Falco Lombardi FAQ Super Smash Bros. Melee Nintendo Gamecube By: GaminGGuY E-Mail: LS9@bellsouth.net *\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\ Table of Contents I. Revisions and Updates II. Copyright Notice III. Falco!! 1. About Falco 2a. Falco's Moves 2b. Falco move explanations 2c. Grabs 3. Falco Strategy 4. How Falco differs from Fox 5. Break The Targets 6. Other a. Taunt b. Colors c. How to unlock Falco IV. Closing Words and Thanks *\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\ I. Revisions and Updates 1.1 (1-5-02)-Added special taunt information. 1.0 (1-1-02)-The main version. Did most of the FAQ. Please feel free to contact me with anything I may of left out or any spelling errors. I may add a combos section or more to the strategy section later... *\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\ II. Copyright Notice This FAQ is copyright 2001 by GaminGGuY. No other site may post or sell this FAQ without my permission. *\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\ III. Falco!! 1. About Falco Falco is a well-balanced character. I don't believe he reallyis the best character in SSB:M, but he sure comes close. He also is not particularly excellent in any one category. Here are some rankings I give him: Speed: 9.1/10 While Falco is not the fastest character, he is quick enough to have a good grade is this category. His speed, if used correctly, can seem to add up to more than it is. Strength: 8.4/10 Falco is not the strongest character. His attacks are about average in strength and damage. Defense: 8.8/10 Falco can hold his own. He can jump pretty high, and he can get back onto platforms fairly easily when knocked off. He does lack some in this category though. Close-combat: 9.6/10 Falco excells here. He has a number of excellent A moves, and his B+Down does some damage. Falco, along with Sheik and a few others, is one of the best close-combat fighters. Distance-combat: 8.5/10 Falco's only effective move at very long distances is his B laser, which isn't devastating anyway. At average to short distances he can some out of nowhere with his B+Forward and sometimes his B+Up move. Overall: 9.0/10 Falco is a good character for average to advanced players, but he has something to offer for beginners also. He, however, like most characters in SSB:M, is not a button masher. 2a. Falco's Moves (, means to do while pressing the direction, and + means to do it and press the direction at the same time) A: Punch (press repeatedly to do a flurry of kicks) Up, A: Upward kick Down, A: Spinning sweep kick Forward, A: Straight kick Up + A: Upward flip kick Down + A: Spinning sweep kick Forward + A: Roundhouse kick Dash + A: Running jump kick Jump, then A: Jump kick Jump, then Up + A: Vertical flip kick Jump, then Down + A: Spinning kick Jump, then Back + A: Backwards kick Jump, then Forward + A: Straight double-kick B: Laser blaster (can be done in the air) Up + B: Fire charge (hold the Control Stick in the direction you wish to go; can be done in the air) Down + B: Electric shield (can deflect projectiles; can be done in the air) Forward + B: Power dash (can be done in the air) Thanks for all moves to Devin Morgan for letting me copy this move (not move explanations!!) section from his FAQ. 2b. Falco Move explanations The first three categories of each move (Startup, Recovery, Vunerability) are the less stars there are, the better. Range and overall, however, are vice-versa. The more stars the better. Startup is how long the move takes to work, recovery is how much lag time is after the move, and vunerability is how vunerable Falco is before, during, and after the move. Range is how far a distance the attack will hit, and overall is just an overall grade of the move. Please keep in mind that these are just my personal opinions of how good each move is. *=1 /=half -=0 A:Punch Startup:*---- Recovery:**--- Vunerability:**--- Range:**--- Damage:2-4% Overall:**/-- A simple Punch. Falco punches twice if you keep pressing A and then starts kicking. Unless they are wall-cornered, don't expect to get more than a few hits with this. This can be done in the air. Up,A:Upward Kick Startup:**--- Recovery:**--- Vunerability:***-- Range:***/- Damage:6-7% Overall:***-- Falco's "launcher". Air combo possibilities are endless with this. Down,A:Spinning Sweep Kick Startup:**--- Recovery:**--- Vunerability:*/--- Range:***-- Damage:10-13% Overall:***-- Another launcher with less vunerability and less range. Person- ally I prefer Up,A. Forward,A:Roundhouse Kick Startup:**--- Recovery:***-- Vunerability:**/-- Range:***-- Damage:6-8% Overall:***-- A mediocre move. Don't use it much. Up+A:Upward Flip Kick Startup:N/A Recovery:**/-- Vunerability:**--- Range:**/-- Damage:N/A Overall:***-- This is a charge-up move. The longer you charge it, the longer the startup is and more the damage. Charge it by holding A. Got lots of damage on them? Finish them with this. Down+A:Spinning Sweep Kick Startup:N/A Recovery:**/-- Vunerability:***-- Range:**/-- Damage:N/A Overall:**--- This move is also a charge-up move. It is rather similar to Up+A. Forward+A:Roundhouse Kick Startup:N/A Recovery:**/-- Vunerability:**--- Range:**/-- Damage:N'A Overall:***-- This is also a charge-up move. This is a good finisher and combo-ender. Dash+A:Running Jump Kick Startup:*/--- Recovery:**/-- Vunerability:**--- Range:**--- Damage:4-8% Overall:**--- Only use this when you want a little extra damage. Jump, then A:Jump Kick Startup:*/--- Recovery:***/- Vunerability:***/- Range:**--- Damage:9-13% Overall:**--- Just mediocre. This move has terrible recovery time, and he is vunerable during that. Jump, then Up+A:Vertical Flip Kick Startup:*---- Recovery:**--- Vunerability:**/-- Range:***-- Damage:Each hit 3-7% Overall:***/- This 2-hit move is why I used Fox in SSB. The recovery is would- be bad, but since Falco is so fast at falling, that's not a problem. Good finisher and just plain annoying. Jump, then Down+A:Spinning Kick Startup:*/--- Recovery:**--- Vunerability:**/-- Range:*/--- Damage:6-9% Overall:**/-- This move may be able to do multiple hits, but I am not sure. E-Mail me if you find out how. Jump, then Back+A:Backwards Kick This move is pretty much the same as the jump kick, except this does a little more damage. Jump, then Forward+A:Straight Double Kick Startup:**--- Recovery:**/-- Vunerability:***-- Range:**--- Damage:3-11% Overall:**/-- This move is several kicks done in the air. A good combo helper. B:Laser Blaster Startup:**--- Recovery:**/-- Vunerability:***-- Range:N/A Damage:1-3% Overall:**/-- This is Falco's projectile. Range is not applicable due to the fact that the laser travels across the entire screen. Pretty good for keep-away, which, sadly, in not Falco's game. I will from now on refer to this as the B laser. Up+B:Fire Charge Startup:***/- Recovery:**--- Vunerability:*/--- Range:***-- Damage:10-16% Overall:**/-- This move is very versatile. It gets you back onto platforms from long distances when paired with a double jump. It's a good combo helper, and it also packs a punch. Too bad it has terrible startup time... Down+B:Electric Shield Startup:*---- Recovery:*/--- Vunerability:***-- Range:*---- Damage:5-8% Overall:**/-- This projectile-deflecting move will also hit enemies if you are close enough. But be careful, it doesn't reflect A attacks!! Forward+B:Power Dash Startup:**/-- Recovery:***-- Vunerability:*/--- Range:**/-- Damage:3-7% Overall:***-- I like this move simply because it looks cool. Another reason I gave this a 3 is because it has several possiblities. All Falco's B moves can be done in the air. 2c. Grabs While held in Falco's Grab, which is achieved by pressing Z when close to the opponent, each attack does 1-3% damage. Forward Throw Damage:3-7% Throw Distance:**/-- Overall:**/-- Falco's primary throw. Use often, but don't overabuse. Back Throw Damage:4-7% Throw Distance:*/--- Overall:**--- Up Throw Damage:4-7% Throw Distance:**--- Overall:**--- Down Throw Damage:3-5% Throw Distance:/---- Overall:*---- Falco's grab has a lot of recovery time on it, so be careful! 3. Falco Strategy Falco, as explained in the "About Falco" section, is a close combat character. While letting your opponent get away from you is not always bad when Falco, try not to let it happen too often. His grab is about average, so dont make too often use of it. While using Falco, I often try to let the opponent come to me, rather than attacking them. Once they are near me, I go in with a Power Dash, followed by a 3 hit air juggle or something like that. Another style that Falco might work with Dodge 'n Punish. For example, your opponent zooms in with some attacks. You dodge with Falco's nimble jumps. When your opponent tries to attack you up in the air, have a Fire Charge waiting for him! Luckily, the keep-away style does not work particularly well against Falco as he can deflect projectiles, and is just naturally good at getting close and attacking. However, most of the above explained stuff will not work well against a skilled human opponent. So, how do we attack without being attacked? USE CLOSE COMBAT. Be all over them. Unfortunately, Falco's moves have a large recovery time on them, so be careful. More coming soon!! 4. How Falco differs from Fox As you know, Falco and Fox have basically the same moves in SSBM. Falco differs from Fox in quite a few ways. Here are some: 1. Falco and Fox's B laser are very different. Falco's laser is slower, but causes your opponent to be stunned when hit for a very short time. Fox's is quicker, able to be fired very quickly when the B button is repeat- edly pressed, but it does not stun the opponent. 2. Falco jumps higher, but Fox falls quicker. 3. Falco's power dash is slightly more powerful but doesn't go as far as Fox's. 4. They, of course, have different taunts. I think Fox and Falco are about equal. The only reason I choose Falco over Fox is because I liked him more in the Starfox series, and because he was not in the first SSB. 5. Break the Targets First, I will explain the easiest way to do the BtT, then the fastest. The easiest is well...easy. 1st Target: Immediately jump up and hit the one above your starting point. 2. Then hit the on that comes in and out of the wall to your left with the B laser or an A attack. Be careful not to fall though!! 3. Then stand on the sloped spot to the right of your start and repeadedly do the A kick barrage until the one that goes around that structure is broken. 4. Next, stand on the one flat block next to the slope and time your Fire Charge to get the one around the hazardous orange ball thing. 5. From your starting point, fall to the lower right and land in one of the two spaces where there is a target moving between them. Destroy it. 6. Fall out of that tight space and double jump through the floor of the target on your right. Break it. After this, head back to the starting point. 7. Fall down the passage to the left of the start. Time your power dash to nail the target and get between the two orange areas. 8. Smash the target that is right there. 9. Double jump to get up to the next target and, without landing, do a Fire Charge to break it. 10.There is a target repeadedly moving around in the level. Destroy it sometime in steps 1-9. If anyone has an easier way (not faster) to do this, please e-mail me. Also e-mail me with your fastest BtT Falco times, and I will start a top-ten chart. Fastest way coming soon!! 6. Other a.Taunt Falco spins and looks like a ballet dancer. Not remotely annoying. Falco also has another "secret" taunt. Simply press every direction on the control pad several times. Eventually Falco will crouch and look like he is gaining power or something, and then Fox, Peppy, and Slippy (his Starfox partners) will stay something to him. However, you have to be on Venom or Cornelia stages for this to work. This is pretty neat. Try it out. Thanks to Odeh, Uri Gorelik, and Draconis Unknown for the special taunt information. b.Colors Falco's different colors are a white, red, light blue, and black vest. c.How to Unlock Falco Unlock Falco by beating the 100-Man Melee. One of the best ways to do this is to use Donkey Kong's B+Down move. *\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\ IV. Closing Words and Thanks I enjoyed writing this FAQ. Remember that you may not use this FAQ anywhere without my given-by-e-mail permission. E-Mail me with ANYTHING you may have on Falco. Remember to check back regurelly for any updates, because I will only give updates of this FAQ to GameFaqs. Thank you. Thanks to: Me: For writing this CJayC: For posting this on his great site My mom and dad: For giving me this game for X'mas. Contributors: Odeh Uri Gorelik Draconis Unknown-Special Taunt information Devin Morgan: Falco Move List Thanks again, everybody!!! **end of document**