding an opening, as he cannot sustain much damage himself, and such patience is especially needed when his foe is at high percentages where Meta Knight may find difficulty in landing his finishers.

Changes fromSuper Smash Bros. 4[edit]

Despitehis infamous reputation inBrawl leading to nerfs inSSB4, Meta Knight remained a strong character in the latter game thanks to numerous buffs from game updates, resulting in a combination of excellent mobility and recovery, great edge-guarding potential and —most notoriously— his deadly punish game that allowed him to perform zero-to-death combos with his up aerial andShuttle Loop. Possibly as a result, Meta Knight has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in his transition toUltimate, though despite his comparatively numerous buffs, he has been objectively nerfed overall, and greatly so.

Meta Knight benefits from some of the gameplay changes to the engine. His already quick mobility has improved even further, and his aerials have considerably decreasedlanding lag, even compared to most other characters' aerials. The changes toair dodge mechanics highly benefit Meta Knight, as they further strengthen his already scary off-stage game, and he isn't as affected by these changes as much thanks to his excellent recovery; moreover, he can now extend his own or escape combos in a pinch with a directional air dodge.

Some of Meta Knight's moves such as histilts andaerials also have increased range, with his down tilt notably no longer possessing blind spots, and his neutral attack is more effective as a close-range option to rack up damage, due to having faster startup and linking much more reliably. His special moves have also seen improvements, asShuttle Loop conserves more momentum at the end and thus improves his already outstanding recovery,Mach Tornado now consists of a single hit that deals higher knockback when clean, andDrill Rush sends at a lower, more desirable angle. The latter two moves have also become powerful, if risky moves for edgeguarding.

However, the few nerfs Meta Knight has received were harsh enough to eclipse his buffs. The most notable nerf was todash attack: previously one of his most reliable moves inSSB4, it now has higher knockback and ending lag, causing follow-ups to be unreliable beyond low percentages and failing to combo intoShuttle Loop at high percentages. This noticeably worsens his combo, punish and set-up potential.

Gameplay mechanics also hurt Meta Knight as much as they help him. LikeCaptain Falcon, Meta Knight's increased traction hinders his dash grab as an effective approach, punish, and burst option, and has virtually removed his forward throw's combo potential. Furthermore, Meta Knight does not benefit from the expandeddash-canceling mechanic as much as other characters, since none of his tilts are reliable for KOing, down tilt is only decent at best for starting combos, and his smash attacks are unsafe. The nerfs torage, while slightly improving Meta Knight's endurance, hinder his capability to abuse the mechanic and secure early vertical KOs due to Shuttle Loop's first hit now havingset knockback. While the changes to air dodges are a boon to Meta Knight, many returning veterans have also benefitted from these changes, often improving their edgeguarding potential to be just as strong as his. Finally, Meta Knight's generally low damage output means he is unable to take advantage of the1v1 multiplier as much as other characters, allowing other characters to keep up with him.

Overall, Meta Knight's changes have generally toned down his most powerful tools and setups fromSSB4, with a harder time comboing and finishing off opponents in general, thus heightening his learning curve noticeably in the transition toUltimate. This is made worse by other characters with similar game plans to him benefitting more fromUltimate's mechanics than he has. In addition, several returning veterans that once struggled against Meta Knight have received variable buffs that allow them to either fight on par with him or overwhelm him. Due to the combination of these hindrances and a lack of noticeable buffs from game updates, Meta Knight is considered to be noticeably worse than he was inSSB4.

Aesthetics[edit]

• Due to the aesthetic used inUltimate, Meta Knight's model features a more subdued color scheme. His mask, gauntlets, pauldrons, and sabatons have subtle detailing. His mask in particular is a notably darker gray, and his eyes now have a bright orange glow around them.
  • Galaxia's design has been altered: its blade is flatter, resembling its official artwork forKirby Super Star Ultra andKirby: Planet Robobot.
• Galaxia's sword trails have reversed colors, using aqua with yellow accents instead of the yellow with turquoise accents fromSmash 4.
• His Galacta Knight-inspiredalternate costume more closely resembles its inspiration: his mask becomes cross-shaped with red eyes, his spikes and insignia become yellow, and Galaxia turns pink like Galacta Knight's lance. Similarly, Galaxia turns silver with a blue gem when donning the Dark Meta Knight costume, his sabatons turn a darker red as opposed to the inaccurate purple ofSmash 4, and his mask gains a scar and has paler eyes, much like his Mirror World doppelgänger.
• Meta Knight now wraps himself in his cape when performing hisspot dodge, like his rolling animation.
• Meta Knight's wings now droop or curl up whenfast falling.
• Two of Meta Knight'svictory animations were altered:
  • The one where he warps away now has him perform three sword slashes before warping.
  • The one where he flies on-screen from the side now shows him flying around and dropping to the ground before striking a pose.
• Meta Knight no longer grunts twice during his reeling animation.

Attributes[edit]

• Like all characters, Meta Knight'sjumpsquat takes 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
• Meta Knightwalks faster (1.18 → 1.239).
• Meta Knightruns faster (1.9 → 2.09).
  • His initialdash is much faster (1.7 → 2.211).
• Meta Knight'sair speed is faster (0.99 → 1.04).
• Meta Knight'straction is much higher (0.055 → 0.097).
• Forwardroll grants lessintangibility (frames 4-15 → 4-14) and has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 29).
• Back roll has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 34).
• Spot dodge has more startup (frame 2 → 3).
  • However, its total duration remains the same, giving it one frame less ending lag.
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 2-25 → 2-26).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 31 → 48).
• The new air dodge mechanics improve Meta Knight's juggling and edge-guarding abilities.
  • However, the removal of unlimited air dodging also hinders Meta Knight, due to him having multiple jumps and previously one of the fastest air dodges being able to make great use of it, worsening his aerial defence and survivability.

Ground attacks[edit]

• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack has received several changes to allow it to connect better and rack up damage more effectively:
    • It has considerably less start-up lag with a shorter gap between hits (frame 7, 11, 15, 20, 24 → 4, 7, 10, 13, 16), and a lowerhitlag multiplier (1× → 0.5×), making it harder toSDI out of.
    • It has a different launch angle to keep grounded opponents closer to Meta Knight (60°/84° →361°).
    • It has more base knockback (8 → 10) and each hit has gained ahitstun modifier of 2.
  • The finisher has less ending lag (FAF 35 → 31).
  • The multi-hits have 1 extended hitbox rather than 2 extended hitboxes, with the hitbox being larger than either of the previous hitboxes (5.8u/6.8u → 7u), and extending slightly further outward (Z2 offset 13 → 13.5), improving its range overall.
  • The single hitbox is placed higher up (Y offset: 5.2/5.3 → 6.5), improving its vertical range but reducing its ability to hit below the ledge.
  • It deals less damage per hit (1.2% → 1%) and no longer deals extrashield damage (1 → 0).
  • It has gained ashieldstun multiplier of 4×. This allows it to lock opponents into their shields between each hit, and thus pressure them more effectively, but also allows them to cancel shieldstun and punish Meta Knight more easily if they shield 10 hits or more.
  • The finisher now hastranscendent priority, preventing it from being canceled out by weak attacks.
  • The finisher consists of three medium-sized unextended hitboxes instead of a single large extended one (8u → 5u/6u/6u). The new hitboxes cover the same horizontal distance (with slightly reduced internal range, though this is negated by the changes to jostle mechanics), but cover less vertical range, shortening the finisher's range overall.
• Forward tilt:
  • The first two hits have different knockback (8 base/88 scaling → 25/20 (hit 1), 20/20 (hit 2)) and their outermost hitboxes launch opponents closer to Meta Knight (85° → 88° (hit 1), 80° → 85° (hit 2)), allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • The second hit has larger hitboxes (3.5u/3.5u → 4u/3.6u) which are positioned further out (Z offset: 8/16 → 9/16.5) and higher (Y offset: 2/4/6 → 3/5/7), improving its range.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt's sweetspot has more vertical range (Y offset: 23.9u → 25.2u (clean), 7.5u → 9u (late)).
  • The sourspot deals more damage during the clean hit (5% → 6%), but less during the late hit (6% → 5%).
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt's innermost hitbox is larger (3.2u → 3.5u), while the outermost hitbox stretches farther horizontally (Z offset: 13u → 15u), removing its blindspot next to Meta Knight and increasing its range to the point it properly covers the full tip of the blade.
  • Down tilt has a lowertrip chance (30% → 25%).
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has an altered animation. Meta Knight now spins on himself before thrusting his foot forward.
  • It deals more damage (6%/5% → 7%/6%).
  • It has one more frame of ending lag (FAF 32 → 33).
  • It has slightly less base knockback (70 → 65/65/67), but more knockback scaling (90 → 107). In combination with the previous changes, this hampers its combo potential past low percents.
    • However, this allows it to KO under 180%, giving it more utility as an emergency KO move.
  • It has smaller hitboxes (5.5u/5u/4.5u → 5u/4u/3.5u).
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has a modified sword trail with spiked edges.
  • Meta Knight no longer swings his entire body to the side and his sword towards the rear in the animation.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash deals more damage (3% (hit 1)/2% (hit 2)/4% (hit 3) → 4%/3%/5%; 9% → 12% (total)), with knockback scaling compensated on the last hit (166 → 148).
  • The first and second hits have moreset knockback (20/25 → 30), and their outer hitboxes launch opponents at a higher angle (135° → 130°), allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • The first and second hits now have a trip chance of -1, making it so the opponent can no longer trip and fall out of the move on platforms.
  • The upper hitboxes on all hits are larger (4.5u/4.5u/6u → 5.5u/5.5u/7u).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has an altered animation with Meta Knight swinging Galaxia upwards for the first hit.
  • It deals more damage (7% → 10% (hit 1), 10% → 13% (hit 2)) with knockback scaling not fully compensated (93 → 77 (hit 1)/78 (hit 2)), allowing the first hit to KO under 190% from center stage.
  • It no longer startscharging immediately (frame 1 → 2), allowing the player to use the uncharged move withoutbuffering.
  • The second hit has larger hitboxes (4.5u/4u → 4.6u/4.6u).
  • The first hit has a smaller hitbox (4.5u/4u → 3.8u).
    • It has more horizontal range due to the hitbox being extended to match the sword instead of not covering it completely, but is angled upward, making it harder to 2-frame with.

Aerial attacks[edit]

• All aerials have less landing lag (16 frames → 7 (neutral), 16 → 10 (forward), 18 → 11 (back), 18 → 9 (up), 22 → 9 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerialauto-cancels earlier (frame 50 → 40).
  • Neutral aerial has larger hitboxes, and the late hit has gained an additional hitbox that is larger (4u/4u/7u → 4.5u/4.5u/7.5u (clean), 3.8u/3.8u/3.8u → 4u/4u/4/6u (late)). The hitboxes have also altered vertical placements (Y offset: 0u/5.2u/7.2u → 0u/5.2u/5.5u (clean), 0u/4u/7.2u → 0u/5.2u/7.7u/5.5u (late)), and (3.5u → 5u), increasing their range.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has less ending lag (FAF 46 → 40) and auto-cancels earlier (frame 44 → 39).
  • All hits have slightly more horizontal range (outer hitbox Z offset: 13u → 13.5u).
  • The first two hits' are nowweight-independent, making them more consistent across the cast.
  • The first two hits' ground-only hitboxes launch at a higher angle (361° → 60°) and have more base knockback (30 → 60), but less knockback scaling (130 → 100). This allows them to connect more reliably, and in combination with the move's lower landing lag, start combos into other attacks at various percents.
  • The first two hits' aerial-only hitboxes use theautolink angle like in the original version ofSmash 4 (85° → 367°), allowing them to once again drag opponents down and set up combos, which is strengthened by the move's lower landing lag.
  • The first two hits' ground-only hitboxes deal less damage (2.2% → 2%).
  • The first two hits' aerial-only hitboxes deal more damage (1.5% → 2%).
• Back aerial:
  • All hits have more horizontal range (Z offset: -12u/-6u → -15u/-9u).
  • The first two hits' are now weight-independent, making them more consistent across the cast.
  • The first two hits' ground-only hitboxes launch at a higher angle (361° → 55°) and have more base knockback (40 → 50), but less knockback scaling (130 → 90). Much like forward aerial, this allows them to connect more reliably, and in combination with the move's lower landing lag, start combos into other attacks at various percents.
  • The first two hits' ground-only hitboxes deal less damage (2.2% → 2%).
  • The first two hits' aerial-only hitboxes deal more damage (1.5% → 2%).
  • The third hit has less knockback scaling (212 → 198), hindering its KO potential.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial's angles have been altered (69°/69°/52° → 67°/67°/50°), improving its combo potential into other aerials, but worsening the consistency of up aerialladder combos.

Throws and other attacks[edit]

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have increased ending lag (FAF 32 → 37 (standing), 40 → 45 (dash), 38 → 40 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have less range, especially standing grab (Z2 offset: 10u → 8.5u (standing), 10.8u → 10.1u (dash), -15u → -14.3u (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grabs have increased startup (frame 9 → 11 (dash), 9 → 12 (pivot)).
  • In a similar vein toCaptain Falcon, due to Meta Knight's increased traction, dash grab does not cause him to retain as much horizontal momentum, further decreasing its effective range.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (5 frames → 11), but has less startup (frame 4 → 1) and significantly less ending lag (FAF 24 → 6), greatly shortening its effective duration.
  • It deals much less damage (3% → 1%).
    • Relative to the rest of the cast, Meta Knight's pummel is among the fastest but least damaging, rather than among the slowest but most damaging.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw grants lessinvincibility (frames 1-18 → 1-10).
  • Due to Meta Knight's increased traction no longer allowing him to retain horizontal momentum during throws, forward throw has lost its combo potential entirely past very low percents.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw grants more invincibility (frames 1-18 → 1-46).
    • This notably improves its ability to performThe Omni technique if the opponent is holding an explosive projectile such asBomb orHand Grenade, as now only the opponent will be KO'd if it explodes at the peak of up throw's jump, rather than both them and Meta Knight being KO'd like inSmash 4, or being determined byport priority like inBrawl.
  • Up throw has more knockback scaling (70 → 76).
  • Up throw's notoriously powerful collateral hitbox deals less knockback (90 base/160 scaling → 85/150), no longer KOing under 80% from ground level.
  • Meta Knight releases opponents from up throw one frame later (frame 45 → 46). This slightly reduces the throw's ending lag, and since the throw already executes so slowly, the additional frame to DI the throw is completely negligible.
    • This also gives the collateral hitbox an additional active frame (39-44 → 39-45).
• Down throw:
  • Down throw grants more invincibility (frames 1-18 → 1-75).
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves[edit]

• Mach Tornado:
  • Mach Tornado travels faster horizontally, and gives more height viabutton mashing.
  • It has gained awindbox, allowing it to pull opponents more effectively into the attack.
  • The duration of the attack can no longer be extended by button mashing, making it worse for covering rolls and getups, or for juggling.
  • Instead of being a multi-hit attack, it only hits once, possessing a clean hit and late hit.
    • It deals significantly less total damage (22% → 12% (clean)/8% (late)).
    • It launches opponents horizontally (70° → 361°), which allows it to KO far earlier, working as a potent combo finisher and even an edgeguarding tool.
    • The clean hit is stronger than the previous final hit from center stage (55 base/170 scaling → 90/44), but the late hit is weaker (55/170 → 70/60).
    • It has more range than the previous multi-hits, but less than the previous final hit (6u/11u → 9u).
    • It has a lower hitlag multiplier (2× → 1.2×), although it still has more hitlag due to its higher individual damage and the universalhitlag increase.
  • Mach Tornado has updated visual effects: its trails are more opaque and incorporate more white accents than yellow. Its shape is also thinner, better resembling how it looked inBrawl.
• Drill Rush:
  • Drill Rush has a faster rehit rate (6 → 4), causing it to hit up to twelve times (up from nine), and its looping hits deal more damage (1% → 1.1%), increasing its total output (11% → 15.1%).
  • The looping hits have gained additional hitboxes above and below Meta Knight, and all hitboxes have different angles (0°/30°/361°/366° (clean), 50°/366°/366° (late) → 363°/367°/30°/30°/367°/365°) and knockback (30/30/0/0 set/60/100/70/70 base → 45/30/45/45/0/0 set/50/80/50/80/25/25 base), alongside a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.6×). In combination with their faster rehit rate, this allows them to connect much more effectively and makes them harder to escape.
    • Additionally, the altered knockback and angles when combined with the faster knockback physics improve the looping hitsgimping potential if the opponent falls out of the move off-stage.
  • The final hit has gained an additional hitbox that is larger (6u → 8u), increasing its range.
  • Drill Rush now has transcendent priority, making it more vulnerable overall and likely to trade with other attacks rather than beating them outright, and making it unable to cancel out all projectiles.
  • Drill Rush loses a significant amount of momentum and angling capabilities if shielded. This hinders its ability tocross-up opponents, making it easier to punish.
  • Drill Rush can no longer slide off edges halfway through the move, making it less prone toself-destructing, and improving its ability to catch opponents getting off the ledge.
  • The final hit has less knockback scaling (200 → 185), although it launches at a lower angle to compensate (60° → 40°).
  • The final hit has a unique, bright red visual effect if it hits an opponent.
• Shuttle Loop:
  • Shuttle Loop conserves more vertical momentum after the second hit.
    • However, this makes the move even more punishable on whiff or on hit, even up to mid-percents, combined with its high landing lag being unchanged.
  • The first hit deals set knockback (grounded: 130/127/98/98 base/10 scaling (early), 90/10 (late) → 125/125/120/120 set/120 scaling (early), 100/120 (mid), 68/100 (late); aerial: 120/70 base/10 scaling → 116/110 set/120 scaling (early), 80/100 (late)) and isweight-independent, with the aerial version additionally now consisting of an early and late hit like the grounded version, while the grounded gained an additional middle hit.
    • This makes the move slightly more consistent at connecting across the cast regardless of percent.
    • However, this notably removes its ability to potentially hit opponents up to a higher position and lead to earlier KOs with the second hit, or KO outright with the aerial version's first hit near the upper blast line, hindering the move's KO potential, which is further worsened byrage no longer affecting moves with set knockback, as well as the changes to dash attack and up aerial combined with the faster knockback physics making it harder to confirm into the move.
  • The second hit's sword hitbox is much larger (5.5u → 7.7u), is positioned higher, and stretches farther vertically (4u—9u → 3.5u—10u), increasing its range.
• Dimensional Cape:
  • Meta Knight falls later into Dimensional Cape in the air, allowing it to cover more vertical distance.
  • Dimensional Cape can now grab ledges with the attack, starting on frame 50.
  • Dimensional Cape has less ending lag (FAF 63 → 58).
  • The attack has more intangibility (frames 12-28 → 12-32 (stationary/back)/12-29 (moving forward)), making it less likely to be interrupted right as Meta Knight reappears.
  • Dimensional Cape deals more damage if done on the ground without moving (15% → 16%).
  • It deals less damage if done on the ground moving backward (14% → 13%).
  • The attack's inner hitboxes are smaller (neutral: 8.5u → 7.5u, forwards: 11.5u → 8.5u. backwards: 11.5u → 7.5u) and the outermost hitboxes are less extended.
  • Dimensional Cape has less control over Meta Knight's movement once he reappears, making it harder to reposition himself or maneuver around opponents.
  • Due to the changes to thejostle mechanics, Dimensional Cape can no longer cross-up opponents once Meta Knight reappears.
  • Dimensional Cape can no longer slide off edges. While this makes it less likely to self-destruct, this removes its ability to slide off and escape platforms or quicklyledge trump opponents from a distance, making this more of a hindrance overall.
• Darkness Illusion:
  • Meta Knight has a newFinal Smash, Darkness Illusion. It creates a surge of energy around Meta Knight which traps opponents, dragging them into the air, where Meta Knight clones himself to strike repeatedly, before finishing with a slash that sends opponents at a horizontal angle. It bears a resemblance to Upper Calibur, Meta Knight's strongest attack inKirby: Star Allies, with the cross-lightning being similar toKirby Super Star Ultra's version of Mach Tornado and Meta Knight's Shuttle Loop when combined with electricity inKirby Star Allies.
  • The surge of energy from Darkness Illusion has less range than the cape fromGalaxia Darkness. In addition, it has lost the ability to hit others not trapped in the Final Smash, unlike Galaxia Darkness.

Update history[edit]

Meta Knight received a mix of buffs, a single nerf and a single glitch fix via game updates, but was buffed slightly overall. Update 1.1.0 increased his dash attack's ending lag, which made it slightly less safe on shield and slightly exacerbated its already worsened combo potential. After an absence from game updates, Meta Knight was buffed slightly in update 7.0.0, which enlarged his shield as part of a near-universal buff.

However, update 8.0.0 granted Meta Knight his most useful buffs. Most notably, forward aerial, back aerial andShuttle Loop each received hitbox and/or knockback adjustments; these changes not only improved their consistency (especially Shuttle Loop's), but also improved forward and back aerials' combo potentials. On an extended note, forward aerial auto-cancels earlier and its ending lag was decreased; both of these buffs not only further supplement its improved combo potential, but also improve its utility for approaching and edge-guarding. Aside from these changes, neutral aerial's range was increased via enlarged and repositioned hitboxes, while cleanMach Tornado gained more active frames.

Following this, update 9.0.0 made neutral attack slightly safer by granting its finishertranscendent priority as part of a near-universal buff. Lastly, update 13.0.1 improved up smash's range and the consistency of its hits, slightly increased forward and back aerials' damage outputs, and increased up throw's knockback to the point that it functions as a situational KO option (especially on platforms).

Overall, Meta Knight fares slightly better than he did at the launch ofUltimate.

1.1.0

• Dash attack has more ending lag (FAF 32 → 33).

7.0.0

• Overall shield size has been increased.

8.0.0

• Neutral aerial has larger hitboxes (4u/7u → 4.5u/7.5u (clean), 3.8u/5u → 4u/6u (late)) with altered vertical placements (Y offset: 0u/5.2u/7.2u → 0u/5.2u/5.5u (clean), 0u/4u/7.2u/0u → 0u/5.2u/7.7u/5.5u (late)), increasing its range.
• Forward aerial:
  • The move has less ending lag (FAF 46 → 40) and autocancels earlier (frame 44 → 39).
  • The first two hits haveweight-independent knockback, useset knockback against grounded opponents (60 base/100 scaling → 65 set/100 scaling), and launch at a higher angle with the farthest hitbox (60° → 70°). This allows them to both connect reliably into the third hit and start combos more effectively, now possessing a KO setup into down smash at high percents.
• Back aerial's first two hits have weight-independent knockback, and use set knockback against grounded opponents (50 base/90 scaling → 55 set/100 scaling). This allows them to both connect reliably into the third hit and start combos more effectively.
• Mach Tornado's clean hit has a longer duration.
• Shuttle Loop:
  • The first hit's late hit launches at a slightly lower angle (86° → 84°) with reduced set knockback (80 → 68).
  • The second hit's sword hitbox is much larger (5.5u → 7.7u) and stretches farther vertically (4u—9u → 3.5u—10u), increasing its range and allowing it to connect more reliably from the first hit.

9.0.0

• Rapid jab finisher hastranscendent priority, preventing it from being canceled out by weak attacks.

9.0.1

• Fixed an issue where Meta Knight wouldpass through non-stage terrain such asSteve's blocks orPac-Man'sFire Hydrant.

13.0.1

• Up smash now has more range (hits 1-2: 4.5u → 5.5u, hit 3: 6u → 7u) and now has a trip chance of -1, making it so the opponent can't trip and fall out of the move.
• The first two hits of forward and back aerial deal 0.5% more damage (1.5% → 2%).
• Up throw has more knockback growth (70 → 76).

Moveset[edit]

• Meta Knight can perform5 double jumps, tied withKirby andJigglypuff for most double jumps in the game.

For a gallery of Meta Knight's hitboxes, seehere.

Note: All numbers are listed as base damage, without the1v1 multiplier.

Stats[edit]

Announcer call[edit]

This article could use additional or higher-quality audio files. The editor who added this tag suggests:Needs announcer calls from other languages. If you have a good audio file for this article, upload ithere.

• English/Japanese/Chinese

On-screen appearance[edit]

• UsesDimensional Cape to warp onto the stage.

• 

  Meta Knight's on-screen appearance

Taunts[edit]

• Up taunt: Wraps himself in his cape and spins repeatedly (as if he is about to warp) while scoffing.
• Side taunt: Says "Fight me!" (勝負だ!,Let's battle!) while slashing twice and then pointing Galaxia in front of himself.
• Down taunt: Turns his cape into wings and spreads them out while shouting "Come!" (来いっ!) If facing left, he will perform the taunt while facing the background instead, as characters inSmash 64 did.

• 

  Meta Knight's up taunt.

• 

  Meta Knight's side taunt.

• 

  Meta Knight's down taunt.

Idle poses[edit]

• Swings Galaxia and clenches his fist in front of himself.
• Pulls his cape in front of himself and then throws it back.

• 

  Meta Knight's first idle pose.

• 

  Meta Knight's second idle pose.

Crowd cheer[edit]

	Cheer (English)	Cheer (Japanese/Chinese)	Cheer (Italian)	Cheer (Dutch)	Cheer (French)
Cheer
Description	Me - ta - Knight!	Me - ta - Knight!	Me - ta - Knight!	Meta Knight! Meta Knight! Me - ta - Knight!	Me - ta - Knight!

	Cheer (German)	Cheer (Spanish)	Cheer (Russian)	Cheer (Korean)
Cheer
Description	Me - ta - Knight!	Meeeeta - Knight!	Me - ta - Knight!	Metaaaa - Knight!

Victory poses[edit]

• Left: Performs three slashes with Galaxia, says "Come back when you can put up a fight." then warps away. ("もっと強くなって来い。",Come at me when you've become stronger.). The warp is a reference to his defeat animation from most of his appearances as a boss.
• Up: Flies into the scene and then spreads his cape, saying "You've much yet to learn." ("まだまだだな。",Not just yet it seems).
• Right: Performs two slashes and then twirls Galaxia, saying "Victory...is my destiny." ("これも宿命だ。",This too is destiny.).

Incompetitive play[edit]

Most historically significant players[edit]

See also:Category:Meta Knight players (SSBU)

•  Abadango - The greatest Meta Knight player of all time. He was one of the first notable Meta Knight players, playing him in the early months of competitiveUltimate and placing 25th atFrostbite 2019. He dropped him in mid-2019 but brought him back into his roster in mid-2022, where he used primarily Meta Knight to place 2nd atKagaribi 8, defeating several of Japan's best players at that time, which remains the best tournament performance from a Meta Knight player. Alongside his 3rd-place finish atVCA 2022, his results helped improve Meta Knight's perception in the community, though he eventually relegated Meta Knight to a pocket once again in mid-2023. Nevertheless, he remains the only Meta Knight player ever ranked in the top 50.
•  BONK! - One of the best Meta Knight players in North America. He is especially known for his performances from late-2021 to mid-2022, where he placed 17th atGlitch 8.5 - Konami Code,Let's Make Big Moves 2022, andGlitch - Infinite, defeatingWaDi at the first event. He was ranked 143rd on theOrionRank Mid-Year 2022 as the first solo-Meta Knight player ranked globally; however, he was not ranked on the full-year ranking.
•  Metara - The best Meta Knight player in the post-pandemic metagame, especially since Abadango dropped the character in 2023. Although inconsistent, he has seen some of the best Meta Knight performances of all time, including winningRuyubura! Part 2, the first ranked event won by a solo-Meta Knight player; placing 13th atSmash Awesome!; 17th atSeibugeki 18 andUltCore Fourth, defeatingRaki at the latter; and upsettingMiya atKagaribi 10. He was ranked 134th on theLumiRank 2023 as the first and only solo-Meta Knight player ever ranked globally on a year-long ranking.
•  Yei - The best player from Central America prior toShinyMark's rise in 2022. He is known for his mastery over many characters but primarily played Meta Knight during the earlier metagame. He was best known for nearly winning the Mexican invitationalSmash Vertex, where he defeatedMaister, placing 2nd atSmash Legends 3 defeatingShinyMark, and placing 5th at theSWT: Central America Ultimate Regional Finals defeatingChag. He played morePalutena as time went on and was ranked 85th on theUltRank 2022 as a Palutena and Meta Knight co-main, before dropping Meta Knight entirely in 2023.

Tier placement and history[edit]

Although initial opinions on Meta Knight were high thanks to leaked gameplay, opinions on Meta Knight have remained rather low since the early metagame. This is due to his nerfs which gave him a weaker combo and punish game than in previous iterations. As a result, although Meta Knight saw some success from players such asAbadango andYei, this success was largely complemented with the usage of other, stronger characters, and Abadango eventually dropped Meta Knight by mid-2019. On the other hand, Meta Knight's overall representation was below-average, ranking in the bottom 20 by the end of 2019. This led many players to believe that Meta Knight was a low-mid tier character and a shadow of his former self.

However, Meta Knight's results were able to pick up in the post-online metagame as more players began placing more focus on his strengths, primarily his strong ladder combo game at earlier percents. While Yei continued to place well with Meta Knight, the first few months of the post-online metagame saw a few notable runs fromBONK! while Abadango readded Meta Knight into his roster by mid-2022, most notably using primarily Meta Knight to place 2nd atKagaribi 8 and 3rd atVCA 2022. Finally, mid-2023 saw the rise ofMetara, who saw a consistent top 64 presence at majors and even had a few top player upsets under his sleeve. Although Meta Knight's overall representation remained below-average, many players still recognized the dedication from Meta Knight players, and as a result the general consensus had shifted in a more positive light. This is reflected in Meta Knight's position on the current tier list, where he is ranked 46th in the B- tier. Rising four more places from his previous 50th ranking, this places Meta Knight in the middle of the B tiers as a whole as a result of Metara's continued success with him.

Classic Mode: Two Sides of the Same Coin[edit]

Meta Knight'scongratulations screen.

Meta Knight's opponents are characters who have doppelgängers. The odd-numbered rounds featurefree-for-all battles involving Meta Knight fighting against characters and their respective counterparts. Conversely, the even-numbered rounds feature 2-on-1 battles involving Meta Knight fighting against a team that consists of a character allied with their respective counterpart. The Final Round also follows this theme by featuring bothMaster Hand andCrazy Hand, regardless of the difficulty setting.

Round	Opponent	Stage	Music	Notes
1	Link (×2)	Bridge of Eldin (Ω form)	Hidden Mountain & Forest	The second Link representsDark Link, an evil copy of Link.
2	Pit andDark Pit	Reset Bomb Forest	Dark Pit's Theme
3	Captain Falcon (×2)	Port Town Aero Dive	Fire Field (Remix)	The second Captain Falcon representsBlood Falcon, an evil clone of Captain Falcon.
4	Lucas (×2)	New Pork City	Mother 3 Love Theme	The second Lucas representsClaus, Lucas' twin brother.
5	Samus andDark Samus	Frigate Orpheon	Multiplayer - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
6	Meta Knight (×2)	Fountain of Dreams	The World to Win	Items do not appear. The Meta Knights representGalacta Knight (a recurringboss in theKirby series) andDark Meta Knight (Meta Knight'sMirror World counterpart), respectively. If either of these costumes are being used by the player, default Meta Knight will appear in their place.
Bonus Stage
Final	Master Hand andCrazy Hand	Final Destination	Master Hand / Crazy Hand	The Hands themselves reference two sides of the same coin. Both Hands are fought at any difficulty.

Credits roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as Meta Knight hasMeta Knight's Revenge accompany the credits.

Role inWorld of Light[edit]

Finding Meta Knight in World of Light

Meta Knight is absent from the World of Light opening cutscene, though he was vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (exceptKirby) whenGaleem unleashed his beams of light.

Meta Knight was one of the many fighters that fell underDharkon's control upon Galeem's first defeat. He is found in theMysterious Dimension sub-area, and blocks the path toMarx, making him an obligatory unlock. After rescuing him,Ike andGreninja, the player can advance toward the boss.

Fighter Battle[edit]

No.	Image	Name	Type	Power	Stage	Music
27		Meta Knight	Attack	11,800	Halberd (Ω form)	Meta Knight's Revenge

Spirit[edit]

Meta Knight's fighter spirit can be obtained by completingClassic Mode as Meta Knight. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold, but only after Meta Knight has been unlocked. Unlocking Meta Knight in World of Light allows the player to preview the spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. His fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces it with his artwork inUltimate.

In Spirit Battles[edit]

Conditions in italic aren't listed on the Spirit Battle preview screen.

As the main opponent[edit]

Spirit				Battle parameters							Inspiration
No.	Image	Name	Series	Enemy Fighter(s)	Type	Power	Stage	Rules	Conditions	Music	Character
101		Dimentio	Paper Mario Series	•Meta Knight •GiantLuigi		3,800	Paper Mario	•Attack Power ↑	•The enemy has increased attack power after a little while •The enemy deals damage when falling •The enemy is giant	Battle! - Paper Mario: Color Splash
306		Bandit	Yoshi Series	•Meta Knight×3		3,300	Yoshi's Island	N/A	•The enemy favors grabs and throws	Obstacle Course - Yoshi's Island
309		Grim Leecher	Yoshi Series	•Meta Knight		1,800	Yoshi's Island	•Hazard: Left Is Right, Right Is Left	•Left and right controls will suddenly reverse	Obstacle Course - Yoshi's Island
343		Dark Matter	Kirby Series	•Meta Knight (120 HP) •King Dedede (80 HP)		13,500	Halberd (Ω form)	•Assist Trophy Enemies (Nightmare)	•The enemy's melee weapons have increased power •The enemy can unleash powerful critical hits at random •Stamina battle	02 Battle
374		Meta-Knights	Kirby Series	•Meta Knight Team (60 HP) (50 HP) (40 HP) (50 HP)		8,800	Halberd (Ship deck)	N/A	•Stamina battle •Reinforcements will appear during the battle •The enemy starts the battle with aKilling Edge	Meta Knight's Revenge	Javelin Knight (red costume) Axe Knight, Mace Knight, and Trident Knight (navy costume)
539		Aegislash	Pokémon Series	•GoldMeta Knight×2		4,000	Kalos Pokémon League (hazards off)	N/A	•The enemy's melee weapons have increased power •Timed battle (1:30) •Reinforcements will appear after an enemy is KO'd	Battle! (Trainer Battle) - Pokémon X / Pokémon Y
987		Vega	Street Fighter Series	•Meta Knight (160 HP)		9,100	Arena Ferox (Ω form)	•Jump Power ↓	•Stamina battle •All fighters have reduced jump power •The enemy loves to jump	Vega Stage Type A
1,019		Masked Lumen	Bayonetta Series	•GiantMeta Knight		4,100	Umbra Clock Tower (hazards off)	•Item:Timer	•The enemy is giant	The Legend Of Aesir
1,068		Medusa Head	Castlevania Series	•Meta Knight •TinyMewtwo×5		3,600	Dracula's Castle	•Move Speed ↓	•You have reduced move speed after a little while •The enemy falls slowly •Defeat an army of fighters	Starker / Wicked Child
1,072		Carmilla	Castlevania Series	•GiantMeta Knight		2,100	Dracula's Castle	•Defense ↑ •Invisibility	•The enemy is invisible •The enemy has increased defense after a little while •The enemy is giant	Dwelling of Doom
1,332		Dracky	Dragon Quest Series	•Meta Knight (50 HP) (80 HP) (60 HP)		2,200	Dracula's Castle (hazards off)	•Defense ↓	•You have reduced defense •Timedstamina battle (1:00) •The enemy has increased jump power	Unflinchable Courage	Drackolyte (red costume) Drackmage (green costume)

As a minion[edit]

Spirit				Battle parameters							Inspiration
No.	Image	Name	Series	Enemy Fighter(s)	Type	Power	Stage	Rules	Conditions	Music	Character
205		Skull Kid	The Legend of Zelda Series	•Mii Brawler (Moveset2123, Skull Kid's Hat, Skull Kid's Outfit) •TinyMeta Knight		4,000	Distant Planet (hazards off)	•Assist Trophy Enemies (Skull Kid (Invisibility Effect)) •Hazard: Fog	•Defeat the main fighter to win •The stage is covered in fog •Hostile assist trophies will appear	Saria's Song / Middle Boss Battle	Tatl (pink costume) andTael (navy costume)
310		Roger the Potted Ghost	Yoshi Series	•GiantWii Fit Trainer (60 HP) •Meta Knight×2 (60 HP)		4,400	Dracula's Castle (Ω form)	•Hard to Launch •Jump Power ↓ •Hazard: High Gravity	•Defeat the main fighter to win •All fighters have reduced jumping ability •Timedstamina battle (1:00)	Yoshi's Island (Brawl)	Green Shy Guys
358		Susie	Kirby Series	•Isabelle •MetalMeta Knight		3,400	Halberd (hazards off)	N/A	•The enemy is metal	Pink Ball Activate!	Mecha Knight

Alternate costumes[edit]

Gallery[edit]

• 

  Meta Knight's fighter card.

• 

  Meta Knight's unlock notice.

• 

  Taunting onSkyloft.

• 

  Meta Knight aboveUmbra Clock Tower.

• 

  Jumping towardToon Link with aBeam Sword onKongo Falls.

• 

  OnSkyworld alongsideKirby, who is sporting hisunmasked Meta Knight-inspiredalternate costume.

• 

  UsingDimensional Cape onBowser onSmashville.

• 

  Sporting hisGalacta Knight-inspired alternate costume on Skyworld.

• 

  Meta Knight getting attacked byIke onColiseum.

• 

  Meta Knight andRoy facing aFake Smash Ball onMushroomy Kingdom...

• 

  ...and then being hit by its blast.

• 

  Using his up aerial onLylat Cruise.

• 

  Alongside Kirby andKing Dedede onGreen Greens.

• 

  Meta Knight getting attacked byAlucard on Umbra Clock Tower.

Fighter Showcase Video[edit]

Trivia[edit]

• The sword swinging sound effects used during Meta Knight's neutral infinite are not synced with the actual sword swings. This is because the move uses the same sound effect timings asSuper Smash Bros. 4, where his neutral infinite was slower. This can be easily heard by slowing down the game's speed, where the 5-swing sound sequence can be heard.
• Meta Knight's stock icon is one of six to show the character's eyes, the others being Kirby,R.O.B.,Sonic,Zombie and Enderman.
  • This is not countingCaptain Falcon andLarry, as the eyes depicted for the former are not his actual eyes, and the latter lacks his irises.
  • Additionally, Meta Knight and Kirby would later usesimilar icons inKirby Air Riders.
• Meta Knight is the only fighter whose eyes glow a color other than yellow whenperfect shielding or while capable of using aFinal Smash. In his case, they glow red; this may be a reference toKirby: Right Back at Ya!, in which Meta Knight's eyes turn red when he is angry.
• When Meta Knight ispoisoned orcursed, his eyes become slightly smaller than usual, which suggests this is his "grimacing" expression internally in the files.
• Meta Knight,Inkling,Joker,Hero,Banjo & Kazooie,Sephiroth,Pyra,Mythra, andSora are the only fighters who use their walking animations when navigating through the map inWorld of Light.
• Meta Knight and Sephiroth are the only fighters to leave the victory screen after performing one of their victory poses.

References[edit]

v • d • e Kirby universe
Fighters	Kirby (SSB ·SSBM ·SSBB ·SSB4 ·SSBU) ·Meta Knight (SSBB ·SSB4 ·SSBU) ·King Dedede (SSBB ·SSB4 ·SSBU)
Assist Trophies	Knuckle Joe ·Nightmare ·Chef Kawasaki
Bosses	Giant Kirby ·Marx
Stages	Dream Land ·Fountain of Dreams ·Green Greens ·Halberd ·Dream Land GB ·The Great Cave Offensive
Items	Maxim Tomato ·Star Rod ·Parasol ·Warp Star ·Apple ·Dragoon ·Superspicy Curry ·Bomber
Enemies	Bonkers ·Bronto Burt ·Gordo ·Parasol Waddle Dee ·Plasma Wisp ·Shotzo ·Tac ·Waddle Dee ·Waddle Doo
Other	Gourmet Race ·Whispy Woods
Trophies,Stickers andSpirits	Trophies (SSBM ·SSBB ·SSB4) ·Stickers ·Spirits
Music	Brawl ·SSB4 ·Ultimate
Masterpieces	Kirby's Dream Land ·Kirby's Adventure ·Kirby Super Star

• Characters (SSBU)
• Kirby universe
• Meta Knight (SSBU)
• Spirits

• Articles in need of audio