Link's up aerial inBrawl.

Cloud's up aerial inUltimate.

Anup aerial (上空中攻撃,up/above/upper midair attack; commonly abbreviated asuair oru-air, and internallyAttackAirHi) is anaerial attack that is performed in midair by pressing the attack button while tilting thecontrol stick upward. Its official term varies between titles; it is known as anup midair attack inSuper Smash Bros. Melee, and anup air attack fromSuper Smash Bros. Brawl onward.

Many up aerials either have wide arcing overhead coverage, such as kicks and sword swings, or are more narrow but powerful strikes directly above the character. Up aerials tend to have predominantly upward launch angles, making them the most effective comboing aerial on average. They are commonly used to safely pressure opponents on platforms, for catching landings andjuggling,sharking the ledge when off-stage, or sniping opponents close to the top blast zone for relatively early KOs. Many up aerials' landing animations involve the character falling on their back or upside-down before returning to an upright standing position.

List of up aerials[edit]

Character	Description
Banjo &Kazooie	Kazooie swings her wings in an upward motion.
Bayonetta	Performs a frontflip kick. If the button is held, Bayonetta somersaults repeatedly forward and kicks all around herself while firingBullet Arts from her feet.
Bowser	Leans his head down, then swings it upward. Headbutts in an arc starting from the front.
Bowser Jr.	Swings a hammer above himself. TheKoopalings swing their respective wands instead inUltimate.
Byleth	Unlatches the Sword of the Creator into its whip form, waving it above his head.
Captain Falcon	Performs a backflip kick.
Charizard	Headbutts above itself. Swings its head upward in an arc starting from the front.
Chrom	Performs a somersaulting slash above himself in an arc starting from the front.
Cloud	Holds the Buster Sword parallel to the ground and thrusts it upward.
Corrin	Performs a somersaulting slash above himself in an arc starting from the front.
Daisy	Swipes one arm after the other from back to the front above herself, creating two magic rainbow trails.
Dark Pit	Twirls the Silver Bow above himself, hitting multiple times.
Dark Samus	Performs an upside-down corkscrew kick aimed slightly forward, hitting multiple times.
Diddy Kong	Performs a backflip kick. Kicks in an overhead arc starting from the front.
Donkey Kong	Swipes one arm in an overhead arc starting from the front, much like hisup tilt. Headbutts in an arc starting from behind.
Dr. Mario	Performs a backflip kick.
Duck Hunt	The duck pecks upward three times.
Falco	Flips forward, hitting with his tail and then his legs. Performs a frontflip kick.
Fox	Flips forward, hitting with his tail and then his legs.
Ganondorf	Performs a backflip kick.
Greninja	Performs an upside-down corkscrew kick, hitting multiple times.
Hero	Kicks straight upward.
Ice Climbers	Thrust their hammers upward. Swing their hammers upward in an arc starting from the front.
Ike	Twirls Ragnell above himself in a helicopter motion. Slashes above himself in an arc starting from the front.
Incineroar	Kicks in an overhead arc starting from the front.
Inkling	Kicks twice with one leg after the other in an overhead arc starting from the front.
Isabelle	Thrusts two turnips upward.
Ivysaur	Blasts pollen from its bulb above itself, falling down at a faster speed afterward.
Jigglypuff	Waves one arm in an overhead arc starting from behind.
Joker	Performs an upside-down corkscrew kick aimed slightly forward, hitting multiple times. If active, Arsene swings one hand upward in tandem with Joker's last hit.
Kazuya	Performs a high upwards kick.
Ken	Kicks at a diagonally upward angle.
King Dedede	Twirls his hammer above himself, hitting multiple times.
King K. Rool	Stretches his body and thrusts his head upward, falling while laughing afterward.
Kirby	Performs a cartwheel. FromMelee onward, this is hisneutral aerial. Performs a backflip kick.
Link	Performs a prolonged stab above himself with the Master Sword.
Little Mac	Weakly throws out a hook in an overhead arc starting from behind.
Lucario	Kicks straight upward, releasing aura from its foot.
Lucas	Headbutts in an arc starting from behind.
Lucina	Performs a somersaulting slash above herself in an arc starting from the front.
Luigi	Performs a backflip kick.
Mario	Performs a backflip kick.
Marth	Performs a somersaulting slash above himself in an arc starting from the front.
Mega Man	Uses the Air Shooter, firing a small tornado above himself that hits opponents multiple times andcarries them upward alongside it.
Meta Knight	Slashes above himself in an arc starting from the front.
Mewtwo	Backflips and swings its tail overhead.
Mii Brawler	Kicks in an overhead arc starting from the front.
Mii Gunner	Fires several shots upward from their arm cannon.
Mii Swordfighter	Performs a twirling stab upward.
Min Min	Performs a backflip kick.
Mr. Game & Watch	Blows two puffs of air above himself. Note: Mr. Game & Watch cannot L-cancel his up aerial inMelee because it actually functions as a special move, thus being unable to L-cancel. This trait is shared with his neutral and back aerials. Blows a puff of air that rises upward, hitting opponents multiple times and carrying them alongside it.
Mythra	Slashes the Aegis Sword above herself in a wide arc starting in front of her.
Ness	Headbutts in an arc starting from behind. Swings one arm in an overhead arc starting from behind, releasing PSI sparks from his index finger that hit multiple times.
Olimar	Throws his leading Pikmin above himself, hitting multiple times. Grabs his leading Pikmin by its stem and twirls it above himself. If no Pikmin are following Olimar, he still performs the respective moves, but they have no effect.
Pac-Man	Performs a backflip kick.
Palutena	Twirls and summons her halo, hitting multiple times.
Peach	Kicks at a diagonally upward angle. Swipes one arm after the other from back to the front above herself, creating two magic rainbow trails.
Pichu	Swings its tail in an overhead arc starting from behind.
Pikachu	Swings its tail in an overhead arc starting from behind.
Piranha Plant	Headbutts in an arc starting from behind.
Pit	Twirls the Palutena Bow above himself, hitting multiple times.
Pyra	Slashes the Aegis Sword above herself in a wide arc starting in front of her.
R.O.B.	Flails both arms above himself, hitting multiple times.
Richter	Whips upward with the Vampire Killer. Can function as atether recovery.
Ridley	Thrusts his closed wings upward, stabbing with their sharp ends.
Robin	Performs a somersaulting slash in an overhead arc starting from the front. Can use either the Bronze Sword or the Levin Sword.
Rosalina &Luma	Rosalina: Summons a rising planetary ring above herself. Luma: Performs a backflip kick. Performs an uppercut.
Roy	Slashes above himself in an arc starting from the front.
Ryu	Uppercuts in front of himself, hitting twice.
Samus	Performs an upside-down corkscrew kick aimed slightly forward, hitting multiple times.
Sephiroth	Performs an upward slash with Masamune in a front-to-back arc.
Sheik	Performs an upside-down corkscrew kick aimed slightly forward. Performs an upside-down corkscrew kick aimed slightly forward, hitting multiple times, then follows up with a stretch kick.
Shulk	Thrusts the Monado upward, then activates its beam blade for a second hit.
Simon	Whips upward with the Vampire Killer. It can function as a tether recovery.
Snake	Performs an upside-down dropkick.
Sonic	Performs a scissor kick.
Sora	Performs an upward slash in a front-to-back arc.
Squirtle	Backflips and swings its tail overhead.
Steve	Swings his axe above himself.
Terry	A flipping kick above.
Toon Link	Performs a prolonged stab above himself with the Master Sword.
Villager	Thrust one, two, or three turnips upward, with the amount beingrandom.
Wario	Claps his hands and feet together.
Wii Fit Trainer	Assumes the Half-Moon pose, swinging her outstretched arms in an overhead arc that starts from the front.
Wolf	Swipes his claws with one arm in an overhead arc starting from the front.
Yoshi	Somersaults and flicks his tail upward. Swings his tail upward in an arc starting from behind.
Young Link	Performs a prolonged stab above himself with the Kokiri Sword.
Zelda	Releases an explosion above herself from one hand.
Zero Suit Samus	Performs a backflip kick.

Notable up aerials[edit]

Zelda's up aerial inMelee.

• Mega Man's, as well asMr. Game & Watch's inUltimate, are the onlyprojectile up aerials in the series, and can bereflected orpocketed.
  • Mega Man's is known for its high maximum damage and many upward-launchingwindboxes, allowing it to KO early near the upperblast line if they attempt to jump out of it. It also turns into ameteor smash when reflected.
  • Mr. Game & Watch's has multiple hits and extremely low knockback scaling that give high frame advantage as a projectile, making it an infamously oppressive juggling tool inUltimate.
• Mr. Game & Watch has the only up aerial inMelee that cannot beL-canceled, due to being coded as a special move. This oddity is also present in hisneutral aerial andback aerial.
• Simon andRichter's double astether recoveries.
• Captain Falcon's is one of his most useful moves due to its large range and outstanding frame data. InMelee andBrawl, it KOs horizontally, while in all other games, it juggles and better combos into itself and other moves (most infamously intoFalcon Dive inSmash 64, commonly known as theStairway to Heaven, and into Knee Smash in other games).
• Fox's is most notorious inMelee for its deadly power, being the second strongest up aerial in the game, and being a consistent confirm from up throw across most percents.
  • InUltimate, with its higher damage and more consistent multihits, it is also notorious for its ability to chain into itself extensively for massive damage.
• InSmash 64, the strongest up aerial wasNess's in the Japanese version, andJigglypuff's in the international versions.
• Bowser has the strongest up aerial inMelee, as well as one of the strongest aerials overall.
• Zelda has the strongest up aerial fromBrawl onward, and is extremely strong inBrawl.
• Meta Knight'sinBrawl is infamous for its range and extreme speed, allowing it to juggle and combo into itself even withBrawl's minimal hitstun. It ties with Little Mac's neutral aerial for the fastest startup (frame 2) of any aerial in the series. Prior toSteve's gold up air, it had the lowest FAF of any aerial attack in the series.
  • Although overall worse inSmash 4 andUltimate, it is instead notorious for its ability to chain into itself extensively for ladder combos and early KOs.
• Zero Suit Samus's is notoriously effective, especially its fastest and strongest version inBrawl, and inSmash 4, where it often sets up ladder combos into itself andBoost Kick for an early KO off the top blast zone.
• Mario's inSmash 4 andUltimate is similar to ZSS's; due to its low lag all around and wide coverage above him, it has very high combo potential and early KO potential, namely into the meteor smash of his forward aerial, orladder combos into itself, which with platform extensions can be finished withSuper Jump Punch for a KO off the top.
• Rosalina & Luma's inSmash 4 is widely considered one of the best due to Luma's high base knockback and fastest startup of any up aerial in the game, as well as Rosalina's large disjointed hitbox, which can combo into itself, juggle opponents toward the upper blast line and KO them at low percents with highrage.
• Cloud's inSmash 4 is often considered one of the best due to its speed, lingering hitboxes, low landing lag, immediateauto-cancel after the hitboxes cease, and low hitboxes in its first active frame, making it an oppressive juggling option that can also easily hit grounded opponents.
• Corrin's (inUltimate especially) is notorious for its large hitboxes, wide disjointed arc and low all-around lag that give it high combo potential, juggling coverage and safety on shield.
• Palutena's inUltimate is infamous for its large, disjointed and lingering hitboxes that auto-cancel in a full hop and chain into themselves and juggle very effectively, as well as its above-average power and autolink multihits helping carry the opponent toward the top blast zone for relatively early KOs.
• Ivysaur's inUltimate is notorious for its massive hitbox and great power, as well as resetting any upward momentum into a downward velocity, allowing immediate fast-falls to chain into itself.
• King K. Rool's uniquely resets his momentum and gives him a vertical velocity withBelly Super Armor. It also has very high ending lag, with the longest FAF of any aerial attack inUltimate.
• Steve's inUltimate, like his up tilt, is incredibly fast and easily combos into itself or other aerials. It is also the only up aerial in the game that can be repeated by holding down the attack button.
• Sephiroth's inUltimate has notably immense range, far surpassing that of every other up aerial in the game.
• Mythra's is infamous for its disjoint, extremely fast auto-cancel and low knockback allowing it to chain into itself from multiple SHFFs as well as juggle extensively.
  • Pyra's has a similarly infamous disjoint and auto-cancel, and uniquely has identical landing lag to Mythra's despite being drastically stronger.

Gallery[edit]

• 

  Mario's up aerial inMelee.

• Game controls