Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU) is a 2D fighting game featuring a large roster of characters with varying attack mechanics. The variability in these attack mechanics gives rise to the dynamic of spacing: staying just out of range your opponent’s attack while remaining close enough that you can quickly land your attacks. Some characters throw strong punches from up close, while others prefer to stay far away and attack with projectiles. My favorite character archetype to play, the “swordies” (because most of them wield swords) is right in the middle: they want to keep an exact distance from their opponent to allow their melee attacks to barely hit while keeping out of their opponent’s range. Swordies emphasize spacing more than any other character archetype, which creates a fun movement challenge.
For example, because a swordie’s reach is greater than their opponent’s, playing them requires precise, dance-like movement that maintains sword-length distance without ever being in range of the opponent’s attacks. To further create challenge, swordies are often balanced by having weaker attacks, or attacks that have more”end-lag”—the time after a move is finished before the player can attack again. This means that timing is important: attacking randomly will prevent the player from landing multiple hits in sequence, or leave the player open to an enemy attack.
My favorite swordie to play is Lucina because, in addition to all of the above, the character falls more slowly than other characters (a quality known as being “floaty”). This gives a unique feel to air combat, which makes up a substantial portion of gameplay. Specifically, Lucina’s strategy is to wait, maneuvering while falling to stay in exactly the right spot, before finally attacking for maximum effect. It is this patience, the feeling of having kept a cool head amidst the chaos to strike at just the right moment, that is so rewarding.
