Melee’s meta is defined by technical movement such as wavedashing, dash dancing and L‑canceling. Games hinge on neutral wins, punish games and edgeguards rather than meter systems or special moves.

Movement & Punishes

Mastering wavedashes, shield drops and fast falls allows you to weave in and out of range. Neutral is about baiting whiffs and landing grab or aerial starters. Once you land a hit, convert into damage with regrabs, aerial strings or tech chases. Edgeguarding exploits character‑specific recoveries.

Archetypes & Matchups

Characters fall into spacies, swordies, floaties and brawlers. Match‑ups can swing based on stage picks; Marth thrives on Yoshi’s Story, while Puff prefers Dream Land. Stage counter‑picks and DI knowledge are key to winning sets.

Improvement

New players should practise tech skill in training mode and learn a few guaranteed combos. Mid‑level players develop punish game variety and edgeguards. High‑level play requires mixing up defensive options, reading DI and conditioning opponents.