Super Smash Bros. series

Up smash

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Wii Fit Trainer's up smash inSmash 4, after beingcharged briefly.

Anup smash (abbreviatedu-smash) (上スマッシュ攻撃,Up/upper/above smash attack) is asmash attack performed by any character by tapping the control stick upward and pressing the attack button, or, outside ofMelee's single player modes, by pressing up on theC-Stick.

SinceSuper Smash Bros. Melee, all smash attacks can be charged by holding down the attack button for up to one second, multiplyingdamage andknockback by up to 1.4. InUltimate, with some exceptions, these charges can be held for up to 3 seconds (or 180 frames), but the attack stops increasing in strength after the 1-second mark.

Up smashes generally follow several trends: they usually send opponents vertically upwards, which give them consistent KO potential on most neutral stages (such asBattlefield). They also tend to cover directly above the user, either through a wide sweeping motion with average knockback (such asMario andPikachu), or an upward thrust with a stronger and smaller hitbox (with some possessing grounded hitboxes to lead into the main hit, such asMarth andSteve). Prior toUltimate, up smashes were also one of the few attacks that could bejump-canceled, enabling them to be usedout of shield immediately and during any part of a character'sdash animation, except the skidding animation when they stop running. As a result, some fighters have up smashes that serve as excellent out of shield punishes, while others function as precise, but powerful anti-airs.

FromBrawl onwards, jump-canceling to perform a running up smash is unnecessary, and the turn-around animation can be jump-canceled into a reversed up smash. InUltimate, jump-canceling is not required for up smashes out of shield, and can now be done instantly; additionally, all grounded moves can be canceled from a dash, which lower the utility of some out of shield up smashes.

List of up smashes[edit]

CharacterDescription
Banjo &KazooiePerforms a vertically inverted Bill Drill, in which Banjo rapidly spins on the ground while Kazooie jabs upward with her beak.
BayonettaUses her Wicked Weaves to summon Madama Butterfly's fist for an uppercut in front of herself.
BowserHops up with his back facing upwards to strike with his shell.
Bowser Jr.Performs a handstand, then activates the Junior Clown Car's propeller to strike with it.
BylethSwings the Sword of the creator in its whip form above themself to hit multiple times.
Captain FalconSuper Smash Bros. Performs a spinning uppercut with his elbow.
Super Smash Bros. MeleeSuper Smash Bros. BrawlSuper Smash Bros. 4Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Throws an upwards 540 kick.
CharizardSlashes upwards with its leading wing, then its following one immediately after.
ChromAn upward thrust with Falchion, which releases a stream of razor-like magic from it, ending in an outwards burst.
CloudPerforms an upward-arcing swing in front of himself with the Buster Sword.
CorrinCrouches and braces their arms on either side of their head before transforming them into draconic lances and stabbing straight upwards.
DaisyJabs her hand upwards while twirling.
Dark PitSpins while slashing above himself three times.
Dark SamusUnleashes a front-to-back arc of five Phazon blasts from her arm cannon above herself.
Diddy KongSuper Smash Bros. Brawl Slaps the opponent, then kicks twice starting from behind as he completes the spin.
Super Smash Bros. 4Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Slaps the opponent, then kicks the opponent as it leads straight into a jumping uppercut starting from the front as he completes the spin.
Donkey KongClaps his hands together above himself.
Dr. MarioPlants his feet and headbutts strongly above himself from back to front. His head is granted intangibility for a short while.
Duck HuntThe duo crouch while the unseen gunman fires off a combo of three shots directly above them.
FalcoSuper Smash Bros. MeleeSuper Smash Bros. Brawl Performs a quick backflipping kick.
Super Smash Bros. 4Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Throws a modified upwards butterfly kick.
FoxPerforms a quick backflipping kick.
GanondorfSuper Smash Bros. Melee Throws an upwards butterfly kick.
Super Smash Bros. BrawlSuper Smash Bros. 4 Leans back and performs a straight-upwards stretch kick.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Swings the SpaceWorld 2000 sword in a wide front-to-back arc above himself.
GreninjaJabs two water blades upwards in a backwards grip followed by a downward slash for a second hit.
HeroStabs straight upwards with his sword.
Ice ClimbersSwing their hammers in an inwards arc above themselves.
IkeSwings Ragnell in a large arc over his head, slamming it onto the ground behind him.
IncineroarPerforms an upward double ax-handle.
InklingSwings an Ink Blaster upwards to strike with its barrel, setting up for a close-range explosion of ink.
IsabelleBlows a whistle and erects a stop sign in front of herself.
IvysaurPlants its feet while releasing an explosion of pollen from the bulb on its back.
JigglypuffHeadbutts above itself.
JokerPerforms a jumping inward slash with his knife.
KazuyaUppercuts in his demon form.
KenPerforms a crouching uppercut.
King DededeSwings his hammer in a front-to-back arc above his head.
King K. RoolHops straight upwards to strike with his head, then falls back down belly-first into a comical plank before he gets back up.
KirbyPerforms a quick backflipping kick.
LinkPerforms a three-hitting combo of spinning, arcing slashes with his sword.
Little MacCrouches briefly before throwing a fierce swinging-inwards uppercut. There is a sweetspot on frame 10 that has a flame effect.
LucarioCrouches, then thrusts its palms straight upwards alongside a blast of aura.
LucasHolds his arms together, then swings them apart from himself while releasing an enormous upwards-traveling PSI spark.
LucinaStabs straight upwards with Parallel Falchion.
LuigiPlants his feet and headbutts strongly above himself from back to front.
MarioPlants his feet and headbutts strongly above himself from back to front.
MarthStabs straight upwards with Falchion.
Mega ManUses Spark Shot, which transforms both hands into electrodes and touches them together above himself, releasing a large electric spark.
Meta KnightPerforms a three-slash combo above himself while dramatically flipping.
MewtwoHolds its palm upwards, unleashing a swirl of powerful dark energy for multiple hits.
Mii BrawlerPerforms a quick backflipping kick.
Mii GunnerUnleashes five fiery cannon blasts in a front-to-back upwards arc.
Mii SwordfighterJumps up and performs a set of spinning slashes.
Min MinPerforms a somersault kick that can reflect projectiles.
Mr. Game & WatchDons a heavy scuba-diving helmet and headbutts above himself with it.
MythraSpins the Aegis Sword above herself.
NessSwings his yo-yo forwards, then performs an "around the world" with it.
OlimarPoints upwards, commanding his leading Pikmin to perform a jumping full-body tackle straight upwards.
Pac-ManPerforms an uppercut, then immediately opens his palm to release Inky.
PalutenaRaises her staff to project a colossal beam of light straight upwards.
PeachJabs her hand upwards while twirling.
PichuHeadbutts above itself.
PikachuPerforms a backflipping tail-flick above itself.
Piranha PlantStretches its stem outwards and chomps above itself.
PitSpins while slashing above himself three times.
PyraSpins the Aegis Sword above herself.
R.O.B.Performs a handstand and unleashes a large upwards blast of fire from his thrusters.
RichterCracks the Vampire Killer straight upwards for a very long-ranged attack.
RidleyPerforms a frontflip and rakes above himself with his claws as he lands from it.
RobinSwings the equipped blade into an upwards position.
Rosalina &LumaRosalina: Leans forwards, then gravitationally swings herself backwards for an arcing headbutt.
Luma: Throws a quick one-foot backflipping kick.
RoyJabs the Binding Blade upwards while releasing a stream of flame from it, ending in an explosion.
RyuPerforms a crouching uppercut.
SamusUnleashes a front-to-back arc of five plasma blasts from her arm cannon above herself.
SephirothSwings Masamune above himself in a front-to-back arc.
SheikHolds her hands upwards together, then fiercely swipes downwards and outwards with them.
ShulkSlams the Monado onto the ground pommel-first and then releases its light blade for a follow-up attack.
SimonCracks the Vampire Killer straight upwards for a very long-ranged attack.
SnakeSlams a mortar onto the ground in front of himself and then fires a long-ranged upwards bomb from it.
SonicJumps up and turns into his ball form to strike multiple times.
SoraThrusts his Keyblade upward, emitting a brief flash of light.
SquirtleFires off a pair of watery geysers, covering its body.
StevePlaces a magma block above him, before destroying it with his pickaxe.
TerryPerforms a crouching uppercut.
Toon LinkJumps and swings his sword in a wide upwards arc.
VillagerCrouches while detonating a fountain firework.
WarioSuper Smash Bros. Brawl Inflates his head and spins around to strike upwards with it multiple times.
Super Smash Bros. 4Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Inflates his head and performs a headbutt.
Wii Fit TrainerPerforms the tree yoga pose, striking upwards with a double spear hand.
WolfSwings his legs outwards around himself, then performs a jumping scissor kick for a second hit.
YoshiSuper Smash Bros.Super Smash Bros. MeleeSuper Smash Bros. Brawl Headbutts upwards.
Super Smash Bros. 4Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Performs a quick backflipping kick.
Young LinkPerforms a three-hitting combo of spinning, arcing slashes with the Kokiri Sword.
ZeldaWaves her hand back and forth above herself while unleashing a stream of magic from it for several hits.
Zero Suit SamusSpins while twirling her plasma whip upwards in a tornado-like fashion.

Notable up smashes[edit]

Roy's up smash inMelee, showing its unintendedspike.
  • Roy’s up smash inMelee can cause a situationalspike if an airborne opponent is hit with the tip of the sword in its first few frames. This is due to the sword's multihits having a combination of upward/downward knockback angles intended to keep opponents in place, with the tip of the sword sending vertically downwards. Despite this, it is impractical for edgeguarding, as the spiking hitbox is small and has a short duration, making it difficult to land intentionally. Changes to the spike hitbox fromSmash 4 onwards have removed this unintended interaction.
  • FromMelee onwards, but not inSmash 4,Ness's up smash can hit opponents while charging as the yo-yo comes to rest on the stage in front of him. This is especially dangerous inUltimate, where the yo-yo can fall and hang off of ledges and hits multiple times (it cannot be charged off ledges inMelee orBrawl), allowing it to lead into the attack proper. It is the only up smash to have a hitbox while charging. Its power does not increase inMelee orBrawl if charged but it does in later games. Ness's similarly-functioningdown smash is the only down smash to have such a distinction, whileCorrin possesses the only suchforward smash.
  • Ridley andLuma are the only characters with arcing up smashes which hit behind them, then in front; all other arcing up smashes sweep from front to back.
  • Bowser's up smash has protection on his shell during his attack – inMelee it isintangible, but fromBrawl onwards it is fullyinvincible – which makes the attack dangerous to trade with, especially from above. InUltimate, further protection is granted by damage-based armor during the startup of the move.
  • Mr. Game & Watch's up smash grants head invincibility while its hitbox is active (although inSmash 4, it gains invincibility much sooner and inUltimate, Mr. Game & Watch's entire body is invincible). It has high startup lag but great KO power (especially inBrawl) and extremely low ending lag, making it notoriously difficult and risky to intercept.
  • Snake's up smash has several unique properties. For one, the charging interval begins after Snake slams the mortar down in front of himself, making it the only smash attack to have a hitbox before it starts charging. AlongsideOlimar's, it is the only up smash to be aprojectile. Charging the attack also does not affect the damage or knockback of the projectile, but instead greatly increases the velocity at which it is launched, and thus the height it reaches. The attack is also notable inBrawl for enabling the furthest-travelingDACUS in the game.
  • Inkling's up smash covers opponents inink.
  • King K. Rool's up smash, after his initial hop, protects him for a handful of frames with his characteristicBelly Super Armor. It also has a small hitbox as he begins to fall whichspikes, which makes it one of only two up smash attacks to spike – the others being a sourspot onRoy's up smash inMelee.
  • Throughout the series, but especially inMelee,Fox's up smash has been considered especially effective due to its near-instant startup and relatively high knockback.
    • Fox's up smash inMelee is known as the best grounded KO move in the game, due to high power and extremely fast startup; the hitbox comes out on frame 7, making Fox's up smash as fast as his grab.
  • Olimar's up smash inBrawl is often considered to be the best smash attack in the game, due to its fast startup, large disjointed range, long-lasting hitbox, and high power: a Purple Pikmin up smash is capable of KOing the entire cast at under 100 percent on most stages.
  • Lucas' up smash is the only attack in the series to grant bothinvincibility andintangibility. Coupled with its power, this makes it a dangerous attack to directly challenge.
  • InSmash 4,Mario's up smash is considered the best in the game due to its power, range, speed, and the intangibility it grants on his head.
  • Also inSmash 4,Ganondorf's up smash, despite his bottomtier placement, is usually ranked among the best in the game as well. Despite its enormous power, it has deceptively lowending lag, making it very difficult and dangerous topunish.
  • Palutena's up smash is notable for having the highest vertical range of any non-projectile attack in the series. InUltimate, it is notorious for its long duration being able to punish dodges, landings, sidesteps, and edge options with excellent power.
  • InUltimate,Zero Suit Samus's up smash is a reliable combo starter at low to mid percents, leading into all of her aerials except down air, while still possessing respectable kill power at high percents. This combined with the move's long vertical range, long-lasting hitbox, and rather low endlag makes it commonly considered among the best up smashes in the game.
  • Wii Fit Trainer's up smash is among the most powerful in bothSmash 4 andUltimate whenDeep Breathing is active, has several frames of full bodyintangibility during startup, and, afterUltimate's update8.0.0, comes out extremely quickly relative to its strength.
  • Min Min's up smash is the only one able to reflect projectiles, and one of only four non-special moves with this property (along with Ness and Lucas'sforward smashes and Kazuya'sLeft Splits Kick).

Gallery[edit]

  • Mario's up smash in Melee.

    Mario's up smash inMelee.

  • The second hit of Captain Falcon's up smash in Melee.

    The second hit of Captain Falcon's up smash inMelee.

  • Ganondorf's up smash in Brawl. Note how, since he is no longer a clone of Captain Falcon, it is one single, slow kick instead of two rapid ones.

    Ganondorf's up smash inBrawl. Note how, since he is no longer a clone of Captain Falcon, it is one single, slow kick instead of two rapid ones.

  • Link's up smash in Brawl.

    Link's up smash inBrawl.

  • Kirby's up smash in SSB.

    Kirby's up smash inSSB.

  • Lucario's up smash in SSB4.

    Lucario's up smash inSSB4.

See also[edit]


v • d • e
Attacks in theSuper Smash Bros. series
Standardground attacksNeutral attack ·Dash attack
Tilt attacksForward tilt ·Up tilt ·Down tilt ·Crouching attack
Smash attacksForward smash ·Up smash ·Down smash
Aerial attacksNeutral aerial ·Forward aerial ·Back aerial ·Up aerial ·Down aerial ·Grab aerial ·Glide attack
ThrowsGrab ·Pummel ·Forward throw ·Back throw ·Up throw ·Down throw
Get-up attacksFloor attack ·Edge attack
Special movesNeutral special move ·Side special move ·Up special move ·Down special move ·Command-input move ·Final Smash