Falco

Alternate Colors

Smash Attacks

SIDE SMASH DAMAGE 10~15%

Falco swings both wings down in front of him with this overhead attack.

DOWN SMASH DAMAGE 12~15%

Falco does the splits, hitting opponents both in front of and behind him. Both feet are invincible during this attack.

UP SMASH DAMAGE 4~12% MAX DAMAGE 16% : 2 Hits

This backflip attack hits twice before knocking your opponent vertically.

Basic Attacks

Standing Attack DAMAGE 3%, 2% RAPID STRIKES 4.6% : 5 Hits

Two punch attacks before Falco goes into a rapid spin attack and a final punch to send opponents away horizontally.

Side Tilt DAMAGE 9%

Falco kicks forward a good distance. This can be aimed up or down.

Up Tilt DAMAGE 3~5% MAX DAMAGE 9% : 2 Hits

A jumping, spinning uppercut attack that hits twice.

Down Tilt DAMAGE 9~12%

A crouching, spinning attack in which Falco uses his tail to attack.

Dash Attack DAMAGE 6~9%

A running jump kick attack that has good range.

Edge Attack

Falco returns to the stage with a spiral dropkick.

Air Attacks

Neutral Air Attack DAMAGE 2~4% MAX DAMAGE 12% : 4 Hits

Falco spirals in the air with wings outstretched to attack. His feet can hit as well.

Up Air Attack DAMAGE 11%

A reverse flipkick attack in which Falco strikes with both feet.

Down Air Attack DAMAGE 8~13%

Falco drills down into the opponent with his feet. There is a meteor effect at the start of the move.

Forward Air Attack DAMAGE 1~4% MAX DAMAGE 10% : 6 Hits

A spiral attack in which Falco attacks with his beak. This hits multiple times.

Back Air Attack DAMAGE 7~13%

Falco turns and kicks horizontally behind him.

Special Attacks

Blaster (Neutral Special) DAMAGE 3%

Falco’s primary projectile attack, this blaster isn’t as fast as Fox’s but each hit makes enemies flinch. Slightly faster when used in the air.

Explosive Blaster DAMAGE 1~2% MAX DAMAGE 6% : 5 Hits

This fires a blaster shot that slows down and explodes. Enemies hit by this explosion are knocked back.

Burst Blaster DAMAGE 1~2%

This version of the Blaster fires shots faster but has less power and range. Additionally, opponents don’t flinch on hit.

Falco Phantasm (Side Special) DAMAGE 6~7%

Dash forward at high velocity, knocking anyone caught in your path upward. Hitting airborne opponents with this sends them straight downward, making this great over any abyss.

Falco Phase DAMAGE 0%

Falco dashes incredibly fast while he’s invincible. This is not an attack and has a bit more recovery at the end of it.

Falco Charge DAMAGE 4~12%

This is a shorter version of the Falco Phase; it deals more DAMAGE but only travels about half the distance. This move is strongest at the start of the attack. The airborne version does not have a meteor effect against airborne opponents.

Fire Bird (Up Special) DAMAGE 2~3% MAX DAMAGE 31% : 15 Hits

Falco engulfs himself in flames before blasting off through the air. You can choose which direction you want to fly. You are in a fall state after this attack.

Fast Fire Bird DAMAGE 2%

This version requires no charge time but doesn’t travel as far. Additionally, the DAMAGE is reduced, and it only hits opponents once.

Distant Fire Bird DAMAGE 2~8% MAX DAMAGE 20% : 10 Hits

It takes longer to fully charge this, but it flies farther and does more DAMAGE to opponents. Its speed is a little slower than usual, but it can hit opponents multiple times.

Reflector (Down Special) DAMAGE 5%

Falco kicks out an energy shield that reflects projectiles and attacks opponents. The shield only hits on its way out, not on its return to Falco.

Accele-Reflector DAMAGE 2%

This reflector speeds up projectiles as it returns them, but it doesn’t increase their DAMAGE. This only reflects when moving forward.

Reflector Void DAMAGE 9%

Instead of reflecting projectiles, this reflector destroys them. Hitting opponents with this version deals the most DAMAGE of Falco’s Reflector alternate Specials.

Final Smash

Landmaster

Falco jumps straight off-stage and returns in the Landmaster vehicle; the upward jump off-stage is also a small attack. The Landmaster vehicle itself has a few ways to attack. First, it has its main cannon, which can be fired with any attack button. The attack also hits anyone standing on the cannon itself. You can also perform a roll attack with the Landmaster by hitting Down. Of course, you can also drive over opponents or land on them to cause DAMAGE. Jumping in the Landmaster uses the ship’s thrusters to push you upward. Use this to lift opponents up past the blast line to KO them if they don’t hit Down to pass through the ship. Be careful not to go so high that you self-destruct, though! Also avoid falling off the stage while in the Landmaster, as there’s no way to cancel out of the ship! While your thrusters can lift you for a while, if you get part of the ship stuck under the stage, you’re going to be in trouble quick! Finally, if opponents attack the ship enough, it reduces the amount of time you get to spend in it!

Strategy

Falco is one of the lightest characters in the game and has a very high first-jump height. On the ground, his speed is average, but his Blaster and Reflector allow him to fight at more of a distance. With this jump, he can chase opponents into the air and combo with his Down Air, Forward Air, and Neutral Air to rack up DAMAGE. His KO power is below average, but he still has good options once he gets an opponent’s DAMAGE up. On top of this, his recovery has been buffed because Falco Phantasm doesn’t leave him in a fall state.

This update to Falco Phantasm is significant because the move also has a meteor effect on airborne opponents. This means you can use it to edge-guard against opponents and still have a chance to recover! Falco’s Blaster is much slower than Fox’s, but it has the added benefit of making opponents flinch on hit. Using it in the air is recommended, as it is slightly faster in the air than on the ground. As with Fox, if you shoot again while the gun is still out, you get a consecutive blast without putting the Blaster away. This allows for faster shots when opponents are farther away. Firebird hits multiple times as an attack, but since it leaves you vulnerable in a fall state, it’s better used as a recovery tool. Falco’s Reflector is one of his best tools—it has a fast startup and covers a lot of distance in front of him. Not only does it reflect projectiles with more speed and DAMAGE, but it can also hit and push opponents. If opponents are close to the edge, you can actually push them off the stage with this!

In the air, Falco has a bunch of good tools. Neutral Air and Forward Air help rack up DAMAGE, and Down Air has a quick meteor effect. Up Air can be useful for vertical KOs when combined with Falco’s jump height. The best aerial tool he has, though, has to be Back Air with its impressive range and KO power. On the ground, Falco’s Side Smash is very strong and has decent range. His Down Smash also has good range, starts up fairly quickly, and has invincibility on Falco’s feet. Save his Up Smash for vertical KO opportunities. Falco’s Up Tilt has good vertical range, while his Side Tilt has good horizontal range. Additionally, his Down Throw leaves opponents fairly close for easy pressure and follow ups. For edge-guarding, stop opponents with Falco Phantasm’s meteor effect and your Blaster. Down Smash can also be useful in this situation, thanks to its invincibility.

Recovery

With Falco’s fast fall speed you are going to have to be ready to recover as soon as possible. Don’t forget to use your wall jump as well since it essentially gives you an extra jump. For horizontal recovery he has his Falco Phantasm which covers a lot of distance. For his vertical recovery, Fire Bird is his main option. Once you input the notation for Fire Bird, you can hit any direction to send Falco flying in that direction, however he will be in a fall state afterwards. One thing to note is that Falco Phantasm does not leave you in a fall state, so you are actually able to follow it up with Fire Bird as well! This greatly helps his recovery game. When approaching the stage from above try to use Fire Bird, Down Air, or Forward Air.