_________ _________  ____      ______      _________  _______  ___    ___
\   ____/ \__    __/ |    \    |      \     \    __/ /       \ \  \  /  /  GG
\  \        |  |    |     \   |   -   |     |  |_   |   _   |  \  \/  /
\  \       |  |    |  |\  \  |      /      |   _|  |  |_|  |   >     <
____\  \      |  |    |  | \  \ |  |\  \      |  |    |       |  /  /\  \   GG
/________\     |__|    |__|  \__\|__| \__\     |__|    \_______/ /__/  \__\
___   ___________   __  ___________
/ _ | / __/ __/ _ | / / / / //_  __/
/ __ |_\ \_\ \/ __ |/ /_/ / /__/ /
/_/ |_/___/___/_/ |_/\____/____/_/
They should make a T-shirt saying "I do all my own ASCII". I'd buy. :P
+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+
.-.            .-. .       .---.
: :.--. .-.-..-: :.-..-.-.'  -  :
: : .  : -  :  - :: ::  . '._.  :
:_:.__.'`_'_'`._.':_::_.'.: ,' ,' ~ ~ ~
-.-'
Table of Contents - with tagged sections for easy browsing
* * * * * * * * * *
Intro -- ntrmssn
UPDATES:
General Updates -- genupdts
Technical Updates -- techup
THE MOVES:
Terms and Such -- tmansc
What's T3h Point? -- wht3hpn
Why Revoleague Rules? -- whrvlr
Tech List -- tchlst
Combos -- cmbs
ADVANCE GUIDE:
The Art of War - thartw
The Triple Triangle Theory - tttheor
Take Note Here: Useful Stuff - tknthr
Situational Specifics -- sitspec
General Info/Advice -- grlinad
Fine Print/Words of Thanks -- fpwofth
End -- ENDGAME
Note that this guide is immensely long, has a lot of text in it, and is not
easily digestible in one go. Regardless of how painful this looks to read, DO
NOT skim it, DO NOT skip parts, and DO NOT give up halfway through. If it gets
too lengthy for you, I recommend copying and pasting it into Notepad and
adding a marker to wherever you stopped.
If you do decide to read this all the way through, good luck. This could turn
your game around completely.
* * * * * * * * * *
And now a message from Cac and HAXage:
Sign up on sfacorner.forumer.com to officially join the Revoleague!
,.,,.____.____
,'             /   ==========  Intro (ntrmssn)
,'  ,-,,..__.__:
,'  ,'.-'
'._'
I'm HAXage. I've been playing SFA for around four and a half years as of now,
and believe me when I say I've had a lot of fun with it. But something simply
occurred to me one day - maybe while I was watching a Youtube video, maybe
while playing SFA with my friends - that this game is a candidate to be one of
the really good competitive games of the twenty-first century. Because really,
while everyone's opinion on how to play this differs, and there may be some
kinks in how the mechanics of SFA work, in general this game is smoothly
balanced, incredibly deep if you look at it the right way, and all in all,
boasts a huge edge of competitive potential.
At any rate, I started thinking - really thinking - about this game, and over
the course of maybe a year and a half have amassed this collection of thoughts,
advice and ideas that make up the competitive side of Star Fox Assault. All the
research, all the insights I've had have all fallen into place into this nice
little 90kb file. And it just keeps going.
So how to share this knowledge? How to get out the fact that this game is, in
point of fact, tremendously good, and deserves far more attention as a
competitive game than it's getting?
Well, this is what this guide is for. Yup, it's the SFA player-who-wants-to-
get-better's dream - a 10-section ADVANCED GUIDE FOR STAR FOX ASSAULT. In this
I can guarantee you'll find all the techs, strats, advice and info you need to
r0x0r your friends' b0x0r5 and blow off their s0x0r5.
NOTE THAT THIS GUIDE IS NOT FOR NEW PLAYERS! Preferably if you are a player
that would be open to new ideas but are not too ignorant of the general notions
of how to play, this guide is for you.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at canadalazer@hotmail.com. No
viruses. I can spot the things a mile off and it will just end in me dumping
your carefully booby-trapped mail in the trash. No random strings of l33t-speak
and acronyms. I don't spend effort on reading things. If you mail me, put a
subject relating to this guide in so I know what it's about. Mentioning typos
in the guide/suggestions/comments is always welcome.
The important bit: This guide is not only a random question-and-answer trope.
What I am attempting to do here is outline the basics of advanced competitive
Star Fox Assault play. That being said, here are the rules:
------------------
REVOLEAGUE RULES |
------------------
The Revoleague is the Star Fox Assault association that attempts to provide a
competitive look at this game. In order to make this game balanced, we (the
Revoleague) have had to constrain the game a fair bit. Therefore, to make this
FAQ actually worth something in advanced or competitive terms, it adheres to
the following rules primarily:
- No vehicles
- No Wolf
These rules will be explained, never fear! In fact, there is a whole section
devoted to them.
This guide is configured for SINGLE STICK. This is not because I discriminate
against Dual Stick players. It is simply because I know that these techs can in
fact be done with Single, and that they work better with Single. Rest assured
that if I find some way of playing this game better with Dual I will
immediately notify the SFA community.
About Dual Stick, LET IT BE KNOWN THAT IT IS NOT A BAD OPTION! I just want to
make it known that I endorse Single Stick and PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT PREFERENCES
when it comes to stick usage. Dual Stick is simply harder to use. I refuse to
let anyone tell me that either one is inferior.
This guide, like so many others, has a CTRL-F (or Command-F on Mac) system. All
the sections have a random jumble of letters after them which makes finding the
sections easy. Just press CTRL-F/Command-F and enter the jumble of letters you
want to find. All the codes are displayed in the Table Of Contents. For example
the keyword for "Updates" is updts.
All right, questions?
- Q: Didn't you do another guide for Pilots?
- A: Yep. It kinda sucked and got removed. This one's better. Much better.
- Q: I've been wondering: if these techs are so good, how come pros don't use
them all the time like you?
- A: First, thanks for distinguishing between me and a pro. Second, this is
why: THERE ARE NO SFA "PROS"! It's a very weird fact, but the truth remains
that this game totally lacks a large community, regular tournaments, and other
things like that, and thus has no real "pros" to use these moves. What you are
seeing here is the birth of the movement.
- Q: What's the difference between a tech and some cool combo that someone does?
- A: The definition of a combo is a series of techs strung together. In
addition, if you see some cool terrain-based stuff like using elevators to
one's advantage or hopping ledges in a weird way, it's not a tech. There are
more distinctions on this later.
- Q: Who's this guide written for? The pros, or the newer players who wanna
learn something?
- A: This one is tricky! If you are a *very* new player, it is probably unfair
to load all this stuff into you at the moment of your SFA beginnings. Often,
though, the so-called "high-level" players tend not to want to abandon their
old style of play. Therefore I'd have to say that .
- Q: Do a barrel roll. Or try a loop. How bout holding A to charge up shots?
- A: Just cut to the guide already-
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.      .   . , ,    , ,      , ,   - - . - - . - - -   . . .
/      /   /     '  /   '    /   :     /     /         /
.      .   ., , .'  .     '  .  - :    .     . - -     /. . .
/      /   /        /     '  /     :   /     /               /
.- - .    .        . . .'   .      :  .       - - -   . . . /
(updts)
,.,,.____.____
,'             /   ==========  General Updates (genupdts)
,'  ,-,,..__.__:
,'  ,'.-'
'._'
6:23 PM 7/28/2008
1.00 :--: *hums Ride Of The Valkyries* MY REIGN OF TERROR - whoops, the FAQ -
is begun. It's the first version, so obviously typos and whatever are expected.
1.10 :--: xD up and already typos found. fixed them, anyway. Removed some
unflattering remarks about certain players.
1.20 :--: added stuff, changed how many pages are allowed to post guide
1.30 :--: removed redundancies, changed stuff, etc, etc, gripe, gripe
1.40 :--: fine-tune stuff, some errors needed fixing. put some stuff in.
1.50 :--: mainly additions. fixed a bit of buggage.
1.60 :--: fixed some stuff, added to Thanks To: section
1.70 :--: tuned up in general, made easier to read, language, other stuff.
1.80 :--: pretty much overhauled the whole guide!
,.,,.____.____
,'             /   ==========  Technical updates (techup)
,'  ,-,,..__.__:
,'  ,'.-'
'._'
6:23 PM 7/28/2008
1.00 :--: Everything is complete. Have fun reading.
1.10 :--: Fixed me saying "revoloution" instead of "revolution" and added
Charge Cancelling. Removed Double-Jump Cancelling which was for the wrong game.
x_X Changed two very similar and confusing terms.
1.20 :--: SuperCheats is now allowed to post this guide. -_- Added
Springdashing which is pretty cool.
1.30 :--: NOW i added springdashing. lol. removed a redundant Dodge Chasing
section.
1.40 :--: pep is NOT good at attackdodging. remember that. *smack* Added a
quote by Cac and fixed the Airdash code.
1.50 :--: added Corking. very useful technique. added why Dual Stick is un-
desirable.
1.60 :--: fixed code for Corking and added some placeholders in the Art Of War
section. also put Akp in the Thanks section.
1.70 :--: added a bunch of spaces between each tech so it's easier to see the
line breaks.
1.80 :--: reformatting complete! many sections are now easier on the eyes. Also
replaced some sections, moved some around, and fixed a lot of the "wall of
text" section that is The Art Of War.
+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+=+-+
- - . - -  .     .    - - -     .     .      _ - -_  .     .    - - -   - - -
/      /     /   /          / :   / :    .     .  :    /   /       /
.      . - - .   . - -      .  :  .  :   /     /   :   .   . - -    . . .
/      /     /   /          /   : /   :  .     .    :  /   /             /
.      .     .   . - - -    .    :.    :  \_ _ /     :,.   . - - -  . . ./
,.,,.____.____
,'             /   ==========  Terms And Such (tmansc)
,'  ,-,,..__.__:
,'  ,'.-'
'._'
So, you're trying to improve your skillZ by reading this. Good. That's the
first step to getting a whole ton better. The second step is to know your
language.
There's a lot of technical stuff here in this game that makes this guide a bit
hard to understand. Most of the terms I use will make sense most of the time,
but there are a few things that can be hard to figure out.
=====
Common Skill:
Just generally being smart. Do you go look for a fight if all you have is
Sensors and your blaster vs. a Homing Launcher? Do you run into the elevator if
your opponent's about to chuck 10 grenades into it? Do you actually think about
your next move or just do whatever the heck you want?
Stage/Map/Level:
A battleground. "Level" sounds like a floor or ledge or w/e, "map" makes people
think I'm talking about the radar, and "stage" just sounds like 1p stuff.
Anyway, yeah, a battleground in Multiplayer.
Strafe:
A lot of people think this means "hold down L lightly and move the Control
Stick to the left or right, usually while attacking." WELL YOU'RE JUST PLAIN
WRONG. Strafing (yes, this has been DICTIONARY VERIFIED) means just a vicious,
nondefensive attack with a rapid-fire weapon. Think Blitzkrieg and you've got
it. Refers to a rapid-fire weapon like the Machine/Gatling guns.
Tank:
Fairly obvious. Making sure you're stocked up on defense and just plowing your
way through the enemy stubbornly. Usually done with a Barrier on and a Homing
Launcher. Concentrates on defense more than offense. Primarily used by Krystal
and Fox, because they both have defensive/mid-range attributes. Uses all of a
player's stats equally to make use of an average stat spread.
Wall:
Yes, a different definition than "tank". Walling is, rather than running right
into/over your opponent with lots of defense, waiting for them to come up to
you, avoiding their shots with great dexterity, and maybe wasting their
ammo/barrier. Mainly used by Falco. Relies on speed more than anything. Uses
speed as a "second health" i.e. a way to extend life even though the actual
character's health may be low.
Assault:
This one is kind of tricky, but it usually refers to staying in a far range
with long-range weapons that will hit hard. This style is extremely fun. Prime
point of Peppy or Slippy. Requires long-range, which is taken care of with
Peppy and Slippy's charge blasters, and uses range as the method of survival.
Chokepoint/Choke:
Starcraft players anyone? A choke/chokepoint is an area on the map where you
can only go one way: backwards or forwards. It's a useful area for trapping
your opponent in. Bridges and stuff don't count because you can jump off them
and survive.
Maps with Chokes: Aparoid City, Sauria (few), Zoness (there are LOTS), Simple
Map 3, Inner Sargasso (few), Titania (few and short), Fichina
Center-Ban:
A center-banned stage is a stage with a clearly defined middle that has been
set up to ban players from going out of that middle area. This is to allow for
quicker, more action-packed games and eliminate needless camping and such.
Stages that can be centerbanned are Fichina, Corneria, and Aparoid City.
Revoleague:
A self-proclaimed "semi-pro" group of SFA players that plays with constrained
rules and attempts to adhere to a higher level of gameplay. Their headquarters
is Lylat Systems, at sfacorner.forumer.com.
Terminal(s):
A place in Aparoid City or Zoness where, if you step off, you will die. Short
for "terminal fall" which is supposedly short for "terminally-ill life fall". I
think.
Mastie:
A flying platform in Aparoid City or Zoness that you can ride around on. Short
for master-lift.
Boiler Room:
The area in the absolute middle of the stage where most players hang around.
Stages that have this: Kat, Ap, Fich and Simp1/2.
Plippy:
Peppy or Slippy. Used to mean the high-jump players with lower speed.
Floxtal:
Fox, Krystal or Falco. Used to mean the mid-jump players with usually average
speed.
Green/red/blue blaster:
The charge level of the blaster corresponding to what color it turns.
:
When I say "with a Homing Launcher" or whatever, I mean that you have exactly 1
amount of Homing Launcher ammo when you pick it up, meaning you have 10 shots.
If I say "use 2 homing launchers" that means 20 shots, and so on. Therefore,
when I refer to a weapon by itself I mean that you should pick that weapon up
once.
rat:
(example: techrat, sargassorat) Refers to someone who just won't give the
aforesaid action/thing up, to the point of whoring the thing out.
Dodge chase:
The term for hitting an opponent right as they come out of their roll or jump,
so they have no way to counter the attack. This is best done to Peppy and
Slippy, whose large jumps make them a lot less maneuverable.
- Ness: Zoness Sea Base.
- Titan: Titania Desert.
- Kat: Katina Outpost.
- Simp1/2/3: any Simple Map.
- Sarg: Inner Sargasso.
- Aparoid/Ap: Aparoid City.
- Fich: Fichina Outpost.
- Finesse: The time between the landing of your jump and your next action.
- UCB: Uncharged Blaster.
- CB: Charge Blaster.
- PCB: Peppy's Charge Blaster.
- SCB: Slippy's Charge Blaster.
- GCB: Green Charge Blaster.
- BCB: Blue Charge Blaster.
- RCB: Red Charge Blaster.
- AD: Airdash.
- AtkD: Attackdodge.
- Rec: Recycle.
- Lat: Lateral Slide.
- QD: Quickdraw Sniper.
- MGun/MG: Machine Gun.
- GGun/GG: Gatling Gun.
- Sniper: Sniper Rifle.
- Demon: Demon Rifle.
- 'd: For example Demon'd/GGun'd, etc... Badly owned by the
aforementioned weapon.
- Pep: Peppy.
- Slip: Slippy.
- Falc: Falco.
- Krys: Krystal.
- OP: Overpowered. Variants are "imba" for "imbalanced" and "broken".
_ _, _ __,  _, __, ___  _, _, _ ___   __, _ ___  _,    _, _,  __, __, ___ ,
| |\/| |_) / \ |_)  |  /_\ |\ |  |    |_) |  |  (_    / \ |   |_  |_)  |  |
| |  | |   \ / | \  |  | | | \|  |    |_) |  |  , )   |~| | , |   | \  |  |
~ ~  ~ ~    ~  ~ ~  ~  ~ ~ ~  ~  ~    ~   ~  ~   ~    ~ ~ ~~~ ~~~ ~ ~  ~  .
WHAT IS A TECH?
Tech (noun "tek") 1. anagram of "etch" 2. a move with useful applications,
discovered and developed by players, utilizing a combination of buttons
Okay, so the above definition is a little hazy. But yeah, that's about it.
Let's give you an example here: the most simple attack tech that probably
everyone has done at some point.
Jump-attacking: it's simple. You hit Y, and roll your finger to A. Or R. This
is obvious. Since you can attack and jump at the same time, there's no real
skill to it. But it's still a tech, since the main definition is "a combo of
buttons".
Since the concept is fairly new, there aren't too many techs. But in this list
you can probably find a fair few of them. There is, most likely, a tech for any
possible situation in SFA. One of the good descriptions of what happens in a
tech is that whatever happens happens instantly. There is no wait.
However, there's a bit of a problem with the idea of using techs in SFA. A game
such as SSBM is so fast-paced and versus-oriented that the entire match is
practically a series of techs. There is so much use of tactics and psychology
in SFA that actual skirmishes with your opponent are quite rare. It's more like
an RTS game than an action game. That being said, there are fewer techs in SFA
than in SSBM or whatever.
But they still exist - go to "Tech List" for proof.
But now you're asking yourself, why use them? What's the (or t3h) point?
,.,,.____.____
,'             /   ==========  What's T3h Point? (wht3hpn)
,'  ,-,,..__.__:
,'  ,'.-'
'._'
Well, what IS t3h point?
To put it succinctly, techs are something that just help you improve your skill
in whatever. It does help a lot, regardless of what people say, to be able to
hit a whole ton of buttons at once and do a really great move rather than just
hammer A and hope you hit.
There's a big difference between playing for the sake of playing and playing to
win, but techs are sorta a way to bridge the gap. You can use them either way,
but if you just wanna screw around, set lives to 30 and play with Booster Packs
in Ness or something.
So I guess the point is that it's a way to make yourself better. When you're
really good, you can drop them, but my guess is that 80% of you won't want to
and in any case won't be able to. It's hard to get rid of that kind of habit.
And anyway, if you want to be better, then why not use them anyway? All they do
is good.
A lot of people will argue that the point of the game is to have fun, and being
blindingly fast and so good that you kill anyone is not the point. After all,
the point of a video game is to have fun (with your friends, preferably).
Well, I say, sure, why not? Personally, I'm not against having fun, and I do
think that it does kill your fun if one of you is too overwhelmingly good
(for you, Cac, READ THAT OVER :P). But I live for heated matches. I live
for the multiplayer madness of hiding behind corners with a Sniper while your
friends are in heated combat down below. I live for the rapid-fire skirmishes
that can only happen when you both have good cover and good weapons. And that
stuff is multiplied hundreds of times by the skill of both players.
So what to do if your friends aren't as good as you? Let them GET as good as
you. For the time being, let them play as Wolf and on Low Handicap at least,
and then switch their character after they get better. Then take off their
handicap and just play match after match. That's my suggestion, but you can do
whatever. Chances are, if you're reading this guide you're looking for ways to
get better anyway.
To put all this in a different method of understanding, it's like gaining
knowledge. No matter what that knowledge is about - if it's specific or
general, in your line of work or out of it, it will help you in life. It may or
may not directly expand your life, but it will definitely and positively expand
your mind. Techs in SFA are like that. Just knowing them will help you.
,.,,.____.____
,'             /   ==========  Why Revoleague Rules (whrvlr)
,'  ,-,,..__.__:
,'  ,'.-'
'._'
But before we delve into the messy world of button mashing and
clickety-clackety that the competitive SFA world encompasses, let us go over
those rules outlined in the beginning of this guide that state thus:
* * * * *
NO VEHICLES.
NO WOLF.
* * * * *
Well, why no Wolf?
This one is easy. He is broken. Cheap, imbalanced, overpowered, unfair. In
every single way.
At five stars health, you will be hard pressed to wear his health down in any
possible manner. It takes three red charge blasters to kill him. A SNIPER RIFLE
does not one-hit him. And his monstrous speed means that should he fall prey to
a few vicious attacks that manage to wear down his health, he can just as
easily retreat to seek out health, weapons, and items. Against almost any
character, he is almost unstoppable.
This is not hard to prove. If you need further proof, look up the "Why It's
Banned" series of videos on YouTube and view the Wolf one.
Why no vehicles?
-POINT
-NUMBER
-ONE:
When playing with vehicles, do you EVER have the choice to
use anything OTHER than a vehicle? Thus killing completely the whole aspect of
what is more than half the game, owing to all the weapons, characters, and
Pilot-available maps there are in Multiplayer in general. In other words,
playing with vehicles will result in the game being dominated by vehicles.
-POINT
-NUMBER
-TWO:
Arwings are unkillable, in any scenario. They out-speed Landmasters, they
out-damage Pilots, they shrug off most lockon attacks and only by getting in
another plane does any player have the chance at fighting back, which recurses
to Point One.
-POINT
-NUMBER
-THREE:
Pilots in vehicle matches are only used by the suicidal. Not one weapon you can
holster does anything to an Arwing, and it is extremely rare to see a Pilot
survive a Landmaster battle. Essentially, vehicles eliminate a whole aspect of
the game - one which has so many weapons, so much depth, and so much potential
that to ignore it in favor of playing with vehicles is like buying a small rock
instead of a diamond at the same price because you're afraid that the diamond
will be stolen.
POINT
NUMBER
FOUR:
Do you know why no one plays the multiplayer of this game? Because when they
look at it, they see a spammy, repetitive, gimpy game that is almost always
horribly skewed by whoever got the Arwing first. Sad fact is, it's true, too.
With vehicles, this game's multiplayer is ridiculously imbalanced. Games
between two evenly skilled players often end 5-2 or 5-0 for the simple reason
that someone grabbed the plane first.
POINT
NUMBER
FIVE:
What is there to do in a vehicle? No techs, no weapons, no strategy, no fun. No
interesting maneuvers besides hitting the C-stick a whole ton. No depth besides
picking the fast character and hammering A. Given the chance, would you not
play the game with skill, with strategy, with PROFUNDITY?
Let's face it people, vehicles completely skew the results of matches, make a
mockery of the wonderful and many-appendaged thing that is Pilot v Pilot, and
generally make even the most intelligent gamer into a gimping, spammy freak.
,.,,.____.____
,'             /   ==========  Tech List (tchlst)
,'  ,-,,..__.__:
,'  ,'.-'
'._'
This section will cover all instant techs. Combos come later.
This whole section operates with a code system to determine what buttons are
being pressed. Note that cstick is the C-stick and constick (shortened) is the
control stick. THIS IS IMPORTANT, MAKE A NOTE OF IT!
---
All buttons with names (A, B, Y) are listed as such.
constick = Control stick
cstick = C-stick
>  after constick = right constick
< after constick = left constick
after constick = right or left constick
^ after constick = up constick
v after constick = down constick
^v after constick = up or down constick
, between two buttons = hit next button after taking finger off first
: between two buttons = hold both
->  between two buttons = hold one and hit other
between two buttons = hit other immediately after first
/ between two buttons = either button
~ after L/R = hold lightly
# after button = hit button repeatedly
w after button = hit button lightly
---
You might wanna print this out, you'll probably get tired of scrolling back up.
Or if you really feel the urge to show off, memorize it.
Here's a fake template for a tech:
Tech Name
Tech Description
When to Use
So let's begin:
========
Attackdodge
A(+optional constick v)-->L+constick
Description:
You cannot POSSIBLY continue without mastering this little wonder. This is
perhaps the most useful and possibly the most important tech ever invented. The
idea is to attack and consecutively do a rolling dodge to the left/right,
preferably to behind cover. This will, with luck, hit your opponent and avoid
their return shot. The constick down is optional if - and only if - you really
feel the need to retreat while doing this. This tech should be done REALLY
short and quickly, otherwise the point is lost.
When to Use:
You should overuse this thing like hell. Yes, not only does it fire and dodge
at once, but it can also actually speed up the firing rate of weapons like the
Homing Launcher. You can do it with any single-shot weapon (yes, even Snipers,
see a little later on for more info) but it works best with Homing Launchers or
charged (green) blasters. Even when using a reaaaaally bad roll (eg. Pep) this
will work well. Cac summed it up best - "Attackdodging is good for the soul."
========
Dodgeattack
L+constick+A#
Description:
This is cool if you want to get out of cover while attacking but stay safe.
It's just a reverse attackdodge, but used less since it has less opportunities
to do so. The code listed (hammering A) is the easiest, but if you're a cold-
steel machinelike obsession gamer you will probably care about winning enough
to learn when exactly to hit A. CB shots are best because you can release A
before you've finished the roll.
When to Use:
See Attackdodge When To Use. Of course, this one is cut down a bit because it
attacks after the dodge and not before.
========
Shorthop
Yw#
Description:
I dunno, would this be considered the most useful defensive tech? If you play
SSBM, you'll know (probably) about the shffl, short-hop or SHL if you play
Falco. (It's a tiny little hop in the air followed by an attack that allows for
combo chains.) Well, SFA has it too. Your manual will most likely tell you that
the constick is a very sensitive thing - it reacts to the slightest pushes.
Guess what, Otis Redding? So's the Y button. Just a little tap will do here.
All you have to do is reach your thumb up, tap it, and return to A. Hey, why
return to A? You can just hit A with your thumb joint when it's up there for
Y! So, why is this useful? Why not a full jump? Well, when you do a full jump
as you're running you lose speed in the air slightly. However, when you do a
shorthop you don't lose speed, making it good to do all the time. Peppy and
Slippy are the exception, because not only do they not rely on speed, their
full jump is actually better than a shorthop because it's a better dodge.
When to Use:
If you use a character with 3 or more speed and 3 or less jump, use this all
the time, every time you do anything. Since it doesn't cut down on your speed
and doesn't hinder any other action, it will only ever help. One note - you
might not even notice the difference between a short-hop and a regular jump,
it's so small. Just trust to luck. Note that this is the sole reason that Dual
Stick is discouraged in competitive SFA, because it is a lot harder to have to
reach up and hit Y at will. It's that important.
========
Airdash
Y-->L~:constick+Yw
Description:
Defensive tech. Designed by Uzzbuzz. This one is a bit tricky. What it involves
is a use of a small "glitch" in the game's animation frames. During the landing
of a jump - usually JUST after one is landed - there is a period during which
you can immediately short-hop again and travel a much farther horizontal
distance. This one is fairly easy to figure out; this interval is immediately
after the landing of your jump. The result is a very light, springy, low to the
ground dodge that is very useful for... well, anything, really.
When to Use:
Sort of like the SFA answer to SSBM wavedashing. In other words, if you use a
fast character and practice mid or close-range combat, USE THIS ALL THE TIME.
========
Dodgedance
L~:constick#
Description:
Boy, it's tough to write that out in code. Anyway, just hold L lightly and
wiggle the constick back and forth, it's easier in words. This gives the effect
of dancing back and forth and back and forth and back and forth, etc. The idea
is to look so mobile that it'll make your opponent unsure of which way you're
going.
When to Use:
If you and your opponent are caught up in dodge wars, use it. With luck, they
might stop for a minute and let you attack. Also if you're behind a pillar and
your opponent's got you covered either way, dodgedance. They might pause for a
second and let you escape. You can also get a lot better range with a rapid-
fire this way.
========
Rota-shot
A# , v ,  <
Description:
It's a non-charge Blaster tech primarily, but it can be done with the MGun or
Gatling as well. It's harder to spell out in code, but hammer A with one hand
and rotate the constick rapidly with the other. This is kind of a "staying
alive" tech like Attackdodge, but it's with rapid-fire weapons instead. Once
rotated one full revolution, you should probably switch so your opponent gets
confused by the change of direction. Short-hop is useful here too.
When to Use:
The MGun is rather weak, so this could be useful for the stereotypical "MGun vs
GGun/Blaster" scenario. Of course, it hogs a lot of ammo so you might want to
lay off the GGun use in this tech.
========
Vertile
Y , constickv+L+constick
Description:
Ok, this is just a defensive tech first and foremost, but I guess you could use
it for attacking purposes. Geez laweez, I just need more defensive techs!
EVERYTHING these days seems to be def/off! Well, this tech is just jumping and,
almost as soon as you hit the ground, rolling. You gotta time it right so you
don't do it too early and waste vital milliseconds. Finesse is important here.
When to Use:
When you're just completely screwed for defense and your opponent's engaged
you in combat. Fairly obvious. You can attack in between the jump and roll. Use
this with Peppy a whole bunch so you don't get dodge-chased.
========
Quickdraw
X--> A-->X
Description:
This is the most deadly weapon-specific tech in the game, no questions. It goes
with a Sniper. You thought that Snipers were things to shoot at your opponent
when they couldn't hit you? You were wrong, buddy. With this tech, you can turn
the Sniper into a little rapid-fire machine of destruction. Press X, almost
instantly press A to fire, and press X again instantly. Don't bother looking at
where your shot went - just fire. An alternative? Jump off a ledge, press X in
the air, and press A right before you fall. Then while you're falling, zoom out
again. If you're fast enough you can even turn it into an attackdodge!
P.S. I note that kirbyroks' Weapons guide notes that the Sniper is not very
useful in close quarters. Maybe he should try this and change his mind. >_>
When to Use:
Just about any time, ever. If you have a Sniper, I recommend that it should be
maybe even your primary attack. I don't even ever bother sniping - I just do
engage combat with it. Remember, the idea is not even to look at your opponent
- just trust to complete luck that you might hit them. This relies on a whole
ton of blind firing.
========
Uzzbuzz Drop
A->L+constick
Description:
If you charge up a grenade, and while you are STILL HOLDING IT, roll, you will
drop the grenade on the ground, leaving it to explode on its own spacious time,
hopefully in your opponent's face. Why? First of all, it's a great way to shake
an opponent off if you don't have the ultimate shakeoff weapon: Pod. Of course,
the disadvantage is that a grenade doesn't OHKO, but still it's a nice little
alternative. Another reason is that it can get you out of fights quickly. Drop
this and run. While your opponent is blinking in the pretty lights, hightail it
out of there. Let's face it, Grenades are not the most accurate things - but
they do great damage. If you want to use them, the best way is to either
Uzzbuzz Drop or throw all of them at once.
When to Use:
If you're in the middle of a fight, drop one of these quick if you're losing
and need to make a quick getaway. This is also a shakeoff move, and if you are
really that good, an offensive attack. Some players can drop these so quickly
you can't even see the grenade turn pink in their hand. Grenade pros should
master this cause it's just about essential.
========
Stickdraw
X-->A-->cstick^v
Description:
Yes, that's a tech with the c-stick (not Control Stick)! The basis here is that
you should use this just like Quickdrawing, but hit the c-stick instead of X a
second time - this will switch your weapon and zoom you out the same way! This
can be incorporated into all sorts of combos and in some ways it's even more
useful than a Quickdraw. Slower than Quickdrawing (you have to reach down to
the stick) but better not to have to wait for the Sniper to cool down. Created
by Cac.
When To Use:
See Combos for specific details. Mostly string this into a combo.
========
,.,,.____.____
,'             /   ==========  Combos (cmbs)
,'  ,-,,..__.__:
,'  ,'.-'
'._'
Combos are a series of techs or just random things thrown together to make one
cool move. These are really flashy if you can pull them off. There are a few
defined ones that are listed below, but keep in mind that you can create a
combo just by stringing together a bunch of techs or moves.
The combos listed here are simply commonly used or useful ones to learn. This
comprises about 1% of the possible combos in SFA!
The code is the same, but to save space I'm just going to put the tech names in
the spots where they go.
Combo Template:
Combo Name
+ rest of random code
Where:
Description:
When to Use:
Offensive? (Yes/No)
Defensive? (Yes/No)
Random? (Yes/No)
========
Corking
--> constick^v+L~ , --> constick^v+L~
Where:
In combat, while running, wherever you need to
Description:
This is a hugely important thing for Single Stick players because it is,
essentially, aiming while moving. This gives you a huge advantage because you
now have 100% more mobility and a whole ton more power to aim. The idea is to
airdash, and while in the air, aim left, locking your view by holding L
lightly. When you land, do a springdash (see tknthr). While still holding L,
aim again. With this, you can:
*turn while moving sideways or backwards
*turn, come around a corner, and shoot (this one will work best with homing
launchers)
*go up a ramp while aiming, good on Katina and stuff
*retreat from an uzz drop while turning around to get a revenge shot
*Make distance between your opponent, pivot around and attack with splash
weapons like homers
When to Use:
If you are a Single Stick player (75% are) don't ever NOT use this. The whole
idea is to emulate Dual (well, the better parts of Dual, anyway) which will
give you a very, very large edge.
Offensive? No
Defensive? No
Random? Yes
========
Coverguard
, Y+A OR +A
Where:
Behind cover (cover explained below)
Description:
Well, cover is anything built into the terrain that you can hide behind. The
idea of cover is, like almost everything else, not entirely built for defense,
but a good cover would be a place that you can also attack back. There is one
helluva lot of this in Sauria. Anyway, the idea behind this tech is that you
dodgedance (to make sure your opponent doesn't know where you're going to go),
jump (to let your opponent know that you're hittable and it's not a lost cause)
and attack (to tell your opponent that you lied about the lost cause).
Maps with Cover: I believe the only maps with no real usable cover are Simple
Maps 2 and 3. Of course, my definition of "cover" is anything you can see over
top of, but I guess it could be really a wall or anything. In Simple 2 you can
kinda... kinda... use the ramps as cover.
When to Use:
When you're behind cover and you can't get out without your opponent killing or
at least hurting you badly.
Offensive? Yes
Defensive? Yes
Random? No, you need cover
========
Chainslide
, attack with Launcher/blaster , L+constick in opposite
direction , Y+cstick change to Mgun/Ggun ,  , attack , L+constick in
opposite direction
Where:
Anywhere on flat ground where the odds are even
Description:
Wow, this is a combo move as could probably have been guessed by all the commas
and such. Anyway, the whole thing should look like this: Slide in the air,
follow up immediately with Launcher/charge blaster, roll immediately oppositely
to the slide in air, jump and switch to rapid-fire weapon, slide again, attack
with rapid weapon, roll. Fairly easy considering a lot of these things you can
start before the previous thing is over. This should be done really smooth and
VERY quick. The whole thing should look like a kind of figure 8 - one AD left,
one roll right, one AD right, one roll left.
When to Use:
Looking for good video quality? This thing is a thing of beauty and ownage when
executed perfectly. Not only does it look cool, but it will wreak havoc on all
those solid strafers who just tend to Barrier and tank.
Offensive? Yes
Defensive? I suppose so
Random? No, you need a single shot weapon and a rapid-fire weapon
========
Lateral Slide
, A , L+constick in same direction , repeat
Where:
Pretty much anywhere except some bridge, this is a very wide move
Description:
This is such a slick and awesome combo for all kinda player matches, it's just
an amazing way to move to one side REALLY fast in an attack. A long roll/w fast
character goes well for this, which is why Wolf is cheap and Falco is cool. :P
Whole thing should look like: Slide, immediately attack, immediately roll,
repeat.
When to Use:
After you get good at this, you should unconsciously use it whenever you want.
It's like unconsciously shorthopping, or unconsciously attackdodging.
Offensive? Yes, but less so than def
Defensive? Yes
Random? Yes, but large amount of ground needed
========
Corkscrew
++A , Y+R+constick , A+L , ++A
as needed
Where:
Eh, anywhere? >, < Ok, so a moderate amount of ground needed.
Description:
Shut up about the name. All right; this is a move all/most Falco players should
master as it's quite useful in terms of walling. This is a great way to just
completely waste your opponent's ammo, starve their barrier to nothing and wall
them to hell. Just RS a bit with some SH thrown in while attacking, aim to
wherever they're running to, and RS some more. Repeat as needed/all you want,
this is just about impossible to overuse in engage combat.
When to Use:
Repetition is important. Repetition is important. Repetition is important.
Offensive? Yes
Defensive? Sorta
Random? Yes
========
Recycle
, A--> L+constick in opposite , repeat
Where:
Cover or around a tunnel, there's no real purpose for this except with cover
Description:
If you are a Peppy player, learn this. The idea is to have cover, AD or jump
out, and "recycle" that cover by rolling back into it again. This is very
seamless, very smooth, so it beats simply sidestepping out a whole ton.
When to Use:
If you're afraid of too much damage (hey, who isn't?) and you have a good cover
advantage, then go ahead.
Offensive? Yes
Defensive? Yes
Random? No, cover needed
========
Ringmaster
,  , cstick change to CB, charge,
Where:
Middle of a fight, probably against an engage-combat player (see Advance
Guide). Helpful for Boxers (see Advance Guide, Triple Triangle Theory).
Description:
Boxers take note. This incorporates their kind of weapons that they will
probably already have, and is pretty dangerous against players who tend to get
up close in a fight. The idea is to do this seamlessly (easy with Grenades
because you don't have to wait for the Sniper's cooldown time) and make it so
that your opponent never has a chance to do more than 1 thing (i.e. avoid
grenade and shoot at you) at once.
When to Use:
If you have these weapons, then go ahead! Not fussy on this one, but you may
find it a bit easier if you're a boxer and used to this stuff. Of course, if
you kill your opponent with the Stickdraw, you don't need to bother wasting a
Grenade.
Offensive? Yes
Defensive? A bit
Random? No, you need all the Boxer-preferred weapons
========
---------------------------------------
/'',     , ,   :     /  /'',       ,    ,   , , ,    - - -  , ,
.   :    .   '  :    '  .   :     . :   .   /       .       .   '
/  - :   /     ' :   /  /  - :    /  :  /   /       /- -    /     '
.     :  .     '  :  '  .     :   .   : .   .       .       .     '
/      : / . . '   :,/  /      :  /    :/    \ , ,   - - -  / . . '
, ' '       ,      ,   - . -  , ,      - - -
.           /      /     .    .   '   .
.   ---.   .      .     /     /     ' /- -
\     .   /      /     .     .     ' .
' '       ' ' '    - ' -   / . . '  - - -
--------------------------------------
,.,,.____.____
,'             /   ==========  The Art Of War (thartw)
,'  ,-,,..__.__:
,'  ,'.-'
'._'
One of the downsides of SFA is that it is extremely hard to tell people
directly how to play well or get better. The only thing you can really do is
just play matches where someone is better than you. Not only will you have to
develop new ways to survive, but they will have to think of better options to
kill you. It's a win-win scenario.
However, there are some things that you can drill into people's heads. Keeping
this in mind, let's begin. These are three rules, listed here, that, if broken,
will result in the game you're playing being drastically changed and possibly
result in a different ending to a match.
=====+++=====
RULE THE FIRST, INTRODUCTION
=====+++=====
You are playing an opponent that is obviously better than you in Inner Sarg.
You are hard-pressed - they have 4 points, you only have 2, and you're running
out of options. The up-side? You have 1 Barrier, and about 3/4 of your health.
You are playing Peppy, and they play Krystal. You have nothing but your blaster
and a Machine Gun. The opponent has 2 barriers, but low health, and they are
on the upper level with a Sniper and a Homing Launcher. You suspect that they
will come down soon to the bottom level to try and engage you.
____
/      \
| STOP |
\ ____ /
What do you do?
First, let's list your disadvantages. You are playing as a slow character,
which means that you can't pick up weapons as effectively. You don't have the
greatest amount of health. There are no Barriers to pick up, which is why I
chose this stage as an example. You have relatively close-range weapons that
won't do much to a Sniper and a Homing Launcher unless you can attack from up
close.
Now your advantages. You have been given an advantage over Krystal right away
in that you have more health. Krystal is all about surviving, but she can only
endure a few shots without a Barrier. She relies on them to survive. So if you
can hit that Krystal once without them suspecting your hit, they're gone. This
gives you a great advantage because you have one of the best weapons in the
game with you - Peppy's Charge Blaster. Second, you have greater dodging
ability than they do with your 5* jump.
Now, how to make all this work in your favor? Well, just think about it for a
while. The charge blaster will completely decimate the weapons Krystal has if
you can get them up close. So are you going to sit out in the open and wait for
them to come to you? Hell no - you're going to run into the closest tunnel and
starve them out. This does not mean that you should move - but just stay away
for the time being until they have no option but to come for you.
Say they come for you on the bottom level. They pull out their Homing Launcher
and start tanking you. You manage to dodge the first shot, and realize that
you can't possibly waste their entire ammo. You can't use a Barrier, because
not only do they have 2 but you won't be able to get another.
____
/      \
| STOP |
\ ____ /
What do you do?
This is where the rules of engage combat come in. First of all, I've seen some
points in matches on YouTube and whatever where a player's idea of close-up
combat is to run wildly at the opponent shooting with an uncharged blaster.
It's quite pathetic, to be honest. Now, what did I say before about Pep's jump
being a better dodge than his roll?
So use the jump to your advantage. Instead of trying to cover a large amount of
ground in your attack, stay in one place so that you can control a smaller
area. Not only is this easier to do, it gives you a better advantage over a
character that actually needs to control the same small area to win. Fight
on the enemy's own terms. This is a weird thing to say, but it's easier to do.
Jump around, moving but not over a large area, and shoot at the same time.
Remember what I said about Pep's CB being one of the best weapons in the game?
Use it all you can - it is a massive advantage that you have over low-health
characters in general, but also over one that doesn't have much going for it
other than a fantastic special.
While you jump, charge up your blaster. As you jump you can be charging. As you
shoot you can be rolling. This is the first key point of advanced SFA:
***
*1*
***
A player will never perform one single action at a time. There is almost
nothing in Star Fox Assault that forces you to only do that thing at one time.
The one exception is rolling, and while you cannot perform an action WHILE
rolling you can link other actions before and after the roll.
=====+++=====
RULE THE SECOND, INTRODUCTION
=====+++=====
Let's move on. We've gone into a somewhat simple theoretical situation, so now
it's time to think about something slightly harder. Out of the three best
characters - Falco, Peppy and Krystal, Peppy is the easiest to use, Falco next,
and Krystal hardest. Let's put in a situation with Falco vs Slippy - something
that is undoubtedly the hardest match in the game. Being a Falco player, I've
come across this sort of (extremely tough) situation many times. Remember that
something like this is NOT easy. The first time I tried Falc vs Slip I got
5-1'd - and I'm not exactly the worst player in the world.
How about we set the stage on Simple Map 2? You, as Falco, have 2 points, no
barrier, and low health. Slippy has 1 point, almost-full health, and a barrier.
You have 2 packs of Grenades and one Sniper. Slippy has nothing but its (yes,
its) CB. (Did you know that some species of frogs can switch genders, by the
way?)
Let's consider the opportunities. You are in Simple Map 2, which is your first
advantage. This level is suited to Falco - lots of chokepoints that can be
reversed and gotten out of quickly, high ground, a good spread of weapons that
allows you to get your choice weapons at the right time, and an all-around
useful layout suited to a character with higher speed.
However, there are some disadvantages. Sure, you're leading, but you have the
lower ground in the area. Slip, having just spawned (ha-ha, stop laughing), is
planted firmly like a wart on the yellow building (the one with the two ramps
and the choke in the middle).
You are getting worried. You have two points mainly because of luck and the
fact that some weapons might have luckily spawned in the right places. You are
going to pay for those two points - plain and simple. Slip devastates Falco,