Frame Data

Frame data is sometimes used to describe move speeds and properties, and is neither required information for game enjoyment, nor as intimidating as it might seem before you get acquainted.

Testing Frame Data in Training Mode

When looking into frame data, the most important piece of information for a move is its active frames. When is the move a threat on-screen? After that, it can be helpful to know how long a move preoccupies a fighter—not when its attack or animation ends, but when it accepts different inputs.

Luckily, the Training Stage in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate offers a built-in frame counter, so you can accurately check anything you want! Check out the Speed setting in Training Mode options and put it on “1 frame.” Now, tapping ZL advances a single frame at a time. (You can play at normal speed by holding down ZL.) While the game’s frozen, holding any desired input and tapping ZL advances one frame while inputting that command. This is how you can test things accurately. For example, stand next to a CPU dummy, hold any attack command, and skip a single frame to start, then count single frames until the attack hits. That’s the start-up right there; a neutral attack that strikes three ZL taps after the initial input hits in four frames.

Pick “Control” under CPU Behavior and have another controller ready to test out interactions between two fighters using frame skip! For instance, you can check if certain things are safe in a given matchup by starting the attack with one fighter, then blocking with the other and holding down Attack or Grab to buffer, executing either as soon as possible out of shield-stun. Then, that command held (you might have to get creative with both hands or feet or friends), you can try to shield up or dodge or jump away with the original aggressor before the retaliation comes. In this way, you can minutely test out any interaction in the game, finding weaknesses or opportunities.

Attack Speed Generalizations

The very fastest attacks hit in a single frame after input, but that just covers neutral attack jabs from Little Mac and Zero Suit Samus.

Usually, a very fast neutral attack hits in two or three frames. A neutral attack hitting in four or five frames is usually heavyweight territory; slower than that is rare, typically on an unusual fighter. (Look for a faster reliable tilt or smash attack. There will be one or two.)

Most decent tilt attacks hit around seven frames, give or take a frame or two. For a burlier fighter this might be closer to 10 or 12, like they’re miniature smash attacks. The very fastest, like Snake’s side tilt, hit in four frames.

Smashes vary, with some as fast as five to eight frames uncharged (many up smashes especially have a brief hit directly in front or on both sides that’s relatively quick, before transitioning to a slower anti-air hit), but the majority clock in around 14-ish frames. Heavier fighters have smash attacks that edge into 20-to-30-frame territory, taking as long as a third of a second to half a second to hit.

Air attacks vary a lot. Some are as fast as good neutral attacks, active in two or three frames. Some are like flying smash attacks, taking 18 or more frames to hit (this is usually a down air attack with a spiking meteor smash effect on hit). It’s almost more important to be aware of how much lag an air attack has than how fast it hits to start. Moves with lots of aerial lag make it hard to recover if you use them in offstage airspace; air moves with extra landing lag when used low to the ground leave you vulnerable on touchdown while messing up potential combos or shield pressure.

A grab that pulls in defenders within five or six frames is very fast. There are nimble fighters who yet have seven-frame grabs, too. Eight-frame grabs are the beginning of heavyweight territory, considered slow. Slower than that usually involves a tether throw, which has extra range at the cost of added start-up.

Specials are all over the place and can’t be broadly generalized.

When this guide refers to various attacks as being fast, typical, or slow for their classes, it’s with these figures in mind.